After a Living Organ Donor’s Surgery

logoCMYK2I wrote this prayer today while sitting in a surgical waiting room as my friend Rivkah Moriah became a living kidney donor, literally giving a piece of herself to a heretofore stranger, Nurit. It’s based on my prayer “For Organ Donation.” Here’s a prayer to be said “On Waiting for An Organ Transplant.” Alternative language, based on whether or not the recipient’s name is known, appears in [brackets]. Many of my organ donation prayers appear in my book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

After a Living Organ Donor’s Surgery
G-d of righteousness,
Bless _________ with a full and speedy recovery
After surgery to donate her/his ________ (organ)
To [another / or, if name is known, add name ________].
Let this act of selfless loving-kindness be a blessing
For them both and the world.
May they heal in fullness of body and spirit,
A complete refuah sheleimah for each of them.

Bless their doctors and nurses
And all of the professionals and volunteers
Who participate in this life-giving endeavor,
This sacred task of choosing and fostering life,
Dedicating their days to this sacred calling.
May the works of their hands never falter.

Bless those who’ve given so generously of themselves
Both in life and death.
Let their actions be a source of pride
For friends and family,
Resounding in the high heavens
As testimony to human kindess.

Remember _______ [donor’s name]
[And ______ (recipient’s name, if known)]
With Your abundance and Your kindness,
For health and long life.

Blessed are You, G-d of miracles,
Who heals, blesses and sustains life.

© 2016 Alden Solovy and www.tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: Here’s an alternative prayer called: “For Organ and Tissue Donation.” My other prayers for healing include: “For Surgery,” “Upon Recovery from Surgery,” “For Healing the Spirit” and “For a Critically Ill Child.” They appear in  my book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

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Photo Source: Fairtransplant.org

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