Archive for the ‘Hopes’ Category

 

Unfinished Business

Posted on: January 26th, 2020 by Alden

This is a meditation on the unfinished business in my life. Loving more deeply. Being more present. Showing more gratitude. Living the life that G-d wants for me. A life of courage, joy and faith. There are places I’ve yet to see. There are songs and poems and prayers that I’ve yet to write. This is the unfinished business of my life.

Unfinished Business
There is so much unfinished business in my life.
So much I have left undone.
Have I shown you my heart,
The well of love and sorrow,
Of fear and joy,
That I keep deep within?
Have I given you my hands,
The source of power and support,
Of gentleness and compassion,
As a gift of devotion?
Have I held you with my eyes,
The river of blessings
That flow as grace
From my core to yours?

There is so much unfinished business in my life,
To attend with joy and dancing,
Sending love from my soul to yours,
Now and forever.

© 2020 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com.

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Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: NASA

Tears, Too Close: A Prayer of Consolation

Posted on: August 18th, 2019 by Alden

A prayer of consolation, weaving in lines from each of the seven weeks of Haftarot of consolation from Isaiah which began the past Shabbat Nachamu. Use this prayer on Tisha B’Av, Shabbat Nachamu, and all of the seven Shabbatot of consolation. This piece appears in This Precious Life: Encountering the Divine with Poetry and Prayer from CCAR Press. For Rosh Chodesh Av, consider using “Hallel in a Minor Key.”

Tears, Too Close: A Prayer of Consolation
These tears are too close to my eyes
Ready to burst forth
For the sorrow that surrounds us.

These tears are too close to my heart
Ready to burst forth
For the pain that surrounds us.

These tears are too close to my soul
Ready to burst forth
For the heartbreak that surrounds us.

Comfort, oh comfort My people, says your God. (Isaiah 40:1)
For G-d will comfort Zion. (Isaiah 50:3)
נחמו נחמו עמי יאמר אלהיכם
כי־נחם ה’ ציון
Nachamu, nachamu ami, yomar Eloheichem,
Ki nicham Adonai Tzion.

Well of compassion,
Comfort of generations,
Let us cry together
For all that has been lost,
For all that might have been.

It is I, it is I who comforts you, (Isaiah 51:12)
And great shall be your children’s peace. (Isaiah 54:13)
אנכי אנכי הוא מנחמכם
ורב שלום בניך
Anochi anochi hu m’nachemchem
V’rav shalom baniyich.

Yearning,
Still yearning,
For solace and consolation,
Yearning,
Still yearning,
With hope and faith,
Yearning,
Still yearning,
For healing to flow more freely
Than these ripened tears.

Arise, shine, for your light has dawned, (Isaiah 60:1)
For mountains may move and hills be shaken
But My kindness shall not be removed from you. (Isaiah 54:10)
And the angel of G-d delivered them,
In love and mercy G-d redeemed them. (Isaiah 63:9)
קומי אורי כי בא אורך
כי ההרים ימושו והגבעות תמוטנה
וחסדי מאתך לא־ימוש
ומלאך פניו הושיעם
באהבתו ובחמלתו הוא גאלם
Kumi or’i ki va orech
Ki heharim yamushu v’hagvaot t’mutenah
V’chasdei m’eitecha lo yamush.
U’malach panav hoshei’am,
B’ahavto u’vchemlato hu g’alam.

© 2021 CCAR Press from This Precious Life: Encountering the Divine with Poetry and Prayer

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Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and my two CCAR Press books: This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: Fighting the New Anti-Semitism

This Day, Revised

Posted on: August 7th, 2019 by Alden

Here’s a meditation about living a life of love and honor in service to G-d and the world. It is offered now as a balm in the face of a difficult week of mass shootings in the U.S. The first two stanzas pose questions: “What do I ask of this day?” and “What does this day ask of me?” This revised version adds a final stanza, in the tradition of Jewish prayer, restating and strengthening the core message.

This Day, Revised
What do I ask of this day?

Joy and laughter.
Kindness and grace.
To live with dignity and compassion,
Humility and strength.
Work. Honest Labor.
A job. A livelihood.
Food. Clothing. Shelter.
Gratitude and hope.
Love and contentment.

What does this day ask of me?

Humor and wonder.
Forgiveness and surrender.
To act with reverence and respect.
To be awake and alive
With passion and commitment.
Justice. Righteousness. Charity.
Integrity and honor.
Gratitude and hope.
Love and contentment.

G-d of blessings,
Let me be a source of peace,
A beacon of comfort,
And a well of blessings,
This day,
And every day,
In service to Your world.

© 2019 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com

Postscript: The original version of this prayer was first posted here on Nov. 27, 2011. Here are more brief prayers for the day: “Quick Meditation for Today,” “Quick Meditation at Noon,” “Your Name: Quick Prayer at Dusk” and “Quick Meditation at Night.”

Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and my two CCAR Press books: This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Image Source: WikiMedia Commons

Show Me

Posted on: July 24th, 2019 by Alden

What does G-d want from us? Our service to Torah, mitzvot and tikun olam. These actions are a source of holiness and love. Thank you to Joanne Fink and Zenspirations for use of the illustration.

Show Me
Show me the works of your hands
And the deeds of your heart
And I will cause holiness
To pass through you
Like the wind through the trees
Summoning your soul
To mingle with Mine.

Set your mind to all
That is kind and just,
Compassionate and good.

Set your hand to all
That is right and true,
Charitable and healing.

Incline your heart to all
That is righteous and holy,
Glorious and full of wonder.

© 2019 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com.

New here? Subscribe here to get my newest prayers by email.
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Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: Zenspirations by Joanne Fink

Two Ravens

Posted on: January 6th, 2019 by Alden

This is the first of what will certainly be several new pieces inspired by my renewed learning at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. The idea that the raven Noah sent from the ark after the flood foreshadowed ravens feeding the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17:4) came up in Rabbi Meir Schweiger‘s Tanach class. The timing was uncanny. At the time I was enjoying The Key of Rain, co-authored by my teacher Rav Mike Feuer, which uses that prophecy in the story. Meanwhile, my Rambam class, taught by Rabbi Levi Cooper, was learning Hilchot Yesodi HaTorah on prophecy. The final stanza of this piece alludes to Masechet Brachot Mishna 1:1 from my class with Raḥel Berkovits.

Two Ravens
Two ravens
Flying over the hills
Can be seen
As messengers of G-d
If you look
With prophet’s eyes.

A fox
Scavenging in the Temple ruins
Can be seen
As a sign of redemption
If you look
With sage’s eyes.

You children of Israel,
Awake!
You are surrounded by mysteries,
Bathed in holiness,
The light bursting freely from ancient wisdom.
If only you would look with your heart.
If only you would see with your soul.
Then, the secrets of gratitude and wonder
Would dance with you
Like wedding guests
Yearning for communion
With G-d’s Holy Word.

© 2018 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com.

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Postscript:  This piece comes as a bit of a surprise, inasmuch as it reflects a synthesis of learning from multiple teachers from materials both in and out of class. In the past, my experience of being inspired by Jewish learning has been that one class meeting can (but doesn’t necessarily) lead to one new idea and one new prayer.

Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: The Key of Rain, cover illustration used with permission

This Joyous Soul

Posted on: December 24th, 2018 by Alden

Here’s the title piece from my new book This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings from CCAR Press. The book is a companion volume to This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. This Grateful Heart provides prayers and meditations to address the days and seasons of our lives. This Joyous Soul offers a bridge between the language of traditional prayer and the language of personal experience.

This Joyous Soul
G-d’s love lingers
Where the rainbows hide,
Waiting to burst forth
In radiant glory.

How this joyous soul yearns for You!
Your blessings and Your grace,
Your wisdom and Your compassion,
This joyous voice sings Your praises.

G-d’s love lingers
At the gates of your heart,
Waiting to burst forth
In luminous splendor.

© 2019 CCAR Press from This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings

New here? Subscribe here to get my newest prayers by email.
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Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: Deep Sky

Before the Storm: For Hurricane Florence

Posted on: September 12th, 2018 by Alden

Hurricane Florence is headed the Carolina and Virginia coast. The monster storm is predicted to make landfall as a Category 3 or 4 hurricane.

Before the Storm
G-d of heaven and earth,
Source of All,
The Hurricane Florence approaches,
A tribute to the force of creation,
Your power and might.

What chaos will blow with the wind?
What destruction will strike?
Who will suffer? Who will stay secure?

G-d of mystery and awe,
Grant us safety as Florence engulfs our homes and our lives.
Protect us. Shield us. Guard us.
Grant peace of mind to those in fear.
Grant food and clothing,
Warmth and shelter to those in need.
Bless emergency and rescue workers with the tools and skills they need
As they risk their lives for the sake of our families, communities and friends.
Grant healing to those who are sick or injured.
Bless us with common sense throughout the squall — the wind, the rain and the tides —
And with kinship and cooperation when the hurricane passes.

G-d of awe and wonder,
Our Rock and our Refuge,
See us through the gale
And watch us through the night,
For comfort, security and wellbeing,
So that we may serve You in love.

© 2018 Alden Solovy and www.tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

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Postscript: This is a revision of a prayer written for Hurricane Isaac. After the storm, see “Safety After Violent Weather,” a version of “After the Storm” revised in the wake of Hurricane Irene. My other weather safety prayers include: “In Devastation,” “For First Responders,” “After the Tornadoes” “Safety After Violent Weather” and “After the Storm.”

Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: NASA

This Joyous Soul

Posted on: July 15th, 2018 by Alden

Here’s the title piece from my forthcoming book from CCAR Press, This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings. The book is a companion volume to This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. This Grateful Heart provides prayers and meditations to address the days and seasons of our lives. This Joyous Soul offers a bridge between the language of traditional prayer and the language of personal experience.

This Joyous Soul
God’s love lingers
Where the rainbows hide,
Waiting to burst forth
In radiant glory.

How this joyous soul yearns for You!
Your blessings and Your grace,
Your wisdom and Your compassion,
This joyous voice sings Your praises.

God’s love lingers
At the gates of your heart,
Waiting to burst forth
In luminous splendor.

© 2019 CCAR Press from This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings

Postscript: This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings is available for pre-order. This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day is available for purchase.

New here? Subscribe here to get my newest prayers by email.
Share the prayer! Email this to a friend.

Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer.” For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: Central Conference of American Rabbis

Passages

Posted on: July 7th, 2018 by Alden

A new prayer about prayer as the doorway to eternity. The prayer is structured as seven six-word meditations, followed by a prayer for a life of blessings.

Passages
Prayer is the doorway to compassion.
Compassion is the entry to humility.
Humility is the passage to love.
Love is the gateway to peace.
Peace is the guardian of life.
Life is the invitation to now.
Now is the essence of eternity.

Source of all,
Creator of time and space,
Guide me through these passages
So I may serve you with dedication, awe and wonder,
Living Your mitzvot with my words and deeds,
Lifting my heart closer to the radiance of being,
Lifting my soul to the living waters of Your blessings.

© 2018 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

New here? Subscribe here to get my newest prayers by email.
Share the prayer! Email this to a friend.

Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: National Park Service Photo Gallery

Abundance

Posted on: April 1st, 2018 by Alden

A new meditation on the flow of energy and abundance. The third stanza echoes Psalm 114:4, “The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like young sheep,” shifting the tone from meditation, to praise and hope for tomorrow. The final stanza closes with a blessing.

Abundance
The heavens sing to the stars.
The stars whisper to the sun.
The sun caresses the sea.
The sea dances with the land.
The land shares its gifts,
For abundance fills creation
With energy and light
And I breathe glory into my veins.

Cast your hearts to the rhythm of silence,
The pulse of eternity,
The wisdom of love,
The radiance surrounding us all.

Then, the mountains will skip like rams once more,
The hills like young sheep.
The rivers will roar
And the sky will shimmer in the flow of bounty from G-d,
The Source of all blessings.

Cast your fears to the wind,
Your doubts to the breeze,
Your losses to the earth.
Open your hearts,
And let the heavens sing to you.

© 2018 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

New here? Subscribe here to get my newest prayers by email.
Share the prayer! Email this to a friend.

Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: Alden Solovy

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