Posts Tagged ‘fatherhood’

 

A Prayer for Dad

Posted on: June 17th, 2020 by Alden

Dad Me Key West 84081Here’s a prayer for Father’s Day, celebrating Dad’s passion for family and his role as a source of wisdom, inspiration and love. The photo is me and my father Jack z”l in Key West, where I became a father for the first time. Happy Father’s day to dads and children everywhere.

A Prayer for Dad
For our father,
A song of dignity and honor.

Guardian of mitzvot,
Keeper of truths,
Hand of protection and peace,
We are blessed with your humor and compassion,
Your zest for life
And your zeal for family.
You remind us to open our lives to G-d’s majesty and mystery
G-d’s justice and mercy.
You remind us to seek radiance and splendor,
Awe for creation and compassion for each other,
And choose joy over grief,
Laughter over tears.

G-d of fatherly patience and strength,
Bless our family with love
And our father with vision, endurance and hope.
May his devotion inspire us to righteousness and charity,
Guided by Torah.
Bless our lives with abundance
And our days with vigor,
So that we bring majesty and mystery to our lives
And into the world.

Blessed are You, G-d of our fathers,
Who provides just and righteous men
In every generation.

© 2020 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: I wrote this prayer more than a decade ago as “For the Patriarch,” and it appears in my book Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing with that title. Our times, sensitivity, and the meanings associated with the term “the patriarchy” call out for the title change, as well as two changes in the text. Thanks to Hila Ratzabi and Adva Chattler of Ritualwell for suggesting the revisions.

Please consider making a contribution to support this site and my writing. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: Alden Solovy

In Memoriam, Our Matriarch

Posted on: March 13th, 2018 by Alden

This is a new memorial prayer for the family matriarch. Here’s a link to the companion prayer, “In Memoriam, Our Patriarch.” These prayers are based on similar pieces for our living patriarch and matriarch. (In case anyone is worried, my mom is healthy, happy and aging with grace.)

In Memoriam, Our Matriarch
In memory of our matriarch,
A song of strength and hope.

Guardian of generations,
Keeper of traditions,
Hand of guidance and love,
We were blessed,
Throughout your days,
By your wisdom and steadfast purpose,
Your work to bind us to our heritage,
Your dedication to peace in our homes
And joy in our lives.
You reminded us to open our hearts
To our brothers and sisters,
Fathers and mothers,
Daughters and sons.
You reminded us to honor and cherish
Cousins of cousins of cousins,
And to live together, in harmony,
By G-d’s holy word.

G-d of motherly wisdom and grace,
Bless our family with health.
May the memories of our matriarch
Provide us with vision, endurance and hope.
May her unending devotion
Inspire us to live by our highest ideals,
Guided by Torah,
To help lift her soul to the highest heavens.
Bless our lives with laughter
And our days with purpose,
So that we bring radiance and splendor to our family
And to the world, in her honor.

Blessed are You, G-d of our mothers,
Who provides just and righteous women
In every generation.

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

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Postscript: This prayer is based on my prayer “For the Matriarch.”

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: Solovy Family Photo

In Memoriam, Our Patriarch

Posted on: September 13th, 2017 by Alden

This is a new memorial prayer for the family patriarch. The companion prayer, “In Memoriam, Our Matriarch,” will be posted in the next few weeks.

In Memoriam, Our Patriarch
In memory of our patriarch,
A song of dignity and honor.

Guardian of mitzvot,
Keeper of truths,
Hand of protection and peace,
We were blessed,
Throughout your days,
With your humor and compassion,
Your zest for life
And your zeal for family.
You reminded us to open our lives
To majesty and mystery,
To G-d’s justice and mercy.
You reminded us to seek radiance and splendor,
To live in awe of creation
And with compassion for each other.
You were a beacon of light,
Reminding us to choose joy over grief,
Laughter over tears.

G-d of fatherly patience and strength,
Bless our family with love.
May the memories of our patriarch
Provide us with vision, endurance and hope.
May his unending devotion
Inspire our family to deeds of righteousness and charity,
Guided by Torah,
To help lift his soul to the highest heavens.
Bless our lives with abundance
And our days with vigor,
So that we bring majesty and mystery to our lives,
And into the world, in his honor.

Blessed are You, G-d of our fathers,
You provide just and righteous men
In every generation.

© 2017 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: This prayer is based on my prayer “For the Patriarch.”

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: Solovy Family Photo

For the Patriarch

Posted on: June 19th, 2010 by tobendlight

Dad Me Key West 84081This prayer celebrates Dad. It’s part of a series of prayers for family including: “For the Matriarch,” “For Our Brothers,” “For Our Sisters” and “For the Family Historian.” To listen while you read, click on the triangle in the bar below. The text follows. The photo is me and my dad in Key West, Florida, where I became a father for the first time.

 

For the Patriarch
For our patriarch,
A song of dignity and honor.

Guardian of mitzvot,
Keeper of truths,
Hand of protection and peace,
We are blessed with your humor and compassion,
Your zest for life
And your zeal for family.
You remind us to open our lives to G-d’s majesty and mystery
G-d’s justice and mercy.
You remind us to seek radiance and splendor,
Awe for creation and compassion for each other,
And choose joy over grief,
Laughter over tears.

G-d of fatherly patience and strength,
Bless our family with love
And our patriarch with vision, endurance and hope.
May his devotion inspire us to righteousness and charity,
Guided by Torah.
Bless our lives with abundance
And our days with vigor,
So that we bring majesty and mystery to our lives
And into the world.

Blessed are You, G-d of our fathers,
Who provides just and righteous men
In every generation.

© 2010 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: If you like this prayer, try: “For the Matriarch,” “For Our Brothers,” “For Our Sisters” and “For the Family Historian.”

Please consider making a contribution to support this site and my writing. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: Alden Solovy

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