This is a prayer for those who await an organ transplant. It is revised slightly from the original. The change: adding an explicit reference to live kidney donation. The prayer is written to be said for oneself or for another, with options shown in [brackets]. There’s also the option to add a name. Here’s the original version, which appears in my new book Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing. As many of you know, my wife Ami z”l was an organ donor. The introduction to the original prayer talks about about a letter from the recipient of Ami’s heart. My prayer “For Organ Donation” thanks G-d for the medical skill and asks for blessings on all who make transplantation possible. “In Memory of An Organ Donor” is a yizkor prayer for organ donors.
On Waiting for an Organ Transplant, Revised
Ancient One,
Breath of Life,
In Your wisdom You have given medical science
The skill and ability to transplant organs,
Renewing life for the critically ill.
G-d of compassion and mercy,
Bless [me] [my father / mother / sister / brother / child / wife / husband / partner / dear one / friend]
[______________________ (name),]
With this gift of life.
Release [me / him / her] from fear and pain,
From moments of uncertainty and times of despair,
From powerful medications, debilitating treatments and temporary interventions.
Open the hearts of men and women
To share their health
By giving blood,
Registering as marrow and kidney donors
And dedicating themselves to organ donation.
Open, too, the hearts of families
Facing the death of a loved one,
So that, in the shadow of grief,
They find the strength to give the gift of life.
May they find meaning and comfort
In their time of suffering and loss.
G-d of healing,
[I ] [my father / mother / sister / brother / child / wife / husband / partner / dear one / friend]
Wait(s) in the shadow of disease,
In the shadow of pain and suffering,
In the shadow of mortality.
May this wait end soon,
With a healthy organ, a successful transplant,
And a speedy recovery.
© 2014 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.
Postscript: All three of my organ donation prayers appear in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing. My other prayers for healing include: “For Surgery,” “Upon Recovery from Surgery,” “For Healing the Spirit,” “For a Critically-Ill Mother,” “For a Critically-Ill Father,” “For a Critically Ill Child” and “R’fuat HaNefesh: Healing the Soul.”
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Photo Source: Doctors Health Press