Tag Archive for "redemption" | To Bend Light

Posts Tagged ‘redemption’

Meditation Before Neilah

Posted on: October 7th, 2011 by tobendlight

This meditation for the last service of Yom Kippur is the second prayer inspired by a song composed by my cousin Irwin Keller for Neilah called “At the Closing of the Gates.” To hear this prayer, click on the triangle in the bar below. The text follows.

Meditation Before Neilah
Wait.
There is something else,
G-d of Old,
I must show You.
It’s dark
And secret.
Part sadness.
Part anger.
Part fear.

Listen.
There is something else,
G-d of Old,
I must tell You.
It’s hard
And heavy.
Part pride.
Part guilt.
Part shame.

Stay.
There is something else,
G-d of Old,
I need from You.
It’s ancient
And new.
Part Torah.
Part Mitzvot.
Part joy and love and light.

G-d of Justice,
G-d of Mercy,
Hear my plea.
Wait for me to return to You.
Listen as I confess to You.
Stay as I struggle to live my life as a blessing,
According to Your wisdom,
According to Your law,
According to Your word.

Postscript: To listen to Irwin’s song, as well as the first prayer it inspired, click here: “At the Gates.” Click here for the full list of prayers for the Yamim Noraim. Here’s a focused list of prayers for Elul, another one of prayers for Rosh Hashana, a list of prayers for Yom Kippur and one more for Sukkot. And here’s a link to yizkor and memorial prayers.

Tweetable! Click here to tweet this: “Wait. There’s something else, G-d of Old, I must show You…” Powerful Neilah prayer by @ToBendLight https://tobendlight.com/?p=4268

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: Ragamuffin Studies

At the Gates

Posted on: October 6th, 2011 by tobendlight

This prayer is about standing at the gates of heaven in prayer. It alludes to the Un’taneh Tokef which asserts that t’shuva (repentance), t’fillah (prayer) and tzdakah (charity) are key to a full reconciliation with G-d, with oneself and with the world. It was inspired by a song written by my cousin Irwin Keller for Neilah called, “At the Closing of the Gates.” This prayer is the result of listening to his song, with a few changes recommended by Irwin. To listen to his song, click on the triangle in the first bar, below. “At the Closing of the Gates,” by Irwin Keller:

To listen to the words of the prayer while reading, click on the triangle in the second bar. The text follows. “At the Gates,” by Alden Solovy:

At the Gates
At the gates of repentance
You will be asked:
Are you ready to enter?
Are you ready to live a life of t’shuva?

The gates of repentance
Surround my heart.
Unlock my fear,
G-d of Old,
So I may enter
The well of love
With wonder and awe.

At the gates of charity
You will be asked:
Are you ready to enter?
Are you ready to live a life of tzdakah?

The gates of charity
Surround my deeds.
Unlock my fortitude,
Source and Shelter,
So I may enter
The well of healing
With righteousness and strength.

At the gates of devotion
You will be asked:
Are you ready to enter?
Are you ready to live a life of t’fillah?

The gates of devotion
Surround my spirit.
Unlock my faith,
Rock of Israel,
So I may enter
The well of mystery
With prayer and rejoicing.

Postscript: Click here for the full list of prayers for the Yamim Noraim. Here’s a focused list of prayers for Elul, another one of prayers for Rosh Hashana, a list of prayers for Yom Kippur and one more for Sukkot. And here’s a link to yizkor and memorial prayers.

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. Connect with To Bend Light on Facebook and on Twitter.

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Yom Kippur Prayers

Posted on: September 20th, 2011 by tobendlight

גמר חתימה טובה

This list of prayers and stories for Yom Kippur id divided by topic: Vidui (confession), T’shuva (Repentance), Neilah (closing service), Living in Holiness, Sacred Time and Death/Mourning. Here are several additional lists of prayers for Elul, Rosh Hashana and Sukkot. Here’s a link to yizkor and memorial prayers.

Vidui (Confession)

Meditation Before the Yom Kippur Vidui – On preparing for a thorough and honest confession.
Meditation After the Yom Kippur Vidui – Living differently after a heartfelt confession.
The Greatest Sin – Allowing the conditions for sin to take root.

T’shuva (Repentance, Return)

Cry No More – This is the day G-d made to relieve your sorrow.
Who, Still Broken – A meditation on Un’taneh Tokef.
Repentance Inside – To leave my transgressions behind.
Regarding Old Wounds – Are you willing to take your most crushing losses and turn them into a well of strength and love?
Let Your Heart Stir – Let the shofar echo into your life.

Neilah (Closing Service)

At the Gates – At the gates of prayer, repentance and charity.
Meditation Before Neilah – What have I left to say to G-d?
The Entry to Our Hearts – A cry for hope and healing.

Living in Holiness

Is This the Fast? – An introspection based on Isaiah 58:6-7.
For Wonder and Awe – To put aside vain pursuits and seek G-d.
The Path of Righteousness – The path is paved with questions.
G-d’s Plan: An Introspection – Surrendering to G-d’s will.
Let Holiness – A prayer to embody holiness.

Sacred Time

The Season of Healing – Healing our souls and our lives.
The Season of Return – Preparing for t’shuva, returning to G-d.

Death and Mourning

For an annotated list of Memorial and Yizkor prayers, click here. Here are three prayers about preparing for death:

Near the End: A Meditation – On preparing for the journey of death with grace and dignity.
Remember – Whatever our fears, this is a call back to our deepest sense of peace and well-being.
Things Break – Each day we face the flow of endings and beginnings. G-d’s love remains.

Short Story

“Cantor Cohen” is a Yom Kippur story of a Chazzan preparing to lead his congregation in prayer, repentance and righteousness.

Click here for the full list of prayers for the Yamim Noraim. Here are focused lists of prayers for Elul, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah. And here’s a link to yizkor and memorial prayers.

Photo Source: Temple Judea

Rosh Hashanah Prayers

Posted on: September 14th, 2011 by tobendlight

שנה טובה

Here are prayers for Rosh Hashanah with brief descriptions, divided into two topics: living in holiness and for creation and the new year. Here’s a focused list of prayers for Elul, a list of prayers for Yom Kippur and one more for Sukkot. And here’s a link to yizkor and memorial prayers.

For Creation and the New Year

Meditations for the New Year, which is also Yom Harat Olam, the birthday of the world:

For the New Year – In thanks for the New Year, the flow of time and the gift of life.
Another Year: An Introspection – A reflection on the passage of time and how to use it.
A New Year Begins – Love is the only answer.
Meditation on the Eve of a New Year – Counting blessings.
For Creation – A quick meditation on the beauty of creation.
Rhythms – A meditation about the contrasting rhythms of life, time moving in a straight line and holiness moving in circles.
About the Rainbow – A reflection on the glory of creation.

Living in Holiness

These prayers set a tone for the period of t’shuva from Rosh Hashana to Yom Kippur:

The Path of Righteousness – The path of righteousness is paved with questions.
G-d’s Plan: An Introspection – A prayer/poem about surrendering to G-d’s will.
For Compassion – About seeing myself in all men and women, and showing compassion for others in service to G-d.
On Making a Mistake – A prayer about elevating a mistake into an act of wisdom, charity and love.

Click here for the full list of prayers for the Yamim Noraim, listed by topics. Here’s a list of prayers for Elul, a list of prayers for Yom Kippur and one more for Sukkot. And here’s a link to yizkor and memorial prayers.

Prayers for Elul

Posted on: September 7th, 2011 by tobendlight

Here’s a list of prayers for the month of Elul divided into categories: breaking free, living in holiness, time and confession. Here are additional links to prayers for Rosh Hashana, another one of prayers for Yom Kippur and one more for Sukkot. Here’s a link to yizkor and memorial prayers.

Breaking Free

Three meditations that ask why we stay chained to our sorrows, then challenge us to see life as a sacred journey:

For Healing the Spirit – Why do we waste our days in grief and despair?
For Sharing Divine Gifts – To live compassion, use your gifts in service to others.
Forgiveness Inside – To find a deep sense of forgiveness.
Regarding Old Wounds – Take your most crushing losses and turn them into a deep well of strength and love.

Living in Holiness

These prayers examine the art of living a life of holiness, focusing on attributes (grace, humility) and practices (listening for G-d’s voice, doing G-d’s will):

Is This the Fast? – An introspection based on Isaiah 58:6-7.
For Grace – A meditation about living a life of grace by offering grace to others.
For Humility – For living a life of humility in service to G-d, ourselves and others.
To Do Your Will – To ask for the guidance to do G-d’s will in humility and love.
To Hear Your Voice – G-d’s voice is available to all who choose to listen.
The Path of Righteousness – The path is paved with questions.
For Compassion – About seeing ourselves in everyone.
On Making a Mistake – To elevate a mistake into an act of love.
To Ask – On asking for G-d’s guidance and support to live a life of righteousness.

Time

Prayers about the holiness of time in general and about the sanctity of this period in the Jewish calendar:

Rhythms – A meditation on the contrasting rhythms of life.
The Season of Healing – This is a season of healing our souls and our lives.
The Season of Return – This is a season of return to G-d, repentance and t’shuva.
History – A celebration of the gifts of history and memory.

Confession

Here are meditations on confession (vidui). Although they were written for use on Yom Kippur, they are appropriate as Elul meditations to prepare for vidui:

Meditation Before the Yom Kippur Vidui – To prepare the heart and the mind for a thorough and honest confession.
Meditation After the Yom Kippur Vidui – On living differently as a result of an honest and heartfelt confession.
The Greatest Sin – Carelessly allowing the conditions for sin to take root.

Click here for the full list of prayers for the Yamim Noraim. Here’s a list of prayers for Rosh Hashana, another one of prayers for Yom Kippur and one more for Sukkot. Here’s a link to yizkor and memorial prayers.

For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. Connect with To Bend Light on Facebook and on Twitter.

Photo Source: ou.org

At the Hand of Terror: A 9-11 Yizkor Prayer

Posted on: September 3rd, 2011 by tobendlight

This is a 9-11 yizkor prayer to be said in memory of a specific individual. This prayer has also been adapted into a general memorial prayer for all of those who lost their lives in the 9-11 attacks. Both prayers are part of “A Liturgy for 9-11.” To listen along, click on the triangle in the bar below. The text follows. This will appear in my forthcoming book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

At the Hand of Terror: A 9-11 Yizkor Prayer
Creator of all,
Source and shelter,
Grant a perfect rest under your tabernacle of peace
To ______________________ (name in Hebrew or your native tongue),
My [father / mother / sister / brother / child / wife / dear one/ friend]
Who died [in / during / because of]
The 9/11 attacks on the United States.
Remember the works of his/her hands
And the message of his/her heart.
Remember all those who were lost in the terror of that day.
Grant their families peace and comfort for Your name’s sake
And for the sake of those who perished.
Bring an end to violence and terror,
Speedily, in our days.
May the memory of _____________________ be sanctified with joy and love.
May his/her soul be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.

Postscript: Here’s a link to “A Liturgy for 9-11,” which does not have audio. Here are links to individual 9-11 prayers with audio: “For 9-11 Survivors,” “To the Terrorist,” “At the Hand of Terror II: A 9-11 Memorial Prayer” and “Memorial Prayer for 9-11 First Responders.”

Photo Source: Boldly Go Solo photo of the 9/11 Living Memorial in Israel, a billowing American flag, partly surrounded on its circular plaza by the names of the more than 3,000 people who died in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The waving flag is meant to resemble an eternal flame. Israel is the only country outside the U.S. that memorializes the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. It is outside of Jerusalem.

Response to 9-11 Prayers

Posted on: August 18th, 2011 by tobendlight

The response to “A Liturgy for 9-11” has been amazing. In the period leading up to the 10th anniversary of the attack, these prayers were read more than 3,200 times. Also:

Sacred Journey, a quarterly magazine published by Fellowship in Prayer, created a “spiritual practice” for its readers based on my “bending light” analogy and the prayer “For 9-11 Survivors.” In the summer edition, the editors ask that on 9-11 readers: light a candle, say this prayer and do an act of intentional kindness.
Odyssey Networks, the nation’s largest multi-faith media coalition, produced a video of the same prayer, “For 9-11 Survivors,” which appeared on a special 9-11 anniversary channel on its Call on Faith mobile application.
The Lookstein Center for Jewish Education of the School of Education at Bar-Ilan University included a link to “A Liturgy for 9-11” appears on a list of resources for Jewish educators.
A blog by Congregational Resource Guide included these prayers as a link in a posting called “September 11, A Decade On.”
The Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia included my 9-11 liturgy on a resources page.
The General Board of the United Methodist Church included the 9-11 Liturgy on a resources page. So did the church’s Baltimore-Washington Conference.
The Union for Reform Judaism posted these prayers on it’s website among the 9-11 resources.
Worship communities from across the U.S. contacted me asking for permission to reprint these prayers for congregational use.

In thinking about the original liturgy, I also make some changes. For public commemorations, I revised the two yizkor prayers to create memorial prayers. They are: “At the Hand of Terror II: A 9-11 Memorial Prayer” and “Memorial Prayer for 9-11 First Responders.” I also reposted the prayers individually with audio, including: “To the Terrorist: A 9-11 Prayer,” “For 9-11 Survivors,” “At the Hand of Terror II: A 9-11 Memorial Prayer” and “Memorial Prayer for 9-11 First Responders.”

Thanks to Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder, Ph.D., the editor HUC-JIR continuing education blog Tzeh U’limad, who asked me to write a set of 9-11 prayers as resources for clergy. Thank you for inviting me into your prayer lives and for allowing me to share these offerings.

For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. Connect with To Bend Light on Facebook and on Twitter.

At the Hand of Terror II: A 9-11 Memorial Prayer

Posted on: August 14th, 2011 by tobendlight

This is a memorial prayer for those who lost their lives in the 9-11 attacks. It’s adapted from a prayer that is part of “A Liturgy for 9-11.” The original prayer, “At the Hand of Terror: A 9-11 Yizkor Prayer,” was written to be said in memory of an individual. This provides a general memorial prayer for use in communal worship. To listen along, click on the triangle in the bar below. The text follows. This will appear in my forthcoming book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

At the Hand of Terror II: A 9-11 Memorial Prayer
Creator of all,
Source and shelter,
Grant a perfect rest under your tabernacle of peace
To those who died in the 9/11 attacks on the United States.
Remember the works of their hands
And the message of their hearts.
Grant their families peace and comfort for Your name’s sake
And for the sake of those who perished.
Bring an end to violence and terror,
Speedily, in our days.
May their memories be sanctified with joy and love.
May their souls be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.

Postscript: I’ve adapted another prayer for communal worship, resulting in a “Memorial Prayer for 9-11 First Responders.” Here’s a link to “A Liturgy for 9-11,” which does not have audio. Here are links to individual 9-11 prayers with audio: “For 9-11 Survivors,” “To the Terrorist” and “At the Hand of Terror: A 9-11 Yizkor Prayer.”

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. Please take a moment to explore my book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

For Devotion

Posted on: August 11th, 2011 by tobendlight

אֲדֹנָי שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח וּפִי יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ
“O Lord, open You my lips and my mouth shall declare your praise.” – Psalms 51:17

This meditation opens with the words of Psalms 51:17 which are used before reciting the Amidah to set the intention for devotion in prayer. Each of the subsequent lines builds upon the line before to deepen the intention. To listen along, click on the triangle in the bar below. The text follows.

For Devotion
אֲדֹנָי שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח וּפִי יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ
G-d, open my lips, so that my mouth may declare Your Praise.
Open my mouth, so that my heart may sing Your Glory.
Open my heart, so that my eyes may see Your Wisdom.
Open my eyes, so that my soul feels Your Presence.
Open my soul, so that my hands do Your Mitzvot.
Open my hands, so that my works glorify Your Torah.
Open my works, so that my deeds bear witness to Your Truth.
Open my deeds, so that my life bears witness to Your Justice.
Open my life, so that my spirit bears witness to Your Mercy.
Open my spirit, so that my days declare Your Holy Name.

Postscript: Here are two more meditation based on a lines from Jewish prayer, “Affirmation of Faith” and “Gathering: A Dream of Reunion,” as well as related prayers “For Humility,” “For Joy” and “For Service.”

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. Please consider making a contribution to support this site and my writing.

Photo Source: Kaballah Source

Memorial Prayer for 9-11 First Responders

Posted on: August 10th, 2011 by tobendlight

This is a memorial prayer for first responders to the 9-11 attacks. It’s modified from “Yizkor for First Responders,” a prayer that I posted as part of “A Liturgy for 9-11.” This differs from the original prayer in three ways: i) the original was written to be said for an individual first responder, while this is for all first responders; ii) the original is adaptable to any event claiming the life of a first responder, while this is specific to 9-11; and iii) the original was written for private prayer, while this is written for communal worship. This appears in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Memorial Prayer for 9-11 First Responders
G-d of the selfless,
G-d of the strong and the brave,
Grant a perfect rest among the souls of the righteous
To those who died in service to others because of
The 9/11 attacks on the United States.
May their dedication to protecting life serve as a shining lamp of love
And the works of their hands bring us all merit in heaven.
Bless the souls of all who have died to save others,
Civilians and professionals,
The trained and the untrained,
In every age and in every land,
Men and women who answered the call of honor, duty and service.
May their memories be sanctified with joy and love.
May their souls be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.

Postscript: Here’s a link to “A Liturgy for 9-11‘” Here are links to individual 9-11 prayers: “For 9-11 Survivors,” “To the Terrorist” and “At the Hand of Terror II: A 9-11 Memorial Prayer.”

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Posts Tagged ‘redemption’

Meditation Before Neilah

At the Gates

Yom Kippur Prayers

גמר חתימה טובה

Vidui (Confession)

T’shuva (Repentance, Return)

Neilah (Closing Service)

Living in Holiness

Sacred Time

Death and Mourning

Short Story

Rosh Hashanah Prayers

Prayers for Elul

Breaking Free

Living in Holiness

Time

Confession

At the Hand of Terror: A 9-11 Yizkor Prayer

Response to 9-11 Prayers

At the Hand of Terror II: A 9-11 Memorial Prayer

For Devotion

Memorial Prayer for 9-11 First Responders

“Alden has become one of Reform Judaism’s master poet-liturgists…" - Religion News Service, Dec. 23, 2020

“Mesmerizing, spiritual, provocative, and thoughtful, Alden was everything you would want in a guest scholar and teacher.” – Rabbi Denise L. Eger, Congregation Kol Ami, Los Angeles, and Past President, CCAR

**"Alden Solovy has become one of the most revered liturgists of the last decade…" - Jewish Post & Opinion, March 29, 2023**

“Alden left everyone feeling inspired.” – Cantor Jeri Robins, Shabbat Chair, NewCAJE6

Your contribution helps support the creation of new prayers available to all on this site.