The Morning Blessings: Eh’lo’hai N’shama/The Soul That You Created
Expressing gratitude to God for our lives and our souls is an essential part of the morning prayers. Eh’lo’hai n’shama sheh’na’ta’ta bee t’hora hee. Ah’tah v’ratah Ah’tah y’tzar’tah,…
The Blessings Over Food: M’zo’note / Baked Goods
The blessing recited over baked goods other than bread is M’zo’note; Ba’ruch Ah’tah Ah’doh’nai Eh’lo’hay’nu Melech ha’o’lam bo’ray mee’nay m’zo’note. Blessed are You, the Lord our God,…
The Blessings of the Amidah: God’s Might
The nineteen blessings of the Amidah make up the core of the Jewish prayer service. The second blessing is a meditation on God’s might and His role in the basic flow of life. Ah’tah gibor…
The Morning Blessings: Mah Tovu / Good Tents
While this beautiful verse was initially stated by Balaam, a fierce enemy of the Jewish people, the sages saw it as the greatest praise. Mah tovu, o’ha’lehcha Ya’akov, mish’k’no’techa…
The Blessings Over Food: Wine/Grape Juice
Ha’gafen is the blessing recited over wine and grape juice. Ba’ruch Ah’tah Ah’doh’nai Eh’lo’hay’nu Melech ha’o’lam bo’ray p’ree ha’gafen. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the…
The Candle Lighting Blessing
Before reciting this blessing on Friday evening, light the Shabbat candles and then cover your eyes with your hands. Ba’ruch ah’tah Ah’do’nai, Eh’lo’hay’nu melech ha’o’lam, ah’sher…
Sing!
Express the joy of Shabbat by singing. You can even make up your own song.
Sing the Songs of Shabbat
Music is said to raise a person’s spirit (Berachot 57b), and there is no time more appropriate for joyousness than Shabbat, the day of rest. To honor Shabbat, and to bring it more…
Curses Turned To Blessings
“How glorious are your tents, Jacob, your dwellings, Israel. As valleys stretched out, as gardens by the river-side; as aloes planted by God, as cedars beside the waters” (Numbers…
The Blessing of the Sun
Wednesday morning (April 8, 2009/14th of Nisan 5769), a unique, once in 28 years blessing will be recited -- Birkat Hachama, the blessing of the sun. The event that is being observed is…