וַיִּיצֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַֽיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃
YHVH God formed man from the dust of the earth. He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.
“In beginning, Elohim created heavens and earth” [Gn 1:1].
On the second [day] He created from the upper ones / min ha`elyonim, as it is said: “And Elohim said: Let there be a firmament”
On the third He created from the lower ones / min hatachtonim: “And Elohim said: Let the earth sprout”.
On the fourth He created from the upper ones: “Let there be lights”
On the fifth He created from the lower ones: “Let the waters swarm”
On the sixth He came to create Adam.
He said: If I create him from the upper ones, then the upper ones will be greater than the lower ones by one creation, and there won’t be peace in the world; and if I create him from the lower ones, then the lower ones will be greater than the upper ones by one creation, and there won’t be peace in the world.
Rather, here am I [going to] create him from the upper ones and the lower ones, for the sake of peace / bish’vil shalom... ‘And YHVH Elohim formed him dirt from the ground’—from the lower ones; ‘and He blew in his nostrils life’s breath / nishmat chayyim’ [Gn 2:7]—from the upper ones.
What qualities of Isaac stand out as you remember him on this day?
How has the year of mourning changed you?
What have you learned about yourself as you’ve grieved this loss or others?
The Gemara asks: For what reason was the World-to-Come created specifically with the letter yod, the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet? The Gemara answers: It is because the righteous of the world are so few.
(יד) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, חָבִיב אָדָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לוֹ שֶׁנִּבְרָא בְצֶלֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ט) כִּי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם.
חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָנִים לַמָּקוֹם. חִבָּה יְתֵרָה נוֹדַעַת לָהֶם שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָנִים לַמָּקוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יד) בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּתַּן לָהֶם כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה.
(14) He used to say: Beloved is man for he was created in the image [of God]. It was especially beloved that it was made known that [we] where created in [G-d's] image, as it is said: “for in the image of God He made man” (Genesis 9:6).
Beloved are Israel in that they were called children of Makom (All-Present). Especially beloved are they for it was made known to them that they are called children of Makom (All-Present) as it is said: “your are children to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 14:1).
1What is this text trying to teach us about being created in God's image?
How does it make you feel as you relate that to Isaac's memory?
Memorial Prayer without a Minyan
רבונו של עולם
אלהי הרוחות לכל בשר
Master of the Universe, God of All Spirit, it is revealed and known before You that it is our fervent desire to praise Your name, and to remember and honor ________________ on this sacred day.
May our prayers find favor in Your eyes, and be accepted and received before You.
May you grant hope and healing to all who suffer, and may we soon be able to once again safely gather in holiness and joy.
May Your name, Adonai, be elevated and sanctified everywhere on earth and may peace reign upon us.
~Adapted from Siddur Lev Shalem by Rabbi Jan Uhrbach, Rabbinical Assembly
Kaddish Yatom for a Minyan
יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא. אמן
בְּעָלְמָא דִּי בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ וְיַמְלִיךְ
מַלְכוּתֵהּ בְּחַיֵּיכון וּבְיומֵיכון וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשרָאֵל בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:
יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא
יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאַר וְיִתְרומַם וְיִתְנַשּא וְיִתְהַדָּר וְיִתְעַלֶּה
וְיִתְהַלָּל שְׁמֵהּ דְּקֻדְשָׁא. בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
לְעֵלָּא מִן כָּל בִּרְכָתָא וְשִׁירָתָא
תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָא וְנֶחֱמָתָא דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְמָא. וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:
יְהֵא שְׁלָמָא רַבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּא וְחַיִּים עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשרָאֵל.
וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
עושה שָׁלום בִּמְרומָיו הוּא יַעֲשה שָׁלום עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’mei raba
b’alma di v’ra chirutei,
v’yamlich malchutei,
b’chayeichon uv’yomeichon
uv’chayei d’chol beit Yisrael,
baagala uviz’man kariv,
v’im’ru: Amen.
Y’hei sh’mei raba m’varach
l’alam ul’almei almaya.
Yitbarach v’yishtabach v’yitpaar
v’yitromam v’yitnasei,
v’yit’hadar v’yitaleh v’yit’halal
sh’mei d’kud’sha b’rich hu,
l’eila min kol birchata v’shirata,
tushb’chata v’nechemata,
daamiran b’alma, v’imru: Amen.