אֵל מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, שׁוֹכֵן בַּמְּרוֹמִים, הַמְצֵא מְנוּחָה נְכוֹנָה, עַל כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה, בְּמַעֲלוֹת קְדוֹשִׁים וּטְהוֹרִים, כְּזוֹהַר הָרָקִיע מַזְהִירִים, אֶת כָּל אֵלוּ שֶׁנָפְלוּ וְנֶהֶרְגוּ מִתּוֹך שִֹנְאַת חִינָם בַּעֲבוּר אַהַבָתָּם.
לָכֵן בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים יַסְתִּירֵם בְּסֵתֶר כְּנָפָיו לְעוֹלָמִים, וְיִצְרוֹר בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים אֶת נִשְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם. יי הוּא נַחֲלָתָם, בְּגַן עֵדֶן תְּהֵא מְנוּחָתָם, ויָנוּחו בְּשָׁלוֹם עַל מִשְׁכָּבם, וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן.
Source of life, the oneness full of mercy, that dwells in the heights, provide a sure rest, under Divine Presence's wings, within the range of the holy, pure and glorious, whose shining resemble the sky's.
To all of these who died and passed from senseless hate because of what they love.
Therefore, the Master of Mercy will protect them forever, from behind the hiding of their wings, and will tie their souls with the rope of life. Everlasting love is their heritage, and they shall rest peacefully, and let us say: Amen.
(א) מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד יי רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר. (ב) בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵנִי עַל מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי. (ג) נַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי צֶדֶק לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ. (ד) גַּם כִּי אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא אִירָא רָע כִּי אַתָּה עִמָּדִי שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ הֵמָּה יְנַחֲמֻנִי. (ה) תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה. (ו) אַךְ טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּי וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית יי לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים.
Mizmor l'David. Adonoy ro-i, lo echsar. Bin-ot desheh yarbitzayni, al may m'nuchot y'nahalayni. Nafshi y'shovayv, yanchayni v'ma-g'lay tzedek l'ma-an sh'mo. Gam ki aylaych b'gay tzalmaves lo ira ra ki atah imadi, shivt'cha umish-antecha, haymah y'nachamuni. Ta-aroch l'fanai shulchan, neged tzor'roy, dishantah vashemen roshi, kosi r'vayah. Ach tov vachesed yird'funi kol y'may chayoy, v'shavti b'vayt Adonoy l'orecha yamim.
Psalm 23 (Free Translation)
You are my shepherd, I am content
You lead me to rest in the sweet grasses - To lie down by the quiet waters
And I am refreshed - You lead me down the right path - The path that unwinds in the pattern of your name
And even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death - I will not fear - For you are with me
Comforting me with your rod and your staff - Showing me each step
You prepare a table for me - In the midst of my adversity
And moisten my head with oil - Surely my cup is overflowing
And goodness and kindness will follow me - All the days of my life - And in the long days beyond
I will always live in your house.
Norman Fischer, Opening to You: Zen-Inspired translations of the Psalm
"To be a self-accepting gay or lesbian person, one generally must go through a certain process of negation and affirmation. In homophobic societies, one is told that how one loves is wrong. Yet, at some point, to live a full life, one must learn for oneself that these statements are wrong and that love is right. This inversion teaches, in an experiential way, the primacy of love. It forms a unique mode of moral conscience, and teaches in a distinctive way what it is to love G-d b'chol levavcha, b'chol nafshecha, uv'chol meodecha, with all your heart, body, mind, and spirit. And it engenders the queer mysticism we read in Rumi, Hafiz, and Judah HaLevy . . . "
- Jay Michaelson, The Passionate Torah: Sex and Judaism, 2009, p. 218.
"The Jewish values and principles which I regard as eternal, transcendent and divinely ordained, do not condemn homosexuality. The Judaism I cherish and affirm teaches love of humanity, respect for the spark of divinity in every person, and the human right to live with dignity. The G-d I worship endorses loving, responsible, and committed human relationships, regardless of the sex of the persons involved."
- Janet Marder, "Jewish and Gay," Keeping Posted 32, 2; November, 1986.
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