created with Iris Koller
for ARJE's 4/19/23 Torah Lishma
for ARJE's 4/19/23 Torah Lishma
Below you will find a series of texts that are either iterations of, or adaptations of, the Mi Shebeirach prayer, or which serve a similar liturgical purpose. Consider the following questions, and then choose 2-4 of the texts below as you answer those questions in Chevrutah. We encourage each person to choose at least one text which speaks most directly to them - and perhaps one that troubles you or one whose language doesn’t quite feel right to you.
PRAYERS FOR HEALING
QUESTIONS for DISCUSSION:
- Share in Chevrutah what it is about the one that spoke most directly to you that makes it feel like a meaningful prayer for healing.
- What elements did you encounter in versions that you passed over that made them feel less personally relevant?
- Keeping in mind that we sometimes offer prayers of healing for people whom we know will not recover, what is the best possible outcome of one of these prayers getting answered?
- The more traditional Mi Shebeirach prayer asks God to send healing using very direct language. Debbie Friedman's version in Mishkan T'filah changes the language of the traditional blessing. In what ways, if any, do you think this changes the intent or tone or liturgical stance of the prayer?
- If you’ve answered Questions 3 and 4, go back to Question 1 and try to find elements of the text you chose that either do or do not lead you to the same places that your answers for Questions 3 and 4 led you.
Wrap Me Up: A Prayer For Those Who Are Overwhelmed
by Rabbi Rachel Bearman
Ezrat Nafsheinu—Soul sustainer,
I’m tempted to go get my tallis and sit with my legs tucked up underneath me, and wrap myself in fabric and string.
I feel small and vulnerable. I feel exposed. I feel like my nerves are raw, and I jump at the sound of every notification, every phone call. My brain is telling me that these sounds are what will come before I am forced into a new chapter of my life, a chapter that I would rather excise from my book entirely, a chapter that I would wish on no one.
And so, I’m tempted to go get my tallis and swaddle myself in its symbolism, in its protection.
I imagine that the cloth would blunt the intensity of the world outside of my body and would help me contain the fear that threatens to escape.
I ask You, Sustainer of our Souls, to spread Your comfort over me.
I ask You to wrap me up in Your love and Your strength.
I ask that You help me to feel the comfort of the tallis that I always wear—the tallis woven from the threads of my tradition, my community’s support, and my family’s love.
Amen
by Rabbi Rachel Bearman
Ezrat Nafsheinu—Soul sustainer,
I’m tempted to go get my tallis and sit with my legs tucked up underneath me, and wrap myself in fabric and string.
I feel small and vulnerable. I feel exposed. I feel like my nerves are raw, and I jump at the sound of every notification, every phone call. My brain is telling me that these sounds are what will come before I am forced into a new chapter of my life, a chapter that I would rather excise from my book entirely, a chapter that I would wish on no one.
And so, I’m tempted to go get my tallis and swaddle myself in its symbolism, in its protection.
I imagine that the cloth would blunt the intensity of the world outside of my body and would help me contain the fear that threatens to escape.
I ask You, Sustainer of our Souls, to spread Your comfort over me.
I ask You to wrap me up in Your love and Your strength.
I ask that You help me to feel the comfort of the tallis that I always wear—the tallis woven from the threads of my tradition, my community’s support, and my family’s love.
Amen
רְפָאֵֽנוּ יְהֹוָה וְנֵרָפֵא הוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעָה כִּי תְהִלָּתֵֽנוּ אָֽתָּה וְהַעֲלֵה רְפוּאָה שְׁלֵמָה לְכָל מַכּוֹתֵֽינוּ
Heal us, Adonai, and we will be healed, deliver us and we will be delivered; for You are our praise. Grant a complete healing to all our affliction
Heal Us Now (below) written by Cantor Leon Sher, based upon Numbers 12:13, Psalms 28:9, 85:10; 118:25, and 145:18
(יד) רְפָאֵ֤נִי יְהֹוָה֙ וְאֵ֣רָפֵ֔א הוֹשִׁיעֵ֖נִי וְאִוָּשֵׁ֑עָה כִּ֥י תְהִלָּתִ֖י אָֽתָּה׃
(14) Heal me, O LORD, and let me be healed;
Save me, and let me be saved;
For You are my glory.
Save me, and let me be saved;
For You are my glory.
מִי שֶבֵּרַךְ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מְקוֹר הַבְּרָָכָה לְאִמוֹתֵינוּ
May the source of strength, who blessed the ones before us,
help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing And let us say, Amen.
מִי שֶבֵּרַךְ אִמוֹתֵינוּ מְקוֹר הַבְּרָָכָה לְאֲבוֹתֵינוּ
Bless those in need of healing with r'fu-a sh'lei-ma,
the renewal of body, the renewal of spirit, And let us say, Amen.
Music: Debbie Friedman
Lyrics: Debbie Friedman & Drorah Setel
May the source of strength, who blessed the ones before us,
help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing And let us say, Amen.
מִי שֶבֵּרַךְ אִמוֹתֵינוּ מְקוֹר הַבְּרָָכָה לְאֲבוֹתֵינוּ
Bless those in need of healing with r'fu-a sh'lei-ma,
the renewal of body, the renewal of spirit, And let us say, Amen.
Music: Debbie Friedman
Lyrics: Debbie Friedman & Drorah Setel
Mi Shebeirakh / Healing Blessing for the US
by Kohenet Ahava Lilith evershYne
May the Divine who blessed the old ones
with the courage to face their fears
and to be anointed by their stinging, streaming tears,
with the strength to bridge gaps, reach mountaintops and tumble walls,
with the power to get up again and again after so many falls,
with the determination to work to better their communities,
with the wisdom and compassion to toil for unity,
with the persistence to stay alive and strive and fully thrive,
with the daring to uproot and move to improve their families’ Lives,
with the Love to rise above and the grief to dig down deep,
with the bravery and stamina to take to the streets,
to gather signatures, donate, volunteer and phone bank,
to vote, talk to representatives, stand in front of moving tanks,
to Love the haters, to lay their very Lives on the line,
to mend the world for themselves, for your Life and for mine;
May the Divine who blessed the old ones with all of these traits,
who blesses us with these blessings now to be the authors of our own fates;
May the Divine who will bless the ones-yet-to-be
bless us at this moment in the “Land of the Free”
with all of the blessings that we need to heal
all of the injustices in this nation that are real;
May the Divine awaken and kindle deep inside
any latent powers we have to heal these divides;
May the Divine help us to become all we can be –
a nation of true peace, social justice and equality,
where everyone who dwells here receives all that they need
to Live and Love, to grow and thrive, to achieve all their dreams,
where children are safe, nourished, cherished, can grow and learn in peace,
where immigrants are welcomed from places they need to flee,
where people of all colors, statuses, beliefs and identities
are treated equally with great respect and dignity,
where science is listened to and challenged only when necessary,
where treaties are honored and reparations are made immediately,
where we honestly confront our past and teach all who need to see
that our differences are what can make us such a great democracy,
where people are put before profits, where we listen only to truth,
where we revere our elders and indigenous ones and listen to our youths,
where we take stands for social justice here and everywhere,
where we lead by example to be compassionate, just and fair,
where we take all the necessary steps to heal our Mother Earth,
where, right now, we are blessed to midwife our country’s rebirth,
where the Divine reminds us that labor can also have great pains
Zhe tells us that we have the power to ensure that Love reigns;
May this nation and the world heal its bodies, hearts, minds and souls;
May we all know a complete healing to be truly free and whole.
by Kohenet Ahava Lilith evershYne
May the Divine who blessed the old ones
with the courage to face their fears
and to be anointed by their stinging, streaming tears,
with the strength to bridge gaps, reach mountaintops and tumble walls,
with the power to get up again and again after so many falls,
with the determination to work to better their communities,
with the wisdom and compassion to toil for unity,
with the persistence to stay alive and strive and fully thrive,
with the daring to uproot and move to improve their families’ Lives,
with the Love to rise above and the grief to dig down deep,
with the bravery and stamina to take to the streets,
to gather signatures, donate, volunteer and phone bank,
to vote, talk to representatives, stand in front of moving tanks,
to Love the haters, to lay their very Lives on the line,
to mend the world for themselves, for your Life and for mine;
May the Divine who blessed the old ones with all of these traits,
who blesses us with these blessings now to be the authors of our own fates;
May the Divine who will bless the ones-yet-to-be
bless us at this moment in the “Land of the Free”
with all of the blessings that we need to heal
all of the injustices in this nation that are real;
May the Divine awaken and kindle deep inside
any latent powers we have to heal these divides;
May the Divine help us to become all we can be –
a nation of true peace, social justice and equality,
where everyone who dwells here receives all that they need
to Live and Love, to grow and thrive, to achieve all their dreams,
where children are safe, nourished, cherished, can grow and learn in peace,
where immigrants are welcomed from places they need to flee,
where people of all colors, statuses, beliefs and identities
are treated equally with great respect and dignity,
where science is listened to and challenged only when necessary,
where treaties are honored and reparations are made immediately,
where we honestly confront our past and teach all who need to see
that our differences are what can make us such a great democracy,
where people are put before profits, where we listen only to truth,
where we revere our elders and indigenous ones and listen to our youths,
where we take stands for social justice here and everywhere,
where we lead by example to be compassionate, just and fair,
where we take all the necessary steps to heal our Mother Earth,
where, right now, we are blessed to midwife our country’s rebirth,
where the Divine reminds us that labor can also have great pains
Zhe tells us that we have the power to ensure that Love reigns;
May this nation and the world heal its bodies, hearts, minds and souls;
May we all know a complete healing to be truly free and whole.
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּ֒פָנֶֽיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ שֶׁתִּשְׁלַח מְהֵרָה רְפוּאָה שְׁלֵמָה מִן הַשָּׁמַֽיִם, רְפוּאַת הַנֶּֽפֶשׁ וּרְפוּאַת הַגּוּף, לַחוֹלֶה (פלוני/פלונית) בֶּן/בַּת (פלונית) בְּתוֹךְ שְׁאָר חוֹלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
May it be Your will, Adonai, our God, and the God of our fathers, that You send, quickly, a complete recovery from the heavens, healing for the soul, and healing for the body, for the ailing (name) son/daughter of (mother’s name) among the ailing of Israel.
