Sunday, July 24, 2022

Prayer for Divine Guidance for the Stops on Our Way


Parashat Masei


Prayer for Divine Guidance for the Stops on Our Way
 
Hashem, I’ve always sensed the echo of Your hum,
From afar I have journeyed to dance to Your drum!
 
I was born in the north to my dad and my mum,
in a place where people were spiritually numb.
 
Let me follow You, so far away I am from!
Draw me closer to You from wherever I come.
 
It is not always easy to know,
where in the world You want us to go.
 
I pray that Your glory You will show!
With all its rainbow colors let it glow!
 
I believe that every stop here below,
is for a greater purpose to bestow.
 
Show me the root from where my soul derived,
So, I can fathom why I have arrived!
 
From every turn and twist I have dived,
I thank You that I have survived!
 
Even if in some places I have been pained,   
my emunah I hope I still have maintained!
 
I pray that the lessons of each place I have gained,
even if their purpose You haven’t explained!
 
I believe wherever a person embarks,
We are called upon to extract holy sparks.
 
Hashem, I look back at all the stops on our way.
Our lives pass before me like a movie or a replay.
 
I recall when we didn’t know where to stay.
How awesome following Your cloud day by day!
 
Now that we are settled in our land I must say,
this is the time to give thanks to You and to pray! 


Based on Bamidbar Chapter 33 verse 1-3, 34,13
 
ספר במדבר פרק לג פסוק א אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יָצְאוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְצִבְאֹתָם בְּיַד משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן:
(ב) וַיִּכְתֹּב משֶׁה אֶת מוֹצָאֵיהֶם לְמַסְעֵיהֶם עַל פִּי הָשֵׁם וְאֵלֶּה מַסְעֵיהֶם לְמוֹצָאֵיהֶם: (ג) וַיִּסְעוּ מֵרַעְמְסֵס בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן מִמָּחֳרַת הַפֶּסַח יָצְאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיָד רָמָה לְעֵינֵי כָּל מִצְרָיִם: 
“These are the journeys of the children of Israel who left the land of Egypt in their legions, under the charge of Moshe and Aharon. Moshe recorded their starting points for their journeys according to the word of Hashem, and these were their journeys with their starting points. They journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day following the Pesach sacrifice, the children of Israel left triumphantly before the eyes of all the Egyptians (Bamidbar 33:1-3).
 
ספר במדבר פרק לד פסוק יג
וַיְצַו משֶׁה אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר זֹאת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תִּתְנַחֲלוּ אֹתָהּ בְּגוֹרָל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה הָשֵׁם לָתֵת לְתִשְׁעַת הַמַּטּוֹת וַחֲצִי הַמַּטֶּה:
“Moshe commanded the children of Israel saying, ‘This is the Land which you are to apportion for inheritance through lot, that Hashem has commanded to give to the nine and a half tribes” (Bamidbar 34:13).


Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Prayer for Divine Guidance in Choosing Proper Words, and in the Ability to Fulfill Them

Parashat Matot


Prayer for Divine Guidance in Choosing Proper Words,
and in the Ability to Fulfill Them
 
Hashem let me always remember the value of my word!
May I express myself so that the meaning is truly heard!
 
Let my words praise You like the song of the bird!
May my pronunciation be clear and never slurred!    
 
Let my words never harm nor wrong!
May their message be clear and strong!
 
May they reach where they belong,
So others can sing along their song!
 
Let all my words be kind and true!
May I first think their message through!
 
Let me be sensitive to others’ cue,
and I consider the words of their view!
 
May I accept what comes as my exact due!
Let me not bite off more than I can chew!
 
May I express my higher will!
Whatever I promise let me fulfill!
 
Let my words good faith instill!
May I ensure to pay every bill!
 
Let the words that I have spun
shine brilliantly like the sun!
 
May my husband and I speak as one!
Let our words be broken by none!
 
Let the good deeds that we’ve begun
never need to become undone!
 
Let our words the heaven reach!
Hashem help us direct our speech!
 
Guide us to choose the words we teach!
Help us to practice what we preach!


Based on Bamidbar Chapter 30 verse 4-9, 14,17
 
ספר במדבר פרק ל פסוק ד וְאִשָּׁה כִּי תִדֹּר נֶדֶר לַהָשֵׁם וְאָסְרָה אִסָּר בְּבֵית אָבִיהָ בִּנְעֻרֶיהָ:
(ה) וְשָׁמַע אָבִיהָ אֶת נִדְרָהּ וֶאֱסָרָהּ אֲשֶׁר אָסְרָה עַל נַפְשָׁהּ וְהֶחֱרִישׁ לָהּ אָבִיהָ וְקָמוּ כָּל נְדָרֶיהָ וְכָל אִסָּר אֲשֶׁר אָסְרָה עַל נַפְשָׁהּ יָקוּם: וַהָשֵׁם יִסְלַח לָהּ כִּי הֵנִיא אָבִיהָ אֹתָהּ(ו) וְאִם הֵנִיא אָבִיהָ אֹתָהּ בְּיוֹם שָׁמְעוֹ כָּל נְדָרֶיהָ וֶאֱסָרֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר אָסְרָה עַל נַפְשָׁהּ לֹא יָקוּם וַ הָשֵׁם יִסְלַח לָהּ כִּי הֵנִיא אָבִיהָ אֹתָהּ: (ז) וְאִם הָיוֹ תִהְיֶה לְאִישׁ וּנְדָרֶיהָ עָלֶיהָ אוֹ מִבְטָא שְׂפָתֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר אָסְרָה עַל נַפְשָׁהּ:
(ח) וְשָׁמַע אִישָׁהּ בְּיוֹם שָׁמְעוֹ וְהֶחֱרִישׁ לָהּ וְקָמוּ נְדָרֶיהָ וֶאֱסָרֶהָ אֲשֶׁר אָסְרָה עַל נַפְשָׁהּ יָקֻמוּ: (ט) וְאִם בְּיוֹם שְׁמֹעַ אִישָׁהּ יָנִיא אוֹתָהּ וְהֵפֵר אֶת נִדְרָהּ אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיהָ וְאֵת מִבְטָא שְׂפָתֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר אָסְרָה עַל נַפְשָׁהּ וַהָשֵׁם יִסְלַח לָהּ:
“If a woman makes a vow to Hashem or imposes a prohibition [upon herself] while in her father’s house, in her youth, if her father heard her vow or her prohibition which she has prohibited upon herself, yet her father remains silent, all her vows shall stand, and any prohibition that she has imposed upon herself shall stand. But if her father hinders her on the day he hears it, all her vows and her prohibitions that she has imposed upon herself shall not stand. Hashem will forgive her because her father hindered her. But if she is [betrothed] to a man, with her vows upon her or by an utterance of her lips which she has imposed upon herself, and her husband hears it but remains silent on the day he hears it, her vows shall stand, and her prohibition which she has imposed upon herself shall stand. But if her husband hinders her on the day he heard it, he has revoked the vow she had taken upon herself and the utterance which she had imposed upon herself, and Hashem will forgive her” 
(Bamidbar 30:4-9).
 
(יד) כָּל נֵדֶר וְכָל שְׁבֻעַת אִסָּר לְעַנֹּת נָפֶשׁ אִישָׁהּ יְקִימֶנּוּ וְאִישָׁהּ יְפֵרֶנּוּ: (טו) וְאִם הַחֲרֵשׁ יַחֲרִישׁ לָהּ אִישָׁהּ מִיּוֹם אֶל יוֹם וְהֵקִים אֶת כָּל נְדָרֶיהָ אוֹ אֶת כָּל אֱסָרֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיהָ הֵקִים אֹתָם כִּי הֶחֱרִשׁ לָהּ בְּיוֹם שָׁמְעוֹ: (טז) וְאִם הָפֵר יָפֵר אֹתָם אַחֲרֵי שָׁמְעוֹ וְנָשָׂא אֶת עֲוֹנָהּ: (יז) אֵלֶּה הַחֻקִּים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה הָשֵׁם אֶת משֶׁה בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ בֵּין אָב לְבִתּוֹ בִּנְעֻרֶיהָ בֵּית אָבִיהָ:
“Any vow or any binding oath of self-affliction, her husband can either uphold it or revoke it. However, if her husband remained silent from day to day, he has upheld all the vows and prohibitions she has assumed; he has upheld them since he remained silent on the day he heard it. If he revokes them after having heard [them], he shall bear her iniquity. These are the statutes which Hashem commanded Moshe concerning a man and his wife, a father and his daughter, in her youth, while in her father’s house (Bamidbar 30:14-17).

Monday, July 11, 2022

Gratitude for our Plot in the Holy Land and Prayer that our Descendants will Treasure their Inheritance and Perpetuate it

Parashat Pinchas


Gratitude for our Plot in the Holy Land and Prayer
that our Descendants will Treasure their Inheritance and Perpetuate it
 
Hashem thank You for our plot of land!
Receiving land in Israel is really grand.
 
This is a gift of which our ancestors couldn’t have dreamed.
It makes me feel that we have personally been redeemed.
 
How many prayers have been prayed and tears shed,
for Jewish feet on this precious land to tread?
 
I thank You Hashem for this special merit!
I pray that our descendants this land inherit.
 
May our great-grandchildren climb these fruit trees,
enjoying the sunshine, the birds, and the breeze!
 
I pray that our children’s children will in our garden stroll,
delighting in the trees that we planted – the fruits of our soul!
 
May they take care of the plants and remove the weeds!
May they continue our hard work and plant new seeds!
 
Throughout summer, fall, winter, and spring,
may they have fun and sway in the swing!
 
May they continue to play, laugh and sing!
Cheerful flowers for Shabbat let them bring!
 
May they appreciate treasure and understand
what a gift from Above is this precious land!
 
Let them grasp how the land is an extension of their soul,
so they can connect with the earth’s Divine spiritual goal!
 
May they tap into the Torah infused in the land that they got,
so they can truly extract the holy sparks imbued in their plot!
 
Let them remember us and our memory acclaim!
May they perpetuate our vision and family name!
 
Let our souls continue to shine through this land! 
May we live on through the fruits of our hand! 


Based on Bamidbar Chapter 27 verse 1-7

ספר במדבר פרק כז פסוק א וַתִּקְרַבְנָה בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד בֶּן חֵפֶר בֶּן גִּלְעָד בֶּן מָכִיר בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹת מְנַשֶּׁה בֶן יוֹסֵף וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֹתָיו מַחְלָה נֹעָה וְחָגְלָה וּמִלְכָּה וְתִרְצָה:
(ב) וַתַּעֲמֹדְנָה לִפְנֵי משֶׁה וְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְלִפְנֵי הַנְּשִׂיאִם וְכָל הָעֵדָה פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לֵאמֹר:
(ג) אָבִינוּ מֵת בַּמִּדְבָּר וְהוּא לֹא הָיָה בְּתוֹךְ הָעֵדָה הַנּוֹעָדִים עַל הָשֵׁם בַּעֲדַת קֹרַח כִּי בְחֶטְאוֹ מֵת וּבָנִים לֹא הָיוּ לוֹ:
(ד) לָמָּה יִגָּרַע שֵׁם אָבִינוּ מִתּוֹךְ מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ כִּי אֵין לוֹ בֵּן תְּנָה לָּנוּ אֲחֻזָּה בְּתוֹךְ אֲחֵי אָבִינוּ:
(ה) וַיַּקְרֵב משֶׁה אֶת מִשְׁפָּטָן לִפְנֵי הָשֵׁם:
(ו) וַיֹּאמֶר הָשֵׁם אֶל משֶׁה לֵּאמֹר:
(ז) כֵּן בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד דֹּבְרֹת נָתֹן תִּתֵּן לָהֶם אֲחֻזַּת נַחֲלָה בְּתוֹךְ אֲחֵי אֲבִיהֶם וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ אֶת נַחֲלַת אֲבִיהֶן לָהֶן:
“The daughters of Tzelafchad, the son of Chefer, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Menashe, of the families of Menashe, the son of Yosef came forward. His daughters’ names were Machlah, Noah, Choglah, Milkah, and Tirtzah. They stood before Moshe, and before Elazar the kohen, and before the chieftains and the entire congregation at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, saying: ‘Our father died in the desert, but he was not in the assembly that banded together against Hashem in Korach’s assemble, but died for his own sin, and he had no sons. Why should our father’s name be eliminated from his family, because he had no son? Give us a portion along with our father’s brothers.’ So, Moshe brought their case before Hashem. Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying, ‘the daughters of Tzelafchad speak properly. You shall certainly give them a portion of inheritance along wither their father’s brothers, and you shall transfer their father’s inheritance to them.” (Bamidbar 27:1-7).

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Prayer For Reversal of Negative Energy, and for Tapping into Hashem’s Pool of Blessings

Parashat Balak


Prayer For Reversal of Negative Energy,
and for Tapping into Hashem’s Pool of Blessings
 
Hashem protect me from anybody’s putrid curse!
Any negative energy will You please reverse!
 
Do not let the other side from my energy nurse,
depleting my strength or the money in my purse!
 
I trust that You will completely reimburse
the stolen energy and negativity disperse.
 
May I never receive nor cast an evil eye,
Don’t let me on the belongings of others spy!
 
May I recall that it is ordained from on High,
exactly what I need to serve You and get by!
 
Even if we may never know the reason why,
this basic tenant of faith I cannot deny.
 
Let me from any covetousness idolatry flee!
Spare me from temptations of serving stone and tree!
 
From divination and the readings of leaves of tea,
from witchcraft, voodoo, and oracles let me be free!
 
When I raise my eyes may Your spirit dwell on me,
to help me always focus on the good to see!
 
Your pool of blessings I desire to access,
so my lips can always words of blessings express!
 
A good word can be more healing than a caress,
to help pull people out of their deep distress.
 
Let me support those suffering from feeling rather less!
Let me help them emerge from living in a big mess!
 
Hashem let my heart and lips always people bless,
to be healthy, happy, and experience success!
 
May we all emerge from feeling sad and suppressed,
Recalling that we are a people eternally blessed! 

May we no longer our own goodness suppress! 
Let us shed all the excess and start life afresh!



Based on Bamidbar Chapter 22-24

 
ספר במדבר פרק כב פסוק ו וְעַתָּה לְכָה נָּא אָרָה לִּי אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה כִּי עָצוּם הוּא מִמֶּנִּי אוּלַי אוּכַל נַכֶּה בּוֹ וַאֲגָרֲשֶׁנּוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר תְּבָרֵךְ מְבֹרָךְ וַאֲשֶׁר תָּאֹר יוּאָר:
(יב) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם לֹא תָאֹר אֶת הָעָם כִּי בָרוּךְ הוּא:
“‘So now, please come and curse this people for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will be able to wage war against them and drive them out of the land, for I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed.’ …G-d said to Bilam, ‘You shall not go with them! You shall not curse the people because they are blessed’” (Bamidbar 22:6, 12).
 
ספר במדבר פרק כג פסוק ח מָה אֶקֹּב לֹא קַבֹּה אֵל וּמָה אֶזְעֹם לֹא זָעַם הָשֵׁם:
(יא) וַיֹּאמֶר בָּלָק אֶל בִּלְעָם מֶה עָשִׂיתָ לִי לָקֹב אֹיְבַי לְקַחְתִּיךָ וְהִנֵּה בֵּרַכְתָּ בָרֵךְ:
“‘How can I curse whom G-d has not cursed, and how can I invoke wrath if Hashem has not been angered’? …Then Balak said to Bilam, ‘What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them!’” (Bamidbar 23: 8, 11).
 
ספר במדבר פרק כג פסוק כא לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בּוֹ:
כב) אֵל מוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרָיִם כְּתוֹעֲפֹת רְאֵם לוֹ:
(כג) כִּי לֹא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כָּעֵת יֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל מַה פָּעַל אֵל:
“He does not look at evil in Ya’acov, and has seen no perversity in Israel; Hashem, his G-d, is with him, and he has the King’s friendship. G-d has brought them out of Egypt with the strength of His loftiness. For there is no divination in Ya’acov and no soothsaying in Israel. In time it will be said to Ya’acov and Israel, ‘What has G-d wrought?’” (Bamidbar 23:21-23). 

ספר במדבר פרק כד פסוק א וַיַּרְא בִּלְעָם כִּי טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי הָשֵׁם לְבָרֵךְ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא הָלַךְ כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם לִקְרַאת נְחָשִׁים וַיָּשֶׁת אֶל הַמִּדְבָּר פָּנָיו: (ב) וַיִּשָּׂא בִלְעָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֹׁכֵן לִשְׁבָטָיו וַתְּהִי עָלָיו רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים:

(ג) וַיִּשָּׂא מְשָׁלוֹ וַיֹּאמַר נְאֻם בִּלְעָם בְּנוֹ בְעֹר וּנְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר שְׁתֻם הָעָיִן:
(ד) נְאֻם שֹׁמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל אֲשֶׁר מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי יֶחֱזֶה נֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינָיִם:
(ה) מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ יַעֲקֹב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
“Bilam saw that it pleased Hashem to bless Israel; so he did not go in search of omens as he had done time and time again, but turned his face toward the desert. Bilam raised his eyes and saw Israel dwelling according to its tribes, and the spirit of G-d rested upon him. He took up his parable and said, ‘The word of Bilam the son of Beor and the word of the man with an open eye. The word of the one who hears G-d’s sayings, who sees the vision of the Almighty, fallen yet with open eyes. How goodly are your tents, O Ya’acov, your dwelling places, O Israel!’” (Bamidbar 24:1-5).