A Sinaite's Liturgy – 2nd Sabbath in May

Image from veganloveinn.blogspot.com

Image from veganloveinn.blogspot.com

KINDLE THE SABBATH LIGHTS

 

O YHWH,

our God, Lord, and Creator,

You perfected Your universe on day six

culminating in the ‘crown’ of Your Creation

—humankind—

then You added a seventh day which is not just another day, 

for You chose to sanctify the seventh for rest.

It behooves us who are made in Your image, to do the same,

not simply to withdraw from our weekly chores,

but to make a difference in what we choose to do on this day,

a day to cease from our daily routine, 

and take delight in the gift of rest

and be joyful from sundown to sundown.

For, if You did not make it a commandment in Your decalogue,

humankind would keep going nonstop in toiling and working

and that would be detrimental to health and wellbeing,

shortening our life span.

So, thank You, YHWH, Lord of the Sabbath,

for Your 4th commandment!

 
Image from www.chagim.org.i

Image from www.chagim.org.i

O CREATOR of LIGHT,

in the meaningful family tradition of Your chosen people,

the matriarch of the family kindles the Sabbath lights 

and speaks the blessing: 

 

Blessed are You,

YHWH, our God, 

King of the Universe,

Who sanctified us with Your commandments 

and commanded us to “sanctify the Sabbath.”

 

As the world celebrates motherhood, 

we reflect on the special gift of childbearing that You have placed upon womanhood: 

You designed the propagation of the human race

through the recreation of new life

to include the participation of both man and woman,

but granting woman the unique privilege of hosting an embryo, designing her to be the suitable vessel 

to carry and nurture a developing life to full maturity

when the infant is ready to leave the dark security of mother’s womb to finally see the light of day.  

Mother continues to nurse and care for her child with selfless dedication

until she is able to release this beloved part of her ‘self’

to take its own direction in life in a world ridden with choices.

Just as Your Words through Isaiah speak of Israel Your Firstborn,

a mother can say of the children that she births, 

 

15 Can a woman forget her suckling child,

that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb

yea, they may forget,

yet will I not forget thee.

 

Bless all mothers, O GIVER of LIFE,

for their special role in the lives of children,

providing never-ending unconditional love to them.

May children young and old, see in mothers that very image of You,

a loving God Who cares that each child fulfills the purpose for which he was created:

to know You first and foremost

yet freely choose his destiny,

with You or without You in it.

It is our prayer that our children will choose ‘Life’, Your Life,

for in doing so, their destiny is rightly directed

and ultimately blessed,

and that brings great comfort to every parent’s heart.

Image from www.treatmetoafeast.com

Image from www.treatmetoafeast.com

Proverbs 31:28-31 

 

Her children have risen and praised her;

her husband and he extolled her:

“Many women have amassed achievement, but you surpassed them all.”

Grace is false, and beauty vain;

a woman who fears YHWH, 

she should be praised.

Give her the fruits of her hands;

and let her be praised in the gates

by her very own deeds. 

 

 [Borrowed Tune:  O Mighty Cross/Revised Lyrics]

 

 1.  Oh Lord of Life, Who knew my name

before I came to know Your Name,

Your very breath gives me my soul,

my very being, spirit, mind and heart, my all.

 

2.  Oh God of Truth, how could we know

the way through life, the way to You,

Your guiding Light, your Words of life,

have led me through the path, the only path to You.

 

3.  O loving God of humankind,

teach us Your Way, show us Your Mind,

Torah says all we need to know,

there is no other Source of Truth, it is just so.

 

4.  Immortal God, Who was and is,

from now through all eternity,

You are the First, You are the Last,

no other God is there on earth or heaven above.

 

Image from www.sirc.org

Image from www.sirc.org

BLESSINGS

 

 

O YHWH, 

You perfectly designed the world we live in

to sustain all life—with sunshine and air,

water and a variety of nourishment.

We bless You for blessing us with fruit from the vine and bread from wheat, daily provisions that nourish body and soul.

 

 

 In Your Tabernacle in the wilderness, 

You consistently stressed two items together:

 the Ark of the Covenant 

which contained Your revelation on two tablets of stone, 

and the table of shewbread 

which was replaced every Sabbath.

How could we miss the connection:  

that as we delight in nourishing our physical life, 

we nurture our spiritual life by ‘feeding’ on Your Torah, 

both, a joy and delight not only on Sabbath, 

but as often as we desire food for body and soul.

 

We celebrate motherhood, 

and ask for blessings upon all women  

who deliver Your gift of life to each of their children;

may they be rewarded in the desires of the heart 

that their children no matter how old, 

will find joy and happiness from the Source of all joy—

You, YHWH, our Lord and our God,

their Creator and their very Source of life. 

Image from www.accessgenealogy.com

Image from www.accessgenealogy.com

We ask for blessings upon our family,

[name them] fathers, mothers,  

sons and daughters,

their spouses,

grandchildren.

 

We thank You for the blessing of lives not only well-lived but rightly-lived,  

because of a special connection with You

Who determines length of life 

and gives meaning for being born, for being, 

for existing and even for the ending of a lifetime.

 

May none of us waste precious time,

 for every second and every minute is forever gone,

 and none of us know the length of life 

You have allotted each of us on this earth.

 

For the precious gift of time,

O YHWH, GIVER of the breath of life, 

we are thankful and celebrate Life!  

Mabuhay, to Life, l’chaim!

 

Image from www.jewishsxm.com

Image from www.jewishsxm.com

SABBATH MEAL

TORAH DISCUSSION

Image from www.wunderland.com

Image from www.wunderland.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

HAVDALAH

 

Image from www.123greetings.com

Image from www.123greetings.com

 

Shabbat shalom!

NSB@S6K

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