This meditation speaks of our ancestors and future generations to come and was inspired by several biblical passages: (1) “He numbers the stars and calls them each by name” (Psalm 147:4); (2) the TorahThe Five Books of Moses, and the foundation of all of Jewish life and lore. The Torah is considered the heart and soul of the Jewish people, and study of the Torah is a high mitzvah. The Torah itself a scroll that is hand lettered on parchment, elaborately dressed and decorated, and stored in a decorative ark. It is chanted aloud on Mondays, Thursdays, and Shabbat, according to a yearly cycle. Sometimes "Torah" is used as a colloquial term for Jewish learning and narrative in general. portion Toldot, which means “generations”; (3) the Torah portion Lekh lekha (“God took AbrahamAbraham is the first patriarch and the father of the Jewish people. He is the husband of Sarah and the father of Isaac and Ishmael. God's covenant - that we will be a great people and inherit the land of Israel - begins with Abraham and is marked by his circumcision, the first in Jewish history. His Hebrew name is Avraham. outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them… so shall your offspring be'” (Genesis 15:5); (4) “Lift high your eyes and see: Who created these: He who brings out the starry host one by one, and Who calls them each by name” (Isaiah 40:26). This meditation can be used to reflect on Yom HaShoah and the resiliency of our people through difficult times. It can be used on ShabbatShabbat is the Sabbath day, the Day of Rest, and is observed from Friday night through Saturday night. Is set aside from the rest of the week both in honor of the fact that God rested on the seventh day after creating the world. On Shabbat, many Jews observe prohibitions from various activities designated as work. Shabbat is traditionally observed with festive meals, wine, challah, prayers, the reading and studying of Torah, conjugal relations, family time, and time with friends. to reflect on the abovementioned Torah portions and other portions of the Tanakh.
Sit quietly. Relax. Close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling slowly. As you inhale, imagine that you are breathing in waves of healing energy. Feel these waves flow through your entire body like an ocean of healing light. As you exhale, envision any negative energy—any pain, tension, stress, fatigue—being released from your body, carried away on the soft wind of your breath—carried away on the wings of angels. With every breath, feel the narrow places within you opening, expanding, becoming filled with waves of deep relaxation and healing energy. Feel this happening in your feet, your legs, your hips, your hands, your arms, your shoulders. Feel this happening in the core of your body—in your pelvis, your abdomen, your spine, your chest. Feel this happening in you neck, your head, your face.
See yourself walking in the desert under a night sky. You look up to see a canopy of stars above you. Now envision a scroll made of pure light filling the skyline. Now you see a ladder of pure light leading to the scroll. Now an angel approaches you, takes your hand, and leads you to the ladder of light. See yourself ascending the ladder until you find yourself standing before the scroll. As you stand among the countless stars shining all around you, you sense the presence of Abraham and SarahThe first matriarch, wife of Abraham, and mother of Isaac, whom she birthed at the age of 90. Sarah, in Rabbinic tradition, is considered holy, beautiful, and hospitable. Many prayers, particularly the Amidah (the central silent prayer), refer to God as Magen Avraham – protector of Abraham. Many Jews now add: pokehd or ezrat Sarah – guardian or helper of Sarah., and all the foremothers and forefathers and all the generations that followed them. You sense the generations of your own departed family members. (On Yom HaShoah, add: You sense the presence of all the people lost in the Shoah). You sense the presence of future generations who will come after you. You see the light of the generations—past, present, future—all around you. You sense the light within you.Â
Now envision yourself standing together with all these generations. Together you all stand before the scroll of light among the stars that God created. Together you stand in awe before the One who numbers the stars and calls them each by name, the One who numbers the generations and calls each one by name. As the scroll unfolds before you, you note letters of pure light lifting from the scroll, dancing against the sky. And now the words of light flow from the scroll to you. Feel these words flow into the pores of your skin. Feel the words of light flow into your arteries and veins. Feel the words of light flow into every cell in your body. See your whole body flow as you become filled with the light of Torah, as you become filled with the light of the One who numbers the stars. Feel the light of the souls of the generations glowing around you, embracing you, becoming one with the light of your soul.
Hold on to these images as you now become aware once of your surroundings. As you take a few deep breaths, become aware of the gentle rise and fall of your chest. Become aware once more of your presence in your physical space. Then—whenever you are ready—slowly, gently open your eyes.
