Simkhat Bat: A Welcoming Ceremony For a New Daughter

As the baby is brought in, the community sings:

 

 

 

Three seats are prepared, one for the sandeket to hold the girl, one for Mom and one for MiriamMiriam is the sister of Moses and Aaron. As Moses' and Aaron's sister she, according to midrash, prophesies Moses' role and helps secure it by watching over the young baby, seeing to it that Pharaoh's daughter takes him and that the baby is returned to his mother for nursing. During the Israelites' trek through the desert, a magical well given on her behalf travels with the Israelites, providing water, healing, and sustenance. in the middle. The baby is placed on Miriam’s chair.

 

Each male child is circumcised on the chair of Elijah the prophet, the kise shel eliyahuElijah is a biblical prophet who is said never to have died. There are therefore many legends associated with Elijah. In the Talmud, unresolved arguments will be resolved when Elijah comes. He will herald the coming of the messiah. In Jewish ritual, Elijah is a liminal figure, arriving at moments of danger and transition – at a brit milah, a chair is put out for him, a cup is poured for Elijah at the Passover seder, and he is invoked at havdalah. His Hebrew name is Eliyahu.. The prophet, it is taught, comes to each brit milahLit. Covenant of circumcision. As a sign of the covenant, God commanded Abraham to circumcise himself and his descendants. An infant boy is circumcised on the eighth day of his life, often at home or in synagogue. A festive meal follows. to strengthen the resolve of parents to circumcise their sons, even at the most difficult of times.

 

Jewish women for generations have seen Devorah as the female prophetess who best represents the values of a new female soul. She was the Judge of IsraelLit. ''the one who struggles with God.'' Israel means many things. It is first used with reference to Jacob, whose name is changed to Israel (Genesis 32:29), the one who struggles with God. Jacob's children, the Jewish people, become B'nai Israel, the children of Israel. The name also refers to the land of Israel and the State of Israel. who held the community together during struggles, adjudicated the disputes of her community with fairness and justice, a leader of prayer, and a vision-seeker who knew what was hidden to others. Because of this it is fitting that we choose to honor her at this special moment in the life of this new woman.

 

We cannot deny that the passing of Debbie Friedman influences this chair. Debbie, whose Hebrew name was Devorah, was a songstress, a colleague and a teacher of Rabbi James. She helped him discern his path to rabbinical school and a 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. does not pass where her music does not grace our congregation. We hope that alongside Devorah the prophetess, Debbie is sitting with this new child to fill her soul with voice, spirit, and joy.

 

This chair we now dub kise shel Devorah hanevi’ah, the Chair of Devorah the Prophetess. We place our daughter in the arms of “Devorah hanevi’ah.” We ask that this little one be endowed with the gift of Devorah’s prophetic vision. It is our hope that the prophetess will instruct her in the art of “singing and dancing before the Lord.”

 

 

 

 

 

(officiant or parents share blessings for older siblings)

 

 

Baby is given to the sandeket for the ritual of bringing the baby into the covenant. During this ritual, bracelets and anklets of tzitzitA set of fringes tied and knotted on each of the four corners of a tallit, symbolizing and reminding the user of God's commandments. Some Jews wear tzizit under their clothes at all times, with the fringes visible. will be placed on the new baby as blessings are recited.

 

 

 

 

Mother places first bracelet, saying:

May you have vision like Devorah the prophet which transforms the world for better. May your insight and wisdom lead to acts of righteousness, justice, and equality.

 

Father places second bracelet, saying:

May you use your hands for good deeds. May you grow to be a strong woman, one educated in 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., justice, and loving kindness.

 

Mother places first anklet, saying:

May you be grounded in this world with your eyes lifted toward the heavens. May you always be sensitive to the needs of your family, friends, and those around you.

 

Father places second anklet, saying:

May you always have a sense of home and knowing where you belong. May you be blessed with a passion for praying with your feet and serving those in need and those who are oppressed.

 

 

 

 

 

Community responds:

 

 

 

May the one who blessed our mothers, Sarah RebeccaThe second Jewish matriarch, Isaac's wife, and mother to Jacob and Esau. Rebecca is an active parent, talking to God when she is pregnant and learning the fate of her children, then ultimately manipulating Isaac and the children to ensure Jacob's ascendancy. Her Hebrew name is Rivka. RachelLavan's younger daughter and Jacob's beloved wife second wife (after he is initially tricked into marrying her older sister, Leah). Rachel grieves throughout her life that she is barren while Leah is so fertile. Ultimately, Rachel gives birth to Joseph and dies in childbirth with Benjamin. Rachel is remembered as compassionate (she is said to still weep for her children), and infertile women often invoke Rachel as a kind of intercessor and visit her tomb on the road to Bethlehem. and LeahThe third of the Jewish matriarchs, Lead is the eldest of Lavan's daughters and one of the wives of Jacob. She is the daughter whom Lavan tricks Jacob into marrying instead of his younger daughter Rachel, whom Jacob has requested to marry. Leah is mother to six of the the twelve tribes and to one daughter, Dinah., Miriam and Devorah the prophetesses, AvigailOne of David's wives and a prophetess, known for her cleverness and beauty. She has the longest continous monologue of any woman in Hebrew scripture. Her Hebrew name is Avigail. and EstherHeroine of the Purim story and Megillat (the scroll of) Esther. She is married to the king by her cousin Mordecai and ultimately saves her people from execution. the queen, bless this lovely child and let her be known as _____ ____ the daughter _____ and _____ in MazalGood fortune, luck, and the Hebrew sign of the Zodiac. Tov and in a blessed hour. May she grow up in health and peace. May The Source of All Creation give to her parents the joy of seeing her happily partnered, the mother of children, and full of honor and joy in her old age. And let us say: Amen.

 

 

 

(Parents share how or why they chose the names for their daughter)