We suggest saying these blessings when you light the candles for Rosh HashanahThe Jewish New Year, also considered the Day of Judgment. The period of the High Holidays is a time of introspection and atonement. The holiday is celebrated with the sounding of the shofar, lengthy prayers in synagogue, the eating of apples and honey, and round challah for a sweet and whole year. Tashlikh, casting bread on the water to symbolize the washing away of sins, also takes place on Rosh Hashana., for Yom KippurThe holiest day of the Jewish year and the culmination of a season of self-reflection. Jews fast, abstain from other worldly pleasures, and gather in prayers that last throughout the day. Following Ne'ilah, the final prayers, during which Jews envision the Gates of Repentance closing, the shofar is sounded in one long blast to conclude the holy day. It is customary to begin building one's sukkah as soon as the day ends., and for every 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. and Festival during the Shmitah year. Some thoughts about why to do this and about changes in the brachas. The reason to do this is to remain aware throughout the year of what a whole year of Shabbat Shabbaton and Shmitah means – to stay both aware and active.
The “Name of God” is not an identifier, like “Hi, 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.” or “Hey, Daniel.” It expresses an understanding of the world. Substituting “Adonai” or “Lord” for “YHWH” endorses a worldview based on hierarchy. But if we try to pronounce “YHWH” with no vowels what happens is simply a Breath. It is a universal connector between and among all forms of life, animal and plant. It expresses an interwoven or ecological, rather than hierarchical, understanding of the world – the uniqueness of each being, fitting together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle within the Unity of all Being.
So in these prayers we honor the original intent of “YHWH” by presenting the sound as simply a Breath, or as “Yahhhh,” as in “Hallelu-Yahhhh” or as “Interbreath of Life” and using the word ruakhLit. Spirit. Some new versions of blessings call God "Spirit of the World" (Ruakh Ha’olam), rather than "King of the World" (Melekh Ha'olam). – breath, wind, or spirit – instead of melekh, king.
Similarly, the Hebrew mitzvah – which is conventionally translated “command,” coming from a lord or king, can also be understood as “connection” that is infused in the process of the jigsaw puzzle and of reality.
Barukh atah YHWH [Yahhhh] Elohenu Ruakh ha’olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotLit. Commandment. It is traditionally held that there are 613 mitzvot (plural) in Judaism, both postive commandments (mandating actions) and negative commandments (prohibiting actions). Mitzvah has also become colloquially assumed to mean the idea of a “good deed.", vetzivanu lishmor ha’shanah shel Shmitah, Shabbat shabbaton.
2. Blessed be Yahhhh, our sacred Unity embracing us in the Interbreath of Life, for the Earth is Yours and we are but sojourners and resident-settlers with You.
Brukhah at YHWH [Yahhhh] Elohenu Ruakh ha’olam, ki leykh ha’aretz ki gerim v’toshavim anakhnu imeykh.
3. Blessed be Yahhhh, our sacred Unity embracing us in the Interbreath of Life, who makes us holy by connecting us with each other and all being, and teaches us to kindle the festival lights.
Barukh atah YHWH [Yahhhh] Elohenu Ruakh ha’olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvot, vitzivanu l’hadlik nerCandle shel yomtov [or Shabbat].
4. Blessed be Yahhhh, our sacred Unity embracing us in the Interbreath-of-life, who has filled us with life, lifted us up, and carried us to this moment.
Barukh atah YHWH [Yahhhh] Elohenu Ruakh ha’olam, shehekhiyanu v’kimanu v’higianu lazman hazeh.
Rabbi Shefa Gold has created a new chant and a new midrashic translation of the Shehekhiyanu prayer (learn more and listen here).
