About two years ago, in what were the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, my daughter, Jessica Moise-Grodsky, proposed the following blessing when we were scheduling a “Zoom 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. dinner” with some distant family:
“Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of Infinity, who enables us to see those we love.”
Two Hebrew versions of this were then provided by an Israeli friend:
ברוך אתה יי אלהינו מלך העולם המאפשר לנו לראות את אהובינו
Barukh atah Adonai eloheinu melekh ha’olam ha’m’afsher lanu lir’ot et ahuveinu
(“Who makes it possible for us to see those we love”)
or:
ברוך אתה יי אלהינו מלך העולם אשר נתן לבני אנוש בינה לאפשר לנו לראות את אהובינו
Barukh atah Adonai eloheinu melekh ha’olam asher natan liv’nei enosh binah, l’afsher lanu lir’ot et ahuveinu
(“Who gives humanity wisdom, to enable us to see those we love”)
