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A Candle-lighting Ritual to Prepare for the Yizkor of Shavuot

Ritual elements:

Candle and matches/lighter

A vase of flowers/greenery

1. Place the vase of flowers/greenery and say:

As our ancestors brought the first fruits of their harvest as Temple offerings on Shavuot, so we bring to this Yizkor service our offerings of love and memory.

As these flowers and greenery remind us of the legend that Mount Sinai burst into flower when we received the life-giving teachings of Torah, so may the love in our hearts flower again as we honor love that is as fierce as death, that transcends physical separation.

2. Light candles

3. Say: 

We light these candles to honor the souls of our beloved __________. 

We are taught that when the Torah was received, all Jews who ever existed and ever will exist stood together at Mt. Sinai. 

As these flames flicker, may they re-ignite our memories and illuminate our prayers. May our souls and the souls of our beloveds be held close in the precious shelter of this time.

We thank and bless you, Source of Light, Life and Love, for the blessings of the life we shared, for the light and warmth with which ________ enriched our lives, for the sacred act of remembering.

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2 Responses

    1. Marilyn, this ritual is for you to perform wherever it would be meaningful (and practical) for you. Please use it as you wish and make it your own!

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