Ahava Rabbah (Great Love) and Ahavat Olam (Eternal Love) are the two Jewish prayers preceding the Shema. Both thank God for giving the Torah as a sign of immense love. In Ashkenazic tradition, Ahava Rabbah is most often recited in the morning (Shakharit) and Ahavat Olam in the evening (Maariv). In the Sephardic tradition, Ahavat Olam is most often recited in both places. Together these prayers emphasize an intense, passionate, constant, enduring, unwavering bond. Both understand the Oneness we witness in the Shema as a Place of Love – a Place of Belonging.
In a workshop thinking about disability and belonging (often framed as inclusion) I was invited to facilitate with Matan, the participants experienced a guided meditation after which they shared images and words and thoughts about the experience of Belonging. I took those words and included all of them to craft this prayer or meditation for before the Shema. We then recited them together and sang the Shema together.
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where they are on their inclusion journey. They work collaboratively to train, coach
and guide Jewish communal professionals, lay leaders and educators towards systemic disability inclusion.
Big Love for the Whole Wide World
love is Love when love is abundant
expansive
all/and
compassion
mercy
grace
understanding
comprehension
keeping
doing
belonging
THAT
is when love is
Love.
Abundant Love is come as you are and
stay present.
It is be here – now
in this holy space where you are all you
and I am all me
and we are
Enough.
Abundant Love is this Place of Belonging,
of Peace and Power where we can
breathe
and experience
Everything.
Abundant Love is being safe to feel
assured
composed
confident
trusting
in and with and from our whole Self
soul, mind, heart,
and body –
all the ways we are made
all the ways we are still
all the ways we move
all the ways we think
all the sizes we are
all our needs
all our gifts
Whole.
In all of the colors of sunset and twilight,
midnight, dawn, and midday,
in the Makom, the Place
of abundant love,
we
Belong.
