O Lord, as our son receives his HumashThe book that contains the text of the Torah. A section of the humash is read and/or studied every week in synagogue. today, we pray to You. Please help us raise a son who will bring honor to your name and the names of the patriarchs.
We pray that he draws inspiration from the examples set by his forefathers;
From AdamAdam is the first human being created by God. Symbolizes: Creation, humankind., the hope to choose life and sustain it after Paradise was lost;
From Noah, the nurturing qualities and patience to be a steward for earth’s creatures;
From AbrahamAbraham is the first patriarch and the father of the Jewish people. He is the husband of Sarah and the father of Isaac and Ishmael. God's covenant - that we will be a great people and inherit the land of Israel - begins with Abraham and is marked by his circumcision, the first in Jewish history. His Hebrew name is Avraham., the resilient faith in HashemLit. The Name, referring to the ineffable name of God; used as a substitute for any of the more sacred names of God when not speaking in prayer. Particularly used in conversation., despite many challenges;
From IsaacAbraham and Sarah's much-longed-for son and the second Jewish patriarch. Isaac is nearly sacrificed by his father at God's command (Genesis 22). He is married to Rebecca and is the father of Esau and Jacob. His Hebrew name is Yitzchak., the heart and mind of a survivor and the state of equanimity;
From JacobLit. heel Jacob is the third patriarch, son of Isaac and Rebecca, and father to the twelve tribes of Israel. More than any of the other patriarchs, Jacob wrestles with God and evolves from a deceitful, deal-making young man to a mature, faithful partner to God. His Hebrew name is Yaakov., the wisdom to make a difficult decision and take action in the face of custom and tradition;
From JosephJacob's eldest son by his beloved wife, Rachel. Joseph, the dreamer, was his father's favorite and nearly murdered by his brothers. Sold into slavery, he became viceroy of Egypt where he ultimately saves the Egyptians and also his own family from starvation. His Hebrew name is Yosef/, the compassion, forgiveness and love for others;
From MosesThe quintessential Jewish leader who spoke face to face with God, unlike any other prophet, and who freed the people from Egypt, led them through the desert for forty years, and received the Torah on Mt. Sinai. His Hebrew name is Moshe., the ability to be outspoken in his views even when they are unpopular;
From AaronBrother of Moses, chosen as Moses' interlocutor. His Hebrew name is Aharon., the insight to know when and how to be supportive with quiet composure.
And from David, the self-esteem that enabled him to lead fairly.
Please bestow upon our son the qualities of strength, gentility, wisdom, faith, ambition and contentment. We dedicate our son to Torah—to a never ending fascination with study and learning. We send him off with the knowledge that by living a life guided by 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., he will never be alone.
