O Lord, as our son receives his Humash 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 Adam, 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 Abraham, the resilient faith in Hashem, despite many challenges;
From Isaac, the heart and mind of a survivor and the state of equanimity;
From Jacob, the wisdom to make a difficult decision and take action in the face of custom and tradition;
From Joseph, the compassion, forgiveness and love for others;
From Moses, the ability to be outspoken in his views even when they are unpopular;
From Aaron, 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 Torah, he will never be alone.
