I love to make objects for use in ritual. I was searching for the Jewish blessing for crafting things and couldn’t find a readily available prayer to be recited before creating an object, even one intended for holy use. Given that Jews have been craftspeople for thousands of years, and given that we are supposed to offer blessings constantly, this truly surprised me. I started searching for a blessing over making things, thinking there had to be one. After many hours of research I finally came up with this combination of prayers that I hope will elevate your crafting process.
May Your favor, Holy One, be upon me.
May the work of my hands be blessed and be for a blessing (Ps. 91:17).
Yehi ratzonLit. "May it be Your Will ..." The opening of many petitionary prayers. shetishreh shekhinahThe feminine name of God, expounded upon in the rabbinic era and then by the Kabbalists in extensive literature on the feminine attributes of the divine. bema’asei yadai.
May it be Your will that Shekhinah reside in the work of my hands. Amen. (R. Meir, MidrashA rabbinic method of interpreting text, often through the telling of stories. Tanchuma Peikudei 11)
