As we go to the polls this November 8th, let us remember that it is a shehekheyanu moment, a particularly historic election. We mark that with the blessing for reaching this moment in our lives:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה.
.Barukh ata adonai elohaynu melekh ha’olam shehekheyanu v’kiymanu v’higianu lazman hazeh. Amen
Blessed are you YahA name for God, as in "halleluyah" – praise God. Some people prefer this name for God as a non-gendered option. who has kept us in life
who has sustained us and who has permitted us
to reach this precious moment
But there is also the Jewish notion that we need to be busy with the work of our communities:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ לַעֲסוֹק בְּצָרְכֵי צִבּוּר
Barukh atah adonai eloheinu melekh ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu la’asok betzorkhei tzibur.
How full of blessing you are, Eternal One, our God, majesty of the Universe, who has consecrated us with Your commands, and commanded us to occupy ourselves with the needs of the community.
A prayer for this election:
May we feel driven toward creating a world full of respect, kindness and love
Let us embody the vision we want to see realized
While we note there is still so much work to be done
It is incumbent upon us to recognize that we are not alone
But we work in community with our families, our neighborhoods, our cities, our towns, our state and our country.
We will not rest until our world looks better for the nation’s children.
May we be able to make voting a ritual moment, and say a prayer as we vote.
