Prayer on Receiving a New 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. Scroll
Creator of the Heavens and the Earth,
We stand here together – your people –
Just as our ancestors stood at SinaiAccording to the Torah, God, in the presence of the Jewish people, gave Moses the Torah on Mount Sinai (Har Sinai). so many years ago.
From that day to this,
The earth has continued its journey around the sun,
The seasons have passed,
And we, as your people,
Have traveled through many lands
Where we have loved and grown,
Sorrowed and rejoiced, prospered and suffered.
Throughout these journeys
Your Torah has been our faithful companion,
Guiding us, sustaining us, and lighting our pathways.
We stand here together – your people –
Just as our ancestors stood at Sinai when they shouted:
“We will do, and we will hear.”
We stand ready for your avodah.
We give thanks to the one who has given us Torah.
Blessed are you our God.
KetubahThe Jewish wedding contract. Traditionally, the ketubah protected the wife in marriage by spelling out the husband's obligations to her and guaranteeing her a financial settlement in case of divorce. Throughout the ages, ketubot (plural) have been illuminated and calligraphed, becoming significant as Jewish art. Today, all manner of egalitarian ketubot are written. Some dispense with the financial and legal aspects, focusing more on the emotional and spiritual sides of the relationship. Others maintain the rabbis' concern with the practical, but define mutual obligations for each spouse. for a New Torah Scroll
On the ______ day of the week of the month of ______, in the year _________ since the creation of the world according to our accustomed reckoning, corresponding to ______________, in the City of _________,
We, the members of Congregation _______________, promise to consecrate ourselves, individually and communally to your Torah, represented here today by our new Seifer Torah, just as our ancestors consecrated themselves when they stood at Sinai.
We promise to make the words of Torah sweet by loving, honoring, and cherishing each other and the works of your creation.
We promise to work together to make for this seifer Torah a congregational home which will be faithful to the teachings of Torah, committed to deeds of loving kindness and tikkun olamLit. Repair of the world According to Jewish mysticism, the world is in a broken state. Humanity's job is to join God, as God's partners, in its repair., filled with reverence for learning and spiritual fulfillment, warmed by loving generosity, sanctified by music, candles, and wine, and always meriting the presence of the Shechinah.
We promise to act as friends, to give each other joy and to support one another in times of sadness, to honor our differences, to strengthen one another in our goals, and to bring up our children within the covenant of IsraelLit. ''the one who struggles with God.'' Israel means many things. It is first used with reference to Jacob, whose name is changed to Israel (Genesis 32:29), the one who struggles with God. Jacob's children, the Jewish people, become B'nai Israel, the children of Israel. The name also refers to the land of Israel and the State of Israel..
We promise always to support one another and to act with forgiveness, compassion, and integrity, guided by the teachings of Torah and linked eternally to the past, present and future of the Jewish people.
