Psalm 23
(A Psalm of David.) The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul: He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
From Psalm 130
Out of the depths I call to You, O God; You hear me fully when I call. God is with me, I have no fear. I was hard-pressed, about to fall; God came to my help. God, You are my strength and my courage. I will not die, but live, and yet tell of the deeds of God. I thank You for having heard me; O God, be my deliverance.
Kriyat Shem
Although this child left this world before they lived with us, they will always live on in our memory. We shall remember this child by the name [name]
Birkat Hagomel
בּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלם הַגּוֹמֵל לְחַיָּבִים טוֹבוֹת שֶׁגְּמָלַנִי כָּל טוֹב
Barukh atah Adonai eloheinu melekh ha’olam, hagomel le’hayavim tovot, shegemalani kol tov.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, ruler of the universe, showing goodness to us beyond our merits, for bestowing favor upon me.
[response]
מִי שֶׁגְּמָלֵךְ כָּל טוֹב הִיא תִגְמְלֵךְ כָּל טוֹב. סֶלָה. אָמֵן.
Mi shegemalekh kol tov, he yigmalekh kol tov. Selah. Amen.
May the One who has shown you every kindness, ever show kindness to you. Selah. Amen.
Mi Shebeirakh
May God who blessed our ancestors, 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., 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., and 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., SarahThe first matriarch, wife of Abraham, and mother of Isaac, whom she birthed at the age of 90. Sarah, in Rabbinic tradition, is considered holy, beautiful, and hospitable. Many prayers, particularly the Amidah (the central silent prayer), refer to God as Magen Avraham – protector of Abraham. Many Jews now add: pokehd or ezrat Sarah – guardian or helper of Sarah., RebekahThe second Jewish matriarch, Isaac's wife, and mother to Jacob and Esau. Rebecca is an active parent, talking to God when she is pregnant and learning the fate of her children, then ultimately manipulating Isaac and the children to ensure Jacob's ascendancy. Her Hebrew name is Rivka., RachelLavan's younger daughter and Jacob's beloved wife second wife (after he is initially tricked into marrying her older sister, Leah). Rachel grieves throughout her life that she is barren while Leah is so fertile. Ultimately, Rachel gives birth to Joseph and dies in childbirth with Benjamin. Rachel is remembered as compassionate (she is said to still weep for her children), and infertile women often invoke Rachel as a kind of intercessor and visit her tomb on the road to Bethlehem., and LeahThe third of the Jewish matriarchs, Lead is the eldest of Lavan's daughters and one of the wives of Jacob. She is the daughter whom Lavan tricks Jacob into marrying instead of his younger daughter Rachel, whom Jacob has requested to marry. Leah is mother to six of the the twelve tribes and to one daughter, Dinah., grant refu’at hanefesh urefu ‘at haguf, a complete healing of body and spirit to [parents], abundant blessings from loved ones, and an awareness of God’s presence with them in their pain. As for the baby that was not to be, shelter this spirit, O God, in the shadow of Your wings for You are a gracious and loving God. Guard our coming and our going, grant us life and peace, now and always, for You are the Source of life and peace. May we as a holy community support and love our friends in times of pain as well as times of joy. And as we have wept together, so may we soon gather to rejoice.
Amen.
From Psalm 147 & Bereavement Liturgy
אָנָּא אֲדֹנָי הָרוֹפֵא לִשְׁבוּרֵי לֵב וּמְחַבֵּשׁ לְעַצְבוֹתָם שַׁלֵּם נִחוּמִים ל_______. תֵּן בְּלִבָּם יִרְאָתְךָ וְאַהֲבָתְךָ לְעָבְדְּךָ בְּלֵבָב שַׁלֵּם וּתְהִי אַחֲרִיתָם שָׁלוֹם אַמֵּן.
כְּאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אִמּוֹ תְּנַחֲמֶנוּ כֵּן אָנֹכִי אֲנַחֶמְכֶם וּבִירוּשָׁלַיִם תְּנֻחֲמוּ. לֹא יָבֹא עוֹד שִׁמְשֵׁךְ וִירֵחֵךְ לֹא יֵאָסֵף כִּי אֲדֹנָי יִהְיֶה לָךְ לְאוֹר עוֹלָם וְשַׁלְּמוּ יְמֵי אֶבְלְךָ אֶבְלֵךְ. בִּלַע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח וּמָחָה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהִים דִּמְעָה מֵעַל כָּל פָּנִים וְחֶרְפַּת עַמּוֹ יָסִיר מֵעַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ כִּי אֲדֹנָי דִּבֵּר.
Ana Adonay harofey lishvu’rey lev u’mkhabesh l’atmvotam shalem nikhumim l______. Ten b’libam yirat’kha v’ahavat’kha l’av’d’kha b’leyvav shalem u’t’hi akharitam shalom amen.
K’ish asher imo t’nakhameynu keyn anochi anakheymkhem u’vi’y’rushalayim t’nukhamu. Lo yavo od shimshekh vi’y’reykhekh lo yeyasef ki Adonay yihyeh lakh l’or olam v’shalmu y’mey eyvlekh. Bila hamaveyt laneytzakh u’makhah Adonay Elohim dimah meyal kol panim v’kheyrpat amo yasir meyal kol ha’aretz ko Adonai dibeyr.
O Lord, who healest the broken hearted and bindest up their wounds, grant their consolation unto ______. Put into their hearts the fear and love of thee, that thy may serve thee with a perfect heart, and let their latter end be peace. Amen.
Like one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you (saith the Lord), and in JerusalemLit. City of peace From the time of David to the Roman destruction, Jerusalem was the capital of Israel and the spiritual and governmental center of the Jewish people. During the long exile, Jews longed to return to Jerusalem and wrote poems, prayers, and songs about the beloved city. In 1967, with the capture of the Old City, Jerusalem was reunited, becoming "the eternal capital of Israel." Still, the longing for peace is unfulfilled. shall ye be comforted. Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall they moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting life, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. He maketh death to vanish in life eternal; and the Lord God wipeth away tears from off all faces; and the reproach of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken.
Resources used include:
http://www.kveller.com/article/a-synagogue-ritual-for-miscarriage/
http://www.ritualwell.org/ritual/funeral-service-miscarriage-jewish-mourning-story
http://www.ritualwell.org/ritual/prayer-after-miscarriage-or-stillbirth
Rabbi Chai Levy, Rabbi Stephanie Dickstein, Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
