Watercolor painting by Donna Coufal
Our lives are always changing, and change brings with it
fear of the unknown. The journey into the unknown
is fraught with danger, yet rich with possibility.
It has always been so — as 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. and 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. went forth,
as RebeccaThe 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. and then 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. went forth.
Our ancestors across time have looked to You
for protection, from the wild beasts of the road,
from the vagaries of weather. So too I,
in this place, in this time, look to You.
Help me to remember my strength and courage,
help me to see clearly, to listen deeply, to act wisely.
Every journey in life leads into the unknown.
May the unknown ahead of me offer blessing.
from Siddur Lev Shalem for Shabbat & Festivals (New York: Rabbinical Assembly, 2013)
