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PRAYERS
*DAILY HEALING, GUIDANCE AND REMEMBRANCE PRAYERS*
Rabbi
Gershon maintains a daily prayer list of people who needs prayers said for them because of their fears, illnesses or other
concerns and needs.
Because the job of a Rebbe is attempting to act on behalf of a person requesting prayers, or being
prayed for, Rabbi Gershon may need to make a personal contact through talking with the requester by I-message or E-mail, by
telephone, or in person.
Rabbi Gershon may suggest that the requester donate a sum of money to a favorite charity
or to the homeless on the street in order to create a Blessing-Way Path to allow a conduit for blessings to return to the
giver, just as one digs a ditch to create a conduit for the flow of water.
If you do not have a favorite charitable
organization, you may want to donate to Rabbi Gershon's favorite charitable organizations, which are:
Walking Stick Foundation
1336 North Moorpark Road, Suite 289
Thousand Oaks,
CA 91360
(www.walkingstick.org)
and:
OHR SHEKINAH HAVURAH
6600 Blake Street
EL CERRITO, CA 94530
"The ability to be a Shaman
(Native American Indian word for a "REBBE") comes from Creator freely and must be given just as freely. The Shaman must
be open to giving and receiving from the bounty Creator offers." (quoted from Ted Howard, A Shaman Medicine Healer of the
Shoshoni-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley).
A Jewish Rebbe-Shaman cannot receive pay for the healing prayers, for Rabbi
Tzadok states in the Talmud: "You shall not make the Torah an axe with which to cut" (Pirke Abot 4: 7) Therefore all healing
prayers, amulets, and advice given is given freely and without cost to you.
We do accept DONATIONS for the work and
upbuilding of OHR SHEKINAH HAVURAH, but not for our healing services nor for our blessings.
Rabbi Gershon may send
you, if you request it, an "amulet," or "charm" to aid in your getting yourself mentally past the immediate problem besetting
you. If you desire, Rabbi Gershon can create especially for your need a PERSONALLY written amulet other than the beautiful
card-amulets he purchases and usually sends out. He will send either amulet on request. Please include your FIRST name (ONLY)
and the FIRST name (ONLY) of your mother and an address to send the amulet to.
AMULETS FROM ISRAEL (CHABAD) WEBSITE LINK (click here)
**PRAYERS AND AMULETS**
Amulets are not tools of MAGIC but a form of Jewish folk tradition
and psychological aid for help. Rabbi Gershon S. Caudill, the EcoRebbe, can provide you with an amulet for most kinds of problems
and protections.
HONEST PRAYER is a way of forming a bond with the Creator/Father/Mother/Force of Active Intelligence
in the Universe. Prayer acts as a CONDUIT for positve flow of Blessing/karma/goral/shefa. Prayer works to harmonize the individual
mind with the Active Intelligence of Divine Mind.
Prayer, properly done, with full intention (kavanah), and direction
WORKS wonders. One should thus be aware of exactly what the consequences of your prayer being answered as you desire it to
be, would be. Think about it! Is this prayer really a good thing in the best interests of all concerned or just a selfish
wish?
*A PRAYER-AMULET FOR WHEN TRAVELING*
(Copy this amulet and take with you on your trip). Also, vow to
give a couple dollars to charity upon arrival, (preferably a homeless person) and then DO IT.
The prayer to recite
every day of your trip, in the morning, is: "Elohai neshamah sh'natatah bee, t'horah hee. The soul that you have given me,
she is pure (perfect)."
This Travelers Amulet which is to be read prior to leaving your city of departure and everyday
until you are back home reads:
"May it be Your will LORD our God and God of our fathers, to lead us in peace and direct
our steps in peace. To bring us in peace, to support us in peace, and to bring us to our destination in life, joy, and peace.
Deliver us from the hands of every enemy and lurking foe, from robbers and wild beasts on the journey, and from all kinds
of calamities that may come to and afflict the world. Bestow blessing upon all our actions, and grant us grace, kindness and
mercy in Your sight and in the sight of all who behold us. Bestow Your bountiful kindness upon us. Hear the voice of our prayer,
for You hear everyone's prayer. Blessed are You, LORD, who hears prayer."
*KABBALAH OF TZEDAKAH*
When you give tzedakah (charity or
acts of justice) on behalf of a person who is ill or otherwise needing help, the mystical tradition in Judaism says that you
are stimulating the flow of shefa (divine outflowing), chesed (lovingkindness), and rachmanut (compassion) not only on this
physical level of existence but also on other esoteric and spiritual levels as well. Your loved one may or may not achieve
a physical healing. The healing might occur on a soul level that is hard to describe, or the healing might be that some aspect
of suffering or alienation in this world or in another level of existence is being repaired by your acts of kindness.
You
can't control what happens when you stir up the flow of goodness with your words of prayer or your acts of tzedakah. All you
can do is stir things up and then let the forces of the universe do what they do. The Rebbe recomends the giving of tzedakah
in the form of CASH given to a total stranger in need. At least as much as is needed to buy a small meal, say like $5.00.
This should be done at least once a week until the desired result is seen. Do not try to control the direction that the tzedakah
is given as the tzedakah belongs to the person to whom you are giving it and it is not yours. God had blessed you to carry
the other persons money to see if you will "return" it to that person and thus warrant a blessing for yourself.
**PRAYER
TO BE SAID FOR A WAYWARD CHILD**
Prior to lighting the Sabbath candles, put money into a tzedakah box (pushka), and
say:
I donate this money to the righteous cause of (name the cause) in honor of our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, and our foremothers Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.
May their merit benefit us and all Israel and render
my prayer acceptable to the blessed Infinite One, ADONAI. May the Infinite One, ADONAI, answer me, and bless me (my husband,
sons, and daughters) with health and strength, acceptance of Torah, and the love of Heaven.
Bestow on us Your bountiful
blessing of a long and a good life of peace, good sustenance, harmony, and success. Spare us from illness and misfortune,
and send home our wayward child (name of child), who has strayed from his/her family, Your Torah and from Your people, Israel.
May we merit Your salvation and see the renewal of Zion and Jerusalem, and the building of the Holy Temple as a House
of Prayer for all peoples, speedily in our lifetime. Ameyn.
May the words of my lips and the meditation with my thoughts
and heart be pleasing before You, Infinite One, my Rock and my Redeemer. May my prayer to You, Infinite One, be at a favorable
time; ADONAI in Your abundant kindness, answer me with the truth of Your salvation.
After lighting the candles, say:
May it be Your Will, Infinite One, our God and God of our ancestors, that the Holy Temple be rebuilt as a House of
Prayer for all peoples soon and in our lifetime, and give us our portion in your Torah, so that we may serve You there with
reverence as our ancestors did in times past and as in former years.
May it be Your Will, Infinite One, our God and
God of our ancestors, that You show favor to me (my husband) and all my relatives. Grant us, all righteous people, and all
Israel, a good and long life, bring our wayward children back to Your people and the Path of Torah, and remember us with a
favorable memory and blessing. Recall us with a recollection of salvation and mercy, and cause Your Shekinah to dwell among
us.
Make us worthy of raising wise and understanding children and grand-children, who love the Infinite One, are God-fearing
and truthful, holy offspring who honor the chain of tradition and Torah, who will cling to the Infinite One and illuminate
the world with Torah, good deeds, and all manner of service to the Creator.
Please accept my plea in the merit of
our Mothers Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah, and cause our light to glow brightly forever. Let Your countenance shine, so
that we may be saved as Your people, Ameyn.
******************************************************
Remember,
PRAYER and PSALMS are a great remedy, proven by modern science to work! Try it, it can't hurt!
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**PRAYER FOR A SUITABLE MARRIAGE PARTNER**
Ribbono shel Olam (Master of all Creation):
In Your loving-kindness
You fashioned Your world and created human beings. You made them masculine and feminine energy, and commanded them to marry
(and beget or adopt children). Your servants, the Prophets and Sages, of blessed memory, exhorted us not to delay this mitzvah.
A person's life in this world and in the World-to-Come are so dependent upon having a partner, in order to unify the two sides
of the Adam and bring about the unification of the Yod- Heh with the Vav-Heh of Your Sacred Blessed Name, which then unifies
the feminine with the masculine. Alas, we no longer are able to find our suitable partner so as to perform this mitzvah. We
need your help.
Therefore, I appeal to You, merciful Father/Mother God, with a contrite heart. May it be Your Will,
O Infinite One, my God and God of my ancestors, that You have compassion on me and provide me an admirable marriage partner,
one who is God-fearing, of good attributes and good fortune, intelligent, successful, and blessed. Thus I will be able to
focus on Your holy service.
When my bashert (soulmate) comes into my life, may I know who it is and be able to settle
the matter of making the match in a manner that will enable me to fulfill Your commandments, so that it will be to the benefit
of my family and community and myself in this world and in the World-to-Come.
Compassionate One, Gracious One, Supportive
God, help me for the sake of unifying Your holy Name. Do it for the sake of the unification of Your Name; Yod, Heh, with the
Vav, Heh. Do it for the sake of Your Torah. Do it for the sake of Your holiness. Favor me and hear my prayer, for You are
faithful to hear prayers. Blessed is the One Who hears and answers prayer.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation
of my heart be pleasing before You, Infinite One, my Rock and my Redeemer.
**AMELIORATION OF A DISTURBING DREAM**
"The Talmud (Berachot 55b) teaches that one who has a disturbing dream should seek three good friends to declare that
the dream should be interpreted for the good. This is based on the concept that a dream may include a portent of things to
come, and the Talmud illustrates that most such indications can have either a good or a bad result. Consequently the sincere
good wishes of the three listeners can bring about the dream's desirable interpretation. The dreamer need not tell his friends
the dream, but s/he should have it in mind during the ritual. It is good, but not required, that the dreamer fast and repent.
If the dream is very upsetting, one may even fast on a Shabbat or Festival (see "Orach Chaim" 220 and 286.)
FRIENDS
of Dreamer recite in unison: "Do not interpretations belong to God? Relate it to me, if you please." (Genesis 40: 8).
Dreamer
recites seven times: I have seen a good dream. Friends recite seven times: You have seen a good dream. It is good and may
it become good. May the Merciful One transform it to the good. May it be decreed upon it seven times from heaven that it become
good and always be good. It is good and may it become good.
Now recite: Psalms 30: 12; Jeremiah 31: 12; Deuteronomy
23: 6; which speaks of transformation of distress to relief.
Now recite: Psalms 55: 19; 1 Samuel 14: 45; and Isaiah
35: 10; which speaks of rescue.
Now recite: Isaiah 57: 19; 1 Chronicles 12: 19; 1 Samuel 25: 6; Psalms 29: 11; which
speaks of peace.
Now recite three times each: Habakuk 3: 2; Psalms 121: 1-2; Psalms 12: 3-8; Numbers 6: 22-27; Psalms
16: 11; and Ecclesiastes 9: 7.
**HEALING PRAYERS**
*A REB ZALMAN HEALING PRAYER FOR SURGERY*
Please dear God,
heal (name of person); may he/she have the energy, strength, fortitude, faith and good humor to receive the medical ministrations
in the most healing way. And may our prayers open the gates allowing the divine light to shine more brightly upon him/her
as he/she undergoes surgery and the great challenge he/she is confronting.
May Your design give all of us the gift
of this great, wise and loving person for a long time to come.
May his/her family receive our prayers and strength
and good humor to stay well and healthy and strong for themselves and for this sick person.
May our friend's whole
family and community's be blessed with a sense of peace and confidence and surrender, so that their/our energies can focus
on the support that our friend will need in the months ahead.
My his/her trial be a blessing for us all to sanctify
and revere life, in all forms, and open our hearts and our consciousness a bit more as we proceed on our Holy journeys through
life.
**A PRAYER FOR THE HEALING OF OTHERS**
O God, who blessed our ancestors, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and
Rebekah, Jacob and Leah and Rachel; send Your blessing to (______). Have mercy on him/her, and graciously restore his/her
health and strength. Grant him/her a refuah shelayma, a complete recovery, a healing of body and a healing of spirit, along
with all others who are stricken. May healing come speedily, and let us say : Ameyn.
*A PRAYER FOR HEALING FOR SELF*
O God, who blessed my ancestors, Abraham and Sarah and Hagar, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah and Rachel; send Your
blessing to (your Hebrew name - child of - your mothers first name. If no Hebrew name, use your birth name). Have mercy on
me, and graciously restore my health and strength. Grant me a refuah shelayma, a complete recovery, a healing of body and
a healing of spirit, along with all others who are stricken. May healing come speedily: Ameyn.
IT IS IMPORTANT to
make a donation to charity (to a homeless person, for instance) to create a Blessing Way Path and to help divert a harsh decree.
PRAYERS FROM EVERY CREED AND FOR EVERY NEED
A MISHEBEIRACH FOR HEALING
Mi shebeirach avoteinu veimoteinu, Sara, Rivka, Leia, ve-Racheil; Avraham, Yitschak, ve-Yaakov; hu yevareich virapei et (NAME
OF SICK PERSON) ve'et kol hacholim betocheinu ve'et kol hasovlim AIDS o sartan o machala mesukenet. Yitein Adonai bina lamrap'im,
omets ve'emunah lacholim, ahava ve'chozek lanu ul'chol ahuveihem.
May the One who blessed our ancestors, Sarah, Rebecca, Leah and Rachel; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, bless and heal (NAME
OF SICK PERSON) along with all the ill among us and all who are touched by AIDS, cancer, and all life threatening illnesses.
Grant insight to those who bring healing, courage and faith to those who are sick, love and strength to us and to all who
love them.
Adonai Eloheinu, sim ruchacha al kol hacholim ve'nachmeim. Yakiru ve'nakir zeman refua sheleima, refuat hanefesh ur'fuat haguf,
bimheira bekarov, ve'imru AMEIN!
Infinite Eternal, Source of Healing Power, place Your Spirit upon all who are ill and comfort them. May they and we know
a time of complete healing, a healing of the physical and a healing of the spiritual, speedily and soon, and let us say: AMEN!
**REMEDIES AND PSALMS FOR DEPRESSION**
***RABBI GERSHON'S GENERAL REMEDY, ESPECIALLY FOR DEPRESSION***
The best remedy for acute depression is to get on a proper dosage of physician prescribed medications. Science has
found marvelous ways of helping a person overcome depression. Sometimes this takes experimentation and changes in dosage of
medicines prescribed. It is therefore important to keep your doctor informed as to how your medication is helping you or is
not up to your expectations.
Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (the Ba'al Shem Tov's grandson) taught that the following ten
Psalms are a wonderful remedy for most problems, especially acute depression: Psalms 16, 32, 41, 42, 59, 77, 90, 105, 137,
150.
These Ten Psalms equal the Ten different songs in the Psalms, the Ten Sephirot of Kabbalah, and the Ten Commandment
Categories in the Torah. Song and dance help combat depression.
*ANOTHER REB NACHMAN DEPRESSION REMEDY*
Rabbi
Nachman of Breslov, who was often beset with severe bouts of depression, taught that the best remedy for depression is to
create a BLESSING WAY PATH by giving tsedakah. Tsedakah is not charity. Tsedakah is JUST ACTION. To give tsedakah, give a
homeless person enough money that, if he or she chooses to, he or she could buy a meal with it, but give the money without
any prior conditions or strings attached. If you attach strings to your tsedakah, the return blessing will also come with
similar strings attached.
**RABBI GERSHON'S STYLE**
All the chants and meditations, texts and rituals, used
by Rabbi Gershon in his healing practice are from the Jewish tradition, with some visual effects being of Native American
origin, or another shamanic tradition, plus some Appalachian American folk tradition, but it is all authentically Judaised.
All the methods are thoroughly JEWISH and Judaised!
Rabbi Gershon may even utilize incense, herbs, tobacco, cedar
or sage smoke, etc. in his healing work for visual, aromatic therapy or cleansing. This practice has precedence in Biblical,
Talmudic and Kabbalistic JEWISH practice. Rabbi Gershon does not believe in pretending to be a Native American Indian, which
he is not. There is a wonderous amount of the "shamanic" mystical healing element within the traditional historical Jewish
path.
*AN APPALATCHIAN REMEDY FOR DEPRESSION*
Take one bottle of natural real honest-to-goodness Root Beer.
Add one scoop of quality vanilla ice cream. Repeat as often as necessary (from a West Virginia Shawnee Indian Medicine Woman).
***THE BEDTIME FORGIVENESS PRAYER***
This "Bedtime Forgiveness Prayer" works on the PROVEN principle that a person should "repent on the day before
you die," and since you do not know the day of your death, repent every moment. Clear the slate! LET GO OF THE STUFF
THAT HOLDS YOU BACK!
RIBONO SHEL OLAM [The One who has brought the Universe into being]...
I hereby forgive anyone who has angered or has provoked me, or anyone who has sinned against me in any way, whether with
regard to my physical person, my finances, my honor, or anything that is connected to me, whether accidently or whether willingly,
whether intentionally or whether unintentionally, whether by word, or whether by deed, whether in this incarnation of life
or in another incarnation of life, whether by a member of my Tribe or by a non-Jewish person. May no person be brought to
punishment as a result of things that have been done to me.
May it be Your Will, ADONAI, my Infinite Power, and Infinite Power of my ancestors, that I not come to transgression again.
And may You, in Your great mercy, erase that which I have transgressed against You. Please may the forgiveness not come through
suffering or severe illness.
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable before You, ADONAI, my Rock and my Redeemer. Remembering
the blessing given in days of old by the Priests of Israel:
May the Eternal Infinite One bless you and protect you; May the Eternal Infinite One shine His Face upon you and be gracious
to you; May the Eternal Infinite One lift up Her Face to you and grant you harmony and PEACE. (Numbers 6: 24-26)
May the honor of the Infinite One be Eternal; May the Infinite One rejoice in His works, May She who looks upon the earth
as it trembles; be He Who touches the mountains as they smoke.
I will sing to the Infinite One while I am yet alive, and dance a praise dance to the Force while I am still here. May
my meditation be sweet unto Him. As for me, I rejoice in the Infinite One. (Psalm 104: 31-33.)
REB ZALMAN'S BEDTIME FORGIVENESS PRAYER
Also to be said when death is nigh
Recalling whatever frustration and hurt was experienced during the day, at the hands of others, visualize them written on
slips of paper.
Rip these up one by one, forgiving fully those who hurt you as you say:
Ribono Shel Olam,
I hereby forgive
Whoever has hurt me,
And
Whoever has done me any wrong;
Whether it was
Deliberately or by accident,
Whether it was
Done by word or by deed,
In this incarnation
Or in previous ones.
May no one,
Be punished on my account.
May it be Your will,
O L~rd my G~d,
G~d of my parents,
That I sin no more,
That I do not revert
to my old ways,
That I do not anger You any more with my actions,
That I do not do that which is evil in Your sight.
Wipe away the sins
That I have committed,
With Your great compassion,
But not through
Sickness or suffering.
May these words
Of my mouth,
And the prayers
That are in my heart,
Be acceptable before You,
O L~rd,
My Rock and my Redeemer.
God, You made me.
From before I was born,
You took me through my life.
You supported me.
You were there with me when I wasn't there with You.
There were times I was sick and You healed me.
There were times I was in despair
and You gave me hope.
There were times when I felt betrayed
that I could still turn to You.
It was a wonderful life. I loved and I was loved.
I sang, I heard music, I saw flowers,
I saw sunrises and sunsets.
Even in places when I was alone,
You, in my heart, helped me turn loneliness
into precious solitude.
I look back over the panorama of my life;
what a wonderful privilege this was!
I still have some concerns for people in the family,
For the world, for the planet.
I put them in Your Blessed Hands.
I trust that whatever in the Web of Life
that needed me to be there
Is now completed.
I thank You for taking the burden from me,
And I thank You for keeping me in the Light.
As I let go, and let go, and let go... and let go.
Another Reb Zalman Bedtime Prayer of Forgiveness
YOU, my ETERNAL FRIEND, WITNESS now that I forgive anyone who hurt or upset me or who offended me-- damaging my body, my property,
my reputation or people that I love; whether by accident or purposely; with words, deeds, thoughts or attitudes.
I forgive every person who has hurt or upset me. May no one be punished because of me. May no one suffer from karmic consequences
for hurting or upsetting me.
Help me, Eternal Friend, to keep from offending You and others. Help me to be thoughtful and not commit outrage by doing
what is evil in Your eyes.
Whatever sins I have committed, blot out, please, in Your abundant kindness, and spare me suffering or harmful illnesses.
Help me become aware of the ways I may have unintentionally or intentionally hurt others, and please give me guidance and
strength to rectify those hurts and to develop the sensitivity to not continue acting in a hurtful way. Let me forgive others,
let me forgive myself, but also let me change in ways that make it easy for me to avoid paths of hurtfulness to others.
I seek peace, let me BE peace. I seek justice, let me be just. I seek a world of kindness, let me be kind. I seek a world
of generosity, let me be generous with all that I have. I seek a world of sharing, let me share all that I have. I seek a
world of giving, let me be giving to all around me. I seek a world of love, let me be loving beyond all reason, beyond all
normal expectation, beyond all societal frameworks that tell me how much love is "normal," beyond all fear that
giving too much love will leave me with too little. And let me be open and sensitive to all the love that is already coming
to me, the love of people I know, the love that is part of the human condition, the accumulated love of past generations that
flows through and is embodied in the language, music, recipes, technology, literature, religions, agriculture, and family
heritages that have been passed on to me and to us. Let me pass that love on to the next generations in an even fuller and
more explicit way.
Source of goodness and love in the universe, let me be alive to all the goodness that surrounds me. And let that awareness
of the goodness and love of the universe be my shield and protector. Hear the words of my mouth and may the meditations of
my heart find acceptance before You, Eternal Friend, who protects and frees me. Amen.
**AFFIRMATION UPON ARISING IN THE MORNING**
After you FORGAVE all who have injured you prior to going to sleep, the ANGELS of the night have been involved in processing
your GOD'S BREATH - YOUR NESHAMAH - YOUR SOUL so that you start the new day afreshed, cleansed, revitalized. We show our appreciation
for this by reciting our "Morning Affirmations."
"Tehilat Adonai yedaber pee, vivareikh kol basar sheim kodsho l'olam vaed. Va'anachnu nevarekh Yah, meiatah vead olam.
HALLELU-YAH!" (My mouth will utter the praises of the Infinite Eternal. Indeed, all flesh shall bless the holy Name forever
and ever. And, as for us, we shall bless the Infinite One henceforth and forever. Praise the Infinite One!)
Elohai, neshamah shenatata bee, tahorah hee. Atah varatah. Atah yitzartah. Atah nefachtah bee. V'Atah meshamrah bekirbee.
VeAtah ateed litlah mimeni, ul'hachazeerah bee leateed lavo. Kol z'man shehaneshamah v'kirbee. Modeh anee lifanekha ADONAI
Elohai v'Elohay avotai. Sha'Atah hu Ribon kol hamaaseem. Moshel b'khol habreeyot. Adon kol haneshamot. Barukh Atah ADONAI
hamachazeer neshamot lifgareem meiteem.
(My Source of Power, the God's Breath-Soul which You have put into me, She is PURE! You have created it. You have formed
it. You have breathed it into me. You preserve it within me, and You will one day reclaim it from me and restore it to me
in another life. So long as there is God's Breath (soul) within me, I avow before You, Infinite Eternal, my Creator and Source
of Power to my ancestors, that only You are the Source of all creation, the Guide of all living things, the Breather of all
souls. Source of blessing are You, Infinite Eternal, who restores breath (soul) to the dead (sleep is 1/60th of death).
*JEWISH SHAMANIC CURES FOR WHAT AILS YOU (folktradition)*
The
Hebrew word for "cure" is refuah. Its gematria ("287", the numerical value of its letters) is equivalent to the word "rachamim"
which means mercy.
A sick person should ask for mercy from God, and he should have mercy on others, as our sages have
taught in the Talmud (Shabbat 151a):
"All those who have mercy on other creatures will receive mercy from Heaven".
Therefore, the sick person should give money to charity. Giving money to charities of any people, faith, or righteous
cause is as though one is giving a sacrifice which causes GOD to move, "as it were" from the Seat of Judgement to the Seat
of Mercy, which causes the cure to be affected.
To help you overcome your dispair, or to just make changes in your
life, try this program for 40 days straight. There is no cost, EXCEPT that you must give charity ; the price of a sandwich
and coffee, to someone who is wanting help, at least once a week. It is actually preferred you do it every day.
This
program has three parts.
Part one is that you repeat the following prayer EVERY NIGHT:
"I, (So and So son/
daughter of so and so[mother's first name]), forgive everyone who has hurt me. I forgive my mother. I forgive my father, I
forgive my children (if it applies), I forgive my spouse, I forgive EVERYONE, known and unknown.
And,I forgive me!
I forgive all these people, the known and the unknown, for any pain they have brought into my life, whether in THIS lifetime
or in another lifetime. I forgive me. I love me! I deserve that good things come into my life!
I surround myself with
protecting angels. The Angel of Awareness at my right. The Angel of Strength at my left. The Angel of Vision before me and
the Angel of Healing behind me; and over my head may the Divine Presence always hover.
Part two is that you write
a daily journal.
Every day you must sit down before going to bed and write at least 25 words about what happened that
day. Try to see it from the SUNNY side of life. In the morning, write down any dream that you've had in the night.
PART
three:
In the morning, go stand before a mirror, look yourself in the eyes and say: I am a Child of God! My soul is
only purity and goodness, it is White Light. I deserve that good things happen to me today. Thank you God for helping me to
see this about myself.
**A KABBALAH HEALING MEDITATION**
First, go deep inside yourself. Look into your mind.
Your intellect is where your "Spark of God Being" resides.
Imagine a white light that is growing in intensity.
When
you see the White Light, realize it is WHO you really are at your deepest self-place.
Realize that it is YOU as pure
love and God energy at your innermost core, YOU are a PURE soul.
You are LIGHT and GOODNESS.
Now, BREATH DEEPLY,
in and out; let your breaths be strong, breathing in fully and then out fully.
Imagine a peaceful place, a meadow
or garden; a safe place, a Temple Garden.
Imagine yourself in that place.
Know that nothing can hurt you here.
Be alone with YOU as a special person.
Realize that it is alright to be alone with oneself.
See yourself
as being loved!
Realize that you cannot love others if first you don't love yourself.
This is a method of
self awareness and self-healing.
Imagine a favorite picture of a Holy person.
Imagine your face where his/her
face is in the picture.
Continue breathing in and out regularly.
This place of the face is to be seen as the
Hebrew letter YOD (י).
YOD is the first letter in the four letter sacred Name of God; Yod, Heh, Vav, Heh יהוה.
Now,
imagine your upper body where her/his upper body is.
Imagine a line drawn from the left shoulder and down the right
arm to the fingers. Imagine that the left arm also has a line drawn from near, but not quite touching the top line. Follow
this line down to the tips of the left hand's fingers.This is HEH in Hebrew(ה).
Continue breathing in and out
regularly, deeply, and completely.
Imagine your torso where the torso of the picture is.
Imagine a line from
the base of the scull to the tailbone.
This is the VAV in Hebrew (ו).
Imagine your pelvis and legs as
the legs and pelvis of the person in the picture.
Imagine a line across your hips from left to right and down your
right leg to the toes of your right foot.
Imagine another line down the left leg form near the top line at the hips,
but not quite touching, on down to the toes. This is HEH in Hebrew (ה).
Y י
H ה
V ו
H
ה
YeHoVaH.
BREATH out the YEH; breath in the HO; breath in the VAH! Do it again and again.
This
is YOU created in the DIVINE IMAGE!
YOD...HEH....VAV...HEH יהוה
Yod is YOUR head, HEH
is YOUR arms and shoulders, VAV is YOUR torso, HEH is YOUR pelvis and legs.
YOU are a DIVINE being created in the
Image of the Divine.
As this DIVINE being, you belong in a safe space.
You can go there anytime you choose.
You need not fear anything.
FEAR is why you need the INNER GARDEN
Build a wall of "stones" around
the garden if you need to, to protect you from fear. See the "stones" as Angels with protecting swords.
We are all
God.
All is God.
God is ALL there is.
There is no place or thing devoid of God.
**INNER PAIN
MEDITATIONS**
AS WITH ALL CASES OF SEVERE PAIN, CONSULT A PHYSICIAN FOR THE POSSIBLE PHYSICAL REASONS FOR HAVING THE
PAIN.
First you light a candle and set it in front of you on the floor. You sit on a pillow and look at the candle.
You put on your Tallit saying the barokha; "Source of Blessing are You, Infinite One, Force of Creative Powers, Director of
all Creation, that has sanctified us with Your asking us to commit to enwrapping ourselves in the fringed garment."
Now
you focus your mind on where your pain is and bring up a mental picture of the pain as a color.
Once you have a color
focused in your mind, you begin to chant "El na Refuah nah" over and over and over for about ten minutes, later as you get
into it, for twenty minutes.
Either have a friend beat a drum object in a steady beat or do it yourself.
Now,
comes the hard part.
Focus on the Hebrew letter YOD while chanting the chant "El na Refuah nah" to a different chant
melody from the chant melody you began with, keeping the beat of the drum.
After a few minutes of this chant melody
and focus, focus on the letter HEH, changing the chant melody again.
After a few minutes chanting "El na Refuah nah"
to the new chant melody, focus on VAV, changing the chant melody again and chant for a few more minutes.
Finally,
do the same with the final HEH.
You will find that if you do this your pain will lessen considerable if not all together.
Give tzedakah!
I had a man do this meditation and his pain went away completly. Never did come back.
**PRAYERS AROUND DEATH**
TRADITIONAL JEWISH RITUALS AROUND DEATH WEBSITE (click here)
***PSALMS AND PRAYERS TO BE SAID IN MEMORY OF DEPARTED ANCESTORS ON THE HEBREW ANNIVERSARY (YARTZEIT OR MELDADO) DATE OF THE
PERSONS DEATH***
It is a great mitzvah and honor to say kaddish and prayers for your departed ancestors for eleven months (in Ashkenazi and
most Sephardi traditions). In Mizrachi tradition, one says kaddish only ten months.
It is also proper to address the departed soul for favors or blessings when visiting their graves.
The MOURNERS KADDISH should be said with a minyan of ten friends or fellow worshippers. Thus, it is customary to attend
a synagogue on the Friday evening closest to the Hebrew anniversary date of the persons death.
We have a tradition of saying prayers for all our ancestors at Yizker services on Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Pesach and Shavuot.
Some homes light a 24 hour memorial (hashkabah) candle every Shabbat just prior to lighting the Shabbat candles and saying
a short prayer that mentions the names of the person's departed ancestors in it.
*PRAYER FOR ONE WHO HAS JUST DIED*
Light two candles at the moment of death and place one at the head of the deceased (or coffin containing the deceased)
and one at the foot. Then one recites:
BARUKH ATAH YHVH ELOHAYNU MELEKH HAOLAM DAYAN HAEMET ("Source of blessing are You, YHVH (Adonai) Director of the
Universe and Who is the only True Judge." This is also recited at the moment one learns of the death, even if much later).
Adonay natan, ve'Adonay lekah; yehi shem Adonay me'vorakh. ("The Eternal has given, the Eternal has taken away, blessed
be the Name of the Eternal.")
May it be Your will, O God, to provide eternal rest and peace to the soul of (____). Help him/her pass gently to the World
to Come; enfold him/her with love.
Although I/we knew (____) for only a short time, I/we truly cared for him/her. My/Our heart grieves for his/her passing.
Be with those friends and family who need strength in this hour of their saddness. And give me/us strength to continue
my/our work of compassion and goodness toward other persons under my/our care. Help me/us to grow in wisdom and judgement.
And let me/us remember to be humble amidst the holy moments of life and death.
It is customary to light a 24 hour candle and recite the 49th Psalm in the memory of the deceased every Friday evening
for 11 months (10 months in the North African tradition) after the day of death, prior to lighting the Shabbat candles . (From
RUACH AMI, Bay Area Jewish Healing Center)
MOURNER'S KADDISH
Stand.
Yit-ga-dal v'yit-ka-dash sh'mei ra-ba, (A-mein.)
b'al-ma di-v'ra chi-ru-tei, v'yam-lich mal-chu-tei
[ v'yats-mach pur-ka-nei, vi-ka-reiv m'shi-chei. (A-mein). ]
b'chai-yei-chon uv'yo-mei-chon
uv'chai-yei d'chawl beit Yis-ra-eil,
ba-a-ga-la u-viz-man ka-riv, v'im'ru: A-mein. (A-mein.)
Y'hei sh'mei ra-ba m'va-rach
l'a-lam ul'al-mei al-ma-ya. [ Yit-ba-rach ]
Yit-ba-rach v'yish-ta-bach,
v'yit-pa-ar v'yit-ro-mam v'yit-na-sei,
v'yit-ha-dar v'yit-a-leh v'yit-ha-lal, sh'mei d'ku-d'sha, b'rich hu, (b'rich hu) [Some Chassidic and Sefardic congregations
say "A-mein"]
l'ei-la min kawl bir-cha-ta v'shi-ra-ta,
tush-b'chata v'ne-che-mata, da-a-mi-ran b'al-ma, v'im'ru: A-mein. (A-mein.)
Y'hei sh'la-ma ra-ba min sh'ma-ya,
v'chai-yim [ to-vim ], a-lei-nu v'al kawl Yis-ra-eil, v'im'ru: A-mein. (A-mein.)
O-seh sha-lom bim-ro-mav,
hu ya-a-seh sha-lom a-lei-nu v'al kawl Yis-ra-eil, v'im'ru: A-mein. (A-mein.)
Sit.
KADDISH LAAVEL - MOURNERS KADDISH (Sephardi)
Yit-ga-dal v-yit-ka-dash shmeh ra-ba. Amen.
Be-al-ma di-bra 'hir-u-teh, v-yam-li'h mal-'hu-teh, v-yats-ma'h pur-ka-neh, vi-ka-reb m-shi-'heh. (Amen).
B-'ha-ye-'hon ub-yo-me-'hon, ub-'ha-ye d-'hol bet yis-ra-el, ba-a-ga-la u-biz-man ka-rib, ve-im-ru Amen.
Ye-he shmeh ra-ba m-ba-ra-'h, le-a-lam le-al-me al-ma-ya, yit-ba-ra'h.
V-yish-ta-ba'h, v-yit-pa-ar, v-yit-ro-mam, v-yit-na-se, v-yit-ha-dar, v-yit-a-le, v-yit-ha-lal, shemeh de-kud-sha bri'h
hu. (Amen).
Le-e`-la min kol bir-'ha-ta, shi-ra-ta, tush-b-'ha-ta, v-ne-'h-ma-ta, da-a-mi-ran be-al-ma, ve-im-ru Amen.
Ye-he shla-ma ra-ba min shma-ya ('ha-yim), 'ha-yim, v-sa-ba, vi-shu-a, v-ne-'ha-ma, v-she-za-ba, ur-fu-a, ug-u-la, us-li-'ha,
v-'ha-pa-ra, v-re`-va'h v-hats-a-la, la`-nu ul-'hol a-mo yis-ra-el, ve-im-ru Amen.
O-se sha-lom bim-ro-mav, hu bra-'ha-mav ya-a-se sha-lom a-le`-nu, ve-al kol yis-ra-el, ve-im-ru Amen.
FURTHER PRAYERS FOR ALL OCCASIONS (LINK)
A RITUAL FOR MISCARRIAGE
THE RITUAL OF THE RED THREAD
Elizabeth Shanks Alexander writes, in the October 2003 issue of Moment Magazine, on the subject of "HEALING WATERS -
Turning to Jewish Ritual After Miscarriage;" of passing by the door of a fellow teacher of Jewish Studies at her University,
Vanessa Ochs, who had a collection of red ribbons on her door with the following invitation:
"With roots in Torah, the binding of a red thread/ remains a powerful custom for Jewish women.
In Israel, at the tomb of our mother Rachel, who/
cries for her children, women would ritually wind/
a red thread around the tomb seven times.
This red thread symbolizes God's care; it symbolizes/
God's continuous weaving of the threads of our lives.
This red thread is a prayer, a wish for protection/
when we feel so vulnerable.
This red thread is a sign that a web of caring/
connects us.
With this red thread as a reminder, we can attempt/
to go back into our lives aware that we are not/
altogether alone."
Ms. Alexander said to herself; "I certainly feel vulnerable. I certainly feel a need for protection." So she
took a red ribbon and tied it around her wrist to help her overcome the depression and grief of her miscarriage.
She combined the wearing of this "red thread" during the initial days of her grieving process with the idea
that she would remove the red thread at a specific time and then she would gather several friends and she would do a ceremonial
re-entry back into the community by immersing herself in the MIKVAH.
And so, with that in mind, when her bleeding was finished, two weeks later, she counted seven "clean" days and
made her appointment at the local mikvah.
Her friends wove her red thread into a crown of flowers and placed it upon her head after she had finished her immersion
in the mikvah.
One friend composed a prayer for her healing:
"Eternal God, who sends consolation to all sorrowing hearts, we aver, despite the sadness of Liz's loss, that life
is good. Help Liz, O Lord, to rise above her sorrow and face her recent challenge to happiness with courage and faith in the
future. Please let her take comfort in the support of her loving friends and family. And when she despairs, help her remember
that even as You are always with us in adversity, You will again, soon, be with her in joy. Amen."
After the friends placed the wreath of flowers on her head, and they all had a good cry, they ended the Mikvah Ritual
ceremony by reading verses from the Song of Songs: "Who is she that shines through like the dawn,
Beautiful as the moon,
Radiant as the sun...?
Return to your garden,
Eat lovers, and drink
Drink deep of love...
For love is as fierce as death."
You may choose to create a similar ceremony, choosing your own verses and texts, but the idea of the red thread and the
mikvah as rituals to heal loss is a good one.
JEWISH LIFE CYCLE RITUALS AND CEREMONY LINKS
These links are to help you plan life cycle ceremonies like BRITH MILA (circumcisions), BRITH AHAVAH (Baby Naming), ZEVED
HABAT (Welcoming a Daughter), PIDYON HABEN (Redeeming the Firstborn), B'NOT MITZVAH (Bar & Bat Mitzvah), also around CONFIRMATION,
MARRIAGE, ILLNESS, & DEATH. If you need the Rebbe's help, contact him from the Contact Link at top of this Page.
EGALITARIAN JEWISH RITUALS AND CEREMONIES (link)
JEWISH LIFE INFORMATION CENTER IN ISRAEL
Jewish Healing Network Link (click here)
INFORMATION ABOUT RITUAL ITEMS
Tefillin
"And you shall have them knotted as a sign on your hands and they shall be for a forehead phylactery between your eyes"
(Deuteronomy Chapter 6 verse 8).
The Tefilin put on the head of a person symbolizes his mind and his thinking.
The Tefillin put on the hand symbolizes the actions and deeds of the person.
Because a person has different ideas and thoughts there are four separate cells, but the actions of a person should be
one and parallel to the Jewish tradition and this is the reason why there is only one cell in the hand Tefilin.
The parchments included are important in containing the principles of the Jewish religion:
1. The miracle of the Exodus: Parashat Kadesh
2. The miracle of the coming into being of the Jewish people in the event of Mount Sinai and the proof to the Devine overlooking
of the all mighty: Parashat Vehaya ki yaviecha
3. The acceptance of the burden of the heavens kingdom: Parashat Shma
4. The acceptance of the burden of the mitzvot: Parashat Vehaya Im Shamoa
The parashot are written two times. The first is written on one klaf for the hand Tefillin and the second is written on
four klafs one for each parasha for the head Tefillin.
Traditionally, the Jewish man starts the mitzvah of Tfillin at the age of 13 in his Bar-Mitzvah, and from that day on,
he puts on Tfilin every morning except for Shabbat and Holidays.
The Tfillin are made out of 3 parts:
1. The Batim: the boxes of the Tfilin made out of goatskin or from cow skin. There are 3 types of Batim:
a. Pshutot: made out of many pieces of goatskin.
b. Dakot: made out of one piece of thin goatskin.
c. Gasot: made out of one piece of thick cow skin.
2. The Parshiot: they are the klaf (parchments) that are placed in the cells of the Batim, the Parshiot determine the
level of Hidur of the Tefillin:
a. Pashut: regular, this is normal type of klaf
b. Mehudar: special intensions to details by the Sofer, the klaf is from better materials.
3. The Retzuot: the straps of the Tfilin are made out of leather and should be black.
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