+ Shabbat Spot “Blessings”

Shabbat Spot, October 26, 2012
Parashat Lech Lecha
Rabbi Darcie Crystal

Recently, my son lost his first tooth: a milestone for every young child and every family, no doubt!  Like many families, we went through the ritual of placing the tooth under the pillow so the tooth fairy could come to reward him for the treasure.  But what if we also took note of the significance of that moment Jewishly, by reciting the blessing that gives thanks for enabling us to reach this special moment?

Baruch Ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-olam she-hech’yanu v’kiy’manu v’higianu la-z’man ha-zeh. 

Blessed are You Eternal Our God, Ruler of the Universe who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this joyous day.

Judaism gives us a tool to transform mundane moments into moments of gratitude, significance, even holiness.  It is the blessing.  When we say a blessing, we pause to think about a specific action or occurrence, we pause to express gratitude for that moment, and we act with intention.  Saying a blessing takes a few seconds, and yet in the midst of our busy lives, it can be a powerful way to acknowledge a meaningful event.

Some of you may be preparing to run the marathon in just over a week.  Imagine if, in addition to your physical and mental preparation, you took just a moment that morning to engage in spiritual preparation.  As you gather with the runners at the starting line, say:

Blessed are You, God, who prepares a person’s steps.

Or when you hit mile 23:

Blessed are You, God, who gives strength to the weary.

Judaism gives us many blessings, including these (though they weren’t originally meant to be said for a marathon!), but you can create your own.  When a grandparent comes to visit, on the eve of the first day of school, or upon sighting the first snowflake of the year, just pause, relish the beauty, and express gratitude for the many special moments in our lives.  There is no right or wrong way.  There is only blessing!