funeral

Plony Almony is survived by: ....

We all share in this time of sorrow.

When our ancient poet-king experienced the depths of despair he searched for comfort and sang:

I lift up my face to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Source of heaven and earth. The Living Breathing Presence will not allow your foot to slip; The One that keeps you will not slumber. Behold, the Source from which Israel emerges neither slumbers nor sleeps. You are still part of the Source; Adonai is as the shade on your right hand. The sun shall not burn you during the day, nor the moon frighten you at night. Adonai shall keep you from all evil; the Source creates and receives your soul.

The Living Breathing Presence shall guard your going out and your coming in, now and for ever.

Adonai, what are we that you pay attention to us; or our children that you are aware of them! We are like vanity; our days are as a shadow that passes. In the morning we are strong and grow; in the evening we are cut down and wither. You turn us to contrition and say: Return, all you children! O that we were wise, that we would consider our end! For when we die, we shall carry nothing away; our glory shall not descend after us. Adonai redeems the servants' souls and none of them that trust in the Source shall be forgotten.

Out of the depths we call to You, O Living Breathing Presence, our heavenly Parent. In Your hands are the souls of all the living and the spirits of all flesh. Your loving kindness is never taken from us, but stays with us in death as in life. In Your wisdom, You have given us this heavy burden. May You also in Your mercy, give us the strength to bear it.

Guide and keep us, lest we stray from Your paths. Give us that strength of faith which shall keep us from murmuring against the justice of Your decision even when You afflict us. Grant us, we pray You, the understanding which shall enable us to recognize that the hand that wounds is also the hand that heals. You are the Life of all life.

* Eulogy

Source of all, You who governs all things with infinite wisdom and mercy, and who guides the destinies of all! As a parent You love us, and shower your blessings on us. Therefore we shall not murmur even when sorrow befalls us, but with humility and unfaltering trust accept Your decrees. In joy and in sorrow alike, we praise Your goodness and acknowledge Your justice.

We remember that we are strangers on earth. Like a shadow our life flees away. Help us to walk in Your sight that, when the few years of our earthly pilgrimage end, we may be ready to meet it with a tranquil mind. To You we look for comfort when one of our beloved is taken from us and a tear is felt in the fabric of love which weaves us together in family union. Though we walk in the valley of the shadow of death, we shall fear no evil, for You are with us. Praised are You Sovereign of all space and time in all Your dispensations, and may your name be sanctified for ever and ever.

(please rise)

Source of compassion, You who live beyond our comprehension! Grant perfect rest to the soul of Emanuel Bronner who has departed from this world. Source of mercy, bring him into Your presence and let his soul be bound up in the bond of eternal life. May You be his possession, and may his rest be peace.

Amen.

David, our shepherd-king expressed his trust in these words of Psalm 23:

Adonai is my shepherd, I have no needs. God causes me to lie down in green pastures; Leads me beside the still waters. Restores my soul; Guides me in straight paths for God's own 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 staff comfort me. You prepare a table for me in the presence of my adversaries; You smoothed fragrant oils on my head, my cup is filled to overflowing. Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I shall live in the house of The Living Breathing Presence forever.

Adonai's work is perfect, for all the ways of the Source are just; a Power of faithfulness and without iniquity; just and right. Who can say to this Power: "What are You doing?" This is the Source of death and life. What finite being can demand of the infinite: "What have you done?" You alone, righteously apportion life and death, for in Your hand is the destiny of all souls. You will not forget us; Your mercy will surely abide with us.

Blessed are You, Judge of truth, who ordains death and summons us to life.

Even in our sorrow, Adonai, we trust in Your love. Therefore we can not complain, for we know that You are righteous and that Your judgments are just. You, whose wisdom is infinite and whose power supreme, You understand our needs. Help us to feel Your presence in this time of trouble, so that we may declare with perfect faith that Adonai is upright, our Rock in whom there is no unrighteousness.

Adonai has given, and Adonai has taken away. Blessed be the name Adonai.

Blessed are You, Adonai, Sovereign of all space and time, who forms us in Your image, nourishes and sustains us in Your goodness, causes us to die according to Your law and has planted within us the life of the universe.

Blessed are You Adonai, Judge of Truth.

Eternal is Your power, Adonai, You are mighty to save. In lovingkindness You sustain the living; in the multitude of Your mercies, You preserve all. You uphold the falling and heal the sick, free the captives and keep faith with Your children in death as in life. Who is like You Source of all, Author of life and death, Source of salvation?

Blessed are You Adonai, who has planted within us the life of the universe.

The dust returns to the earth as it was; the spirit returns to the Source from which it came. It is only the house of the spirit to which we now say farewell. The spirit itself cannot die. Here too, our dear ones continue in the loving remembrance of those to whom they were precious. Receive in mercy the soul of our departed Emanuel Bronner. Grant him that everlasting peace which You have laid up for us in the world that is yet to be. Though no human eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor mind has compassed it, it is still our sure inheritance and our everlasting portion.

Let the glory of The Living Breathing Presence be extolled, let this great name be hallowed, in the world whose creation Adonai willed. May the Divine rule soon prevail, in our own day, our own lives, and the life of all Israel and of all the world, and let us say: Amen

Let Adonai's great name be blessed for ever and ever.

Let the name of the Holy One of blessing, be glorified, exalted, and honored, though the Infinite is beyond all the praises, songs, and adorations that we can possibly utter, and let us say: Amen

For us and for all Israel, and for all the world, may the blessing of peace and the promise of life come true, and let us say: Amen.

May the One who causes peace to reign in the high heavens, let peace descend on us, on all Israel, and all the world, and let us say: Amen.

Yitgadal v'yitkadash, sh'mei raba b'alma div'ra chirutei, v'yamlich malchutei b'chayeichon u'v'yomeichon u'v'chayei d'chol beit Yisrael ba'agala u'vizman kariv, v'imru: amein.

Y'hei sh'mei raba m'varach l'alam u'l'almei almaya.

Yitbarach v'yishtabach, v'yitpa'ar v'yitromam v'yitnasei, v'yithadar v'yitaleh v'yithalal sh'mei d'kudisha, b'rich hu, l'eila min kol bir'chata v'shirata, tushb'chata v'nechemata da'amiran b'alma, v'imru: amein.

Y'hei sh'lama raba min sh'maya v'chayim aleinu v'al kol Yisrael, v'imru Amein.

Oseh shalom bimromav, Hu ya'ase shalom aleinu v'al kol Yisrael, v'imru amein.

May the Source of peace send peace to all who mourn and comfort to all who are bereaved.

Based on the funeral service in the Rabbi's Manual