a candle lighting kavanah in honor of shabbat of bereishit
As our week ends, we focus on how our own lives mirror cosmic events.
Shabbat now begins.
We have completed a full week of creation.
Now we focus inward for a short time;
of what has this week consisted?
We bring to consciousness aspects of our week just passed:
Was there a project left uncompleted,
the various loose ends still dangling, becoming frayed and entangled?
Was there a disagreement with someone,
when I raised my voice and the noise of my words became jumbled?
Perhaps a decision had to be made.
No choice was fully adequate and I found myself in turmoil, my feelings all churned up.
I can feel the unpleasantness irritate me; I squirm and sweat.
I feel the entanglement and fraying
I watch the words as they collide around my ears
I listen as my feelings grind in my guts.
“Before God began to create, everything was chaotic and unorganized.”
Search within for the stability of your breathing.
Listen to the air flow deep into your body.
Feel your lungs expand and comfortably contract.
Watch the constant exchange between you and the expanse around you.
Permit the unpleasantness to drift away as your awareness centers on the smooth regularity of your breath.
“The breath of God sweeps over the depths of darkness.”
Near your breath there is a warmth you can encourage.
Slowly raise the warmth above your chest.
Lift the warmth into your head.
Concentrate all of the warmth in a point at the center of your forehead.
Allow this warmth to glow, brighten and fill your head.
“And God said: ‘Let there be light.’”
“let there be light” Vela Supernova Remnant
ברוך אתה יי אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להדליק נר של שבת
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, asher kiddishanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat.
Blessed are you Adonai, the eternal power that makes us special through the inspiration to kindle the lights of Shabbat.
lighting shabbat candles at 3909 Burnside Ave. July 6, 1984
A formatted PDF (8.5×11) version of this is available for download.
shabbat shalom
| Date: | 1970s |
| Size: | 4.4 |
| Pin Form: | straight |
| Print Method: | celluloid |
| Text | שבת שלום |
your lapel buttons
Many people have lapel buttons. They may be attached to a favorite hat or jacket you no longer wear, or poked into a cork-board on your wall. If you have any laying around that you do not feel emotionally attached to, please let me know. I preserve these for the Jewish people. At some point they will all go to an appropriate museum. You can see all the buttons shared to date.
