Sabbath Prayer

I attended Shabbat Morning Service yesterday. It was a Bat Mitzvah celebration, and the girl who was taking her place as a young woman in the congregation on this occasion designed and led the service, choosing which prayers we would all pray from the many possibilities offered in the Reform Siddur (prayerbook) her community uses.

Two of her choices stood out to me, so I thought I would share them here.

The first is a traditional Sabbath prayer, the Modim Anachnu Lach ("We are grateful"), but given a modern twist in this version. Think of a young girl, taking her place as a young woman, choosing this:


For the expanding grandeur of Creation,
worlds known and unknown, galaxies beyond galaxies,
filling us with awe and challenging our imagination,
    Modim anachnu lach.

For this fragile planet earth, its times and tides, 
its sunsets and seasons,
    Modim anachnu lach.

For the joy of human life, its wonders and surprises,
its hopes and achievements,
    Modim anachnu lach.

For human community, our common past and future hope,
our oneness transcending all separation, our capacity to work
for peace and justice in the midst of hostility and oppression,
    Modim anachnu lach.

For high hopes and noble causes, for faith without fanaticism,
for understanding of views not shared,
    Modim anachnu lach.

For all who have labored and suffered for a fairer world,
who have lived so that others might live in dignity and freedom,
    Modim anachnu lach.

For human liberties and sacred rites:
for opportunities to change and grow, to affirm and choose,
    Modim anachnu lach.

We pray that we may live not by our fears but by our hopes,
not by our words but by our deeds.

Blessed are You, Adonai, Your Name is Goodness, and You are worthy of gratitude.


The second prayer is shorter, but it really made me sit up and take notice:


We oughtn't pray for what we've never known,
and humanity has never known:
unbroken peace,
unmixed blessing.
No.
Better to pray for pity,
for indignation,
discontent,
the will to see and touch,
the power to do good and make new.


Way to go, Emma! Thank you for your inspiring leadership!