SAVE THE DATES (DETAILS COMING SOON):
December 17th - 4:00-6:00pm, "Latkes, Lights and Love"
A pre Chanukah celebration with All Angles' Church.
January 26th - Beineinu, Syria Fund and S'Cool invite you to a night of music and culture.
Raise money to bring music to Syrian Refugees.
- מוֹדֶה (מוֹדָה) אֲנִי לְפָנֶֽיךָ מֶֽלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּים. שֶׁהֶֽחֱזַֽרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְחֶמְלָה. רַבָּה אֱמֽוּנָתֶֽך
- Modeh(m)/Modah(f) ani lifanecha melech chai v'kayam shehecḥezarta bi nishmahti b'cḥemlah, rabah emunatecha.
- I am thankful/grateful before you, living and eternal King, for You have restored my soul within me with compassion; Your faithfulness [in me and all humanity] is great.
Every morning we have the opportunity/responsibility/privilege (depending on your personal view) to recite this prayer. It is the first thing some people choose to do - before brushing their teeth, taking a shower or even saying "good morning". For me, it is the truest symbol of Thanksgiving. My soul is the essence of my being. Without it, I am only skin and bone and brain. My soul provides life energy to all of me so I can be fully me.
I do not have a practice of reciting this prayer each morning (but maybe I should). Most of the time, I take my soul for granted (along with the rest of my being). Most mornings I am running around from the second I wake up. My mind is racing, my body is rushing and I am in a constant frenzy to get everything done so I can head out for my day.
But, tomorrow (and this weekend) are different. Thanksgiving is THE TIME when I stop to be mindful of all that I have and all that I am. It is the moment in the year for acknowledging the bounty in my life - the people and the "things" that enrich, sustain, elevate and enable me to be fully me. This gratitude (should) in turn compel me to GIVE my self and my soul to others in order to enrich, sustain, elevate and enable others to be fully them.
How funny, that this practice is embedded in Judaism every single morning. Not only can I/should I embrace gratitude as a way of starting my day but the end of the prayer is a reminder that God has full faith in me and you and him and her and them. God, THE ONE who is greater than all humanity combined, has abundant faith in all humanity to use their soul to the fullest potential. God has faith in all humanity to enrich, sustain, elevate and enable each other to be fully ourselves.
As we move through Thanksgiving and Shabbat, I am going to mark each morning by reciting "Modah Ani". I invite you to join me. Let's see if articulating gratitude for God's faith in us can impact how we enage our soul. Let's see if we are able to bring the prayer to fruition - taking the faith God has in all of humanity and enrich, sustain, elevate and enable each other to be fully ourselves.
I am grateful to be part of this growing community with all of you. Beinein - Between Us we are creating meaning.
Blessings, friendship and hugs -
Laurie
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