Birkhat haGomel (Blessing of Gratitude) is commonly said after recovering from serious illness or delivering a baby, but can also be recited in appreciation for completing a dangerous journey. It's usually recited in a group of at least 10 other adults who can offer the response.
First, one person offers this blessing:
Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, ha-gomel l’chayavim tovot she-g’malani kol tov.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, ruler of the world, who rewards the undeserving with goodness, and who has rewarded me with goodness.
After the recitation of this blessing, the community responds:
Mi she-g’malcha kol tov, hu yi-g’malcha kol tov selah.
May he who rewarded you with all goodness reward you with all goodness for ever.
You know the joke about two Jews having three opinions? Sukkot is like that. It’s a little bit about remembering the huts we lived in while wandering in the desert after escaping slavery. It’s a little bit about recognizing and getting comfortable with the discomfort of imperma-nence. It’s a little bit about celebrating a bountiful harvest and the start of autumn. Annnndddd it’s a little bit the reason why we celebrate Hanukkah for eight days.
As this month of holidays comes to a close, Sukkot offers a chance to build a structure while at the same time recognizing our own vulnerability. We leave the comforts of our homes and cross the threshold of uncertainty. Our sukkah has at least three sides, with a wide enough door to welcome guests (in-person, metaphorically or on video). It has a roof made of natural materials that provide shade but let in the starlight. We take symbols of the harvest - tradi-tionally a lulav and etrog - and shake them all around as a way of inviting the Divine to sur-round us.
By dwelling in uncertainty, we move from the High Holidays into the rest of the year joyful, reconnected to nature and ready for what comes next.
From Seeker Season Guidebook for the Curious & Courageous https://highholidaysathome.com/haggadah/seeker-season
In the 16th Century, Jewish mystics created the ritual of ushpizin (Aramaic for honored guests), inviting seven different Biblical figures into the sukkah during the holiday. The traditional list includes Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David. Modern feminists have added Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, Miriam, Avigail and Esther.
Think of seven people - historical, fictional, ancestral, or virtual (those you wish you could celebrate with this year). For each night of Sukkot, spend a few moments thinking about one of those people, imagining what you’d want to talk about and how their presence would make you feel. You can also use the nights of Sukkot to host a video chat in your sukkah, welcoming friends and family to bring their fullest selves.
Blessing for welcoming ancestral, fictional, historical, Biblical, familial or virtual ushpizin into your sukkah:
Blessed are you, Divine Gatherer, whose presence grows through abundant welcome.
Birkhat haGomel (Blessing of Gratitude) is commonly said after recovering from serious illness or delivering a baby, but can also be recited in appreciation for completing a dangerous journey. It's usually recited in a group of at least 10 other adults who can offer the response.
First, one person offers this blessing:
Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, ha-gomel l’chayavim tovot she-g’malani kol tov.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, ruler of the world, who rewards the undeserving with goodness, and who has rewarded me with goodness.
After the recitation of this blessing, the community responds:
Mi she-g’malcha kol tov, hu yi-g’malcha kol tov selah.
May he who rewarded you with all goodness reward you with all goodness for ever.
You know the joke about two Jews having three opinions? Sukkot is like that. It’s a little bit about remembering the huts we lived in while wandering in the desert after escaping slavery. It’s a little bit about recognizing and getting comfortable with the discomfort of imperma-nence. It’s a little bit about celebrating a bountiful harvest and the start of autumn. Annnndddd it’s a little bit the reason why we celebrate Hanukkah for eight days.
As this month of holidays comes to a close, Sukkot offers a chance to build a structure while at the same time recognizing our own vulnerability. We leave the comforts of our homes and cross the threshold of uncertainty. Our sukkah has at least three sides, with a wide enough door to welcome guests (in-person, metaphorically or on video). It has a roof made of natural materials that provide shade but let in the starlight. We take symbols of the harvest - tradi-tionally a lulav and etrog - and shake them all around as a way of inviting the Divine to sur-round us.
By dwelling in uncertainty, we move from the High Holidays into the rest of the year joyful, reconnected to nature and ready for what comes next.
From Seeker Season Guidebook for the Curious & Courageous https://highholidaysathome.com/haggadah/seeker-season
In the 16th Century, Jewish mystics created the ritual of ushpizin (Aramaic for honored guests), inviting seven different Biblical figures into the sukkah during the holiday. The traditional list includes Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and David. Modern feminists have added Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, Miriam, Avigail and Esther.
Think of seven people - historical, fictional, ancestral, or virtual (those you wish you could celebrate with this year). For each night of Sukkot, spend a few moments thinking about one of those people, imagining what you’d want to talk about and how their presence would make you feel. You can also use the nights of Sukkot to host a video chat in your sukkah, welcoming friends and family to bring their fullest selves.
Blessing for welcoming ancestral, fictional, historical, Biblical, familial or virtual ushpizin into your sukkah:
Blessed are you, Divine Gatherer, whose presence grows through abundant welcome.
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