Rosh Chodesh Iyar 5781

ROSH CHODESH IYAR

‫אי ָיר‬ ִ ‫רֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ‬ 5781

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open

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about iyar

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practices

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bless the moon

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close

CHODESH TOV! candle lighting we light to connect us to jews all across time and history we light to bring more light into this space we light to connect us to the tradition of bonfires on rosh chodesh we light to connect us to lag baomer

a moment to bring in the light begin in the dark first person recites the blessing below they introduce themselves, recognize the land they are on, and share a way they've recently been enlightened or something they recently saw blossom. pass the light

Candle lighting Blessing

New moon, ancient light–may our spirits rise to you in Iyar's sky.

Telemachus

by Ocean Vuong

Like any good son, I pull my father out of the water, drag him by his hair

he could be anyone’s father, found the way a green bottle might appear

through white sand, his knuckles carving a trail the waves rush in to erase. Because the city

at a boy’s feet containing a year he has never touched. I touch

beyond the shore is no longer where we left it. Because the bombed

his ears. No use. I turn him over. To face it. The cathedral

cathedral is now a cathedral of trees. I kneel beside him to show how far

in his sea-black eyes. The face not mine — but one I will wear

I might sink. Do you know who I am, Ba? But the answer never comes. The answer

to kiss all my lovers good-night: the way I seal my father’s lips

is the bullet hole in his back, brimming with seawater. He is so still I think

with my own & begin the faithful work of drowning.

When does healing feel like blossoming? When does it feel like drowning? Set an intention for how your healing will feel this month.

Iyar

‫אִי ָיר‬

"blossoming, blossom, illustrate"

all about iyar season: spring! (in the northern hemisphere) eighth month of the civil year, and the second month of the religious year. when: april-may in greg's calendar iyar is after nisan + before sivan constellation: taurus

traditions Iyar is traditionally a month of healing–its name is an acronym for a pronouncement from the divine in Exodus, Ani Adonai Rofecha, "I am Gd your Healer".

The well of the prophet Miriam is said to have appeared in Iyar and miraculous manna fell from heaven to nourish our wondering ancestors.

We are invited to spiritually prepare for the wholeness that comes with Shavuot's revelation of the Torah by healing ourselves, our communities, and the world.

The two holidays this month invite us to heal ourselves gently–with Pesach Sheni on the 14th, a second chance at Passover–and joyfully–with La BaOmer on the 18th. How can the month inspire your healing?

what does the hebrew tell us The word is of Akkadian origin meaning "blossom".

Prior to the people of Israel's captivity in Babylonia the month was called Ziv (I Kings 6:1, 37), which means "radiance".

The root of the word Iyar in hebrew is ‫ר‬.‫י‬.‫ א‬meaning "to illustrate".

healing and wholeness

"Healing yourself is connected with healing others."

- Yoko Ono “We are human becomings" -Reb Zalman "The irony is that we attempt to disown our difficult stories to appear more whole or more acceptable, but our wholeness—even our wholeheartedness—actually depends on the integration of all of our experiences, including the falls."

-Brene Brown "Shleimut, wholeness, means offering to the world the fullness of who you are at your best: your beauty as you are, your greatness as you are."

-Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson Ana El na refa na lah. Ana El na r'fa na lo. Ana El na r'fa na lahem.

Oh Gd, please heal her. Oh Gd, please heal him. Oh Gd, please heal them.

Based on Numbers 12:13

"The highest and best use of a life is to aim toward either shleimut (meaning, ‘wholeness’) or kedusha (‘holiness’).

These are but two dimensions of the same phenomenon.

The more we become living embodiments of our ideals, the more we transition from our partialness (even brokenness) toward becoming more whole, and in wholeness we become vessels for holiness itself."

-Alan Morinis

practices for iyar

healing mantra drawing choose no more than three words to be a healing mantra for the month. write the word over and over spiraling outward until you complete a simple shape.

make a playlist what songs are on your healing playlist? make one and paint/draw/collage/digitally create a special cover.

write a letter to someone

for n sca

! spo n i t ylis a l p

often, part of our healing work involves other people. write a letter to someone with whom you'd like to repair a relationship. what needs to be fixed? where did you (or they) mis-aim? how can you begin fixing it. decide if you want to send it or ritually destroy it.

journaling prompts where in your life are you in need of healing, to feel fully ready for your next step? who in your community may be in need of healing that you can support? give yourself permission to bring yourself into new alignment. what spaces in your life (spiritual, physical, emotional, social, etc) need extra attention this month? what do you need to feel whole? who are your partners in healing?

research your ancestors' relationship to healing herbs did your grandmothers brew a special tea? Does your uncle keep the family allergy remedy? Find out how your (chosen) family has found healing through the earth.

meditate on the text of mi shebeirach how might you rewrite the prayer? what do you need a mi shebeirach prayer for? write it

body practice find a gesture or moment of stillness that makes you feel whole. try to come back to that space each day this week.

count the omer use the sefirot as a guide for some inner work to bring yourself toward wholeness.

There’s no “right way” to heal. The Rabbis would tell us that some combination of performing acts of kindness, caring for our bodies, praying, and studying Torah will guide us to refuah shlema, a complete healing, a return to wholeness.

ROSH CHODESH BLESSINGS Kiddush for Rosh Chodesh Let us bless the source of life that ripens ruit on the vine, as we hallow the Rosh Hodesh festival, weaving new threads into the tapestry of tradition

Libations for Rosh Chodesh We return water to the earth, in honor of our ancestors who relied on moonlight and water to guide us to liberation

Blessing for the new and for renewal ּ ‫שׁהֶחֱיָתְנו ּ וְקִיְּמָתְנו‬ ֶ ‫בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ יָהּ אֱלֹהֵינו ּ רוּחַ הָעוֹ לָם‬ ‫וְהִג ִּיעָתְנו ּ לַזְּמָן הַז ֶּה‬ Brucha at yah mekor ha'hayyim shehekheyatnu vekiyematnu vehigi'atnu la'zman ha'zeh.

Praised are You God, Source of Life, who keeps us alive, sustains us, and brings us to this moment.

BLESSING THE NEW MONTH ,‫מחָה‬ ְ ‫שׂ‬ ִ ‫ל‬ ָ ‫ב‬ ְ ‫ל‬ ִ ְ ‫לטוֹבָה ו‬ ָ ‫חדֵּשׁ‬ ַ ‫ת‬ ְ ‫לשָׂשׂוֹן וּ‬ ְ ,‫רכָה‬ ְ ‫דשׁ אִי ָיר‬ ֶ ֹ‫עלֵינוּ ח‬ ְ ִ ‫יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁיּ‬ ‫לו ַת‬ ַ ‫ל‬ ָ ‫ל‬ ַ ְ ‫רנָסָה ו‬ ַ ,‫לעֲבוֹדָה ו ִיצִירָה‬ ַ ,‫הבָה‬ ְ ‫שׁ‬ ְ ,‫כּלָה‬ ְ ‫כ‬ ְ ‫פּ‬ ֲ ‫ רֵעוּת וְאַ‬,‫חו ָה‬ ֲ ‫לשָׁלוֹם וְא‬ ְ ‫לחַיּ ִים שֶׁיִּמָלוּ‬ ַ ,‫ברִיאוּת הַגּוּף‬ ְ ‫ וּ‬,‫הַנֶּפֶש‬ ְ ,‫הבַת תּוֹרָה‬ ֲ ‫ וְאַ‬,‫רץ‬ ֶ ‫א‬ ֶ ‫ך‬ ֶ ‫דּ‬ ֶ ‫לחַיּ ִים שֶׁל‬ ְ ‫ר‬ ‫ כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן‬,‫לטוֹבָה‬ ִ ‫לבְּנוּ‬ ִ ‫אלוֹת‬ ְ ‫מ‬ ִ ,‫בָּם‬ ְ ‫לבֵּנוּ‬ ֲ ‫שׁ‬ Y'hi ratzon sheyitchadeysh aleynu chodesh Iyar l'tovah v'livrakhah, l'sason ul'simchah, l'shalom v'achavah, rey'ut v'ahavah, la'avodah vitzirah, parnasah vekhalkalah, l'shalvat hanefesh uvri'ut haguf, l'chayim shel derekh eretz v'ahavat torah, l'chayim sheyimal'u bam mish'a lot libeynu l'tovah.

Keyn y'hi ratzon.

May the month of Iyar be a month of blessings: blessings of goodness, blessings of joy, peace and kindness, friendship and love, creativity, strength, serenity, fulfilling work and dignity, satisfaction, success, and sustenance, physical health and radiance.

May truth and justice guide our acts and compassion temper our lives that we may blossom as we age and become our sweetest selves.

May it be so.

May the month of Iyar be ... ‫כן יהי רצון‬ KEYN Y'HI RATZON! MAY IT BE SO!

citations/thank yours marcia falk book of blessings at the well ritualwell essence of iyar brene brown rising strong micha, for "greg's calendar" alan morinis everyday holiness the moon, my wife, for showing me that we can be loved even when we go away for a while.

COUNTING THE OMER

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For the sake of the unification of the transcendent creative power with the divine presence dwelling here and now, I am here, I am ready to fulfill the mitzvah of counting the Omer. “...Seven weeks. They must be complete…” (Leviticus 23:15-16) LeSheim yichud Kudeshah Berikh Hu uShkhinteih… Hineni muchan umezuman/muchana umzumenet l’kayeim mitzvat aseh shel Sefirat Ha-Omer… “Sheva shabbatot temimot tihyenah.” ְ ‫שא ְ ּב ִר‬ ‫מו ּ ָכנָה ו ְּמז ּ ָֻמנָת‬/‫יה… ִה ּנְנִ י מוּכָן ו ְּמז ּ ָֻמן‬ ּ ‫ְת‬ ֵ ּ ‫יך הו ּא ו ׁ ְּשכִ ינ‬ ָ ׁ ‫שם יִחו ּד ּקו ְּד‬ ֵ ׁ ְ‫ל‬ ‫׳׳‬:‫ש ָּבתוֹת ְּת ִמימוֹת ִּת ְהיֶינָה‬ ַ ׁ ‫׳׳שבַ ע‬ ֶ ׁ …‫של ְספִ ַירת הָ עֹמֶ ר‬ ֶ ׁ ‫שה‬ ֵׂ ‫ע‬ ֲ ‫לְ ַקיֵּם ִמצְ וַת‬

Blessed are you, Eternal One our God, source of all life, who has made us holy with your mitzvot, and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.

Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha olam asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al sefirat ha'omer. ְ ‫ָּברו ְּך אַ ּ ָתה אֲ דֹנָי אֱ ל ֹהֵ ינו ּ מֶ ל‬ ‫שנו ּ ְ ּב ִמצְ ו ָֹתיו וְצִ וָּנו ּ עַ ל ְספִ ַירת‬ ָ ׁ ‫שר ִק ְּד‬ ֶ ׁ ֲ‫ֶך הָ עוֹלָ ם א‬ ‫הָ עֹמֶ ר‬

Today is (#) days, which is (#) weeks and (#) days of the Omer.

Hayom _ yom shehem __ shavuot __ yamim la-omer. ‫שבוּעוֹת __ י ִָמים לָ עֹֽמֶ ר‬ ָ ׁ __‫שהֵ ם‬ ֶ ׁ ‫הַ יּוֹם __ יוֹם‬

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recite psalm 67 keep the blessings coming rain predictable and gentle sun to warm our fields and pastures and our homes light our paths our lives our seasons notice everyman and everyone will know Your name and thank You as we toil and sow and reap and we harvest cornucopias of plenty -"psalm 67" by gaya aranoff bernstein

close with a blessing

In remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt, we pray for the release all whose bodies and spirits remain captive, and enable us to stretch our divinity in the process of liberation.

compiled by ari monts for aleph kesher fellowship 2021