Traveler’s Prayer

TRAVELER’S PRAYER

הוהי ,ךיֶנָפְלִּמ ןוֹצָר יִהְי ,וּניֵתוֹבֲא יֵהֹלאֵו וּניֵהֹלֱא ,םוֹלָׁשְל וּנֵדיִעְצַתְו ,םוֹלָׁשְל וּנֵכיִלוֹתֶּׁש םוֹלָׁשְל וּנֵכיִרְדַתְו םיִיַחְל וּנֵצְפֶח זוֹחְמִל וּנֵעיִגַתְו .םוֹלָׁשְלוּ הָחְמִׂשְלוּ (םוֹלָׁשְל וּנֵריִזְחַתְו) ,ךֶרֶּדַּב בֵרוֹאְו בֵיוֹא לָּכ ףַּכִמ וּנֵליִצַתְו תוֹשְׁגַרְתִּמַה תוֹיֻּנָעְרֻּפ יֵניִמ לָּכִמוּ ,םָלוֹעָל אוֹבָל הָחָלְצַהְו הָכָרְּב חַלְׁשִתְו ,וּניֵדָי הֵׂשֲעַמ לָכְּב ךיֶניֵעְּב םיִמֲחַרְלוּ דֶסֶחְלוּ ןֵחְל וּנֵנְּתִתְו ,וּניֵאוֹר לָכ יֵניֵעְבוּ .וּניֵנוּנֲחַּת לוֹק עַמְׁשִתְו .הָּתאָ ןוּנֲחַתְו הָלִפְּת ַעֵמוֹשׁ לֵא יִּכ .הָלִפְּת ַעֵמוֹשׁ ,הוהי הָּתאַ ךוּרָּב May it be Your will, Adonai, our God, and God of our ancestors, that You lead us in peace, direct our steps in peace, guide us to peace, and make us reach our desired destination alive, joyful and in peace. Rescue us from any foe and obstacle on our way, and from all afflictions that trouble the world. Send blessing and success to the works of our hands, and grant us graciousness, kindness, and compassion in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us. Hear our appeals, for You are a God who hears prayers and appeals. Blessed are You, Adonai, who listens to prayers.

THINK

The question of when to say the Traveler’s Prayer, Tefillat HaDerech, is a surprisingly deep one: What counts as a journey? The Talmud teaches that a person setting out on a trip of one parsah (five kilometers/three miles) or more outside the city limits should pray to complete it safely.

REFLECT

Traveling five kilometers/three miles was far less common for our ancestors than it is for us. Today it’s not unusual to surpass that distance daily for work, car pool, and errands. We tend not to think of these trips as journeys…but what if we did? How might the way you move through your life change if a trip to the store became an opportunity for a moment of blessing and spiritual connection?

CONNECT

Conder the journeys in your life, whether they are part of your daily routine or annual vacations. Commit to beginning one of these, small or large, with peacefulness and security. Set an intention to be a blessing, to succeed, to act in ways that others find gracious, kind, and compassionate. Ask God to take notice, to recognize the shift in your behavior and hear your prayer.

PERSONAL PRAYER

Protect me from harm and illness on my journey and enable me to arrive alive, joyful, and in peace. Give me the opportunity to be kind and patient. May I enjoy the beauty that has been created in the world and not lose sight of my priorities. Help me return safely to my home so I can make each day matter. May my behaviors show the world that I always care.

— Richard Goldstein, Orlando, Florida

PRAYER FOR THE STATE OF ISRAEL

לֵאָרְשִׂי רוּצ ,םִיַמָשַּׁבֶּשׁ וּניִבאָ ,לֵאָרְשִׂי תַניִדְמ תֶא ךֵרָבּ ,וֹלֲאוֹגְו ןֵגָה .וּנֵתָלֻּאְגּ תַחיִמְצ תיִשׁאֵר ָהיֶלָע שֹׂרְפוּ ךֶדְּסַח תַרְבֶאְבּ ָהיֶלָע ךְתִּמֲאַו ךְרוֹא חַלְשׁוּ ךֶמוֹלְשׁ תַכֻּס םֵנְקַּתְו ,ָהיֶצֲעוֹיְו ָהיֶרָשׂ ,ָהיֶשׁאָרְל יֵדְי תֶא קֵזַּח .ךיֶנָפְלִּמ הָבוֹט הָצֵעְבּ וּניֵהֹלֱא םֵליִחְנַהְו ,וּנֵשְׁדָק ץֶרֶא יֵנִּגְמ ,םֵרְטַּעְתּ ןוֹחָצִּנ תֶרֶטֲעַו הָעוּשְׁי תַחְמִשְׂו ץֶראָָבּ םוֹלָשׁ ָתַּתָנְו .ָהיֶבְשׁוֹיְל םָלוֹע דָקְפּ ,לֵאָרְשִׂי תיֵבּ לָכּ וּניֵחאַ תֶאְו וּנֵכיִלוֹתְו ,וּניֵרוּזְפּ תוֹצְראַ לָכְבּ אָנ (םֵכיִלוֹתְו ,םֶהיֵרוּזְפּ :לארשי ץראב) ךֶריִע ןוֹיִּצְל תוּיִּמְמוֹק הָרֵהְמ …ךֶמְשׁ ןַכְּשִׁמ םִיַלָשׁוּריִלְו תֶא האְָרִיְלוּ הָבֲהאְַל וּנֵבָבְל דֵחַיְו ,ךֶתָרוֹת יֵרְבִדּ לָכּ תֶא רֹמְשִׁלְו ,ךֶמְשׁ ַחיִשְׁמ דִוָדּ ןֶבּ הָרֵהְמ וּנָל חַלְשׁוּ .ךֶתָעוּשְׁי ץֵק יֵכַּחְמ תוֹדְּפִל ,ךֶקְדִצ יֵבְשׁוֹי לָכּ לַע ךֶזֻּע ןוֹאְגּ רַדֲהַבּ עַפוֹהו הָמָשְׁנ רֶשֲׁא לֹכּ רַמאֹיְו ,ךֶצְראַ לֵבֵת ךֶלֶמ לֵאָרְשִׂי יֵהֹלֱא הוהי ,וֹפּאְַב .הָלֶס ןֵמאָ ,הָלָשָׁמ לֹכַּבּ וֹתוּכְלַמוּ Our heavenly Parent, Rock and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the beginning of the rise of our redemption. Shield it with Your loving‑kindness; envelop it with Your peace. Guide its leaders, ministers, and advisors with Your light and truth and direct them with Your good counsel. Strengthen the hands of those who defend our holy land. Impart them with deliverance and crown them with triumph, granting peace in the land and an everlasting joy for its inhabitants. Remember our brothers, the whole house of Israel, in the lands of our (in Israel say: their) dispersion, and swiftly lead us (in Israel say: them) upright to Zion, Your city, and Jerusalem, the dwelling place of Your name… Unite our heart to love and revere Your name and observe all the words of Your Torah, and swiftly send us Your righteous anointed one of the house of David to redeem all who long for Your salvation. Appear in Your glorious splendor to all the inhabitants of Your world, and let all who breathe declare: Adonai, God of Israel is Majesty, whose Majesty reigns among all. Amen, Selah!

THINK

Throughout history, Jewish sources and sages point to the privilege and responsibility of creating in Israel a value-driven society rooted in light, truth, justice, and peace. After thousands of years, we are living in a generation that can merit contributing to the vision of our prophets for a culture and community of righteousness, joy, and harmony.

CONNECT

Israel is home to a wellspring of creative, entrepreneurial solutions that have improved the lives of millions around the world.6 Design thinking is a methodology for developing creative new products and solutions. It begins with listening to different voices to understand unmet needs. From those insights emerges a process for innovation that includes prototyping: learning by doing through “empathy, optimism, iteration, creative confidence, experimentation, and an embrace of ambiguity andfailure.”7 How might our relationship with Israel evolve if we think of Israel not only as a source of creative solutions, but also as a prototype–a society committed to learning and iterating toward becoming a source of light and inspiration to the entire world? May we be blessed to listen to different voices, celebrate and build on success and learn from mistakes.

REFLECT

What is your prayer for the State of Israel? What light do you see? What unmet needs do you see? What is a way you can contribute to Jewish peoplehood and to the State of Israel?

PERSONAL PRAYER

May I always marvel at Israel’s modern existence as a miracle in history. May I bound myself to it as a source of inspiration and aspiration. May I forever rejoice with it as our homeland, no matter the land which is my home; and may I forever see myself part of its enchanting, unfolding and evolving story.

— Zohar Raviv,

Ramat Ilan, Israel

6 Israel was called “Start-up Nation” in the book by Dan Senor and Saul Singer, Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle (2009). 7 IDEO, https://designthinking.ideo.com/history.