Bride’s Prayer

BRIDE’S PRAYER

הָבֵרְק לָרוֹגּ‑תַרֲהַו הָלוֹדְגּ הָעָשׁ יִלֵא תיִרְבִבּ אוֹבאָ אוֹבֶּשׁ הָעָשַּׁה האָָבוּ הָתּאַ רֶשֲׁא שׁיִאָה םִע ןיִשׁוּדִּקְבּ ןיִאוּשִּׂנַּה גוּז‑ןֶבְל יִל תוֹיְהִל ָתְּדַעִי בֵלָו תוֹיָלְכּ ןֵחוֹבּ יִשְׁפַנ .םיִיַּחַה תוֹחְראְָבּ יִתוֹא הֶוַּלְיֶּשׁ .הָלוֹדְגַּה הָעָשַּׁה תאַרְקִל תֶרֶעוֹסְו תֶשֶׁגוֹר ןוּנַּחְו םוּחַר לֵא ךְתָבְרִק שֵׁקַּבֲא וֹז הָעָשְׁבּ יִל ןֵתִּתּ תוֹמָלוֹעָה לָכּ ןוֹדֲא הָתּאֶַשׁ יֵדְכּ .הָכָרְבוּ הָצֵע

םיִשָׁדֲחַה יַיַּחְבּ יִתוֹא הֶוַּלְיֶּשׁ דֶסֶח יִל ןֵתּ יִנֵחְנַה םוֹיַּה האָָבּ יִנֲא םָרֲעַשְׁבֶּשׁ ןֵתּ הָרָהְזאְַבוּ הָצֵעְבּ יִדִּצְל דֹמֲע ךְתָמְכָחְבּ .הָוְלַשְׁו תוּנָלְבַס הָנְדֶע יִל

םיִמָי‑תוּכיִרֲאַבּ ,קֶזֹחְבּ וּנֵתיִרְבּ תֶא ךֵרָבּ ךֶרֶדְבּ דַעְצִנ תַחאַ הָצֵעְבֶּשׁ ;םוֹלָשְׁבוּ וּנָל וּדיִעוֹהֶשׁ הֶלֲעַנַּה לָרוֹגַּה לֶא רָשָׁיַּה .םיִיַּחַה My God, a great and vital moment is approaching, the moment of entering a holy covenant of marriage with the one that You, who sees my innermost self and heart, designated to be my spouse, the person who will accompany me along the paths of life. My soul delights in this great moment. I am seeking Your closeness, compassionate God, so that You, Support of all worlds, will give me counsel and blessing.

Grace me with loving‑ kindness that will accompany me in my new life, the gates of which I am entering today. Guide me with Your wisdom, stand by me to offer counsel and caution. Accord me rejuvenation, patience, and calm.

Bless our union with enduring strength, longevity, and peace. Let us progress with a shared vision on an upright path toward our elevated destiny, which life has designated for us.

הָקְבִר ,הָרָשׂ לֶשׁ ןָתיֵבְכּ וּנֵתיֵבּ הֶיְהִיֶּשׁ ןֵתּ ,הָנוּמֱאֶבוּ הָבֲהאְַבּ אֵלָמ ,האֵָלְו לֵחָר .אָבוּ אֵצוֹי לָכּ יֵדְי‑לַע ךָרֹבְמ

יִרְשׁאָ לַע הָנִּחְתִבּ האָָבּ יִנֲא רֶשֲׁאַבוּ יִמִּא לַע םַגּ לֵלַּפְּתֶא אֹל ךאַיֵה דיִתָעֶל ךיֵא .יַרוּעְנִבּ יִתוֹא וּחְנִהְו וּליִבוֹהֶשׁ יִבאְָו יִהְי .הֶלֵּא לָכּ לַע םֶהָל תוֹדוֹהְל לַכוּא ךְתָבֲהאַ בֹרְבּ םֶהָל לֹמְגִתֶּשׁ ךיֶנָפְלִּמ ןוֹצָר .תוֹכָרְבּ אָשׂ םָשׁאֹר לַעְו ,םָתוּנָמֱאֶנ לַע הָגוּתַּהְו בֶצֶעָה וּיְהִי םָבִּלִּמ הָגאְָדּ קֵחְרַה בוֹטְו ַחֵמָשׂ םָבִּל הֶיְהִיֶּשׁ ןֵתּ םֶהָל םיִרָז .דַעָל םֶהיֵלֲע Let our home be like the homes of Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah, filled with love and faithfulness, and blessed by all who pass through it.

As I pray for my future joy, [how can] I [not] also pray for my parents, who have guided and nurtured me throughout my childhood. How can I ever thank them enough? May it be Your will that You bestow upon them Your great love for their faithful guidance and shower blessings upon them. Keep worry and sadness at a distance from them, and let their hearts be joyful and good forever.

— Fanny Neuda (1819–1894), Moravia, Czechoslovakia12

12 Born into a family of rabbis, she published a hugely popular prayer book, the first prayer book written by a woman for women. Excerpt.