Rabbi Johanna Hershenson’s Words of Hope
Berucha haba’ah! Welcome to Temple Beth Tikvah, Rabbi Sara Abrams! May your time in our midst be a blessing, encouraging reflection and relationship building.
From within the treasure trove of Jewish sacred literature comes the following prayer, often called the angels song:
To my right is Michael, to my left is Gavriel
In front of me Uriel, and behind me Rafael
And on my mind, and over me,
Shekhinat El (the presence of God).
The prayer is recited at night, before we enter sleep. Its purpose is to ease the angst of wondering whether or not we will wake in the morning. It is meant to reassure us.
The angel, Michael. His name, in Hebrew, means: Who is like God? It invokes wonder.
Gavriel means my strength is God, encouraging us to feel the sensation of strength coursing through us.
Uriel is the light of God, the light of wisdom. We learn from our mistakes and our vulnerabilities. We adapt. We evolve. We get better at being us.
And finally, Raphael, whose Hebrew name reveals that healing ultimately comes from the life force God breathes into the first human, Adam. We are resilient, particularly when we remember our bodies are wired for survival. Whether to the ego or the body, our bumps and bruises generally heal.
As we get to know Rabbi Abrams, I invite us to bring these protective angels into our midst.
May we have the wherewithal to notice the simple joy of discovering the beauty in one another. (Michael)
May our interactions generate synergies, optimism, and confidence. (Gavriel)
May we learn torah and also who we are as a congregation through the fresh eyes of a talented teacher, new to our midst. (Uriel)
May we weather inevitable discomforts as they arise, knowing they will lead us to greater health as a community and further us on our journey as Temple Beth Tikvah, a relevant and responsive synagogue.
B’virkat Shalom