Blessing Your Children- An Entry into Prayer
SHANKS, HERSHEL
Blessing Tour Children— An Entry into Prayer I am no expert in prayer or praying, but I do believe I have a way to introduce you to a genuine prayer experience. It all started for me many years...
...But never when I'm blessing my kids...
...Today, my daughters are 20 and 23, but whenever they are home for Shabbat, they still want their blessing...
...He recognized that certain traditional rites—like blessing the children—were a little outmoded and that no one would want to engage in that old custom...
...may the Lord's countenance shine upon you and be gracious to you...
...Your mind won't wander and you will feel a kavanah (devotion) you didn't know you had.—H.S...
...Indeed, thafs what got me started blessing my children on Friday night as part of our Shabbat kiddush...
...The formula for boys is: "May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh...
...Sometimes, in synagogue and even at home reciting kiddush, my mind wanders...
...Well, with two young daughters, I didn't think it was such a silly idea at all...
...I use the traditional blessing from Numbers...
...If you want to pray—or at least begin to learn to pray—bless your children...
...The blessing itself is as follows: "May the Lord bless you and protect you...
...It all started for me many years ago at a UJA retreat for young leaders...
...But it soon became natural...
...I recite it in Hebrew and English, preceded by "May God make you like Sarah and Rebekah, Rachel and Leah...
...A rabbi encouraged us to begin at least some kind of Shabbat observance in our homes—lighting candles, reciting kiddush...
...As with the performance of any ritual, I felt a little self-conscious the first two or three times I did it...
...may the Lord favor you and grant you peace...
...My point, however, is this: The blessing for your children is a special prayer...
Vol. 15 • October 1990 • No. 5
