Archive for July, 2007

Define: Bless

Published by Ketzirah Carly קצירה on July 20, 2007 in Spiritual Practices. 2 Comments

I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means “to bless.” We use this term all the time.

  • Blessed are you…
  • Blessed be…
  • As we bless the Source of Life…
  • May God bless you…



Photo by larowebr, Uploaded to Flickr on May 22, 2006

Blessings are huge in Jewish life. Brachot fill our day, if we are traditionally observant. Even if we are not traditionally observant, we may say “bless you” dozens of time each day. Even Christian women at my bus stop wish me a “blessed day.” So what are we all saying?

I’m currently reading “Entering Jewish Prayer” for the Kohenet training intensive, and the author seems to use the term blessing interchangeably with “praise,” “gratefully acknowledge,” and a host of other terms. Not only is this a spiritually unsatisfying answer — it’s intellectually unsatisfying.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines the verb to bless as:

1. To make holy by religious rite; sanctify.
2. To make the sign of the cross over so as to sanctify.
3. To invoke divine favor upon.
4. To honor as holy; glorify: Bless the Lord.
5. To confer well-being or prosperity on.
6. To endow, as with talent.

None of these are very satisfying definitions either. None describes what is happening when we bless something. So I started to think about what is physically happening when something is blessed. One of the most evocative blessing images in Judaism is the priestly blessing, this is not only a speaking of words, but also has the hands in a specific position. Why do they do that? What’s happening by someone placing their hands like that?

A transfer of energy. A transfer of Divine Energy — life source energy — from one being to another.

When we “bless the Source of Life” we offer back some of that Divine spark that is within us to replenish the source. Whether the Source needs it or not is irrelevant — it’s our willingness to give it back that’s important. But I think the laws of nature, and thus God, have shown us that conservation is important. When we are blessed by God or by another person, there is a gift of Divine energy that is given to us. When we bless our food, we are acknowledging the transfer of Divine energy that was in the living creature we will now consume to feed the fires that keep our bodies and souls alive.

The next time you say a Bracha or offer a blessing of any kind, think about this. Think about the physical act of blessing. Allow yourself to feel that gift of energy, of God(dess) light and love. Blessing connects us to the Divine and everything around us.

Blessed be.


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Thank God for a Rich Life

Published by Ketzirah Carly קצירה on July 14, 2007 in Spiritual Practices. 4 Comments

At Circle last Sunday, I poured and offering of thanks to the Shekhinah for a rich life full of challenges. Some days it’s really hard to see those challenges as positive, as opportunities to learn and grow. I know that’s what life is, but damn I wish it were easier sometimes.

The problem is that right now my only problem is an abundance of things to do. Work is busy — which should be good. If work weren’t busy, I might be worrying about my paycheck clearing. Becoming is busy — which is good. If Becoming weren’t busy, I’d be worried that the group was no longer relevant to people and be fading away. It’s summer, so the husband and I are off hiking most weekends. This is very good, because I like to eat but prefer to fit through the door. The next Kohenet Training Intensive is coming up, *woot!*. That means lots of reading and studying to do, a morning davvening service to write, and progress that needs to be made on my project.

So what’s to complain about? That I have a rich life full of interesting opportunities? That just sounds pathetic and whiny. No. I really need to focus on how all of this is a blessing…damn it. *Feel blessed, you ingrate.* Abundance can sometimes be overwhelming. During a drought you may pray for rain, and then when it comes — pray for it to stop before it washes everything away. That’s kind of what I feel like these days. So now, metaphorically speaking, I’m lining up my water collectors and lining my house with sandbags.

If I survive the downpour I’ll be just fine.


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