Episode 56: Shabbat at Home - the Family Blessing
Listen Now
Shabbat at Home:
the Family Blessing
This week, in our third episode of our Shabbat at Home series, Eliana and Ellen explore the family blessings. Topics include the origin of this tradition, the Human-G?d-Compassion triumvirate of blessings, why should we want our kids to be like ephraim and Menashe, and how to choose your spouse anew each week. Plus, we listen to our favorite family blessing songs, including Eliana’s!
What challenges have been passed down to you that can be viewed as blessings?
Join our facebook group to connect and comment.
(1:22) Ziv Haolam - זיו העולם - radiance of the world. This line is from Yedid Nefesh, find the context here
(4:52) Abba - אבא - Dad
(8:16) Rachel Naomi Remen's book “My Grandfather's Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge and Belonging” by Rabbi Naomi Remen here
(10:23) Kohanim - כהנים - priests
(11:45) “A Day Apart: Shabbat at Home” by Noam Zion and Shawn Fields-Mayer here
(12:22) Kol Nidrei
(12:28) History of Aleinu
(13:44) Sefer Ma’avar Yabok (quoted in a d’var from Congregation Adath Israel) here
(13:53) Satan
(16:53) “The Gates of Shabbat: A Guide for Observing Shabbat” by Mark Dov Shapiro and Neil Waldman here
(18:05) Anim Zemirot Egalitarian Bencher here. A bencher is a Yiddish word for a prayer booklet with the text of blessings after the meal and other selected songs.
(18:53) Sim Shalom - שים שלום - grant peace - here
(19:45) Simu lev - שימו לב - pay attention/place your heart
(20:37) Find “A Day Apart” by Christopher D Ringwald here.
(20:37) Genesis 48:16 / Hamalach
(23:37) Genesis 48:20
וַיְבָ֨רְכֵ֜ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הַהוּא֮ לֵאמוֹר֒ בְּךָ֗ יְבָרֵ֤ךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְשִֽׂמְךָ֣ אֱלֹהִ֔ים כְּאֶפְרַ֖יִם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־אֶפְרַ֖יִם לִפְנֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃
Vayevarechem bayom hahu lemor, becha y'varech yisrael lemor, Yesimcha Elohim ke’Ephraim v’che’Menashe v'yasem et Ephraim lifnei Menashe.
So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you shall Israel invoke blessings, saying: God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.” Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
(28:18) Gender neutral blessings for children from Everyday Jewish Mom here
(29:09) Find “Mishkan Ga’avah: Where the Pride Dwells” by Rabbi Denise L. Eger here
(29:34) “A blessing for my queer daughter on Friday nights” written by Rabbi Hara Person, with Liya Rechtman and Rabbi Hilly Haber
(32:06) Eishet Chayil - אשת חיל - a woman of valor - here
(33:34) bubba maisa - Yiddish phrase meaning “tall tale”
(33:56) Song of Songs - שיר השירים - Shir Hashirim - here
(34:01) Rabbi Arthur Waskow introduces the tradition of asking his partner, Rabbi Phyllis Berman, to marry him each Shabbat as they put their wedding rings back on after hand washing. Read more here
(36:42) Seder oneg shabbos bencher here
(37:45) Duchenning
(38:22) Mikdash Ma’at - מקדש מעט - A mini sanctuary
(39:04) Machloket - מחלוקת- disagreement
(39:09) Halacha - הלכה - Jewish law
(39:10) Machloket on blessing your children if you’re not a kohen - learn more with this source sheet
(41:00) Bat Levi - בת לבי - here
(41:22) Musaf - מוסף - here
(44:10) Shtik - שתיק - silliness
(44:35) Debbie Friedman’s “A Blessing for the Ones You Love” here
(44:50) Bubbe - Yiddish word for grandmother
(45:20) Bima - בימה - prayer platform
(47:19) B’kol Echad bencher here