In our prayer book, Ashrei is recited only once in the morning service.Īshrei is made up mostly of Psalm 145. In Orthodox practice, a person recites Ashrei at least three times a day, twice in the morning service and once in the afternoon service. What an awesome and awe-inspiring way to start the day!Īshrei (literally meaning happy) is one of the most often repeated prayers in Jewish tradition. In reciting the blessings, we recognize that every moment of our lives is an opportunity to notice the presence of divinity and the miracles that surround us. Whether it is the ability to walk, having clothes to wear, or feeling fully awake, each blessing elevates something mundane into the realm of the sacred. Most of these blessings serve as a moment of recognition for an activity that we would usually regard as mundane but in reality is a small miracle we should be grateful for. You can see within each blessing the particular morning routine to which it refers:ġ) A blessing for hearing the rooster crowing in the morning (the pre-modern equivalent of the alarm clock!) and greeting the new day with a optimism and appreciation.Ģ) A blessing for opening the eyes upon awaking.ģ) A blessing for throwing the covers off of the bed in preparation for getting up.Ĥ) A blessing for standing up on two feet.ĥ) A blessing for feeling the ground under the feet.Ħ) A blessing for taking the first steps of the day.ħ) A blessing for having and putting on clothing.Ĩ) A blessing for feeling fully awake and rested.ĩ) A blessing for rubbing the sand out of the eyes.ġ0) A blessing for gratitude for being physically whole.ġ1) A blessing of gratitude for being physically and spiritually free.ġ2) A blessing of gratitude for being a Jew. Eventually, the blessings were brought into the daily morning worship service of the synagogue. This series of morning blessings were originally recited in the home as a part of the daily routine of getting up and getting ready for the day. After reciting the blessing take a moment to look into the flickering lights, draw a breath, feel the rest of Shabbat surround you and transport you into a time beyond time. The blessing is then recited – either spoken or chanted. This can signify many things: drawing God's presence close to us on Shabbat, being aware and grateful to the light in our lives and to our ability to add light to the world on Shabbat or taking the time to reflect on the six days of the week that lead to Shabbat. After lighting the candles, many people have the custom of waving their hands over the candles three times and then drawing their hands over their eyes before reciting the blessing. Some families have a different tradition – to light one candle for each member of the family or to have every family member light their own pair of candles. One candle is for "Remember" and one is for "Keep." Traditionally, two candles are lit to represent the words of the commandments relating to Shabbat – "Remember (זכור zachor) the Sabbath day to sanctify it" (Exodus 20:8), and "Keep (שמור shamor) the Sabbath day to sanctify it" (Deuteronomy 5:12). Candles are lit on Friday evening to mark the beginning of Shabbat.
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