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August 2009

Compiled by Rabbi Simkha Y. Weintraub, LCSW

Traditional Daily Prayers for Parnassah/Sustenance/Livelihood

In our daily prayers, concerns about livelihood/sustenance appear in a number of places and ways. See more of these prayers, as well as other spiritual resources related to the downturn in the economy.

In the central "Amidah" prayer, recited three times each weekday, there is the following petition for sustenance; where the blank lines appear, it is permissible to add one’s own personal request:

Bless us, Ado-nai our God —
Bless this year and all its many products for Good.
From Passover to December 4th say: "Grant blessing"
From December 5th to Passover say: "Grant dew and rain for blessing"
upon the earth.
Satisfy us with its abundance,
and bless our year as the best years.
Blessed are You, Ado-nai, Who blesses the years.

In the Birkat haMazon/Blessing after Meals, the thread of praying for parnassah/sustenance is quite strong:

The Raheim Paragraph:

Have mercy, Ado-nai our God, for Israel Your people,
For Jerusalem Your holy city, for Zion the home of Your glory,
for the royal house of David Your anointed,
and for the great and holy House which is called by Your name.
Our God, our Father —
Tend and nourish us, sustain and maintain us, grant us deliverance,
and quickly give us relief from all our troubles.
May we never find ourselves in need of gifts or loans from flesh and blood,
but may we rely only upon Your helping hand,
which is ample, open, extended and generous,
so that we never suffer shame nor disgrace, ever.

Finally, recall, as well, that as each new Hebrew/Jewish month approaches, we pray on the Shabbat before that New Moon:

From Birkat HaHodesh/The Blessing of the New Moon

May it be Your will, Ado-nai our God and God of our ancestors,
To renew our lives in the coming month, for Good and Blessing.
Give us a long life,
A life of peace,
A life of goodness, a life of blessing,
A life of sustenance, a life of physical vitality,
A life of reverence of Heaven and avoidance of misdeeds,
A life free of shame and reproach,
A life of abundance and honor,
A life guided by the love of Torah and reverence of Heaven,
A life in which our worthy aspirations will be fulfilled for the Good,
Amen Selah.

These "Spirituality Notes" are excerpts from our monthly E-newsletter. Articles are © JBFCS Rita J. Kaplan Jewish Connections Programs and may be reprinted free of charge as long as this credit line is included.

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