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A good
Jewish tradition is when, on the Sabbath, the
father blesses his children. The father is like
the priest of his home, and it is a good thing
for him to bless (pray that good things would
come to) his children. Children may hear many
demands and criticisms during the week. On the
Sabbath, it is a pleasant change for them to hear
words of blessing and encouragement from their
parents.
Every
Sabbath service we call the parents and their
children forward. The parents lay their hands
on their children, praying for them and blessing
them. Four or five people will pray spontaneously
out loud for all of the children. Here are some
of the prayers that the Rabbi will also pray for
the children during that time:
A
Sabbath Prayer For Our Children
(This may be prayed whole or in parts)
God of
the spirits of all flesh, we pray for our sons
and daughters, that they may experience redemption
from all their offenses, as did Adam and Eve.
May they offer a better sacrifice, as did righteous
Abel. Make them like Enoch, who walked with God.
May they be blameless in their time, as Noah was
in his. May they faithfully endure all their trials
as Job did his. May they have faith like Abraham,
patience like Isaac, and zeal for You like Jacob.
Sons,
y’seem-cha Eloheem k’Efraim v’chee-M’nah-sheh!
May God make our sons like Ephraim and Manessah,
the blessed and numerous and fruitful tribes of
Israel!
Daughters,
y’see-mech Eloheem k’Sarah Rivka,
Rachel v’Leah! May God make our daughters
like Sarah and Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, the blessed
mothers of the Jewish people.
May they
learn to be righteous and forgiving, as was Joseph.
May they experience Your great salvation and deliverance,
and become humble leaders like Moses, who led
Israel out of Egypt. May all their Red Seas part
before them, and their Jordans retreat before
them!
May they
be zealous for holiness like Pinchas the priest,
and bold and courageous like Joshua. May they
be willing to take on a multitude, and be victorious,
like Jonathan, David's friend. Like King David,
may they become true worshipers, and women and
men after Your own heart. Fill them with joy like
David who danced before You. May they be skilled
in worship like the Levites at the Temple. May
they be like those who sang praises to You, walking
before Israel's army, so that our enemies were
utterly defeated.
Give them
wisdom and understanding like Solomon. May they
learn how to hear Your voice as did Samuel and
the prophets of old. Make them people of holy
courage and mighty acts like Elijah and Elisha.
May they have insight like Daniel. Make them wise
builders, like Nehemiah, and grant them love for
Your Teaching, like Ezra the Scribe. Grant them
miraculous victories like the Maccabees, and make
them preparers of Your way like John the Baptist.
May they be close to you and loved by You like
John whom You loved. May they overcome their circumstances
as when Simon Peter walked on water. Enable them
to be bold proclaimers of Your Message of Salvation
like Rabbi Paul. Cause them to be people of prayer
and holiness like James the Just. Help them to
continually sanctify Your name, and even be willing
to die for it, like Stephen, the holy martyr.
And above
all, may they grow in their knowledge of the Son
of God, until they become mature men and women.
May they attain to the fullness of Messiah. May
they walk as He walked, and live as He lived,
doing good, serving God, always obeying You, making
Your will their will. May they be filled up to
all the fullness of God!
Other
Prayers For Our Children
Merciful
Father, who does not want Your children to wander
in darkness, pour the light of Your Spirit into
the minds and hearts of our sons and daughters,
that they may discover what Your holy will is,
and discern the true from the false, the evil
from the good, and that they may walk in the paths
of wisdom (Book of Common Worship).
Bless
them with your grace, O Lord, to work while it
is day, fulfilling diligently and patiently whatever
duty You appoint for them; doing small things
in the day of small things and great labors if
You summon them to any (Christina G. Rossetti).
Almighty
God, Father of all mercies, give our children
a grateful heart for all Your mercies, that they
may be genuinely thankful; may they show forth
Your praise, not only with their lips, but with
their lives, by giving their selves to Your service,
and by walking before You in holiness and righteousness
all of their days (Book of Common Prayer).
O Lord
our God, thank You for sending Yeshua the Messiah,
who is the Good Shepherd of the sheep, who came
to seek the lost, and to gather them into Your
fold. Keep our children among Your flock! Have
compassion on those who have wandered from You
and bring them back! Feed those who hunger, cause
the weary to lie down in Your pastures, bind up
those who are broken in heart, and strengthen
those who are weak (Ancient Collect).
O Lord
our God, and our Good Shepherd, guide our children
throughout their lives. Give them the strength
to follow You wherever You go. In those little
daily duties to which You call them, bow their
wills to obedience; grant them to have patience
under pain or provocation, truthfulness in word
and manner, humility and kindness: in great acts
of duty, if You should call them to them, uplift
them to self sacrifice, heroic courage, laying
down their lives for You, or for Your Truth, or
for a brother (Christina G. Rossetti).
O Lord
our God, our Rock and our Strength, our High Tower
and Strong Fortress, the Might of all those who
put their confidence in You, grant that our sons
and daughters maybe more than conquerors over
everything that makes war on their souls, and,
in the end, they enter into perfect peace in Your
presence (Roman Breviary).
O You
who have taught us that we are most truly free
when we lose our wills in Yours, help our children
to attain to this liberty by continual surrender
to You, and Your will and Your service and Your
ways (Gelasian Sacramentary).
Adon Olam,
Lord of the Universe, help our children to fervently
desire, wisely search out, and perfectly fulfill
all that is well pleasing to You. Of all that
You require them do, grant them the knowledge,
the desire, and the ability to fulfill it as they
should; may their path to You be safe, straightforward,
and perfect to the end (Thomas Aquinas).
Give them,
O Lord, a steadfast heart, which no unworthy emotion
may drag down; give them an unconquered heart,
which no difficult situation can wear out; give
them an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose
may tempt aside. Give them also, O Lord my God,
understanding to know You, diligence to seek You,
wisdom to find You, and a faithfulness that may
finally embrace You (Thomas Aquinas).
God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; Father of our Lord Yeshua,
and our Father too, transform our children into
the kind of human beings that Your heart longs
to see us, men and women after Your own heart.
Renew them into the image of Messiah and bring
them from glory to glory (Gerhard Tersteegen).
O Lord
our God, we acknowledge that You are the great
and holy King; we acknowledge Your right to have
dominion over us. Our children, and their lives,
deaths, souls and bodies all belong to You. May
they willingly give all to You, and use everything
of who they are and what they have in Your service.
Enable them to live before You in childlike simplicity,
steadfast in prayer; looking always to You, that
whatsoever they do, or abstain from doing, they
may in all things follow the least indications
of Your will. Become Lord of their hearts and
spirits; that their the whole inner being may
be brought under Your rule, and that Your life
of love and righteousness may pervade all their
thoughts and energies. O Lord and King, enter
into their hearts, and live and reign there for
ever and ever (Gerhard Tersteegen).
God of
Israel, You called us to delight in You and in
Your praise, because You have made us for Yourself,
and our hearts find no rest until we rest in You.
So, may the hearts of our sons and daughters learn
how to rest in You, and delight in You (Augustine).
O Lord,
You know what is best for our children, so let
whatever be done to them as You please. Give what
You will, and how much You will, and when You
will. Deal with them as You think good, and as
best pleases You. Put them where You will, and
deal with them in all things just as You will.
Enable our children to be Your servants, prepared
for all things You command; help them to not desire
to live to themselves, but to You! (Thomas A'
Kempis)
Use our
children, for whatever purpose, and in whatever
way, You may require. May their hearts be Your
dwelling place; their mouths spread the glory
of Your name; all their love and powers advance
the cause of Your people (D. L. Moody).
O God
our Father, thank You for sending Yeshua the Messiah,
who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We pray
that You will not allow our children to stray
from Him who is the Way, nor distrust the One
who is the Truth, nor rest in any other thing
than He who is the Life (Erasmus).
O Lord,
lift up the light of Your countenance on our children;
let Your peace rule in their hearts; and may it
be their strength and song, while they are here
on their pilgrimage on Earth. We commit them to
Your care and keeping this day; let Your grace
be mighty in them, and sufficient for them, and
let it work in them both to will and do of Your
own good pleasure; and grant them strength for
all the duties of the day. Keep them from sin;
give them the rule over their own spirits; and
keep them from speaking unadvisedly with their
lips. May they live together in peace and holy
love, and command Your blessing upon them, even
life forevermore. Prepare them for all the events
of the day; for they know not what a day may bring
forth. Give them grace to deny themselves; to
take up their cross daily, and to follow in the
steps of Lord and Master (Matthew Henry).
O Lord
our God, grant our children the grace to desire
You with their whole heart; that when they desire
You they may seek and find You; and when they
seek and find You they may love You; and when
they love You, they may hate those sins from which
You have redeemed them (Anselm).
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