A Sample of Traditional Ethical Judaism Liturgy

The following is a sample from our weekday liturgy; which is, then, followed by various examples of our humanistic blessings:

Blessing Life

le’òrech ha’doròt avotèinu he’emìnu b’èl yotzèr le’umì shèl ha’umà v’sagdù lahèm. hèm hich’rìzu b’sif’teihèm v’lim’dù otànu b’s’farìm lomàr:

Throughout the ages, our ancestors believed in and worshiped the nation’s national creator god. They professed with their lips and taught us with books to say:

kadòsh kadòsh kadòsh, adonài ts’va’òt m’lò khòl ha’àrets k’vodò. barùkh k’vòd adonài mim’komò. yim’lòkh adonài l’olàm. elohàyikh tsiyòn lidòr vadòr hal’luyàh. sh’mà yisraèl adonài elohèinu adonài ekhàd.

“Holy, holy, holy, the Lord of Hosts, the entire world is filled with his glory. Blessed is the glory of the Lord in its place. The Lord shall reign forever. Your God, Zion, from generation to generation, hallelujah. Hear, Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is one!”

achshàv anàchnu yod’ìm tòv yotèr! yèsh et olàm ha’tèva, v’yèsh et ha’olàm ha’enoshì. ka’èt ànu yod’ìm she’ha’mòach kayàm bizchùt ha’gùf, v’ha’gùf kayàm bizchùt ha’neshamà she’betochò.

We now know better! There is the world of the natural universe, and there is the world of the human mind. We now know that the mind exists thanks to the body, and the body exists thanks to the breath within it.

àz z’hù, yehudì kayàm bizchùt ha’ kehilà ha’yehudìt! v’ha’kehilà ha’yehudìt kayèmet bizchùt ha’neshamà shèl ha’t’kasìm shelànu. b’kavòd amòk l’emunòt kdumòt, alèinu lomàr l’màh ànu mitkavnìm v’lehitkavèn l’màh she’ànu omrìm. anàkhnu ha’khayìm ach’shàv om’rìm:

So it is, a Jew exists thanks to the Jewish community! And the Jewish community exists thanks to the breath of our rituals. With deep respect to ancient beliefs, we must say what we mean and mean what we say. We who are living now say:

(kneel, waving half bows)

èifoh atàh? èifoh atàh? òr ha’eìn sòf, makòr elohèi, madùa èin lechà kòl ledabèr elèinu yeshiròt b’yemèi ha’ma’avàk?

Where are you? Where are you? Oh, Infinite Source, why have you no voice to speak directly with us in these days of struggle?

(bow)

nishpòch et libènu. avàl l’mì? làmah atèm lò kayamìm, elìm?

We will pour out our hearts. But to whom? Why do you not exist, gods?

(stand)
From the pages of

Siddur of Doubts – A Modern Siddur for Skeptical Traditional Jews

Traditional but non-theistic Jews say the following a lot:

Blessed is life!

With life’s help!

We also have a lot of non-theistic blessings. For examples:

In this community, we say the following blessing before performing and intentional mitzvah,

(The act of kavannah: Intending to Intend – a Sephardi Aramaic blessing chanted before performing a mitzvah; adapted for humanistic Jewish use by Joseph T Farkasdi)

l’shèm yichùd àl menàt le’achèd èt ha’àm ha’yehudì shelànu b’ahavà uv’achdùt anì mekabèl alày èt amàl yadèinu b’yetziràt havanà v’shalòm.

For the sake of distinctness, in order to unify our Jewish people in love and unity, I accept upon me the labor of our hands in creating understanding and peace.

Because we are traditional Jews, just non-theistic, we also wear traditional cultural garments by choice. We represent, with pride! Thus, we say the following blessing when putting on a tallit katan or gadol:

ànu lovshìm talìt v’tzitzìt lizkòr avotèinu. avoteinu v’imotèinu she’kidshù èt ha’chayìm b’masòret ha’yehudìt shelànu.

We wear tallit and tzitzit in memory of our ancestors. Our fathers and mothers, who sanctified life with our Jewish traditions.

When lighting candles, we chant the following blessing:

nevarèch èt hitchadshùt mochènu b’masòret ha’yehudìt be’emtza’ùt hadlakàt neròt (shabàt,…)

We will bless the renewal of our minds in Jewish tradition through lighting the candles of (Shabbat, other holiday/occasion).

Or, as an alternative, the following Secular Humanistic Judaism candle lighting blessing:

barùch ha’òr b’olàm, barùch ha’òr b’adàm, barùch ha’òr b’….

Blessed is the light in the world, blessed is the light in humanity, blessed is the light in ….

When taking food or drink into our mouth:

anì mafnà èt tsumàt libì l’mà she’anì ochèle(t) v’shotè\à.

I bring my heartfelt attention to what I am eating and drinking.

When making blessing after the meal, we chant the Sephardic blessing:

notzì òchel mìn ha’èretz kedèi she’nistapèk v’nitkalkèl kulanù.

We will bring forth food from the land, so that we will be satisfied and will survive all together.

(Aramaic blessing said while remembering the dead, adaptation by Rabbi Sherwin Wine)

Mourner: yitgadal v’yitkadash shlama b’alma. [Community: amein]
nivra shlama chir’utana v’namlich malchutei b’chayechon uv’yomeichon uv’chayei d’chol beit yisrael b’agalah uv’zman kariv v’imru amein. [Community: amein]
Community and Mourner: y’hei shlama raba mevarech l’alam ul’almei almaya.
Mourner: yitbarach v’yishtabach v’yitpa’ar v’yitromam v’yitnasei v’yithadar v’yit’aleh v’yithalal shlama b’alma brich hu. [Community: brich hu]
l’elah min kol bir’chata v’shirata tush’b’chata v’nechemata da’amiran b’alma v’imru amein. [Community: amein]
y’hei shlama raba v’chayim aleinu v’al kol yisrael v’imru amein. [Community: amein]
na’aseh shalom ba’olam aleinu v’al kol yisrael v’imru amein. [Community: amein]

Wonderful is peace in the world. Let us create a peaceful world and let us establish its kingdom now and in the future, and let us say so be it.
May peace come upon us to bless our lives. May we always continue to honor peace in the world even though no praise can equal the importance of its reality, and let us say so be it.
May peace and life prevail for us and for all Israel, and let us say so be it. Let us work to create peace here on earth for all people, and let us say so be it.

(chanted before ending community gatherings, adapted by Joseph T Farkasdi)

ha’èretz tevarèch otànu v’nishmòr alèha.
pnèi ha’shèmesh yizrechù alèinu v’nitzòr òr.
pnèi ha’yarèach yifnù elèinu v’nizkòr livchòr ba’shalòm.

The land will bless us and we will maintain her.
The sun’s face will shine upon us and we will create light.
The moon’s face will turn towards us and we will remember to choose peace.
(Inspired by Numbers 6:23-27)

Some songs we sing on Shabbat:

Vay’hi erev vay’hi voker yom hashishi. Vay’chulu ha’omanùt v’pèrech v’chol hidavrùt.

And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. And will be finished, the artistry and hard labor, in all agreement.

Vay’chal ha’enòsh bayom hash’vi’i m’lachto asher asah.
Vayishbot bayom hash’vi’i mikol m’lachto asher asah.
Vay’varech ha’enòsh et yom hash’vi’i vay’kadesh oto,
ki vo shavat mikol m’lachto asher bara ha’enòsh la’asot.

And will finish, the human on the seventh day, work which did and will stop working, on the seventh day, from all work which did. And will bless, the human, the seventh day and will sanctify it – because on it (the human) ceased from all work which the human created to create.

Note: The focus of these myths, Bereshit/Genesis 1-3, is on the *act* of working itself, hence the reason for a day of rest between these intended work day weeks. The Torah is meant to be read as one continuously progressing story!
Which means that the first myth about the creation of the flat earth and firmament around it, and all life in general, is separated by a shabat – listen closely(!) – before the second creation story begins to unfold, the creation of the non-gendered human to tend the garden that the Landowner deity created on “his” portion of the created continent. And, the rest from there is sensible mythical history.
By humanizing the story, we place ourselves into the position of our imagined ancestral god – with all the responsibility that comes with this(!) – rather than remaining in a mindset of being subjected and vulnerable vassals to the whim of the mythic gods.

hinè màh tòv u’màh na’ìm shèvet achìm gàm yàchad! èifo orì? orì bì. èifo ahavatí? ahavatí bì. èifo amì? amì bì v’èretz yisra’èl. hinè màh tòv u’màh na’ìm shèvet yehudàh gàm yàchad!

Here’s what’s good and what’s nice, brothers and sisters also together. Where is my light? My light is in me. Where is my love? My love is in me. Where is my people? My people is in me and in the land of Israel. Here’s what’s good and what’s nice, tribe of Judah also together! – Based on Psalms 133.1

(Jewish Sephardi song of longing to return to Palestine after expulsion from Spain in 1492; sung in Ladino, a love song and a song of Zionism.)

Syen drahmes el dia tomo,
Ya te puedo mantener.
De tu madre no la komo,
Ah Aman, Aman, ah!
Ke me kyero detener.
—
Fuyiremos dela pena,
Porke yo ya se ganar.
Vamos a la Palestina,
Ah, aman, aman, ah!
Para no mos rovinar.
—
Va koryendo ande mama,
Azele la propozisyón.
Kyero solo una kama,
Ah, aman, aman, ah!
Ke es la konsolasión!

I earn one hundred drachmas a day, I can look after you. I don’t want to hear from your mother. Ah, aman, aman, ah!, that I cannot support us.
—
Let’s escape from our troubles. I know how to make money. Let’s go to Palestine. Ah, aman, aman, ah!, so that we won’t suffer too much.
—
Go, run to your mother. Let her know of my proposal. Just one bed is enough. Ah, aman, aman, ah!, this is my solace!

(A pre-Israel Palestinian Jewish song, based on Samuel 1; composers: Matityahu Shalem, Eliyahu Gamliel)

mizmor le’david ha’melech: ha’roeh ba’shoshanim, ha’poret al meitarim, be’shira ve’nigunim, ve’davdi yefe einayim, hu roeh ba’shoshanim, ve’davdi yefe einayim, hu roe ba’shoshanim, hika shaul b’alafav, ve’david berivevotav, ben yishai chai ve’kayam, ben yishai chai ve’kayam.

A chant to king David: He feasts in a field of lilies, who plays the strings, with singing and chanting, and David has a beautiful countenance, he feasts in a filed of lilies, and David has a beautiful countenance, he feasts in a filed of lilies. Shaul hath slain in thousands, and David in ten thousands, son of Yishai exist forever, son of Yishai exist forever!

You land in the heart of the desert, with no shadows of trees, with no rain,
In your land is the source of life, our sweat will be a light rain,
Through the river channels of the Negev, we will let every clump of earth drink its fill,
We will go south to your expanses, we said we will set our faces toward the Negev.

And David has a beautiful countenance, he feasts in a field of lilies,
Shaul hath slain in thousands, and David in ten thousands, son of Yishai lives and exists!

Peace to you, lovers of peace, keepers of peace,
Peace to you, pursuers of peace, peace to you,
Come in peace, lovers of peace, leave in peace,
From this day to the days to come, peace to you.

More Thoughts!

Here is the reason “why” the Jewish people continue to survive, despite the constant threat of religious and cultural assimilation, appropriation, discrimination, and attempted eliminations. Our ancient ancestors taught us to be mindful and to observe the following:

“Therefore put these – my words – upon your heartfelt-emotions and upon your body-mind, and tie them for a sign upon your hand and they will be for forehead-bands between your eyes, and repetitiously-teach them – your children – to speak them in your sitting, in your house, and in your walking on the path and with your lying-down and with your rising-up, and write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that your days are-more and your children’s days above the soil, which the-Name swore to your fathers for-the-time-of the sky above the earth.” – D’varim 11.18-21

“my words,” “your children,” “for the time of the sky above the earth.”
Every generation, in every place on the planet that Jews are found, we repeat this self-fulfilling promise – no matter how religious or how secular we’ve become! We talk of the words and beliefs and visions of our people, we speak the language of our people, we remember our past and we embrace our future – and, most of all, we adapt for our survival, while keeping continuity with our many and varied traditions.

We know of no better example of this ancestral push to remain authentically Jewish in an ever-changing world, than the following statement found in the Talmud:

The Holy One, Blessed be He, loves three people: One who does not get angry; one who does not get drunk; and one who is forgiving. The Holy One, Blessed be He, hates three people: One who says one statement with his mouth and means another in his heart (i.e., a hypocrite); one who knows testimony about another person and does not testify on his behalf; and one who observes a licentious matter performed by another person and testifies against him alone. His testimony is meaningless, as he is the only witness; consequently, he merely gives the individual a bad reputation.” – Pesachim 113b

We strive as a Secular Orthodox Jewish community to be one whose words from the mouth express the words in the heart, and we strive to be representative of traditional Judaism, even though we are non-theistic in our Jewish way of life. We believe that we are creating a path of survival for traditional Judaism through our community’s efforts.

One more? Let’s address the reality of life. Everyone dies, eventually! And, life goes on, through the “nefesh chayah”* being born. Survival is in those blessed to be living breathing creatures above the soil of the land, to continue the survival.

(*- nefesh chayah, נפש חיה, lit., “living person/animal,” and nefesh met, נפש מת, lit., “dead person/animal,” see Torah; an animal, “nefesh,” is a physical human or any other land mammal, foul, fish, and/or insect, or its life, which is in the blood itself; the word is used 754 times in the Hebrew Bible.)

It is Jewish tradition to offer praises when faced with the death of a loved one. Death is a reality smack to our conscious awareness, a reminder of the way things just are (absent our theological musings).

In religious Judaism, the theistic kind, it is customary to praise the “G-d” of the Jews during this time, to focus our mind on life and exalting divine wisdom in what is – life as it is.

But, how do you give praise, when you believe that the “G-d” of your ancestors – the forms, images, and behaviors provided – is nothing more than human imagination and wishful thinking?

In non-theistic religious Judaism, it is customary to praise life itself in some way – to fulfill the emunah, אמונה, (conviction, active intent) of the Kaddish. There are many ways to do this, depending on the community.

Who We Are and What We Are Doing