Welcome.
I'm Rabbi Yisrael Barnath.
And today.
.
.
I have.
A really special meditation.
It's one of my favorite prayers.
The prayer.
Of Asha Yatsar.
Before we begin the meditation.
I like to ground us in the actual prayer.
So we'll say the prayer together in Hebrew and then in English.
And you're welcome to join me.
I'll say it slowly.
Baruch Atah.
Adonai.
Elohimu melech ha-olam.
Asher yatsar et ha'adam bechakhma.
Uvara vo nikavim nikavim.
Chalulim,
Chalulim,
Galoy v'yadua,
Lifnei chisei chivotecha.
Sha'im yisateym echad meyhem,
Or yim yipateyach echad meyhem.
Yifshar l'hitzkayyim.
אפילו שעה אחד.
Baruch atah Adonai.
Rofei Hobazar.
Umafuli Lasot.
Blessed are you,
God.
Our Lord,
King of the universe,
Who has formed us with wisdom and created within us many openings and hollows.
It is revealed and known before the throne of your glory that if one of them were to be closed.
Or of one of them to be opened.
It would be impossible to survive.
Even for a brief time.
Blessed are you,
God,
Who heals all flesh.
And acts wondrously.
How special.
Or the prayer.
That if one of them were to be closed,
Or if one of them were to be opened.
It would be impossible to survive,
Even for a brief time.
And now.
.
.
I want to move us gently.
Into a meditation on this prayer.
And I invite you to find the position that feels comfortable.
You may be sitting in a chair or lying down.
Or just allow yourself to become still wherever you are.
There's nothing you need to accomplish in these next few minutes.
There's nothing you need to fix.
I invite you to just allow yourself to arrive.
And if you'll join me to just take a slow breath in through your nose.
And then gently breathe out through your mouth.
Let's try that again.
In through the nose,
And out through the mouth.
One more time.
In through the nose,
And out through the mouth.
And just become aware of the parameters.
The walls,
The floor,
The ceiling.
And bring that awareness into your body.
Notice where your body is making contact.
With the floor.
Notice your feet your hands.
Your shoulders,
Your face.
There's no need to change anything.
Just simply notice.
Perhaps soften your jaw.
Allow your shoulders to drop just a little.
Take another slow breath in.
And release it.
It's a beautiful blessing.
This beautiful prayer.
I'll show you outside.
Traditionally,
We say it after using the bathroom.
Which may not sound.
Like the obvious place to begin.
A spiritual meditation.
Maybe that's exactly the point.
Judaism asks us.
To discover holiness.
Not only in the dramatic moments.
Of life.
But of the ordinary miracle.
Of simply having a body that works.
The blessing begins.
Blessed are you,
God.
Who formed us with wisdom.
Be Chachma.
With wisdom.
With wisdom.
I invite you to take a moment to consider those words.
Your body was formed with wisdom.
Right now.
Without asking your permission.
Your heart is beating.
Your lungs are breathing.
Blood is moving through your body.
Your nervous system is sending messages.
Cells are repairing themselves.
Organs are coordinating with one another.
Thousands upon thousands of processes are unfolding quietly inside you.
You don't have to remember to make your heartbeat.
You don't have to supervise your lungs.
Life.
Is happening within you.
Most of us notice the body.
When something goes wrong.
When it hurts.
When we're tired.
When the body changes.
When it doesn't look the way we wished it looked.
When it doesn't perform.
The way we want it to perform.
And gradually.
We can begin relating to the body as a problem.
That needs to be managed.
With this prayer,
This blessing.
Invites us into another relationship.
My body.
Is not an interruption.
To my spiritual life.
My body.
Is where my spiritual life happens.
Without my mouth.
Kindness could never become a word.
Without my hands.
Generosity could never become an action.
Without my feet?
I could not walk towards someone who needs me.
Without a face.
I couldn't offer another human being a smile.
Without a heart capable of feeling,
Love.
Would remain only an idea.
I invite you to take a breath.
And remind yourself.
This body.
Is part of my sacred work.
Your body.
Is part of your sacred work.
Kabbalah teaches that there are two ways divine energy flows through creation.
One is called Memaleh ko almin,
The divine light that fills every world.
It enters each creation according to what that creation needs.
The eye receives the ability to see.
The ear receives the ability to hear.
The heart beats.
The lungs breathe.
Every part has its own function.
Its own character.
Its own gift.
And then there's another dimension called Sovev koalmin.
A divine light that transcends all limitation.
A presence greater than anything the body can measure or contain.
And so.
.
.
Within you.
There's extraordinary detail.
An infinite mystery.
There's biology.
And there's wonder.
Their structure.
And their soul.
There's what can be explained.
And there's something about being alive.
That will always remain.
Beyond explanation.
So I invite you.
To bring your attention to one part of your body.
For which you feel grateful.
There's no need to overthink it.
Maybe it's your eyes.
Maybe your hands.
Maybe your lungs.
Maybe your legs.
Your voice,
Your heart,
Maybe there's a part of your body that has served you for years.
And rarely receives a thank you.
I invite you to bring your awareness there.
And say thank you.
Thank you for carrying me.
Thank you for carrying me.
Now I invite you to gently bring your attention toward a part of your body that may feel tired.
That may feel uncomfortable.
Limited.
That may feel vulnerable.
You don't have to fix it.
You don't have to force yourself to like what you're feeling.
Just bring a little kindness there.
Maybe you can.
.
.
Place your hands gently over that area,
If that feels comfortable for you.
And remind yourself.
I will meet you with compassion.
I will care for you the best I can.
Your body doesn't need your criticism right now.
Maybe.
It needs your friendship.
And the blessing continues.
Galoy v'yadua lefnei kisei hevodecha.
It is revealed and known before you.
That if what needs to remain open were closed,
Or what needs to remain closed were open,
We could not continue to exist.
This is a beautiful reminder.
That life depends upon balance.
Openings.
And boundaries.
Expansion and contraction.
Movement.
And rest.
Giving.
And receiving.
We are strong.
And we are also vulnerable.
We are resilient.
And we're not invincible.
And that awareness.
Doesn't have to frighten us.
It can soften us.
It can make us grateful.
Can remind us.
Not to postpone being alive.
Maybe there's a person.
That you've been meaning to appreciate.
Maybe there's a moment you've been rushing through.
A life you've been waiting to begin.
Once everything is.
.
.
Finally perfect.
But this breath is your life.
This body.
This moment.
This imperfect,
Beautiful moment.
This is your life.
This is it.
So I invite you to take a slow breath in.
And then breathe out.
And just be.
Invite yourself to be.
And the blessing concludes.
Rofei Chobasar.
Who heals all flesh.
Healing can come through many doors.
Through physicians.
Medication.
Therapy,
Rest,
Movement.
Nutrition.
Community.
Prayer.
Time.
Love.
And sometimes through pathways we cannot yet see.
And we're not asked to control every outcome.
We're asked to care for the vessel that we have been given.
To seek help when help is needed.
To listen.
To respond.
To remember that even when the body is vulnerable.
The soul remains infinitely precious.
And so I invite you to take a breath.
And remind yourself.
My body is not merely something I have.
My body.
Is part of the miracle through which I live.
I will treat it with gratitude.
I will treat it with responsibility.
And with compassion.
And if this feels comfortable,
I invite you to place one hand over your heart.
And feel the warmth of your hands.
Feel the rise and fall of your breath.
Yes,
You are alive.
Right here.
Right now.
You are alive.
And I invite the final words of the blessing.
Umma flila asot,
Who acts wondrously.
Who makes the ordinary miraculous.
Who joins body and soul.
Finite and infinite.
Earth and Heaven.
Into this mysterious thing we call a human life.
Umafuli Laasot.
How wondrously you have made me.
How wondrously you have made me.
Umafli lasot.
How wondrously you have made me.
And I invite you to take one final slow breath in.
And then breathe out.
And allow yourself to feel gratitude for this body.
And not because it's perfect.
But because it's yours.
Because it has carried you.
Because through this body you have loved,
And through this body you have cried.
And through this body you have embraced.
And through this body you have prayed.
And through this body you have helped.
And through this body you have grown.
And God Willing.
There is still so much more life to live through it.
So much more life.
To live through it.
So much more life.
To live through it.
Whenever you're ready.
Begin to notice the room around you again.
Maybe move your fingers.
Maybe move your toes.
And gently open your eyes.
And carry this awareness with you.
Your body is not an obstacle.
Standing between you and holiness.
Your body.
Is one of the places.
Holiness has chosen to live.
Umafuli Lasot.
How wondrously!
You have been made.
How wondrously!
You have been made.
