`If human language is, in large measure, what gives us our humanity--allowing me to communicate with you, distinguishing us from other parts of creation--then Hebrew is sign and symbol of my particular human identity, giving me my home as a Jew.' Falk presents her blessings and prayers in dual language, both Hebrew and English, with transliterated Hebrew as a pronunciation guide for those who wish to experiment with hearing and saying the prayers in Hebrew but have not studied the language. And the heart of all these prayers is blessing.
`If you are looking for the heart and soul and bones of Hebrew prayer, you will find them all in the blessing.' Blessing (b'rakhah) is a special kind of prayer, a particular invocation of God's power, a way of creating new power and new life, a way of enriching our awareness of what we have, who we are, and who we may become, while reconnecting us with the past.
Falk admits to originally beginning to write her own blessings to get a more inclusive language and more diverse imagery in her personal prayers, as the traditional forms were heavily weighted in hierarchical and patriarchal terms. However, in her continuing spiritual and theological development, she came back around to re-embrace the old compositions which now held new validity -- thus, this collection is one of variety of style and form.
The daily cycle includes blessings upon awakening, blessings for meals, blessings at the end of the day, and daily psalms. The weekly cycle includes Sabbath Eve and Sabbath Day blessings, as well as a form for welcome the new week as the Sabbath departs. The monthly cycle takes place around the Rosh Hodesh festival, awaiting and then celebrating the arrival of the New Moon. Falk then provides an interesting commentary, with historical and contemporary voices incorporated, into the meanings of these cycles, and the use of prayer rituals in conjunction with them.
Falk found that, after making presentations and periodical publications of her blessings, they began to be incorporated informally and communally by different groups. `Reconstructionist, Reform, Conservative, havurah-style, feminist, progressive, and unaffiliated Jews. It wasn't long before people were extrapolating from them to write new blessings of their own.' Each of these prayers and blessings tends to be very short. This adds to the intensity of lyric and spiritual power. They are useful for study and for practice. Beautiful in language and meaning, these blessings will be a blessing to you, too.
`May the blessings of peace and kindness,graciousness, goodness and compassionflow among usand all the communities of Israel,all the peoples of the world.
As we bless the source of lifeso we are blessed.'