24 August 2017

Birkas Habayit - ברכת הבית - Blessing of the home

The Birkat Habayit is perhaps the most popular blessing in the Jewish world, appearing as a hanging amulet inside the entrance of many houses of Jews of all streams.
The theurgical power of scriptural verse is one very significant element that distinguishes Jewish prayer from other literary prayer praxes. At least three verses seems apropos to me. The first two : Exodus 25:8 associates ones own house with the archetypal mishkan, the dwelling place intended for the shekhina (Divine Presence). The second verse, from Proverbs 24:3-4, is prescriptive. If you ask for an accompanying verse from the Tanach to the popular Blessing for the Home you can think of  the verse of blessing given by Bilaam the prophet in Numbers 24:5 upon seeing with his own eyes the wandering camp of the Israelites. These three verses, I think, help to ground the intention of the blessing in the context of the Jewish imagination.
The provenance and original authorship of the formula is unknown.
Birkat habayit:
Bezeh haššshaˁar lo yavo tzaˁar.
Bezot haddirah lo tavo tzarah.
Bezot haddelet lo tavo bahalah.
Bezot hammaḥlaqah lo tavo maḥloqet.
Bezeh hammaqom tehi b'rakhah v'shšalom.


Blessing for the home:
Let no sadness come through this gate.
Let no trouble come to this dwelling.
Let no fear come through this door.
Let no conflict be in this place.
Let this home be filled with the blessing of joy and peace. 


The Days Between: Blessings, Poems, and Directions of the Heart for the Jewish High Holiday Season

Tefilat Shemoneh Esrei V'yosodot Ha-emunah: The Eighteen Blessings and Jewish Faith

Jewish Star of David - Blessing for Home Good Luck Wall Decor.

Wooden Star of David - Chodesh Tov Elul

Beginning of new Hebrew month of Elul. Elul is the 6th month of the Hebrew year. Corresponds to August or September on the Gregorian calendar.
Rosh Chodesh Elul begins at sundown on Mon, 21 August 2017.
Elul is the 12th and final month in the Jewish calendar. It is a month that connects the past year with the coming year, a time when we reflect on where we stand and where we should be going.
It is called “the month of repentance” and “the month of forgiveness.” 

On Rosh Chodesh Elul, Moshè ascended to Mount Sinai for a third 40-day period until Yom Kippur, when he descended with the second tablets (luchot) and G‑d’s word of joyful, wholehearted forgiveness. These were days when G‑d revealed to the Jewish people great mercy. Since then, this time has been designated as a time of mercy and forgiveness, an opportune time for teshuvah, repentance.
The four letters of the name Elul are an acronym for the phrase in “Song of Songs” (6:3): “I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me.” “I am to my beloved”we approach G‑d with a desire to return and connect. “And my beloved is to me”G‑d reciprocates with Divine expressions of mercy and forgiveness.
This is the month when “the King is in the field.”

This star puzzle styled is made from Alps pine wood. Pine wood is very soft and easily handcrafted. Handmade working with inspiration.
Make a template by cutting two 5-by-5-by-5-cms triangles out of paper,any paper will do. Turn one triangle upside down, tape it on top of the other one to create a six-pointed star, and outline the star on poster board. Or simply download and print out the template here. You can also have a copy to enlarge or shrink it to three different sizes so that you can see which one looks best on you. Use your final choice to make a wood star by cutting 12 triangles and then glueing them together.



WOOD AND WOOL STAR OF DAVID


These are custom, hand cut, 6 point stars made of white pine with carded wood added in the centre, in sets of 4 different colours. Each star may vary slightly in size or woool colours. They are  sanded to clean up the edges and finished with water wood paint.
Your Jewish guide - Elul Tishrei: A Comprehensive, Contemporary Guide to Jewish Life. Everything you ever wanted to know about The Month of Elul and the Holidays of Tishrei.

Working Wood 1 & 2: the Artisan Course with Paul Sellers
Please contact me if you want to place an order for the stars.




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