Eliyahu Hanavi Song

Eliyahu Hanabi Marathi Song known to the Bene Israel Jews of India

Marathi Lyrics

G-d loves Charity

Courtesy of Aish.com

What is "The Henna Ceremony" or "Mehindi" as they call it in India?

The Henna Ceremony or Mehindi in India is carried out by the Bene Israel Jews just before the Wedding.

“The Henna ceremony" may look like non-Jewish, but it has a connection to the topic of Ayin Hara. Let's keep an open mind and try to see it this way.  In Judaism, Protection from Evil eye (Ayin Hara) has been given much importance. We have several prayers, psalms (one of them is Psalm 31) and even the Kabbalah red string to protect us from the evil eye.

Henna or Mehindi is an extremely potent enemy of the Evil Eye. It is said that even carrying the henna powder in a small bag in your pocket repels the evil eye. However its power gets magnified when it is combined with certain anti- evil eye symbols, which they draw on the bride’s palms. I don’t know exactly these symbols, but they are said to be - downward facing triangle, the diagram of an Eye itself or an eye inside a triangle, etc.

The word "Henna" is found in King Solomon's Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs) at two places: Chapter 1 Verse 14 and Chapter 4 Verse 13.  Though King Solomon sang it for G-d, it expresses the profound and undying love which always exists between a bride and a groom. It is possible that from here, Henna got its important place in a Jewish Wedding.

The second connection we can make to the Henna Ceremony is the custom of groom’s family giving gifts to the bride before marriage. An example is found in Isaac and Rivkah’s story from the Book of Genesis, where Eliezer (the representative of Abraham) gives Rivkah gifts when he chooses her for Isaac. The Bene Israel Jews in India follow this same custom during the Henna Ceremony, where the groom's family takes gifts for the bride.

Also in olden times, they never used to pin point a bride and a groom in a congregation. So to easily identify them in a group setting, whosoever index finger has the dark coloration from henna, the congregation assumed that they were the ‘to be bride and groom’ or a ‘newly wedded couple.’

In Israel many other Jewish communities also have Henna Ceremony before the wedding, like the Morocian Jews, the Tunisian Jews, the Irakie Jews, the Lebian Jews and more. The word Henna in Hebrew is "חינה" The sound of the word when you say is חנה - so the alphabet ח stands for Challa.(חלה) the Shabbat Bread. The alphabet נ stands for word Niddha (נידה), the woman’s spiritual Bath at the Mikva. The alphabet ה stands for (הדלקת נרות), the lighting of the Shabbat Candles. For the Jewish women these are the three most important mitzvots. One of the mitzvah “Niddha” women start just before the marriage. So the Henna Ceremony is actually done to celebrate the woman(bride) who is blessed with these three mitzvots. The Henna is also applied to the groom for because of him the bride is blessed with one of the mitzvah.

YOM KIPPUR PRAYERS

EREV YOM KIPPUR Kol Nidrei

YOM KIPPUR Parasha Morning Reading
Leviticus 16:1-34 found in Parasha Acharey Mot
Read by Mr Satkiel Bhastekar
(courtesy of his son Mr Abner Bhastekar)

click here to get the Hebrew and English text of this parasha portion  


YOM KIPPUR Eshpokh Shacharit and afternoon prayers

YOM KIPPUR Neilah Prayer - El Norah Alila - The Closing Service

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Rosh Hashanah begins the evening of Wednesday September 4th 2013 and is on record for being the earliest Rosh Hashanah since 1899. That’s right! It was over 100 years ago in the year 1899 when Rosh Hashanah began on September 4th and it won’t happen again until 2089.

May you and your family be inscribed in the book of life, health and prosperity. May you and your loved ones receive an abundance of blessings–blessings that multiply in a year of peace and freedom.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL THE WORLDS JEWISH COMMUNITIES !!!

Jewish New Year - Happy Birthday to mankind

Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year is the 6th day of creation, when God created Adam and Eve.

Kabbalah: Love and Fear, Truth and Illusion

Kabbalah: Love and Fear, Truth and Illusion - by Rabbi Laibl Wolf

Torah commands

The Torah commands that "No leaven, nor any honey, shall be offered by fire to G-d" (Leviticus 2:11).
Ultra-sweet honey and ultra-sour leaven, are opposite extremes; G-d does not like extremes.
-- Chassidic master Rabbi Mendel of Kotzk

The 22 Letter Name of God

In Hebrew

אנקתמ

פסתמ

פספסימ

דיונסימ

In English

part1- Anaktam          It is good to recite this Name for getting our prayers heard.

part2 - Pastam           This Name provides food for those in need.

part3 - Paspasim        This Name is used to provide for ones clothing.

part4 - Dionisim          This Name is used for Miracles and wonders. Our forefather Jacob said this part4.

In Marathi

आनाकताम

पासताम

फासफासीम / पासपासीम 

दियोनसीम / दिओनसीम  

How to use this Name? 

Say it out loud or silently and repeatedly, like a chant over and over again, in quiet meditation. Make up a song and sing it. Whatever suits you. This name is a very powerful. Treat this Name very holy. 

DAILY MEZUZAH PRAYER

(Long Version)

When leaving the house (for work, etc) place your right hand on the door Mezuzah and say the following verses.

Psalm 121:5: Adonai shomerecha Adonai silecha al yad yeminecha.

(God is your Guardian, God is your shelter at your right hand.)

Psalm 121:8: Adonai yishmor tseytecha u’bo’echa me’ata ve’ad olam.

(God will guard your going and coming, from now and forever.)

Say this verse: El Shaddai IshMayRayNee MeeAaySeyR HaRah, U’MeeKol Sarah Ve'Sukkah Amen.

(Say Shema Yisrael and its first paragraph)

Sh’mah YisRahEhl Ah’dohNai Eh’lohHayNoo, Ah’dohNai EhChahd.
Whisper: BahRooch Shehm K’vohd MahlChooToh L’ohLahm VahEd.

V'a-hav-ta eit A-do-nai E-lo-he-cha, B'chawl l'va-v'cha,
u-v'chawl naf-sh'cha, u-v'chawl m'o-de-cha.
V'ha-yu ha-d'va-rim ha-ei-leh, A-sher a-no-chi m'tsa-v'cha ha-yom, al l'va-ve-cha.
V'shi-nan-tam l'-va-ne-cha, v'di-bar-ta bam b'shiv-t'cha b'vei-te-cha,
uv-lech-t'cha va-de-rech, u-v'shawch-b'cha uv-ku-me-cha.
Uk-shar-tam l'ot al ya-de-cha, v'ha-yu l'to-ta-fot bein ei-ne-cha.
Uch-tav-tam, al m'zu-zot bei-te-cha, u-vish-a-re-cha.

Psalm 3:9: (say this verse three times) La’Adonai ha’yeshu’a Al amecha birchatecha selah.

(To God belongs deliverance, upon your people is your blessing. Selah.)

Psalm 46:12: (say this verse three times) Adonai seba’ot imanu misgab lanu Eloheh Ya’akob Selah.

(God of Hosts is with us, a stronghold for us is the God of Jacob, Selah.)

Psalm 84:13: (say this verse three times) Adonai seba’ot ashreh adam bote’ach bach.

(God of Hosts fortunate is the man who trusts in You.)

Psalm 20:10: (say this verse three times) Adonai hoshi’a ha’melech ya’anenu be’yom kor’enu.

(God, deliver us, the King will answer us on the day we call.)

Psalm 118:25: (say this verse three times) Ana Adonai Ho-shee-aah Na. Ana Adonai Haas-lee-kha Na.

(We beseech You, God, deliver us! We beseech You, God, make us successful!)

Proverbs 18:10:  MigDal Oz Shem Adonai Bo YaRutz Tsaddik VeyNisGav.

The Name of God is a tower of strength; the righteous runneth into it, and he is lifted up [above all harm].

(When it is Shabbat say the following verse)

Exodus 20:8: Zachor et-yom haShabat lekadsho.

(Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy.)

*END*

Prayer for Protection from the Evil Eye

Marathi transliteration of the Hebrew Prayer

The protection prayer in English:

May the Merit of Rabbi Meir Ba’al Ha-Ness protect us so that we may serve our Creator completely and fully, for a long time to come. May no evil befall us, nor any plague come near our dwelling. And in the merit of Rabbi Meir Ba’al Ha-Ness, may all my progeny be holy, of flawless character and conviction. God of Rabbi Meir answer me.
(Rabbi Eliezer Papo, author of Pele Yo’etz)

Thanksgiving Turkey - The Bird of Thanks

The Hebrew word for turkey is “tar'negol hodu" which literally means an “Indian Rooster.” The country of India is called "Hodu" in Hebrew.

The other meaning of the word hodu is "thanks." Like the phrase from Tehillim (Psalm 118 verse 1) , Hodu LaHashem Ki Tov, is generally translated as, “Give thanks to God because He is good.”

Click on the link below to read the full article on the Jewish Treats website.
Jewish Treats: The Bird of Thanks

The Middle East Problem – by Dennis Prager

Upgrade Your Family Life

Tiny improvements that will make big changes. By Manis Friedman

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SHALOM embeds the mystical sound OM

It is such a coincidence that the Hebrew word “SHALOM” includes an identical “OM” sound that is central to the Hindu meditation. In Sanskrit, the meaning of OM is “that which sustains everything.” In Hebrew, the meaning of SHALOM is “Peace and Wholeness.” Only with Peace can one sustain everything and hold things together as a whole. The two words are so much similar in meaning. Saying OM is actually a form of Meditation. Saying SHALOM is also a form of Meditation. However Hebrew language softens the power of the “OM” by utilizing the “Shhhhaaaa” sound as a lifting-off point, then returning to the ordinary base consciousness by using the “mmmmm” sound. The “Shhhhaaaa” sound is coming from the Hebrew letter “Shin” (one of the three mother letters Aleph, Mem and Shin). The name of G-d “SHADDAI” starts with Shin. And as we know, the letter Shin is made visible on every Mezuzah affixed on the doorpost of every Jewish Home. The significance of a Mezuzah is to create a pleasant atmosphere such that “Harmony and Peace” may prevail among all the people who live in that home.

Lulav Meditation

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Tikkun HaNefesh Explained

Should a person Fast on Yom Kippur ?

Answer 
From what we know, Yom Kippur Fasting is the only Biblical Fast Day. It is Positive Mitzvah # 164. It is written in Parashah Acharey Mot. Leviticus 16:29 "In the seventh month, on the tenth day of that month, you must afflict your souls" 

All Other Fast days in the Jewish Calendar are Rabbanical. 

Fasting helps to keep the mind focused as one doesn't have to worry about eating. It is to put oneself in a better frame of mind, so one can commit to being a better Jew, a better servant of God and a better human being. If one can do all that without (fasting) afflicting oneself, great! 

There are 5 things that are forbidden on Yom Kippur. They are:

1. No eating or drinking
2. No washing or bathing
3. No anointing the skin with oils
4. No wearing items if made from leather (jacket,shoes,watch)
5. No marital relations

 

El Nora Alila - Yom Kippur Neilah Service Piyyut

Exploring the Al-Chet Prayer

Exploring the Al-Chet Prayer