{"id":2100,"date":"2018-07-10T09:33:28","date_gmt":"2018-07-10T09:33:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/matnasim.kulam.org\/2018\/07\/10\/a-mikveh-immersion-ceremony-for-rosh-hashanah-yom-kippur"},"modified":"2018-07-10T09:34:32","modified_gmt":"2018-07-10T09:34:32","slug":"a-mikveh-immersion-ceremony-for-rosh-hashanah-yom-kippur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/matnasim.kulam.org\/en\/2018\/07\/10\/a-mikveh-immersion-ceremony-for-rosh-hashanah-yom-kippur\/","title":{"rendered":"A Mikveh Immersion Ceremony for Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur"},"content":{"rendered":"

This post<\/a> provides the outline and texts for a mikveh immersion ceremony to spiritually prepare for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. With guiding questions, kavanot (intentions), and Hebrew and English blessings, this ceremony focuses on the transformative power of the ritual waters to help us let go of our struggles, forgive ourselves\u00a0and each other, and enter the new year with an open heart.\u00a0<\/em>This ceremony is from\u00a0M<\/a>ayyim Hayyim<\/a>, an intimate center for spirituality, learning, celebration and community that makes mikveh accessible and meaningful for all. It was shared on\u00a0Ritualwell.org<\/a>, a project of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College that provides a platform for creating new Jewish practices.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Beginning of the Journey: A Mikveh Immersion Ceremony for Rosh Hashanah<\/h2>\n
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It is a longtime Jewish tradition for Jews to immerse in the\u00a0mikveh<\/cite>\u00a0(ritual bath) before the High Holidays of\u00a0Rosh Hashanah<\/cite>\u00a0and Yom Kippur. As we begin the process of t\u2019shuvah (return, repentance) we invite you to ask: What does the spirit of\u00a0Rosh Hashanah\u00a0<\/cite>and Yom Kippur look like to you? What are you ready to let go of from this past year? What are you bringing with you in to the New Year? Perhaps you\u2019ll find these answers in the warm waters of the mikveh.<\/p>\n

Shed your struggles, turn to forgiveness, and emerge from the living waters with an open heart for the new year ahead.<\/p>\n

Kavanah<\/cite><\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(intention)
\nTo be read before preparing for immersion:<\/em><\/p>\n

Water is God\u2019s gift to living souls,
\nTo clear us, to purify us,
\nTo sustain us and renew us.
\nAs I immerse myself in\u00a0mayim<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>hayyim<\/em>, living waters,
\nI begin a new cycle in my life.
\nMay my entry into the waters of the mikveh
\nmark the beginning of the journey that lays ahead.<\/p>\n

T\u2019vilah<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(immersion)
\nTo be read at the mikveh\u2019s edge before you enter the water:<\/em><\/p>\n

May I begin this year fresh and open to the possibility of transformation.<\/p>\n

FIRST IMMERSION<\/strong>
\nSlowly descend the steps into the mikveh waters and immerse completely so that every part of your body is covered by the warm water. When you emerge, recite the following blessing:<\/em><\/p>\n

Barukh\u00a0<\/em>atah<\/em>, Adonai Eloheinu, Melekh\u00a0<\/em>ha\u2019olam\u00a0<\/em>asher<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>kidshanu<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>bi-t\u2019vilah<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>b\u2019mayyim<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>hayyim<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Though the future is uncertain, I release this past year with all its di\u00aaculties and joys.
\nI open my heart to receive the blessings of the New Year.<\/p>\n

SECOND IMMERSION<\/strong>
\nTake a deep breath and exhale completely, while gently and completely immersing for the second time. When you emerge, recite the following:<\/em><\/p>\n

Hashiveinu Adonai, eilekha\u00a0<\/em>v\u2019nashuvah<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Turn us to You, Adonai, and we shall return.<\/p>\n

May I return to my true self and be strengthened as I continue my journey of\u00a0tikkun<\/em>\u00a0halev<\/em>\u2014repairing the heart,\u00a0tikkun<\/em>\u00a0hanefesh<\/em>\u2014repairing the soul and\u00a0tikkun<\/em>\u00a0olam<\/em>\u2014repairing the world.<\/p>\n

THIRD IMMERSION<\/strong>
\nTake a moment for personal reflection. Relax, and let your body soften, as you slowly and completely immerse for the third time. When you emerge, choose one of the following prayers:<\/em><\/p>\n

A Full Life<\/strong>
\nO Life of the world
\nGrant me a full life\u2014
\nA life which may be considered long
\nBecause it has been filled with
\nRight living
\nAnd considered rich
\nBecause it has been filled with
\nHoly acts<\/p>\n

Hashiveinu Adonai, eilekha\u00a0<\/em>v\u2019nashuvah<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Prayer for the New Year<\/strong>
\nMay it be Your will, Majestic Spirit of the universe,
\nto grant us,
\nall your people\u00a0Israel<\/cite>\u00a0and all the world
\nA year of blessing,
\nA year of prosperity,
\nA year of peace and tranquility.
\nShow us your compassion
\nAnd guide us in your ways.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This post provides the outline and texts for a mikveh immersion ceremony to spiritually prepare for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. With guiding questions, kavanot (intentions), and Hebrew and English blessings, this ceremony focuses on the transformative power of the ritual waters to help us let go of our struggles, forgive ourselves\u00a0and each other, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2101,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[47,50],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/matnasim.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2100\/"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/matnasim.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/matnasim.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post\/"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matnasim.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4\/"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matnasim.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments\/?post=2100"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/matnasim.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2100\/revisions\/"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matnasim.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2101\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/matnasim.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/?parent=2100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matnasim.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories\/?post=2100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matnasim.kulam.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags\/?post=2100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}