A simple Hebrew blessing is a powerful thing--a one-minute, deeply meditative exercise exploring the nature of the Creative Force we call God and the dynamic relationship between God, human consciousness, and the unfolding universe.
In The Path of Blessing Rabbi Marcia Prager guides us through the opening words of a Hebrew blessing--six words which embody the depth of Jewish spirituality--revealing how the letters and words combine to promote joy and appreciation, wonder and thankfulness, amazement and praise. Each word becomes a stepping stone inviting us to discover the infinitely abundant Presence of God flowing through even the smallest actions of our lives.
In the ancient language of Jewish tradition and the modern language of feminist consciousness, creation theology, and psychology, Marcia Prager brings the words of the Hebrew invocation dramatically alive.
Synopsis
Emphasizing the Jewish practice of mindfulness, the author uses a keystone of the Jewish tradition--the simple Hebrew blessing--to teach the art of paying attention.
From the Publisher
I've always been fascinated by the individual sounds of languages and how the shape of each letter reveals its intrinsic meaning. So when I met Rabbi Marcia Prager and heard of the work she had done meditating on each letter of the alephbet and exploring its relationship to the adjoining letters in a word, I was hooked. Rabbi Marcia is a charismatic speaker who brings light and clarity into the room when she teaches. To reproduce this dynamic quality in a book was a real challenge but together I think we did it. As Reb Zalman Schachter, the father of the Jewish Renewal movement says in his praise of The Path of Blessing, "In times past, rabbis were traditionally called upon to give their imprimatur to new works of sacred teaching. While this is no longer the custom, I would like to set such an imprimatur on Rabbi Marcia's work. This is to emphasize that you are not merely reading a book but studying Torah."
-- Toinette Lippe, Editorial Director, Bell Tower
From the Back Cover
"Marcia Prager gives voice to the urgings of the Shekhinah, the feminine aspect of God. You will draw inspiration and guidance from her teachings, which will lead you from level to level up the ladder of consciousness. Watch out! You are dealing with highly transformative material."
--Rabbi Zalman M. Schachter-Shalomi, Aleph Alliance for Jewish Renewal, and World Wisdom Chair, Naropa Institut
"A rich, wise, and joyous book! Marcia Prager offers us an exhilarating adventure of the spirit. Six seemingly ordinary Hebrew words become luminous gateways into the inner riches of ancient and modern Jewish wisdom."
--Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, Congregation Beth El, Sudbury, MA, author of Invisible Lines of Connection (Jewish Lights Publishing, Woodstock, VT)
"This is a wonderful presentation of how the practice of blessing is a continuous connection to wonder. In a literate and engaging way, it combines deep and inspiring scholarship with complete accessibility for all readers."
--Sylvia Boorstein, author of That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist: On Being a Faithful Jew and a Passionate Buddhist.
"Rabbi Marcia Prager brings profound meaning and vitality to the Jewish mindfulness practice of offering blessings throughout the day. She draws from a deep well of talmudic and hasidic teachings to illuminate a vast array of mystical treasures that can be gleaned from a few essential Hebrew words. This gem of a book is essential for anyone interested in spiritual Judaism."
--Rabbi David Cooper, author of God Is a Verb
"For many years the beauty of Rabbi Marcia Prager's teaching and prayer has been a blessing in my life. Now, many more will learn the power of her Jewish wisdom and how to use it in their lives. She teaches us about blessing, and her teaching is itself a blessing, for which I can only say, Amen."
--Rodger Kamenetz, author of Stalking Elijah and The Jew in the Lotus
From other readers:
A Blessing in itself! (Esther Nebenzahl from Cascais Portugal)
Listening to the voice of the Shekhinah, applying the teachings of Baal Shem Tov -- "Enter into every letter with all your strength, God dwells in every letter and as you enter it, you become one with God" -- Rabbi Marcia Prager takes us into another dimension, one of mystical and spiritual fulfillment. This is real "kavvanah!" A wonderful guide for the enrichment of our daily life, not through the obsessed materialism of our era, but through the use of spiritual practice of blessing. It is so simple, and at the same time, so deep and profound.
This book can awaken the soul to give and receive blessings! (A reader from Lusaka, Zambia)
The Path of Blessing is an extraordinary journey. Rabbi Marcia Prager delves into the historical and esoteric roots of each letter of each word. This process forces the reader to awaken new layers of awareness about how you think---and about how you can give more meaning to blessings. This book can awaken the soul to give and receive blessings more fully---so that each moment of life is enriched....I read the book straight through...while others I know have read it in bits and pieces----whatever works for you...make sure you take it all in !!!
A Beautiful Way to Integrate Mindfulness of the Divine (ksredelfs@yahoo.com from San Diego CA)
Rabbi Prager's book is a blessing itself, filled with heart, rejuvenating old traditions into new forms so that we can integrate the Divine into our daily lives. I especially appreciated her inclusion of a table of Hebrew letters (for those of us not trained in that beautiful, evocative language). I highly recommend this book for anyone who wishes to incorporate this kind of *kavannah* into daily practice.
Enjoy this wonderful book many times (Kate Fagan from St Petersburg Florida)
Today I started reading Marcia Prager's "The Path of Blessing" for the second time. I have been referring to it many times since the first reading and still feel that it has more to say to me. Rabbi Prager's knowledge of the Hebrew language is extensive and she is able to share that knowledge clearly and in a way that holds the readers interest easily from the first page to the last. And that last page contains one of the most powerful, succinct definitions of God I have ever read. It remains a joyful reference source for almost every blessing I might wish to use in my life and also contains a formula for making my own brakhot. I am delighted to have this book!
A refreshing look at the tradition of Jewish blessings. (A reader from Allentown, PA)
This warm and articulate book describes how the ancient Jewish spiritual practice of blessing offers us a way of becoming aware of God's Presence in our daily lives. The blessing becomes a moment of mindfulness, a meditation, which brings our attention to the Source of Life in the most mundane actions- eating, drinking, on waking up and going to sleep, on seeing a rainbow, or smelling the fragrance of a flower or shrub. The book is a doorway into a world of wonder, a world in which we stop, awakened to God's Presence in the world and in ourselves. We say blessings of gratitude, not that The Source of All needs our blessings, but because those moments enrich our lives with glimpses of sacred awareness. This is a book which can be read by spiritual seekers of all faiths and all levels of experience.
Beautifully written, deep yet accessible, transformative. (Cynthia Wolley from San Francisco Bay area)
"A simple Hebrew blessing is a powerful thing - a one-minute, deeply meditative exercise exploring the nature of the Creative Force we call God and the dynamic relationship between God, human consciousness, and the unfolding universe. Far from a mindless mumble, each word of a Hebrew blessing is crafted to touch deep centers of awareness and receptivity within us. Each word is a stepping-stone inviting us to explore a rich treasury of images and associations."
Many of us were taught to translate Barukh Ata Adonay, Eloheynu Melekh Ha'Olam, as "Blessed art Thou, Lord Our God, King of the Universe." Prager leads us through explorations of each word, its levels of meaning and associations, until her translation has evolved into "A Fountain of Blessings are You, The-Eternal-Breath-of-Life-Beyond-and-Within, Divine Expansiveness Concentrated within our World, Channeling Creative Power to Manifest as the Mystery of Consciousness becoming Time-Space."
I love this book - I have been studying it, delighting in it, and being transformed by it. Prager draws on teaching stories and examples from many historical sources, as well as her own contemporary perspective. It is also a deeply inspiring book, inviting the reader to participate fully and with joy in the path of blessing.
This is a wonderful entrance into Jewish spirituality. (Rabbi Arlene M. Schuster from Bellevue, Washington USA)
This book is both inspiring and informative. Rabbi Prager speaks to the heart, soul and mind of the reader. Even the less-learned in Jewish teachings are welcomed in by her careful explanation of "code" terms. I have taken Rabbi Prager's class on the Path of Blessing several years ago, it is a wonderful and welcome treat to have her material in book form, to refer to over and over again.
A magic carpet ride of wisdom and awe (Rosalie Harris-Eisen from Woodstock, NY)
We owe it to ourselves and to our children to read and embrace the Path of Blessings. Reb Marcia writes lyrically as her wisdom leaps from the pages and takes the reader on a magic carpet ride along the path of mindfulness. She opens new paths of inner wisdom that were formerly only accessible to great scholars. She returns holiness to essential Jewish thought that had become mundane. She cradles the reader with awe.
For everyone concerned about Jewish continuity, this book is a must. As Reb Marcia says, "theological skills and vocabulary should grow as we do. Poor teaching in childhood not only robs us of the desire to explore further, but can leave us unaware that there is a "further" to explore." If you are searching for an open gateway to Jewish spirituality, this book is your blessing.
A beautiful, inspirational journey into Jewish mysticism (Dena Gitterman from Boulder, CO)
This is a delightful, easy to read and profoundly meaningful book! It offers new insights on overall Jewish spiritual practice. Throughout the book she weaves Hasidic stories, mystical and traditional texts, creation theology, feminist spirituality, psychology and personal anecdotes. It is simultaneously both scholarly and personal. I highly recommend it to any student of Jewish mystical thought, or anyone engaging in Jewish spiritual practice.
Wow! (Keflee@aol.com from Eastern PA)
Three years ago, I took two classes from Marcia Prager, and came away from those classes wishing that I could share her teachings with every Jew in the world. Now she has made it possible to give that gift, by condensing the essence of that material into a potentially life-changing book for almost anyone who reads it. Written in a clear and engaging style, this book takes the reader on a magical mystery tour of the deep hidden meanings of the first 6 words of every ordinary Hebrew blessing. Seemingly simple words that you may have thought you knew are transformed into gleaming keys of light that unlock doors to great secrets of the Universe. In some ways, even reviewing it does it a disservice. It simply must be read.
