Contact Chai
Contact Chai is Mishkan Chicago’s podcast feed, where you can hear our Shabbat sermons, Morning Minyans, interviews with Jewish thought leaders, and more.
Contact Chai
Minyan Replay with Rabbi Lizzi — Special Guest Rabbi Rachel Goldberg
Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself, or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai.
https://www.mishkanchicago.org/series/morning-minyan-spring-2024/
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Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.
Transcript
Hello, and welcome to this half hour dose of weekly Jewish spirituality. Jews have a tradition of praying three times a day and at Mishcon, we have a daily virtual minion at 8am Central to get your day started. folks join us from across the country and across the world as we begin each day with words and songs of gratitude, inspiration, healing and Torah.
Without further ado, I invite you to breathe a little deeper, connects a little more with yourself with God with Torah with this community and with the world around you, wherever you are, whatever your timezone.
Want to invite everybody to sit up a little bit straighter or whatever, whatever position you're in, to find a way of being in that position that allows you to breathe deeply and let your shoulders relax.
Let your spine elongate if that's possible. If that helps you take a deeper breath into your belly helps you sort of align your spine such that your crown is
facing facing upwards
but if it's not facing upwards because maybe you're still lying in bed so then just imagine you know your crown opening up and beginning to just let divine light through through you
and we'll just begin with a little gentle she VT
she
lead daddy Tammy
GV at
then daddy to me
have I
have I
have I
have a
cover
I have
of course she beats he means I place the one who is God which is experience which is all of life before me in front of me. But also in opposition to me the neg de
to me always. I can't help it. It's always there. She's always there. I'm always here. Well I'll be here until I'm not here
as you know this song kind of comes in two parts.
The second one is I have or have I yeah which means experience or being second part is love.
Two different ways of the Divine showing up. You can sing one or the other on top of the line sheets you have Ayala neck, DITA Meade so the two parts go together
how about you
have i
have i
i have
AHA
at you get
to me, she
led
me
have a
have a
have I?
All right, I'm so happy to see all of you this morning.
Last week I was in New York at a conference with the Heartland Institute. I think as many of you know, I'm going to be spending the next three years of studying with this group of rabbis.
The kickoff was in New York, but the rest of the conferences are going to be in Jerusalem. So
Oh, this summer between July 1 and 25th. That's where I'll be. I'll be on Rachel's timezone. Rachel, who lives in Jerusalem Rabbi Rachel Goldberg, who many of you see here and know from Monday who lives in Jerusalem will be in Haifa.
So much movement Summertime is coming. I hope that I hope that all of you have things you're looking forward to as the weather gets beautiful and as the seasons change.
Today, my son is receiving his first see door. It's like a big deal in His service. They're, they're like, and the kids all have a script and Judah's like, he's like, memorized. Today, we receive our first C doer. We are so proud and happy. We have worked hard, it's very cute. You know, one, one kid down the line, and then they all say something together. It starts at 830. And so I really tried to figure out how I could both be here with you and also do that. And Rabbi Rachel Goldberg to the rescue, who of course, is in Jerusalem, as fr mentioned, who is here on Mondays. So if anybody comes on Wednesdays, but not on Monday is maybe you haven't met Rabbi Rachel yet. She's wonderful, delightful hails from Chicago, who has long deep history with Mishcon on the davening team has been leading and preaching and giving sermon Xand sermons when she's in town and also leading morning minyan, of course. So on Mondays, so she will continue on Mondays, however, she is going to take over for me right now.
And I miss you. And I'll see you all next Wednesday. And lots of love. Rachel, over to you.
Great, thanks, Rabbi Lizzi and it's good to see all of you.
So as Rabbi Lizzi mentioned, I'm between Jerusalem and Haifa. I'm actually in Haifa today and so I'm not at home where I usually would have my Tali to put on.
But, for me, the main thing that I do when I say the bracha and put on my telly and set the intention for this separate time this it's kind of I'll put it over my head and feel like I'm going into my my little self made forte of my my prayer blankie and, and just sort of have that moment of intention that I'm going into sacred time going into
an intentional time for prayer. So if it's your practice to put on a towel late if you haven't done so already, go ahead and do that and if you've not made an intention, this is an invitation to just
make a make a personal intention
what is that that you hope to
feel
through this this practice of prayer today? So I'm going to now
share screen
and
apologies everything's looking different since I'm actually a host and recording today.
So here we go.
Let's
let's go into the day with some gratitude and
single Danny
morning
shining through my window.
Grass my heap is
clean here Addenbrooke's.
Wake up in the morning, give thanks and love again.
Because I
have strength to
Lauda and he left
ru
veka he
shouldn't Hesse's
being in English my words, see Ba
ba ba and we would have
one more time more or any more.
He me live
ru
ha
Ah
Becca he
says
bieniasz ma TT MC
rabbi and Moon
Miss
Rabbi moon Titan
breathing in blessing, breathing out blessing one of my favorite names of God is, is Hashem eat Bella, which is often translated as like the blessing name, but the word eat Barak has actually reflexive so it's like the one who blesses and is blessed.
And so especially when I'm starting my day thinking about
all the things that I'm grateful for, it's like I feel like I'm blessed and here where we're blessing that oneness. We're blessing Hashem, that that infinite expansive universal oneness that a lot of folks call God
and you're also very welcome and invited to type into the chat specific things that you feel grateful for. I'm gonna read aloud some of these more classical morning brehaut. And you can cosign by saying a min after each one and anything that's in the chat I'll also
blast aloud so that we can we can hear and we can praise together All right, so we rise in body and or spirit.
Who don't high low Hello Hey Malifaux for the ability to discern clearly as between de and
BA who Letsa I don't Hi. Hello. Hey Dumela fell for creating me in your head and my rule Hazza low head
for making me free.
Maha rule satsa have I lo han Raha for making me a Jew, a god wrestler within enriching heritage Bah, ha
ha ha, alo head who?
Who opens my eyes each day, providing sight and insight. Look around. Notice something that you didn't notice before this moment right now.
Ma gotta have i Hi. Hello. Hey, know how close the neck is taking a moment. To feel the comfort of something that you have on. Maybe it's a blanket if you're still laying in bed, a scarf, a good pair of shoes.
Wow.
Ma rule Hazza have I had a low head who will hum from my ability to release what is tied up this is an invitation to give yourself a stretch. Anyway that feels good to your body right now. As is the next one Maha rule gotta have a high low hanging into a house for my ability to straighten what is back.
Give yourself a little fold so you can give yourself a little stretch on the other end. Continuing to move the body in whatever way feels good to you. Waking you up getting you ready to start this day.
Ma who had to have a high a low head who held him for the stability of the earth over the wad her feeling the ground beneath your feet maybe squeezing it with your toes, feeling the seat beneath you. Bed beneath you. Whatever it is. Notice that you are held
and what a blessing that is. Ma who Letsa Yeah, hello hanging
that you prepare my steps and not only that, you provide me with skills, allowing me to meet on PI he needs to have room gotta have a guy a low hanging
knew
that you give strength to me and to my people Bahasa Yeah, hello hey New Rochelle. You crown me with dignity and beauty He Maha ruble Hazza Yeah, hello. Hey, new house, that you give me strength when I am tired. I
gotta have a Yeah. And so hey do Rahel
that we are blessed to know some amazing people like Gary Larry and Gil's mom who turned to 96 this week.
Haha. That's how I
know Hey, who held
that there are people in our lives who operate with flexibility and also that Ricky's wife is completing her teaching career and today is beginning her first day of retirement and then the and then Mazel Tov, ma ro gotta have a low hanging around the house. I'm grateful for the physical and mental health of all of those that we love, especially the elders in our land. My have Rubel caatsa have a high low hanging down for sunshine, resilience and Robin's above our daughters.
Whoo gotta have a
low Hey, do Raha oh, we're grateful for the technology that allows us to pray with our loved ones including Felicia who's in Pittsburgh, and me and Haifa and so many of us all over the place from the comfort of our homes. We thankfully acknowledge you Yeah, for all many gifts you pro
ah
you
shrink
ha
ha ha
say hello
Ah he's saying for you. I think it is holy and it's true.
I think for all creation for life and liberation
every day you say ah shun you
shales
hush
Oh dear ha
say
via
never
mats
whoo
hallelujah
call honey Shama to Hallelujah. Hallelujah. That all that breeds
the an expression of praise for you. Taking a deep breath in.
Deep breath out one more time as you breathe in.
Um, the in breath, feel the blessings, all the things we can feel grateful for. On the exhale, feel that breath that you are just that life that you get to live that you get to exhale that you get to be part of this breathing, interconnected, living world. That your breath itself is is praised as a gift that you offer to the rest of life.
imagining that all of life all people
whether they're
you know, on this side of the globe on your side of the globe on this side of the fence on that side of the fence this side of a border that side of a border all living things all human beings breathing together, letting each breath be an expression of praise to
that same
God that same one
we're gonna go into
a bit of
listening now our practice of deep deep listening
where you get to get to hear what does that one What does that oneness that I am and you are and we are always and always have to say to you today what is yours to do? And we're gonna get some clarity on that but first we can rise and body and or Spirit this is our call to prayer I'm going to say about who had said on I humble wrath Come on everyone let's bless the one that blesses
by rule I don't I have a rock like a lamb that Edie
breathing in blessings of light breathing in blessings of love breathing out the blessing of your light breathing out the blessing of your love the love that you bring to whatever it is you do today and every day
Mike cover our eyes
and say the mantra together
ma
e
hey
the glorious name be eternally blessed
continue to use the next few minutes in whatever way you need for your morning
he had heard
it heard
it had
yeah
heard
me through words of my mouth, and the meditations of my high
be acceptable thing that he said same ledger baby pray SNA Hannah
or Jose should
be more
who we are her say she.
You know
they have
we say
they have a
wish HSMAI here
we have voice bits.
There he
the one who brings peace bring peace down upon all of Isa Al all those who wrestle with the infinite
upon all
who dwell on the earth
call into our awareness, those for whom we want to pray for
Killing for today. Feel free to add names to the chat that we can each gaze upon and hold in our hearts, minds and souls as we sing the words on El Nava fanola. Which means please God, please heal
her which is actually refers to Miriam This is a verse from the Torah when when Moshe was praying for his sister to heal so let's pray together for our sisters, for our brothers, our siblings, cousins everyone all over for complete healing of body heart mind and soul sing together.
Love Joe
this
Tisha Tom, are mourners Scottish. There's anyone today who is saying Scottish? You want to unmute yourself, let us know who you're remembering so that we can remember them with you. Please go ahead and do that now
I'm saying Kaddish for my mother Muriel corn left and today is the last day of the 11 month period so yes, it's been a journey I want to thank all of you because you've all been there with me and I feel like this was a gift from the last gift from my mother was introducing me to this Minion so
it's been really wonderful. We'll continue to be wonderful so
let's see Hornell Abraham in her memory be a blessing
to am grateful to have gotten to know you a bit through this year of praying together and remembering her
will so we remembering today
holding our our hearts and memories all those who do not have someone to say Kaddish for them. And we rise in body and or spirit.
You'd get down feed Kadesh SHAMEKA
mailman he will laugh he will take the family my forte the fire Han Han of Hiei the hub at El baccala with mankapur up info and then
my am you to bar off the eastern East
very cool
yeah hey
man van then
we're gonna also count the mare.
Before we go.
Was there someone was about
to say something
where we can't be on there
Oh,
okay, so we're gonna go ahead and and sing the words on your screen. This is sort of an incantation that can be said for setting an intention before counting the Oh mayor, we're not going to actually say the bracha since we're counting during the day and the customers to say the bracha at night.
But you can still count during the day even if you didn't. Whether or not you did with the bracha at night, so let's sing together.
Let her share hem he
could Shabri hos fainted.
He and He boo
mama li que him it's
saying shall
see here I
shall see you.
Oh man, shall
see.
shall see.
Oh man. SCHEFFER shirt shefa to
PMO hotsy hidde
Sheva Sha 202 BMO more say in
here
hi Nyah Hiya, hiya here
Hear hear?
Hear, hear?
Hear. Hi, yo, SHA slushy mio sure hem coming SHA shoveled. The yo Muhammad Bo. And today is 36 days, which is five weeks. And one day of the owner has said, should be a sword.
So our aspect of of compassion, of loving kindness, how we express that and experience ourselves. foundationally so so feeling today and this entire week, your your your soul, your foundation, your sense of, of groundedness of security. What makes you feel really here and secure in the world? Is that a
you know, a role that you play in community relationships that you have. Simply just breathing or being in certain places that make you feel grounded, secure this week, this week of usoda we're focusing on that and today, we're especially thinking about has said we're compassion and loving kindness as that relates to our experience of a foundation of stability of security. So
wishing you all a great day and a great week. Thank you, Rob. I Rachel. Thank you, everybody. You've been listening to contact high up production of Michigan Chicago. If you are inspired or informed by this episode, please leave us a five star rating on Apple podcasts so that others can encounter our work. And if you appreciate what Mishkan is doing, I invite you to join as a builder or make a donation on our website at Mishcon chicago.org Shabbat shalom.