This excerpt from Marcia Falk‘s “The Book of Blessings” offers a short prayer based on the basic blessings of the Grace After Meals. The Hebrew, English and transliterated texts inspire gratitude to both the Earth and the Source of all things for our sustenance. Marcia Falk is a feminist poet, painter, writer, and Judaic scholar, best known for “The Book of Blessings” in which she re-creates Jewish prayer with new blessings, poems, and meditations that focus on the sacred potential of each moment. This poem was shared on Ritualwell.org, a project of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College that provides a platform for creating new Jewish practices.
Marcia Falk's Birkat Hamazon
נוֹדֶה לְעֵין הַחַיִּים הַזָּנָה אֶת הַכֹּל
עַל הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה וְהַרְחָבָה נִשְׁמֹר נָא וְהִיא תְּקַימֵנּוּ
וּנְבַקֵּשׁ מָזוֹן לְהַשְׂבִּיעַ בּוֹ כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵּבֵל
Nodeh l’eyn hachayim Hazanah et hakol.
Al ha’aretz hatovah v’har’chavah Nishmor’na, v’hi t’kay’meynu,
Unvakeysh mazon l’hasbi’a bo Kol yosh’vey teyveyl.
Let us acknowledge the source of life, source of all nourishment.
May we protect the bountiful earth that it may continue to sustain us,
and let us seek sustenance for all who dwell in the world.