Our tradition is rich with so many different blessings, and we all have ones that—at different times—might feel particularly meaningful or relevant. One that has remained a constant favorite of mine is Asher Yatzar, our morning blessing in which we thank God for creating our bodies. We are encouraged to recite this blessing every morning upon waking, as each living day in our bodies is a gift:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר יָצַר אֶת הָאָדָם בְּחָכְמָה, וּבָרָא בוֹ נְקָבִים נְקָבִים חֲלוּלִים חֲלוּלִים .גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לִפְנֵי כִסֵּא כְבוֹדֶךָ, שֶׁאִם יִפָּתֵחַ אֶחָד מֵהֶם, אוֹ יִסָּתֵם אֶחָד מֵהֶם, אִי אֶפְשַׁר לְהִתְקַיֵּם וְלַעֲמוֹד “לְפָנֶיךָ אַפִלּוּ שָׁעָה אֶחָת. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה” , רוֹפֵא כָל בָּשָׂר וּמַפְלִיא לַעֲשׂוֹת
“Blessed are You, God, who formed the human body with Divine wisdom, combining veins, arteries, and vital organs into a finely balanced network. Wondrous Maker and Sustainer of life, were one of them to fail—how well we are aware!—we would lack the strength to sustain our lives fully before You. Blessed are You, God, Source of our health and strength.”
Even as we are called daily to recite these words of gratitude, remembering that all of our body’s miraculous functions are connected, I have little doubt that we all also experience days of frustration when our bodies cannot perform as we are used to or as well as we would like. We are human, after all: We get sick and injured, we feel tired and burnt out, and we experience pain and the fragility of our human condition even amidst our many blessings.
Two weeks ago, I injured my foot while overdoing it. At first, I felt frustrated thinking about the limitations of my body and the evident need to slow down a bit. And yet, these words of Asher Yatzar continued to ring in my head repeatedly. My body is on loan from God and it is incumbent upon me to care for it. Each of our bodies is a gift, a miraculous form that can function and heal and thrive even amidst the challenges of our life’s journey. Today, may we remember our calling to care for our overall health, and may we each find a spark of gratitude for our imperfect and miraculous bodies and for the great gifts of healing and life.
—Cantor Emma Lutz
Listen to some musical renditions of Asher Yatzar:
From Dan Nichols
From Noam Katz
From Debbie Friedman