Prayer in a Time of Serious Illness, by Rabbi Gilah Langner

Contributor(s): Gilah Langner

Shared on: 17 August 2011 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license

Categories: Well-being, health, and caregiving

Tags: 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., תחינות teḥinot, וידוי vidui

Traditional Judaism offers a confessional prayer, or vidui, to be recited during a time of serious illness or near death. If the patient is unable to recite the prayer, others may do so on his or her behalf. This modern adaptation [of vidui] places less emphasis on atonement for sins, and more on the bonds connecting the patient to his or her loved ones. It can be recited by a friend, family member, or chaplain on behalf of a person who is very ill, especially when life and death are hanging in the balance. In memory of Dr. Paul Woolf z”l.

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Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Our God and God of our ancestors, we acknowledge that all of life is in Your hands.
	We pray for healing for this beloved (woman/man). May (she/he) be filled and embraced by a complete and healing love and forgiveness. May (she/he) always know how precious (his/her) life is to those who love (her/him).
	Protect ___________’s beloved family: ___________________________. Their souls are woven together for all time.
	Grant hope and strength to _____________’s family and caregivers, guiding their hands and hearts and decisions with wisdom, loving care, and skill.
כִּי מַלְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה לָּךְ לִשְׁמָרְךָ בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ׃ (תהלים צא:יא)	May angels be appointed for (her/him), to guard (her/him) in all (her/his) paths. (Psalms 91:11) Ki malakhav yetzaveh lakh, lishmorkha b’khol d’rakheh-kha.
	In Your hand lies (her/his) spirit. In Your Great Name, You hold the life and memories of each soul on earth. You redeem us, Adonai, God of Truth.
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְיָ אֶחָד׃ (דברים ו:ד)	Hear O Israel: [YHVH \| Adonai] is our God, [YHVH \| Adonai] is One. (Deuteronomy 6:4) Shma Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad.

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“Prayer in a Time of Serious Illness, by Rabbi Gilah Langner” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.

Gilah Langner

Rabbi Gilah Langner serves as a rabbi, educator, and chaplain in Washington, DC. She is a co-editor of the literary journal for Jewish liturgy and poetry, Kerem. She teaches at The George Washington University and is a coordinator of the Washington Jewish Healing Network.

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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." –Psalms 90:17

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