A Mitzvah to Eat • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ https://opensiddur.org/profile/a-mitzvah-to-eat/ a community-grown, libre Open Access archive of Jewish prayer and liturgical resources Wed, 07 Oct 2026 03:43:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://opensiddur.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Open-Siddur-Project-Logo-2015-5509b4bdv1_site_icon-250x250.png A Mitzvah to Eat • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ https://opensiddur.org/profile/a-mitzvah-to-eat/ 32 32 A prayer for those who are unable to safely avoid eating ḥamets on Pesaḥ, by A Mitzvah to Eat (2022) https://opensiddur.org/prayers/lunisolar/pilgrimage/pesah/erev-pesah/a-prayer-for-eating-hamets-on-pesah-by-a-mitzvah-to-eat-2022/ https://opensiddur.org/prayers/lunisolar/pilgrimage/pesah/erev-pesah/a-prayer-for-eating-hamets-on-pesah-by-a-mitzvah-to-eat-2022/#respond Wed, 25 Mar 2026 01:58:15 +0000 https://opensiddur.org/?p=66767 Times of Israel in Sarah's op-ed, "When you keep Passover, but you also need to eat bread to live" (28 March 2023). A group effort brought about a Hebrew translation published in 2023 at the AMTE website. The text of the full prayer was shared via an AMTE social media post on Facebook, 24 March 2026. ]]> Translation (Hebrew) Source (English)
ה׳ אֱלֹהָי,
הִנְנִי מוּכָן/מוּכָנָה וּמְזֻמָּן/וּמְזֻמָּנָהּ
לְהַצִּיל אֶת חַיַּי עַל יְדֵי אֲכִילַת חָמֵץ בְּפֶסַח,
אֲנָא עֲזֹר לִי לִמְצוֹא נֶחָמָה.
Dear God,
As I prepare to eat ḥamets on Pesaḥ
to protect my health, safety and life,
please help me find comfort.
יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְחַיִּים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם חֵרוּת אֲמִתִּי
כְּפִי שֶׁאֲנִי מְקַיֵּם/מְקַיֶּמֶת אֶת מִצְוַת פִּקּוּחַ נֶפֶשׁ
May I truly feel what it means to be free,
as I fulfill the imperative of piquaḥ nefesh (making sure life takes precedence).
וִיְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לִשְׁמוֹר אֶת הַמִּצְווֹת בִּמְלוֹאָם,
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ”וָחַי בָּהֶם“ (ויקרא יח:ה).
May I fully live by mitsvot,
as the Torah says, “Live by them” (Leviticus 18:5).
וְשֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לָצֵאת מִן הַמֵּצַר לַמֶּרְחָב,
וּמֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹר גָּדוֹל.
May I go from narrowness to freedom,
from darkness to light.
שֶׁאֶמְצָא תִּקְוָה וְשַׁלְוָה
בַּהֲזָנַת הַגּוּף שֶׁלִּי
May I find hope and peace
in nourishing my body.
 
הַשָּׁנָה וְתָמִיד.
May I be supported.
This year and always.

“A prayer for those who are unable to safely avoid eating ḥamets on Pesaḥ” was written by A Mitzvah to Eat (AMTE, Sarah Osborne) prior to Passover 2022, and published in part by the Times of Israel in Sarah’s op-ed, “When you keep Passover, but you also need to eat bread to live” (28 March 2023). A group effort brought about a Hebrew translation published in 2023 at the AMTE website. The text of the full prayer was shared via an AMTE social media post on Facebook, 24 March 2026. Vocalization by Rabbi Emily Aviva Kapor-Mater, 29 March 2026.

 

]]> https://opensiddur.org/prayers/lunisolar/pilgrimage/pesah/erev-pesah/a-prayer-for-eating-hamets-on-pesah-by-a-mitzvah-to-eat-2022/feed/ 0 A Prayer for Eating on Yom Kippur, by A Mitzvah to Eat (2022) https://opensiddur.org/prayers/lunisolar/days-of-judgement-new-year-days/yom-kippur/a-prayer-for-eating-on-yom-kippur-by-a-mitzvah-to-eat-2022/ https://opensiddur.org/prayers/lunisolar/days-of-judgement-new-year-days/yom-kippur/a-prayer-for-eating-on-yom-kippur-by-a-mitzvah-to-eat-2022/#respond Thu, 29 Sep 2022 17:18:00 +0000 https://opensiddur.org/?p=46964 הַרְחֶב פִּֽיךָ וַאֲמַלְאֵֽהוּ Open Your Mouth Wide, and I (God) Will Fill It: Prayers and Rituals for those who need to eat on Yom Kippur (2022).]]> Contribute a translation Source (English)
Dear God,
As I prepare to eat on Yom Kippur,
please help me find meaning.
As I nourish my body, heart, mind, and soul,
may comfort envelop me.
May I find teshuvah
by returning to my inner light.
By returning to my true self.
May I find a community
who will hold me where I am.
For who I am.
May the words of my heart
reach Your loving and compassionate presence.
May I find peace and holiness
through eating,
through connecting,
through You.

“A Prayer for Eating on Yom Kippur” was written by A Mitzvah to Eat (Sarah Osborne) and appears in הַרְחֶב פִּֽיךָ וַאֲמַלְאֵֽהוּ Open Your Mouth Wide, and I (God) Will Fill It: Prayers and Rituals for those who need to eat on Yom Kippur (2022). For a similar prayer with a translation in Hebrew, find “A Prayer for those who need to eat on fast days” (A Mitzvah to Eat 2022), p. 3.

Source(s)

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]]> https://opensiddur.org/prayers/lunisolar/days-of-judgement-new-year-days/yom-kippur/a-prayer-for-eating-on-yom-kippur-by-a-mitzvah-to-eat-2022/feed/ 0 📖 הַרְחֶב פִּֽיךָ וַאֲמַלְאֵֽהוּ | Harḥev Pi’kha va-Amal’ehu — Open Your Mouth Wide, and I (God) Will Fill It: Prayers and Rituals for those who need to eat on Yom Kippur (A Mitzvah to Eat & Chronic Congregation, 2022) https://opensiddur.org/compilations/liturgical/mahzorim/yom-kippur-mahzorim/harhev-pikha-va-amalehu-open-your-mouth-wide-and-i-god-will-fill-it-prayers-and-rituals-for-those-who-need-to-eat-on-yom-kippur-a-mitzvah-to-eat-and-chronic-congregation-2022/ https://opensiddur.org/compilations/liturgical/mahzorim/yom-kippur-mahzorim/harhev-pikha-va-amalehu-open-your-mouth-wide-and-i-god-will-fill-it-prayers-and-rituals-for-those-who-need-to-eat-on-yom-kippur-a-mitzvah-to-eat-and-chronic-congregation-2022/#respond Wed, 28 Sep 2022 19:04:03 +0000 https://opensiddur.org/?p=46954 הַרְחֶב פִּֽיךָ וַאֲמַלְאֵֽהוּ Open Your Mouth Wide, and I (God) Will Fill It: Prayers and Rituals for those who need to eat on Yom Kippur is a prayer guide to bring holiness and meaning to those who need to eat on Yom Kippur. ]]> DOWNLOAD: PDF

Created in 2022 by A Mitzvah to Eat and Chronic Congregation, הַרְחֶב פִּֽיךָ וַאֲמַלְאֵֽהוּ Open Your Mouth Wide, and I (God) Will Fill It: Prayers and Rituals for those who need to eat on Yom Kippur is a prayer guide to bring holiness and meaning to those who need to eat on Yom Kippur.

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]]> https://opensiddur.org/compilations/liturgical/mahzorim/yom-kippur-mahzorim/harhev-pikha-va-amalehu-open-your-mouth-wide-and-i-god-will-fill-it-prayers-and-rituals-for-those-who-need-to-eat-on-yom-kippur-a-mitzvah-to-eat-and-chronic-congregation-2022/feed/ 0 תפילה למי שצריך לאכול בימי צום | Prayer for those who need to eat on fast days (A Mitzvah to Eat, 2022) https://opensiddur.org/prayers/lunisolar/commemorative-days/mourning-days/tishah-bav/prayer-for-those-who-need-to-eat-on-fast-days-a-mitzvah-to-eat-2022/ https://opensiddur.org/prayers/lunisolar/commemorative-days/mourning-days/tishah-bav/prayer-for-those-who-need-to-eat-on-fast-days-a-mitzvah-to-eat-2022/#respond Sun, 07 Aug 2022 01:56:12 +0000 https://opensiddur.org/?p=46065 Facebook. The Hebrew translation of the prayer was offered by Rabba Dr. Anat Sharbat. ]]> Translation (Hebrew) Source (English)
אלי
בעמדי לאכול ביום צום (תשעה באב),
אבקש להרגיש קרבתך.
Dear God,
As I prepare to eat on this fast day,
please help me feel close to You.
בעת שאני מזין/נה את גופי ובריאותי הנפשית
יהי רצון שתעטוף אותי נחמה.
As I nourish my body, heart, mind, and soul,
may comfort envelop me.
כולי תפילה לחיבור משמעותי עם ענייני היום —
באופן שיתמוך בי.
May I connect to the meaning of the day
in ways that support me.
כולי בקשה שאמצא קהילה
שתחזיק ותקבל אותי
כפי שאני, באשר אני,
בצלם אלהים שנבראתי.
May I find a community
who will hold me where I am.
For who I am.
(for in the tselem Elohim I was created)
כולי תפילה שמילים אלו המגיעות מעומק ליבי ונשמתי
יפגשו באל הרחום וחנון, בשכינה שאוהבת כל ברואיה.
May the words of my heart
reach Your loving and compassionate presence.
ויהי רצון שאמצא שלווה וקדושה
דרך אכילתי,
דרך רצוני להידבק בך,
דרכך.
May I find peace and holiness
through eating,
through connecting,
through You.
* * *
* * *
(יומא פ״ג א)
 
חוֹלֶה
מַאֲכִילִין אוֹתוֹ עַל פִּי בְּקִיאִין.
(Yoma.83a.2)
§ It was taught in the mishnah:
If a person is ill and requires food due to potential danger,
one feeds them according to the advice of medical experts.
אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי:
חוֹלֶה אוֹמֵר צָרִיךְ,
וְרוֹפֵא אוֹמֵר אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ —
שׁוֹמְעִין לַחוֹלֶה.
Rabbi Yannai said:
If an ill person says that they need to eat,
and a doctor says that they do not need to eat,
one listens to the ill person.
מַאי טַעְמָא —
 
״לֵב יוֹדֵעַ מׇרַּת נַפְשׁוֹ״. (משלי יד:י)
What is the reason for this halakhah?
It is because the verse states:
“The heart knows the bitterness of its soul” (Proverbs 14:10),
meaning an ill person knows the intensity of their pain and weakness,
and doctors cannot say otherwise.
 
פְּשִׁיטָא!
מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא:
The Gemara asks:
It is obvious that a person knows themself better than anyone else does.
Why does this need to be stated explicitly?
 
רוֹפֵא קִים לֵיהּ טְפֵי,
קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.
The Gemara answers:
It is lest you say that the doctor is more certain
because they have had more experience with this condition.
Therefore, the verse teaches us that even so,
it is the ill person who knows their own suffering better than anyone else.

This prayer for those who must eat on Jewish fast days, was shared by Sarah Osborne for A Mitzvah to Eat on Facebook. The Hebrew translation of the prayer was offered by Rabba Dr. Anat Sharbat. The following information was included with the prayer as posted:

With Tishah b’Av starting at the end of Shabbat, we’re sending so much support. Here are some ways to connect to Tishah b’Av when your mitsvah is to eat:

Eat and/or drink what you need. There are no shuirim (small amounts) on Tishah b’Av.

Learn more (facebook).

Read our Tishah b’Av anthology.

Join our Facebook group.

Join our zoom on 7 August (2022), 3:30 pm EDT.

Source(s)

prayer for eating on a fast day (a mitsvah to eat 2022)

prayer for eating on a fast day (a mitsvah to eat, Heb. translation by Annat Sharbat 2022)

 

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