Special prayers

In worry and illness, many seek strength in Psalms and prayer. Tradition also mentions reciting verses according to the letters of a person’s name, from alphabetically arranged Psalm collections. This reading is a plea for mercy and spiritual…

Among Tu BiShvat customs, some ask for a blessing on trees and for good fruit. The following prayer connects nature’s abundance with gratitude for food and fulfillment of the commandments of Kiddush and Havdalah.

Psalm 35 expresses a plea for protection, justice and help in distress. Its full text is presented here for reading and prayer. In segulah literature it is also associated with a plea against accusation; reciting it neither guarantees…

A prayer against the evil eye traditionally attributed to the Chida. Different texts and customs appear in books and communities. Its recitation is prayer and a plea for mercy, not a determination that a particular person has been…

A collection of Torah verses on the Exodus from Egypt, remembrance of redemption and the covenant, for reading and study alongside the Haggadah. This collection does not replace the Seder’s commandments or the text of the Haggadah.

A collection of verses, psalms and a request for forgiveness recited beside the grave according to communal customs. When asking forgiveness for a particular wrong, consult a rabbi about how to make amends, especially where a debt or…

Turning a dream toward good is a prayer custom performed before three friends, intended to strengthen the heart and ask for good. A dream is not evidence of what will happen; this text serves reassurance and prayer, not…

A traditional text for changing or adding a man’s name. The choice of name and order of recitation are guided by a rabbi and the community’s custom. Adding a name is a spiritual practice and does not replace…

A traditional text for changing or adding a woman’s name. The choice of name and order of recitation are guided by a rabbi and the community’s custom. Adding a name is a spiritual practice and does not replace…

A traditional order comprising a request for release, the response of those granting it, and a declaration. Reading this text alone does not release a vow; a particular vow must be explained to a rabbi versed in the…

A prayer traditionally attributed to Rabbi Ishmael the High Priest, with requests for protection, wisdom and livelihood. The text is offered for study and intentional recitation, according to the worshipper’s custom and rabbinic guidance.

A collection of eleven verses that begin and end with the Hebrew letter Nun appears in segulah literature, including in connection with prayers for the well-being of a mother and her child. Read calmly, with intention and a…

The manna passage in Exodus brings us face to face with livelihood and trust. The Israelites go out each day to gather their bread, learning to recognize the gift they have received alongside the obligation to do their…

At the close of Shabbat, as the light of rest accompanies a person into the working days, there is space to pray for the road ahead. Jewish traditions associate this time with prayer, charity and recalling the merit…

In times of waiting and supplication, biblical verses give us words of hope. This collection brings together verses about salvation, trust and God’s kindness, to be read calmly and reflected upon.

Trust is cultivated through study, reflection and prayer. The biblical verses below invite the heart to return to its source of strength, grow in faith and accompany daily actions with hope and a calm mind.