Birkat HaMazon (“The Blessing for Sustenance”) is recited after eating a meal that includes bread. Our tradition understands the importance of meals for families and communities, when so much more goes on than just eating. Thus, the final section of the prayer contains an ever-evolving group of informal prayers to express our hopes and dreams. Each short prayer begins, HaRachaman, a reference to G!d as the Source of Compassion.
One of our deepest hopes is to create and live in a world in which justice is manifest for all. We propose, beginning this New Year 5785, this new HaRachaman that invites just that:
הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יִפתח לִבנוּ וִיחַזֵּק רצוננוּ לִבְנוֹת עוֹלָם צֶדֶק
May the Source of Compassion open our hearts
and strengthen our resolve to build a world of justice.
Harachaman hoo yif’tach libeinu vi’hazek ritzoneinu livnot olam tzedek
Let’s note several things about this new HaRachaman. First, the language echoes the liturgy of Shabbat minha (afternoon) services, in which we pray to G!d
הוּא יִפתח לִבנוּ …לעשות רצונו
“May G!d open our hearts to do G!d’s will.”
Hoo yiftach libeinu… la’asot ritzoneinu
G!d wants us to want justice in the world, and wants us to demonstrate that through our actions, “to do” that which G!d wants. Accordingly, this prayer reminds us that when we do justice work, we are doing G!d’s work.
Second, this HaRachaman asks two things: that we open our hearts and that we strengthen our will. The first request recognizes that in order to do the work of justice, we must listen and learn to every community’s experience of injustice and how it affects them, but we can start our own internal process of growing in our caring and expanding our hearts. The second request entails courageously shifting our priorities and steeling ourselves for the work ahead.
Finally, the phrase “olam tzedek,” “world of justice,” takes as its basis Psalm 89:3. The Psalmist there prays: עולם חסד יבנה, May a world of kindness be built. In our new prayer, we recognize that sometimes people can be kind, but that does not ensure justice. Justice must be attained through hard, focused effort and constant vigilance. Thus, this HaRachaman refrains from the passive “be built,” but prays that we all commit ourselves to the mitzvah of tzedek, tzedek tirdof–not merely praying for, but pursuing justice.
May this be our challenge.
May our efforts bring us dignity, meaning, and joy.
And may we continue to move the needle continuously toward justice.
Amen.
