5780 Chanukah Day 2 — Or Emunah — Sitting in the Light of Faith

The Power of the Spirit
Meditations for the Days of Chanukah
Sitting in the Lights that Echo from the Beginning of Creation

Chanukah Day 2  
Or Emunah: Sitting in the Light of Faith
 
Tradition teaches that the fist prayer we are to say upon awakening each morning is modah ani lefanecha—I am grateful and in relationship with the Infinite Presence of all life. The prayer ends with the phrase rabah emunatecha, great is your faith in me—rabah emunatecha, the Infinite Presence has great faith in me.

The prayer affirms that no matter how we are feeling, no matter how we are regarding ourselves in any moment, the Infinite Presence has great faith in us.

On this second day of Chanukah we sit with or emunah, the light of faith, and the awareness that the Universe is rooting for us in all that we are and in all that we do.
 
We take our seats, bringing ourselves to an upright and awake posture. Letting the attention rest on the breath, we begin to repeat the phrase: rabah emunatecha, great is your faith in me. Over and over, traveling with the breath, rabah emunatecha, great is your faith in me. When we notice belittling or berating thoughts arise, we gently and firmly, respond, rabah emunatecha. To every through or story that the mind conjures, we respond, rabah emunatecha. No matter where I find myself, rabah emunatecha, the Infinite Presence has great faith in me.

We close the sit with a verse from the psalmist:
I choose the path of faith and place practices before me. Psalm 119:30

—Rabbi Yael
26 Kislev 5780
 

We are grateful to offer resources for Chanukah. Read the introduction to the daily teachings.
 

You can find Blessings and Intentions for the lighting of candles for each night of Chanukah on our website:

Lifting up the Lights: Chanukah in Challenging Times

Shining the Lights: Sending Forth the Good

If you are looking for a Chanukah gift for a friend or family member, please consider my book: Directing the Heart: Weekly Mindfulness Teachings and Practices from the Torah. Learn more and purchase.

I will write a personal note to all those who receive the book as a gift. Send your name and the name and address of the recipient of the gift to me at rabbiyael@awayin.org and I will send a Chanukah card with a photo and psalm verse to them.

If you find these teachings useful, please donate to A Way In Jewish Mindfulness to keep them free and available for everyone.