Entering the Month of Av

As we enter the month of Av,
With the brokenness of the world revealed,
We can find among the fragments
Paths of healing.

Ways to care for the torn heart, the ravaged spirit
Ways to help mend,
And renew the sacred, the good, the just.
The message that is it impossible,
That there is nothing we can do,
Is part of the brokenness.
And it keeps us divided and small.

Everyday we can mend,
As we practice gratitude and see beauty,
As we allow pain and sadness,
As we reach out to each other, asking for help, offering help,
As we recognize and honor what is ours to give.

Everyday we can mend
As we return again and again to kindness, patience and care.
Brokenness is at the heart of creation.
And so is the potential to heal and to mend.
Let us offer our broken and willing hearts
For the sake of each other and all life.

Hodesh Tov, Blessings for the month of Av

Shalom,
—Rabbi Yael Levy