Jewish Home Blessing - Jewish Doorways

  By Rabbi Young, Seven Acres & The Medallion Chaplain “Honor your father and your mother.” The Torah states this commandment twice, almost verbatim, and also restates it in several different forms. Clearly, the commandment amounts to a fundamental principle in Judaism. When an aging parent requires increasing levels of personal care, an adult child or children may find themselves in a quandary. What is the best way to honor the parent while also meeting their gradually increasing care needs? According to traditional texts, a child must personally take care of their parent’s needs. Maimonides, the 12th Century scholar, suggests an exception. In a case where a child is disturbed by a parent’s dementia, he concludes that one may hire someone else to provide the needed care for them. In response, Rabbi Abraham ben David of Posquieres, a contemporary of Maimonides, asked: “Whom can he command to take care of him?” In other words, who but the children can provide an appropriate leve...

  Wedding / Marriage Inspiration “A soul mate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are and not for who we’re pretending to be. Each unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we’re safe in our own paradise. Our soul mate is someone who shares our deepest longings, our sense of direction. When we’re two balloons, and together our direction is up, chances are we’ve found the right person. Our soul mate is the one who makes life come to life.” From The Bridge Across Forever by Richard Bach. Prayer May you never take each other for granted but always experience the wonders of your union. May your love consist not only in gazing into each other’s eyes, but also in looking outward in the same direction. May your life together be a source of strength and ...