Leviticus 14:17

וּמִיֶּ֨תֶר הַשֶּׁ֜מֶן אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־כַּפּ֗וֹ יִתֵּ֤ן הַכֹּהֵן֙ עַל־תְּנ֞וּךְ אֹ֤זֶן הַמִּטַּהֵר֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֤הֶן יָדוֹ֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֥הֶן רַגְל֖וֹ הַיְמָנִ֑ית עַ֖ל דַּ֥ם הָאָשָֽׁם׃

 

And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in the palm of his left hand and sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before YHVH

 

The blessing of the oil

 

May we be blessed each day seven times:

 

The first breath, when the glow in the east draws us from sleep: arise, shine, for thy light has come

 

Each of the three moments when we taste the gifts of the holy earth, the quenching water, the rounded nuttiness of seeds and grains and their oils, the savory leaves and the sweet and sour fruits, when by consuming the land we become one with the land, as Adam and Eve became whole with the Garden of Eden, three times

 

The blessing of turning to work, to making the world with strength of back and step or skill of hand, to the study of wonders, to shining the light within on the community without

 

The blessing of turning to those we love, the fullness we feel in the tasks of care, in expressions of affection, in holding each other, in the joy of sharing our hope and anguish

 

The moment before the last breath, in the sacred dark, as we fold, together or alone, into our memories of what is, was and shall be, and the death before us makes more precious the gift of life.

 

Blessing by Peter Hanson

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