Prayer on Mother's Day

Rabbi Bradley Artson
Rabbi Bradley Artson
Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson

Abner & Roslyn Goldstine Dean’s Chair

Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies

Vice President, American Jewish University

Rabbi Dr Bradley Shavit Artson (www.bradartson.com) has long been a passionate advocate for social justice, human dignity, diversity and inclusion. He wrote a book on Jewish teachings on war, peace and nuclear annihilation in the late 80s, became a leading voice advocating for GLBT marriage and ordination in the 90s, and has published and spoken widely on environmental ethics, special needs inclusion, racial and economic justice, cultural and religious dialogue and cooperation, and working for a just and secure peace for Israel and the Middle East. He is particularly interested in theology, ethics, and the integration of science and religion. He supervises the Miller Introduction to Judaism Program and mentors Camp Ramah in California in Ojai and Ramah of Northern California in the Bay Area. He is also dean of the Zacharias Frankel College in Potsdam, Germany, ordaining Conservative rabbis for Europe. A frequent contributor for the Huffington Post and for the Times of Israel, and a public figure Facebook page with over 60,000 likes, he is the author of 12 books and over 250 articles, most recently Renewing the Process of Creation: A Jewish Integration of Science and Spirit. Married to Elana Artson, they are the proud parents of twins, Jacob and Shira.  Learn more infomation about Rabbi Artson.

posted on May 11, 2023

Nobody makes something from nothing,

not even God.

But God molds the tohu va-vohu,
the chaos swirling in the deep,
and -- miraculous to say! -- life emerges.

 

Life is simple at first,

then complex. Reflexive at first,

then conscious. Life becomes.

 

It takes all that love,

all that power,

all that guidance,

but life does emerge, waddle, and walk.

 

Mother, my own creator:

You've always been able to mold the deep chaos

and produce life.

Cradling the babies you produced,

powerful love that made a world for your children,

deep wisdom creating a path to walk, a portal to enter.

 

You gave me life.

You nurtured life.

You instructed, taught, disciplined

and loved.

 

Latest mask of the divine,

you taught me I could trust,

showed me I'd be lifted when I cried out,

gave me faith in faith itself.

 

How can I bless you when you are the very blessing of my blessing?

My default parenting is yours,

endless fountain of love.