Kiddush Levana

[bnewman]

Kiddush levana (קִדּוּשׁ לְבָנָה), "sanctification of the Moon", is a Jewish ritual traditionally performed when the new Moon is visible.  My custom is to make this blessing as soon as I see the new Moon, while the more usual custom is to wait until the Moon gets a little bigger.

While the full ritual has several parts, the text for this setting is an adaptation of the central blessing in the version posted at Open Siddur by R. David Seidenberg.  I've added a petitionary section modeled after a few other prayers from elsewhere in the liturgy.

listen to this song

listen with substitutions (why?)

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם

אֲשֶׁר בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ בָּרָא שְׁחָקִים, וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם

חֹק וּזְמַן נָתַן לָהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יְשַׁנּוּ אֶת תַּפְקִידָם

וְלַלְּבָנָה אָמַר שֶׁתִּתְחַדֵּשׁ

עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת לַעֲמוּסֵי בָטֶן שֶׁהֵם

עֲתִידִים לְהִתְחַדֵּשׁ כְּמוֹתָהּ

 

יְהִי רָצון מִלְּפָנֶיךָ

ה' אֱלהֵינוּ וֵאלהֵי אֲבותֵינוּ וְאִמוֹתֵינוּ

שֶׁתְּחַדֵּשׁ עָלֵינוּ אֶת הַחדֶשׁ הַזֶּה

לְטובָה וּלְבְרָכָה

לְפַּרְנָסָה וּלְכַלְכָּלָה

לִישׁוּעָה וּלְנֶחָמָה

לְשִׂמְחָה וּלְשָׂשׂוֹן

לְחַיִּים וּלְשָׁלוֹם

 

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ מְחַדֵּשׁ חֳדָשִׁים

 

/ D - G D / G D A - / G D G -A /

 

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu

melech ha'olam

Asher b'ma'amaro bara shechakim, u'v'ruach piv kol tz'va'am

 

/ D - G DA / G D A - / D G - A / G A D - /

 

Chok uz'man natan lahem shelo y'shanu et taf'kidam

v'lal'vanah amar shetit'chadesh

Ateret tiferet la'amusey vaten shehem

Atidim l'hit'chadesh k'motah

 

/ D - G A / G D A - / G A D - /

 

Y'hi ratzon mil'fanecha, Adonai Eloheinu

v'Elohey avoteinu v'imoteinu

She't'chadesh aleinu et hachodesh hazeh

 

/: G - D - / A - D - :/

 

l'tovah u'l'vrachah, l'yeshuah u'l'nechamah

[1. l'farnasah u'l'chalkalah, l'simchah u'l'sason

[2. l'chayim u'l'shalom

 

Baruch atah Adonai, mechadesh chadashim

(Blessed are You, Adonai our G!d, ruler of the universe,
 Who by Your speech created the heavens,
 And by the breath of Your mouth all their hosts.

 You gave them a law and a set time,
 That they should not alter their appointed rounds,
 And to the Moon you said: Renew yourself!
 A crown of beauty to those carried in the womb
 Who are destined to renew themselves likewise.

 May it be Your will, Adonai our G!d and G!d of our ancestors,
 To renew for us this month:

 For goodness and for blessing,
 For salvation and for consolation,
 For sustenance and for livelihood,
 For joy and for gladness,
 For life and for peace.

 Blessed are You, Adonai, Who renews the months!)