A Prayer for Human Rights

Our God and God of our ancestors, do we not all share one parent? Did not one God create us all? And you have bestowed your dignity upon flesh and blood! It is well-known and obvious in Your sight that whoever can protest against wrongdoing in this world and does not protest is held accountable for what happens in the world. May it be Your will, therefore, that we act to protect human rights and human dignity. Help us to perceive the Divine Presence in every one of your creations, so that we may find favor and good will in the eyes of God and one another.

Barukh atah ADONAY, our God, ruler of time and space, who fashioned the first human being in the divine image and endowed every descendant with human rights—for one who disgraces another person brings disgrace to the likeness of God. Barukh atah ADONAY, creator of humanity and human rights.

 

אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ
  הֲלֹא אָב אֶחָד לְכֻלָּנוּ הֲלֹא אֵל אֶחָד בְּרָאָנוּּ
  וְנָתַתָּ מִכְּבוֹדְךָ לְבָשָׂר וָדָם
  גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לִפְנֵי כִּסֵּא כְבוֹדֶךָ 
  שֶׁכֹּל מִי שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לִמְחוֹת בְּכֹל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ וְלֹא מִיחָה נִתְפַּס עַל כֹּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ 
  יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁנִּשְׁמֹר אֶת זְכֻיוֹת הָאָדָם וּכְבוֹד הַבְּרִיּוֹת
   וְנִזְכֶּה לִרְאוֹת אֶת פְּנֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה בִּפְנֵי כֹּל אֶחָד מִבְּרִיוֹתֶיךָ
  וְנִמְצָא חֵן וְשֵׂכֶל טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי אֱלֹהִים וְאָדָם 
 
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה הי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
  אֲשֶׁר יָצַר אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ
  וְהִתְקִין לְתוֹלְדֹתָיו זְכוּיוֹת הָאָדָם 
  כִּי הַמְּבַזֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ מְבַזֶּה בִּדְמוּת אֱלֹהִים
  בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה הי יוֹצֵר הָאָדָם וּזְכוּיוֹתָיו
 
Eloheynu v’elohey avoteynu
Ha’lo av ekhad l’khulanu ha’lo el ekhad b’ra’anu
V’natata mikhvod’kha l’vasar vadam
Ga’lui v’yadua lifney kisey kh’vodeykha
She’kol mi she’efshar limkhot b’khol haolam kulo v’lo mikhah nitpas al kol holam kulo
Y’hi ratzon milfanekha shenishmor et z’khuyot ha’adam ukhvod hab’riot
V’nizkey lirot et pney hash’khinah bifney kol ekhad mibrotekha
V’nimtza khen v’seykhel tov b’eyney Elohim v’adam
 
Barukh atah Hashem (Adonai) eloheynu melekh haolam
Asher yatzar et ha’adam b’tzalmo
V’hitkin l’toldotav z’khuyot ha’adam
Ki hamvazeh et khaveyru m’vazeh bidmoot Elohim
Barukh atah Hashem (Adonai) yotzer ha’adam uzkhuyotav
 

T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights is an organization of rabbis from all streams of Judaism that acts on the Jewish imperative to respect and protect the human rights of all people. Human Rights Shabbat, T’ruah’s annual celebration of Jewish values and universal human rights, is celebrated by more than 130 Jewish communities around the globe. 

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