שְׁמֹר מִצְותַי וֶחְיֵה וְתוֹרָתִי כְּאִישׁוֹן עֵנֶיךָ.
Keep my commandments and live,
Let My Torah be like the apple of your eye.
קָשְׁרֵם עַל־אֶצְבְּעֹתֶיךָ כָּתְבֵם עַל־לוּחַ לִבֶּֽךָ.
Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
אֱמֹר לַחָכְמָה אֲחֹתִי אָתּ וּמֹדָע לַבִּינָה תִקְרָֽא.
Say to Wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call Understanding your kin.
Proverbs 7:2-4
As Masorti begins its journey anew,
may many faces of Torah grace its pages.
May the words offered here
be informed by compassion and wisdom,
rigorous scholarship,
integrity and kindness,
creativity and humility.
May the words offered here
open minds and hearts
and uncover paths to God’s presence.
May readers delving into these volumes
find new understanding,
deepen knowledge,
grow in insight,
and strengthen commitment.
May this ark of modern learning
honor tablets whole and broken,
tracing lines of connection and change.
May mindfulness, respect, and generosity
guide this sacred conversation.
May Wisdom be kin to all who open these pages,
and may the teachings inscribed here
illuminate lives.
Rabbi Jill Hammer, Ph.D., is Director of Spiritual Education at the Academy for Jewish Religion.
