Rabbi Chaya Gusfield

Rabbi Chaya Gusfield, Jewish Renewal, rabbi, spiritual director, chaplain

Music/prayer


Filed Under: Healing, Music/prayer, Prayer, Torah/Life Writings
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New Class starting in December: Jewish Liturgy (prayer) As Medicine, Unpacking prayer through study, writing, and sharing in a small group

Starts in December, every other week

Five two hour sessions with R. Chaya Gusfield on Zoom

Pick which time slot works for you.  Each time slot will be limited to 6 people.

Join either the Monday OR Tuesday group.

Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m.  PST

Or

Tuesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. PST

$180 for five sessions paid by Venmo or check

If interested, contact Chaya at cgusfield@gmail.com or 925-212-7943.

See: chayasgarden.wordpress.com for more information on Rabbi Chaya Gusfield as spiritual director, teacher, and writer

Once registered I will ask you for your 2 favorite prayers or prayers you would like to unpack more deeply, and the class will be designed with some of those in mind if possible.

Dates for Monday evenings: Dec. 7 Dec. 21, Jan. 4, Jan. 18, Feb. 1

Dates for Tuesday mornings: Dec. 1, Dec. 15, Dec. 29, January 5, (skipping Jan. 12 and 19th), Jan. 26


Filed Under: Healing, Music/prayer, Prayer
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You are Invited to a Special Healing Service-Thursday June 18, 4 p.m. PST

Friends, Buddhist Teacher Eve Decker and I will be offering a two hour Healing Service online. People have experienced this service as a time to receive, reflect and rejuvenate.

Using Jewish and Buddhist approaches, we will offer meditation, music, writing opportunities and teachings to support well-being during these uncertain courageous, and heartbreaking times. 

Eve and I have been offering services and workshops combining Jewish and Buddhist approaches for over 10 years and our work touches people in a unique way.  Please join us.

TICKETS & INFORMATION: Please RSVP to cgusfield@gmail.com by June 12.  You will get instructions for how to pay the requested $18 and instructions for attending.

No one is turned away for lack of funds. This offering was originally to be located at Kehilla Community Synagogue where we are both associated.

Please share this offering with people you think would resonate with it.

 


Filed Under: Chaplain Reflections, Music/prayer
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Showing up

All I knew was her name and that her husband had decided to stop her pain. He agreed to have her compassionately extubated from the ventilator that was breathing for her, but not making her well.  She could die any minute or any day. I learned that he could not tolerate the idea of being with her when she died. I didn’t know him or his story.  All I knew was that she was alone.   I didn’t know her religious tradition, if she had one, or what brought her peace.

The nurses caring for her found this situation intolerable and they wanted someone to be with her as she died. It was almost a begging.  I sat with her. I offered her a blessing from my heart. I told her what was happening and that she was being well taken care of.

I returned when it was time to compassionately extubate her.  Everyone seemed quite nervous.  There was pacing, voices raised, questions being asked.  I stood next to her and sang through the chaos.  “Bring an unanxious presence.  Bring an awareness of the sacred to the room.”  I sang gently, softly, and stroked her head.  The tears came. She looked uncomfortable.

I became the beggar now, pleading with the doctors to give more medicine. She was awake and appeared in distress.  This was not the plan. She was supposed to die peacefully.  I kept singing, hoping to bring some calm, some peace. To her and to the staff. My tears also started to flow.

“go in peace, go in kindness, go in love, go in faith.  Leave the day, the day behind us, day is done, go in grace.  Let us go into the night, not afraid, not alone.  Let us hope, by some good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Let us hope, by some good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.” (Sam Baker)

Were these words calming or upsetting to her? I found them calming and the staff did, but I wasn’t sure if she did.  She couldn’t tell me.  I listened deeply to her face, her tears, my intuition. Because I wasn’t sure, I shifted.  I sang only the sweet melody and then another and another.  I washed her face.

The medicine started to work and she found calm.  She fell into a deep sleep. I felt assured that she was comfortable and I said goodbye.  She died within the hour.

I think she died in peace.  I hope so.


Filed Under: Cancer Reflections, Chaplain Reflections, Healing, Music/prayer
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I Will be Your Standing Stone, I Will Stand By You

A patient, in much distress, confusion, grief

Cries out for comfort and clarity

She doesn’t remember ever having a problem this big, so big she couldn’t see how to make it through.

She wonders what she did that could make this happen

No clues, no answers, just more questions

I am a stranger, receiving her heart, offering a moment of kindness and sanctuary

After some time I sing … ..”I will be your standing stone, I will stand by you”*

In the midst of her personal chaos she stops.  She breathes. Her eyes look deeply into mine and she says,

“I really heard you.  Whenever you say those words, you must mean them.  I felt it.”

I am a stranger, but for that moment she knew that I will stand by her.

There was nothing more that needed to be said or done in that moment.

 

*Listen to the song by Melanie Demore:  “I Will Be Your Standing Stone”


Filed Under: Chaplain Reflections, Grief Writings, Music/prayer
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Thanks for Visiting Today Mom

You always wanted me to feel you, to experience your soul, to appreciate your chiyut, your lifeforce. You yearned for that much of my life. Is it any solace to have it now?

Today I found within me the Yiddish song you taught me. It was the only common language I had with an elderly woman who spoke Russian (and Yiddish). She had initially quizzed me harshly. (“Who are you and what do you want?” she asked through the Russian interpreter on the phone.) As we sang together, and she saw you in my broken heart and wet eyes, her mistrust of me disappeared. She reached out her hand and told me her name, again and again.

As I left, she invited me to visit another time. Now I wish I had learned more Yiddish from you. More than just the short song we sang, and gey gazunt: go in good health, which I said as I left.


Filed Under: Healing, Music/prayer
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May You Be Protected From All Harm

I love the Tefillat Haderech (the Traveler’s Prayer) and use it not just when traveling on a plane or car, but with people who are on a serious life journey. While reading a traditional version of this prayer in my siddur (prayerbook) I saw a note that some people follow tefillat haderech with the ending of Psalm 121. I know Psalm 121 mainly for its opening line.


אֶשָּׂא עֵינַי, אֶל-הֶהָרִים–    מֵאַיִן, יָבֹא עֶזְרִי

עֶזְרִי, מֵעִם יְהוָה–    עֹשֵׂה, שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ

 

“I lift up my eyes to the mountain, where does my help come from? It comes from God who made the heavens and the earth.

However, right now the last lines are speaking so deeply to me that I wrote some English interpreting it and use a common melody to sing it. I use it for myself, my friends, my patients.

Last Lines of Psalm 121

Adonai yishmarecha, mikol ra. Yishmor et nafshecha (x2)

Adonai yishmor tzetecha uvo’echa. Me ata v’ad olam (x2)

  יְהוָה יִשְׁמָרְךָ מִכָּל-רָע:    יִשְׁמֹר אֶת-נַפְשֶׁךָ 7 Adonai shall keep you from all harm; Ya shall keep your body and soul.
 יְהוָה יִשְׁמָר-צֵאתְךָ וּבוֹאֶךָ–    מֵעַתָּה וְעַד-עוֹלָם 8 Shekhinah shall guard your going out and your coming in, from now and forever more.

My interpretation  (Internet Explorer may not work for this sound file.)

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May you be protected

From all harm

In your body and your soul

As you go out

And as you come in

We walk beside you

Now and forever more


Filed Under: Healing, Music/prayer
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Healing Niggun (melody) for You

There are many places to find gorgeous renditions of Jewish sacred liturgy, niggunim (power melodies that evoke certain qualities), and songs. I am not going to try and reinvent the wheel here or even link you to an extensive list of wonderful websites where you can find them, although I will on occasion make reference to places to find inspiring sacred musical resources. My hope  is to share with you what sacred texts I use for my own healing or in my work as a service leader, chaplain and ritual leader.   It changes of course over time. Sometimes I will link the source (like the track from the CD as well as include my own interpretation of that piece).

I begin with my most central niggun, written by the Bostoner Rebbe (who is actually from New York but that’s a longer story), Rabbi Moshe Horowitz. It was transmitted to me by my teacher and friend Rabbi Elliot Ginsburg. Years ago I placed this niggun onto a traditional Hebrew text of the Misheberach (Jewish healing blessing) and use it often. It’s commonly heard placed on Yedid Nefish (from Kabbalat Shabbat).

I sing this almost every day. In the hospital, as part of a service, to sooth my partner’s spirit, to calm my soul.

May it nourish your soul and heal whatever needs healing.. (Internet Explorer may not work for this sound file.)

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