Baby Naming Ritual for a Single Parent Mom

This ritual also has many components that can be incorporated into a two partner Jewish baby-naming:

Mother repeats after the rabbi:

Hineini muhana u’mzumenet l’kayeim et mitzvat asei sheh-tzivanu l'hachnis et ha-bat sheli labrit
Here I am ready and prepared to fulfill the positive mitzvah of entering my daughter into the
covenant of the Jewish people.

Grandfather: In Genesis 17:7 we read: “As is written in Torah: I will establish my covenant
between Me and you and your descendants after you for all their generations, an eternal
covenant, to be your G*d and the G*d of your descendants after you.”

Rabbi: L’yushuateikh kiviti Adonai.

Grandmother:
Those traditional words from the rabbi mean: “Your emergence gives one hope in G*d.”

Rabbi: Nishb’ah b’toov beiteikh k’dosh heyhaleikh.
How good your home is, your “palace” is holy.

Rabbi: Little one, behold your devoted mother and grandparents. As you grow up, do them honor.
May they each be blessed with long life and much nachas.

Rabbi lifts the Miriam’s Cup, kos miryam: “This is the cup of Miriam the Prophetess, who helped
lead us out of Egypt, whose song gave us courage and strength. Water symbolizes loving kindness
as a quality within us coming from G*d, water symbolizes the womb of creation from which we
emerged, and the living waters of which each human is made. We now welcome you into the
covenant of our people.

Mother repeats after R'Goldie: N’varekh et eym ha-olam, eyn mayyim hayyim, asher kidshatnu
ba-brit bat. Let us bless the Mother of the World, Wellspring of living waters, making us holy
through the covenant of the daughter.

All respond: Ameyn.

Mother of the baby repeats after the rabbi:

N’varkh et eym ha-olam, m’kor mitzvah l’hahnisa b’vretah shel Sarah imenu v' Avraham Avinu
Let us bless the Mother of the World, Source of the mitzvah to enter this child into her Jewish
covenant, that of Sarah our mother and Abraham our father.

Rabbi: K’shem sheh-nihn’ssa la-breet, keyn tikaneis l’torah u’l’hupah u’l’maasim tovim.
Congregation (on their handout): Just as she has been entered into the covenant, so may she be

entered into a life of Torah, loving relationship and good deeds.

Rabbi: We seal the covenantal portion of this ritual with a bit of wine from your mom’s bat
mitzvah Kiddush cup. At this time it is customary to recall the Prophet Elijah, Eliyahoo ha-navee,
for he was an advocate of Jewish practice and education. Your mom will place a drop of wine from
the cup on your lips, little one, symbolizing our prayer that you will have a strong, healthy, joyful
life.

Family: Barukh atah Adonai borei p’ri ha-gafen. Blessed be the Creator of the fruit of the vine.

Congregation: Amen.

Grandmother: “May the One who remembers Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, and Hannah,
remember the covenant with Sarah and all Mothers of Israel.

Grandfather: May the One who remembers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob remember the covenant
with Abraham and all Fathers of Israel.

Rabbi: “When Abraham and Sarah entered the covenant their Hebrew names were changed to
mark this great occasion. Your grandparents will now talk about your sacred name and lineage.
Grandparents share about name, lineage, etc.

Naming:
Congregational leaders (4) come up to hold a tallit-style huppah over mother and child.

Rabbi: V’yikarei shem-ah (rest of this is in rabbis manuals)...May the Source which blessed our
ancestors, bless this child, let her name be known within the Jewish people as:
_________ bat ________

Congregation from handout: May she have a pure and holy heart, may he be wide open to love,
learning, and living a mitzvah-centered life.

Song leader and words on handout for congregation: Jim Croce’s “I’ve got a name”

Like the pine trees lining the winding road

I’ve got a name, I’ve got a name

Like the singing bird and the croaking toad

I’ve got a name, I’ve got a name

Chorus: And I carry it with me and I sing it loud

If it gets me nowhere I’ll go there proud

Movin me down the highway, rollin me down the highway

Moving ahead so life won’t pass me by.

Like the north wind whistling down the sky

I’ve got a song, I’ve got a song

Like the whipporwill and the baby’s cry

I’ve got a song, I’ve got a song

Rabbi: The [grand]parents will now bless ____ with the words of Ezekiel: “B'damayeikh hayai, in
your blood live. The traditional understanding is that blood contains the gift of life, the bleeding
of women is termed the wine of fertility in the Talmud, and the blessing being given is to treasure
life, choose life, be blessed with vitality – to live fully! Live little daughter of Israel, live!

Grandparents: B'dameikh hayai! B'dameikh hayai!

Rabbi: Ribono shel olam, accept this rite of covenant. May ____ become active among her people
– our people, may her life force thrive and her love for family and community be unparalleled.

Congregation: Just as she has been entered into the covenant, so may she be entered into a life
of Torah, loving relationship and good deeds.

Rabbi lifts the ’s Cup, kos miryam and says: “Again we lift the cup of Miriam the Prophetess, who
helped lead us out of Egypt, whose song gave us courage and strength. On her merit and that of
your ancestors may you be blessed with gevurah - strength, vitality and joy complemented by
hessed - lovingkindness and all you need to thrive. May you be blessed to drink deeply from the
ancestral wells of our people. We seal your naming with a bit of water on your lips from Miriam's
Cup.

Congregation: Keyn y’hi ratzon!

Family: May this inheritance ever be a blessing for you. As you are a gift of life to us, so may your
life be a source of blessing for others.

Everyone sings after song leader does one or two times to introduce this Hanna Tiferet song from
her newest songbook and CD:

You are the child, yearning for love
Yours is the mother, so full of dreams for you
We are the angels, guarding your way
God is the voice of truth, within you saying:

Walk in the light of love
Dance through the darkest times
Reach out to those in need
Bless who you are.

Congregation president: Presents certificate of naming and mezuzah for the baby’s room to the
mom.

Sing and dance to Siman Tov, Mazel tov!