In This Precious Life, liturgist Alden Solovy presents prayers, poetry, and meditations inspired by encounters with God. The first part draws from divine moments in our sacred texts, mostly the Torah but also the Prophets and the Writings. Using a contemporary voice, Solovy imagines these holy moments as experienced by our biblical ancestors so we can reclaim them as our own. The second part focuses on sacred moments in our daily lives, connections with the Divine that occur simply because we are human beings created in God's image. Equally suited to individual reflection and group prayer, the book completes a trilogy with This Grateful Heart and This Joyous Soul.
Forewordi Acknowledgments Introductioni Encountering God in Our Text Creation, the Garden, and the Flood Before the Beginning About the Heavens About the Rainbow Where Are You? The Next Garden Marked The Flood Yearning to Return B’chol Lashon (In Every Tongue) Patriarchs and Matriarchs Let Go Avraham Avinu Sarah Imeinu Fire Within Gather Me Who Walks So Near Bless Me The Ladder Demand Justice Plenty and Famine Dear Brother, Dear Sister Escape from Egypt When a New Pharaoh Arises I Am Pharaoh The Work Unseen Crossing Between Egypt and Sinai Unknown Lands In the Desert and at Sinai Manna Dust and Water Golden Calf Fleeting Moments Amalek Within Be the Blessing Exodus, Again and Again The Way Home Goodbye Priests, Sacrifice, and Temple Service Tabernacle Salt and Honey Fire and Ash Stones of Remembrance Vows Take Me Apart Blood on Holy Ground Prophecy Tears, Too Close: A Prayer of Consolation Is This the Fast? Take Us to the Mountain Two Ravens Return Us to You Psalms Mountain Prayer at Twilight Cornerstone To Battle Injustice Secret Light Praise, Praise Encountering God in Our World The Divine in the World One You Two Horizons Tending Gardens Fresh Delights All Is Well Duet of Joy and Sorrow I Sing The Largest Prayer Time and Stillness Before Morning Leaving Arriving Now I Am Breathing Inside the Light Sacred Struggles The Cut That Heals You without Peace In My Distress Spiritual Vandals A Human Journey Blessing Each Other Art and Practice Show Me Always This Wonder Chop, Carry, Bake Ethics Rise on Wings: A Prayer of Borrowing Seeking The Way of Spices Recipe for a Life Summon My Heart Give Love Wings On the Trail New Adventures A Land Your Heart Knows Yearning Seeking the One A Heart of Love A Heart of Vision A Heart That Hears A New Way of Being Faith to Pray Fire and Water Discovery The Pulse of Holiness Rhythm and Grace The Broken Sky Dance in the Madness Renewal Light, Overflowing Dance in the Sky Wild Broken Heart Tanach References Biographies Permissions
For many years, I've watched Alden Solovy develop his craft of writing liturgical poetry and helping others find their voice and express the prayers of their hearts. Alden's poetry is so powerful because it comes from deep within his soul and speaks directly to ours. He brings a deep love and respect for Torah, traditional liturgy, and the land and people of Israel, which he combines with honesty about the human condition based on his personal experiences. His poetry brings us closer to Jewish tradition and more in tune with our own souls. - Rabbi Andrea London, Senior Rabbi, Beth Emet The Free Synagogue
Alden Solovy is a modern-day paytan, a liturgical poet who takes up the psalmist's call to "sing unto the Eternal a new song." Just like the classical paytanim, he uses ancient Jewish concepts and traditional phrases but reconstructs them in completely new and innovative ways. His work combines midrashic originality with poetic beauty. Alden's poems are imbued with profound insights that will surely touch contemporary readers. - Rabbi Dalia Marx, PhD, Rabbi Aaron D. Panken Professor of Liturgy and Midrash, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
This Precious Life is perhaps Alden Solovy's most evocative poetry collection to date. With honest and stirring insight, Solovy captures the breadth of emotion--the yearning and loneliness as well the joy and gratitude--of the unceasing spiritual quest, enabling us to see ourselves and hear our voices calling out for God in both the ancient narratives of our tradition and the experiences of our daily lives. - Rabbi Ron Segal, President, Central Conference of American Rabbis
In his introduction, Alden Solovy informs the reader that we "will experience the Divine in the poetry of living." Yet what we discover is that we can live his poetry as it gives meaning to our lives. The collection is really a trajectory, composed with his soulful words, to launch our souls to soar even as we delve into the depths of our inner lives. Alden unlocks a pathway into sacred being, thinking, and living. You may start by assuming you are simply reading this book, but image by image, thought by thought, interpretation by interpretation, it will transport and transform you to discover the beauty of life as a precious, sacred gift. - Rabbi Elaine Zecher, Senior Rabbi, Temple Israel of Boston
A salve for the soul, this book is especially helpful for the challenging times in which we are living. - Jewish Post & Opinion