Bereshit: Upon Waking


Bereshit: Upon Waking
OneTable is excited to announce our new Jewish Learning series Shabbat Moment, a text study with Yael Shy, from our friends at IJS.
Each week, we’ll share Yael’s Torah text study, mindfulness practice tips, and discussion questions for you to reflect, enjoy, and share with others.This week’s Torah portion is Bereshit: Upon Waking. Use the “Questions for Practice” to guide your Shabbat practice for the week ahead, and bring intention to the table.
“The very first human breath starts with God – with the immensity and immediacy of all that is – breathing us into existence. It strikes me as so intimate and so beautiful.
This divine “wind,” “soul,” “breath” (all definitions for the Hebrew word, neshama) that animates the dust pumps life through my lungs, my bloodstream, my body.
When I focus on the breath and the feeling of simply being alive, I am flooded with an immense gratitude and a feeling like I don’t have to work so hard to be “good” or worthy.”
Every week, we’re sharing text study, mindfulness practice tips + discussion questions to inspire your Shabbat dinner conversations and bring even more meaning to your Friday nights. Subscribe here to get the Shabbat Moment delivered straight to your inbox!
About the Author
Yael Shy is the CEO of Mindfulness Consulting, LLC, where she teaches and consults on mindfulness for universities, corporations, and private clients around the world. She is the author of the award-winning book, What Now? Meditation for Your Twenties and Beyond (Parallax, 2017), and the founder of Mindful NYU, the largest campus-based mindfulness initiative in the US. Yael is a graduate of the IJS Jewish Mindfulness Teacher Training Certification.