Turning & Returning: A Yom Kippur Poem

Turning & Returning: A Yom Kippur Poem

This poetic prayer by Rabbi Shelly Barnathan asks God to help us connect to the pure essence of our divine soul on Yom Kippur — as both individuals and a community. Based on the idea that Teshuvah, often translated as «repentance,» is actually about «returning» to our true selves, this prayer sees Yom Kippur as an opportunity for a spiritual home coming and return to oneness. Rabbi Shelly Barnathan is the rabbi of Or Zarua, a co-constructed spiritual community that aims to meet the spiritual needs of baby boomers and empty nesters in Philadelphia. This piece was shared on Ritualwell.org, a project of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College that provides a platform for creating new Jewish practices. 

Turning and Returning

Teshuvah… Turning and returning… To our breath, to our souls…

Elohai Neshamah Shenatah Bi, Tehorah Hi

My G-d, the Neshamah, the soul that you have given me is pure
You have placed it within me, given it to me at birth…
Within each one of us, there is a pure soul
A tender, soft place to which we can always return…

Today, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement… The Day of At-One-ment
We open to our Neshamot – to our pure, divine souls.
Finally becoming at-one with our truest selves….

As the gates of Teshuvah stand wide open to us on this Yom Kippur
Let us fully open our souls to forgiveness – forgiving loved ones, forgiving community
Forgiving ourselves…

The Neshamah, the breath of soul, allows us to access the Divine,
to reach the holy and sacred places within us…
We chant the prayer slowly and breathe its words:

Elohai Neshamah Shenatah Bi, Tehorah Hi

We return to the Neshamah, the soul

For it contains the breath, holds divinity, touches Oneness.
We return to our true selves… our best selves… our pure selves.

On this day of At-one-ment
Let us return to the best within us, individually and as a community

Elohai Neshamah Shenatah Bi, Tehorah Hi

My G-d, the soul of our community, the soul of each one of us

Is pure.

On this Day of At-one-ment,
We ask you, G-d,
Help us to open the gates of forgiveness
Help us to access our pure souls
Help us, Dear G-d, to finally be At-one.