[ANON POST] Jewish blessings

[kutsuwamushi]

I have a modern-day American Reform rabbi who's saying goodbye to some people she cares about (both Jewish and not) who're going off to fight with the forces of the Big Bad. Is there some sort of goodbye/do good things/try not to get killed blessing she would say to them? I've been looking at Hebrew blessings and farewells, but I haven't been able

Comments

[cysfics]

There's the blessing for traveling?

[sethg_prime]

But that’s generally said by the traveller him/herself, not by the person sending the traveller off.

[anonymous]

"Mazel tov" does literally mean "good luck," though it's not usually used that way. "B'hatzlecha" is more along the lines of "good luck" or "godspeed" or "you can do it." These aren't blessings in the traditional sense, but if we're talking about a reform rabbi she might throw it in anyway?

There's the Shehechiyanu, which is typically said at the start of a holiday. The words of the prayer, through, would be appropriate for the situation you describe: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shehecheyanu

[marycatelli]

"Mazel tov" means "[what] good luck [you had]", not "[may you have] good luck."

[anonymous]

"it's not usually used that way"

[lindenharp]

I'd second the suggestion for the travellers' prayer, which asks for protection from dangers along the way. The Wikipedia article here includes a link to a video of some Israeli soldiers reciting it in their tank, so I think it would work for your purpose.

[umlautless]

I would have thought the traveler's prayer myself, but I also punted this over to a friend of mine, who is an American Conservative rabbi, and she said "best I can do is suggest dedicating herself to reciting the entire book of Psalms over a month in honor of that person's safety. Otherwise, personal prayer is best."

[lovechilde]

There isn't a ritual form for it, as far as I know. Free-form 'may God grant you strength/protection/health/whatever' is about the best you can do. I think there'd a special prayer for the protection of soldiers, but a. I'll need to look it up and b. I've never heard it used outside of Israel, it's a modern prayer.