Blessing for Wearing a Mask
At the JCC, we believe mask-wearing is more than a mandate, policy, or recommendation – it’s a mitzvah. As with so much of Judaism and our traditions, there’s a dualism in the word mitzvah; as both a commandment and a good deed. We believe our community is ready for more acts of kindness, more demonstration of care for each other, and more action to build a better world around us. Our values and traditions call us to do right unto each other and to do so actively and without judgment. That’s the mask mitzvah.
To honor this mitzvah, we invited local rabbis to join us in saying a blessing for wearing a mask.
Blessing for wearing a mask adapted from the work of Rabbi Michael Knopf.
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melech ha-olam, Asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu al sh’mirat ha-nefesh.
Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, who has sanctified us with divine commandments and has commanded us about protecting life.
Click here to read more about the creation of this blessing at The Forward.
Click here to read the JCC Mitzvah Mask Up message
Click here to read the Follow-up to Mitzvah Mask Up
