Something else I wish I'd written
Each morning we begin our prayers with a remarkable expression of gratitude.
In the graceful translation of Sim Shalom, it reads as follows:
Praised are You, Lord our God, King of the universe who with wisdom
fashioned the human body, creating openings, arteries, glands and organs,
marvelous in structure, intricate in design. Should but one of them, by
being blocked or opened, fail to function, it would be impossible to exist.
Praised are You, Lord, healer of all flesh who sustains our bodies in
wondrous ways. (p. 7)


I love the unvarnished specificity of these words that celebrate the reality of our bodies. Having just awakened, we are stirred by the discovery that
our body continues to function smoothly without pain or disorder, and we pause in thankfulness, mindful of how delicate is our endowment. We praise
God for one more day of well-being.

R. Ismar Schorsch, Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.