Mi Shebeirach: The Jewish Prayer for Healing

Mi Shebeirach, the Jewish prayer for healing, is one of the most meaningful prayers in Judaism. We pray for healing and strength for not only those who are looking for a physical cure for their illness, but those who need spiritual healing too.

During services, there are different ways that your loved one might be included in the healing prayer. You might add your name to a list of people who are in need of healing and the rabbi calls out their names before the Mi Shebeirach prayer is sung. The rabbi might also have congregants stand in place at their pew and have them say the names aloud of their loved ones who need healing.

The prayer itself is so powerful that there are many ways to feel its effect. You don’t have to be in services to say these words. They are oftentimes said by families or friends on many occasions. And, someone who is ill in the hospital can listen to any of these three beautiful versions of the prayer on Youtube or Spotify and be touched by the melody.

Mi shebeirach avoteinu

M’kor hab’racha l’imoteinu

May the source of strength

Who blessed the ones before us

Help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing

And let us say Amen

Mi shebeirach imoteinu

M’kor habrachah l’avoteinu

Bless those in need of healing with r’fuah sh’leimah

The renewal of body, the renewal of spirit

And let us say Amen