Blessing for my daughter at her Bat Mitzvah

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When we finished tying your tzitzit
you took the most important step of becoming a Bat Mitzvah.
It was not the act of tying the fringes;
it was the moment when you realized that it was yours. 
Truly yours —
not just as a possession, but something beyond that.
You made it yours by the work you put in
and by connecting each knot to your hopes and dreams,
to the things you are grateful for,
and to your own understanding of what it means to be a 
Jewish adult.
I made this tallit for you last summer with your dad,
but it is you who completed it. Today we will literally hand you the Torah, passing on our values to you, but it is up to you what you will do with it.

Just like your tallit, you will make Judaism your own.
The painted corners of your tallit represent the journey our ancestors took to the Promised Land, as well as your own journey;
these are my blessings for you at this stage in your life’s journey.
May you always be able to articulate your hopes for the future
as beautifully as you did when you tied the tzitzit
on the corners of your tallit.
May you be like the water, knowing when to let go and go with the flow. May you be guided by the wisdom of the Torah and our ancestors
even as you find your own way. May you climb the highest mountains
and know that you have the strength to keep going
even when you want to quit.
May you always know that you are never alone on life’s journey.
May you have the courage to be who you are
and to stand up for your ideals, even when it is not popular.
May you choose your own path
and never let others steer you in the wrong direction.

May you always have the freedom to be exactly who you are —
creative and inventive, passionate and caring,
and the coolest person I know.
May your love of books lead you to a lifetime of learning.
May you find expression for all your creativity
and share your gifts with the world.
May you use your strengths for good,
and may you come to know your own power.
May you remember that your actions matter —
that what you do in life matters,
so that you make a difference in the world for the better.
May all your dreams come true,
because you are the type of person to make them come true.
May you always remember that the blessing is in the journey.
May your eyes shine with the light of Torah
and may your face be radiant with your inner light
that you share with the world.

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