In the Name of the Lord,
God of Israel,
Be Michael to my right,
Gabriel to my left,
In front of me, Uriel,
Behind me Raphael, and
Over my head the Divine Presence of God
Before bedtime, it is traditional to say “The Prayer of the Four Archangels,” or as it is called in the Siddur , “The Bedtime Shema.” The recital of the prayer calls upon Yahweh and the four archangels for protection against the dangers of the night.
Each angel has a specific purpose. Michael, whose name means “Who is like God,” guards the children of Israel. Gabriel, whose name means “God is my strength,” gives us strength and courage. Uriel, whose name means “God is my light,” lights our way through the darkness of the night. Raphael, whose name means “God is my healer,” guards our physical and emotional well being. The Divine Presence lends God’s comfort.
My First Icon – A Painted Prayer
After studying Icons that were created by the early Christan Church, I knew that I wanted to create an iconic work of art. One day while reading the Art Scroll Siddur ( a Jewish prayer book), I came across the Bedtime Shema. Wow! what an awesome prayer, and I wanted to paint the prayer using the principals I had learned. Hence the name of my company ” The Painted Voice.”
I hope that my first three blogs have inspired you to take a second look at iconic art and try creating your own piece of mystical art.