Parasha Ki Tavo · Deuteronomy 26:1–29:8

Ki Tavo is filled with blessings and instructions, reminding us that every threshold we cross carries spiritual possibility. Deuteronomy 28:6—“You shall be blessed when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go”—is one of my favorite verses in the entire Torah. It speaks to me of sacred entrances and exits: not only literal doorways, but the daily passages of life—the moments when we begin, when we complete, when we pause, when we transition.

I love this verse so much that I lettered it on the entry archway of my home in Florida, so that everyone who visited did so beneath words of blessing.

I moved to Philadelphia last year, and miss the constant visual reminder to seek blessing in the ordinary moments. And if you’d like to see how I created the dangles framing the words, here’s a short video I recorded a few years ago showing how to draw dangles on your wall: Watch the video.

This is the Ki Tavo spread from my new book, Illuminated Journey, that will be published in January 2026!

Prayer: Bountiful Blessings

A Prayer for Parasha 50, Ki Tavo

Source of Blessings,

We thank you for the blessing of LIFE
and for the gift of this new day.
May we use it wisely.

We thank you for the blessing of LOVE
and for the people we hold close in our hearts.
May those we love– and those they love–
be blessed with health and strength.

We thank you for the blessing of CREATIVITY
and for the opportunity to express ourselves.
May we discover and hone our unique gifts
and use them to make a difference for others.

We thank you for the blessing of PERSPECTIVE
and for the ability to look at things in new ways.
May the challenges we face
be catalysts for soul growth.

We thank you for the blessing of LIGHT
and for the beauty that surrounds us.
May we take time each day
to pause, reflect, and reconnect.

Bless us with the opportunity to be a blessing to others.
Enable us to keep hoping, keep searching, keep believing,
and to keep growing in awareness of our bountiful blessings.

Guided Journaling: Thresholds of Blessing

Reflect on your own “comings and goings” this week. Use these prompts to help you explore where blessings already live, and how you might bring more awareness to them:

Morning entry: How do you want to “come in” to each new day?
Evening exit: What blessing can you carry with you as you “go out” of the day?
Doorways of love: Who are the people you want to surround with health, love, and strength?
Creative threshold: What small act of creativity could bless you—or someone else—today?
Perspective shift: Where might a challenge you face be a catalyst for growth?
Pause: When was the last time you stopped to notice beauty? How can you build in more pauses to reconnect with it?
Blessing inventory: Write down five blessings you’re aware of right now. Which one could you share?

Looking for Blessings

Years ago, Ki Tavo inspired this journaling page, as well as my personal practice to look for the blessing in every situation– especially the most difficult ones.

Ki Tavo also inspired this coloring page, that you are welcome to download and color.

Join Me: ZenScribe HHD Tutorial (Final Session) Sunday at 5:30 Eastern Time

In case you missed last week’s blog, for the past couple of years I’ve been working on a new platform called ZenScribe, that makes it simple to create customized graphics, certificates, prayers, and more.

As a gift to the community, I am offering a FREE 30-day subscription to ZenScribe that you can use to quickly personalize a variety of HHD items:

Volunteer Appreciation Certificates
Rosh Hashanah Greeting Cards & Coloring Pages
High Holy Day Visual Tefillah Slides
Yizkor Graphics
Prayers for Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur

*Start Your Free Trial Today (No credit card required—full access for 30 days)

*You can pick any plan– and I recommend choosing the Deluxe Community Plan, as it will allow you to create the maximum number of designs.

In addition to High Holy Day resources, the free trial includes hundreds of options for lifecycle certificates, volunteer recognition awards, personalized prayers, greeting cards, memorial graphics, and more.

ZenScribe is a brand new platform, and I’d love your feedback. If there’s a product template you need that isn’t yet available, please let me know—I’ll do my best to add it.

If you’d like to create customized High Holy Day graphics—personalized prayers, blessings, and headers in a Zenspirations® style—join me for the last live ZenScribe tutorial this Sunday at 5:30 pm ET. I’ll demonstrate how to add your own words and colors to designs, and how to export files ready for print or screen. The Zoom session is FREE! Click here to get the link.

Closing Blessing

May God bless you
with strength and courage
when you need it most.

May you have the opportunity
to be a blessing to others,
and may God watch over you on your journey.

May you be surrounded by those you love,
and may you bring laughter and joy into their lives.

May the love you share come back to you tenfold,
and may all your dreams be fulfilled.