WATCH: Facebook Founder Cites ‘Mi Shebeirach’ Hebrew Prayer at Harvard Commencement Address

Traditionally, the Mi Shebeirach prayer is said in synagogue after the Torah is read. It is said as a prayer after one receives an aliyah to the Torah, for sick people, a mother after giving birth and the IDF. But yesterday Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg shared it in Hebrew, to thousands of graduates in his commencement speech at Harvard. Zuckerberg said he says it every whenever he faces a big challenge and at night to his daughter when he tucks her in at night.

WATCH VIDEO: Zuckerberg shares “Mi Shebeirach” towards the end.

Washington Post Reports: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg gave the commencement address at Harvard University on Thursday, closing his speech by sharing a Jewish prayer called the “Mi Shebeirach,” which he said he recites whenever he faces a big challenge and which he sings to his daughter, thinking of her future, when he tucks her in at night.

“It goes, ‘May the source of strength who blessed the ones before us help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing,’ ” he said. “I hope you find the courage to make your life a blessing.”

On Christmas Day last year, Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook status that he was “celebrating Christmas.” A commenter asked him if he was an atheist. Zuckerberg identified himself as an atheist for years, but on Facebook on Christmas he responded: “No. I was raised Jewish and then I went through a period where I questioned things, but now I believe religion is very important.”

He didn’t answer further questions about what he believes. He met Pope Francis in 2016 to discuss bringing communication technology to the world’s poor.

 

 

Read more at Washington Post