The Baal Shem Tov, or Besht —  the founder of Chasidism — 
met the soul of the Messiah during an ascent to heaven. 
The Besht asked him, "When will the Master come?" 
The Messiah answered, "When your wellsprings break forth to the outside!" 
(from a letter written by the Besht to his brother-in-law about one of his soul ascents) 

Prayers, blessings, and study texts for the Eclipse

Follow this link for more Earth prayers on neohasid.org.
Follow this link for a list of resources from all over the web

The crown of the sun, in Hebrew, atarah, becomes revealed only in the total eclipse. By all accounts, totality is a unique experience far different than witnessing a partial solar eclipse. It seems right therefore to say an additional blessing when one is privileged to see it. Here is one suggestion.

For the partial eclipse, when the sun’s light still fills the sky:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh Ha’olam `oseh ma`aseh v’reishit
Blessed be You YHVH/Adonai our God, Ruler of all space and time, maker of the work of Creation

For totality, when the sun’s atarah becomes visible:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁכּוֹחוֹ וּגְבוּרָתוֹ וְזִיווֹ מָלֵא עוֹלָם
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh Ha`olam shekocho ug’vurato v’zivo malei olam
Blessed be You YHVH/Adonai our God, Ruler of all space and time, whose power and might and radiance fill the universe.

A prayer to say anytime during the eclipse:

May the revelation of the sun’s wings bring us healing, as it says, וְזָרְחָה לָכֶם יִרְאֵי שְׁמִי שֶׁמֶשׁ צְדָקָה וּמַרְפֵּא בִּכְנָפֶיהָ — “And the sun of righteousness will shine for you and will bring healing in its wings, and you will go out and gambol like calves set free.” (Malachi 3:20/4:2) May we recognize with awe the grandeur of Your works, as it says, שְׂאוּ מָרוֹם עֵינֵיכֶם וּרְאוּ מִי בָרָא אֵלֶּה — “Lift on high your eyes and see: Who created these?” (Isaiah 40:26) so that we may filled with אַמִּיץ כֹּחַ courageous strength to heal the Earth from human destruction. May salvation arise for the heavens that shield and protect us (the atmosphere), so that sun’s rays will shine for blessing, for us and for all life.

All of the above along with more texts and verses can be found in neohasid's 3-page pdf.

Download the pdf

View, add, and share this google doc list of many wonderful and growing Jewish resources on the solar eclipse with texts, discussion, and liturgy, compiled by Rabbi Riqi Kosovske.

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Design in progress © Rabbi David Mevorach Seidenberg 2006