And it's one that the ancient prayers, particularly those connected to seeking blessing and abundance, address head-on. Think about it: we ask for blessing, but we also ask for protection from that which diminishes blessing.

In the prayer Peri Etz Hadar (the Fruit of the Goodly Tree), there's this powerful line, a direct plea to the Divine. It echoes the words of the prophet Malachi: "And fulfill for us the word which you promised us through Malachi, Your seer, 'And I will banish the devourer from among you and he will not destroy the fruit of your earth and the vine of your field will not miscarry,' says YHVH Tsevaot." (Malachi 3:11).

YHVH Tsevaot. That's a powerful name, often translated as "Lord of Hosts." It speaks of a divine power that commands armies, a force capable of vanquishing any threat. And here, that threat is personified as "the devourer" – anything that would steal away our potential harvest, whether literal or metaphorical.

The prayer continues, shifting from a plea to a request for divine observation and intervention: "Look down from your sacred dwelling place in heaven and bless us this year with bounty and blessing." It’s a beautiful image, isn’t it? God looking down, bestowing favor.

The prayer then calls upon other verses from the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), weaving a tapestry of blessing. "You will make him a source of blessings forever, you will cause him to rejoice in the joy of Your countenance" (Psalm 21:7). It's a vision of unending blessing, a joy so profound it stems directly from the Divine Presence.

And finally, a promise of earthly abundance: "And the earth will bestow its harvest and the tree of the field will yield its fruit" (Leviticus 26:4).

What's so striking about this sequence is the interplay between divine promise and human action. We ask for the "devourer" to be banished, we seek God's gaze and blessing... and then we're reminded that the earth will respond. The potential is there. The abundance is waiting. But it requires both divine grace and our own efforts.

So, what does this mean for us today? Perhaps it's a reminder to be mindful of what "devourers" might be lurking in our own lives. What forces are stealing our joy, our creativity, our potential? And what can we do, in partnership with the Divine, to banish them and cultivate a harvest of blessing? What seeds can you plant today?