Let us learn from the Jewish Prayer Tradition – 2

 

 

Creator of beginnings, as You created the world on this day, uniting fragments into a universe, so help unite our hearts and the hearts of all Jews to serve You. Illuminate our lives with the light of Your Torah, for by Your light do we see light. Grant us this year a glimpse of the light of redemption, the light of healing and of peace. Amen.

Blessed is the Eternal God, Ruler of the universe, who hallows us with mitzvoth, and commands us to kindle the lights of (Shabbat and) Yom Tov.

 

Blessed is the Eternal God, Ruler of the universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season.

Behold me, of little merit, trembling and afraid, as I stand before You to plead for Your people. O gracious God, the One enthroned by Israel’s praises, compassionate and loving, accept my petition and that of my people. Let them not be put to shame because of me, nor I because of them. Sinners though we are, let our prayers come before You innocent and sweet and pleasing, as though from hearts more worthy than ours. Let love be the banner we raise in Your sight, and let that love conceal all our sins and make them as though they had not been. Change our afflictions to joy and gladness, our misdeeds to acts of life. May our love of truth and peace remove all that hinders us from sincere and fruitful prayer.

 

O God supreme, God every age, God eternal, let my prayer find favor, for the sake of the righteous, the loyal, the honest and upright, and for the sake of Your own glorious purpose on earth. For you are the One who in mercy hears our prayer. Blessed are You, who hearkens to prayer.

 

 

Hear Me, Jacob,

Israel, whom I have called:

I am the One,

the Beginning and the End.

My own hand founded the earth

and spread out the skies.

Thus says the Eternal One,

who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who made the earth and all that grows in it,

who gives breath to its people

and spirit to those who walk on it.

 

I, the Eternal, have called you to righteousness,

and taken you by the hand, and kept you;

I have made you a covenant people,

a light to the nations:

to open blind eyes,

to bring the captives out of prison,

and those who sit in darkness from their dungeons.

 

Thus says the Eternal One,

Creator of heavens,

the One Who is:

 

I am, I will be, there is none else.

Justice is My speech,

right, My declaration.

The troubled past is forgotten,

hidden from My sight.

 

For behold,

I create a new heaven and a new earth,

the past forgotten, never called to mind.

Be glad, then,

and rejoice for ever in My creation.

Before us lies a new day,

and in the distance a new world.

ours to create,

by the strength of our faith.

I lift up my eyes to the mountain; what is the source of my help?

My help will come from the Eternal, Maker of heaven and earth.

God will not allow your foot to slip; your Guardian will not slumber. Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. The Eternal is your Keeper, the Eternal is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Eternal will guard you from all evil, and protect your being. The Eternal will guard you, coming and going, from this time forth, and for ever.

 

 

God of our people, hear our prayer:

We who speak are Jews.

            Remember

The bush You kindled once in the desert air,

Years ago, on Horeb’s lonely sand,

That fire You lit to set the centuries aflame

And say to us Your endless, perfect Name,

‘I am what I will be’—

It burns eternally now, that light

Upon our altars now, against the night.

And there are deserts still. We are the Jews;

We do not forget.

 

            Remember

The words You spoke in stone

And thunder.

            The mountain smoked

And the dismayed multitude

Stood off, hearing the first time

The words they could not refuse,

Fearing the burden and the God that set

Them into history.

And there are mountains still. We are the Jews.

We cannot forget.

 

We come here them. But something far more deep

Compels: the ancient desert dream we keep,

A people touched by God, a certain grace

That tells of You. We are

Locked with You in old identity,

Remembering the lightning of that place;

Something in us of Your awesome will,

Something of that mountain’s thunder, still.

 

Love us, as much as we will let You.

We are Your Jews,

We will not forget You.

 

In the seventh month,

on the first day of the month,

there shall be a sacred assembly,

a cessation from work,

a day of commemoration

proclaimed by the sound

of the Shofar.

 

[All rise]

 

Sound the Shofar when the new moon appears,

at the turning of the year,

at the turning of our solemn celebration.

For this is a stature binding on Israel,

an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

 

The Ark is opened.

 

May it be Your will, Eternal our God, God of all generations, that the year five thousand seven hundred and . . . bring to us and the whole House of Israel life and peace, joy and exaltation, redemption and comfort; and let us say: Amen.

 

Praise the Eternal, to whom our praise is due!

 

Praised be the Eternal, to whom our praise is due, now and for ever!

 

[The Ark is closed

Remain standing]

There was silence; there was chaos; there was a voice. A mind went forth to form worlds: now order reigns where chaos once held sway.

 

The law makes evening fall; the law brings on the dawn.

 

The moon follows accustomed paths, constellations their patterned ways.

 

Sovereign is the will that orders the stars in their courses in the endless skies: Sovereign is that will!

 

And how unyielding is the will of our people Israel! After the long nights, after the days and the years when our ashes blackened the sky, Israel endures, heart still turned to love, soul turning still to life.

 

So day and night, early and late, we will rejoice in the study of Torah, we will walk by the light of Mitzvot: they are our life and the length of our days. Praised be the Source of life and love, and Israel our people!

 

Hear, O Israel: the Eternal is our God, the Eternal is One!

 

Blessed is God’s glorious majesty for ever and ever!

 

[All are seated]

 

You shall love your Eternal God with all your mind, with all your strength, with all your being. Set these words, which I command you this day, upon your heart. Teach them faithfully to your children; speak of them in your home and on your way, when you lie down and when you rise up. Bind them as a sign upon your hand; let them be symbols before your eyes, inscribe them on the doorposts of your house, and on your gates.

Be mindful of all My Mitzvot, and do them: so shall you consecrate yourselves to your God. I am your Eternal God who led you out of Egypt to be your God; I am your Eternal God.

 

 

What does it mean to be a Jew? “You shall be holy.”

 

In the face of the many, to stand for the one; in the presence of fragments, to make them whole.

 

What does it mean to be a Jew? “You shall be a holy people.”

 

To hold fast to our vision of truth, to retain our faith in tomorrow.

 

Holy in our past is the memory of redemption from Egyptian bondage.

 

Holy in our day is the hope of a redemption we still await.

 

Twice holy in our past are those who gave their lives to hallow this world.

 

Holy is the Jew, today and tomorrow, who bears witness to the goodness of life.

 

And holy are those whose lives are songs in freedom’s cause:

 

Who is like You, Eternal One, among the gods that are worshipped?

Who is like You, majestic in holiness,

awesome in splendor, doing wonders?

In their escape from the sea, Your children saw Your sovereign might displayed. “This is my God!” they cried. “The Eternal will reign for ever and ever!”

Now let all come to say: The Eternal has redeemed Israel and all the oppressed. Blessed is the Eternal God.

 

May we lie down this night in peace, and rise up to life renewed. May night spread over us a shelter of peace, of quiet and calm, the blessing of rest.

 

There will come a time when morning will bring no word of war or famine or anguish; there will come a day of happiness, of contentment and peace.

Praise be the source of joy within us, for the night and its rest, for the promise of peace.

 

[All rise]

 

Eternal God, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your glory.

 

GOD OF ALL GENERATIONS

Praised be our God, the God of our fathers and our mothers:

God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob; God of Sarah,

God of Rebekah, God of Leah and God of Rachel; great, mighty, and awesome God, God supreme.

 

Ruler of all the living, Your ways are ways of love. You remember the faithfulness of our ancestors, and in love bring redemption to their children’s children for the sake of Your name.

 

Remember us unto life, Sovereign who delights in life, and inscribe us in the Book of Life, for Your sake, O God of life.

 

You are our Sovereign and our Help, our Savior and our Shield. Blessed is the Eternal One, shield of Abraham, Protector of Sarah.

 

Great is Your might, Eternal One, in this world; great is Your power in the worlds beyond.

 

Your love sustains the living, Your great compassion is the source of life. Your power is in the help that comes to the falling, in the healing that comes to the sick, in the freedom You bring to the captive, in the faith You keep with those who sleep in the dust.

  

Who is like You, Mighty One? Who is Your equal, Author of life and death, Source of salvation?

 

Who is like You, Source of mercy? In compassion You sustain the life of your children.

 

We trust in You to restore our life. Blessed is the Eternal One, Source of all life.

 

You are holy, Your name is holy and those who strive to be holy declare Your glory day by day.

 

[All are seated]

Eternal God, cause all Your works to stand in awe before You, and all that You have made to tremble at Your presence. Let all that lives revere You, and all creation turn to You in worship. Let them all become a single family, doing Your will with a perfect heart. For well we know, Eternal God, that Yours is the majesty, Yours the might; and awesome is Your name in all creation.

 

Grant honor to Your people, glory to those who revere You, hope to those who seek You, and courage to those who trust You: bless Your land with gladness and Your city with joy, and cause the light of redemption to dawn for all who dwell on earth.

 

Then the just shall see and exult, the upright be glad, and the faithful sing for joy. Violence shall rage no more, and evil shall vanish like smoke; the rule of tyranny shall pass away from the earth, and You alone shall reign over all Your works, as it is written:

 

The Eternal One shall reign for ever; your God O Zion, from generation to generation. Halleluyah!

 

You are holy; awesome is Your name; there is no God but You, as it is written:

 

The God of all being is exalted by justice, the holy God is sanctified by righteousness.

 

Blessed is our God, the holy Sovereign.

 

In love and favor, O God, You have chosen us from all the peoples, hallowing us with Your Mitzvot. Our Sovereign, You have summoned us to Your service, that through us Your great and holy name may become known in all the earth.

 

In your love, O God, You have given us this (Shabbat and this) Day of Remembrance, to hear the sound of the Shofar, to unite in worship, and to recall the Exodus from Egypt.

 

Our God and God of all ages, be mindful of Your people Israel on this Day of Remembrance, and renew in us love and compassion, goodness, life, and peace.

This day remember us for well-being. Amen.

This day bless us with Your nearness. Amen.

This day help us to live. Amen.

 

Our God and God of our ancestors, may You rule in glory over all the earth, and let Your grandeur be acclaimed throughout the world. Reveal the splendor of Your majesty to all who dwell on earth, that all Your works may know You as their Maker, and all the living acknowledge You as their Creator. Then all who breathe shall say: “The Sovereign God of Israel is the One whose dominion extends to all creation.’

 

Our God and God of our ancestors, sanctify us with Your Mitzvot, and let Your Torah be our way of life. (May our rest on this day be pleasing in Your sight.) Satisfy us with Your goodness, gladden us with Your salvation, and purify our hearts to serve You in truth; for You, O God, are Truth, and Your word is true for ever. (In Your gracious love, Eternal God, let Your holy Sabbath remain our heritage, that all Israel, hallowing Your name, may find rest and peace.) Blessed is the Eternal, who hallows (the Sabbath,) the House of Israel and Day of Remembrance.

 

Be gracious, Eternal God, to You people Israel, and received our prayers with love. O may our worship always be acceptable to You.

Fill us with the knowledge that You are near to all who seek You in truth. Pour out Your spirit upon us; let our eyes behold Your presence in our midst and it the midst of our people in Zion.

 

Blessed is the Eternal, whose presence gives life to Zion and all Israel.

 

We gratefully acknowledge that You are our Eternal God and God of our people, the God of all generations. You are the Rock of our life, the Power that shields us in every age. We thank You and sing Your praises: for our lives, which are in Your hand; for our souls, which are in Your keeping; for the miracles which are daily with us; and for Your wondrous gifts at all times, morning, noon, and night. You are Goodness: Your mercies never end; You are Compassion: Your love never fails. You have always been our hope.

 

For all these things, O Sovereign God, let Your name be forever exalted and blessed, and let life abundant be the heritage of all the children of Your covenant. O God our Redeemer and Helper, let all who live affirm You and praise Your name in truth. Eternal God, whose nature is Goodness, we give You thanks and praise.

 

Grant us peace, Your most precious gift, O Eternal Source of peace, and give us the will to proclaim its message to all the peoples of the earth. Bless our country, that it may always be a stronghold of peace, and its advocate among the nations. May contentment reign within its borders, health and happiness within its homes. Strengthen the bonds of friendship among the inhabitants of all lands, and may the love of Your name hallow every home and every heart. Teach us, O God, to labor for righteousness, and inscribe us in the Book of life, blessing and peace. Blessed is the Eternal God, the Source of peace.

 

O God, keep my tongue from evil and my lips from deceit. Help me to be silent in the face of derision, humble in the presence of all. Open my heart to Your Torah, that I may hasten to do Your Mitzvot. Save me with Your power; in time of trouble be my answer, that those who love You may be delivered.

 

May the words of  my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable to You, O God, my Rock and my Redeemer.

 

Or

 

May the One who causes peace to reign in the high heavens let peace descend on us, on all Israel, and all the world.

 

[All rise

The Ark is opened]

 

Avinu Malkeinu, hear our voice.

Avinu Malkeinu, we have sinned against You.

Avinu Malkeinu, have compassion on us and on our children.

Avinu Malkeinu, make an end to sickness, war, and famine.

Avinu Malkeinu, make an end to all oppression.

Avinu Malkeinu, inscribe us for blessing in the Book of Life.

Avinu Malkeinu, let the new year be a good year for us.

Avinu Malkeinu, give strength to Your people Israel.

Avinu Malkeinu, be gracious and answer us, for we have little merit. Treat us generously and with kindness, and be our help.

 

 

[The Ark is closed]

 

Blessed is the Eternal God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

 

Blessed is the Eternal God, Ruler of the universe, who has chosen us from all the peoples, hallowing us with the Mitzvot. In Your love, Eternal God, You have given us this (Shabbat and this) Day of Remembrance, to hear the sound of the Shofar, to unite in worship, and to recall the Exodus from Egypt. For you have chosen us from all peoples, consecrating us to Your service, and Your word is truth eternal.

 

Blessed is the Sovereign God, Ruler of all the world, who hallows (the Sabbath,) the House of Israel and the Day of Remembrance.

 

Blessed is the Eternal God, Ruler of the universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season.

 

[All rise]

We must praise the God of all, the Maker of heaven and earth, who has set us apart from the other families of earth, giving us a destiny unique among the nations.

 

We therefore bow in awe and thanksgiving before the One who is Sovereign over all, the Holy and Blessed One.

 

[All are seated]

You spread out the heavens and established the earth; You are our God; there is none else. In truth you alone are our ruler, as it is written: “Know then this day and take it to heart: the Eternal One is God in the heavens above and on the earth below; there is none else.”

 

We therefore hope, Eternal God, soon to behold the glory of Your might. Then will false gods vanish from our hearts, and the world will be perfected under Your unchallenged rule. And then will all acclaim You as their God, and, forsaking evil, turn to You alone.

 

Let all who dwell on earth acknowledge that unto You every knee must bend and every tongue swear loyalty. Before You, Eternal God, let them humble themselves. To your glorious name let them give honor. Let all accept the yoke of Your sovereignty, that You may rule over them soon and for ever.

 

For you are sovereign and to all eternity You will reign in glory, as it is written: “The Eternal God will reign for ever and ever.”

 

And it has been said: “The Eternal One shall reign over all the earth; on that day, O God, you shall be One and Your name shall be one”

 

At this sacred moment we turn our thoughts to those who have gone from life. We recall the joy of their companionship. We feel a pang, the echo of that intenser grief when first their death lay before our stricken eyes. Now we know that they will never vanish, so long as heart and thought remain within us. By love are they remembered, and in memory they live.

 

O God, grant that their memory may bring strength and blessing. May the nobility in their lives and the high ideals they cherished endure in our thoughts and live on in our deeds. May we, carrying on their work, help to redeem Your promise that life shall yet prevail.

 

Let the glory of God be extolled, let God’s great name be hallowed in the world whose creation God willed. May God’s rule soon prevail, in our own day, our own lives, and the life of all Israel, and let us say: Amen.

Let God’s great name be blessed for ever and ever. Let the name of the Holy one, the Blessed one, be glorified, exalted, and honored, though god is beyond all praises, songs, and adorations, that we can utter, and let us say Amen.

For us and for all Israel, may the blessing of peace and the promise of life come true, and let us pray: Amen.

May the one who causes peace to reign in the high heavens, let peace descend on us, on all Israel, and all the world, and let us say: Amen.

 

May the Source of peace send peace to all who mourn, and comfort to all who are bereaved. Amen.

 

You are the Eternal God, who reigned before any being had been created; when all was done according to Your will, already then You were Sovereign.

And after all has ceased to be, still will You reign in solitary majesty; You were, You are, You will be in glory.

And You are one; none other can compare to You, or consort with You; You are without beginning, without end; Yours alone are power and dominion.

And You are my God, my living Redeemer, my Rock in time of trouble and distress; You are my banner and my refuge, my benefactor when I call on You.

 

Into your hands I entrust my spirit, my body also: You are with me, I will not fear.

 

 

The God of all, who reigned supreme,

Ere first creation form was framed;

When all was finished by Your will,

Your name Almighty was proclaimed.

 

When this, our world, shall be no more.

In majesty You still shall reign,

Who was, who is, who will remain,

Your endless glory we proclaim.

 

Alone are You, beyond compare,

Without division or ally,

Without initial date or end,

Omnipotent You rule on high.

 

You are my God, my Savior You,

To whom I turn in sorrow’s hour—

My banner proud, my refuge sure,

Who hears and answers with You power.

 

Then in Your hand myself I lay,

And trusting sleep, and wake with cheer;

My soul and body are Your care;

You are my guard, I have no fear.