The Judgment of Solomon

1. Magnified and praised be the living God: he is, and there is no limit in time unto his being.

2. He is One, and there is no unity like unto his unity; inconceivable is he, and unending is his unity.

3. He hath neither bodily form nor substance: we can compare nought unto him in his holiness.

4. He was before anything that hath been created—even the first: but his existence had no beginning.

5. Behold he is the Lord of the universe: to every creature he teacheth his greatness and his sovereignty.

6. The rich gift of his prophecy he gave unto the men of his choice, in whom he gloried.

7. There hath never yet arisen in Israel a prophet like unto Moses, one who hath beheld his similitude,

8. The Law of truth God gave unto his people by the hand of his prophet who was faithful in his house.

9. God will not alter nor change his Law to everlasting for any other.

10. He watcheth and knoweth our secret thoughts: he beholdeth the end of a thing before it existeth.

11. He bestoweth loving kindness upon a man according to his work; he giveth to the wicked evil according to his wickedness.

12. He will send our anointed at the end of days, to redeem them that wait for the end—his salvation.

13. In the abundance of his loving kindness God will quicken the dead. Blessed for evermore be his glorious name.

He is Lord of the universe, who reigned ere any creature yet was formed:

At the time when all things were made by his desire, then was his name proclaimed King.

And after all things shall have had an end, he alone, the dreaded one, shall reign;

Who was, who is, and who will be in glory.

And he is One, and there is no second to compare to him, to consort with him:

Without beginning, without end: to him belong strength and dominion.

And he is my God—my Redeemer liveth—and a rock in my travail in time of distress;

And he is my banner and my refuge, the portion of my cup on the day when I call.

Into his hand I commend my spirit, when I sleep and when I wake:

And with my spirit, my body also: the Lord is with me, and I will not fear.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast sanctified us by thy commandments, and given us command concerning the washing of the hands.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast formed man in wisdom, and created in him many orifices and vessels. It is revealed and known before the throne of thy glory, that if one of these be opened, or one of those be closed, it would be impossible to exist and to stand before thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who healest all flesh and doest wondrously.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast sanctified us by thy commandments, and commanded us to occupy ourselves with the words of the Law.

Make pleasant, therefore, we beseech thee, O Lord our God, the words of thy Law in our mouth and in the mouth of thy people, the house of Israel, so that we with our offspring and the offspring of thy people, the house of Israel, may all know thy name and learn thy Law. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who teachest the Law to thy people Israel.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast chosen us from all nations and given us thy Law. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who givest the Law.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord turn his face unto thee, and give thee peace.

Mishnah. Treatise Peah, ch. i.

These are the things which have no fixed measure (by enactment of the Law): the corners of the field, the first fruits, the offerings brought on appearing before the Lord at the three festivals, the practice of charity and the study of the Law.—These are the things, the fruits of which a man enjoys in this world, while the stock remains for him for the world to come: viz., honoring father and mother, the practice of charity, timely attendance at the house of study morning and evening, hospitality to wayfarers, visiting the sick, dowering the bride, attending the dead to the grave, devotion in prayer, and making peace between man and his fellow; but the study of the Law is equal to them all.

O my God, the soul which thou gavest me is pure; thou didst create it, thou didst form it, thou didst breathe it into me; thou preservest it within me; and thou wilt take it from me, but wilt restore it unto me hereafter. So long as the soul is within me, I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord my God and God of my fathers, Sovereign of all works, Lord of all souls! Blessed art thou, O Lord, who restorest souls unto dead bodies.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the un verse, who hast given to the cock intelligence to distinguish between day and night.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast not made me a heathen.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast not made me a bondman.

Men say:—

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast not made me a woman.

Women say:—

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast made me according to thy will.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who openest the eyes of the blind.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who clothest the naked.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who loosest them that are bound.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who raisest up them that are bowed down.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who spreadest forth the earth above the waters.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast supplied my every want.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast made firm the steps of man.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who girdest Israel with might.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the. universe, who crownest Israel with glory.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who givest strength to the weary.

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who removest sleep from mine eyes and slumber from mine eyelids.

And may it be thy will, O Lord our God and God of our fathers, to make us familiar with thy Law, and to make us cleave to thy commandments, O lead us not into the power of sin, or of transgression or iniquity, or of temptation, or of scorn: let not the evil inclination have sway over us: keep us far from a bad man and a bad companion: make us cleave to the good inclination and to good works: subdue our inclination so that it may submit itself unto thee; and let us obtain this day, and every day, grace, favor and mercy in thine eyes, and in the eyes of all who behold us; and bestow loving kindnesses upon us. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who bestowest loving kindnesses upon thy people Israel.

May it be thy will, O Lord my God and God of my fathers, to deliver me this day, and every day, from arrogant men and from arrogance, from a bad mar., from a bad companion and from a bad neighbor, and from any mishap, and from the adversary that destroyeth; from a hard judgment, and from a hard opponent, whether he be a son of the covenant or be not a son or the covenant.

At all times let a man fear God as well in private as in public, acknowledge the truth, and speak the truth in his heart; and let him rise early and say:

Sovereign of all worlds! Not because of our righteous acts do we lay our supplications before thee, but because of thine abundant mercies. What are we? What is our life? What is our piety? What our righteousness?

What our helpfulness? What our strength? What our might? What shall we say before thee, O Lord our God and God of our fathers? Are not all the mighty men as nought before thee, the men of renown as though they had not been, the wise as if without knowledge, and the men of understanding as if without discernment? For most of their works are void, and the days of their lives are vanity before thee, and the pre-eminence of man over the beast is nought, for all is vanity.

Nevertheless we are thy people, the children of thy covenant, the children of Abraham, thy friend, to whom thou didst swear on Mount Moriah; the seed of Isaac, his only son, who was bound upon the altar the congregation of Jacob, thy first barn son, whose name thou didst call Israel and Jeshurun by reason of the love wherewith thou didst love him, and the joy wherewith thou didst rejoice in him.

It is, therefore, our duty to thank, praise and glorify thee, to bless, to sanctify and to offer praise and thanksgiving unto thy name. Happy are we! how goodly is our portion, and how pleasant is our lot, and how beautiful our heritage! Happy are we who, early and late, morning and evening, twice every day, declare:

Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Blessed be His name, whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever.

Thou wast the same ere the world was created; thou hast been the same since the world hath been created; thou art the same in this world, and thou wilt be the same in the world to come. Sanctify thy name upon them that sanctify it, yea, sanctify thy name throughout thy world; and through thy salvation let...