ISHEMA.
(3.) The third portion which constituted the ancient liturgy embraces the " Fif/hteen'" Benedictions (tlJI"';: nic;"), called, KaT i^oxip', the Prayer (H^Sn). They are as follows : a. (~T"3) " Blessed art thou, O Lord our
God, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; great, omnipotent, fearful, and most high (iod, wiio bountifully showest mercy, who art the possessor of all things, who rememberest the pious deeds of our fathers, and sendest the Redeemer to their children's children, for his mercy's sake is love, O our King, Defender, Sav- iour, and Shield! Blessed art thou, O Lord, the shield of Abraham!" 6. ("1125 tinS) "Thou art powerful, O Lord, world without enil; thou bringest the dead to life in great compassion, thou boldest up the falling, healest the sick, loosest the chained, and showest thy faithfulness to those that sleep in the dusl. Who is like unto thee, Lord of might, and Avho resembles thee (a Sovereign killing and bringing to life again, and causing salvation to flourish)? And thou art sure to raise the dead. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who raisest the dead!" c. (CJnp nrX) "Thou art holy, and thy name is holy, and the holy ones praise thee every day con- tinually. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the holy God !" d. ("lin tins) "Thou mercifully bestowest knowledge upon men and teaehest the mortal prudence. Merci- fully bestow upon us, from thyself, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who mercifully bestowest knowledge!" e. (Un"^'!^!!) "Our Father, lead us back to thy law ; bring us very near, 0 our King, to thy service, and cause us to return in sin- cere penitence into thy presence ! Blessed art thou, O Lord, who delightest in repentance!" Jl (n?D) "Our Father, forgive us, for we have sinned; our King, par- don us, for we have transgressed; for thou art forgiving and pardoning. Blessed art thou, O Lord, merciful and plenteous in forgiveness!" r/. (HXl) "Look at our mis- ery, contend our cause, and deliver us speedily, for thy name's sake, for thou art a mighty deliverer. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the deliverer of Israel!" /;. (1DNS1) "Heal us, 0 Lord, and we shall be healed; save us, and we shall be saved; for thou art our boast. Grant us a perfect cure for all our wounds; for thou, O Lord our King, art a faithful and merciful Physician. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who healest the sick of thy people Is- rael!" i. (IJ'^b" "T'la) "Bless to us, O Lord our God, for good this year, and all its kinds of produce; send thy blessing upon the face of the earth; satisfy us with thy goodness, and bless this year as the years b\'gone. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who blessest the seasons!" j, (S'pn) "Cause the great trumpet to proclaim our liberty; raise the standard for the gathering of our captives, and bring us together from the four corners of the earth. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who gatherest together the dispersed of Israel !" k. (il'Z'^'CTl) " Reinstate our judges as of old, and our coimcillors as of yore; remove from us sorrow and sighing; and do thou alone, O Lord, reign over us in mercy and love, and judge us in righteous- ness and justice. Blessed art thou, O Lord the King, who lovest righteousness and justice!" I. (C"^:"^'i'b'251) "Let the apostates have no hope, and let those who per- petrate wickedness speedily perish; let them all be sud- denly cut off; let the proud speedily be uprooted, broken, crushed, and humbled speedily in our days. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who breakest down the enemy and humblest the proud!" ni. (D"^pin:in b") "On the righteous, on the pious, on the elders of thy people, the house of Israel, on the remnant of the scribes, on the pious proselytes, and on us, bestow, O Lord our (iod, thy mercy; give ample reward to all who trust in thy name in sincerity, make our portion with them forever, and let us not be ashamed, for we trust in thee! Bless- ed art thou, O Lord, the support and refuge of the right- eous!" w. (C^baiT'^l) "To Jerusalem thy city in mer- cy return, and dwell in it according to thy promise; make it speedily in our daj' an everlasting building, and soon establish therein the throne of David. Bless-
SYNAGOGUE
SYNAGOGUE
ed art thou, O Lord, who buiklest Jerusalem !" n'. (IHX n"C:i) " The branch of David, thy servant, speedily cause to flourish, and exalt his Lorn with thy help, for we look to thy help all day. Blessed art tliou, O Lord, who causest to flourish the liorn of David!" o. {I'Xi'O 'i:bip) " Hear our voice, O Lord our God ; have pity and compassion on us, and receive with mercy and accept- ance our prayers, for thou art a God hearing prayer and supplications. Our King, do not send us empty away from tliy presence, for thou hearest the prayers of thy people Israel in mercy ! Blessed art thou, O Lord, who hearest prayer!" p. {Ti^"^) "Be favorable, O Lord our God, to thy people Israel, and to their prayer; restore the worship to thy sanctuary, receive lovingly the burnt-sacritice of Israel and their prayer, and let; the service of Israel thy people be always well-pleasing to thee. May our eyes see thee return to Zion in love. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who restorest thy Shechinah to Zion!" q. (D"''T10) "We thankfully confess before thee that thou art the Lord our God, and the God of our fathers, world without end, and that thou art the shepherd of our life and the rock of our salvation from generation to generation ; we render thanks unto thee and celebrate thy praises. Blessed art thou, O Lord, whose name is goodness, and whom it becomes to praise!" r. (C^b"^ D'^'J) "Bestow peace, happiness, blessing, grace, mercy, and compassion upon us and upon the whole of Israel, thy people. Our Father, bless us all unitedly with the light of thy countenance, for in the light of thy countenance didst thou give to us, O Lord our God, the law of life, loving-kindness, justice, blessing, compassion, life, and peace. INIay it please thee to bless thy people Israel at all times, and in ev- ery moment, with peace. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who blessest thy people Israel with peace!"