Page:Philip Birnbaum - ha-Siddur ha-Shalem (The Daily Prayer Book,1949).pdf/283

EVENING SERVICE FOR SABBATHS AND FESTIVALS Reader: Bless the Lord who is blessed.

Congregation and Reader: Blessed be the Lord who is blessed forever and ever.

Silent meditation: Blessed, praised, glorified, extolled and exalted be the name of the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be he, who is the first and the last, and besides him there is no God. Extol him who is in the heavens—Lord is his name, and rejoice before him. His name is exalted above all blessing and praise. Blessed be the name of his glorious majesty forever and ever. Let the name of the Lord be blessed henceforth and forever.

Blessed art thou, Lord our God, King of the universe, who at thy word bringest on the evenings. With wisdom thou openest, the gates of heaven, and with understanding thou changest the times and causest the seasons to alternate. Thou arrangest the stars in their courses in the sky according to thy will. Thou ere- atest day and night; thou rollest away light before darkness, and darkness before light; thou causest the day to pass and the night to come, and makest the distinction between day and night— Lord of hosts is thy name. Eternal God, mayest thou reign over us forever and ever. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who bringest on the evenings.

Thou hast loved the house of Israel with everlasting love; thou hast taught us Torah and precepts, laws and judgments. There- fore, Lord our God, when we lie down and when we rise up we will speak of thy laws, and rejoice in the words of thy Torah and in thy precepts for evermore. Indeed, they are our life and the length of our days; we will meditate on them day and night. Mayest thou never take away thy love from us. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who lovest thy people Israel.

SHEMA

(When praying in private, add: God is a faithful King).

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.

Blessed be the name of his glorious majesty forever and ever.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall