Page:Philip Birnbaum - ha-Siddur ha-Shalem (The Daily Prayer Book,1949).pdf/299

Evening Service for Sabbaths

and answer me. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing before thee, O Lord, my Stronghold and my Redeemer. May he who creates peace in his high heavens create peace for us and for all Israel. Amen.

May it be thy will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that, the Temple be speedily rebuilt in our days, and grant us a share in thy Torah. There we will serve thee with reverence, as in the days of old and as in former years. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former years.

Reader and Congregation:

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their host. By the seventh day God had completed his work which he had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work in which he had been engaged. Then God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it he rested from all his work which he had created.

Reader:

Blessed art thou, Lord our God and God of our fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob; great, mighty and revered God, supreme God, Master of heaven and earth.

Congregation:

He with his word was a shield to our fathers, and by his bidding he will revive the dead. He is the holy God,* like whom there is none. He gives rest to his people on his holy Sabbath day, for he is pleased to grant them rest. Him we will serve with reverence and

*Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur substitute: "holy King."

added in order to prolong the service for the convenience of late-comers. The synagogues were often located outside the precinets of the city (since the rulers did not tolerate Jewish worship within the confines of their municipalities), and it was dangerous to walk home alone at night. By prolonging the Sabbath-eve service, which was far better attended than weekday services, the late-comers were given an opportunity to finish their prayers with the rest of the congregation. (Rashi, Shabbath 24b; compare note on Bameh Madlikin, page 251).