Jewish Prayers
Judaism is one of the oldest religions still existing today. It began as the religion of the small nation of the Hebrews, and through thousands of years of suffering, persecution, dispersion, and occasional victory, has continued to be a profoundly influential religion and culture. Today, 14 million people identify themselves as Jewish. Modern Judaism is a complex phenomenon that incorporates both a nation and a religion, and often combines strict adherence to ritual laws with a more liberal attitude towards religious belief. 1
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A Jewish Prayer for Peace
Come, let us go to the mountain of the Lord, that we may walk the paths of the Most High.
And we shall beat our swords into ploughshares and our spears into pruning hooks.
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more.
And none shall be afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts has spoken.
- U.N. Day of Prayer for World Peace 2
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How Wonderful, O Lord
How wonderful, O Lord, are the works of your hands!
The heavens declare Your glory,
the arch of the sky displays Your handiwork
In Your love You have given us the power
to behold the beauty of Your world
robed in all its splendor.
The sun and the stars, the valleys and the hills,
the rivers and the lakes all disclose Your presence.
The roaring breakers of the sea tell of Your awesome might,
the beast of the field and the birds of the air
bespeak Your wondrous will.
In your goodness you have made us able to hear
the music of the world. The voices of the loved ones
reveal to us that you are in our midst.
A divine voice sings through all creation.
- Jewish Prayer
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Jewish Prayer
And God saw everything that He had made, and found it very good.
And He said: This is a beautiful world that I have given you.
Take good care of it; do not ruin it.
It is said: Before the world was created, the Holy One kept
creating worlds and destroying them. Finally, He created this one,
and was satisfied. He said to Adam: This is the last world I
shall make. I place it in your hands: hold it in trust.
- Jewish Prayer
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Grant Us Peace
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.
Blessed is the Eternal God, the source of Peace.
- From The Gates of Prayer: The New Union Prayer Book,
by the Central Conferences of American Rabbis
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Hasidic Prayer for Peace
Lord of Peace, Divine Ruler, to whom peace belongs.
Master of Peace, Creator of all things.
May it be thy will to put an end to war and bloodshed on earth, and to spread a great and wonderful peace over the whole world, so that nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.
Help us and save us all, and let us cling tightly to the virtue of peace. Let there be a truly great peace between every person and their fellow, and between husband and wife, and let there be no discord between people even in their hearts.
Let us never shame any person on earth, great or small. May it be granted unto us to fulfill Thy Commandment to 'Love thy neighbor as thyself,' with all our hearts and souls and bodies and possessions.
God who is peace, bless us with peace.
- Rabbi Nachman ben Feiga of Breslov, 1773-1810
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It’s Harvest Time
It’s harvest time, It’s harvest time, How rich is nature’s yield In fruit of earth
And bush and tree, From orchard, farm and field.
It’s autumn time, It’s autumn time, When leaves turn gold and red.
In smiling sky And land and sea God’s glories are outspread.
It’s Sukkos time, It’s Sukkos time, This day of our Thanksgiving.
We hymn the praise Of God above For all the joys of living.
- Traditional Sukkos Song
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Lord We Praise You
For cities and towns, factories and farms, flowers and trees, sea and sky---
Lord we praise You for the world and its beauty.
For family and friends, neighbors and cousins---
Lord, we thank You for friendship and love.
For kind hearts, smiling faces, and helping hands---
Lord, we praise You for those who care for others.
For commandments that teach us how to live---
Lord, we thank You for those who help us to understand your laws.
And for making us one family on earth, the children of One God---
Lord we praise You, who made all people different, yet alike.
- Jewish Liturgy
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Blessed art Thou
Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God,
King of the world who makes the fruit of the tree.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God,
King of the world whose word makes all things on earth.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God,
King of the world who brings food out of the earth.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God,
King of the world who gives clothes to cover our bodies.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God,
King of the world who makes sweet smelling wood and plants.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God,
King of the world who has kept us alive until now so we may find joy in what has just come to us.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God,
King of the world who has created the wonderful things of earth and heaven.
- Hebrew prayer, North America
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Prayer
When I walk through thy woods,
May my right foot and my left foot
Be harmless to the little creatures
That move in its grasses: as it is said
By the mouth of thy prophet,
They shall not hurt nor destroy
In all my holy mountain.
- Rabbi Moshe Hakotun
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We Pray for All
We pray for all who come here this evening.
Although differences in thought and belief divide us,
let the desire to serve you,
the love of truth
and the pursuit of holiness unite us.
Strengthen the spirit of friendship
among people of various faiths
and increase mutual understanding between us.
We look to a time
when greater knowledge of you and your word
shall bind all who serve you
into one holy fellowship.
- Liberal Jewish Prayer Book
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Prayer for Peace
Let the rain come and wash away the ancient grudges, the bitter hatreds held and nurtured over generations.
Let the rain wash away the memory of the hurt, the neglect.
Then let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows.
Let the warmth of the sun heal us wherever we are broken.
Let it burn away the fog so that we can see each other clearly.
So that we can see beyond labels, beyond accents, gender or skin color.
Let the warmth and brightness of the sun melt our selfishness.
So that we can share the joys and feel the sorrows of our neighbors.
And let the light of the sun be so strong that we will see all people as our neighbors.
Let the earth, nourished by rain, bring forth flowers to surround us with beauty.
And let the mountains teach our hearts to reach upward to heaven.
- Rabbi Harold Kushner
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Quotes and Inspirations
Wherever people stand is holy ground. Whatever spot on earth you occupy can be sanctified to
God.
- Elimelech of Lyzhansk (Hassidic Master)
One generation goes and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
- Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) 1:4
All that we see – The heaven, the Earth, and all that fills it –
All these things are the external garments of God.
- Rebbe Shneour Zalman (1745-1813)
Upon creating the first human beings, God guided them around the Garden of Eden, saying; ‘Look
at my creations! See how beautiful and perfect they are! I created everything for you. Make sure
you don’t ruin or destroy My world. If you do, there will be no one after you to fix it.’
- Midrash Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) Rabbah 7:20
If not for the trees, human life could not exist.
- Midrash Sifre (Deuteronomy) 20:19
Three things are of equal importance: earth, humans, and rain…each word [in Hebrew] has three
letters to teach us that without earth, there is no rain, and without rain, the earth cannot endure, and without either, humanity cannot exist.
- B’reshit (Genesis) Rabbah 13:3
We must learn not to disassociate the airy flower from the earthy root, for the flower that is cut off from its root fades, and its seeds are barren, whereas the root, secure in mother earth, can produce flower after flower and bring their fruit to maturity.
- Kabbalah
God is peace, His name is peace, and all is bound together in peace.
- Zohar, Leviticus 10b
A person must draw strength from the understanding of the purpose of creation, rejoicing in advance in the inevitable reformation of the entire world and the arrival of peace for humanity.
- (Talmud, Truma)
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Reference Information
1 www.religionfacts.com/compare/religions
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