Prayer for Armed Forces in Combat, by Rabbi Dr. David de Sola Pool (1951)

Contributor(s):

Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription) and David de Sola Pool

Shared on:

8 June 2022 under the Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication

Categories:

Military Personnel & Veterans, War

Tags:

20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., English vernacular prayer, paraliturgical elohai neshamah, Cold War (1947–1953), United States in the Korean War

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Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	I am not alone, O God, for Thou art with me everywhere. Therefore I can be strong wherever I may be.
	And wherever I may be I cannot be far from the beauty and inspiration of the life that I knew when I was at home. For Thou hast given me not only a body but also a soul. That spirit which Thou hast breathed into me^[1] Cf. the prayer upon waking, Elohai Neshamah.” holds ever close within me the conscience and the striving after beautiful living, which gave so much light and loveliness to my childhood and youth.
	I did not always choose the good or always do the right, but I did not stand alone, for there were my loved ones at home, my teachers, my religious leaders, my true friends, and so many in the past who helped me toward clean, upstanding, and fine living. The blessing of their influence is still with me, and it lives on in my soul to uphold my own striving for betterment, for moral strength and for courage to do the right.
	So I pray Thee, O God, now that I am physically far away from home, help me to hold ever in my mind, in my heart, and in my soul the thought of all those influences for better living, the sense of nearness to my loved ones, and the feeling that Thou art with me everywhere at all times.
	With Thee upholding me I cannot be afraid. With me hearkening to Thy voice that speaks within my soul I cannot fail.
	Amen.

This prayer by Rabbi Dr. David de Sola Pool was included in the anthology, The Prayer Book of the Armed Forces (ed. Daniel A. Poling, 1951), pp. 72-73.

Source(s)

Notes[+]

Notes
1	Cf. the prayer upon waking, Elohai Neshamah.”

. Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication . 1.0 . Universal .

“Prayer for Armed Forces in Combat, by Rabbi Dr. David de Sola Pool (1951)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 Universal license.

Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription)

Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)

David de Sola Pool

David de Sola Pool (דוד די סולה פול;‎ 1885–1970) was the leading 20th-century Sephardic rabbi in the United States. A scholar, author, and civic leader, he was a world leader of Judaism. Born in London, England, de Sola Pool was descended from an old and renowned family of rabbis and scholars, de Sola, which traces its origins to medieval Spain. His great grandparents were Rabbi (R.) David Aaron de Sola and Rebecca Meldola, his great-great grandfather was Haham Raphael Meldola, a prominent English Rabbi. He was also related to R. Abraham de Sola, R. Henry Pereira Mendes and Dr. Frederick de Sola Mendes. He studied at the University of London. He held a doctorate in ancient languages, summa cum laude, from the University of Heidelberg. In 1907, de Sola Pool was invited to become the rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel — often called the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue — located in New York City, the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States. He served as its rabbi for 63 years.

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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." –Psalms 90:17