I Seek, a prayer by Rabbi Abraham Cronbach (1924)

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Abraham Cronbach and Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

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12 March 2024 under the Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication

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20th century C.E., 57th century A.M., Closing Prayers, English vernacular prayer, Humanist, humility, middot, מוסר mussar, תחינות teḥinot

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	Eternal God, in mercy hear this prayer! Not wealth, tho’ given by Thine all-bounteous hands, Nor fame’s bright crown, nor learning’s laurel fair, Nor eloquence that listening throngs commands; Not ease, nor joy nor power nor high degree, Is what I seek, Eternal One, of Thee.
	But do Thou make me humble, chaste and mild; With righteousness and truth endue this mind, To serve Thee, Lord, not earth’s vain pleasures wild, To scorn myself but live for human kind. A friend unto the friendless let me be: ’Tis this, O Power Divine, I seek of Thee.

Titled, “I Seek,” this prayer from Rabbi Abraham Cronbach concludes his collection of prayer, Prayers of the Jewish Advance (1924), on page 128.

Source(s)

Abraham Cronbach

Abraham Cronbach (February 15, 1882 – April 2, 1965) was a Reform movement rabbi in the United States, a teacher, and a leader and activist for Jewish pacifism. He served as a rabbi for congregations in Indiana, Ohio, and New York. Cronbach was one of the founders of the Peace Heroes Memorial Society and a co-founder of the Jewish Peace Fellowship.

Aharon N. Varady (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.)

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Wadi Rum Desert, Jordan (credit: Global Environment Facility, license: CC BY-NC-SA)

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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו׃ (תהלים צ:יז) · "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)

I Seek, a prayer by Rabbi Abraham Cronbach (1924)

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