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Most merciful God! With the Psalmist of old we may say: Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say: Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed againat me. The plowers plowed upon my back, they made long their furrows. The hand of man has been against us but none has been able to turn aside the eternal decree that Israel ahall be a blessing to the world. As the ancient people were delivered from Egyptian bondage, so, again and again they have been brought out safe from the snare of the fowler. We, their grateful descendants, thank thee and praise Thee that Thou hast ever been with us, that Thou didst command Right and Truth to guard us on the way we have gone. It is through the Lord’s great mercies that we have not been consumed. It is thy tender pity that has ever surrounded us and hovered over us as the eagle hovers o’er its nest. | |
When we were awearied waiting so long for the time of prediction that even now has not yet come, Thy servants ever inspired us with the hope that the end is worthy of our struggle, that the cause is worthy of the suffering it has brought. We thank Thee for all the words of comfort and cheer, for all the lessons of Duty and Love that Thy servants have given us. Inspired by their devotion ta Thee, they have uplifted a world. Their example has led men to strive for liberty. When the tyrant sought to enslave, our ancestors bravely revolted. Israel praising thee on the Red Sea’s banks for thy gracious protection has taught men never to suffer the godlike within them to become debased by bondage. | |
We ask Thee to continue Thy protection over us and all dear to us. Be pleased to protect our land and our homes. We are grateful that our lot has been cast in such pleasant places. We pray that more and more this people may appreciate its great blessings. May here men learn to love one another and to abide together in unity. May they learn that Thou alone art God, that Thou art Father of us all. May the genius of liberty that is so dear to this people spread all over the earth. May oppression cease, and ignorance depart. May the shadows flee away and the bright morning of liberty and love, of peace and joy be ushered in all the world over. May the knowledge of Thee increase and may men recognize Thy greatness and Thy goodness. May they learn to express their faith in Thee as Israel has unwaveringly announced it: Hear, O Israel, the Eternal is our God, the eternal God is Unity. (Deuteronomy 6:4) Amen. |
This is a concluding prayer in the Hallel service at the Passover seder by Rabbi J. Leonard Levy to his Haggadah or Home Service for the Festival of Passover (1896) pp. 32-34. The prayer does not appear in subsequent editions. The prayer threads the needle between the particularly Jewish communal focus of Passover and the universalist themes that animated Levy’s Liberal Jewish mission. –Aharon Varady
Source(s)


“Concluding Prayer for Hallel in the Home Service for the Festival of Passover, by Rabbi J. Leonard Levy (1896)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
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