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Everlasting God! An altar of earth is acceptable in Thy sight, when we lay thereupon feelings of gratitude for Thy unceasing benefits. Yet, man’s natural impulse leads him to choose a place, on entering which the mind may be impressed with Divine awe. | |
Therefore Thou, who alone hast framed the human heart, didst bid Thy prophet in the days of yore to erect a Tabernacle, in which the liberated tribes might offer their prayers and oblations. | |
When by Thy wakeful Providence the people freed from bondage became a unit under David’s sceptre, Thy royal servant, sought to do Thee honor. Contrasting his gorgeous habitation with the humble tent wherein Thy holy ark was enshrined, he longed to rear unto Thee a Temple with splendor. His son—a man of peace— performed by Thy direction what Thou didst not allow his warlike father to accomplish. | |
Since that period, Thy chosen witnesses in the land of promise and in countries of exile, have set aside buildings dedicated to Thy service. Agreeably to the time and to the means possessed, have such structures received at the hands of Thy adorers adornments of appreciable worth. | |
Thy suppliants, O Lord! — the Congregation “Hope of Israel”— cited by sentiments akin to those which stirred within the breast of Thy sweet Psalmist, had erected whilom a comely edifice in glory to Thy name. They beheld with pain the injuries, which a score and three years[1] 23 years prior = 24 May 1860, near the time of the commencement of the Civil War. had wrought therein, and resolved to stay off the threatening decay. Women went forth to gather gold, and the faithful gave of their own to repair the house of God. | |
With hymns have we come unto Thy presence, because of our rejoicings. For Thine is the house, and its embellishments are a tribute of our love for Thy worship. Vouchsafe to accept the humble token and destine it to be the agent of salvation. | |
Grant O Lord! that our communion herein may purify our hearts and fit us to be patterns of virtue in our homes, and in the daily vocations we pursue. | |
Grant that our convocations may fill our minds with a knowledge fostering humility when we prosper, inspiring fortitude in our troubles, resignation to Thy will in time of sorrow. | |
And now we implore Thy blessing, O Father! Let it rest on our sisters, who labored to bring this auspicious end to pass, and on their brothers who aided in the completion of the task, and upon all who gave in response to the demand and suitably to their capacities. | |
May the merits thus acquired be manifested in the gladsome satisfaction of having done a righteous act, and in the continued fruition of life’s pleasures and prosperity. | |
At this on which recalls the mental agony of our ancestors, and their unlooked for liberation in the far off country of the East, we turn gratefully unto Thee, by reason of the tranquility we enjoy in this beloved land of the West. | |
Benedictions choice and abundant may flow down from the highest heaven upon the people, that Washington—the man of rectitude— formed, guided and protected. | |
May a residue of Israel abide here at ease, watched over by the laws which constitute human defence, and covered beneath the folds of that banner whose motto will ever be, civil and religious liberty to the native and the stranger. | |
Grant us this petition O Thou the only God and Saviour of mankind. Amen. |
This prayer appears in conclusion to “A Summary of the Centenary History of the Mikve Israel Congregation, by Rev. S. Morais” published in the The Jewish Record on 30 March 1883, a clipping of which is found on page 200in the Sobato Morais Scrapbook (a/k/a, the Morais Ledger).
Source(s)
Centennial Prayer for Ḳ.Ḳ. Mikve Israel [Jewish Record, 1883-03-30] (Sabato Morais Ledger, p. 200)
Notes
| 1 | 23 years prior = 24 May 1860, near the time of the commencement of the Civil War. |
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“Prayer for the Centennial of Ḳ.Ḳ. Miḳveh Israel (Philadelphia), by Rabbi Sabato Morais (30 March 1883)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.
Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription)
![Independence Day prayer [4 July 1863] (Sabato Morais Ledger p. 22, clip no. 023)](https://opensiddur.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Independence-Day-prayer-4-July-1863-Sabato-Morais-Ledger-p.-22-clip-no.-023-250x250.png)
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