“Give me peace of soul” a prayer for self-control by Rabbi Clifton Harby Levy (1927)

Contributor(s): Clifton Harby Levy and Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Shared on: 19 April 2023 under the Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication

Categories: Well-being, health, and caregiving

Tags: 20th century C.E., 57th century A.M., English vernacular prayer, Jewish Science movement, teḥinot in English, תחינות teḥinot

PEACE WITHIN
I want to be at peace with myself. I seek the harmony within, by which I know that all is well, and that I am in full accord in every part. I know myself as ONE, with many faculties, and endless powers, if I use them aright. I would not be disturbed by the rush and noise of life, seeking the perfect repose by which I remain at peace and quiet, no matter what goes on around me.
I am my own master, and will not permit my emotions to control me, or my passions to rise so high as to destroy my composure.
I am not made anxious by any thought that rises from my subconscious past, any unpleasantness of the present or fear of the future. I put aside with a smile every accidental suggestion which does not serve my purpose. I am in peace, at ease, because I am my better self, controlled and directed by my Spirit, which is the image of God within me.
I know myself, and seeing my weaknesses, I control them through the Spirit, by the ever ready aid of God. I know Him as my Support and Help and that gives me the sureness through which I am not moved to lose my hold upon my temper, or my feelings. I am at peace within, because I am ever at peace with all men and woimen, and will not quarrel, for nothing is worth an evil, hateful thought. I am at peace, because I feel that I am working with the laws of God, and that He too is working with me, because I am at peace.
I may do much, through love, through kindness and consideration. I can do little through force, or harshness. Through right thinking and doing good, I increase the peace within and add to good will all about me. I seek and pursue peace, through the inspiration of God.

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	Give me, O Lord, peace of Soul! Make all my powers of Spirit so strong that I can rule myself in greater harmony.
	Help me to control my passions, every moment, so that I shall not err.
	Let my Spirit grow so strong, that it shall keep my judgment clear, my body virile, and ever at command.
	Help me, O God, to better the direction of every faculty, so that I gain that peace within, which keeps me eager, yet quiet, confident, but humble, because I am not yet perfected in every part.
	Attune my heart to willing obedience to every fine suggestion of the great souls inspired by Thee, learning from the higher harmony of Spirit, mind and body.
	Give me of Thy grace, that I may check each evil impulse, and so master myself that I am more worthy of Thine aid and nearness.
	Let me find peace in greater sense of right, and keener perception of truth.
	Make me Thine own in Spirit and all must be well! Amen.

This untitled prayer by Rabbi Clifton Harby Levy accompanied his short essay, “Peace within” found in The Helpful Manual (Centre of Jewish Science, 1927), pp. 17-18.

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. Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication . 1.0 . Universal .

““Give me peace of soul” a prayer for self-control by Rabbi Clifton Harby Levy (1927)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 Universal license.

Clifton Harby Levy

Rabbi Clifton Harby Levy (1867–1962), was a Reform rabbi in the United States. Born in New Orleans, he was ordained at Hebrew Union College (1890), served as rabbi of Congregation Gates of Hope, New York City (1890–91), and as superintendent of classes for immigrant children established by the Baron de Hirsch Fund. Levy later served congregations in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (1892–94) and Baltimore, Maryland (1894–96), where he organized a Jewish kindergarten in a religious school and the first United Hebrew Charities. He founded Tremont Temple, Bronx, New York, and was its rabbi from 1906 to 1921. He left the pulpit rabbinate in 1921 and in 1924 organized the Centre of Jewish Science, New York City. As part of the Jewish Science movement, it sought to counter the influence of Christian Science among acculturated American Jews and to inject spirituality into the Reform Jewish synagogue. He was a founding member of the American Council for Judaism, which consisted primarily of anti-Zionist Reform rabbis and laymen. While still a student, Levy published a five-act Purim play, Haman and Mordecai (1886). During his stay in Baltimore he edited Jewish Comment. He edited The Bible in Art (1936) and The Bible in Pictures (1942), and served as art editor of the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia.

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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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

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