Night Prayer [after Work], by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)

Contributor(s):

Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription) and Lilian Helen Montagu

Shared on:

8 May 2023 under the Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication

Categories:

Labor, Fulfillment, and Parnasah, Bedtime Shema

Tags:

English vernacular prayer, teḥinot in English, paraliturgical hashkivenu, West Central Girls' Club, 19th century C.E., תחינות teḥinot, 57th century A.M., Jewish Women's Prayers

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Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Night prayer.
	Almighty God!—I thank Thee for having brought me safely to the end of another day, during which I have witnessed signs of Thy glorious power, and felt Thy tender Fatherly love.
	Help me to fight against terrifying thoughts. Let me lie down in perfect peace and rise up again to-morrow in good health.
	Oh let me not be afraid!
	On looking back on the day that is past, I remember many duties that I have performed carelessly, and many others that I have left altogether undone. My Father, I pray Thee to forgive me. Thou hast so ordained our lives that work and rest succeed one another— rest to give us Strength to work, and work to sweeten rest. Lord, teach me to use my time well, so that the flying years may not fill me with bitter regrets.
	As I lie down, I think of my loved family, sleeping near and round me. Bless them, guard them, and preserve them. Help me to do my duty to them all; uphold me in the battle of life, and when the time comes for me to go to Thee, let me deserve to be remembered with love by those I leave behind. Thou, my guardian, who neither slumberest nor sleepest, be Thou near me in this night and I shall not fear.
	I will both lay me down in peace and sleep; for Thou, Lord, makest me dwell in safety. (Psalms 4:8)

“Night Prayer” was written by Lilian Helen Montagu and published in Prayers for Jewish Working Girls (1895), pp. 9-10.

Source(s)

. Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication . 1.0 . Universal .

“Night Prayer [after Work], by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)” 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.)

Lilian Helen Montagu

The Hon. Lilian Helen "Lily" Montagu, CBE (22 December 1873 – 22 January 1963) was the first woman to play a major role in Progressive Judaism. Until the age of 15, she was educated at Doreck College, and privately educated thereafter. In 1893 she founded with Emily Marion Harris the West Central Jewish Girls Club (which subsequently merged into the Jewish Girls' Brigade). She was active in social improvement, particularly in respect to unemployment, sweat shops and bad housing. In 1901 and 1902, Montagu laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Jewish Religious Union in London. In February 1902 she arranged the first meeting of the Jewish Religious Union for the Advancement of Liberal Judaism at her sister Henrietta Franklin's house. The Union set up the first synagogue in Liberal Judaism in the UK and helped found the World Union for Progressive Judaism. Montagu was a founding member with her sister of the Jewish League for Woman Suffrage. She sat on the executive committee and led the meetings in prayer. Following the retirement of Leo Baeck, Montagu served for a brief stint (1955–1959) in her 80s as president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, before handing the reins over to Solomon Freehof.

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Works of related interest:

on ending apprenticeship and beginning paid work (Lilian H. Montagu 1895) - cropped

[Prayer] on Ending Apprenticeship and Beginning Paid Work, by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)

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Morning Prayer [before Work], by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)

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Meditation on Work, by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)

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[Prayer] on Leaving School and Beginning Apprenticeship, by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)

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A Prayer for Girls entering Domestic Service, by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)

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Prayer on Losing Some One Near and Dear, by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)

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night prayer (Lilian H. Montagu 1895) – cropped

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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