Meditation on the Sabbath, by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)

Contributor(s):

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

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

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Erev Shabbat

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

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Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Meditation on the Sabbath.
	Thou, O Lord, hast commanded us to honour the Sabbath day, and to keep it holy. How best can I do this? Not by wearing finery, for it is man who looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
	I do not honour the Sabbath by parading the streets and staring into shop-windows; nor do I keep it holy by making it a day of feasting.
	But it is good for me to draw near unto Thee, to make the Lord God my refuge (Psalms 72:28). On the Sabbath day I must set apart some time for prayer, so that I may obtain strength and courage to go through the toil of the coming week.
	Even though I am tired out when the Sabbath comes, I will not spend too many hours in bed, so as to deny myself the benefit of having communion with Thee! for the entrance of Thy words giveth light; it gives understanding to the simple (Psalms 119:130).
	It is not displeasing unto Thee that I should rejoice on the Sabbath day, for it is Thy command that I should serve Thee with gladness. I will seek pure enjoyments, and try to share them with my parents, sisters, and brothers.
	It is not displeasing unto Thee that I should walk and take healthy exercise, for the glory of young people is their strength (Proverbs 20:29).
	I will strive to approach nearer to Thee, that I may see Thy light, and Thou wilt create in me a clean heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

“Meditation on the Sabbath” was written by Lilian Helen Montagu and published in Prayers for Jewish Working Girls (1895), pp. 18-19.

Source(s)

. Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication . 1.0 . Universal .

“Meditation on the Sabbath, by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 Universal license.

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.

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.)

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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