[Prayer] on a Birthday, by Marcus Heinrich Bresslau (1852)

Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license

Date: 2020-06-11

Last Updated: 2020-06-20

Categories: Bnei (Bar/Bat) Mitsvah & Other Birthday Prayers

Tags: 19th century C.E., 57th century A.M., birthday prayers, English vernacular prayer, Jewish Women's Prayers, תחינות teḥinot

Excerpt: A prayer of gratitude on a regular birthday. . . .

Content:

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	Pure as the odour of flowers my thanks arise unto thee, O Lord, enthroned on high, on this morning on which I received my life from thee. In thousands of streams thy goodness flowed unto me; from my being unto this day I enjoyed thy paternal grace and truth; when sorrow and grief encompassed me, thy assistance was near, when I sank into pain and sickness, and cried, O Lord support and help me, thou lendedst me Thy paternal arm, and I was saved; when I tottered in the path of piety, and with a contrite spirit implored forgiveness of thee, thou heardst my supplication, and wast gracious unto me, For these and other inexpressible benefits, as well as for the troubles, through which thou sometimes triedst me, in order to further my spiritual weal, my soul sings praises unto thee this day.
	O may thy love also strengthen me in future, thy grace rejoice me in order that I, may in a worthy manner—consecrate my whole life unto Thee. Guide me in times of prosperity, and lend me fortitude in sorrowful days. Give me strength to practice to its full extent Thy commandment: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;”^[1] Leviticus 19:18. let me find my happiness in the fulfilment of my sacred duties, and in my obedience, so that I may at all times enjoy Thy favour and the good-will of men. Amen.

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Source (English)

Pure as the odour of flowers my thanks arise unto thee, O Lord, enthroned on high, on this morning on which I received my life from thee. In thousands of streams thy goodness flowed unto me; from my being unto this day I enjoyed thy paternal grace and truth; when sorrow and grief encompassed me, thy assistance was near, when I sank into pain and sickness, and cried, O Lord support and help me, thou lendedst me Thy paternal arm, and I was saved; when I tottered in the path of piety, and with a contrite spirit implored forgiveness of thee, thou heardst my supplication, and wast gracious unto me, For these and other inexpressible benefits, as well as for the troubles, through which thou sometimes triedst me, in order to further my spiritual weal, my soul sings praises unto thee this day.

O may thy love also strengthen me in future, thy grace rejoice me in order that I, may in a worthy manner—consecrate my whole life unto Thee. Guide me in times of prosperity, and lend me fortitude in sorrowful days. Give me strength to practice to its full extent Thy commandment: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;” let me find my happiness in the fulfilment of my sacred duties, and in my obedience, so that I may at all times enjoy Thy favour and the good-will of men. Amen.

Source(s)

Notes[+]

Notes
1	Leviticus 19:18.

Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription)

Co-authors:

Name: Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription)
Bio: 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.)
Website: https://aharon.varady.net
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/aharon-varady

Name: Marcus Heinrich Bresslau
Bio: Marcus Heinrich (also Mordecai Ḥayyim/Hyman/Heyman) Bresslau (ca. 1808-15 May 1864) was a Hebraist and newspaper editor. Born in Hamburg, he settled in England when young. For some time from 1834 he was Baal Ḳoreh (reader) at the Western Synagogue. He then taught Hebrew at the Westminster Jews’ Free School and went on to tutor privately. A maskil, he became involved with M. J. Raphall’s Hebrew Review and Magazine of Rabbinical Literature (1834-6). In October 1844 he was appointed editor of the relaunched Jewish Chronicle by proprietor Joseph Mitchell. Prickly and quarrelsome, he resigned in July 1848 but returned in around September. He remained until about October 1850. After Mitchell’s death in June 1854 he became proprietor (his middle name appearing as Heyman) and edited it until February 1855 when new proprietor Abraham Benisch succeeded him. Bresslau, who tried vainly to revive the Hebrew Review, wrote Hebrew poetry, produced a Hebrew grammar and a Hebrew dictionary, and translated various Hebrew manuscripts in the Bodleian Library. Bresslau compiled (we think) the first compilation of teḥinot in English for women. (Much of this information via Bresslau's entry in The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History)
Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Hyman_Bresslau
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/marcus-heinrich-bresslau

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Title: birthday prayer (Marcus Heinrich Bresslau 1852)
Caption: Detail of Marcus Heinrich Bresslau's Birthday Prayer.