Prayer on the Declaration of War [against Imperial Germany], by Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz (Office of the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire 1914)

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=45186

Date: 2022-06-22

Last Updated: 2024-12-17

Categories: War, 🌐 Armistice Day (November 11th), 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Tags: 20th century C.E., 57th century A.M., British Jewry, German Empire, military, Second Reich, World War Ⅰ

Excerpt: "Prayer Composed by the Chief Rabbi on the Declaration of War. (August 1914.)," by Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz, was published in the Prayer Book for Jewish Sailors and Soldiers [of H.M. Forces] (Office of the Chief Rabbi 1914), p. 32. . . .

Content:

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
יְיָ אֱלֹהֵי צְבָאוֹת מַחֲסֶה לָנוּ וָעֹז עֶזְרָה בְצָרוֹת נִמְצָא מְאוֹד׃ בְּלֵב הֹמֶה וְרוּחַ נִדְכָּאָה נָבוֹאָה עָדֶיךָ הַיּוֹם בִּתְפִלָּה וּבְתַחֲנוּנִים׃ מוֹט הִתְמוֹטְטָה אָרֶץ חִיל אָחַז כׇּל יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ׃ קוֹל שָׁאוֹן וְקוֹל תְּרוּעָה נִשְׁמַע עַד יַרְכְּתֵי תֵבֵל מִפְּנֵי חֲמַת הַמֵּצִיק׃ בִּעוּתֵי מִלְחָמָה יַעַרְכוּנוּ עַד שְׁעָרֵינוּ הִגִּיעוּ׃	O Lord God of Hosts! thou art our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. With anxious minds and trembling hearts we approach thee to-day in prayer and supplication. Kingdoms shake and nations tremble. The shout of the warrior and the roar of battle resound to the ends of the earth because of the fury of the oppressor. The terrors of war are upon us; they have come close to our gates.
וּבְכׇל זֹאת לֹא נִירָא וְלֹא נִפְחָד׃ כִּי אַתָּה יְיָ הַבּוֹחֵן כְּלָיוֹת וָלֵב וְיוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת סִתְרֵי כׇל חָי תָּדִין אֶת דִּינֵנוּ וְתָרִיב אֶת רִיבֵנוּ׃ בְּךָ בָּטְחוּ אֲבֹתֵינוּ וַתְּפַלְטֵמוֹ׃ גַם הַיּוֹם לְךָ לְבַדְּךָ עֵינֵינוּ תְלוּיוֹת כִּי אַתָּה יְיָ מַשְׁפִּיל גֵּאִים וּמוֹשִׁיעַ יִשְׁרֵי לֵב׃ הוֹפַע רוּחַ חָכְמָה וְדַעַת עַל שָׂרֵינוּ וְיוֹעֲצֵינוּ וְתַקְּנֵם בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה מִלְּפָנֶיךָ׃ חַזֵּק וְאַמֵּץ אַנְשֵׁי צִבְאוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּם וּבַיַּבָּשָׁה וְהָיְתָה גְבוּרָה אֵזוֹר חֲלָצֵימוֹ׃ הָסֵר מֵעָלֵינוּ דֶבֶר וְרָעָב וְהַרְחְק יָגוֹן וְאֲנָחָה מִגְּבוּלֵנוּ׃	Yet we will not fear. Thou, who searchest the hearts of men and knowest the innermost thoughts of rulers, wilt judge our cause. Our fathers trusted in thee and thou didst deliver them. To thee alone our eyes are lifted up, who bringest low the haughty and protectest the upright in spirit. With thine own wisdom direct the rulers and counsellors of our nation [and correct them with your good counsel]. Gird our hosts with strength and courage on land and on sea [and may Fortitude be their strength in the hour of affliction]. Keep thou far from us pestilence and famine; and shield our homes from sorrow and hurt.
אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ שְׁמַע קוֹלֵנוּ חוּסָה עָלֵינוּ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ וְהָיָה צֶדֶק וּמֵישָׁרִים אֱמוּנַת עִתֵּינוּ׃ קָרֵב יוֹם צִדְקָתְךָ לְהִגָּלוֹת וְלֵב יְשָׁרִים הַרְנֵן וּפְרוֹשׂ בִּמְהֵרָה סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ עַל כׇּל יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל אַרְצֶךָ אָמֵן וְאָמֵן׃	Our Father, our King! hearken unto our cry; save us for thy name’s sake, so that loyalty and faithfulness be indeed the stability of our times. Speedily cause righteousness to triumph and the lovers of justice to rejoice; and hasten the day when thy tabernacle of peace shall be spread over all the children of men for evermore. Amen.

---

“Prayer Composed by the Chief Rabbi on the Declaration of War. (August 1914.),” by Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz, was published in the Prayer Book for Jewish Sailors and Soldiers [of H.M. Forces] (Office of the Chief Rabbi 1914), p. 32.

Source(s)

 

Contributor: Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth

Co-authors:

• 
  Name: Joseph Herman Hertz
  Bio: Joseph Herman Hertz (25 September 1872 – 14 January 1946) was a Jewish Hungarian-born rabbi and biblical scholar. He is most notable for holding the position of Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom from 1913 until his death in 1946, in a period encompassing both world wars and the Holocaust. Hertz edited a notable commentary on the Torah (1929–36, one volume edition 1937). Popularly known as the Hertz Chumash, this classic Hebrew-English edition of the Five Books of Moses, with corresponding Haftorahs, is used in synagogues and classrooms throughout the English-speaking world. He also edited a Hebrew-English edition of the Jewish Prayer Book or Siddur (1946), and contributed to the Jewish Encyclopedia and the Encyclopædia Britannica.
  Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Hertz
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/joseph-herman-hertz
• 
  Name: Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth
  Bio: The Office of the Chief Rabbi is the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth and is the senior rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations. The present incumbent is Ephraim Mirvis who leads the Office of the Chief Rabbi (OCR).
  Website: https://chiefrabbi.org
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/office-of-the-chief-rabbi
• 
  Name: Aharon N. Varady (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-transcription

Featured Image:

Title: prayer on the declaration of war (office of the chief rabbi 1914) – cropped
Caption: prayer on the declaration of war (office of the chief rabbi 1914) - cropped