Bible Thoughts for Every and Any Day, by Rabbi Clifton Harby Levy (1927)

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=50241

Date: 2023-04-19

Last Updated: 2025-03-29

Categories: Contemplation

Tags: 20th century C.E., 57th century A.M., Jewish Science movement, leket psukim

Excerpt: "Bible Thoughts for every and any day" by Rabbi Clifton Harby Levy are a selection of biblical verses he added to The Helpful Manual (Centre of Jewish Science, 1927), pp. 28-31, ostensibly for use in healthful spiritual contemplation. . . .

Content:

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
	Bible thoughts for every and any day.
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכׇל־מְאֹדֶךָ׃	1. And thou shalt love the Eternal thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy might. (Deut. 6:5)
רְאֵה נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ הַיּוֹם אֶת־הַחַיִּים וְאֶת־הַטּוֹב וְאֶת־הַמָּוֶת וְאֶת־הָרָע׃ אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לְאַהֲבָה אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ	2. See, I have set before thee this day life and good, death and evil, in that I command thee this day to love the Eternal thy God. (Deut. 30:15-16 part)
בְּחַבְלֵי אָדָם אֶמְשְׁכֵם בַּעֲבֹתוֹת אַהֲבָה	3. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love. (Hosea 11:4 part)
כִּי בִי חָשַׁק וַאֲפַלְּטֵהוּ אֲשַׂגְּבֵהוּ כִּי־יָדַע שְׁמִי׃	4. Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him. (Psalms 91:14)
יְהֹוָה עֻזִּי וּמָגִנִּי בּוֹ בָטַח לִבִּי וְנֶעֱזָרְתִּי וַיַּעֲלֹז לִבִּי וּמִשִּׁירִי אֲהוֹדֶנּוּ׃	5. The Lord is my strength and my shield, in Him hath my heart trusted, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth. (Psalms 28:7)
יְהֹוָה אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי מִמִּי אִירָא	6. The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; whom shall I fear? (Psalms 27:1 part)
אִמְרוּ לְנִמְהֲרֵי־לֵב חִזְקוּ אַל־תִּירָאוּ … וְשִׂמְחָה יַשִּׂיגוּ וְנָסוּ יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה׃	7. Say to them that are of a fearful heart: “Be strong, fear not! . . . (Isaiah 35:4 part) They shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 35:10 part)
אַל־תִּירָא כִּי עִמְּךָ־אָנִי אַל־תִּשְׁתָּע כִּי־אֲנִי אֱלֹהֶיךָ אִמַּצְתִּיךָ אַף־עֲזַרְתִּיךָ אַף־תְּמַכְתִּיךָ בִּימִין צִדְקִי׃	8. Fear thou not, for I am with thee. Be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I strengthen thee, yea, I help thee; yea, I uphold thee with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
וְרוּחִי עֹמֶדֶת בְּתוֹכְכֶם אַל־תִּירָאוּ׃	9. My Spirit abideth among you; fear ye not. (Haggai 2:5 part)
אַל־תִּירָאוּ תֶּחֱזַקְנָה יְדֵיכֶם׃	10. Fear not, but let your hands be strong! (Zechariah 8:13 part)
וְצַדִּיק בֶּאֱמוּנָתוֹ יִחְיֶה׃	11. The righteous shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4 part)
אָכֵן רוּחַ־הִיא בֶאֱנוֹשׁ וְנִשְׁמַת שַׁדַּי תְּבִינֵם׃	12. It is a Spirit in man, and the Breath of the Almighty that giveth them understanding. (Job 32:8)
לֵב טָהוֹר בְּרָא־לִי אֱלֹהִים וְרוּחַ נָכוֹן חַדֵּשׁ בְּקִרְבִּי׃	13. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a steadfast Spirit within me. (Psalms 51:12)
רְאוּ עַתָּה כִּי אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי אֲנִי אָמִית וַאֲחַיֶּה מָחַצְתִּי וַאֲנִי אֶרְפָּא	14. See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me; I kill and I make alive; I have wounded, and I heal. (Deut. 32:39 part)
אֲנִי־אָמַרְתִּי יְהֹוָה חׇנֵּנִי רְפָאָה נַפְשִׁי כִּי־חָטָאתִי לָךְ׃	15. O Lord, be gracious unto me; heal my soul; for I have sinned against Thee. (Psalms 41:5)
צוּף־דְּבַשׁ אִמְרֵי־נֹעַם מָתוֹק לַנֶּפֶשׁ וּמַרְפֵּא לָעָצֶם׃	16. Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)
בּוֹרֵא (נוב) [נִיב] שְׂפָתָיִם שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לָרָחוֹק וְלַקָּרוֹב אָמַר יְהֹוָה וּרְפָאתִיו׃	17. Peace, peace to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith the Lord that createth the fruit of the lips; and I will heal him. (Isaiah 57:19)
יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָי שִׁוַּעְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵנִי׃	18. O Lord, my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou didst heal me! (Psalms 30:3)
הַסֹּלֵחַ לְכׇל־עֲוֺנֵכִי הָרֹפֵא לְכׇל־תַּחֲלוּאָיְכִי׃ הַגּוֹאֵל מִשַּׁחַת חַיָּיְכִי הַמְעַטְּרֵכִי חֶסֶד וְרַחֲמִים׃ …תִּתְחַדֵּשׁ כַּנֶּשֶׁר נְעוּרָיְכִי׃	19. Who forgiveth all thine iniquity; Who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from the pit; Who encompasseth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies. (Psalms 103:3-4) …so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle. (Psalms 103:5 part)
יְהֹוָה מָעוֹז־חַיַּי מִמִּי אֶפְחָד׃	20. The Lord is the Stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalms 27:1 part)
כָּלָה שְׁאֵרִי וּלְבָבִי צוּר־לְבָבִי וְחֶלְקִי אֱלֹהִים לְעוֹלָם׃	21. My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the Rock of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalms 73:26)
בְּיוֹם קָרָאתִי וַתַּעֲנֵנִי תַּרְהִבֵנִי בְנַפְשִׁי עֹז׃	22. In the day that I called, Thou didst answer me; Thou didst encourage me in my soul with strength. (Psalms 138:3)
הִנֵּה אֱלֹהִים עֹזֵר לִי אֲדֹנָי בְּסֹמְכֵי נַפְשִׁי׃	23. Behold, God is my Helper; the Lord is for me as the Upholder of my soul. (Psalms 54:6)
וְשֹׁמֵעַ לִי יִשְׁכׇּן־בֶּטַח וְשַׁאֲנַן מִפַּחַד רָעָה׃	24. And he shall be quiet without fear of evil. (Proverbs 1:33)
אִם־תִּשְׁכַּב לֹא־תִפְחָד וְשָׁכַבְתָּ וְעָרְבָה שְׁנָתֶךָ׃ כִּי־יְהֹוָה יִהְיֶה בְכִסְלֶךָ	25. When thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. (Proverbs 3:24) For the Lord will be thy confidence. (Proverbs 3:26 part)
לֵב שָׂמֵחַ יֵיטִב פָּנִים וּבְעַצְּבַת־לֵב רוּחַ נְכֵאָה׃	26. A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance; but by sorrow of heart the Spirit is broken. (Proverbs 15:13)
גַּם כִּי־אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא־אִירָא רָע כִּי־אַתָּה עִמָּדִי	27. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me. (Psalms 23:4 part)
אֶהֱבוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה כׇּל־חֲסִידָיו אֱמוּנִים נֹצֵר יְהֹוָה… חִזְקוּ וְיַאֲמֵץ לְבַבְכֶם	28. O love the Lord, all ye His godly ones; the Lord preserveth the faithful. (Psalms 31:24 part) Be strong and let your heart take courage. (Psalms 31:25 part)
חֶסֶד־וֶאֱמֶת נִפְגָּשׁוּ צֶדֶק וְשָׁלוֹם נָשָׁקוּ׃	29. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (Psalms 85:11)
בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח וּמָחָה אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה דִּמְעָה מֵעַל כׇּל־פָּנִים	30. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. (Isaiah 25:8 part)
אַךְ לֵאלֹהִים דּוֹמִּי נַפְשִׁי כִּי־מִמֶּנּוּ תִּקְוָתִי׃	31. Only for God wait thou in stillness, my soul; for from Him cometh my hope. (Psalms 62:6)

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“Bible Thoughts for every and any day” by Rabbi Clifton Harby Levy are a selection of biblical verses he added to The Helpful Manual (Centre of Jewish Science, 1927), pp. 28-31, ostensibly for use in healthful spiritual contemplation.

Source(s)

 

Contributor: the Masoretic Text

Co-authors:

• 
  Name: Clifton Harby Levy
  Bio: 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.
  Website: https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/levy-clifton-harby
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/clifton-harby-levy
• 
  Name: the Masoretic Text
  Bio: The Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew and Aramaic text of the Tanakh for Karaite and Rabbinic Judaism. It was primarily copied, edited and distributed by a group of Jews known as the Masoretes between the 7th and 10th centuries CE. The Masoretic Text defines the Jewish canon and its precise letter-text, with its vocalization and accentuation known as the Masorah.
  Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masoretic_Text
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/mesorah
• 
  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

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