On the Loss of a Beloved One, a prayer in the evening by Annie Josephine Levi (1900)

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=50300

Date: 2023-04-22

Last Updated: 2025-02-18

Categories: Mourning

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

Excerpt: "On the loss of a beloved one (in the evening)" was written by Annie Josephine Levi and published in her anthology of teḥinot in English, Meditations of the Heart (1900), pp. 156-157. . . .

Content:

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	On the loss of a beloved one
	The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21)
	God, as the shadows fall, betokening the close of day, my soul, too, is enwrapped in darkness, my spirit is o’erwhelmed in gloom. I would cry out to Thee in my affliction and ask that Thy chastening hand comfort me in these sad hours. To whom can I go but to Thee, Arbiter of my life and of that of the dear one whom Thou hast seen fit to take from me? To Thee alone must I confide my secret grief— the world outside can offer no consolation.
	O Healer of wounds, behold the inmost recesses of my being, and do Thou lend me strength to bear my trouble. Ere I close my eyes in sleep, let me hold communion with my God, and pray that I may not fall into the depths of hopelessness and despair. Thou wilt hear me, Father, for Thou lovest me. Thy chastening hand will also watch over my suffering spirit in the silent hours of night.
	Teach me not to murmur at Thy decrees, but rather to believe that whate’er Thou doest is best for me, that I may rise from my bed of sorrow purified, resigned. Aid me, and I shall endeavor not to complain, but give thanks unto Thee for Thy many mercies towards me.
	Let me awake tomorrow prepared to fulfill my earthly duties, and be helpful unto others. Praised be Thy Holy name. Amen.

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“On the loss of a beloved one (in the evening)” was written by Annie Josephine Levi and published in her anthology of teḥinot in English, Meditations of the Heart (1900), pp. 156-157.

Source(s)

 

Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Co-authors:

• 
  Name: Annie Josephine Levi
  Bio: Annie Josephine Levi (1868-1911) was an American Jewish writer and poet, the daughter of Joseph C. Levi (a prominent lawyer) and Dinah Julia Levi née Emanuel. Annie Levi arranged a prayerbook, Meditations of the Heart in 1900, containing prayers by her and others and with an introduction by Rabbi Gustav Gottheil. Aside from her contributing short stories, poems, essays and letters to periodicals around the turn of the century, we know very little else about this author. By the mid-1890s she was living with her family in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, and later too, at the time of her death in Manhattan, New York. Her paternal grandparents emigrated from England. If you know more about Annie Josephine Levi, please contact us.
  Website:
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/annie-josephine-levi
• 
  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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