thy tents, O
Jacob! thy tabernacle, O Israel! O Lord, I have ever loved the
habitation of Thy house and the dwelling-place of Thy glory. We will
come unto Thy Tabernacle and worship at Thy footstool." They then
advanced, and the readers and choristers sang, "Blessed be he who
cometh in the name of the Lord: we will bless ye from the House of the
Lord," and other verses from the Sacred Scriptures bearing on the same
subject.
The procession then went round the almember in the Synagogue seven
times, during each circuit one of the seven Psalms--xclxi., xxx.,
xxiv., lxxxiv., cxxii., cxxx., c.--being chanted, after which Mr
Montefiore ascended the pulpit and offered up a Hebrew prayer, of
which the following is a translation:--
"Almighty God! whose eyes are upon all the ways of the sons of men,
and by whose will their paths are established; wherewith shall I come
before Thee, how shall I acknowledge the kindness Thou hast shown me
from my youth? How great the goodness Thou hast vouchsafed unto me, in
granting the fulfilment of the ardent desire Thou didst awaken in my
heart and in that of the companion of my life, to visit the
inheritance of our forefathers, to traverse the sea and behold the
Holy Land, a land which is under Thy special providence. Thou hast
protected us on our departure and aided our return: our steps failed
not, we have passed through the Land, our feet have stood within thy
gates, O Jerusalem! From the sight of our own eyes are we conscious of
the refulgent light that once shone brightly on our country, and which
yet faintly glimmers, though she has become desolate. Thou hast
inspired us with a contrite spirit to perceive and declare Thy
Almighty power over all the inhabitants of the world, therefore has
Thy servant found in his heart to offer this public thanksgiving for
Thy past bounties, and earnestly to implore Thy future protection in
this humble sanctuary. Out of Thine own gifts I dedicated it to Thee
as a freewill offering and a lasting testimony to show forth Thy
loving-kindness in the morning and Thy faithfulness every night. O
Lord God of Israel! incline Thine ear to the prayer of Thy servant.
Bless, I beseech Thee, my revered and honoured mother, grant her
length of days in the fulness of joy, and happiness with me, my
beloved wife, my brothers and sisters, and with all their descendants,
even unto the third and fourth generation. Strengthen our hearts to
observe Thy precepts at all times.
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