Book of Common Prayer
131 (Shir HaMa’alot, of Dovid). Hashem, my lev is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in gedolot, or in things too high for me.
2 Surely I have stilled and quieted my nefesh, as a child that is weaned of immo; my nefesh is even as a weaned child.
3 Let Yisroel hope in Hashem from henceforth and ad olam.
132 (Shir HaMa’alot) Hashem, remember Dovid, and all his afflictions;
2 How he swore unto Hashem, and vowed unto Avir Ya’akov (the Mighty One of Ya’akov);
3 Surely I will not come into the ohel of my bais, nor go up into my bed;
4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes, nor tenumah (slumber) to mine eyelids,
5 Until I find a makom (place) for Hashem, even mishkanot for the Avir Ya’akov.
6 Hinei, we heard of it at Ephratah; we found it in the sedei Ya’ar (fields of Ya’ar).
7 We will go into His mishkanot; we will worship at the hadom (footstool) of His raglayim.
8 Arise, Hashem, into Thy menuchah (resting place); Thou, and the Aron of Thy oz (might).
9 Let Thy Kohanim be clothed with tzedek; and let Thy chasidim sing for joy.
10 For the sake of Dovid Thy Eved, do not turn away the face of Thine Moshiach [see Isa 52:13; 53:11].
11 Hashem hath sworn in emes unto Dovid; He will not turn from His oath: Of the p’ri (fruit) of thy beten (body) will I set upon thy kisse (throne).
12 If thy Banim are shomer over My Brit and My Edot that I shall teach them, their Banim shall also sit upon thy kisse adei-ad (forevermore).
13 For Hashem hath chosen Tziyon; He hath desired her for His moshav.
14 This is My menuchah (resting place) adei-ad (forever); here will I dwell; for I have desired her.
15 I will place a bountiful brocha on her provision; I will satisfy her poor with lechem.
16 I will also clothe her Kohanim with Yesha (salvation); and her chasidim shall sing aloud for joy.
17 There atzmi’ach (I will make sprout i.e., Tzemach) the Keren of Dovid; I have ordained a ner (lamp) for My Moshiach.
18 His oyevim will I clothe with boshet (shame); but upon him [Moshiach] shall his nezer (crown) be resplendent.
133 (Shir HaMa’alot, of Dovid). Hinei, mah tov umah na’im shevet achim gahm yachad (how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity)!
2 It is like the precious shemen upon the rosh, that ran down upon the beard, even Aharon’s beard; that went down to the collar of his robes;
3 As the tal of Chermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Tziyon; for there Hashem commanded the brocha, even Chayyim Ad Olam.
134 (Shir HaMa’alot) Hinei, barakhu Hashem, kol avedei Hashem, which balailah stand [ministering] in the Bais Hashem.
2 Lift up your hands in the Kodesh [Beis Hamikdash], and barakhu Hashem.
3 Yevarekhecha Adonoi from Tziyon, Oseh Shomayim v’Aretz (the Maker of Heaven and Earth).
135 Praise Hashem. Halelu Shem Hashem; Halelu, O ye avadim of Hashem.
2 Ye that stand ministering in the Beis Hashem, in the khatzerot Beis Eloheinu.
3 Praise Hashem; for Hashem is tov; sing praise unto Shmo; for it is na’im (lovely, pleasing).
4 For Hashem hath chosen Ya’akov unto Himself, and Yisroel for His segullah (peculiar treasure).
5 For I know that Hashem is gadol, and that Adoneinu is above kol elohim.
6 Whatsoever Hashem pleases, that He does in Shomayim, and in HaAretz, in HaYam, and kol tehomot.
7 He causeth the clouds to ascend at the end of HaAretz; He maketh lightning for the matar (rain); He bringeth the ruach out of His otzarot.
8 Who struck down the Bechorei Mitzrayim, both of adam and behemah.
9 Who sent otot and mofetim into the midst of thee, O Mitzrayim, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his avadim.
10 Who struck down Goyim rabbim, and slaughtered melachim atzumim (powerful kings);
11 Sichon Melech HaEmori, and Og Melech HaBashan, and all the mamlechot Kena’an;
12 And gave their land for a nachalah, an inheritance unto Yisroel Amo (His people).
13 Thy Shem, Hashem, endureth l’olam; and Thy remembrance, Hashem, l’dor vador.
14 For Hashem will vindicate His people; He will have compassion on His avadim.
15 The idols of the Goyim are kesef and zahav, the ma’aseh yedei adam.
16 They have mouths, but they speak not; einayim have they, but they see not;
17 They have oznayim, but they hear not; neither is there any ruach in their mouths.
18 They that oseihem (make them) will be like them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
19 Barakhu Hashem, O Bais Yisroel; barakhu Hashem, O Bais Aharon;
20 Barakhu Hashem, O Bais HaLevi; ye that fear Hashem, barakhu Hashem.
21 Baruch Hashem out of Tziyon, which dwelleth at Yerushalayim. Praise Hashem.
19 And it was told Yoav, Hinei, HaMelech weepeth and mourneth for Avshalom.
2 (3) And the teshu’ah (salvation, deliverance) on that day was turned into evel (mourning) unto kol HaAm; for the people heard say that day how HaMelech was grieved for bno.
3 (4) And the people stole that day into the Ir [Machanayim] as people being ashamed steal in when they flee in milchamah.
4 (5) But HaMelech covered his face, and HaMelech cried with a kol gadol, O beni Avshalom, O Avshalom, beni, beni!
5 (6) And Yoav came into the bais to HaMelech, and said, Thou hast disgraced this day the faces of all thy avadim, which this day have saved thy nefesh, and the nefesh of thy banim and of thy banot, and the nefesh of thy nashim, and the nefesh of thy pilagshim (concubines);
6 (7) In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou hast no regard for sarim nor avadim; for this day I perceive, that if Avshalom had lived, and this day all we were mesim (dead ones), then it would have been yashar in thy sight.
7 (8) Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak to the lev unto thy avadim; for I swear by Hashem, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one ish with thee halailah (this night); and that will be worse unto thee than kol hara’ah that befell thee from thy youth until now.
8 (9) Then HaMelech arose, and sat in the sha’ar. And they told unto kol haAm, saying, Hinei, HaMelech doth sit in the sha’ar. And kol haAm came before HaMelech: for Yisroel had fled every ish to his ohel.
9 (10) And kol haAm were having dissension throughout kol Shivtei Yisroel saying, HaMelech saved us out of the palm of oyveinu (our enemies) and he delivered us out of the palm of the Pelishtim; and now he is fled from HaAretz because of Avshalom.
10 (11) And Avshalom, whom mashachnu (we anointed) over us, is dead in milchamah. Now therefore why are ye not speaking of bringing back HaMelech?
11 (12) And Dovid HaMelech sent to Tzadok and to Evyatar the kohanim, saying, Speak unto the Ziknei Yehudah, saying, Why are ye the last ones to bring HaMelech back to his Bais? Seeing the talk of kol Yisroel is come to HaMelech, even to his Bais.
12 (13) Ye are my brethren, ye are my atzmot and my basar; why then are ye the last ones to bring back HaMelech?
13 (14) And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my etzem, and of my basar? Elohim do so to me, and more also, if thou be not sar tzava before me continually in place of Yoav.
14 (15) And he swayed the levav kol Ish Yehudah, even as the lev of one man; so that they sent this word unto HaMelech, Return thou, and all thy avadim.
15 (16) So HaMelech returned, and came to Yarden. And Yehudah came to Gilgal, to go to meet HaMelech, to conduct HaMelech over Yarden.
16 (17) And Shimei Ben Gera, a Ben HaYemini, which was of Bachurim, hasted and came down with the Ish Yehudah to meet Dovid HaMelech.
17 (18) And there were an elef ish of Binyamin with him, and Tziva the na’ar of the Bais Sha’ul, and his fifteen banim and his twenty avadim with him; and they went over Yarden before HaMelech.
18 (19) And there went over a ferry to carry over the Bais HaMelech, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei Ben Gera fell down before HaMelech, as he was come over Yarden;
19 (20) And said unto HaMelech, Let not adoni impute avon (iniquity) unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy eved did perversely the day that adoni HaMelech went out of Yerushalayim, that HaMelech should take it to his lev.
20 (21) For thy eved doth know that I have sinned; therefore, hinei, I am come rishom (first) this day of all the Bais Yosef to go down to meet adoni HaMelech.
21 (22) But Avishai Ben Tzeruyah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Hashem’s Moshiach?
22 (23) And Dovid said, What have I to do with you, ye Bnei Tzeruyah, that ye should this day be as satan unto me? Shall there be ish put to death this day in Yisroel? For do not I know that I am this day Melech al Yisroel?
23 (24) Therefore HaMelech said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And HaMelech swore a shevu’a unto him.
24 And after chamash yamim, the Kohen Gadol Chananyah came down with some Zekenim and an orator, a certain Tertullus, who explained to the Moshel the charges keneged (against) Rav Sha’ul.
2 And when Rav Sha’ul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "Your Excellency, much shalom has been attained through you, and reforms have come to this nation by your foresight.
3 "This in every way and everywhere, we acknowledge, most excellent Felix, with todah rabbah.
4 "But in order that I may not detain you any longer, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly.
5 "For having found this man a troublemaker and an inciter of riots among all the Yehudim throughout kol ha’aretz, a manhig of the kat [of Judaism], the Natzrati Kat.
6 "He even tried to desecrate the Beis Hamikdash! And so we apprehended him, [and would have tried him according to our own law;]
7 ["But the sar haelef Lysias came, and with great ko’ach took him away out of our hands, and ordered his adversaries to come unto you.]
8 "When you examine him, you will be able to find out yourself regarding all these things of which we accuse him."
9 And the rest of the Judeans joined in the attack, saying that these things were so.
10 And when the Moshel nodded to him to speak, Rav Sha’ul answered, "Knowing that for many years you have been a shofet (judge) to this nation, I cheerfully make my hitstaddekut.
11 "You will be able to learn that not more than twelve days have elapsed since I made an aliyah to worship in Yerushalayim.
12 "And neither in the Beis Hamikdash did they find me conversing with anyone nor did they find me stirring up the multitude either in the shuls or anywhere in Yerushalayim.
13 "Nor are they able to prove to you concerning the things of which now they are accusing me.
14 "For Ani modeh (I confess) this to you, that according to the Derech Hashem, which they call a ‘kat’ [of Judaism], I serve the Elohei Avoteinu, having emunah in everything written according to the Torah and the Nevi’im.
15 "I have a tikvah (hope) in Hashem, which also these ones themselves anticipate, the coming Techiyas HaMesim of both the Tzaddikim and the Resha’im.
16 "In view of this, I always do my best to keep a matzpun naki (clear conscience) before Hashem and before anashim.
17 "Now after many years, I came bringing nedavot (donations) to my people and also to make korbanot (sacrifices).
18 "And this is how they found me, having undergone purification in the Beis Hamikdash, not with rioters nor with any disturbance.
19 "But there were some Yehudim from the Province of Asia who ought to be present before you to make accusation, if they might have something against me.
20 "Or let these themselves say what crime they found in me when they stood me before the Sanhedrin,
21 "unless it is about this one statement, which I stood and cried out among them, and that statement was concerning the Techiyas HaMesim, and it is for this that I am being judged today by you."
22 But Felix, who was already rather well informed about the Derech Hashem, adjourned the meeting, saying, "When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case."
23 Then Felix gave orders to the centurion to guard Rav Sha’ul, but to grant him considerable liberty and not to prevent his chaverim from ministering to his needs.
28 And one of the Sofrim approached and heard them debating, and seeing that Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach answered them well, asked him, Which mitzvah is rishonah of all the mitzvot?
29 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach answered, SHEMA YISROEL ADONOI ELOHEINU ADONOI ECHAD is harishonah.
30 VAHAVTA ES ADONOI ELOHECHA BKHOL LVAVCHA UVECHOL NAFSHECHA UVECHOL MODECHA. [DEVARIM 6:4,5]
31 And the shneyah is this, VAHAVTA LREACHA KAMOCHA [VAYIKRA 19:18]. There is not another mitzvah greater than these.
32 And the Baal Torah said to him, Well spoken, Rabbi, beemes you have said that Hashem is ECHAD (one, DEVARIM 6:4), and EIN OD and there is no other [YESHAYAH 45:18] except him. [DEVARIM 4:35,39; YESHAYAH 45:6,14; 46:9]
33 and to have ahavah for him BECHOL LVAVCHA (with all your heart) and with all your binah UVECHOL MODECHA (with all your strength DEVARIM 6:5) and LREACHA KAMOCHA (your neighbor as yourself, VAYIKRA 19:18) is greater [than] all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices. [SHMUEL ALEF 15:22; HOSHEA 6:6; MICHOH 6:6 8]
34 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, when he saw that this Torah teacher answered with chochmah (wisdom), said to him, You are not far from the Malchut Hashem. And no one was daring to put a she’elah (question) in front of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach again.
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