Jewish Perspective on Multiculturalism

1. And the Lord said to Abram, "Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you. 2. And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will aggrandize your name, and [you shall] be a blessing. 3. And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you." 5. And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had acquired, and the souls they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go to the land of Canaan, and they came to the land of Canaan. 6. And Abram passed through the land, until the place of Shechem, until the plain of Moreh, and the Canaanites were then in the land. 9. And Abram traveled, continually traveling southward.

Abram clashes with the Egyptian lewd culture

10. And there was a famine in the land, and Abram descended to Egypt to sojourn there because the famine was severe in the land. 11. Now it came to pass when he drew near to come to Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "Behold now I know that you are a woman of fair appearance. 12. And it will come to pass when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife,' and they will slay me and let you live. 13. Please say [that] you are my sister, in order that it go well with me because of you, and that my soul may live because of you." 14. And it came to pass when Abram came to Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very pretty. 15. And Pharaoh's princes saw her, and they praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh. 16. And he benefited Abram for her sake, and he had flocks and cattle and he donkeys and men servants and maid servants, and she donkeys and camels. 17. And the Lord plagued Pharaoh [with] great plagues as well as his household, on account of Sarai, Abram's wife. 18. And Pharaoh summoned Abram, and he said, "What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19. Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to myself for a wife? And now, here is your wife; take [her] and go." 20. And Pharaoh commanded men on his behalf, and they escorted him and his wife and all that was his.

10. And Jacob left Beer sheba, and he went to Haran. 11. And he arrived at the place and lodged there because the sun had set, and he took some of the stones of the place and placed [them] at his head, and he lay down in that place. 12. And he dreamed, and behold! a ladder set up on the ground and its top reached to heaven; and behold, angels of God were ascending and descending upon it. 13. And behold, the Lord was standing over him, and He said, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac; the land upon which you are lying to you I will give it and to your seed. 14. And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall gain strength westward and eastward and northward and southward; and through you shall be blessed all the families of the earth and through your seed. 15. And behold, I am with you, and I will guard you wherever you go, and I will restore you to this land, for I will not forsake you until I have done what I have spoken concerning you."

4. Jacob sent angels ahead of him to his brother Esau, to the land of Seir, the field of Edom.

5. And he commanded them, saying, "So shall you say to my master to Esau, 'Thus said your servant Jacob, "I have sojourned with Laban, and I have tarried until now.

6. And I have acquired oxen and donkeys, flocks, manservants, and maidservants, and I have sent to tell [this] to my master, to find favor in your eyes.' "

I have sojourned Heb. גַּרְתִּי. I did not become an officer or a dignitary, but a stranger (גֵּר) . It is not worthwhile for you to hate me on account of your father’s blessing, [with] which he blessed me (27:29):“You shall be a master over your brothers,” for it was not fulfilled in me (Tanchuma Buber Vayishlach 5). Another explanation: גַּרְתִּי has the numerical value of 613. That is to say: I lived with the wicked Laban, but I kept the 613 commandments, and I did not learn from his evil deeds.

16. So Esau returned on that day on his way to Seir.

17. And Jacob traveled to Succoth and built himself a house, and for his cattle he made booths; therefore he named the place Succoth.

18. And Jacob came safely [to] the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan aram, and he encamped before the city.

19. And he bought the part of the field where he had pitched his tent from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for a hundred kesitas.

And Jacob came safely Heb. שָׁלֵם, lit., whole, unimpaired in his body, for he was cured of his limp and whole with his money. He did not lose anything because of that entire gift that he had given Esau. [He was also] whole with his Torah, for he had not forgotten [any of] his studies in Laban’s house. — [from Gen. Rabbah 79:5, Shab. 33b]

1. Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

2. These are the generations of Jacob: when Joseph was seventeen years old, being a shepherd, he was with his brothers with the flocks, and he was a lad, [and was] with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought evil tales about them to their father.

3. And Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was a son of his old age; and he made him a fine woolen coat.

It is further expounded upon [as follows]: “dwelt” (verse 1) When Jacob sought to dwell in tranquility, the troubles of Joseph sprang upon him. The righteous seek to dwell in tranquility. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, “What is prepared for the righteous in the world to come is not sufficient for them, but they seek [also] to dwell in tranquility in this world!”

1. Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, Pharaoh's chamberlain, chief of the slaughterers, an Egyptian man, purchased him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.

2. The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.

3. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and whatever he (Joseph) did the Lord made prosper in his hand.

4. And Joseph found favor in his eyes, and he (Joseph) served him, and he (Potiphar) appointed him over his house, and all he had he gave into his hand.

5. Now it came to pass that since he had appointed him over his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the house of the Egyptian for Joseph's sake, and the blessing of the Lord was in all that he had, in the house and in the field.

6. So he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he knew nothing about what was with him except the bread that he ate; and Joseph had handsome features and a beautiful complexion.

7. Now it came to pass after these events that his master's wife lifted up her eyes to Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."

8. But he refused, and he said to his master's wife, "Behold, with me my master knows nothing about anything in the house, and all he has he has given into my hand.

9. In this house, there is no one greater than I, and he has not withheld anything from me except you, insofar as you are his wife. Now how can I commit this great evil, and sin against God?"

10. Now it came about when she spoke to Joseph day in and day out, that he did not obey her, to lie beside her [and] to be with her.

11. And it came about on a certain day, that he came to the house to do his work, and none of the people of the house were there in the house.

12. So she grabbed him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" But he left his garment in her hand and fled and went outside.

13. Now it happened, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside,

14. that she called to the people of her house, and she spoke to them, saying, "Look! He brought us a Hebrew man to mock us. He came to me to lie with me, but I called loudly.

15. And it happened that when he heard that I raised my voice and called out, he left his garment beside me, and he fled and went outside."

16. So she left his garment beside her, until his master came home.

17. And she told him the same thing, saying, "The Hebrew slave that you brought to us came to me to mock me.

18. And it happened when I raised my voice and called out, that he left his garment beside me and fled outside."

19. Now it came about when his master heard his wife's report that she spoke to him, saying, "Your slave did such things to me," that his wrath burned.

20. So Joseph's master took him and put him into prison, the place where the king's prisoners were imprisoned, and he was there in the prison.

21. The Lord was with Joseph, and He extended charisma to him, and He gave him favor in the eyes of the warden of the prison.

22. So the warden of the prison+ delivered all the prisoners who were in the prison into Joseph's hand, and whatever they did there, he [was the one who] did it.

23. The warden of the prison did not inspect anything [that was] in his (Joseph's) hand, for the Lord was with him, and whatever he did the Lord made prosper.

and Joseph had handsome features As soon as Joseph found himself [in the position of] ruler, he began eating and drinking and curling his hair. Said the Holy One, blessed be He: “Your father is mourning and you curl your hair! I will incite the bear against you.” Immediately afterwards“his master’s wife lifted up her eyes.” [from Tanchuma Vayeshev 8]

37. The matter pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.

38. So Pharaoh said to his servants, "Will we find [anyone] like this, a man in whom there is the spirit of God?"

39. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has let you know all this, there is no one as understanding and wise as you.

40. You shall be [appointed] over my household, and through your command all my people shall be nourished; only [with] the throne will I be greater than you."

41. So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Look, I have appointed you over the entire land of Egypt."

42. And Pharaoh removed his ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph's hand, and he attired him [with] raiment of fine linen, and he placed the golden chain around his neck.

43. And he had him ride in his chariot of second rank, and they called out before him, "[This is] the king's patron," appointing him over the entire land of Egypt.

44. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and besides you, no one may lift his hand or his foot in the entire land of Egypt."

45. And Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath Pa'neach, and he gave him Asenath the daughter of Poti phera, the governor of On, for a wife, and Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt.

46. And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and Joseph went out from before Pharaoh and passed through the entire land of Egypt.

47. And in the seven years of plenty, [the inhabitants of] the land gathered [food] by handfuls.

3. And He said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation.

4. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up, and Joseph will place his hand on your eyes.

5. And Jacob arose from Beer sheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob and their young children and their wives, in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

6. And they took their livestock and their possessions that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they came to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him.

7. His sons and his sons' sons with him, his daughters and his sons' daughters and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.

8. And these are the names of the children of Israel who were coming to Egypt: Jacob and his sons Jacob's firstborn was Reuben.

9. And the sons of Reuben were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.

10. And the sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, and Zohar, and Saul the son of the Canaanitess.

11. And the sons of Levi were Gershon, Kehath, and Merari.

12. And the sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. Now Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan; and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.

13. And the sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvvah, Iob, and Shimron.

14. And the sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

15. These are the sons of Leah, that she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, and Dinah his daughter. All the souls of his sons and daughters were thirty three.

He sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, to direct him to Goshen, and they came to the land of Goshen.

to direct him Heb. לְהוֹרֹת לְפָנָיו, as the Targum renders (לְפַנָאָה קֳדָמוֹהִי), to clear a place for him and to show him how to settle in it.

him [Lit., ahead of him.] Before he would arrive there. The Aggadic interpretation of [לְהוֹרֹת] is [that there should be teaching]: to establish for him a house of study, from which teaching would emanate. [From Tanchuma Vayigash 11]

And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years, and Jacob's days, the years of his life, were a hundred and forty seven years.

And Jacob lived Why is this section [completely] closed? Because, as soon as our father Jacob passed away, the eyes and the heart of Israel were “closed,” (i.e., it became “dark” for them) because of the misery of the slavery, for they (the Egyptians) commenced to subjugate them. Another explanation: That he (Jacob) attempted to reveal the End [of the exile] to his sons, but it was“closed off” (concealed) from him. [This appears] in Gen. Rabbah (91:1).

1. And these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt; with Jacob, each man and his household came:

2. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.

3. Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin.

4. Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

5. Now all those descended from Jacob were seventy souls, and Joseph, [who] was in Egypt.

6. Now Joseph died, as well as all his brothers and all that generation.

7. The children of Israel were fruitful and swarmed and increased and became very very strong, and the land became filled with them.

8. A new king arose over Egypt, who did not know about Joseph.

9. He said to his people, "Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more numerous and stronger than we are.

10. Get ready, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they increase, and a war befall us, and they join our enemies and depart from the land."

11. So they appointed over them tax collectors to afflict them with their burdens, and they built store cities for Pharaoh, namely Pithom and Raamses.

12. But as much as they would afflict them, so did they multiply and so did they gain strength, and they were disgusted because of the children of Israel.

13. So the Egyptians enslaved the children of Israel with back breaking labor.

14. And they embittered their lives with hard labor, with clay and with bricks and with all kinds of labor in the fields, all their work that they worked with them with back breaking labor.

15. Now the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one who was named Shifrah, and the second, who was named Puah.

16. And he said, "When you deliver the Hebrew women, and you see on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall put him to death, but if it is a daughter, she may live."

17. The midwives, however, feared God; so they did not do as the king of Egypt had spoken to them, but they enabled the boys to live.

18. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this thing, that you have enabled the boys to live?"

19. And the midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are skilled as midwives; when the midwife has not yet come to them, they have [already] given birth."

20. God benefited the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very strong.

21. Now it took place when the midwives feared God, that He made houses for them.

22. And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, "Every son who is born you shall cast into the Nile, and every daughter you shall allow to live."

Chapter 2

1. A man of the house of Levi went and married a daughter of Levi.

2. The woman conceived and bore a son, and [when] she saw him that he was good, she hid him for three months.

3. [When] she could no longer hide him, she took [for] him a reed basket, smeared it with clay and pitch, placed the child into it, and put [it] into the marsh at the Nile's edge.

4. His sister stood from afar, to know what would be done to him.

5. Pharaoh's daughter went down to bathe, to the Nile, and her maidens were walking along the Nile, and she saw the basket in the midst of the marsh, and she sent her maidservant, and she took it.

6. She opened [it], and she saw him the child, and behold, he was a weeping lad, and she had compassion on him, and she said, "This is [one] of the children of the Hebrews."

7. His sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call for you a wet nurse from the Hebrew women, so that she shall nurse the child for you?"

8. Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go!" So the girl went and called the child's mother.

9. Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will give [you] your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him.

10. The child grew up, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became like her son. She named him Moses, and she said, "For I drew him from the water."

18. He executes the judgment of the orphan and widow, and He loves the stranger, to give him bread and clothing.

19. You shall love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

20. You shall fear the Lord, your God, worship Him, and cleave to Him and swear by His Name.

21. He is your praise and He is your God, Who did these great and awesome things for you, which your eyes have seen.

22. With seventy souls, Your forefathers descended to Egypt, and now the Lord, your God, has made you as the stars of heaven in abundance.

1 And it came to pass in the days of Achashverosh, the same Achashverosh who ruled from Hodu to Cush, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces.

2 In those days, when King Achashverosh sat on his royal throne, which was in Shushan the capital --

3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast for all his ministers and servants; the army of Persia and Media, the nobles and all the ministers of the provinces in his service.

4 For many days, one hundred and eighty days, he displayed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the splendorous beauty of his majesty.

5 And when these days came to an end, the king made a seven-day feast in the courtyard of the king's palace garden, for all the people in Shushan the capital, nobleman and commoner alike.

6 There were hangings of white, green and blue, held by cords of linen and purple wool to silver rods and marble pillars. There were divans of gold and silver on a floor of alabaster and marble [arranged in patterns of] rows and circles.

7 Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of assorted design, and the royal wine was in abundance as befitting the king.

8 The drinking was by the law, without force, for so had the king ordered all the stewards of his household--to comply with the will of each man.

9 Queen Vashti, too, made a feast for the women in the royal palace of King Achashveirosh.

10 On the seventh day, when the king's heart was merry with wine, he ordered Mehuman, Bizzeta, Charvona, Bigta, Avagta, Zeitar and Charkas, the seven chamberlains who attended King Achashverosh,

11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king wearing the royal crown, to show her beauty to the nations and ministers, for she was indeed beautiful.

12 But Queen Vashti refused to appear by the king's order brought by the chamberlains, and the king grew furious and his wrath seethed within him.

13 So the king conferred with the wise men, those knowledgeable of the times--for this was the king's custom, to [bring such matters] before those who were versed in every law and statute.

14 Those closest to him were Carshina, Sheitar, Admata, Tarshish, Meress, Marsina and Memuchan. These were the seven ministers of Persia and Media, who had access to the king and ranked highest in the kingdom.

15 [He asked them:] "By law, what should be done with Queen Vashti for failing to obey the order of King Achashverosh, brought by the chamberlains?"

16 Memuchan declared before the king and the ministers: "It is not against the King alone that Queen Vashti has sinned, but against all the ministers and all the nations in all the provinces of King Achashverosh.

17 "For word of the queen's deed will reach all the women and it will belittle their husbands in their eyes. For they will say: 'King Achashverosh commanded that Queen Vashti be brought before him, yet she did not come!'

18 "This very day, the noblewomen of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's deed will repeat it to all the King's nobles and there will be much disgrace and anger.

19 "If it please the King, let a royal edict be issued by him, and let it be written into the laws of Persia and Media and let it not be revoked, that Queen Vashti may never again appear before King Achashverosh, and let the King confer her royal title upon another woman who is better than she.

20 "And the King's decree which he shall proclaim will be heard throughout his kingdom, for it is indeed great, and all the women will respect their husbands, nobleman and commoner alike."

21 The idea pleased the king and the ministers, and the king did as Memuchan had advised.

22 He sent letters to all the king's provinces--to each province in its script and to each nation in its language [saying] that every man shall be master in his home and that he speak the language of his nation.

CHAPTER II

1 After these events, when King Achashverosh's wrath had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed upon her.

2 So the king's attendants advised: "Let beautiful virgin girls be sought for the King.

3 "And let the King appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them gather every beautiful virgin girl to Shushan the capital, to the harem, under the charge of Heigai, chamberlain of the King, custodian of the women, and let their cosmetics be provided.

4 "And let the girl who finds favor in the King's eyes become queen in Vashti's stead." The plan pleased the king and he acted accordingly.

5 There was a Jewish man in Shushan the capital, whose name was Mordechai, son of Yair, son of Shim'iy, son of Kish, a Benjaminite,

6 Who had been exiled from Jerusalem with the exiles that had been exiled along with Jechoniah, King of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, had sent into exile.

7 He raised his cousin Hadassah, also called Esther, for she had neither father nor mother. The girl was of beautiful form and beautiful visage, and when her father and mother died, Mordechai adopted her as his daughter.

8 Now when the king's order and edict became known, and many girls were gathered to Shushan the capital under the charge of Heigai, Esther was taken to the palace under the charge of Heigai, custodian of the women.

9 The girl found favor in his eyes and won his kindness, so that he hurried to provide her with her cosmetics and meals, and the seven maids that were to be given her from the palace. He also transferred her and her maids to the best quarters in the harem.

10 [All the while] Esther did not divulge her race or ancestry, for Mordechai had instructed her not to tell.

11 And every day Mordechai would stroll in front of the harem courtyard to find out how Esther was faring and what would be done with her.

12 Now when each girl's turn came to go to King Achashverosh, after undergoing the prescribed twelve-month care for women --for only then would their period of beauty-care be completed: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and women's cosmetics--

13 With this the girl would appear before the king; she would be provided with whatever she requested to accompany her from the harem to the palace.

14 In the evening she would go [to the king], and in the morning she would return to the second harem, under the charge of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, custodian of the concubines. She would not go to the king again, unless the king desired her, whereupon she would be summoned by name.

15 And when the time came for Esther, daughter of Avichayil uncle of Mordechai, who had taken her as a daughter, to go to the king, she did not ask for a thing other than that which Heigai, the king's chamberlain, custodian of the women, had advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her.

16 Esther was taken to King Achashverosh, to his palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tevet, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 And the king loved Esther more than all the women and she won his favor and kindness more than all the virgins; he placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in Vashti's stead.

18 Then the king made a grand feast for all his ministers and servants, "The Feast of Esther." He lowered [taxes] for the provinces and gave presents befitting the king.

19 And when the virgins were gathered a second time, Mordechai was sitting at the king's gate.

20 Esther would [still] not divulge her ancestry or race, as Mordechai had instructed her. Indeed, Esther followed Mordechai's instructions just as she had done while under his care.

21 In those days, while Mordechai sat at the king's gate, Bigtan and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains from the threshold guards, became angry and planned to assassinate King Achashverosh.

22 The matter became known to Mordechai and he informed Queen Esther. Esther then informed the king of it in Mordechai's name.

23 The matter was investigated and found [to be true] and the two were hanged on the gallows. It was then recorded in the Book of Chronicles before the king.

CHAPTER III

1 After these events, King Achashverosh promoted Haman, son of Hamdata, the Agagite and advanced him; he placed his seat above all his fellow ministers.

2 All the king's servants at the king's gate kneeled and bowed before Haman, for so had the king commanded concerning him. But Mordechai would not kneel or bow.

3 The king's servants at the king's gate said to Mordechai, "Why do you transgress the King's command?"

4 And when they had said this to him day after day and he did not listen to them, they informed Haman to see if Mordechai's words would endure, for he had told them that he was a Jew.

5 When Haman saw that Mordechai would not kneel or bow before him, Haman was filled with wrath.

6 But he thought it contemptible to kill only Mordechai, for they had informed him of Mordechai's nationality. Haman sought to annihilate all the Jews, Mordechai's people, throughout Achashverosh's entire kingdom.

7 In the first month, which is the month of Nissan, in the twelfth year of King Achashverosh's reign, a pur, which is a lot, was cast before Haman, for every day and every month, [and it fell] on the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

8 Haman said to King Achashverosh, "There is one nation, scattered and dispersed among the nations throughout the provinces of your kingdom, whose laws are unlike those of any other nation and who do not obey the laws of the King. It is not in the King's interest to tolerate them.

9 "If it please the King, let [an edict] be issued for their destruction, and I will pay ten thousand silver talents to the functionaries, to be deposited in the King's treasuries."

10 The king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, son of Hamdata, the Agagite, persecutor of the Jews.

4. So said the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exile which I have exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon:

5. Build houses and dwell [therein], and plant gardens and eat their produce.

6. Take wives and beget sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to men, and they shall bear sons and daughters, and multiply there and be not diminished.

7. And seek the peace of the city where I have exiled you and pray for it to the Lord, for in its peace you shall have peace.

8. For so said the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets who are in your midst or your diviners mislead you, neither shall you heed your dreams, which you cause to dream.

9. For they prophesy to you falsely in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord.

10. For so said the Lord: For at the completion of seventy years of Babylon I will remember you, and I will fulfill My good word toward you, to restore you to this place.

11. For I know the thoughts that I think about you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

12. And you shall call Me and go and pray to Me, and I will hearken to you.

13. And you will seek Me and find [Me] for you will seek Me with all your heart.

14. And I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will return your captivity and gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will return you to the place whence I exiled you.

15. For you have said: The Lord has set up prophets for us in Babylon.

R. Chanina, the Vice-High-Priest, said, Pray for the welfare of the government, since but for the fear thereof men would swallow each other alive.

He who giveth salvation unto kings and dominion unto princes, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,-may he bless

Our Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth,

Philip Duke of Edinburgh,

The Prince and Princess of Wales,

And all the Royal Family.

May the supreme King of kings in his mercy preserve the Queen in life, guar her and deliver her from all trouble and sorrow. May he put a spirit of wisdom and understanding into her heart and into the hearts of all her counsellors, that they may uphold the peace of the realm, advance the welfare of the nation, and deal kindly and truly with all Israel. In her days and in ours, may our Heavenly Father spread the tabernacle of peace over all the dwellers on earth; and may the redeemer come unto Zion; and let us say, Amen.