Everlasting, Selah, forever may He be glorified
Everlasting, Selah, forever may He be glorified in the mouths of all creatures. He is blessed, bless Him.
Might and power; in His mercies He gave me the strength to set out [la-‘arokh] and detail the order of the book of ‘Arukh.
I could not have hoped for the awesome deeds You performed for me until the book was entirely completed, without irresolution.
In His great kindnesses—for one who comes to be purified receives heavenly assistance [see b. Avodah Zarah 55a]—He assisted me and strengthened me, without letting me crumble.
I toiled over the difficult words, wrapped and replete with examples.
My aspiration was fulfilled on Tuesday, the nineteenth of the month [Adar] in which the despised [Mordechai] vanquished the despiser [Haman].
In the year 4861 from the creation of the world [1100/1], 1031 from the destruction of the charred Temple,
1413 according to the era of contracts [the Seleucid era] of a people compared to a sheep that is dumb before its shearers [see Isaiah 53:7].
The counting of these years began with the spread of the reign of those who ordered us to engrave blasphemy on the horns of the oxen who draw the wagons [i.e., the Greeks; see Lev. Rab. 13:5].
He strengthened my power in this endeavor. So may He strengthen me to learn more and teach my long, woven work.
May He renew my strength to guard and perform His precepts, for the good of the ones who run to the tower in the rock [see Proverbs 18:10].
Indeed, my work for my Creator is to give instruction1 among the people sent away without a bill of divorce [i.e., the Jews; see Isaiah 50:1].
For the sake of His holy name, may He speedily eradicate those who sacrifice to worthless gods.
May He quickly give us wings [see Isaiah 40:31] without weariness or stumbling, or with a broken strap [see Isaiah 5:27].
May He surely straighten the stooped from the blows of the crushers, and may He increase healing and give health to the crushed.
May He raise our horns with honor in the third group2 and make us worthy to delight in the lasting world.
Translated by Avi Steinhart.
Notes
[Or “to be joyful” or “to establish it as fixed.”—Trans.]
[Of the seven groups that will welcome the divine presence in the future; see b. Ḥagigah 14b.—Trans.]
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 3: Encountering Christianity and Islam.
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