Page:Annotated Edition of the Authorised Daily Prayer Book.djvu/38

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(Cf. Judges xiii. 19, but in the Hebrew Ecclus. הַמַפְלִיא לַעֲשׂוֺת בָּאָרֶץ is immediately followed by הַמְגַדֵּל אָדָם מֵרָחֶם).

All the remaining benedictions on this page, with one exception, are derived from the same Talmudic passage (Berachoth 60b) to which frequent reference has already been made. In the Talmud all these benedictions were said privately and at home while performing various acts on rising and dressing in the early morning. It was only at a later date that these benedictions were included in the Synagogue liturgy, and their significance was idealised. The passage in the Talmud runs: "When one opens one s eyes one should say, Blessed... who openest the eyes of the blind (פּוֹקֵחַ עִוְרִים); when he sits up, he shall say, Blessed...who loosest them that are bound (מַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים); when he dresses, he shall say, Blessed...who dothest the naked (מַלְבִּישׁ עֲרֻמִּים); when he straightens himself to his full height, he shall say, Blessed...who raisest up them that are bowed down (זוֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים); when he steps to the ground, he shall say, Blessed...who spreadest forth the earth above the waters (רוֹקַע הָאָרֶץ עַל־הַמָּֽיִם); when he walks, he shall say, Blessed...who hast made firm the steps of man (הַמֵּכִין מִצְעֲדֵי גָבֶר); when he puts on his shoes (and thus is prepared to go about his daily duties), he shall say, Blessed...who hast supplied my every want (שֶׁעָשָֹה לִּי כָּל־צָרְכִּי); when he ties on his girdle, he shall say, Blessed...who girdest Israel with might (אוֹזֵר יִשְֹרָאֵל בִּגְבוּרָה); when he binds his turban round his head, he shall say, Blessed...who crownest Israel with glory (עוֹטֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתִפְאָרָה) ; when he enwraps him self in a fringed garment, he shall say, Blessed...who hast commanded us to enwrap ourselves in the fringed garment (P.B. page 14, לְהִתְעַטֵּף בְּצִיצִית) ; when he puts the Tephillin on his arm, he shall say, Blessed...who hast commanded us to lay the Tephillin (P.B. page 16, לְהָנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין) ; when he puts the Tephillin on his head, he shall say, Blessed...who hast given us command concerning the precept of the Tephillin (P.B. page 16, עַל־מִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין) ; when he washes his hands, he shall say, Blessed...who hast given us command