correct and acceptable, good and beautiful is this faith[1] to us forever and ever. True it is that the eternal God is our King, the Stronghold of Jacob and our saving Shield. He exists throughout all generations; his name endures; his throne is firm; his kingship and his truth are forever established. His words are living and enduring, faithful and precious, forever and to all eternity, as for our fathers so also for us, for our children and future generations, and for all generations of the seed of Israel his servants.
Alike for the first and the last generations this faith is good and valid forever and ever; it is true and trustworthy, a law that will not pass away. True it is that thou art the Lord our God and the God of our fathers, our King and the King of our fathers, our Redeemer and the Redeemer of our fathers, our Maker and saving Stronghold, our Deliverer and Rescuer. Thou art eternal; there is no God besides thee.
Thou wast the help of our fathers from of old, and hast been a Shield and Savior to their children after them in every generation. In the heights of the universe is thy habitation, and thy justice and righteousness reach to the furthest ends of the earth. Happy is the man who obeys thy commands and takes thy Torah and thy word to heart. True it is that thou art the Lord of thy people, and a mighty King to champion their cause. True it is thatthou art the first and thou art the last, and besides thee we have no King who redeems and saves. From Egypt thou didst redeem us, Lord our God, and from the house of slavery thou didst deliver us; all their first-born thou didst slay, but thy first-born thou didst redeem; thou didst divide the Red Sea and drown the arrogant, but thy beloved people thou didst take across; the water covered their enemies, not one of them was left.
For this, the beloved people praised and extolled God; they offered hymns, blessings and thanksgivings to the King, the living and eternal God. He is high and exalted, great and revered; he brings low the arrogant, and raises up the lowly; he frees the
- ↑ הדבר הזה refers to the Shema as a solemn profession of the Oneness of God. The Shema is the watchword of Israel's faith, and it is the desire of every loyal Jew to have it upon his lips when he dies.
