Judaism texts

The Story of Creation

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The earth was barren, with no form of life; it was under a roaring ocean covered with darkness.

But the Spirit of God was moving over the water.

The First Day

God said, “I command light to shine!” And light started shining.

God looked at the light and saw that it was good. He separated light from darkness and named the light “Day” and the darkness “Night.” Evening came and then morning—that was the first day.

The Second Day

God said, “I command a dome to separate the water above it from the water below it.”

And that's what happened. God made the dome and named it “Sky.” Evening came and then morning—that was the second day.

The Third Day

God said, “I command the water under the sky to come together in one place, so there will be dry ground.” And that's what happened. God named the dry ground “Land,” and he named the water “Ocean.” God looked at what he had done and saw that it was good.

God said, “I command the earth to produce all kinds of plants, including fruit trees and grain.” And that's what happened. The earth produced all kinds of vegetation. God looked at what he had done, and it was good. Evening came and then morning—that was the third day.

The Fourth Day

God said, “I command lights to appear in the sky and to separate day from night and to show the time for seasons, special days, and years. I command them to shine on the earth.” And that's what happened. God made two powerful lights, the brighter one to rule the day and the other to rule the night. He also made the stars. Then God put these lights in the sky to shine on the earth, to rule day and night, and to separate light from darkness. God looked at what he had done, and it was good. Evening came and then morning—that was the fourth day.

The Fifth Day

God said, “I command the ocean to be full of living creatures, and I command birds to fly above the earth.” So God made the giant sea monsters and all the living creatures that swim in the ocean. He also made every kind of bird. God looked at what he had done, and it was good. Then he gave the living creatures his blessing—he told the ocean creatures to live everywhere in the ocean and the birds to live everywhere on earth. Evening came and then morning—that was the fifth day.

The Sixth Day

God said, “I command the earth to give life to all kinds of tame animals, wild animals, and reptiles.” And that's what happened. God made every one of them. Then he looked at what he had done, and it was good.

God said, “Now we will make humans, and they will be like us. We will let them rule the fish, the birds, and all other living creatures.”

So God created humans to be like himself; he made men and women.

God gave them his blessing and said: Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth. I have provided all kinds of fruit and grain for you to eat. And I have given the green plants as food for everything else that breathes. These will be food for animals, both wild and tame, and for birds.

God looked at what he had done. All of it was very good! Evening came and then morning—that was the sixth day.

So the heavens and the earth and everything else were created.

The Seventh Day

By the seventh day God had finished his work, and so he rested.

God blessed the seventh day and made it special because on that day he rested from his work.” (Genesis 1, 2 1-3)

Prophets

Shout the message! Don't hold back. Say to my people Israel:

You've sinned! You've turned against the Lord.

Day after day, you worship him and seem eager to learn his teachings.

You act like a nation that wants to do right by obeying his laws.

You ask him about justice, and say you enjoy worshiping the Lord.

You wonder why the Lord pays no attention when you go without eating and act humble.

But on those same days that you give up eating, you think only of yourselves and abuse your workers.

You even get angry and ready to fight. No wonder God won't listen to your prayers!

Do you think the Lord wants you to give up eating and to act as humble as a bent-over bush?

Or to dress in sackcloth and sit in ashes? Is this really what he wants on a day of worship?

I'll tell you what it really means to worship the Lord.

Remove the chains of prisoners who are chained unjustly.

Free those who are abused!

Share your food with everyone who is hungry;

share your home with the poor and homeless.

Give clothes to those in need;

don't turn away your relatives.

Then your light will shine like the dawning sun, and you will quickly be healed.

Your honesty will protect you as you advance, and the glory of the Lord will defend you from behind.

When you beg the Lord for help, he will answer, “Here I am!” (Isaïah 58, 1-9a)

Don't fool yourselves! My temple is here in Jerusalem, but that doesn't mean I will protect you. I will keep you safe only if you change your ways. Be fair and honest with each other. Stop taking advantage of foreigners, orphans, and widows. Don't kill innocent people. And stop worshiping other gods. Then I will let you enjoy a long life in this land I gave your ancestors. (Jeremiah 7, 4-7)

“Some time later, I felt the Lord's power take control of me, and his Spirit carried me to a valley full of bones. The Lord showed me all around, and everywhere I looked I saw bones that were dried out. He said, “Ezekiel, son of man, can these bones come back to life?” I replied, “Lord God, only you can answer that.”

He then told me to say: Dry bones, listen to what the Lord is saying to you, “I, the Lord God, will put breath in you, and once again you will live. I will wrap you with muscles and skin and breathe life into you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

I did what the Lord said, but before I finished speaking, I heard a rattling noise. The bones were coming together! I saw muscles and skin cover the bones, but they had no life in them.

The Lord said: Ezekiel, now say to the wind, “The Lord God commands you to blow from every direction and to breathe life into these dead bodies, so they can live again.”

As soon as I said this, the wind blew among the bodies, and they came back to life! They all stood up, and there were enough to make a large army.” (Ezequiel 37, 1-10)

Some of the men and their wives complained about the Jews in power and said, “We have large families, and it takes a lot of grain merely to keep them alive.” Others said, “During the famine we even had to mortgage our fields, vineyards, and homes to them in order to buy grain.” Then others said, “We had to borrow money from those in power to pay the government tax on our fields and vineyards. We are Jews just as they are, and our children are as good as theirs. But we still have to sell our children as slaves, and some of our daughters have already been raped. We are completely helpless; our fields and vineyards have even been taken from us.”

When I heard their complaints and their charges, I became very angry. So I thought it over and said to the leaders and officials, “How can you charge your own people interest?” Then I called a public meeting and accused the leaders by saying, “We have tried to buy back all of our people who were sold into exile. But here you are, selling more of them for us to buy back!” The officials and leaders did not say a word, because they knew this was true. I continued, “What you have done is wrong! We must honor our God by the way we live, so the Gentiles can't find fault with us. My relatives, my friends, and I are also lending money and grain, but we must no longer demand payment in return. Now give back the fields, vineyards, olive orchards, and houses you have taken and also the interest you have been paid.” The leaders answered, “We will do whatever you say and return their property, without asking to be repaid.” So I made the leaders promise in front of the priests to give back the property.” (Nehemiah 5, 1-12)

Books of wisdom

“Nothing makes sense! Everything is nonsense. I have seen it all, nothing makes sense!

What is there to show for all of our hard work here on this earth?

People come, and people go, but still the world never changes.

The sun comes up, the sun goes down; it hurries right back to where it started from.

The wind blows south, the wind blows north; round and round it blows over and over again.

All rivers empty into the sea, but it never spills over; one by one the rivers return to their source.

All of life is far more boring than words could ever say.

Our eyes and our ears are never satisfied with what we see and hear.

Everything that happens has happened before; nothing is new, nothing under the sun.

Someone might say, “Here is something new!” But it happened before, long before we were born.

No one who lived in the past is remembered anymore, and everyone yet to be born will be forgotten too.” (Ecclesiastes 1, 2-11)

If you love money and wealth, you will never be satisfied with what you have. This doesn't make sense either. The more you have, the more everyone expects from you. Your money won't do you any good—others will just spend it for you. If you have to work hard for a living, you can rest well at night, even if you don't have much to eat. But if you are rich, you can't even sleep.

I have seen something terribly unfair. People get rich, but it does them no good. Suddenly they lose everything in a bad business deal, then have nothing to leave for their children. They came into this world naked, and when they die, they will be just as naked. They can't take anything with them, and they won't have anything to show for all their work.

That's terribly unfair. They leave the world just as they came into it. They gained nothing from running after the wind. Besides all this, they are always gloomy at mealtime, and they are troubled, sick, and bitter. What is the best thing to do in the short life that God has given us? I think we should enjoy eating, drinking, and working hard. This is what God intends for us to do. Suppose you are very rich and able to enjoy everything you own. Then go ahead and enjoy working hard, this is God's gift to you.” (Ecclesiastes, 5, 10-19)

“When someone dies, you should mourn and weep as though you were in pain.

Prepare the body to be buried, and attend the funeral.

Weep bitterly to show respect for the dead.

If you don't grieve at all, you will be criticized,

but don't mourn for longer than a day or two.

If you don't stop grieving, you will grow weak and die.

After a funeral, sorrow remains,

but don't let it drag you down into poverty.

Put away your grief and enjoy what is left of your own life.

You cannot bring back those who have died.

Grieving won't help them, and it can harm you.

Just remember that in the past, death caught up with them,

and in the future, it will catch up with you.

The dead are at rest, so be strong

and stop thinking about them all the time.” (Sirach 38, 16-23)

Psalms

“Listen, Lord, as I pray!

Pay attention when I groan.

You are my King and my God.

Answer my cry for help because I pray to you.

Each morning you listen to my prayer,

as I bring my requests to you

and wait for your reply.” (Psalm 5, 1-3)

“Listen, God, to my prayer!

Don't reject my request.

Please listen and help me.

My thoughts are troubled,

and I keep groaning.

My heart is racing fast,

and I am afraid of dying.

I am trembling with fear,

completely terrified.

I wish I had wings like a dove,

so I could fly far away and be at peace.

I would go and live in some distant desert.

I would quickly find shelter

from howling winds and raging storms.

I ask for your help, Lord God,

and you will keep me safe.

Morning, noon, and night

you hear my concerns and my complaints.” (From Psalm 55)

“I pray to you, Lord, please listen.

Don't hide from me in my time of trouble.

Pay attention to my prayer and quickly give an answer.

My days disappear like smoke,

and my bones are burning as though in a furnace.

I am wasting away like grass,

and my appetite is gone.

My groaning never stops,

and my bones can be seen through my skin.

I am like a lonely owl in the desert

or a restless sparrow alone on a roof.

Instead of food,

I have ashes to eat and tears to drink,

because you are furious and have thrown me aside.

My life fades like a shadow at the end of day

and withers like grass.” (From Psalm 102)

“I pray to you, Lord God, and I beg you to listen.

In days filled with trouble, I search for you.

And at night I tirelessly lift my hands in prayer, refusing comfort.

When I think of you, I feel restless and weak.

Because of you, Lord God, I can't sleep.

I am restless and can't even talk.

I think of times gone by, of those years long ago.

Each night my mind is flooded with questions:

“Have you rejected me forever?

Won't you be kind again?

Is this the end of your love and your promises?

Have you forgotten how to have pity?

Do you refuse to show mercy because of your anger?” (Psalm 77, 1-9)

“As a deer gets thirsty for streams of water,

I truly am thirsty for you, my God.

In my heart, I am thirsty for you, the living God.

When will I see your face?

Day and night my tears are my only food,

as everyone keeps asking,

“Where is your God?”

You are my mighty rock.

Why have you forgotten me?

Why am I discouraged? Why am I restless?

I trust you!

And I will praise you again because you help me,

and you are my God.” (From Psalm 42)

“My God, my God, why have you deserted me?

Why are you so far away?

Won't you listen to my groans and come to my rescue?

I cry out day and night, but you don't answer,

and I can never rest.

Our ancestors trusted you, and you rescued them.

When they cried out for help, you saved them,

and you did not let them down when they depended on you.

But I am merely a worm, far less than human,

and I am hated and rejected by people everywhere.

Everyone who sees me makes fun and sneers.

You, Lord, brought me safely through birth,

and you protected me when I was a baby at my mother's breast.

From the day I was born, I have been in your care,

and from the time of my birth, you have been my God.

Don't stay far off when I am in trouble with no one to help me.

I have no more strength than a few drops of water.

All my bones are out of joint; my heart is like melted wax.

My strength has dried up like a broken clay pot,

and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

You, God, have left me to die in the dirt.

Brutal enemies attack me like a pack of dogs,

tearing at my hands and my feet.

I can count all my bones,

and my enemies just stare and sneer at me.

They took my clothes and gambled for them.

Don't stay far away, Lord!

My strength comes from you,

so hurry and help.” (From Psalm 22)

“Please listen, Lord, and answer my prayer!

I am poor and helpless.

Protect me and save me because you are my God.

I am your faithful servant, and I trust you.

Be kind to me!

I pray to you all day.

Make my heart glad!

I serve you, and my prayer is sincere.

You willingly forgive,

and your love is always there for those who pray to you.

Please listen, Lord!

Answer my prayer for help.

When I am in trouble, I pray,

knowing you will listen.

Teach me to follow you, and I will obey your truth.

Always keep me faithful.

With all my heart I thank you.

I praise you, Lord God.

Your love for me is so great that you protected me

from death and the grave.

You, the Lord God,

are kind and merciful.

You don't easily get angry,

and your love

can always be trusted.” (From Psalm 86)

“Please listen, God, and answer my prayer!

I feel hopeless,

and I cry out to you from a faraway land.

Lead me to the mighty rock high above me.

You are a strong tower,

where I am safe from my enemies.

Let me live with you forever

and find protection under your wings, my God.” (From Psalm 61)

Our God, you bless everyone whose sins you forgive and wipe away.

You bless them by saying,

“You told me your sins, without trying to hide them,

and now I forgive you.”

Before I confessed my sins, my bones felt limp,

and I groaned all day long.

Night and day your hand weighed heavily on me,

and my strength was gone as in the summer heat.

So I confessed my sins and told them all to you.

I said, “I'll tell the Lord each one of my sins.”

Then you forgave me and took away my guilt.” (From Psalm 32)

“You are kind, God!

Please have pity on me.

You are always merciful!

Please wipe away my sins.

Wash me clean from all of my sin and guilt.

I know about my sins,

and I cannot forget my terrible guilt.

You are really the one I have sinned against;

I have disobeyed you and have done wrong.

So it is right and fair for you to correct and punish me.

I have sinned and done wrong since the day I was born.

But you want complete honesty, so teach me true wisdom.

Wash me with hyssop until I am clean and whiter than snow.

Let me be happy and joyful!

You crushed my bones, now let them celebrate.

Turn your eyes from my sin and cover my guilt.

Create pure thoughts in me and make me faithful again.

Don't chase me away from you or take your Holy Spirit away from me.

Make me as happy as you did when you saved me;

make me want to obey!

I will teach sinners your Law, and they will return to you.

Keep me from any deadly sin.

Only you can save me!

Then I will shout and sing about your power to save.

Help me to speak, and I will praise you, Lord.

Offerings and sacrifices are not what you want.

The way to please you is to feel sorrow deep in our hearts.

This is the kind of sacrifice you won't refuse.” (From Psalm 51)

“From a sea of troubles I call out to you, Lord.

Won't you please listen as I beg for mercy?

If you kept record of our sins, no one could last long.

But you forgive us, and so we will worship you.

With all my heart, I am waiting, Lord, for you!

I trust your promises.

I wait for you more eagerly than a soldier on guard duty

waits for the dawn.” (From Psalm 130)

“I offer you my heart, Lord God, and I trust you.

Don't make me ashamed or let enemies defeat me.

Don't disappoint any of your worshipers,

but disappoint all deceitful liars.

Show me your paths and teach me to follow;

guide me by your truth and instruct me.

You keep me safe, and I always trust you.

Please, Lord, remember, you have always been patient and kind.

Forget each wrong I did when I was young.

Show how truly kind you are and remember me.

You are honest and merciful,

and you teach sinners how to follow your path.

You lead humble people to do what is right

and to stay on your path.

In everything you do, you are kind and faithful

to everyone who keeps our agreement with you.

Be true to your name, Lord,

by forgiving each one of my terrible sins.

You will show the right path to all who worship you.

Our Lord, you are the friend of your worshipers,

and you make an agreement with all of us.

I always look to you,

because you rescue me from every trap.

I am lonely and troubled.

Show that you care and have pity on me.

My awful worries keep growing.

Rescue me from sadness.

See my troubles and misery and forgive my sins.

Protect me, keep me safe,

and don't disappoint me.

I obey you with all my heart,

and I trust you, knowing that you will save me.” (From Psalm 25)

“How much longer, Lord, will you forget about me?

Will it be forever?

How long will you hide?

How long must I be confused and miserable all day?

Please listen, Lord God, and answer my prayers.

Make my eyes sparkle again,

or else I will fall into the sleep of death.

I trust your love, and I feel like celebrating

because you rescued me.

You have been good to me, Lord,

and I will sing about you.” (From Psalm 13)

“You, Lord, are the light that keeps me safe.

I am not afraid of anyone.

You protect me, and I have no fears.

I ask only one thing, Lord:

Let me live in your house every day of my life

to see how wonderful you are and to pray in your temple.

In times of trouble, you will protect me.

You will hide me in your tent

and keep me safe on top of a mighty rock.

Please listen when I pray!

Have pity. Answer my prayer.

My heart tells me to pray.

I am eager to see your face, so don't hide from me.

I am your servant, and you have helped me.

Don't turn from me in anger.

You alone keep me safe.

Don't reject or desert me.

Even if my father and mother should desert me,

you will take care of me.” (From Psalm 27)

“God is our mighty fortress,

always ready to help in times of trouble.

And so, we won't be afraid!

Let the earth tremble

and the mountains tumble into the deepest sea.

Let the ocean roar and foam,

and its raging waves shake the mountains.

The Lord All-Powerful is with us.

The God of Jacob is our fortress.” (From Psalm 46)

“Only God can save me,

and I calmly wait for him.

God alone is the mighty rock that keeps me safe

and the fortress where I am secure.

Only God gives inward peace, and I depend on him.

God alone is the mighty rock that keeps me safe,

and he is the fortress where I feel secure.

God saves me and honors me.

He is that mighty rock where I find safety.

Trust God, my friends,

and always tell him each one of your concerns.

God is our place of safety.

We humans are only a breath;

none of us are truly great.

All of us together weigh less than a puff of air.

Don't trust in violence

or depend on dishonesty

or rely on great wealth.

I heard God say two things:

“I am powerful, and I am very kind.”

The Lord rewards each of us according to what we do.” (From Psalm 62)

“I am not conceited, Lord,

and I don't waste my time on impossible schemes.

But I have learned to feel safe and satisfied,

just like a young child on its mother's lap.” (From Psalm 131)

“You, Lord, are my shepherd.

I will never be in need.

You let me rest in fields of green grass.

You lead me to streams of peaceful water,

and you refresh my life.

You are true to your name,

and you lead me along the right paths.

I may walk through valleys as dark as death,

but I won't be afraid.

You are with me,

and your shepherd's rod makes me feel safe.

You treat me to a feast,

while my enemies watch.

You honor me as your guest,

and you fill my cup until it overflows.

Your kindness and love

will always be with me each day of my life,

and I will live forever in your house, Lord.” (Psalm 23)

“With all my heart I praise the Lord,

and with all that I am I praise his holy name!

With all my heart I praise the Lord!

I will never forget how kind he has been.

The Lord forgives our sins,

heals us when we are sick,

and protects us from death.

His kindness and love are a crown on our heads.

Each day that we live, he provides for our needs

and gives us the strength of a young eagle.

For all who are mistreated, the Lord brings justice.

He taught his Law to Moses

and showed all Israel what he could do.

The Lord is merciful!

He is kind and patient, and his love never fails.

The Lord won't always be angry and point out our sins;

he doesn't punish us as our sins deserve.

How great is God's love for all who worship him?

Greater than the distance between heaven and earth!

How far has the Lord taken our sins from us?

Farther than the distance from east to west!

Just as parents are kind to their children,

The Lord is kind to all who worship him,

because he knows we are made of dust.

We humans are like grass

or wild flowers that quickly bloom.

But a scorching wind blows,

and they quickly wither to be forever forgotten.

The Lord is always kind to those who worship him.

With all my heart I praise the Lord!” (From Psalm 103)

“You have looked deep into my heart, Lord,

and you know all about me.

You know when I am resting or when I am working,

and from heaven you discover my thoughts.

You notice everything I do and everywhere I go.

Before I even speak a word, you know what I will say,

and with your powerful arm you protect me from every side.

I can't understand all of this!

Such wonderful knowledge is far above me.

Where could I go to escape

from your Spirit or from your sight?

If I were to climb up to the highest heavens, you would be there.

If I were to dig down to the world of the dead you would also be there.

Suppose I had wings like the dawning day and flew across the ocean.

Even then your powerful arm would guide and protect me.

Or suppose I said, “I'll hide in the dark until night comes to cover me over.”

But you see in the dark because daylight and dark are all the same to you.

You are the one who put me together inside my mother's body,

and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me.

Everything you do is marvelous! Of this I have no doubt.

Nothing about me is hidden from you!

I was secretly woven together deep in the earth below,

but with your own eyes you saw my body being formed.

Even before I was born,

you had written in your book everything I would do.

Your thoughts are far beyond my understanding,

much more than I could ever imagine.

I try to count your thoughts,

but they outnumber the grains of sand on the beach.

And when I awake, I will find you nearby.

Look deep into my heart, God,

and find out everything I am thinking.

Don't let me follow evil ways,

but lead me in the way that time has proven true.” (From Psalm 139)

Shema Israel!

Cover your eyes with your right hand and say:

Hear, O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One.

Recite the following verse in an undertone:

Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.

You shall love the L‑rd your G‑d with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might. These words which I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them thoroughly to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign upon your arm, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes. You shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.