ALEINU - Our Duty

Below is a prayer said three times a day in Synagogue. It is believed to have been written in the 400's CE *AD. Aleinu means "Our Duty". The prayer is mentioned in the previous blog by Asher Intrater's writing.



* Any additions in italics and parentheses are mine.





It is our duty to praise the Master of all,

to ascribe greatness to the Molder of primeval creation,

for He has not made us like the nations of the lands and has not emplaced us like the families of the earth;

for He has not assigned our portion like theirs nor our lot like all their multitudes.





For they bow to vanity and emptiness and pray to a g-d which helps not-





But we bend our knees, bow, and acknowledge our thanks before the King Who reigns over kings, the Holy One, blessed is He. He stretches out heaven and establishes earth's foundation,

the seat of His homage is in the heavens above and His powerful Presence is in the loftiest heights.





He is our G-d and there is none other.

True is our King,

there is nothing beside Him,

as it is written in His Torah (the Law)

"you are to know this day and take to your heart that Hashem (the Name, God,YHVH) is the only G-d in heaven above and on the earth below-there is none other.





Therefore we put our hope in You,

Hashem our G-d,

that we may soon see Your mighty splendor,

to remove detestable idolatry from the earth,

and false g-ds will be utterly cut off, to perfect the universe through the Almighty's sovereignty.





Then all humanity will call upon Your Name,

to turn all the earth's wicked toward You.

All the world's inhabitants will recognize and know that to You every knee should bend, every tongue should swear.





Before You, Hashem, our G-d, they will bend every knee and cast themselves down and to the glory of Your Name they will render homage,

and they will all accept upon themselves the yoke of Your kingship that You may reign over them soon and eternally.





For the kingdom is Yours and You will reign for all eternity in glory as it is written in Your Torah:

Hashem (the Name) shall reign for all eternity.



And it is said: Hashem will be King over all the world - on that day Hashem will be One and His Name will be One.





This is a profound prayer when it is read in context of Scripture and the writings of the Apostle Paul. Paul said that blindness has happened in part to Israel so the nations could come in to the covenant. Blindness has also come in part because of the leaderships rejection of Messiah when He came the first time.



The passages of this prayer, ALEINU, which is read three times a day, is amazing when read in context of Christ's prayers, especially in John 17...that "we may be one, and He and the Father are One, that we may be One in them."





This is the exact opposite of the curse from the Garden of Eden. In the garden Adam and Eve were expelled so they would not "become like Us..." as God said. But now, His desire is for us to finally become one with Him. Amazing!





The grace, longsuffering, compassions of our Father. How He desires us to be with Him.