PRAYER OF MAIMONIDES

Almighty God, Thou has created the human
body with infinite wisdom. Ten thousand times ten
thousand organs has Thou combined in it that act
unceasingly and harmoniously to preserve the
whole in all its beauty-the body which is the
envelope of the immortal soul. They are ever acting
in perfect order, agreement and accord. Yet,
when the frailty of matter or the unbridling of
passion deranges this order or interrupts this accord,
then the forces clash and the body crumbles
into the primal dust from which it came. Thou
sendest to man diseases as beneficent messengers
to foretell approaching danger and to urge him to
avert it.
Thou has blest Thine earth, Thy rivers and Thy
mountains with healing substances; they enable
Thy creatures to alleviate their sufferings and heal
their illnesses. Thou hast endowed man with the
wisdom to relieve the suffering of his brother, to
recognize his disorders, to extract the healing
substances, to discover their powers and to prepare
and to apply them to suit every ill. In Thy Eternal
Providence Thou has chosen me to watch
over the health and the life of Thy creatures. I
am now about to apply myself to the duties of my
-profession. Support me, Almighty God, in these
great labors that they may benefit mankind, for
without Thy help not even the least thing will
succeed.
Inspire me with love for my art and for Thy
creatures. Do not allow thirst for profit, ambition
for renown and admiration, to interfere with
my profession, for these are the enemies of truth
and of love for mankind and they can lead astray
in the great task of attending to the welfare of
Thy creatures. Preserve the strength of my body
and of my soul that they ever be ready to cheerfully
help and support rich and poor, good and
bad, enemy as well as friend. In the sufferer let
me see only the human being. Illumine mny mind
that it recognize what presents itself and that it
may comprehend what is absent or hidden. Let it
not fail to see what is visible, but do not permit
it to arrogate to itself the power to see what can
not be seen, for delicate and indefinite are the
bounds of the great art of caring for the lives and
health of Thy creatures. Let me never be absentminded.
May no strange thoughts divert my attention
at the bedside of the sick, or disturb my
mind in its silent labors, for great and sacred are
the thoughtful deliverations required to preserve
the lives and health of Thy creatures.
Grant that my patients have confidence in me and
my art and follow my direction and my counsel.
Remove from their midst all charlatans and the
whole host of officious relatives and know-all
nurses, cruel people who arrogantly frustrate the
wisest purposes of our art and often lead Thy
creatures to their death.
Should those who are wiser than I wish to improve
and instruct me, let my soul gratefuly follow
their guidance; for vast is the extent of our
art. Should conceited fools, however, censure me,
then let love for my profession steel me against
them, so that I remain steadfast without regard
for age, for reputation, or for honor, because
surrender would bring to Thy creatures sickness
and death.
Imbue my soul with gentleness and calmness
when older colleagues, proud of their age, wish to
displace me or to scorn me or disdainfully to
teach me. May even this be of advantage to me,
for they know many things of which I am ignorant,
but let not their arrogance give me pain. For
they are old, and old age is not master of the passions.
I also hope to attain old age upon this
earth, before Thee, Almighty God!
Let me be contented in everything except in
the great science of my profession. Never allow
the thought to arise in me that I have attained to
sufficient knowledge, but vouchsafe to me the
strength, the leisure and the ambition ever to
extend my knowledge. For art is great, but the
mind of man is ever expanding.
Almighty God! Thou has chosen me in Thy
mercy to watch over the life and death of Thy
creatures. I now apply myself' to my profession.
Support me in this great task so that it may
benefit mankind, for without Thy help not even the
least thing will succeed.