Peter’s Prayer: The Enduring Relevance of Nishmat
11 Pages Posted: 29 Sep 2014 Last revised: 28 Oct 2014
Date Written: September 28, 2014
Abstract
The prayer of Nishmat Kol Chai (the soul of every living being) is among the most eloquent prayers of gratitude. It is quite possible that the author of this amazing prayer was the Apostle Peter (Rabbi Shimon Cephas). This prayer highlights the importance of being thankful to God for everything but also stresses the importance of helping the weak and downtrodden. This prayer should be the mantra of every person, especially leaders. Nations, organizations, and people that want to be prosperous and happy should emulate God and live a life filled with compassion for all and deeds of loving kindness. Recent history repeatedly demonstrates that a life built on maximizing wealth, shareholder value, or greed is one that can only lead to disaster.
Note: A condensed version of this paper appears on the Beliefnet website.
Keywords: Nishmat Kol Chai, prayer, gratitude, generosity, Peter, and Simon Cephas
JEL Classification: A22, A23, B11, D63, D81, G18, G21, J78, K00, K4,K40, I20, L20, L21, M1, M3, M5, M14, M19, M31, N0
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation