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Tags:Date of Prayer: 31 March 2022
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mr. SULLIVAN. Madam President, thank you for allowing me to open the Senate with you. It was a true honor to have Rabbi Mendy Greenberg, who is doing amazing work in Palmer, Alaska, open the Senate with his very powerful and meaningful prayer and very appropriate prayer for what is happening in the world.
I just want to say a little bit about our incredible Jewish community in Alaska. Rabbi Greenberg’s parents are actually up in the Gallery watching–his father, Rabbi Greenberg and his incredible wife, Esti.
I just want to say what they do for our–community–communities throughout Alaska–is so powerful, so meaningful, and touches so many lives way beyond the Jewish community of Alaska–way beyond that community. I love the phrase referring to our wonderful Jewish community of Alaska, the “frozen chosen,” because it is a little cold in our State, as most Americans know.
But here is the thing about this community: They are incredible in terms of bringing all Alaskans together. We have this annual event called the Jewish Gala that has hundreds and hundreds of Alaskans of all faiths who participate in this every year. It is one of my favorite things to do as an Alaskan, to come and celebrate not just the Jewish community, but the spirit of togetherness, the spirit of faith, and the spirit of taking care of one another. That is what this incredible community does, led by both Rabbi Greenbergs, who we saw the younger today give this very powerful prayer.
I want to thank him and his parents for being here today. It is not always easy to get to DC from Alaska–a couple of thousand miles at least. To our Jewish community back home, to the Greenbergs for all they have done, I just want to, on the Senate floor here, offer my deepest thanks for the example they set for the entire State of Alaska. It is great having them here, and what they do for our State is really powerful, really important.
Thank you, Madam President, for allowing me to participate in the opening and the prayer this morning.
| Contribute a translation | Source (English) |
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Almighty God, Master of the Universe, we stand before You in prayer in these troubling times when innocent men, women, and children have lost their lives and millions fled their homeland due to the catastrophic war in Ukraine. In the words of King David: “I lift my eyes to the mountains– from where will my help come? My help will come from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalms 121:1-2) | |
May You, Almighty God, grant the Members of this honorable body wisdom and understanding that the ultimate way to eliminate the cause of war and bring true peace to the world is by embodying the universal values of the seven commandments[1] Sanhedrin 56a; cf. Tosefta Avodah Zarah 8:4 and Genesis Rabbah 34:8. Six items were commanded to Adam: concerning idolatry, blasphemy, bloodshed, illicit sexuality, theft, and laws…God added to Noah, the law of not eating from the flesh of a live animal.” (Maimonides, Laws of Kings 9:1). The impetus behind sharing the sheva mitsvot in the context of ḤaBaD Lubavitch originates with the following teaching of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson: “We must do everything possible to ensure that the seven Noahide laws are observed. If this can be accomplished through force or through other kinder and more peaceful means through explaining to non-Jews that they should accept God’s wishes [we should do so]…Anyone who is able to influence a non-Jew in any way to keep the seven commandments is obligated to do so, since that is what God commanded Moses our teacher,” (“Sheva Mitzvot Shel Benai Noach,” Hapardes 59:9 7-11, 5745). issued to Noaḥ after the great flood, foremost of which is not to commit murder. | |
Almighty God, I beseech You to bless the U.S. Senate assembled today to fulfill one of Your seven commandments to govern by just laws and in the merit of the global spiritual giant and leader, Your servant, the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, whose 120th birthday will be celebrated this coming month on the 11th day of Nisan, Tuesday, April 12. | |
In 1978, this honorable body established the Rebbe’s birthday as Education and Sharing Day USA and is proclaimed annually by the President of the United States in recognition of the Rebbe’s global campaign to bring awareness and educate our youth about these ethical values of the Seven Noahide Laws as the basis for a just and compassionate society. | |
Almighty God, may it be in the merit of realizing the Rebbe’s vision for humanity, we speedily see the fulfillment of Isaiah’s promise: “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4) With the coming of Moshiaḥ, Amen. |
Source(s)
117th Congress, 2nd Session. C-SPAN. Congressional Record, Issue: Vol. 168, No. 57 — Daily Edition (March 31, 2022)
Notes
| 1 | Sanhedrin 56a; cf. Tosefta Avodah Zarah 8:4 and Genesis Rabbah 34:8. Six items were commanded to Adam: concerning idolatry, blasphemy, bloodshed, illicit sexuality, theft, and laws…God added to Noah, the law of not eating from the flesh of a live animal.” (Maimonides, Laws of Kings 9:1). The impetus behind sharing the sheva mitsvot in the context of ḤaBaD Lubavitch originates with the following teaching of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson: “We must do everything possible to ensure that the seven Noahide laws are observed. If this can be accomplished through force or through other kinder and more peaceful means through explaining to non-Jews that they should accept God’s wishes [we should do so]…Anyone who is able to influence a non-Jew in any way to keep the seven commandments is obligated to do so, since that is what God commanded Moses our teacher,” (“Sheva Mitzvot Shel Benai Noach,” Hapardes 59:9 7-11, 5745). |
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“Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Mendy Greenberg on 31 March 2022” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 Universal license.
the Congressional Record of the United States of America
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