Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Louis M. Tuchman on 30 March 1982

Contributor(s):

Louis M. Tuchman, the Congressional Record of the United States of America and Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription)

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29 March 2024 under the Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication

Categories:

Opening Prayers for Legislative Bodies, United States of America

Tags:

58th century A.M., English vernacular prayer, U.S. House of Representatives, Prayers of Guest Chaplains, 97th Congress, 20th century C.E., תחינות teḥinot

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Louis M. Tuchman, Congregation Agudas Achim, Peoria, Illinois
Sponsor: Rep. Bob Michel (R-IL)
Date of Prayer: 30 March 1982

Mr. MICHEL. Mr. Speaker, we are honored today to have the opening prayer delivered by Rabbi Louis M. Tuchman currently rabbi of Agudas Achim Congregation in Peoria.
While it would be impossible for me, in this short time, to list all his accomplishments, a capsule summary of his illustrious career in service to God and his fellow man would surely be appropriate.
A magna cum laude graduate of Yeshiva University, Rabbi Tuchman was ordained at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University.
He is assistant editor of Tradition, published by the Rabbinical Council of America and associate editor of the Rabbinical Council Manual as well as editor of the Rabbinical Council’s Proceedings.
In 1960, 1964, 1973, and 1977 he was chaplain and kashruth supervisor at the National Boy Scout Jamboree.
He is the recipient of the Shofar Award, the highest national award, in recognition of outstanding service in behalf of Jewish youth in the Boy Scouts of America.
His articles have appeared in many magazines, including Jewish Life and he has lectured at Duke University, Monmouth College, and at San Francisco State College.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, this brief list only begins to touch upon Rabbi Tuchman’s contributions to our national life. I am very proud to have this chance to introduce him to our colleagues.

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Source (English)

אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם,
צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹאֲלוֹ

Avinu shebashamayim
tzur Yisrael vegoalo.

Our Heavenly Father,
Supreme Architect of the Universe,
vouchsafe Thy benign blessings
upon the Members of this House of Representatives,
who have been assigned the responsibility
of guiding our great Nation.
Grant them, O Lord,
the wisdom and understanding
to labor for the well-being
of the United States of America
with zeal and with determination.

Today, amidst darkened skies,
may the glorious light of Thy countenance
shine forth brightly.
May we soon witness the day
when the ominous clouds
of evil and hatred
shall no longer flash athwart the skies,
and hope and loving kindness
will pierce the darkness
of fear and despair.

As we approach the month of freedom,
may the spirit of that day,
more than 200 years ago,
imbue this body and Nation
to continue to strive
for mankind’s beneficence,
well-being,
freedom,
and security.
Amen.

This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the third month of the second session of the 97th US Congress in the House of Representatives, and published in the Congressional Record, vol. 128, part 5 (1982), page 5881.

Source(s)

Congressional Record, vol. 128, part 5 (30 March 1982), p. 5881

Congressional Record, vol. 128, part 5 (30 March 1982), p. 5882

Notes[+]

Notes
1	The first line of the Rabbi Yitsḥak haLevi Hertzog’s Prayer for the State of Israel (1948).

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“Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Louis M. Tuchman on 30 March 1982” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.

Louis M. Tuchman

Rabbi Louis M. Tuchman (1924-2012), born in the Bronx, New York, was an Orthodox movement rabbi in the United States. He received his semikhah at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University, where he was also a magna cum laude graduate. He was the assistant editor of Tradition (Rabbinical Council of America) and associate editor of the Rabbinical Council Manual as well as editor of the Rabbinical Council’s Proceedings. He served a rabbi for Agudas Achim Congregation (Peoria, Illinois). In 1960, 1964, 1973, and 1977 he was chaplain and kashruth supervisor at the National Boy Scout Jamboree. He was the recipient of the Shofar Award, the highest national award, in recognition of outstanding service in behalf of Jewish youth in the Boy Scouts of America. He served as president of the Chicago Board of Rabbis. Notably among Orthodox rabbis, Rabbi Tuchman advocated for integration and civil rights in the 1950s. (If you can add more details to this bio, please contact us.)

the Congressional Record of the United States of America

The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress, published by the United States Government Printing Office and issued when Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks. At the end of a session of Congress, the daily editions are compiled in bound volumes constituting the permanent edition. Statutory authorization for the Congressional Record is found in Chapter 9 of Title 44 of the United States Code. (wikipedia)

Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription)

Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)

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Works of related interest:

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Rafael G. Grossman on 16 March 1982

Flag of the United States House of Representatives

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Seymour L. Essrog on 20 April 1982

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Louis I. Newman on 7 January 1930

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Sidney S. Guthman on 22 April 1982

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Sidney S. Guthman on 19 March 1981

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Herbert A. Opalek on 2 March 1978

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Harry H. Epstein on 16 March 1978

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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." –Psalms 90:17