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

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Herbert A. Opalek and the Congressional Record of the United States of America

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

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🇺🇸 United States of America, Opening Prayers for Legislative Bodies

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95th Congress, 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., English vernacular prayer, U.S. House of Representatives, Prayers of Guest Chaplains, תחינות teḥinot

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Herbert A. Opalek, Yeshiva Bais Isaac Zvi, Brooklyn, New York
Sponsor: Rep. Leo C. Zeferetti (D-NY)
Date of Prayer: 2 March 1978

Mr. ZEFERETTI. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to welcome today on behalf of my colleagues, Rabbi Herbert A. Opalek, executive vice president of Yeshivos Zichron Pinchos for boys and Kesser Malka for girls. Although still young, Rabbi Opalek has served the Jewish and general community at large as spiritual leader and university professor. As a scholar of note the rabbi has contributed much to the understanding of the Talmudic period, as well as legal studies of rabbinic jurisprudence.
At present, Rabbi Opalek serves as executive vice president to one of the fastest growing Judaic and rabbinic schools in the Greater New York area. Under spiritual and active leadership of my good friend, Rabbi David S. Helberg, Zichron Pinchos and Kesser Malka which is located in my district has achieved a high level of educational excellence. This school of learning is comprised of nursery, elementary, and rabbinic divisions. Rabbis Opalek and Helberg are active in community affairs and the yeshiva serves as a center for the dissemination of social service and community information.
There can be no doubt that this yeshiva is indeed a credit to its community. I know that my colleagues join me in saluting this outstanding religious and civic leader on this milestone of his life I am enormously proud to count Rabbi Opalek as both a constituent and a friend.

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	We humble ourselves before You, Adon Ha-Olam, Protector of Israel. Know that we stand before You in prayer here in this hall of law. As this day’s session commences, grant these legislators herein assembled the wisdom to act in accordance with Your wishes.
	Remind us of our frailties and infuse in us a spirit of morality. Even as we stand before You, we beseech You to protect the leaders of our glorious land.
	Nation of peace and prosperity that has been blessed by You, May it be Thy will that it continue to flourish.
	Do as You have promised to Your people Israel and vouchsafe that nation shall not rise against nation.
	Instill upon these Congressmen the blessings that flow from Your countenance.
	At this crucial juncture of our history assure the destiny of our country.
	Never fail us as we strive to do justice and walk humbly in Thy way.
	Enrich our lives, O our Father. Clothe us in wisdom and inner knowledge. Arouse in us the capacity to weigh our fate with great care.
	Relying on Your mercy, we ask Your help. O Lord hear the prayers of Your people Israel.
	Let life, wisdom, and goodness be our lot in life. Amen.

This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the second month of the second session of the 95th US Congress in the House of Representatives, and published in the Congressional Record, vol. 124, part 4 (1978), page 5261.

Source(s)

Congressional Record, vol. 124, part 4 (2 March 1978), p. 5261

Herbert A. Opalek

Herbert Alan Opalek (1944-2011) was born in Brooklyn, New York, and for much of his life, identified himself as an orthodox rabbi. He received his semikhah around the year 1962. In the early 1970s, he appears to have been a fellow at Dropsie College Philadelphia, studying Christian-Jewish relations in Antiquity. In 1978, Rep. Leo Zeferetti (D-NY) introduced him before the US House of Representatives as a colleague and "executive vice president for Yeshivos Zichron Pinchos for boys and Kesser Malka for girls" in Brooklyn. In 1986, the Washington (DC) Board of Rabbis issued a formal letter about his involvement in a scam. In 1987, he was reported by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency to have been swindling people for apartment rent and event tickets. Around the year 2000, a story is told of his conversion to Christianity, after which he was ordained as a Christian (Baptist) pastor and served as a consultant to Messianic Jewish-Christians. His obituary notes that he was active in the Evangelical Covenant Church of America, and that he was the CEO of Merced County (California) Rescue Mission, the president of the Pacific District of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, and the board president of Rescue Israel Ministries. The obituary also claims that he was the recipient of multiple doctoral degrees (possibly from his time at Dropsie College) and that he served as a consultant to the U.S. House of Representative's Select Committee on Drug and Alcohol Abuse. In the year following his death, two prayerbooks, both for Messianic Jewish-Christians, were published in his name: Sabbath Delights: A Messianic Shabbat Siddur and Celebrating Yeshua in the Fall Holidays: Messianic Festivals Siddur. (If you can contribute any more details to this short 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)

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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו׃ (תהלים צ:יז) · "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)

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

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