Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Morton M. Kanter on 8 June 1961

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20 June 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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87th 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 Morton M. Kanter, Sinai Reform Temple, Bay Shore, New York
Sponsor: n/a
Date of Prayer: 8 June 1961

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	The acts of the leader are the acts of the nation. If the leader is just, the nation is just; if he is unjust, the nation too is unjust and is punished tor the sins of the leader. (Zohar II, 47a)
	Our God who art our Defender and Redeemer, we thank Thee for our bountiful land, but most of all, we thank Thee for this new race of men who have come out of lands of tyranny and oppression, to begin life anew on these shores that are blessed with the spirit of freedom.
	We penitently acknowledge that America’s promise of freedom still reaches toward fulfillment and we are confident that equal rights will soon be extended to all our fellow citizens.
	As we affirm our belief in equality for all, let us remember that this includes the opportunity to rise to leadership. Let us keep in mind that great human advances are not brought about by average men and women. They are brought about by distinctly uncommon people with a God-given spark of leadership.
	Thou who gives dominion and sovereignty to leaders, be Thou with the President of the United States, his counselors and advisers and all those who have been called to serve our Nation. Give them an abundant portion of Thy spirit and endow them with discernment. Direct their heads and hands that they may govern with perfect justice and equality. May their every act find favor in Thy sight.
	Bless our country with peace and give our leaders the courage and wisdom to lead our Nation in the ways of justice and righteousness. Amen.

This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the sixth month of the first session of the 87th US House of Representatives, and published in the Congressional Record, vol. 107 part 8 (8 June 1961), page 9769.

Source(s)

Congressional Record, vol. 107, part 8 (8 June 1961), p. 9769

Morton Milford Kanter

Rabbi Morton Milford Kanter (1927-1996) was a Reform movement rabbi in the United States. He served in World War II and was a Hillel staff member at Miami University before being ordained by Hebrew Union College in 1955. He served Ohio congregations in Piqua (Anshe Emeth) and Dayton (Temple Israel), before coming to Sinai Reform Temple in Bay Shore, New York and Temple Beth El in Detroit, Michigan. (We know little else about Rabbi Kantor. If you know more and would like to honor his life and career with another pertinent detail, 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 (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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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 Morton M. Kanter on 8 June 1961

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