Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Solomon B. Shapiro on 8 July 1968

Contributor(s):

Solomon B. Shapiro, the Congressional Record of the United States of America and Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

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

Categories:

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

Tags:

90th 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 Solomon B. Shapiro, Congregation B’nai Abraham, Brooklyn, New York
Sponsor: n/a
Date of Prayer: 8 July 1968

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
אבינו מלכינו!‏	Our Father, our King, receive our prayer in mercy and in favor.
	We approach Thee in humility and with gratitude that by Thy grace we are fortunate to live in these blessed United States of America.
	Thou grantest unto us great men who are Thy messengers to free us from spiritual and physical slavery, to lead us to a world in which man will live a meaningful and harmonious life.
	Our thanksgiving, therefore, we offer unto Thee, for bestowing upon this great land legislators and statesmen who guide the destiny and stir the hearts of all inhabitants to serve their country in truth and loyalty. May Thy spirit dwell richly within them as they manifest abiding courage and sincere faith in the cherished traditions of our Founding Fathers, to work for justice and peace. Grant them loving kindness and patience, understanding and foresight, that they ever be warmed by Thy love and nurtured by Thy teachings to faithfully seek Thy guidance in pursuing the welfare and advancement, growth and security of our country.
	Gracious Guardian, protect and bless our distinguished President, his family, and all the people of this great democracy, that freedom and tolerance increase, peace and prosperity endure throughout the length and breadth of our borders.
	Send Thy light and Thy truth unto all the peoples of the earth, so that the ideals of freedom and fraternity, of justice and equality forever be the heritage of all.
	Hasten, Thou, the era of universal peace, when all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Amen.

This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the seventh month of the second session of the 90th US House of Representatives, and published in the Congressional Record, vol. 114 part 15 (8 July 1968), page 20055.

Source(s)

Congressional Record, vol. 114, part 15 (8 July 1968), p. 20055

Solomon B. Shapiro

Rabbi Shlomo Dov (Solomon Bernard) Shapiro (1922-2011), born in Kishinev, Moldova (then Romania), was an Orthodox rabbi, chaplain, and mashgiaḥ in the United States. He emigrated to America with his parents and studied at Mesifta Talmudical Seminary. He was the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) Religious Director for Germany after WWII who helped in the printing of the Talmud of the Shearith Hapletah. In Brooklyn, Rabbi Shapiro served Congregation B'nai Abraham in East Flatbush (and later, Kew Gardens) and as chaplain at King County Hospital.

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 Solomon B. Shapiro on 8 July 1968

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