tagged: Abraham Lincoln • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ

Prayer for the United States and President Abraham Lincoln, by Rabbi Sabato Morais (15 April 1862)

Sabato Morais — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 09:08:55 +0000

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Author of all good! We implore Thy almighty protection on behalf of the American Republic of the North. Let Thine eyes, which never slumber, be open upon her, that she may not be erased from among the family of nations. Be with her in this struggle for life, that she may survive it, and wax greater and happier.
	Speak to the hearts of her disaffected children, and let them again throb with undying affection.
	Let both the weapon of aggression and that of defense be buried into the bottomless ocean, and cast Thou with it the spirit of acrimony that has sharpened its edge.
	Direct the hands into which the temporal welfare of this people is entrusted. Sustain them that their strength may never flag. Bless the President of the United States: bless him for his sterling honesty. Bless him for his firmness and moderation. Rekindle with joy his domestic heart; pour on him the balm of divine consolation. Grant that the issues of his momentous obligations be a united and prosperous country. Grant that the end of his career be the maintenance of this Government, unimpaired and unsullied as bequeathed by our illustrious ancestors.
	So may it be. Amen.

This prayer by Rabbi Sabato Morais (1828-1897), of Congregation Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia, was initially delivered on 15 April 1862 (the first day of Passover) at the conclusion of a sermon later printed in The Philadelphia Inquirer on 23 April 1862. A copy of that sermon was preserved in the Sabato Morais Ledger (p. 22, clip no. 23). (The prayer was also read by President Abraham Lincoln, who sent Rabbi Morais an acknowledgment). The letter was read into the congressional record on 29 February 1944 by Arthur G. Klein (1904-1968, D-NY) after it was brought to light by Moshe Davis at the 44th annual meeting of the American Jewish Historical Society on 12-13 February 1944 (Lincoln’s Birthday).

Source(s)

Page A993 from Appendix to the Congressional Record (29 February 1944)

Page A994 from Appendix to the Congressional Record (29 February 1944)

Prayer on the 1st day of Passover [15 April 1862] (Sabato Morais Ledger p. 22, clip no. 023)

💬 מְגִלַּת לִינְקוֹן | Megillat Lincoln — a Purim Sheni scroll for the 13th of Tevet commemorating the revocation of Ulysses S. Grant’s General Order №11 (1862, 2020)

Isaac Gantwerk Mayer — Sun, 24 May 2020 17:49:34 +0000

The single greatest act of government antisemitism in U.S. history was done in December 1862, when Ulysses S. Grant sent out General Order No. 11, expelling all Jews from Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky. Through massive petitionary action to President Lincoln, this breach of the First Amendment was overturned within a month, and serves as a classic example of Lincoln’s support of the Jewish community’s right to exist.

This megillah, styled after other Second Purim megillot, celebrates this victory. It is cantillated with Esther cantillation, along with certain verses to be read according to the melody of Lamentations. (Passages in blue bold text are recited in Lamentations melody. Passages in red bold text are recited using a nusaḥ detour as in the reading of Esther.)

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
פרק א׳ https://archive.org/download/megillat-lincoln-chapter-5-isaac-gantwerk-mayer-2020/Megillat%20Lincoln%20-%20Chapter%201%20%28Isaac%20Gantwerk%20Mayer%202020%29.mp3	Chapter 1
וַיְהִ֖י בִּימֵ֣י לִינְק֑וֹן ה֣וּא לִינְק֗וֹן הַנָּשִׂיא֙ מִמְּעֵ֣ין וְעַד־חֲלִיפֽוֹרְנִיָּ֔ה שְׁל֛וֹשׁ וּשְׁלוֹשִׁ֥ים מְדִינָ֖ה וַחֲבָלִ֥ים שִׁבְעָֽה׃ בַּיָּמִ֖ים הָהֵ֑ם כְּשֶׁ֣בֶת ׀ הַנָּשִׂ֣יא לִינְק֗וֹן בְּמַעֲמָד֙ מֶמְשַׁלְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּוַשִׁעְתּ֥וֹן הַבִּירָֽה׃ בִּשְׁנַ֥ת אַחַ֖ת לְמֶמְשַׁלְתּ֑וֹ וַיִּפְרְשׁ֨וּ עַשְׁתֵּ֤י עֶשְׂרֵה֙ מְדִינ֣וֹת הַנֶּ֔גֶב מִן־צִבּ֤וּר הַבְּרִית֙ לִבְרֹ֣חַ מִן־הַדְּר֔וֹר וּלְקַיֵּ֥ם בָּהֶ֖ם בֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים׃ וַיִּמְרְדוּ֙ הַמְּדִינ֣וֹת הָאֵ֔לֶּה מֶ֥רֶד גָּד֖וֹל וּמַ֣ר מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּקְצֹ֤ף הַנָּשִׂיא֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַחֲמָת֖וֹ בָּ֥עֲרָה בֽוֹ׃ וַיְהִ֛י מִלְחָמָ֥ה גְּדוֹלָ֖ה בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּ֨שָּׂא אָ֤ח אֵל־אָחִיו֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְאִ֥ישׁ אֵל־רֵעֵ֖הוּ כִּידֽוֹן׃	^1:1 And it was in the days of Lincoln, the Lincoln who was president from Maine^[1] In the Hebrew this is written as M’ein, a root that also means “water spring.” Maine is well known for its abundant fresh water. to California,^[2] In the Hebrew this is written as Ḥalifornya, with a ח as opposed to a ק as one might expect. This is meant to reflect the etymology of the term, which is thought to have been coined by the medieval Spanish author Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo from the term “caliph,” which is spelled in Arabic with the equivalent to ח. thirty-three states and seven territories. ² In those days, when President Lincoln sat in his presidential office that was in Washington the capital. ³ In the first year of his government, eleven southern states split from the community of the Union, to flee from liberty and establish among themselves a house of bondage. ⁴ And these states rebelled a great and very bitter rebellion, and the president was very upset, and his anger burned within him. ⁵ And there was a great war in the land, and brother lifted sword against brother, and man against his fellow a bayonet.
אַחַ֣ר ׀ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה גִּדַּל֩ הַנָּשִׂ֨יא לִינְק֜וֹן אֶת־יוּלִסִּ֧יז בֶּן־יִשַׁיר֛וֹת הַגְרַאנְטִ֖י וַֽיְנַשְּׂאֵ֑הוּ וַיָּ֙שֶׂם֙ אֶת־כִּסְא֔וֹ מֵעַ֕ל כׇּל־שָׂרֵ֥י הַחַ֖יִל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃ וַיִּהְי֤וּ גְּבוּלָיו֙ תַּ֣חַת שִׁלְטֹנ֔וֹ טֶנֶּסִ֥י וּמִסִּסִּ֖יפִּי וְקֶנְטָ֑קִי שָׁלֹשׁ֙ הַמְּדִינ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִלְכַּ֖ד מִן־הַמֹּרִֽים׃ וְהַמּוֹרִ֛ים בִּמְדִינ֥וֹת הָאֵ֖לֶּה סוֹחֲרֵ֣י כַּרְפַּ֑ס הָעֲבָדִים֙ עָבְד֣וּ פָ֔רֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִ֖ים לָקְח֥וּ הַכָּֽסֶף׃ בְּאַרְצ֨וֹת הַצָּפ֜וֹן אֲשֶׁר־בְּרִ֤ית הַצִּבּוּר֙ לֹ֣א הֵפֵ֔רוּ לֹא־יָכְל֛וּ לִזְרֹ֥עַ וְלִקְצֹ֖ר כַּרְפַּ֑ס כִּ֚י בְּאַרְצ֣וֹת הָאֵ֔ל אֵין־חֹ֥ם ר֖וּחַ לַעֲשׂוֹתֽוֹ׃ וּמִיָּמִ֖ים יְמִימָ֑ה בְּנֵ֣י הַצָּפ֔וֹן קָנ֛וּ מִבְּנֵ֥י הַנֶּ֖גֶב אֶת־כׇּל־כַּרְפַּסָּֽם׃ לָ֠כֵן בִּימֵ֨י הַמֶּ֤רֶד וְהַמְּרִידָה֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה בְּאַרְצ֥וֹת הַבְּרִ֖ית לֹא־נִמְצָ֣א כַּרְפַּ֑ס כִּי־כַּרְפַּ֥ס מִן־הַנֶּ֖גֶב מׇחֳרָֽם׃ אַ֚ךְ אֲנָשִׁ֣ים רֵיקִ֔ים אַנְשֵׁ֥י בְלִיַּ֖עַל הָ֣יוּ בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְהֵ֨ם יִסְחֲר֤וּ כַּרְפַּס֙ וְכׇל־דִּבְרֵ֣י חֵ֔רֶם בֵּ֥ין הַצָּפ֖וֹן וּבֵ֥ין הַנֶּֽגֶב׃ וְהָאֲנָשִׁ֧ים הָאֵ֛לֶּה עֵ֥רֶב רַ֖ב מִכׇּל־עַ֣ם וָעַ֑ם וְעֵינֵ֤י יוּלִסִּיז֙ עֲצוּמ֔וֹת וַיַּ֥רְא אֶת־הַיְּהוּדִ֖ים בִּלְבַֽד׃	^1:6 After these things, President Lincoln promoted Ulysses (the son of Jesse Root) Grant and lifted him up and placed his seat above all the military commanders with him. ⁷ And the borders under his command were Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky, three of the states that had been captured from the rebels. ⁸ And the rebels in these states were merchants of cotton — the slaves did hard labor and the masters took the money. ⁹ In the northern lands, which had not broken the communal covenant of union, they could not plant or harvest cotton, for these lands did not have the hot climate to do so. ¹⁰ And for many a day the northerners would buy all their cotton from the southerners. ¹¹ Thus in these days of rebellion and rebelliousness in the United States, one could not find cotton, for cotton from the south was banned. ¹² But craven people, lowlifes, were in the land, and they would trade in cotton and all the banned goods between the north and the south. ¹³ And these people were a mixed multitude from every people, but the eyes of Ulysses were shut, and he saw only the Jews.
פרק ב׳ https://archive.org/download/megillat-lincoln-chapter-5-isaac-gantwerk-mayer-2020/Megillat%20Lincoln%20-%20Chapter%202%20%28Isaac%20Gantwerk%20Mayer%202020%29.mp3	Chapter 2
וַיְהִ֣י בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ תִּשְׁעָה֮ ה֣וּא חֹ֣דֶשׁ כִּסְלֵו֒ בָּעֶשְׂרִ֤ים וַחֲמִשָּׁה֙ לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ בִּשְׁנַ֤ת שְׁתַּ֨יִם֙ לַנָּשִׂ֣יא לִינְק֔וֹן וַיִּכְתֹּ֥ב יוּלִסִּ֖יז דָּ֑ת וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח סְפָרִ֜ים לְכׇל־הַמְּדִינ֣וֹת תַּחְתָּ֗יו לִדְח֡וֹת לְגָרֵ֣שׁ וּלְהַגְל֣וֹת אֶ֠ת־כׇּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֠ים מִנַּ֨עַר וְעַ֤ד זָקֵן֙ טַ֣ף וְנָשִׁ֔ים וּשְׁלָלָ֖ם לָבֽוֹז׃ פַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן הַכְּתָ֗ב לְהִנָּ֤תֵֽן דָּת֙ בְּכׇל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֔ה גָּל֖וּי לְכׇל־הָאֲרָצ֑וֹת לִהְי֧וֹת עֲתִדִ֛ים לִבְרֹ֖חַ בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃ הָֽרָצִ֞ים יָצְא֤וּ דְחוּפִים֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר סָר־הַחַ֔יִל וְהַדָּ֥ת נִתְּנָ֛ה בְּטֶנֶּסִ֥י וּבְמִסִּסִּ֖יפִּי וּבְקֶנְטָ֑קִי וְיוּלִסִּ֤יז יָשַׁב֙ לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם בְּגַאֲוָ֔ה וִיהוּדֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ נָבֽוֹכוּ׃	^2:1 And it was in the ninth month, that is the month of Kislev, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, in the second year of the presidency of Lincoln, Ulysses wrote a rule and sent out papers to all the lands under him to expel, banish, and exile all the Jews, from youth to old, women and children, and pillage their possessions. ² The written copy of the rule to be given in every state were revealed to all the lands, to prepare to flee in a single day. ³ The messengers went urgently at the word of the head of the army, and the rule was given in Tennessee and in Mississippi and in Kentucky, and Ulysses sat to make war in pride, and the Jews of the land were confounded.
אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדִ֔י הָיָ֖ה בְּפָד֣וּכָּה בְּקֶנְטָ֑קִי וּשְׁמ֖וֹ קֵיסָ֣ר קַסְקֶֽל׃ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הׇגְלָה֙ מִ֣פְּרַיְּיסֶ֔ן אִם־הַגּוֹלָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הׇגְלְתָ֔ה אַחֲרֵ֛י מַהְפֵּכ֥וֹת אַשְׁכְּנַ֖ז נִכְבָּֽשׁוּ׃ וַיִּשְׁמַע֙ קֵיסָ֣ר קַסְקֶ֔ל אֵ֖ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָרָ֑הוּ וַיֵּצֵא֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֔יר וַיִּזְעַ֛ק זְעָקָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה וּמָרָֽה׃ וַיִּקְבֹּץ֙ קֵיסָ֣ר קַסְקֶ֔ל אֶת־כׇּל־יְהוּדֵ֥י פָּד֖וּכָּה בְּקֶנְטָ֑קִי וַיִּסַּ֣ע וַ֠יֵּ֠לֶךְ קֵיסָ֨ר קַסְקֶ֜ל וַעֲדַת֗וֹ לַד֤וּן דִּינָם֙ וְלָרִ֣יב רִיבָ֔ם לִפְנֵ֥י הַנָּשִׂ֖יא לְהִשָּׁמַֽע׃ וְאִ֨ישׁ הָיָ֤ה בְּוַשִׁעְתּוֹן֙ נְדִ֣יב הַעַ֔ם מְכֻבָּ֥ד מְא֖וֹד וִיְהוּדִ֑י וּשְׁמ֛וֹ אָד֥וֹלְפוּס שִׁמְע֖וֹן שְׁלֹמֹֽנִי׃ וַיִּמְצָאֵ֥הוּ שְׁלֹמֹ֖נִי אֶת־קֵיסָ֣ר קַסְקֶ֑ל וַיֵּלְכ֣וּ יַחְדָּ֔ו לִרְא֖וֹת אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י הַנָּשִֽׂיא׃	^2:4 A Jewish man there was in Paducah in Kentucky, and his name was Cesar Kaskel. ⁵ He had been exiled from Prussia with the exiles that had been exiled after the German revolutions^[3] The crushing of the März revolution of 1848 was one of the major impetuses for the mass migration of German Jews to the United States in the mid-19th century. had been quashed. ⁶ And Cesar Kaskel heard all that happened, and he went out to the midst of the city and cried a great and bitter cry. ⁷ And Cesar Kaskel gathered all the Jews of Paducah in Kentucky, and Cesar Kaskel set out and went with his community to plead their plea and argue their argument to be heard before the president. ⁸ And a man there was in Washington, a noble of the people, greatly honored — and a Jew — and his name was Adolphus Simeon Solomons.^[4] A well-known Jewish communal leader and Lincoln supporter, and one of the founding members of the Jewish Theological Seminary. ⁹ And Solomons met Cesar Kaskel and they went together to see the face of the president.
פרק ג׳ https://archive.org/download/megillat-lincoln-chapter-5-isaac-gantwerk-mayer-2020/Megillat%20Lincoln%20-%20Chapter%203%20%28Isaac%20Gantwerk%20Mayer%202020%29.mp3	Chapter 3
וְהַנָּשִׂ֣יא לִינְק֡וֹן אִ֠ישׁ חֲכַ֨ם צַדִּ֤יק תַּמִּים֙ בְּדוֹרוֹתָ֔יו אוֹהֵ֥ב אֶת־הַבְּרִיּ֖וֹת וְאוֹהֵ֣ב אֶת־הַדְּר֑וֹר וְה֗וּא אַ֨ב הֲמ֤וֹן גּוֹיִם֙ הָיָ֔ה וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אַבְרָהָֽם׃ וַיִּקְרָא֩ הַנָּשִׂ֨יא אַבְרָהָ֤ם לִינְקוֹן֙ אֶת־פַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן הַכְּתָ֔ב וַיֵּרַ֖ע בְּלִבּ֑וֹ כִּ֥י לֹ֨א יֵעָ֤שֶׂה כֵן֙ בְּאַרְצ֣וֹת הַבְּרִ֔ית כִּנְבָלָ֖ה הַזֹּאֽת׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֵר הַנָּשִׂ֔יא אֶל־קֵיסָ֥ר קַסְקֶ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר אָ֥ז יְגֹרְשׁוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ חֶפְצָ֖ם אֶ֥רֶץ כְּנַֽעַן׃ וַיֹּ֛אמֶר קֵיסָ֥ר קַסְקֶ֖ל אָכֵ֑ן וְעַל־כֵּ֕ן הִנֵּ֤ה בָּ֙אנוּ֙ לְחֵיק֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔ינוּ לְבַקֵּ֥שׁ הַצָּלָ֖ה מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ וַיֹּ֧אמֵר הַנָּשִׂ֛יא אַבְרָהָ֥ם לִינְק֖וֹן לֵאמֹ֑ר וְעַתָּה֙ אֶת־הַהַצָּלָ֣ה הַזֹּא֔ת לָהֶ֖ם תִּהְיֶֽה׃ וַיֹּאמֵ֣ר הַ֗לֵּק אֶחָד֙ מִן־הַ֣שָּׂרִ֔ים לִפְנֵ֥י הַנָּשִׂ֖יא לֵאמֹ֑ר הִ֠נֵּה אֶשְׁלַ֨ח דָּ֜ת לְהִנָּתֵ֣ן ׀ לְהָשִׁ֣יב אֶת־הַסְּפָרִ֗ים מַחֲשֶׁ֜בֶת יוּלִסִּ֧יז הַגְרַאנְטִ֛י לְגָרֵ֖שׁ אֶת־כׇּל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃ וַיִּיטַ֧ב הַדָּבָ֛ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י הַנָּשִׂ֖יא וַיִּשְׁלָחֵֽהוּ׃	^3:1 And President Lincoln was a wise man, righteous and pure for his generation, a lover of life and a lover of liberty; and he was a father of many nations and they called him Abraham. ² And President Abraham Lincoln read the written copy and it was bad in his heart, for such was not done in the United States like this atrocity. ³ And the president said to Cesar Kaskel, “And so the children of Israel were driven from the happy land of Canaan?” ⁴ And Cesar Kaskel said, “Yes, and that is why we have come unto Father Abraham’s bosom, asking protection.” ⁵ And President Abraham Lincoln said, “And this protection they shall have at once.”^[5] This entire conversation, while anecdotal, is said to be exactly what Cesar Kaskel and President Lincoln said to each other. ⁶ And Halleck,^[6] Henry Wager Halleck, at the time the General-in-Chief of the Union armies. one of the generals before the president, said “Look, I will send a rule to be given to undo the papers thought up by Ulysses Grant to expel the Jews.” ⁷ And it was good in the eyes of the president, and he sent it.
פרק ד׳ https://archive.org/download/megillat-lincoln-chapter-5-isaac-gantwerk-mayer-2020/Megillat%20Lincoln%20-%20Chapter%204%20%28Isaac%20Gantwerk%20Mayer%202020%29.mp3	Chapter 4
וַיְהִ֨י בַּחֹ֤דֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי֙ הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ טֵבֵ֔ת בְּיוֹם־שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר בּ֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח הַנָּשִׂ֜יא דָּ֣ת ׀ לְהָשִׁ֣יב דָּ֗ת גְּזֵרָ֤ה טוֹבָה֙ לְהָשִׁיב֙ גְּזֵרָ֣ה רָעָ֔ה מִֽשְׁפַּט־צֶ֖דֶק לְהָשִׁ֥יב מִֽשְׁפַּט־רָֽשָׁע׃ וּבַיּ֨וֹם עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וְשִׁשָּׁה֙ בַּחֹ֔דֶשׁ וַתִּפָּקַ֛חְנָה עֵינֵ֥י יוּלִסִּ֖יז הַגְרַאנְטִ֑י וַיַּהֲפֹ֤ךְ אֶת־הַדָּת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁלַ֔ח וַיָּ֖שׇׁב מִדַּרְכּ֥וֹ הָרָעָֽה׃ וַיֹּ֤אמֵר הַנָּשִׂיא֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם לִינְק֔וֹן לְרַ֧בִּי יִצְחַ֛ק מֵאִ֥יר הֶחָכָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר חָלִ֨לָה לִּ֝י מֵעֲשֹׂ֣ת ׀ כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה לִדְח֤וֹת צַדִּיק֙ עִם־רָשָׁ֔ע וְהָיָ֥ה כַצַּדִּ֖יק כָּרָשָֽׁע׃ וְגַ֣ם יוּלִסִּ֪יז הַ֠גְרַאנְטִ֟י֩ אוֹמֵ֣ר בְּבוּשָׁת֡וֹ חָלִ֣לָה לִי֩ לְקַ֨יֵּם אֶת־הַ֤פְּקוּדָה֙ הַזֹא֔ת כִּ֨י בַעֵ֤ת הַהִיא֙ קָצַ֣פְתִּי מְא֔וֹד וַחֲמָתִ֖י בָּ֥עֲרָה בִ֑י וְהַדָּ֣ת נִתְּנָ֗ה בַּ֥ל שֵׂ֨כֶל וּבַ֤ל־תְּבוּנָה֙ בְּעַ֣ם הַיְּהוּדִ֔י וַיַּעֲנ֥וּ הַיְּהוּדִ֖ים ׀ שָׁלֽוֹם׃ וְקֵיסָ֣ר קַסְקֶ֔ל יָצָ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֣י הַנָּשִׂ֑יא וְאֶ֣רֶץ הַבְּרִ֔ית צָהֲלָ֖ה וְשָׂמֵֽחָה׃ לַיְּהוּדִ֕ים הָֽיְתָ֥ה אוֹרָ֖ה וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה וְשָׂשֹׂ֖ן וִיקָֽר׃	^4:1 And it was in the tenth month, that is the month of Tevet, on the thirteenth day of the month, and the president sent a rule to undo the rule, a good decree to undo the evil decree, a just judgement to undo the wicked judgement. ² And on the twenty-sixth day of that month the eyes of Ulysses Grant were opened, and he overturned the rule that he had sent, and returned from his evil way. ³ And President Abraham Lincoln said to Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, “To condemn a class is, to say the least, to wrong the good with the bad.”^[7] In the Hebrew, this real-life Lincoln quote is represented by a paraphrase of the original Father Abraham, specifically of Genesis 18:25 — “God forbid that You do such a thing, to kill the righteous with the wicked, and to make the righteous as the wicked.” In this text, it reads “God forbid that I do such a thing, to expel the righteous with the wicked, and to make the righteous as the wicked.” ⁴ And even Ulysses Grant said in his shame,^[8] Grant didn’t say this until the 1880s when he was trying to get the Jewish vote during the election, but it’s added here for literary reasons. Sue me. “I do not pretend to sustain the order. At the time of its publication, I was incensed… The order was issued and sent without any reflection and without thinking of the Jews as a set or race to themselves…” and the Jews responded, “Fine.” ⁵ And Cesar Kaskel went out from before the president, and the land of the Union rejoiced and was happy. ⁶ For the Jews there was light and gladness and joy and honor.
פרק ה׳ https://archive.org/download/megillat-lincoln-chapter-5-isaac-gantwerk-mayer-2020/Megillat%20Lincoln%20-%20Chapter%205%20%28Isaac%20Gantwerk%20Mayer%202020%29.mp3	Chapter 5
וַיִּכְתְּב֥וּ הַיְּהוּדִ֖ים אֶת־הַדְּבָ֣רִים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיִּשְׁלְח֨וּ סְפָרִ֜ים אֶל־כׇּל־מְדִינוֹת֙ הַנָּשִׂ֔יא הַקְּרוֹבִ֖ים וְהָרְחוֹקִֽים׃ לְקַיֵּם֮ עֲלֵיהֶם֒ לִהְי֣וֹת עֹשִׂ֗ים אֵ֠ת י֣וֹם שְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ טֵבֵ֔ת וְאֵ֛ת יוֹם־עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וְשִׁשָּׁ֖ה בּ֑וֹ בְּכׇל־שָׁ֖נָה וְשָׁנָֽה׃ כַּיָּמִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־נָ֨חוּ בָהֶ֤ם הַיְּהוּדִים֙ מֵא֣וֹיְבֵיהֶ֔ם וְהַחֹ֗דֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר֩ נֶהְפַּ֨ךְ לָהֶ֤ם מִיָּגוֹן֙ לְשִׂמְחָ֔ה וּמֵאֵ֖בֶל לְי֣וֹם ט֑וֹב לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת אוֹתָ֗ם יְמֵי֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֣ה וְשִׂמְחָ֔ה וּמִשְׁל֤וֹחַ מָנוֹת֙ אִ֣ישׁ לְרֵעֵ֔הוּ וּמַתָּנ֖וֹת לָֽאֶבְיוֹנִֽים׃ וְקִבֵּל֙ הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־הֵחֵ֖לּוּ לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת וְאֵ֧ת אֲשֶׁר־כָּתַ֛ב קֵיסָ֥ר קַסְקֶ֖ל אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ כִּ֨י יוּלִסִּ֤יז בֶּן־יִשַׁירוֹת֙ הַגְרַאנְטִ֔י חָשַׁ֥ב עַל־הַיְּהוּדִ֖ים לְגַרְשָׁ֑ם וְהִנָּ֣תֵן דָּ֔ת לִדְחֹתָ֖ם וּלְהַגְלֹתָֽם׃ וּבַבֹּא֖וֹ לִפְנֵ֣י הַנָּשִׂ֑יא אָמַ֣ר עִם־הַסֵּ֔פֶר יָשׁ֞וּב מַחֲשַׁבְתּ֧וֹ הָרָעָ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־חָשַׁ֥ב עַל־הַיְּהוּדִ֖ים עַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃ עַל־כֵּ֡ן קָרְאוּ֩ לַיָּמִ֨ים הָאֵ֤לֶּה פֿוּרִים֙ לִינְק֔וֹן עַל־שֵׁם֙ הַנָּשִׂ֔יא עַל־כֵּ֕ן עַל־כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הָאִגֶּ֣רֶת הַזֹּ֑את וּמָֽה־רָא֣וּ עַל־כָּ֔כָה וּמָ֥ה הִגִּ֖יעַ אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ קַיְּמ֣וּ וְקִבְלֻ֣ יִהוּדֵ֣י אַרְצ֣וֹת הַבְּרִית֩ ׀ עֲלֵיהֶ֨ם ׀ וְעַל־זַרְעָ֜ם וְעַ֨ל כׇּל־הַנִּלְוִ֤ים עֲלֵיהֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲב֔וֹר לִהְי֣וֹת עֹשִׂ֗ים אֵ֣ת שְׁנֵ֤י הַיָּמִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה כִּכְתָבָ֖ם וְכִזְמַנָּ֑ם בְּכׇל־שָׁנָ֖ה וְשָׁנָֽה׃ וְהַיָּמִ֣ים הָ֠אֵ֠לֶּה נִזְכָּרִ֨ים וְנַעֲשִׂ֜ים בְּכׇל־דּ֣וֹר וָד֗וֹר מִשְׁפָּחָה֙ וּמִשְׁפָּחָ֔ה מְדִינָ֥ה וּמְדִינָ֖ה וְעִ֣יר וָעִ֑יר וִימֵ֞י הַפּוּרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה לֹ֤א יַֽעַבְרוּ֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים וְזִכְרָ֖ם לֹא־יָס֥וּף מִזַּרְעָֽם׃ וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח סְפָרִ֜ים אֶל־כׇּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֗ים אֶל־שְׁלֹ֨שׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים מְדִינָה֙ וַחֲבָלִ֣ים שִׁבְעָ֔ה מֶמְשֶׁ֖לֶת לִינְק֑וֹן דִּבְרֵ֥י שָׁל֖וֹם וֶאֱמֶֽת׃ וּמַאֲמַר֙ קֵיסָ֣ר קַסְקֶ֔ל קִיַּ֕ם דִּבְרֵ֥י הַפֻּרִ֖ים הַאֵ֑לֶּה וְנִכְתָּ֖ב בַּסֵּֽפֶר׃	^5:1 And the Jews wrote these things and sent out papers to all the states of the president, near and far, ² to accept upon themselves to make the thirteenth day of the month of Tevet and the twenty-sixth day of it, every year, ³ as the days when the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month when it was overturned for them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning to a good day, to make them days of feasting and joy and giving gifts to one another and gifts to the poor. ⁴ And the Jews accepted what they had begun to do, and what Cesar Kaskel wrote for them. ⁵ For Ulysses (the son of Jesse Root) Grant had thought to expel the Jews, and sent out a rule to banish and exile them. ⁶ And when it came before the president, he said, “With this paper, let his evil thought that he thought against the Jews return on his head!” ⁷ Thus they called these days Lincoln’s Purim, for the name of the president, thus for all the words of this letter, and what they saw about how, and what had befallen them. ⁸ The Jews of the United States established and accepted upon them and their descendants and all who would join them — never to be passed — to do these two days as written at their time every single year. ⁹ And these days are remembered and done in every generation, every family, every state, every city, and these Purim days will not be passed from among the Jews, and their memory will not cease from their seed. ¹⁰ And they sent out papers to all the Jews, to the thirty-three states and seven territories of the government of Lincoln, words of peace and truth. ¹¹ And the word of Cesar Kaskel established these Purim days and it was written in a book.^[9] These letters and this book do not per se exist, but an important part of the Purim Sheni scroll structure is establishing the holiday’s legitimacy so the editor saw fit to indulge in a bit of pseudo-historical fancy in order to serve this purpose.
פרק ו׳ https://archive.org/download/megillat-lincoln-chapter-5-isaac-gantwerk-mayer-2020/Megillat%20Lincoln%20-%20Chapter%206%20%28Isaac%20Gantwerk%20Mayer%202020%29.mp3	Chapter 6
וּמִלְחָמָ֨ה הָיְתָ֜ה בֵּ֣ין הַצָּפ֗וֹן וּבֵ֧ין הַנֶּ֛גֶב כׇּל־יְמֵ֖י לִינְק֑וֹן עַ֥ד נִצַּ֖ח הַצָּפֽוֹן׃ וַיָּבֵ֨א [לינקולן] לִינְק֜וֹן אֶת־עַבְדֵ֤י הַנֶּ֨גֶב֙ מֵעַבְד֣וּת לְחֵר֔וּת וַיִּקְרָ֛א דְּר֥וֹר בָּאָ֖רֶץ לְכׇל־יֹשְׁבֶֽיהָ׃ וְכׇל־מַעֲשֵׂ֤ה תׇקְפּוֹ֙ וּגְב֣וּרָת֔וֹ וּפָרָשַׁ֖ת גְּדֻלַּ֣ת הַנָּשִׂ֑יא הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֙פֶר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י הַיָּמִ֔ים לִנְשִׂיאֵ֖י אַרְצ֥וֹת הַבְּרִֽית׃	^6:1 And there was constant war between the north and the south all the days of Lincoln^[10] Read in Lamentations nusach to mourn Lincoln’s assassination. until the Northern victory. ² And Lincon^[11] “Lincon” here is not a spelling error. Since President Lincoln’s name has a silent L in it per American pronunciation, the standard Hebrew transcription used in this megillah transliterates it as “Lincon.” In the original Megillah of Esther, the last mention of King Aḥashverosh is spelled differently, and marked with a qere/ketiv split. So in order to reflect both of these at once, this final mention of the president is written as a qere/ketiv split, written as “Lincolen” and pronounced “Lincon.” This cannot be directly represented in the English, where the standard spelling for Lincoln is used, so instead it is here flipped — the key is that the name is spelled differently here. brought the slaves of the south from slavery to freedom, and proclaimed liberty in the land to all its inhabitants. ³ And all the mighty acts and valor, and the section of the greatness of the president, are they not written in the history books of the Presidents of the United States?
וְעַתָּה֮ הַמֵּשִׁ֣יב בָּנִ֣ים לִגְבוּלָם֒ כְּמ֣וֹ הֲשֵׁבֹ֗תָ יִהוּדֵ֨י טֶנֶּסִ֤י וּמִסִּסִּ֙יפִּי֙ וְקֶנְטָ֔קִי מִגָּלוּתָ֖ם לְאַרְצָ֑ם כֵּ֛ן תְּשִׂיבֶ֥נּוּ לְאַרְצֵ֖נוּ וְשָׂמְחֵ֥נוּ בִּגְבוּלֵֽנוּ׃ הַזֹּרְעִ֣ים בְּדִמְעָ֔ה בְּרִנָּ֖ה יִקְצֹֽרוּ׃ הָל֤וֹךְ יֵלֵךְ֙ ׀ וּבָכֹ֔ה נֹ֖שֵׂא מֶ֣שֶׁךְ הַזָּ֑רַע בֹּ֤א יָבוֹא֙ בְרִנָּ֔ה נֹשֵׂ֖א אֲלֻמֹּתָֽיו׃ בָּר֣וּךְ אַתָּ֗ה הָרָ֤ב אֶת־רִיבֵ֙נוּ֙ וְהַדָּ֣ן אֶת־דִּינֵ֔נוּ וְהַנּוֹקֵ֖ם אֶת־נִקְמָתֵ֑נוּ וְהַמְשַׁלֵּ֤ם גְּמוּל֙ לְכׇל־אוֹיְבֵ֣י נַפְשֵׁ֔נוּ וְהַנִּפְרָע־לָ֖נוּ מִצָּרֵֽינוּ׃ בָּר֣וּךְ אַתָּ֔ה הַנִּפְרָ֥ע לְעַמּוֹ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִכׇּל־צָרֵיהֶ֑ם הָאֵ֖ל הַמּוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃	^6:4 And now, the Returner of children to their borders, just as You returned the Jews of Tennessee and Mississippi and Kentucky from their exile to their land, thus return us to our land and let us rejoice in our borders. ⁵ The sowers in tears in joy will reap. ⁶ One who goes, goes a-weeping, bearing their seed-pouch, will come, come a-cheering, lifting their sheaves.^[12] Psalms 126:5-6. ⁷ Blessed are You, who argues our arguments, and pleads our pleas, and avenges our vengeances, and fully repays our enemies, and redeems us from our enemies. ⁸ Blessed our You, who redeems Israel from all their enemies, Saving God.^[13] The benediction after the Megillah reading, with God’s name removed so as to avoid a brakhah levatalah.
סכום הפסוקים של מגילת לינקון הנשיא חמישים וארבעה וסימן ברך יהוה חׄיׄלׄוׄ ופעל ידיו תרצה ופרשיותיו שש וחציו וַיֹּ֧אמֵר הַנָּשִׂ֛יא אַבְרָהָ֥ם תם ונשלם תודות לאל בורא עולם!	The total verses of the President Lincoln scroll is fifty-four (the gematria of ‘his wherewithal’ in “may the CAUSE bless his wherewithal and desire the work of his hands” (Deuteronomy 33:11)) and its chapters are six, and the halfway point is “And President Abraham Lincoln said” (4:3) It’s finished and it’s done! Thanks to God, who created everyone!

Recordings

Notes

Notes
1	In the Hebrew this is written as M’ein, a root that also means “water spring.” Maine is well known for its abundant fresh water.
2	In the Hebrew this is written as Ḥalifornya, with a ח as opposed to a ק as one might expect. This is meant to reflect the etymology of the term, which is thought to have been coined by the medieval Spanish author Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo from the term “caliph,” which is spelled in Arabic with the equivalent to ח.
3	The crushing of the März revolution of 1848 was one of the major impetuses for the mass migration of German Jews to the United States in the mid-19th century.
4	A well-known Jewish communal leader and Lincoln supporter, and one of the founding members of the Jewish Theological Seminary.
5	This entire conversation, while anecdotal, is said to be exactly what Cesar Kaskel and President Lincoln said to each other.
6	Henry Wager Halleck, at the time the General-in-Chief of the Union armies.
7	In the Hebrew, this real-life Lincoln quote is represented by a paraphrase of the original Father Abraham, specifically of Genesis 18:25 — “God forbid that You do such a thing, to kill the righteous with the wicked, and to make the righteous as the wicked.” In this text, it reads “God forbid that I do such a thing, to expel the righteous with the wicked, and to make the righteous as the wicked.”
8	Grant didn’t say this until the 1880s when he was trying to get the Jewish vote during the election, but it’s added here for literary reasons. Sue me.
9	These letters and this book do not per se exist, but an important part of the Purim Sheni scroll structure is establishing the holiday’s legitimacy so the editor saw fit to indulge in a bit of pseudo-historical fancy in order to serve this purpose.
10	Read in Lamentations nusach to mourn Lincoln’s assassination.
11	“Lincon” here is not a spelling error. Since President Lincoln’s name has a silent L in it per American pronunciation, the standard Hebrew transcription used in this megillah transliterates it as “Lincon.” In the original Megillah of Esther, the last mention of King Aḥashverosh is spelled differently, and marked with a qere/ketiv split. So in order to reflect both of these at once, this final mention of the president is written as a qere/ketiv split, written as “Lincolen” and pronounced “Lincon.” This cannot be directly represented in the English, where the standard spelling for Lincoln is used, so instead it is here flipped — the key is that the name is spelled differently here.
12	Psalms 126:5-6.
13	The benediction after the Megillah reading, with God’s name removed so as to avoid a brakhah levatalah.

💬 הַצְהָרַת הָאֵמַנְצִיפַּצְיָה | The Emancipation Proclamation (1 January 1863), translated, vocalized and cantillated by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer

Abraham Lincoln — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 18:13:34 +0000

In honor of Juneteenth, the holiday of American liberation, this is a translation of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation into Biblical Hebrew, largely read with Esther cantillation. The list of rebellious provinces is read quickly in a monotone, in the manner of the children of Haman. The line declaring that the proclamation does not apply in states under Union control, and extending slavery to 1865 in much of Louisiana and Virginia, is read in Lamentations trope. #BLM

Recording

https://archive.org/download/hatsharat-haemantsipatsya-isaac-gantwerk-mayer-2020/Hatsharat%20Ha-Emantsipatsya%20%28Isaac%20Gantwerk%20Mayer%202020%29.mp3

Translation (Hebrew)	Source (English)
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשִּׁשִּׁ֗י ה֚וּא חֹ֣דֶשׁ אֱל֔וּל בְּי֨וֹם עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וְשִׁבְעָה֙ לַחֹדֶ֔שׁ בִּשְׁנַ֣ת תִּׄרְׄכַּׄ֔בׄ לְמִנְיַ֖ן בְּרִיאַ֣ת הָעוֹלָ֑ם וַיְצַ֞ו נְשִׂ֣יא ׀ אַרְצ֣וֹת הַבְּרִ֗ית וַיַּ֤עֲבֶר־קוֹל֙ בְּכׇל־הָ֣אָ֔רֶץ וּב֨וֹ הַדָּבָ֧ר הַזֶּ֛ה כָּת֛וּב עִם־דְּבָרִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר׃	Whereas, on the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit:
הִנֵּ֗ה בְּי֣וֹם רֹ֣אשׁ־הַשָּׁנָה֮ בִּינִלְאוּמִי֒ בִּשְׁנַ֣ת תִּׄרְׄכַּׄ֡גׄ לְמִנְיַ֣ן בְּרִיאַ֣ת הָ֠עוֹלָם כׇּל־בְּנֵ֨י אֱנוֹשׁ֜ אֲשֶׁ֣ר־נִכְבָּשִׁ֣ים ׀ לַעֲבָדִ֣ים וְלַשְּׁפָח֗וֹת בְּכׇל־מְדִינָ֤ה וּמְדִינָה֙ וּבְכׇל־חֶ֣בֶל וָחֶ֔בֶל אֲשֶׁר֙ בַּעֵ֣ת הַזֹּ֔את בִּמְרִידָ֕ה נֶ֖גֶד אַרְצ֣וֹת הַבְּרִ֑ית הִנָּ֤ם חׇפְשִׁים֙ בַּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא וּמִן־הַיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ עֲדֵ֣י עַ֔ד וּלְעוֹלְמֵ֖י עוֹלָמִֽים׃ וּמֶמְשֶׁ֩לֶת֩ אַרְצ֨וֹת הַבְּרִ֜ית הַמְּבַצַּ֗עַת בִּרְשׁ֤וּת חֵילָהּ֙ וּבִרְשׁ֣וּת צְבָאָ֔הּ תָּקִ֖ים וְקִבְּלָ֣ה אֶת־חֵרוּתָ֑ם וְלֹא־תַּעֲשֶׂ֨ה מְא֤וּמָה לִכְבָשׁוּם֙ אֹתָ֣ם וְאֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָהֶ֔ם בְּכׇ֨ל־פּוֹעֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵ֧ם פּוֹעֲלִ֛ים לְקַבֵּ֖ל חֵר֥וּת אֲמִתִּֽית׃	“That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.
וְצִוָּ֣ה הַמְּבַצֵּ֗עַ בְּי֨וֹם רֹאשׁ־הַשָּׁנָ֤ה הַבִּינִלְאוּמִי֙ כָּאָמ֣וּר בְּק֔וֹל וּקְרָא֙ אֶת־הַמְּדִינ֣וֹת וְהַחֲבָלִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר בִּמְרִידָ֛ה נֶ֖גֶד אַרְצ֣וֹת הַבְּרִי֑ת וְאֶת־עַ֤מֵּיהֶם֙ עַ֣ם לַמְּדִינָ֔ה יִהְי֕וּ בִּמְרִידָ֥ה נֶ֖גֶד אַרְצ֥וֹת הַבְּרִֽית׃ וְכִ֣י ׀ אִם־שְׁלִיחֵ֣י הַמְּדִינ֗וֹת בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ יֵרָאֶ֔ה בְּחֶ֣סֶד וֶאֱמֶ֔ת בִּוְעִידַ֖ת אַרְצ֣וֹת הַבְּרִ֑ית שְׁלִיחִ֣ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִבְחֲרוּ֩ בַּ֨בְּחִיר֤וֹת אֲשֶׁר־בַּהֵן֙ הִצְבִּ֔יעוּ רֹ֖ב הַמַּצְבִּיעִ֥ים הַמֻּסְמָכִֽים׃ בְּחֶסְר֕וֹן עֵד֥וּת חֲזָקָ֖ה נֶגְדָּ֑ם זֶ֣ה ׀ יִקָּרֵ֣א מַכְרִ֗יעַ כִּ֨י הַמְּדִינָ֤ה הַהִיא֙ וְעַמֶּ֔יהָ לֹ֧א בִּמְרִידָ֛ה נֶ֖גֶד אַרְצ֥וֹת הַבְּרִֽית׃	“That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the fact that any State, or the people thereof, shall on that day be, in good faith, represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such State shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State, and the people thereof, are not then in rebellion against the United States.”
וְעַתָּ֖ה עַל־כֵּ֑ן אָנֹכִי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם לינקולן [לִנְק֔וֹן] נְשִׂ֖יא אַרְצ֥וֹת הַבְּרִֽית׃ בִּרְשׁ֣וּת הַ֠כֹּ֠חַ הַהֻקְנֵ֨ה אֵלַ֜י כְּרֹאשׁ־הַפְּקוּדִ֣ים ׀ בְּאַרְצ֣וֹת הַבְּרִ֗ית רֹא֤שׁ הַצָּבָא֙ וְרֹא֣שׁ חֵ֣יל־הַיָּ֔ם בַּעֵת֩ מְרִידָ֨ה חֲמוּשָׁ֧ה אֲמִתִּ֛ית נֶ֖גֶד אַרְצ֣וֹת הַבְּרִ֑ית וְכִפְקוּדַ֤ת מִלְחָמָה֙ מַתְאִימָ֣ה וּנְכוֹנָ֔ה לְהַרְגִּ֖יעַ אֶת־הַמְּרִידָ֥ה הַזֹּאֽת׃ וְהַיָּ֗ה בַּי֣וֹם רֹ֣אשׁ־הַשָּׁנָה֮ הַבִּינִלְאוּמִ֣י הַזֶּה֒ בִּשְׁנַת֙ תִּ֣ׄרְׄכַּׄ֔גׄ לְמִנְיַ֖ן בְּרִיאַ֣ת הָעוֹלָ֑ם וּלְכַוָּנָתִ֗י לַעֲשׂ֤וֹת כְּקָרָ֙אתִי֙ לִתְקוּפָ֣ה מְלֵאָ֔ה שִׁבְעָ֤ה שָׁבוּעוֹת֙ וְעוֹד־שִׁבְעָ֣ה שָׁבוּע֔וֹת עַ֨ד מֵאָ֧ה י֛וֹם מִן־הַיּ֖וֹם הָאָמֽוּר׃ הִנֵּ֨ה אֲצַוֶּ֝ה וְהִנֵּ֣ה אֶקְרָ֗א אֵ֚ת הַמְּדִינ֣וֹת וְהַחֲבָלִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּ֤ם עַמֵּיהֶם֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה בִּמְרִידָ֕ה נֶ֖גֶד אַרְצ֣וֹת הַבְּרִ֑ית וְאֵ֥לּוּ הֵ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃	Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief, of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days, from the day first above mentioned, order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit:
אַרְקֶנְסָ֥ה וּטֶ֖קְסָס וּלוּאִיזְיָֽנָה׃ ח֨וּץ מִן־ הַקְּהִיל֤וֹת הַאֵ֙לֶּה֙ סֵנְטִבֶּרְנָ֣רְד וּפְלֶ֔אקְמִנְז וּדְשֶׁ֣פֶרְסוֹן וְסֵנְטְי֔וֹחָנָן וְסֵנְטִשָׁ֖רְלֶס וְסֵנְטְיַעֲקֹ֣ב עִילִ֑ית וַעֲלִיָּה֙ וּטֶרֶבּ֣וֹן וְלַפ֔וּשׁ וְסֵנְטִמֶ֧רְיָם וְסֵנְטִמַרְתִ֛ין וְאוֹרלִ֖ינְס וְעִיר־אוֹרלִ֥ינְס חֲדָשָֽׁה׃ מִסִּסִּ֥יפִּי וָאַלָבָּ֖מָה וּפְלוֹרִידָ֥ה וּגוֹרְגְיָֽה׃ וְקָרוֹלִינָ֣ת הַנֶּ֔גֶב וְקָרוֹלִינָ֖ת הַצָּפ֑וֹן וּוִרְגִינִיָֽה׃ ח֨וּץ מִין־ הַמְּחוֹזִ֤ים הַנִּקְרָאִים֙ וִירְגִינְיַ֣ת הַמַּעֲרָבָ֔ה וְגַ֖ם הַמְּחוֹזִ֣ים הַאֵ֑לֶּה בֵּרְקֶלִ֤י וָאַקוֹמָק֙ וְנ֣וֹרְתָ֔מְפְּטוֹן וְעִ֤יר אֶלִישֶׁ֙בַע֙ וְי֔וֹרְק וְחַנָּ֣ה הַנְּסִיכָ֔ה וּנוֹרְפ֕וֹלְק עִם־עַרֵ֥י נוֹרְפ֖וֹלק וּפוֹרְצְמֽוֹת׃ וְהַנּוֹתָ֥ר מֵהֶ֖ם לַזְּמַ֣ן הַזֶּ֑ה נִשְׁאַ֕ר כְּמוֹ־לִפְנֵ֖י הַקְּרִיאָ֥ה הַזֹּאֽת׃	Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, (except the Parishes of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the City of New Orleans) Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth[)], and which excepted parts, are for the present, left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.
וּבִרְשׁ֨וּת הַכֹּ֤ח וְהַכַּוָּנָה֙ הָאֲמוּרִ֣ים לְעֵ֔יל הִנֵּ֥ה אֲצַוֶּ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֣ה אֶקְרָ֑א כִּ֣י ׀ כׇּל־בְּנֵ֣י אֱנ֗וֹשׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עֲבָדִ֤ים וּשְׁפָחוֹת֙ הָי֔וּ בַּמְּדִינ֨וֹת וּבַחֲבָלִ֤ים הָאֵלֶּה֙ הֵ֣ם חׇפְשִׁ֔ים וּמֵעַתָּ֥ה וְעַד־עוֹלָ֖ם הֵ֥ם חׇפְשִֽׁים׃ וּמֶמְשֶׁ֩לֶת֩ אַרְצ֨וֹת הַבְּרִ֜ית הַמְּבַצַּ֗עַת בִּרְשׁ֤וּת חֵילָהּ֙ וּבִרְשׁ֣וּת צְבָאָ֔הּ תָּקִ֥ים וְקִבְּלָ֖ה אֶת־חֵרוּתָֽם׃	And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.
וְעַתָּ֣ה אֶפְקְדָה־נָ֗א עַל־הַנִּקְרָאִ֤ים חׇפְשִׁים֙ לִרְחֹ֣ק מֵחָמָ֔ס אִם־לֹ֖א לַהֲגַנָּ֣ה עַצְמִ֑ית וְהִנֵּה־ט֣וֹב בְּעֵינַ֗י אִם־מְלֶ֤אכֶת אֱמוּנָה֙ תַּעֲשׂ֔וּ וְשֻׁלְּמ֖וּ בִּשְׂכַ֥ר טוּב־שֵֽׂכֶל׃ וְעוֹד֙ אֶנְאַ֣ם וְהוֹדַעְתִּ֔י כִּ֕י הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה כִּי־מֻסְמָכִ֑ים הִנָּ֨ם יְקֻבְּל֤וּ בְּצִבְאוֹת֙ אַרְצ֣וֹת הַבְּרִ֔ית לִשְׁמֹ֤ר מִבְצָרִים֙ וּמַעֲמָד֤וֹת וּמַטּוֹת֙ וּמְקוֹמ֣וֹת אֲחֵרִ֔ים וּלְאַיֵּ֕שׁ אֶת־כׇּל־מִינֵ֥י אֳנִיּ֖וֹת בִּצְבָאָֽם׃	And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; and I recommend to them that, in all cases when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages. And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.
וְעַ֣ל ׀ הַפְּעֻלָּ֣ה הַזֹּ֗את פְּעֻלָּ֤ה מׇאֳמֶ֙נֶת֙ בֶּאֱמוּנָ֣ה שְׁלֵ֔מָה לִהְי֖וֹת פְּעֻ֣לַּת צֶ֑דֶק אֲבַקֵּ֨שׁ מִבְּנֵ֤י הָאָדָם֙ דִּ֣ין וּמִשְׁפָּ֔ט ׀ וְחֶ֧סֶד וְרַחֲמִ֛ים וְרָצ֖וֹן מֵאֵ֥ל עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ הִנְנִ֥י עֵ֖ד עַל־הַקְּרִיאָ֣ה הַזֹּא֑ת וְהִנֵּה֙ יָדִ֣י עָלֶ֔יהָ וַאֶחְתֹּ֧ם עָלֶ֛יהָ אֶת־חוֹתַ֖ם אַרְצ֥וֹת הַבְּרִֽית׃ הִנֵּ֣ה עֲשׂוּיָה֮ בְּעִ֣יר וָשִׁעְתּוֹן֒ בַּי֨וֹם רֹא֤שׁ הַשָּׁנָה֙ הַבִּ֣ינִלְאוּמִ֔י בִּשְׁנַת֙ תִּ֣ׄרְׄכַּׄ֔גׄ לְמִנְיַ֖ן בְּרִיאַ֣ת הָעוֹלָ֑ם הִ֚יא שְׁנַת־שֶׁ֣בַע וּשְׁמוֹנִ֔ים לְעַצְמָא֕וּת אַרְצ֥וֹת הַבְּרִ֖ית אֶ֥רֶץ־אָמֵרִיקָֽה׃ הַנָּשִׂ֖יא ׀ אַבְרָהָ֣ם לינקולן [לִנְק֑וֹן] וּוִילְיָא֤ם הֶ֙נְרִי֙ סְי֔וּאָרְד ׀ שָׂ֖ר הַמְּדִינָֽה׃	And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington, this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-seventh. By the President: ABRAHAM LINCOLN WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

A Transcription of A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America on January 1, 1863.

Source(s)

Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, January 1, 1863.

Prayer after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln by Rabbi Sabato Morais (18 April 1865)

Sabato Morais — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 17:22:53 +0000

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Omnipotent God! not for our sake, not for our sake, but for that of Thy Infinite mercy, be with us in our woeful calamity. We dare not rely upon man’s strength, which continually faileth, for “man withereth like grass, he fleeth like a shadow, and we see him no more.”^[1] Cf. Job 14:2 and Psalms 102:12 But upon Thine arm do we lean, for that which supporteth the whole universe, will also be our stay. Oh! guide us with Thy wisdom, and show us, amid the gloom wherein we are inshrouded, the hour of our national deliverance.
	Grant, oh Lord, that a twofold portion of the lovely spirit with which was endowed the illustrious dead we lament, may rest upon his successor. He supremely needs it. He needs his unflinching rectitude, his generous instinct, his forgiving disposition, his noble forbearance and discretion to an infinite degree, in order that he may complete the blessed work marked out by our sainted President.
	Sovereign Creator! open wide the portals of eternal bliss, and let the righteous Abraham of the Western world enter. Remember his suffering for the sake of principles, and let it be a propitiation for the sins of the people he so dearly loved and so faithfully served. May he I ever sit at Thy right hand, imparadised in the contemplation of Thy divine essence. Grant, from the highest heavens he may soon behold our unalloyed joy, when the pavilion of peace shall again spread its folds over us, and an indissoluble bond of brotherhood unite together all the inhabitants of this country.
	And to the beloved relief of one so good, to the bereaved sons and disconsolate widow, speak, Oh Lord, of the unending delights he now enjoys in the land of life. It will infuse into their hearts fortitude and resignation. The voice of religion and the grateful expressions of a reconstructed nation, will then be a solace to their minds and a soothing balm to their souls.
	We now offer supplications unto Thee for Thy servant, the Secretary of State, stricken by the hand of treason. “May he not die, but live and declare to posterity the works of the Lord.” And may all our powers, our energies and endeavors be devoted to benefit mankind, in accordance with Thy will, and that of the lamented Executive of the American nation. Amen.

This prayer by Rabbi Sabato Morais was offered in conclusion to a sermon delivered at some point days after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on 15 April 1865, and reprinted in The Philadelphia Inquirer on 20 November 1865. The time of the assassination corresponded to motsei shabbat and the beginning of the 6th day of Passover 5625, and so we can imagine this prayer having been delivered at some point over the remaining two festival days of Pesaḥ, on April 17th or 18th. The prayer was preserved by Rabbi Morais in his ledger (page 24, clipping 029), an archive of newsclippings recording material he contributed to the press, among other announcements. (Many thanks to the Library of the University of Pennsylvania for helping to make this resource accessible.) Next to the clipping, Rabbi Sabato has written, “Andrew Johnson proved anything but a worthy successor to the sainted Abraham Lincoln.”

Source(s)

prayer after the assassination of President Lincoln [1865-04-20] (Sabato Morais Ledger, p. 24 clipping 029)

Notes

Notes
1	Cf. Job 14:2 and Psalms 102:12

💬 כִּי בְּהַרְאָיָה הַשֵּׁנִית | The Second Inaugural Address of President Abraham Lincoln on 4 March 1865

Abraham Lincoln — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 01:37:25 +0000

Translation (Hebrew)	Source (English)
כִּ֚י בְּהַרְאָיָ֣ה הַשֵּׁנִ֔ית לְהַשְׁבִ֖יעַ שְׁבֻעַ֣ת הַנָּשִׂ֑יא אֵ֥ין עֵת֙ לְהַאֲרִ֣יךְ דְּבָרִ֔ים כַּפַּ֥עַם הָרִאשׁוֹנָ֖ה הָיָֽה׃ וָאֹמַ֣ר בַּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֡יא בְּלִבִּי֩ כִּ֨י לְדַבֵּ֤ר בִּקְצָת־אֹ֙רֶךְ֙ עַל־אוֹד֣וֹת הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֖ר נֵֽלֵךְ־בּ֑וֹ הִנֵּ֖ה נָכ֥וֹן וָטֽוֹב׃ וְעַתָּה֮ אַחֲרֵ֣י אַרְבַּ֣ע שָׁנִים֒ אֲשֶׁ֗ר דִּבְרֵ֨י הָעֵדָ֜ה נִקְרְאוּ־לָ֣מוֹ ׀ בְּכׇל־עֵ֣ת וּבְכׇל־מָק֗וֹם לָרִ֨יב הַגָּד֤וֹל אֲשֶׁר־נוֹשֵׂא֙ אֶת־כׇּל־עַ֔יִן וְאוֹכֵ֖ל אֶת־כׇּל־לֵ֣ב הָעָ֑ם הִנֵּ֕ה כְּאֵ֥ין חָדָ֖שׁ לְהֵרָאֽוֹת׃ שְׁל֨וֹם הַמִּלְחָמָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ עָלָ֣יו הַכֹּ֗ל הִנֵּ֨ה גָּל֧וּי וְיָד֛וּעַ לַעַ֖ם כְּמוֹ־לִ֑י וּבָטַ֣חְתִּי־ב֔וֹ כִּ֛י לְשַׂמֵּ֥חַ וּלְחַזֵּ֖ק לִבּ֥וֹת־הַכֹּֽל׃ וּבְתִקְו֧וֹת גְּבוֹה֛וֹת לְאַחֲרִ֖ית הַיָּמִ֑ים לָ֚מָּה לִ֣י לְהִתְנַבֵּ֔א‎ נְבוּאָ֖ה עַל־אוֹדוֹתָֽיו׃	Fellow-Countrymen: At this second appearing to take the oath of the Presidential office there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured.
בַּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא֙ בַּזְּמַ֣ן הַזֶּ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י אַרְבַּ֣ע שָׁנִ֑ים וְכׇל־לְבָב֛וֹת סוֹבְב֥וֹת בַּחֲרָדָ֖ה אֵל־מִלְחֶ֥מֶת אֶזְרָחִֽים׃ הַכֹּ֥ל פָּחֲד֖וּ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ הַכֹּ֥ל בִּקְּשׁ֖וּ לָס֥וּר מִמֶּנּֽוּ׃ וַיְהִ֗י בַּזְּמַ֣ן כִּי־נִשְׁלְחוּ֩ דִּבְרֵ֨י חֲנֻכַּ֤ת הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה֙ מִן־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּה֔ בְּכׇל־לֵבָ֕ב לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ אֶת־הַיִּח֖וּד בְּלֹא־מִלְחָמָ֑ה בְּעֶ֣צֶם ׀ הָעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא קָהֲל֤וּ בְּנֵי־מֶרִי֙ בָּעִ֔יר וַיְבַקְשׁ֤וּ לְאַבֵּד֙ אֶת־הַיִּח֣וּד בְּלֹא־מִלְחָמָ֔ה וַיְבַקְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־הַיִּח֔וּד לְהִמּ֧וֹג וּלְפַלֵּ֛ג אֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֖וֹ בִּדְבָרִ֥ים רַכִּֽים׃ גַּ֚ם שְׁתֵּ֣י הַקְּהִלּ֔וֹת הָי֥וּ נֶ֖גֶד מִלְחָמָ֑ה אַ֗ךְ הָאֶחָ֨ד יְבַקֵּ֤שׁ לְמִלְחָמָה֙ פֶּן־תְּחִ֣י הָעָ֔ם וְהַשֵּׁנִ֛י יִקְרַ֥ב לְמִלְחָמָ֖ה פֶּן־תָּמֽוּת׃ וַתָּב֖וֹא הַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃	On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war–seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came.
וּשְׁמִינִית֙ מִמִּסְפַּ֣ר הָעָ֔ם הָ֥יוּ עֲבָדִ֖ים צִבְעוֹנִיִּ֑ים וְהֵ֗ם לֹ֤א מְפֻזָּרִים֙ עַל־כׇּל־הַיִּח֔וּד כִּ֥י נֶאֶסְפ֖וּ בְּאֶ֥רֶץ הַתֵּימָֽן׃ וַיִּהְי֖וּ הָעֲבָדִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה לְדָבָ֥ר גְּדוֹל־כֹּ֖חַ וְיָחִ֥יד בְּמִינֽוֹ׃ וַיֵּדְע֣וּ כֹּ֔ל כִּי־הַדָּבָ֧ר הַזֶּ֛ה הָיָ֖ה בְּכַ֣מָּה דָּ֑רֶךְ מְק֖וֹר הַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ לְחׇזְק֨וֹ וּלְקַיְּמ֤וֹ וּלְגׇדְלוֹ֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה עַ֨ל אֵ֚לֶּה הַמַּ֣מְרִ֔ים יוֹאִ֕ילוּ לְפַלֵּ֥ג אֶת־הַיִּח֖וּד אִם־כֵּ֣ן בִּקְרַ֑ב וַתֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּמְשָׁלָ֗ה כִּ֨י לֹ֤א תּוּכַל֙ לָקַ֣חַת אַ֔יִן מִ֥לְּהַגְבִּ֛יל אֶת־רַ֥ב גְּבוּל֖וֹ בָּאֲדָמָֽה׃ וְלֹ֤א הִתְנַבְּאוּ֙ אֶחָ֣ד מִשְּׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֶת־גְּדֻלַּ֥ת הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה וְאֶת־הַ֣אֲרָכָתָ֑הּ לַאֲשֶׁ֖ר כְּבָ֥ר קָֽמָה׃ וְלֹ֤א הִתְנַבְּאוּ֙ אֶחָ֣ד מִשְּׁנֵיהֶ֔ם כִּ֚י מְק֣וֹר הַמְּרִיבָ֔ה יָס֕וּף בַּעֵ֥ת תָּס֖וּף הַמְּרִיבָ֣ה בְּעַצְמָ֑הּ א֖וֹ לְפָנֶֽיהָ׃ וַיְבַקְשׁוּ֙ גַּ֣ם שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם לִישׁוּעָ֥ה קַלָּ֖ה יוֹתֵ֑ר וּמִזֹּא֕ת מְעַ֥ט מוֹסָ֖ד וּמְעַ֥ט נִפְלָאֽוֹת׃ וַיִּקְרְא֣וּ ׀ גַּ֣ם שְׁנֵיהֶ֗ם מִן־הַ֤תּוֹרָה֙ הָאַחַ֔ת וַיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ֙ גַּ֣ם שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֥י הָאֵ֖ל הָאֶחָ֑ד וַיְבַקְשֻׁ֧הוּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֛ם אֵל־עֶזְרָת֖וֹ לִישׁוּעָ֥ה עַל־הָאַחֵֽר׃ אָכֵן֮ לֹ֣א נִ֣רְאֶה־לִי֒ יָשַׁ֗ר כִּי־אֲנָשִׁים֩ לֹא־יְרֵאִ֨ים לְבַקֵּ֤שׁ עֶזְרָה֙ מֵאֱל֣וֹהַּ צַדִּ֔יק לֶאֱכֹ֣ל לַחְמָ֔ם בְּזֵעַ֖ת אַפֵּי־אֲחֵרִ֑ים אַ֕ךְ אַל־נִשְׁפֹּ֖טָה פֶּן־נִשָּׁפֵֽט׃ תְּפִלּ֣וֹת שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם מִ֥י יוּכַ֖ל לַעֲנ֑וֹת וְלֹ֧א נַעֲנ֛וֹת תְּפִלּ֥וֹת שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם מְעַנֶּ֥ה שָׁלֵֽם׃ הַלֹּ֕א יֵ֛שׁ לְאֵ֥ל שַׁדַּ֖י מְעָנָֽיו׃ ׆ א֥וֹי לָאָ֖רֶץ עַל־חֲטָאִֽים׃ כִּ֨י בֹ֤א יָבֹ֙אוּ֙ חֲטָאִ֔ים אַ֕ךְ א֧וֹי לָאִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָלָ֖יו יָבֹ֥א הַחֵֽטְא׃ ׆ּ בֹּ֨אוּ וְנֶחֶשְׁבָ֜ה כִּי־אִ֣ם ׀ עַבְד֣וּת עַמֵּרִיקָ֗ה אֶחָ֣ד מִן־הַחֲטָאִים֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בֹּ֣א יָבֹא֒ בִּפְקוּדַ֣ת הָּ֠אֵל וְאִם־רְצוֹנ֨וֹ לְהַעֲבִירָ֜הּ כִּי־הוֹסִ֗יפָה עַד־עֵ֣ת מוֹעֲדָהּ֮ וְאַחֲרָיו֒ וְאִם־נָתַ֗ן אֶת־הַמִּלְחָמָ֨ה הַנּוֹרָאָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ צָפ֣וֹנָה וְתֵימָ֔נָה כִּ֧י ׀ א֛וֹי לַאֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם יָבֹ֣א הַחֵ֑טְא כִּ֣י ׀ אִם־כֹּה וָכֹ֗ה הֲנִ֨רְאֶה ב֤וֹ עֲבֵרָה֙ מִמִּדּ֣וֹת הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר עָלָ֥יו מַאֲמִינִ֖ים הַמַּאֲמִינִ֥ים בְּאֵל־חַֽי׃ בְּחֵן֙ מְקַוִּ֣ים אֲנַ֔חְנוּ וּבְחִפָּז֖וֹן מִתְפַּלְּלִ֣ים אֲנַ֑חְנוּ כִּ֚י בַּֽעַל־הַמַּשְׁחִ֣ית הַזֶּ֔ה מִלְחָמָ֕ה יַעֲבִ֥יר מִן־הָאָ֖רֶץ בִּמְהֵרָ֥ה בְיָמֵֽינוּ׃ אַךְ֩ אִם־רְצ֨וֹן הָאֱלֹהִ֜ים לְהוֹסִ֣יף יָמֶ֗יהָ עַד֩ יֵאָבְד֨וּ כׇּל־הָאֹצָ֤ר הַנֶּאֱצָר֙ מֵעִצְּב֣וֹן יָד־הָעֶ֔בֶד חֲמִשִּׁ֨ים וּמָאתַ֤יִם שָׁנָה֙ כֻּלּ֣וֹ חִנָּ֔ם וְעַ֣ד תִּגְמֹ֗ל כׇּל־טִ֥פַּת דָּם֙ שְׁפוּכַ֣ת הַשּׁ֔וֹט בְּטִפָּ֖ה שְׁפוּכַ֣ת הֶחָ֑רֶב אִם־כֵּן֙ כָּאָמ֔וּר לִפְנֵ֥י אַרְבַּ֛ע אֲלָפִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה יֵאָ֥מֵר עַֽתָּה׃ ׆ּ מִשְׁפְּטֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱמֶ֑ת צָדְק֖וּ יַחְדָּֽו׃ ׆ּ	One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces,^[1] cf. Genesis 3:19. but let us judge not, that we be not judged.^[2] Matthew 7:1. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. “Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.”^[3] Matthew 18:7, see also Luke 17:1. If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”^[4] Psalms 19:9.
בְּלֹ֣א־זְד֣וֹן נֶגֶד־אַ֮יִן֮ וּבִצְדָקָ֣ה לַכֹּל֒ וּבְיֹ֣שֶׁר בְּצֶ֗דֶק וּבְהַרְאָיָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־הַצֶּ֔דֶק נִפְעָ֤לָה לְכַלּוֹת֨ אֶת־מַ֣עֲשֵׂ֔ינוּ וְלִקְשֹׁר֙ אֶת־פִּצְעֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם וּלְכַלְכֵּ֛ל לְנוֹשְׂאֵ֥י הַקְּרָ֖ב וּלְאַלְמְנָת֣וֹ וְלִיתוֹמ֑וֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־כׇּל־נוּכַ֣ל לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת וּלְחָפֵ֤ץ בְּשָׁלוֹם֙ צֶ֣דֶק וְאָרֹ֔ךְ בֵּינֵ֖ינוּ וּבֵ֥ין כׇּל־הֶעָמִֽים׃	With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds,^[5] Psalms 147:3. to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan,^[6] James 1:27 . to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.

Via the article “Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address (in Wikipedia):

Lincoln’s point seems to be that God’s purposes are not directly knowable to humans, and represents a theme that he had expressed earlier. After Lincoln’s death, his secretaries found among his papers an undated manuscript now generally known as the “Meditations on the Divine Will.” In that manuscript, Lincoln wrote:

The will of God prevails—In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be wrong. God cannot be for, and against the same thing at the same time. In the present civil war it is quite possible that God’s purpose is somewhat different from the purpose of either party—and yet the human instrumentalities, working just as they do, are of the best adaptation to effect this.^[7] As quoted in Joshua Wolf Shenk, Lincoln’s Melancholy, p. 198.

Lincoln’s sense that the divine will was unknowable stood in marked contrast to sentiments popular at the time. In the popular mind, both sides of the Civil War assumed that they could read God’s will and assumed His favor in their opposing causes. Julia Ward Howe’s “Battle Hymn of the Republic” expressed sentiments common among the supporters of the U.S. cause, that the U.S. was waging a righteous war that served God’s purposes. Similarly, the Confederacy chose Deo vindice as its motto, often translated as “God will vindicate us.”^[8] Mark Noll, America’s God: From Jonathan Edwards to Abraham Lincoln (Oxford, 2002). Lincoln, responding to compliments from Thurlow Weed on the speech, said that “… I believe it is not immediately popular. Men are not flattered by being shown that there has been a difference of purpose between the Almighty and them.”^[9] Quoted in Shenk, supra.

Source(s)

Notes

Notes
1	cf. Genesis 3:19.
2	Matthew 7:1.
3	Matthew 18:7, see also Luke 17:1.
4	Psalms 19:9.
5	Psalms 147:3.
6	James 1:27
7	As quoted in Joshua Wolf Shenk, Lincoln’s Melancholy, p. 198.
8	Mark Noll, America’s God: From Jonathan Edwards to Abraham Lincoln (Oxford, 2002).
9	Quoted in Shenk, supra.

שריך לינקאלען | Memorial Prayer for Abraham Lincoln, by Isaac Goldstein haLevi (1865)

Abe Katz (translation) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:01:56 +0000

The following acrostic authored by Isaac Goldstein haLevi was published in The Jewish Messenger on May 25, 1865 under the title, “ACROSTIC on ABRAHAM LINCOLN, Assassinated Nisan 18th, 5625” and prefaced by Psalms 45:2.

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
רָ֘חַ֤שׁ לִבִּ֨י ׀ דָּ֘בָ֤ר ט֗וֹב אֹמֵ֣ר אָ֭נִי מַעֲשַׂ֣י לְמֶ֑לֶךְ	My heart is moved. I would like to pay tribute to a King.^[1] Psalms 45:2 part
אַשְׁרֶיךָ לִינְקאָלֶען מִי כָמוֹכָה בֵּין מְלָכִים וְשָׁרִים מְאוֹד נִשֵּׂאתָ רַבּוֹת פָּעַלְתָּ בְּנֶפֶשׁ נְמוּכָה הִנְּךָ לְיָחִיד בְּאֶרֶץ דָּמִיתָ מִי בָּרוֹזְנִים כְּלִינְקאָלֶען וּמִי יִתְהַלֵּל כָּמוֹהוּ	Exalted are you Lincoln. Who is like you! You were highly respected among Kings and Princes. All that you accomplished you did with a humble spirit. You are singular and cannot be compared to anyone else. Who among the great are like Lincoln? Who can be praised like you?
לְךָ שֵׁם גַּם בַּגִּבּוֹרִים יְמִינְךָ עֹשָׂה חָיִל נֶגְדָם חָזַרְתָּ חֶרֶב חֲלָלִים קֶשֶׁת דָּרַכְתָּ יוֹמָם וָלַיִל אָב אֶחָד בְּרָאָנוּ אָמַרְתָ לָכֵן דְּרוֹר הִשְׁמַעְתָּ פְּקוּדֶיךָ עַם הַכּוּשִׁים לְחֵרוּת גָּאַלְתָּ נֶצַח יְפָאֲרוּ וִיבָרְכוּ שְׁמֶךָ	You have earned a name among the Great. Your right hand exhibited its prowess. Against your enemies, you extended a sword of death; Your bow you directed night and day. You declared that our Father in Heaven created all men equally.^[2] cf. Malachi 2:10. Therefore you and you followers fought for freedom in your land. Through your efforts the Kushim^[3] The Jewish Messenger translates the Kushim (הכושים) as “the blacks.” Abe Katz translates to “African Americans.” We have kept the original.[–Aharon Varady] were led to freedom. They will praise and bless your name forever.
מִי בָּרוֹזְנִים כְּלִינְקאָלֶען וּמִי יִתְפָּאֵר כָּמוֹהוּ	Who among princes is equal to you, Lincoln, and who can be praised like you?
אַייזֶק גּאָלְדְשְׁטֵיין הַלֵּוִי	Isaac Goldstein haLevi

Abe Katz’s transcription of this elegy for Abraham Lincoln was first included in his sourcesheet, “Prayers for George Washington and Abraham Lincoln“; we have retranscribed the text in Unicode Hebrew [–Aharon Varady].

The translation as it originally appeared in The Jewish Messenger on May 25, 1865 is as follows:

My heart overflows with a good speech. I address my work unto a king. Psalms, 45:2.[sic]

I.

Happy art thou, Lincoln, Who is like unto thee!
Among kings and princes thou art exalted.
Much thou did’st with an humble spirit.
Thou art like a unique person in the land.
Who among princes is like Lincoln?
Who shall be praised like him?

II.
Thou hast also a name among heroes!
Thy right hand has achieved prowess against them.
Thou hast girded on the sword of the slain.
Thou hast drawn the bow by night and by day.
One Father has created us, thou hast said;
Therefore thou hast proclaimed Freedom in thy land.
The black people thou hast redeemed into Freedom:
Forever they will praise and bless thy name.

Source

Isaac Goldstein’s Memorial Prayer for Abraham Lincoln. Arnold and Deanne Kaplan Collection of Early American Judaica at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, on loan to the National Museum of American Jewish History

Notes

Notes
1	Psalms 45:2 part
2	cf. Malachi 2:10.
3	The Jewish Messenger translates the Kushim (הכושים) as “the blacks.” Abe Katz translates to “African Americans.” We have kept the original.[–Aharon Varady]

הוֹ קְבַרְנִיט! קְבַרְנִיטִי!‏ | O Captain! My Captain!, an elegy for President Abraham Lincoln by Walt Whitman (1865), Hebrew translation by Shimon Halkin (1952)

Shimon Halkin (translation) — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 22:27:23 +0000

Translation (Hebrew)	Source (English)
הוֹ, קְבַרְנִיט! קְבַרְנִיטִי! מַסַּע־אֵימֵינוּ תַּם, נִצְּחָה כׇּל נֶגֶף הַסְּפִינָה, הַפְרָס שָׁרִיר, קַיָּם: קָרוֹב הַחוֹף, פַּעֲמוֹנִים, הָעָם כֻּלּוֹ עָלֵץ, עֵינַיִם מְלַוּוֹת אוֺן קֹעַר, עֹז סְפִינָה חוֹתֶרֶת;	O Captain! My Captain! our fearful trip is done; The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won; The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
אַךְ הוֹ, לִבִּי! לִבִּי! לִבִּי! הוֹ, נִטְפֵי שָׁנִי שׁוֹתֵת, שָׁם קְבַרְנִיטִי עַל הַסִּפּוּן קַר נוֹפֵל וָמֵת.	But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.
הוֹ, קְבַרְנִיט! קְבַרְנִיטִי! קוּם, שְׁמַע פַּעֲמוֹנִים; לְךָ פֹּרַשׂ הַנֵּם, תָּרִיעַ קֶרֶן שְׂשׂוֹנִים, לְךָ צְרוֹרֵי־פְּרָחִים, זֵרֵי־סְרָטִים, חוֹפִים צְפוּפִים, לְךָ יָרֹנּוּ בֶּהָמוֹן, פְּנֵיהֶם עֵרִים יָסֵבּוּ;	O Captain! My Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills; For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding; For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
קְבַרְנִיט! אָב יָקָר לִי! זְרוֹעִי רֹאשְׁךָ תְּרַפֵּד! חֲלוֹם הוּא זֶה עַל הַסִּפּוּן — נָפַלְתָּ קַר וָמֵת.	Here captain! dear father! This arm beneath your head; It is some dream that on the deck, You’ve fallen cold and dead.
לֹא יַעַן קְבַרְנִיטִי, חִוְרוֹת דְּמוּמוֹת שְׂפָתָיו, לֹא בִּזְרוֹעִי יָחוּשׁ אָבִי, לֹא דֹּפֶק בּוֹ וָצָו; עֻגְּנָה לָבֶטַח הַסְּפִינָה, מַסַּע־אֵימֶיהָ תַּם, מִדֶּרֶךְ נִצְחוֹנָהּ תָּבוֹא וְכׇל חֶפְצָהּ הָשְׁלַם;	My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still; My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will; The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done; From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;
עִלְצוּ, חוֹפִים, פַּעֲמוֹנִים! אֲנִי אָבֵל צוֹעֵד עַל פְּנֵי סִפּוּן, שָׁם קְבַרְנִיטִי קַר נוֹפֵל וָמֵת.	Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells! But I, with mournful tread, Walk the deck my captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.

“O Captain! My Captain!” is an elegy written in 1865 by Walt Whitman, a poem on the tragic death of American president Abraham Lincoln. The poem was first published in the pamphlet Sequel to Drum-Taps which assembled 18 poems regarding the American Civil War, including another Lincoln elegy, “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d”. It was included in Whitman’s comprehensive collection Leaves of Grass beginning with its fourth edition published in 1867.

Source(s)

“O Captain! My Captain!” from Leaves of Grass (Hebrew trans. Shimon Halkin 1952) p.350

אָ, קאפּיטאן! מײַן קאפּיטאן!‏ | O Captain! My Captain!, an elegy for President Abraham Lincoln by Walt Whitman (1865), Yiddish translation by Eliezer Meler (1940)

Aharon N. Varady (transcription) — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 05:07:23 +0000

Translation (Yiddish)	Source (English)
א, קאפיטאן! מײן קאפיטאן! די מורא׳דיקע רײזע איז געענדיקט שױן; די שיף איז אלע שטורעמם דורך, ס׳איז אונזערער דער לוין; מיר זײנען שוין בײם האפן באלד, עס שאלט דאָם פאָלק אין פרײדיקן עקסטאז; און צו דער בראװער שיף געװאגטער, זײנען אױגן גאפנדיק געװענדט;	O Captain! My Captain! our fearful trip is done; The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won; The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
נאָר, א, הארץ! הארץ! הארץ! א, איר בלוטנדיקע טראָפּנס רױט, אויפן דעק געפאלן איז מײן קאפּיטאן און ליגט דאָרט קאלט און טױט.	But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.
א, קאפּיטאן! מײן קאפּיטאן! װאך־אױף און הער דאָם גלאק־געקלאנג; שטײ־אױף — די פאָנען פלאטערן פאר דיר און דער טרומפּײטער שאלט; פאר דיר די קראנצן און בוקעטן גרײט, פאר דיר די ברעגן פול געדראנג; צו דיר די כװאליענדיקע מענגע רופט, צו דיר די פּנימ׳ער געװענדט;	O Captain! My Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up — for you the flag is flung— for you the bugle trills; For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths— for you the shores a-crowding; For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
אָט דא, קאפּיטאן! פאָטער מײנער! אונטער דײן קאָפּ מײן האנט געשפּרײט; עס מוז א חלום זײן, אז אױפן דעק, ביסטו געפאלן קאלט און טױט.	Here captain! dear father! This arm beneath your head; It is some dream that on the deck, You’ve fallen cold and dead.
עס ענטפערט ניט מײן קאפּיטאן, די ליפּן זײנע שטום און בלײך; מײן טאטע פילט מײן אָרעם ניט; קײן װילן און קײן הױך; די שיף געאנקערט שטײט אין זיכערקײט, פון רײזע שרעקלעכער צוריק; שױן איז די לעצטע רײזע — אױס, איר זיג איז גרױס.	My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still; My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will; The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done; From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;
א, ברעגן, שאלט! א, גלעקער, קלינגט! נאר איך אלײן מיט טרויער־טריט, גײ אום און היט מײן קאפּיטאן, װאָס ליגט דאָ קאלט און טױט.	Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells! But I, with mournful tread, Walk the deck my captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.

Source(s)

אָ, קאפּיטאן! מײַן קאפּיטאן!‏ | O Captain! My Captain!, an elegy for President Abraham Lincoln by Walt Whitman (1865), Yiddish translation by Avrom Valt-Lyessin (1913)

Avrom Valt-Lyessin (translation) — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 06:26:03 +0000

Translation (Yiddish)	Source (English)
א, קאפּיטאן! מײן קאפּיטאן! די שװערע רײזע איז צו ענד; מיר האָבן דורכגעליטן פיל, מיר זײנען שוין גײ אונזער ציל; די שיף קומט אָן אין האפן באלד, איך הער, דאָס פאָלק פאר שמחה שאלט, און גלאָקן קלינגען אונז א גרוס, און ליפּן שיקן אונז א קוש;	O Captain! My Captain! our fearful trip is done; The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won; The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
נאָר, אָ, מײן הארץ! מײן הארץ! פארלאָז ניט אױפן דעק דעם אָרט, װאו ס׳ליגט מײן קאפּיטאן, אָ, קאלט און טױט!	But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.
א, קאפּיטאן! מײן קאפּיטאן! דערװאך און הער דעם גלאָקן־קלאנג! פאר דיר דער האָרן שאלט און רופט, און פאָנען פלאטערן אין לופט; פאר דיר די קראנצן און די פּראכט, פאר דיר די הערלעכקײט און מאכט; מיט מענטשן ברױזט דער ברעג פון גליק, עס זוכט דיך דאָרשטיק יעדער בליק;	O Captain! My Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills; For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding; For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
אָ, קאפּיטאן! אָ, פאָטער ליב! מײן אָרעם לײג איך אונטער דיר; צי ליגסטו װירלעך דאָ, אָ, קאלט און טױט!	Here captain! dear father! This arm beneath your head; It is some dream that on the deck, You’ve fallen cold and dead.
מײן קאפּיטאן, ער ענטפערט ניט, זײן פּולס, זײן הארץ שױן שלאָגט ניט טער; ער ליגט פאר מיר א בלאסער שטום, און זעט שױן קײנעם ניט ארום; דאָך גליטשט די שיף זיך זיכער, לײכט, און אָט איז באלד דער ציל עררײכט; פון לאנגן װעג, פון װיסטן װעג, די שיף פון זיג, זי קומט צום ברעג;	My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still; My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will; The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done; From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;
איר, ברעגן, זינגט! איר, גלאָקן, קלינגט! איך אָבער שטײ בײם שטילן אָרט, װאו ם׳ליגט מײן קאפּיטאן, אָ, קאלט און טױט.	Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells! But I, with mournful tread, Walk the deck my captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.

Source(s)

זֶה הֶעָפָר הָיָה פַּעַם הָאִישׁ | This Dust was Once the Man, an elegy for President Abraham Lincoln by Walt Whitman (1871), Hebrew translation by Shimon Halkin (1952)

Shimon Halkin (translation) — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 22:50:19 +0000

Translation (Hebrew)	Source (English)
זֶה הֶעָפָר הָיָה פַּעַם הָאִישׁ — עָדִין, פָּשׁוּט, יָשָׁר וְתַקִיף — אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ הַזְּהִירָה, מוּל הַפֶּשַׁע הַנֶּאֱלָח בְּדִבְרֵי־הַיָּמִים מִכׇּל שֶׁיָּדְעָה אֶרֶץ אוֹ תְּקוּפָה, הִנָּצֵל נִצְּלָה בְּרִית הַמְּדִינוֹת הָאֵלֶּה.	This dust was once the man, Gentle, plain, just and resolute, under whose cautious hand, Against the foulest crime in history known in any land or age, Was saved the Union of these States.

Translation (Hebrew)

Source (English)

זֶה הֶעָפָר הָיָה פַּעַם הָאִישׁ —
עָדִין, פָּשׁוּט, יָשָׁר וְתַקִיף — אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ הַזְּהִירָה,
מוּל הַפֶּשַׁע הַנֶּאֱלָח בְּדִבְרֵי־הַיָּמִים מִכׇּל שֶׁיָּדְעָה אֶרֶץ אוֹ תְּקוּפָה,
הִנָּצֵל נִצְּלָה בְּרִית הַמְּדִינוֹת הָאֵלֶּה.

This dust was once the man,
Gentle, plain, just and resolute, under whose cautious hand,
Against the foulest crime in history known in any land or age,
Was saved the Union of these States.

“This Dust was Once a Man” is an elegy written in 1871 by Walt Whitman, a poem on the tragic death of American president Abraham Lincoln. “This Dust Was Once the Man” was included in Book 22 of Whitman’s Leaves of Grass (fifth edition).

Source(s)

253

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Dr. Leo Baeck on 12 February 1948

Leo Baeck — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 14:27:28 +0000

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Dr. Leo Baeck, former chief rabbi of Berlin, Germany
Date of Prayer: 12 February 1948
Sponsor: n/a

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	Our Father, our God, we pray unto Thee on this day on which sixscore and nineteen years ago was born that man who came to be Thy servant, “the man in whom is the spirit,” (Numbers 27:18) and who for the sake of this land became witness and testimony of humanity, herald of Thy command and Thy promise, to the everlasting blessing of this country and of mankind.
	Our Father, day by day Thou sendest forth Thy messengers, Thy angels— our chances to be unselfish and righteous, our opportunities to walk in Thy ways— they are the messengers that come from Thee. We must not miss them nor disregard them.
	Almighty God, Thou choosest people and selectest nations “to bring them into the place which Thou hast prepared”; (Exodus 15:17) Thou changest the times and the seasons; Thou makest history enter the world. Thy servant, Abraham Lincoln, in a message to Congress, said, “We cannot escape history,”^[1] Abraham Lincoln in his Annual Message to Congress, 1 December 1862. so help us, O God, that we may not evade history, but may we be granted history.
	Reverently I pray Thee to bless Congress, its men, and its days. From the bottom of my heart I pray: God bless America.

This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the second month of the second session of the 80th US Congress. The prayer was published in the Congressional Record—House (1948): p. 1275. The source images of the prayer were copied by Howard Mortman and shared via his @CongressRabbi Twitter account. Providing on this prayer, Dr. Michael A. Meyer in Rabbi Leo Baeck: Living a Religious Imperative in Troubled Times (2020) wrote:

The greatest honor that accrued to Baeck during his visit was the invitation to deliver the opening prayer at a session of the U.S. House of Representatives. Although more than fifty rabbis had preceded him (the first being in 1860), it was a privilege not previously bestowed upon a non–North American rabbi.^[2] Find Howard Mortman, When Rabbis Bless Congress: The Great American Story of Jewish Prayers on Capitol Hill (Boston: Academic Studies Press, 2020). It was especially meaningful to Baeck that the date chosen— prob ably by chance— was the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. Baeck had long admired the American Civil War president for his integrity and courage. When he visited Washington in 1930, he declared the Lincoln Memorial the most beautiful site in the city. While in New York, he spent some time in Harlem, “the local Negro area.” In 1940 in Berlin, he had read anew Lincoln’s “magnificent” Gettysburg Address, and had noted in a letter that at its end, Lincoln expressed the hope “that this nation, under God, shall have new birth of freedom.” To which Baeck added, with scarcely veiled reference to Germany: “The question is there. The answer?”^[3] Letter to Hans-Hasso von Veltheim-Ostrau, 31 December 1940, in Werke 6: 611. Now he was given the opportunity to express his great re spect for Lincoln and at the same time to include in his prayer a central ele ment of his own religious philosophy:

Encapsulated in this invocation is Baeck’s conviction that a transcendent element is always present as history’s driving force for good, though the source of that force be shrouded in mystery. In Baeck’s words: “It is not that which is limited, that which arises from the human world, but rather it is the divine that makes history.”^[4] Das Wesen des Judentums, in Werke 1: 258. According to Baeck’s interpretation, when Lincoln said that “we cannot escape history,” he was saying in essence that we are unable to evade the divine moral imperative that, through responsive human action, drives history forward. After the tragedy that the world had just experienced, Lincoln’s words that we cannot escape history served Baeck as a prelude to his own fervent hope for a divinely inspired history that would move humanity toward a better time.

Source(s)

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain (Leo Baeck 12 February 1948)

Notes

Notes
1	Abraham Lincoln in his Annual Message to Congress, 1 December 1862.
2	Find Howard Mortman, When Rabbis Bless Congress: The Great American Story of Jewish Prayers on Capitol Hill (Boston: Academic Studies Press, 2020).
3	Letter to Hans-Hasso von Veltheim-Ostrau, 31 December 1940, in Werke 6: 611.
4	Das Wesen des Judentums, in Werke 1: 258.

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff on 16 June 2003

the Congressional Record of the United States of America — Sat, 24 Nov 2018 10:02:40 +0000

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff, Retired Chaplain, U.S. Navy, Washington, DC
Date of Prayer: 06/16/2003

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	Almighty God of freedom, who gave us the promise and the dream of liberty to be proclaimed throughout the land, we pause before this session to recall words spoken by a Senate nominee– Abe Lincoln– on this day, June 16, in 1858. “A nation divided against itself cannot stand,” he said, and we “cannot endure half slave, half free.”
	O Lord our God and God of generations past, we offer thanks for all the progress we have made since that historic speech, even as we recognize we still have more to do. Slavery, the institution, is no more. But let us unite in our resolve that none should be enslaved by prejudice or hatred that threatens the humanity and dignity we have fought to recognize and guarantee; that none, victimized by ignorance or discrimination, live lives half slave, half free.
	Grant us and all our leaders the wisdom to debate and disagree, with civility and respect, the issues of the day. But give us, we pray, the wisdom and the faith we need to safeguard a nation united, not divided– indivisible, as we pledge– in our pursuit of liberty and justice for us all.
אָמֵן׃	And may we say, Amen.

Source(s)

108th Congress, 1st Session. Congressional Record, Issue: Vol. 149, No. 88 — Daily Edition (June 16, 2003)

https://www.congress.gov/crec/2003/06/16/CREC-2003-06-16-pt1-PgS7905-2.pdf