Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi J. Harold Romirowsky on 13 March 1969
Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=54270
open_content_license: Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication date_src_start: 1969-03-13 date_src_end: 1969-03-13 languages_meta: [{"name":"English","code":"eng","standard":"ISO 639-3"}] scripts_meta: [{"name":"Latin","code":"Latn","standard":"ISO 15924"}] Date: 2024-03-13
Last Updated: 2025-04-15
Categories: 🇺🇸 United States of America, Opening Prayers for Legislative Bodies
Tags: 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., 91st Congress, English vernacular prayer, Prayers of Guest Chaplains, U.S. House of Representatives, תחינות teḥinot
Excerpt: The Opening Prayer given in the U.S. House of Representatives on 13 March 1969. . . .
Content:
Guest Chaplain: Rabbi J. Harold Romirowsky, Oxford Circle Jewish Community Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Date of Prayer: 13 March 1969
Sponsor: n/a
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Source (English) |
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Heavenly Father,
Thou hast crowned man
with the capacity to choose
between good and evil;
teach us to recognize each
as we meet it.
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Thou hast placed man above
all the other creatures in Thy plan;
enlighten us
that we may act in a way
which is worthy of that exalted position.
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Thou hast endowed our beloved land
with an abundance elsewhere unknown;
teach us to share it
and thus acknowledge that
it is not because of our wisdom
that we possess so much,
but because of Thy great goodness.
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Thou hast granted the inhabitants of this land—
those who occupy the high offices—
great power to determine
the destiny of others;
inspire them to be mindful
in this season of freedom
that they are godlike
not in power and knowledge,
but that they are in Thine image
only when they try to emulate Thy graciousness,
goodness, and loving-kindness
for all whom Thou hast created.
Amen.
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This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the third month of the first session of the 91st US Congress. The source images of the prayer were copied by Howard Mortman and shared via his @CongressRabbi Twitter account. All credit to Howard Mortman for his research in digging up this prayer. Unfortunately, neither the source images nor his tweets provide an exact citation reference to the volume, issue, and page number of the Congressional Record in which the prayer was published. If you know, leave a comment, or contact us.
Source(s)
Prayer of the Guest Chaplain (J. Harold Romirowsky, 13 March 1969)
Contributor: J. Harold Romirowsky
Co-authors:
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Name: J. Harold Romirowsky
Bio: Rabbi J. Harold Romirowsky (1912-), born in Chicago, was the leader of the Oxford Circle Jewish Community Centre-Brith Israel outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1954 until 2000, when he retired. After graduating from Roosevelt College in 1944, he was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1948.
Website:
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/j-harold-romirowsky
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Name: the Congressional Record of the United States of America
Bio: 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)
Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Record
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/united-states-congressional-record
Featured Image:
Title: Flag_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives.svg
Caption: Flag of the United States House of Representatives
