Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Simcha Freedman on 22 October 1985

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Date: 2024-06-17

Last Updated: 2024-06-17

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

Tags: 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., 99th Congress, English vernacular prayer, Prayers of Guest Chaplains, Soviet Jewry, U.S. House of Representatives, תחינות teḥinot

Excerpt: The Opening Prayer given in the U.S. House of Representatives on 22 October 1985. . . .


Content:
Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Simcha Freedman, Adath Yeshurun Synagogue, Miami, Florida
Sponsor: Rep. Bill Lehman (D-FL)
Date of Prayer: 22 October 1985

Mr. LEHMAN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Rabbi Simcha Freedman and to thank him for officiating in the opening prayer today in the U.S. House of Representatives.

My good friend of many years, Rabbi Freedman is the spiritual leader of Temple Adath Yeshurun of the city of North Miami Beach. His involvement in the community has over the years cast him as a true leader on behalf of human rights and other humanitarian concerns. His activism on Soviet Jewry is especially notable. Through his efforts, the street address of Temple Adath Yeshurun was changed to be known as Sharansky Boulevard to symbolize the continued incarceration of Anatoly Sharansky by the Soviet Union, and the utter abuse of his human rights.

Rabbi Freedman’s congregation is testimony to the pivotal role he has played in building Temple Adath Yeshurun as one of the most dynamic congregations in Miami. Its beautiful day care center, public events, and other services enable its large community to enjoy a full spectrum of activities.

Once again, on behalf of my colleagues, I welcome Rabbi Simcha Freedman and thank him for honoring us this morning.


Contribute a translation Source (English)
Dear God,
in Pirke Avot, Ethics of the Fathers,
we learn that the world endures
due to three principles:
truth, justice, and peace.[1] This teaching is given in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Gamaliel as supported from Zechariah 8:16.  (Avot 1.18)
The Declaration of Independence states
that “We hold these truths to be self evident,
that all men are created equal;
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable rights,
that among these are life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness.”[2] Cf. the US Declaration of Independence, stylized by Benjamin Franklin and penned by Thomas Jefferson, famously signed 4 July 1776. Scholars differ as to whether the historical origin of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are rooted in Lockean Rights (following after the “Virginia Declaration of Rights” written by George Mason and adopted 12 June 1776) or possibly in Jefferson’s self-proclaimed Epicureanism. –Aharon Varady. 
Dear God,
while the distinguished Members of this House of Representatives,
upon whom we ask Thy blessings,
while they defend and support those self-evident truths,
there are yet those individuals
and even nations
who do not.
Some would deny the principle of life
by savagely killing innocent people,
others would defy the principle of liberty,
thus creating refuseniks
and prisoners of conscience.
Adlai Stevenson once said,
“Man cannot reduce the truth to ashes,
he may murder his fellow man
with a shot in the back,
but he does not murder justice * * *.”[3] From an address on 9 November 1952 by Adlai E. Stevenson Ⅱ at the Lovejoy Historical Marker Dedication, Alton, Illinois. A more complete excerpt that includes this quotation reads: “It is said that religious creeds are written to mark the graves where heresies lie buried. There is a common heresy and its graves are to be found all over the earth. It is the heresy that says you can kill an idea by killing a man, defeat a principle by defeating a person, bury truth by burying its vehicle. Man may burn his brother at the stake, but he cannot reduce truth to ashes; he may murder his fellow man with a shot in the back, but he does not murder justice; he may even slay armies of men, but as it is written, ‘truth beareth off the victory’ (1 Esdras 3:12).” It is not clear to me what the dinkus (three asterisks) that appear in the Congressional Record were intended to indicate. 
Dear God,
we have faith
that truth, justice, and peace
shall yet prevail
despite the fulminations of those
who so viciously attempt
to prevent it.
We believe the dream is real
and that it will come to fruition
due to those brave peoples
who fight against tyranny
and terrorism.
They are the last best hope of mankind.
God,
bless America.
Amen.

This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the tenth month of the first session of the 99th US House of Representatives, and published in the Congressional Record, vol. 131 part 20 (22 October 1985), page 28234.

Source(s)

Congressional Record, vol. 131, part 20 (22 October 1985), p. 28234

 

Notes

Notes
1 This teaching is given in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Gamaliel as supported from Zechariah 8:16.
2 Cf. the US Declaration of Independence, stylized by Benjamin Franklin and penned by Thomas Jefferson, famously signed 4 July 1776. Scholars differ as to whether the historical origin of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are rooted in Lockean Rights (following after the “Virginia Declaration of Rights” written by George Mason and adopted 12 June 1776) or possibly in Jefferson’s self-proclaimed Epicureanism. –Aharon Varady.
3 From an address on 9 November 1952 by Adlai E. Stevenson Ⅱ at the Lovejoy Historical Marker Dedication, Alton, Illinois. A more complete excerpt that includes this quotation reads: “It is said that religious creeds are written to mark the graves where heresies lie buried. There is a common heresy and its graves are to be found all over the earth. It is the heresy that says you can kill an idea by killing a man, defeat a principle by defeating a person, bury truth by burying its vehicle. Man may burn his brother at the stake, but he cannot reduce truth to ashes; he may murder his fellow man with a shot in the back, but he does not murder justice; he may even slay armies of men, but as it is written, ‘truth beareth off the victory’ (1 Esdras 3:12).” It is not clear to me what the dinkus (three asterisks) that appear in the Congressional Record were intended to indicate.

Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Co-authors:

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