Date of Prayer: 14 July 1989
Sponsor: Sen. Rudy Boschwitz (R-MN)
Sen. Boschwitz: Mr. President, I would like to comment on the opening prayer that was presented here in the Senate this morning by Rabbi Moshe Feller of Minneapolis. He is a Lubavitcher rabbi in Minnesota. Mr. President, Rabbi Feller spoke about the former Lubavitcher rebbe who fled from Europe in 1940, much as my family did 7 years before that. Actually, we left Europe, and arrived in the United States in 1935. And he spoke about the rebbe, how he arrived here, spent the last 10 years of his life in the United States, and what it meant to him and meant to his followers, just as it has meant so much in my family and all the others who arrived in the late thirties under great stress. So I look at the prayer that Rabbi Feller gave, and I praise him for it. It comes at a particularly appropriate time as we were yesterday considering the immigration bill, and with that immigration bill our shores will open wider to people who are seeking freedom. That really is a great purpose that we serve here in the Senate, to make the freedoms that we enjoy available to others just as they were available to Rabbi Schneersohn some years ago when he arrived in this country in order to serve his people. So once again, I praise my good friend, Rabbi Moshe Feller. I welcome him here to the Senate. I welcome him here as the Chaplain of the Senate for this day, and I was moved by the prayer that he gave. I yield the floor.
| Contribute a translation | Source (English) |
|---|---|
|
|
Almighty God, Master of the Universe,
we stand before You, in prayer, in this month of July when our Nation celebrates its establishment as an independent nation rooted in the belief in You, O Heavenly Father, as the Sovereign Ruler of men and nations. |
|
|
Grant, Almighty God,
that this Nation and its leaders be as cognizant of Your presence in their lives as were the founders of this Nation. Being God fearing individuals mindful of man’s idolatrous tendency to worship material gain, they imprinted on this Nation’s very currency “In God We Trust.”[1] Since 30 July 1956, the official motto of the United States replacing the de facto motto E pluribus unum (“Out of many, one”). The earliest mentions of the phrase “in God we trust” can be found in the mid-19th century, from the period of the Slaveholders’ Rebellion (1861-1865), where Union supporters wanted to emphasize their attachment to God and to boost morale. The capitalized form “IN GOD WE TRUST” first appeared on the two-cent piece in 1864. |
|
|
Mindful of the tendency of men of power
to look upon themselves as sovereign rulers, they established the practice of humbling themselves before You, O Sovereign Ruler of men and nations, asking for Your guidance and assistance prior to their deliberations in the very portals of their power. Grant the leaders of this country Your assistance and guidance and bless them with good health and good cheer so that they may fulfill their vital tasks with joy and gladness of heart. |
|
|
Almighty God,
bless this Nation and its leaders in the merit of one of the spiritual giants of our time who found refuge in this country a half a century ago, and whose birthday is tomorrow. Your servant, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn,[2] Yosef Yitsḥoq Schneersohn (21 June 1880 – 28 January 1950), the sixth rebbe of ḤaBaD Lubavitch ḥassidim. of blessed memory, the world renowed Lubavitcher rebbe, fled war-torn Europe for these shores of freedom in 1940, spending the final decade of his earthly existence as a distinguished citizen of these United States of America, laboring with great self-sacrifice to sanctify Your holy name throughout the world. May his memory be for a blessing and his merit for a shield to the United States of America and its Government which provided him sanctuary and freedom to do Your sacred bidding. Amen. |
Source(s)
101st Congress, 1st Session. C-SPAN.
Congressional Record, Vol. 135, Part 11 — Bound Edition, p. 14717.
Congressional Record v. 135, part 11 – 14 July 1989. p. 14717
Notes
| 1 | Since 30 July 1956, the official motto of the United States replacing the de facto motto E pluribus unum (“Out of many, one”). The earliest mentions of the phrase “in God we trust” can be found in the mid-19th century, from the period of the Slaveholders’ Rebellion (1861-1865), where Union supporters wanted to emphasize their attachment to God and to boost morale. The capitalized form “IN GOD WE TRUST” first appeared on the two-cent piece in 1864. |
|---|---|
| 2 | Yosef Yitsḥoq Schneersohn (21 June 1880 – 28 January 1950), the sixth rebbe of ḤaBaD Lubavitch ḥassidim. |
