Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein on 20 March 1991
Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=52042
open_content_license: Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication Date: 2023-07-19
Last Updated: 2025-02-02
Categories: 🇺🇸 United States of America, Opening Prayers for Legislative Bodies
Tags: 102nd Congress, 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., English vernacular prayer, Prayers of Guest Chaplains, U.S. Senate, תחינות teḥinot
Excerpt: The Opening Prayer given in the U.S. Senate on 20 March 1991. . . .
Content:
Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, president, International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Chicago, Illinois
Date of Prayer: 20 March 1991
| Contribute a translation |
Source (English) |
|
|
Our Father in Heaven,
we come before You this day
and every day
in awe,
in gratitude,
in praise,
in humility,
and in prayer.
This, indeed, is the day the Lord has made,
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
|
|
|
O Lord,
instill in our hearts a love for you
and for all your creation.
May we be ever mindful
that it is from you that we derive
our strength,
our wisdom,
our hope,
and our conviction.
|
|
|
May we be inspired by Your Word
and reminded of Micah’s admonition
to act justly,
love mercy,
and walk humbly with the Lord our God.
May we never avert our eyes
from the pain and suffering of others.
|
|
|
O Lord,
on this and every day,
we seek Your guidance and direction.
Watch over our leaders —
indeed, the men and women in this room.
|
|
|
Let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem
as Psalms 122:6 urges us to do,
and indeed for peace among all people of all nations.
So that, instead of finding swords and weapons
we will find only plowshares and pruning forks.
We, the people, look to God and you
to bring that day of peace about.
|
|
|
In the words of the age-old Jewish prayer,
“He who brings peace in the Heavens
may He bring peace to us
and all the world.”
God bless you
and be with you.
Amen.
|
Source(s)
102nd Congress, 1st Session. C-SPAN.
Congressional Record, Vol. 137, Part 5 — Bound Edition, p. 6756.
Congressional Record v. 137, part 5 – 20 March 1991. p. 6756
Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Co-authors:
-
Name: Yechiel Eckstein
Bio: Yechiel Eckstein (יחיאל אקשטיין; July 11, 1951 – February 6, 2019) was an Israeli American rabbi who founded International Fellowship of Christians and Jews in 1983 and led it for many years. The objectives of the organisation were to support Jews in need of financial help, to promote emigration of Jews to Israel, and to support poor soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces. In 2003, it was listed as the second-largest charitable foundation in Israel by Ha'aretz. In 2010 Newsweek listed him in the Top 50 Most Influential Rabbis in America. He was awarded Hadassah's first Man of Distinction in 2010, and the Raoul Wallenberg Award in 2014. He was listed in the "Jerusalem Post's Top 50 Most Influential Jews" of 2014 and 2015.
Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yechiel_Eckstein
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/yechiel-eckstein
-
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
-
Name: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Bio: 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.)
Website: https://aharon.varady.net
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/aharon-varady-transcription
Featured Image:
Title: Flag_of_the_United_States_Senate.svg
Caption: Flag of the United States Senate
