Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Joseph P. Weinberg on 21 February 1974
Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=54393
open_content_license: Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication Date: 2024-02-21
Last Updated: 2025-02-18
Categories: 🇺🇸 Brotherhood Week, 🇺🇸 United States of America, Opening Prayers for Legislative Bodies
Tags: 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., 93rd Congress, English vernacular prayer, Prayers of Guest Chaplains, U.S. Senate, תחינות teḥinot
Excerpt: The Opening Prayer given in the U.S. Senate on 21 February 1974. . . .
Content:
Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Joseph P. Weinberg, Washington Hebrew Congregation, Washington, D.C.
Date of Prayer: 21 February 1974
Sponsor: n/a
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We cannot merely pray to You, O God,
To abolish war and starvation;
To root out prejudice;
To end despair and disease.
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For we know that You have made the world in such a way
That man can find his own path to peace,
That man can develop the resources
With which to feed the entire world.
That we can see the good in all men
And use our minds to bring dignity and healing to our brothers.
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Therefore we pray to You instead, O God,
For strength, determination, and will-power,
To do instead of just to pray,
To become instead of merely to wish.
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For Your sake and for ours,
Speedily and soon,
That our land may be safe,
And that our lives may be blessed.
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May the words that we pray,
And the deeds that we do
Both be acceptable before You, O Lord,
Our Rock and our Redeemer.
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This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the second month of the second session of the 93rd US Congress in the Senate. 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 (Joseph Weinberg, 21 February 1974)
Contributor: Joseph P. Weinberg
Co-authors:
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Name: Joseph P. Weinberg
Bio: Rabbi Joseph P. Weinberg (1937-1999) was the fifth senior rabbi at Washington Hebrew Congregation (Washington, DC). Born in Chicago, Weinberg graduated from Northwestern University and immediately entered Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. Following his ordination in 1963, he served as assistant rabbi at a San Francisco congregation before coming to Washington. He marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma and was arrested twice, and in Washington, played a leading role in efforts to improve racial relations and fight poverty. He helped start Ya’chad, a Jewish organization promoting affordable city housing and Carrie Simon House, a transitional home for unmarried mothers in Northwest Washington. He was also a fervent supporter of Israel and campaigned for years to help Soviet Jews emigrate.
Website:
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/joseph-weinberg
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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_Senate.svg
Caption: Flag of the United States Senate
