Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Jacob M. Sable on 25 February 1960

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=54465

Date: 2024-02-25

Last Updated: 2025-02-18

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

Tags: 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., 86th 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 25 February 1960. . . .

Content:

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Jacob M. Sable, Riverdale Jewish Center, Bronx, New York
Sponsor: n/a
Date of Prayer: 25 February 1960

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Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Almighty God, Father of all men, as the shadows of darkness pass before the rays of heaven and a new day of creation begins, we invoke Thy blessings upon the work of our hands and the creative spirit of our minds.
	Strengthen our will, we pray Thee, Heavenly Father, to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before Thee. Guard our tongues from speaking evil and our lips from speaking guile.[1] From the closing prayer of the Amidah, “Elohai netsor”  Inspire us to perform good deeds and righteous acts before Thee.
	May the wisdom and courageous spirit of our first President, George Washington, ever serve as a lantern to illumine the steps of the dedicated men and women who serve Thee in the Halls of Congress. May his words, “to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance,”[2] From George Washington’s “Letter to the Jews of Newport,” August 17th, 1790.  serve as a powerful citation of democracy.
	May every Congressman and Congresswoman be endowed with determination to place righteousness above expediency. Gird them with steadfastness and fortitude to achieve freedom and progress for human society and grant to all men the spirit and the right to live and work, to think and speak, in accordance with the dictates of their good conscience.
	Oh Lord, grant them strength and bless us and all mankind with Thy most precious gift, peace. Amen.

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This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the second month of the second session of the 86th US Congress in the House of Representatives, and published in the Congressional Record, vol. 106, part 3 (1960), page 3483.

Source(s)

Congressional Record, vol. 106, part 3 (25 February 1960), p. 3483

 

Notes

Notes

1	From the closing prayer of the Amidah, “Elohai netsor”
2	From George Washington’s “Letter to the Jews of Newport,” August 17th, 1790.

Contributor: Jacob Sable

Co-authors:

• 
  Name: Jacob Sable
  Bio: Rabbi Dr. Jacob "Jack" Sable (1926-2013) was a prominent Orthodox Jewish rabbi. He received his semikhah from Yeshiva University, served in the US Air Force, and was stationed in San Francisco. In the early 1950s, he founded of the Riverdale Jewish Center (RJC) and the day school that would become the foundation of the Salanter Riverdale Academy (SAR). In 1964, he became the New York State Commissioner of Human Rights, and the Regional Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
  Website:
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/jacob-sable
• 
  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

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