Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Amos M. Bunim on 1 June 1954
Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=57041
open_content_license: Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication Date: 2024-06-23
Last Updated: 2025-03-29
Categories: 🇺🇸 United States of America, Opening Prayers for Legislative Bodies
Tags: 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., 83rd 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 1 June 1954. . . .
Content:
Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Amos M. Bunim, Congregation Sons and Daughters of Israel, Brooklyn, New York
Sponsor: n/a
Date of Prayer: 1 June 1954
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Source (English) |
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Our Father in Heaven,
bless this august body of men
representing the freest people
in your world.
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Grant us divine guidance
to legislate in the spirit of the truth
that You have taught us—
to set noble standards for this great democracy
that the other inhabitants of Your earth may emulate,
to interpret Your will in laws and mores
that will make this world a happy habitat
which You have intended in Your graciousness;
so that the bounties You have planted in heaven and earth
may be extended to the good of all Your children.
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Guide us to legislate in the spirit of Your teachings
and may we realize the prophetic blessing expressed in Deuteronomy,
“For this is your wisdom and your understanding before the eyes of the nations
that shall hear all these statutes and they will say
‘indeed a wise People and understanding is this great nation.’” (Deuteronomy 4:6)
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Protect us against the enemies of our country
who blaspheme Your name
and threaten Your children on earth
with oppression of streams of blood.
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Bless this peace-loving Nation
to be everlastingly founded on the pillars of civilization
expressed in the ethics of our fathers,
“on justice, on truth, and on peace” (Pirkei Avot 1:18)
now and forevermore.
Amen.
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This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the sixth month of the first session of the 83rd US House of Representatives, and published in the Congressional Record, vol. 100 part 6 (1 June 1954), page 7417.
Source(s)
Congressional Record, vol. 100, part 6 (1 June 1954), p. 7417
Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Co-authors:
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Name: Amos Bunim
Bio: Rabbi Amos Bunim (1929-2011), born in New York, was an Orthodox rabbi in the United States. He was a founder of Torah Academy for Girls (TAG) in Far Rockaway and Yeshiva Sh’or Yoshuv in Lawrence, New York. He is the author of A Fire in His Soul: Irving M. Bumin, 1901-1980 (1989). (We have little more information about Rabbi Bunim for this short bio. Please contribute a detail to help honor him by contacting us.
Website:
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/amos-bunim
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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
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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_House_of_Representatives.svg
Caption: Flag of the United States House of Representatives
