§ The mishna taught: And the High Priest recites a brief prayer in the outer chamber. The Gemara asks: What does he pray? Rava bar Rav Adda and Ravin bar Rav Adda both said in the name of Rav that this was his prayer: May it be your will, Lord our God, that this year shall be rainy and hot. The Gemara immediately expresses surprise at this request: Is heat a good matter? Why should he request that the year be hot? Rather, say and emend it as follows: If the upcoming year is hot, may it also be rainy, lest the heat harm the crops. Rav Aḥa, son of Rava, concluded the language of this prayer in the name of Rav Yehuda: May the rule of power not depart from the house of Judah; and may your nation Israel not depend on each other for sustenance, rather, they should be sustained from the produce of their land; and let not the prayer of travelers enter Your presence when they pray for the rain to stop on their travels. The Gemara relates: Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa was walking on the road when rain fell upon him. He said: Master of the Universe, the entire world is comfortable and Ḥanina is suffering. The rain stopped. When he came to his house he said: Master of the Universe, the entire world is suffering for lack of rain and Ḥanina is comfortable. The rain came back. Rav Yosef said: What effect does the prayer of the High Priest have with regard to Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa? Notwithstanding the prayer of the High Priest in the Holy of Holies, Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa’s sanctity is greater, as God fulfills his bidding. § The mishna stated that the High Priest would not extend his prayer. The Sages taught in the Tosefta: There was an incident involving a certain High Priest who extended his prayer, and his fellow priests took a vote, counted, and decided to go in after him out of concern that he had died or fainted and required assistance. They began to enter and at that moment he emerged. They said to him: Why did you extend your prayer? He said to them: Why not? Does it trouble you that I prayed for you and for the Temple not to be destroyed? They said to him: Do not make a habit of doing so, as we learned: He would not extend his prayer, so as not to alarm the Jewish people, who might fear he had died.
(7) And seek the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you and pray to the LORD in its behalf; for in its prosperity you shall prosper.
(10) so that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of Heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
(9) O God, I will sing You a new song, sing a hymn to You with a ten-stringed harp, (10) to You who give victory to kings, who rescue His servant David from the deadly sword. (11) Rescue me, save me from the hands of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies, and whose oaths are false. (12) For our sons are like saplings, well-tended in their youth; our daughters are like cornerstones trimmed to give shape to a palace. (13) Our storehouses are full, supplying produce of all kinds; our flocks number thousands, even myriads, in our fields; (14) our cattle are well cared for. There is no breaching and no sortie, and no wailing in our streets. (15) Happy the people who have it so; happy the people whose God is the LORD.
Apocrypha: Baruch Chapter 1
9 After that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon had carried away Jechonias, and the princes, and the captives, and the mighty men, and the people of the land, from Jerusalem, and brought them unto Babylon.
10 And they said, Behold, we have sent you money to buy you burnt offerings, and sin offerings, and incense, and prepare ye manna, and offer upon the altar of the Lord our God;
11 And pray for the life of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and for the life of Balthasar his son, that their days may be upon earth as the days of heaven:
12 And the Lord will give us strength, and lighten our eyes, and we shall live under the shadow of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and under the shadow of Balthasar his son, and we shall serve them many days, and find favour in their sight.
The Sages taught: One who sees the Sages of Israel recites: Blessed…Who has shared of His wisdom with those who revere Him. One who sees Sages of the nations of the world recites: Blessed…Who has given of His wisdom to flesh and blood. One who sees kings of Israel recites: Blessed…Who has shared of His glory with those who revere Him. One who sees kings of the other nations of the world recites: Blessed…Who has given of His glory to flesh and blood. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One should always strive to run toward kings of Israel to greet them. And not only should he run toward kings of Israel, but also toward kings of the nations of the world, so that if he will be privileged to witnesses the glory of the Messiah (Rashi) and the World-to-Come, he will distinguish between the kings of Israel and the kings of the nations of the world.
(ב) רַבִּי חֲנִינָא סְגַן הַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי מִתְפַּלֵּל בִּשְׁלוֹמָהּ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת, שֶׁאִלְמָלֵא מוֹרָאָהּ, אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ חַיִּים בְּלָעוֹ. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶן תְּרַדְיוֹן אוֹמֵר, שְׁנַיִם שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְאֵין בֵּינֵיהֶן דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, הֲרֵי זֶה מוֹשַׁב לֵצִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים א) וּבְמוֹשַׁב לֵצִים לֹא יָשָׁב. אֲבָל שְׁנַיִם שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְיֵשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שְׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה בֵינֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ג) אָז נִדְבְּרוּ יִרְאֵי יְיָ אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ וַיַּקְשֵׁב יְיָ וַיִּשְׁמָע וַיִּכָּתֵב סֵפֶר זִכָּרוֹן לְפָנָיו לְיִרְאֵי יְיָ וּלְחֹשְׁבֵי שְׁמוֹ. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא שְׁנַיִם, מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ אֶחָד שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קוֹבֵעַ לוֹ שָׂכָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איכה ג) יֵשֵׁב בָּדָד וְיִדֹּם כִּי נָטַל עָלָיו:
(2) Rabbi Chanina, the Deputy High Priest, says: Pray for the welfare of the government, for were it not for the fear of it, man would swallow his fellow alive. Rabbi Chananya ben Teradyon says: Two who are sitting together and there are no words of Torah [spoken] between them, this is a session of scorners, as it is said (Psalms 1:1): “[Happy is the man who has]... not sat in the session of the scorners.” But two who are sitting together and there are words of Torah [spoken] between them, the Divine Presence rests with them, as it is said (Malachi 3:16): “Then those who feared the Lord spoke one with another, and the Lord hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for those who feared the Lord and for those who thought upon His Name.” I have no [Scriptural support for this] except [in a case of] two. From where [is there proof that] that even [when there is only] one [person studying Torah], the Holy One, blessed be He, determines a reward for him? As it is said (Lamentations 3:28): “He sits alone and is silent, since he takes [a reward] for it.”
(א) כ. דין הוצאת התורה ודין הקריאה וברכותיה
(1) (1) Laws of taking out the Torah and the laws of reading it and its blessings. (29) On the Sabbath during Shaharit, it is customary to say a "Mi Sheberach" after the Haftarah. There are places where they bless the king and afterward the congregation and everything is according to custom.
|
ונהגו לברך את המלך ולהתפלל לשם שיעזרהו ויאמצהו על אויביו שכן כתוב ודרשו את שלום העיר אשר הגליתי אתכם שמה והתפללו בעדה אל ה’ כי בשלומה יהיה לכם שלום. ושלום העיר הוא שיתפלל לשם שינצח את אויביו. ואמרינן בפרק קמא דעבודה זרה (עבודה זרה ג ב): אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל מאי דכתיב (חבקוק א, ד): “ותעשה אדם כדגי הים כרומש לא מושל בו” מה דגים שבים כל הגדול מחבירו בולע את חבירו אף בני אדם אלמלא מוראה של מלכות איש את רעהו חיים בלעו והיינו דתנן רבי חנניא סגן הכהנים אומר הוי מתפלל בשלומה של מלכות וכו’. ואחר כך מברך הקהל, כמו שנאמר: ויברך את כל קהל ישראל” (מלכים א׳ חי)
|
And they were accustomed to blessing the king and to praying to God that He should aid him and strengthen him over his enemies, as it says: “And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace shall you have peace.”8 And the peace of the city is that he shall pray to God that the king shall defeat his enemies. And we say in the first chapter of Tractate Avoda Zara: Rav Yehudah says in the name of Shmuel: Why is it written: “And You make humanity as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?”9 Why is humanity here compared to the fishes of the sea? — Just as among fish of the sea the greater swallow up the smaller ones, so with humanity, were it not for fear of the government, human beings would swallow each other alive.10 This is just what we learnt: Rebbi Ḥanina, the Deputy High Priest, said, “Pray for the welfare of the government, for were it not for the fear thereof, human beings would swallow each other alive.”11 And after this he blesses the community, as it says: [And the king turned his face around] and blessed all the congregation of Israel.”12
|
(5)Adapted from Isaiah 66:12. (6)Adapted from Isaiah 60:18. (?)Adapted from Leviticus 26:4. (8)Adapted from Leviticus 26:6. (9)Adapted from Isaiah 61:9. (10)Adapted from Isaiah 48:18. 11 (11)Psalms 85:11. (12)Adapted from Psalms 21:2,6. (13)! Kings 8:36. (14)Adapted from Ps. 72:2. (15)Adapted from Psalms 3 7: 11. (16)Isaiah 35:10. (17)Adapted from Isaiah 58:11. (18)Adapted from Ps. 84:8.
The prayer Ribbon Kol Ha-olamim, translated into English, reads as follows:
Master of the Universe. Lord of all Works. Who extends peace like a river, and like a rapid stream the glory of nations. 5 Look down from Your holy dwelling and bless this land, the United States of America, whereon we dwell. Let not violence be heard in their land, wasting and destruction within their boundaries, but You shall call its walls "Salvation" and its gates "Praise." 6 Grant them rains in due season, so that the earth shall yield her products and the tree of the field shall yield its fruit, 7 and grant peace, goodness and a blessing on all the inhabitants of the land, that they may lie down with none to make them afraid 8. And among the nations shall their seed be known, and their offspring in the midst of the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, for You hath blessed them. 9 Amen. Pour down the bounty of Your goodness upon the President, and the Vice President of the United States, that their prosperity be like a river, their triumph like the waves of the sea. l0 In their days may kindness and truth meet together, righteousness and peace kiss one another.ll Great shall be their honor; through Your help and in your strength they will greatly exult. 12 Amen. Ordain blessings also upon the Governor and the lieutenant Governor of the state and the Mayor and the Common Council of this city. Teach them the good way wherein they should walk 13 so as to judge the entire people rightly, the entire nation justly,14 and all will see it and delight themselves from the abundance of peace. 15 Amen. send Your salvation also to the city of New York and all its inhabitants. Spread over them the canopy of Your peace and remove from them every ailment and affliction. Gladness and joy shall they obtain, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 16 Amen. our good Father, also answer us Your people the house of Israel at a favorable time, and be of assistance each and every day. Guide us continually in your great goodness and satisfy our soul in times of famine. And we shall be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters do not fail, 17 and go from strength to strength 18 until the redeemer shall come unto Zion. 0 that this may be His will, and let us say, Amen.
Henry Frank (1848)
http://opensiddur.org/prayers-for/collective-welfare/government/the-prayer-for-the-safety-of-kings-princes-and-commonwealths-as-presented-in-english-translation-by-menasseh-ben-israel-to-oliver-cromwell-1655/
אֱלֹקֵינוּ וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ קַבֵּל נָא בְּרַחַמִים אֶת־תְּפִלָּתֵֽנוּ בְּעַד אַרְצֵֽנוּ וּמֶמְשַׁלְתָּהּ. הָרֵק אֶת־בּרְכָתְךָ ע֚ל הָאָֽרֶץ הַזֺּאת עַל נְשִׂיאָהּ שׁוֹפְטֶֽיהָ שׁוֹטְרֶֽיהָ וּפְקִידֶֽהָ הָעוֹסְקִים בְצָרְכֵי צִבּוּר בֶּאֱמוּנָה. הוֹרֵם מֵחֻקֵּי תוֺרָתֶֽךָ הַבִינֵם מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶֽךָ לְמַֽעַן לֺא יָסוּרוּ מֵאַרְצֵֽנוּ שָׁלוֹם וְשַׁלְוָה אֺֽשֶׁר וָחֺֽפֶשׁ כּל־הַיָּמִים. אָנָּא ה' אֱלֺקֵי הָרוּחוֺת לְכָל־בָּשָׂר שְׁלַח רוּחֲךָ עַל כָּל־תּוֹשְׁבֵי אַרְצֵֽנוּ וְטַע בֵּין בְּנֵי הָאֻמּוֹת וְהָאֱמוּנוֹת הַשּׁוֹנוֹת הַשּׁוֹכְנִים בָּהּ אַהֲבָה וְאַחֲוָה שָׁלוֹם וְרֵעוּת. וַעֲקֺר נִלִּבָּם כָל שִׂנְאָה וְאֵיבָה קִנְאָה וְתַחֲרוּת. לְמַלֺּאות מַשָּׂא נֶֽפשׁ בָּנֶֽיהָ הַמִּתְיַמְְּרִים בִּכְבוֹדָהּ וְהַמִּשְׁתּוֹקְקִים לִרְאוֹתָהּ אוֹר לְכָל־הַגּוֹיִם. וְכֵן יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ שֶׁתְּהֵא אַרְצֵֽנוּ בְּרָכָה לְכָל־יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל ותַשְׁרֶה בֵּינֵיהֶם רֵעוּת וְחֵרוּת וְקַיֵּם בִּמְהֵרָה חֲזוֹן נְבִיאֶֽיךָ “לֹא־יִשָּׂ֨א ג֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְד֥וּ ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה” וְנֶאֱמַר “כִּֽי־כוּלָּם֩ יֵדְע֨וּ אוֹתִ֜י לְמִקְטַנָּ֤ם וְעַד־גְּדוֹלָם֙ נְאֻם־ה' כִּ֤י אֶסְלַח֙ לַֽעֲוֹנָ֔ם וּלְחַטָּאתָ֖ם לֹ֥א אֶזְכָּר־עֽוֹד”. אָמֵן׃
A Prayer for The Government
Rabbi Louis Ginzberg, 1927
Our God and God of our ancestors: Accept with mercy our prayer for our land and its government. Pour out your blessing on this land, on its President, judges, officers and officials, who work faithfully for the public good. Teach them from the laws of Your Torah, enlighten them with the rules of Your justice, so that peace, tranquillity, happiness and freedom will never depart from our land. God of all that lives, please bestow Your spirit on all the inhabitants of our land, and plant love, fellowship, peace and friendship between the different communities and faiths that dwell here. Uproot from their hearts all hate, animosity, jealousy and strife, in order to fulfil the longings of its people, who aspire for its dignity, and desire to see it as a light for all nations. And so may it be God's will that our land be a blessing for all who live on earth, and that fellowship and liberty will dwell between them. Establish soon the vision of your prophet: “Nation will not raise a sword against nation, and they will no longer learn war,”2 and, as it is said: “for all of them will know Me, from the smallest to the greatest.3 ” (Amen)