Inauguration Prayer for our Government

by Rabbi David Seidenberg

A prayer for the 2021 inauguration, amid threats of domestic terrorism, for the sake of our new government, and the success and well-being of our new president and vice president, from neohasid.org. Download the printable PDF below:

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I stand present, intending through my prayer
for the day / on the day of inaugurating
a new government, president and vice president,
to seek peace for this country, as it is written (Jer. 29:7):
“Seek the peace of the city where I cause you to roam
and pray for her to YHVH (Adonai/God),
for in her peace you all will have peace.”

May it be Your will, YHVH our God, that You give a listening heart
to those whom we elevate today and protect them,
and may You raise for us a good government
that will strive and begin to bring healing, justice and peace
to all living in this land and to all the world, and upon Jerusalem,
a government that will honor the image of God
in all humanity and in Creation,
for rulership is Yours.

Therefore, may You:

Tear out tyranny and despotism,
Ruin those who cheat and deceive,
Upend those who oppress the vulnerable.
Make the reign of the arrogant disappear from the land,
Pulverize the plans of those who attack democracy.
Overthrow and humble them, bring their downfall, soon in our days.

May You give to all the peoples of this country the strength and will
to pursue righteousness and to seek peace as a unified force
to uproot racism and violence from our hearts and to make healing,
good life and peace flourish, here and throughout the world.

May I merit to do good works and repair the world

through all my efforts, and through the act of… [add your pledge]…
which I pledge to do on behalf of all living creatures,
to uphold the covenant after the floodwaters of Noah.

Fulfill for us the verse (Ps. 90:17): “May the pleasure of Adonai our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us;
make the work of our hands endure.”

Hareini m’khaven / m’khavenet bit’filati
b’yom hanukat hamemshalah v’hanasi us’ganit hanasi
lid’rosh shalom b'ad ham’dinah hazot k’mo shekatuv
“V’dirshu et shalom ha'ir asher higleiti etchem shamah
v’hitpal’lu ba'adah el Hashem ki bish’lomah yihyeh lakhem shalom”

Y’hi ratzon mil’fanekha Hashem Eloheinu
shetitein lev shomei'a l’mi she’anu nos’im hayom
v’tisa’ aleinu memshelah tovah,
Shetish’of v’tacheil l’havi’ r’fu’ah umishpat v’shalom
l’khol yoshvei ha’aretz hazot ul’khol yoshvei teivel v'al y’rushalayim
memshalah shet’khabeid hatzelem b’khol adam uvab’ri’ah
ki hamalkhut shelkha hi

Lakhen t'akeir tirunya va'aritzut ut’shaber rama’im
ut’mager 'oshkei nidka’im v’ta'avir memshelet zadon min ha’aretz
ut’sakel pog'im b’demokratiyah v’tafeir takh’bulotam
T’khaleim tashpileim v’takhni'eim bim’heirah v’yameinu

V’titein l’khol umot ha’aretz hazot hako’ach v’haratzon
lir’dof tzedek ul’vakeish shalom k’agudah akhat
la'akor giz'anut v’hamas ul’hatzmi’ach r’fu’ah
v’hayim tovim v’shalom, poh uv’hol ha'olam
T’zakeini la'asot ma'asim tovim ul’taken 'olam b’hol p'ulotai
uvap'ulah shel… [add your pledge] she’ani mitnadeiv / mitnadevet
l’kayeim b'ad kol habri’yot, l’hakim b’rit Mei Noakh
v’kayeim lanu et hakatuv: “Viy’hi no'am Adonai Eloheinu 'aleinu
uma'aseih yadeinu kon’nah 'aleinu, uma'aseih yadeinu kon’neihu”

הַרֵינִי מְכָוֵון | מְכָוֶונֶת בִּתְּפִילָתִי
לְיוֹם | בְּיוֹם חֲנוּכָּת מֶמְשָלָה וְנַשִׂיא וּסְגַנִית הַנַּשִׂיא
לִדְרֹש שָׁלוֹם בְּעַד הַמְּדִינָה הַזֹאת כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב
וְדִרְשׁוּ אֶת שְׁלוֹם הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר הִגְלֵיתִי אֶתְכֶם שָׁמָּה
וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ בַעֲדָהּ אֶל ה׳ כִּי בִשְׁלוֹמָהּ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם שָׁלוֹם

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ ה׳ אֱ״לֹהֵינוּ
שֶׁתִּתֵּן לֵב שׁוֹמֵעַ לְמִי שֶׁאָנוּ נוֹשׂאִים הַיּוֹם וְהַגֵן עַלֵיהֶם
וְתִּשָׂא עַלֵינוּ מֶמְשָלָה טוֹבה
שֶׁתִשְׁאוֹף ותַחֵל לְהַבִיא רְפוּאָה וּמִשפָּט וְשָׁלוֹם
לְכָל יוֹשְבֵי הָאָרֶץ הַזֹאת וּלְכָל יוֹשְבֵי תֵבֵל וְעַל יִרוּשַׁלָיִם
מֶמְשָלָה שֶׁתְּכַבֵּד הַצֶלֶם בְּכַל אָדָם וּבַבְּרִיאָה
כִּי הַמַּלְכוּת שֶׁלְּךָ הִיא

לָכֵן תְעַקֵּר טִירוּנִיָא וָעָרִיצוּת וּתְשַׁבֵּר רַמַאִים
וּתְמַגֵּר עֹשְׁקֵי נִדְכָּאִים וְתַעֲבִיר מֶמְשֶׁלֶת זָדוֹן מִן הָאָרֶץ
וּתְּסַכֵּל פּוֹגְעִים בְּדֵמוֹקרָטִיָה וְתָּפֵר תַחְבּוּלוֹתם
תְכַלֵּם תַשְׁפִּילֵם וְתַכְנִיעֵם בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינו

וְתִּתֵּן לְכָל אֻמּוֹת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹאת הָכֹּחַ וְהַרָצוֹן
לִרְדֹף צֶדֶק וּלְבַקֵּשׁ שָׁלוֹם כְּאַגֻדָה אַחַת
לֲעַקֹר גִזְעָנוּת וְחָמָס מִלִבֵּינוּ וּלְהַצְמִיחַ רְפוּאָה
וְחַיִים טוֹבִים וְשָׁלוֹם, פֹּה וּבְכָל הָעוֹלָם
תְזכֵּנִי לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים וּלְתַקֵּן עוֹלָם בְּכָל פְּעוּלוֹתַי
וּבַפְּעוּלָה שֶׁל… [add your pledge] שֶׁאֲנִי מִתְנדֵּב ׀ מִתְנדֶּבֶת
לְקַיֵם בְּעַד כָּל הַבְּרִיאוֹת, לְהַקִים בְּרִית מֵי נֹחַ
וְקַיֵּם לָנוּ הַכָּתוּב: וִיהִי נ֤עַם אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ עָלֵינוּ
וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנָה עָלֵינוּ, וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנֵהוּ

Posted in Pursuing Justice
America, Inauguration day, justice

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