Another Prayer for Voting
Below is Rabbi David Seidenberg’s (revised) prayer for voting, first in English, then followed by line-by-line Hebrew/English/transliteration.
With my vote today I am prepared with the intention
to seek peace for this country, as it’s written*:
“Seek the peace of the city where I cause you to roam
and pray for her sake to Yah Hashem, for in her peace you will all have
peace.”
May it be Your will that my vote will be counted truthfully,
as if I had fulfilled this verse in all its meaning,
and may it be right in Your eyes to give a wise heart to whomever we
elect today
so that there may be a government whose rule is for good and blessing
over us
for all the inhabitants of the world and for your people Israel, and for
Jerusalem.
Just as I participated in elections today,
so may you help me to do good deeds and repair the world with all my
actions,
and especially with the action of [add your pledge here],
which I pledge today to fulfill on behalf of all living beings
with gratitude to the One who made all creation
and in memory of the waters of Noah and the divine covenant
to never again destroy the earth and her diversity
and in awareness that the course of the redemption of the world depends
on me.
May you give to us, to all the peoples of this country,
the strength and will to pursue righteousness and to seek peace in one
unity
to cause to flourish, throughout the entire world, life, goodness and
peace
and fulfill for us the verse**:
“May our God Yah Hashem’s pleasure rest on us,
and set right the work of our hands for us, make the work of our hands
endure.”
äøéðé îëååï åîåëï áäöáòúé äéåÃ
With my vote today I am prepared with the intention
Hareini m’kavein umuchan b’hatsbei’ati
ìéãøåù ùìåà áòã äîãéðä äæà ú ëîå ùëúåá
to seek peace for this country, as it’s written*:
lid’rosh shalom ba’ad ham’dinah hazot, k’mo shekatuv
åãøùå à ú ùìåà äòéø à ùø äâìéúé à úëà ùîä
“Seek the peace of the city where I cause you to roam
v’dirshu et sh’lom ha’ir asher higleiti etchem shama
åäúôììå áòãä à ì ä’ ëé áùìåîä éäéä ìëà ùìåÃ
“and pray for her sake to Yah Hashem, for in her peace you will all have
peace.”
v’hitpal’lu ba’adah el YHVH ki bish’lomah yihyeh lakhem shalom
éäé øöåï îìôðéê ùúäà äöáòúé ðîðä ðà îðåú
May it be Your will that my vote will be counted truthfully
y’hi ratson milfanekha shet’hei hatsbei’ati nimneh ne’emanut
ëà ìå ÷éîúé äëúåá äæä áëì òöîúå
as if I had fulfilled this verse in all its meaning,
k’ilu kiyamti hakatuv hazeh b’khol atsmato
åéäé èåá áòéðéê ùúúï ìáá çëîä ìîé ùà ðå áåçøéà äéåÃ
and may it be good in Your eyes to give a wise heart to whomever we elect
today
viy’hi tov b’einekha shetiten l’vav chokhmah l’mi shanu bochrim hayom
åúùà îîùìä ìèåáä åìáøëä òìéðå
so that there may be a government whose rule is for good and blessing over
us
v’tisa lanu memshelah l’tovah v’livrakhah aleinu
òì ëì éåùáé úáì åòì éùøà ì òîê åòì éøåùìéÃ
for all the inhabitants of the world and for your people Israel, and for
Jerusalem.
al kol yoshvey teivel v’al kol amkha yisra’el v’al y’rushalayim
ëùà ùäùúèôúé ááçéøåú äéåÃ
Just as I participated in elections today
k’shem shehishtatafti biv’chirut hayom
ëï æëðé ìòùåú îòùéà èåáéà åú÷åï òåìà áëì ôåòìé
so may you help me to do good deeds and repair the world with all my actions
ken zakeini la’asot ma’asim tovim v’tikun olam b’khol po’alai
åáîéåçã áôòåìú
especially with the action of / uvimyuchad bif’ulat
[add your pledge here] ùà ðé ðåãø ì÷éà äéåà áòã ëì äáøéà åú
which I pledge today to fulfill on behalf of all living beings
asher hayom la’asot ba’ad kol hab’riyot
áäåãéä ìòåùä îòùä áøà ùéú
with gratitude to the One who made all creation
b’hodayah l’oseh ma’aseh b’reishit
åìæëøåï îé ðç åáøéú ä’
and in memory of the waters of Noah and the divine covenant
uv’zikaron mei Noach vib’rit Hashem
ìòåìà òåã áì úùçéú à øõ åîìåà ä
to never destroy the earth and her diversity
l’olam od bal tashchit arets um’lo’ah
åáãòú ùäòúéã ùì âà åìú äòåìà úìåé áé
and in awareness that the course of the redemption of the world depends on
me.
uv’da’at sheha’atid shel g’ulat ha’olam tolui bi
úï ìðå ìëì òîé äîãéðä äæà ú
May you give to us, to all the peoples of this country
ten lanu l’khol amei ham’dinah hazot
äëç åäøöåï ìøãåó öã÷ åìá÷ù ùìåà ëà âåãä à çú
the strength and will to pursue righteousness and to seek peace in one unity
hakoach v’haratson lirdof tsedek ul’vakesh shalom k’agudah achat
ìäöîéç áëì äòåìà çééà ùì èåáä åçééà ùì ùìåÃ
to cause to flourish, throughout the entire world, life, goodness and peace
l’hatsmi’ach b’khol ha’olam chayyim tovah v’shalom
å÷éà ìðå äëúåá åéäé ðåòà ä’ à “ìäéðå òìéðå
and fulfill for us the verse**: “May our God Yah Hashem’s pleasure rest on
us,
v’kayeim lanu hakatuv viy’hi no’am YHVH Eloheinu aleinu
åîòùä éãéðå ëåððä òìéðå åîòùä éãéðå ëåððäå
“and set right the work of our hands for us, make the work of our hands
endure.”
uma’aseh yadeinu kon’nah aleinu, uma’aseh yadeinu kon’neihu
*Jer. 29:7 ** Ps. 90:17
I wasn’t aware that David Seidenberg was ordained. Where’s his smicha from?
JTS