Prayers for the Government, for Redemption, and for Diaspora Jewry - Elul 5782/2022

The prayer suggested below has recently been revised and superseded by a clearer version: Prayers for the Present Government and for the Final Redemption - Adar 5784/2024. The previous version is kept here for historical value of its "Political Commentary and Argument" at the end of the source sheet, which contains a prophetic warning of future "degradation of America and the Jewish people before their enemies", as a divine rejection of the false messianism and faux-patriotic jingoism of the OU and USCJ's prayers for the secular government an military. Repentance before Yom Kippur 5783 was called for, but didn't happen. The U.S. was somewhat flat-footed in response to increased belligerence from Russia, China, and Iran's proxies during the year of 2023/5782. That fall saw the Oct 7th "Al-aqsa flood" massacres and global intifada break out, immediately after the deadline for repentance had passed. Neither the U.S. nor Israel was prepared for that challenge, and we should accept this as divine rebuke, leading to fear and respect for God, and abandonment of fear and respect for foreign governments. The Orthodox Union and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism must repent of the false messianism and supercessionist replacement theology, and return to a messianic vision consistent with the Torah and prophets of Israel. We should also accept instruction from the sages of Judaism, and reject the advice of those who promoted the false messiah Bar Koziba.

PRAYER of ELUL 5782/2022

Our God and God of our ancestors with mercy accept our prayer on behalf of our country and its government. Pour out Your blessing upon this land, upon its inhabitants, upon its leaders, its judges, officers, and officials, who faithfully devote themselves to the needs of the public. Help us to teach and us them to understand the rules of justice You have decreed so that peace and security, happiness and freedom, will (never depart from) become established inour land.

Adonai, God of Adam and Eve, and of Noah and Abraham, God whose spirit is in all creatures, we pray that Your spirit be awakened within all the inhabitants of our land. Uproot from our hearts hatred and malice, jealousy and strife. Plant love and companionship, peace and friendship, among the many peoples and faiths who dwell in our nation. Grant us the knowledge to judge justly, the wisdom to act with compassion, and the understanding and courage to (root out) alleviate poverty from our this land.

PRAYER FOR THE STATE OF ISRAEL

Suggested: Prayer for the State of Israel (5783) (An alternative order of prayer, since prayer for final redemption is already given in the Amidah, is to add a prayer for the state of Israel immediately afterward. This could be before or after the prayer for peace, sim shalom, since it is in continuity with its basic theme, and then a prayer for the welfare of the (US or other National) government. If you wish to deflect the accusation of dual-loyalty, the prayer for national government could be come first.)

PRAYER FOR FINAL REDEMPTION

Raise your hand to the nations, and encourage your people Israel who dwell in exile to bear the light of Torah to all, and thus fulfill their role as a "kingdom of priests" and a "holy nation". May the God-fearing gentiles see the good deeds of your people, and give thanks to you, our Father in heaven. Induce the many nations who dwell as inhabitants of this land to say:

Encourage our synagogues to be the "spiritual Israel" to the God-fearing gentiles seekers of our land. Raise up your hand to the nations. Help us to welcome all who come in good-faith to learn, to teach them universal Rainbow covenant, to instruct them in the seven Noachide laws, and their role in the economy of redemption. Thus may each do his part, and may you speedily fulfill the vision of your prophet, that:

PRAYER FOR DIASPORA JEWRY

POLITICAL COMMENTARY AND ARGUMENT

The first prayer - that for the (American) government, is suggested to the Union of Orthodox Judaism to replace the Orthodox Union's prayer for the safety of the American military, which assigns them the essentially (false) messianic role "abolishing every rule of evil" in order to acccomplish this. This religion is not Judaism, it is merely the interventionist neo-conservative wing of the Republican party with Jewish holidays. This will not succeed in fulfilling the work of tikkun olam on our behalf, and we should stop asking it to.

The same chutzpah of patriotic false messianism is found on the other side of the political aisle: thus we also suggest that the Rabbinic Assemblies of Conservative Judaism replace the "Prayer for Our Country - Lev Shalem Siddur", which is made in the christian dominionist tradition of replacement theology and supercessionism: assuming that America is the Promised Land, the light of the world, the "city on a hill which cannot be hidden". Expecting progressive modernity will replace christianity merely translates its latent Jew-hatred into the discourse of critical rationalism and scientism in supporting secular social action. This is not Judaism, it is merely the progressive wing of the Democratic party with Jewish holidays. This will not succeed in fulfilling the work of tikkun olam on our behalf, and we should stop asking it to.

Both denominations more or less abdicate the specifically Jewish responsibility given in Isaiah 2:3 to teach the law to gentiles, apparently expecting the American public educational system to do it instead, so that the American government can fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 2:4. Has this been working out for the American youth? Have they risen to the challenge? No, they have not, and we should stop asking them to.

By abdicating the synagogue's responsibility to teach the Noahide covenant and function as "spiritual Israel" in these lands of exile, the OU gives a cold-shoulder to conscientious gentiles who may actually wish to come and learn and fulfill their part of the 2:4 prophecy in a more appropriate way. Simultaneously asking God to "speedily fulfill" it through the american government and military, puts them in a double-bind.

We ought to be correct this grave moral and theological error, and correct it as soon as possible: Yom Kippur 5783 at the latest. You can help by sitting down, if your congregation stands during the militarist prayer. Present this proposal to the board and rabbinic leaders, take input from your community, copy and modify the proposal as needed and as your scholars and rabbis advise. Otherwise, America should expect more civil unrest, riots, and international degradation before its enemies, because apparently the God over all nations has been putting to shame America's national pride, and that of all flesh. It is a revelation of his mercy that he would correct us and judge us, and call us to repentance and teshuvah, and we should not neglect to hear.

The zionist prayer for Israel ordained by its chief rabbis in 1948 is far less chutzpadik about the role of the secular Israeli government in bringing about messianic redemption, although it is controversial for this reason. But if we find it problematic to acknowledge secular Israeli state as "the beginning of redemption" how much more problematic is our essential acknowledgement of the USA as redemption's completion? Both formulas are lacking prayer for the essential first step this: "the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of God from Jerusalem", and God-fearing gentiles must say it, presumably in their own languages, in order for the prophecies to be fulfilled. Therefore, let the law go forth, and let them say it and let them bless the holy name, and let redemption get underway.

If we want it to happen, then we must pray in accordance with the prophets and not by contradicting them or replacing them with our own imaginations.