The Baal Shem Tov, or Besht —  the founder of Chasidism — 
met the soul of the Messiah during an ascent to heaven. 
The Besht asked him, "When will the Master come?" 
The Messiah answered, "When your wellsprings break forth to the outside!" 
(from a letter written by the Besht to his brother-in-law about one of his soul ascents) 


 

Prayers you can use for voting and for elections and democracy

  • 1) A prayer against tyranny and for the protection of democracy
  • 2) A prayer for voting
  • 3) In Israel, you can also say the prayer for the state of Israel and for the land of Israel and Palestine and all who live there.
  • Here is the essential part of the voting prayer:

    תִּתֵּן לֵב שׁוֹמֵעַ לְמִי שֶׁאָנוּ בּוֹחֲרִים
    וְטוֹב יְהְיֶה בְּעֵינֶיךָ שֶׁתִּשָׂא עַלֵינוּ מֶמְשָלָה טוֹבה
    שֶׁתָּבִיא רְפוּאָה וּמִשפָּט וְשָׁלוֹם לְכָל יוֹשְבֵי הָאָרֶץ הַזֹאת
    וּלְכָל יוֹשְבֵי תֵבֵל וְעַל יִרוּשַׁלָיִם
    מֶמְשָלָה שֶׁתְּכַבֵּד הַצֶלֶם בְּכַל אָדָם וּבַבְּרִיאָה
    כִּי הַמַּלְכוּת שֶׁלְּךָ הִיא
    כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהִשְׁתַּתָפְתִי | אֶשְׁתַּתֵּף בַּבְּחִירוּת
    כֵּן זַכֵּנִי לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים וּלְתַקֵּן עוֹלָם בְּכָל פֹּעַלִי
    וּבַפְּעוּלָה שֶׁל... שֶׁאֲנִי מִתְנדֵּב ׀ מִתְנדֶּבֶת לְקַיֵם
    בּעַד כָּל הַבְּרִיאוֹת, בְּזִכְרוֹן בְּרִית מֵי נֹחַ
    לְהַגֵּן וּלְבָל תַשְׁחִית אָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ

    תִּתֵּן לְכָל אֻמּוֹת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹאת הָכֹּחַ וְהַרָצוֹן
    לִרְדֹף צֶדֶק וּלְבַקֵּשׁ שָׁלוֹם כְּאַגֻדָה אַחַת
    לֲעַקֹר גִזְעָנוּת וְחָמָס וּלְהַצְמִיחַ רְפוּאָה
    וְחַיִים טוֹבִים וְשָׁלוֹם, פֹּה וּבְכָל הָעוֹלָם
    וְקַיֵּם לָנוּ הַכָּתוּב: וִיהִי נ֤עַם אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ עָלֵינוּ
    וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנָה עָלֵינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנֵהוּ

    May You give a listening heart
        to whomever we elect
        and may it be good in Your eyes
        to raise for us a good government
        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.

    Just as I have participated (or: will participate) in the election
        so may I merit to do good works
        and to repair the world through all my efforts,
        and through the act of... [fill in your pledge]
        which I pledge to do
        on behalf of all living creatures,
        in remembrance of the covenant of Noah's waters,
        to protect and to not destroy
        the earth and her plenitude.

    Give to all the peoples of this land
        the strength and will to pursue righteousness
        and to seek peace as unified force
        to uproot racism and violence
        and to make healing, good life and peace flourish
        here and throughout the world
        and 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,
        and make the work of our hands endure."



    Design in progress © Rabbi David Mevorach Seidenberg 2006