Who knew that a mudslinging, truth-bending presidential election would end in a well-spring of prayer.
Mitt Romney, in his concession speech Tuesday night, offered that we "Earnestly pray for President Obama "and for this great nation." The leaders of the Orthodox Union, also with prayers for the President in mind said in a message of congratulation, "We offer our prayers that God will grant you the wisdom, strength and compassion to address the challenges that face America today."
Adding to the post-election liturgy, as reported in the Florida Jewish Journal, Rabbi Samuel Intrator of the Carlebach Shul in Miami Beach had a higher elector when he said, "I hope and pray that President Obama will dedicate his efforts to seek unity and find commonality where and whenever possible."
To my modern partisan ear, hearing someone offer a prayer for the President momentarily projected a probably unintended reading-- something akin to "You poor schmuck. You're gonna need divine intervention just to get through this."
Of course that's not what was intended. But, my response made me question: In these offerings of prayers, especially in a Jewish context, what really was being offered?
Jewish prayer can ask for forgiveness, and offer thanks-- two aspects that might be useful for the post-election period. Jewish prayer and tradition can also speak to insight, a quality that hopefully our leaders have.
For example the "Prayer for our country" that is found in Siddur Sim Shalom published by the Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative Movement, begins by asking for "Your blessings for our country, for its government, for its leaders and advisors, and for all who exercise just and rightful authority."
"Teach them insights from Your Torah, that they may administer all affairs of state fairly," the prayer continues.
Another prayer, found in the Reform Movement's prayer book "Mishkan T'filah" adds to this sentiment with "Grant our leaders wisdom and forbearance."
As it turns out, Jews have a tradition of offering blessings for leaders. According to an article by Barry Schwartz,
the idea of offering a prayer for governments called "Hanoten teshua" "May He who gives victory," dates to texts dating from between 1565-1566. Thought to have originated in the Sephardic community, the prayer sought blessings for those whose favor the community needed to exist--the kings and sultans under whose rule they lived.
By 1826, "Hanoten teshua" had changed with the times and Jewish migration. The new version, according to an article by Howard A. Berman "Blesses the President and the Vice President, the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Governor, the Lt. Governor and the Magistrates of New York City."
Over one hundred years later, in 1927, according to Rabbi and Professor David Golinkin, a new prayer for the government was authored by Louis Ginzberg, Talmudist and leading figure in the Conservative Movement.
It "Is a brand new prayer expressly written for a democracy," wrote Golinkin.
So offering a Jewish prayer for President Obama fits into the tradition. In fact, Jews have been offering prayers to Presidents since Washington. In 1789, a prayer for George Washington, composed by Congregation Beth Shalome in Richmond, Virginia reads:
G-d of the Heavenly Hosts, You have provided peace and quiet for the heart of our government; You have placed the President of the United States to act as our leader; Through prayer we humble ourselves before You, To our supplications lend an ear and rescue us.
Imagine that: In 1789, a prayer for "Peace and quiet for the heart of the Government."
Edmon J. Rodman has written about making his own matzah for JTA, Jewish love music for the Jerusalem Post, yiddisheh legerdemain for the Los Angeles Jewish Journal, a Bernie Madoff Halloween mask for the Forward, and what really gets stuck in the La Brea Tar Pits for the Los Angeles Times. He has edited several Jewish population studies, and is one of the founders of the Movable Minyan, an over twenty-year-old chavura-size, independent congregation. He once designed a pop-up seder plate.In 2011 Rodman received a First Place Simon Rockower Award for "Excellence in Feature Writing" from the American Jewish Press Association."
prayers, especially in a Jewish context, what really was being offered? 
