Limud: A Presidential Blessing

Blessing Recited Upon Seeing a Head of State

Praised are You, Adonai our God,
Ruler of the Universe,
Who has given of God’s glory
to flesh and blood.

Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 58a

Rav Sheshet was blind. Once all the people went out to see the king, and Rav Sheshet arose and went with them. A certain heretic came across him and said to him: The whole pitchers go to the river, but where do the broken ones go to? (i.e, What’s the use of a blind man going to see the king?!) He replied: I will show you that I know more than you. The first troop passed by and a shout arose. Said the heretic: The king is coming. He is not coming, replied Rav Sheshet. A second troop passed by and when a shout arose, the heretic said: Now the king is coming. Rav Sheshet replied: The king is not coming. A third troop passed by and there was silence. Said Rav Sheshet: Now indeed the king is coming. The heretic said to him: How did you know this? — He replied: Because the earthly royalty is like the heavenly. For it is written (1 Kings 19:11): Go forth and stand upon the mountain before Adonai. And behold, Adonai passed by and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Adonai; but Adonai was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; but the Adonai was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire; but Adonai was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. When the king came, Rav Sheshet said the blessing over him. The heretic said to him: You, you say a blessing for one whom you do not see? What happened to that heretic? Some say that his companions put his eyes out; others say that Rav Sheshet cast his eyes upon him and he became a heap of bones.

Even the blind person can recognize the potential impact of a head of state. For it is God’s glory that is imparted upon the head of state, that is, s/he has the power to render decisions that are a matter of life and death.

It would seem from both the blessing and the Rav Sheshest story that we revere our heads of state as if they are in fact God. In truth, the message here is that we have just as much power as they. A head of state only exists when the state supports him or her.

Two months ago, we were a nation divided over a presidential election. This past Tuesday, we became a nation united over a future to which we all have been blind since the inception of our country.

We recite: Praised are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who has given of God’s glory to flesh and blood. Perhaps that glory is tolerance. Perhaps that glory is vision. And perhaps that glory is promise of a future where we unite over hope and not against the color of one’s skin.

And so, we did recite this blessing praising God not for imparting President Obama with God’s glory, k’vodo shel Hashem, but for imparting it to all of us — we, blessed, to see a new day in America.

May it be Your will, Ribbono shel Olam, Master of the Universe,
to keep the course of this world peaceful
and to bring steady fulfillment to all of our hopes for peace, comfort and security.

God, keep the President and America safe.
We thank You for this new day.