[Avodah] Prayer for the Government

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Mon, Jan 09, 2017 at 04:59:54PM -0500, Saul Guberman via Avodah wrote:
: I don't think anyone objects to praying for Hashem to guide them.  Those
: who object do not see that sentiment as the ikar of the current iteration
: of the prayer.

But since the current iteration is a child of Chazal's, and Chazal
saw the requirement in terms of needing some source of law-and-order,
I would think that this common perception is simply in error.

After all, we already noted R' Chanina segan hakohanim lived during
Malkhus Edom, a/k/a Malkhus haRecha'ah when he said the words quoted in
Avos 3:2.

We have traditions of tefillos for the state that date back to Worms
11th cent and the Cairo Geniza, and then the Kol Bo and the Avudraham
(both late 13th cent). Although it does not appear in Seder Rav Amram
Gaon nor Machzor Vitri.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha