I Am My Beloved's

ותשובה ותפלה וצדקה מעבירין את רועה הגזירה
Repentance, Prayer and Charity avert the severity of the decree
Rosh Hashana Prayers

Great is teshuva: it brings healing into the world; it reaches to the throne of the Lord
Hosea 14:2,5

Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon him while he is near
Isaiah 55:6

Even a poor man who himself survives on tzedaka should give tzedaka
Talmud Gittin

In the weeks before Rosh HaShana, throughout the Hebrew month of Elul, Jews around the world use the time for serious introspection into their lives and their relationships to both man (aka people) and to God. It is a time to look into both our strengths and our weaknesses and strengthen them both. Elul should be a time of self-reflection and self-questioning, a time when we seek to strengthen our commitment to mitzvot and to a holy way of life.

Our sages tell us that the path forward is through ‘teshuva, tefilla, and tzdaka’.
The first step of the journey is to understand what the words mean.

Part 1 Teshuva
While teshuva is usually translated in English as ‘repentance’, that word does not come near to what the process entails.

‘Repentance’ is defined as a deep sorrow or regret for a past sin or wrongdoing. In fact, the word ‘repentance’ has strong Christian connotations.

Teshuva would be defined as a return to God and is a unique element of Judaism.

The idea of teshuva is not just to admit your sins. It’s not enough to say, “yep, I robbed, plundered, coveted my neighbor’s car, and ate ham. Sorry about that. I’ll try not to do it again.” That’s repentance.

The act of teshuva is to examine one’s past behavior – in all its forms - and to understand one’s weaknesses, one’s faults, even one’s frailties, and to move to improve them.
It is also the time to recognize and build up one’s strengths

How we do that is twofold: do less of what is bad—less yelling, less ignoring, less complaining, less disrespect, less ungratefulness, and hating not at all, but do more of what is good—give more, smile more, praise more, listen more, hug more, love more.

Teshuva returns us to G-d, and, like honey, sweetens the soul.

Part 2 Tzdakah
Tzdaka is commonly translated as charity, but the two are not the same.

The word tzdaka comes from the root צ.ד.ק. , or Tzedek, which means justice. However, in Biblical Hebrew there is a second word for justice, which is mishpat, and there is a critical difference between the two words. Mishpat is what happens when you break the law. It is a set of protective and retributive laws aimed at keeping order within society. Mishpat is the rule of law. It is a law governed society. Mishpat is what distinguishes between innocent and guilty.

What is unique within Judaism, is that a law-governed society is not enough. So as to make a good or even godly society, the Torah adds Tzedek, which means justice in the sense of fairness, rightness, how things should be – not just how things are. A society can be law-abiding, scrupulously observing the letter of the law, and yet not be just. If there are people in a society who are lacking the basic needs of dignified existence then, the society is not just – even if nobody parks in no-parking areas.

Tzdaka is someplace between justice and charity. Justice is enforceable by law, charity is given out of generosity. Tzdaka comes between the two.

Tzdaka stems from the Jewish precept that God rules over all, all that we have is His. He owns, and we are only holding it in trust for Him. God has ruled that what we have, we must share with others, not because we are generous, but because God wishes us to live in a just society.

Tzdaka is a very complex issue. Our Torah tells us that "if there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the Land that the Lord your G-d is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your poor brother. Rather, be open-handed and freely lend him sufficient for his need and in that which he lacks." (Devarim 15:7)

Like teshuva, tzdaka is also twofold – sufficient for his need, and that which he lacks. Sufficient for his need include the basics for existence – food, clothing, a roof. That which he lacks is far more subtle. Poverty diminishes. Poverty humiliates. Therefore, we give tzdaka to alleviate the humiliation. It means allowing the person to fit into his society. An example would be to give someone new clothes for a special occasion, so that he doesn't look different than the other people around him, rather than giving him old out of fashion clothes.
A godly society does not allow humiliation.

In addition, we are the only society that commands even those who receive tzdaka to give tzdaka. This seems absurd—to give to someone so that that he should pass it on to someone else. The logic to this is once again based on the precept of a godly society. Giving maintains dignity. By giving to others, even the poorest are elevated, their self-esteem is heightened. A defeated person cannot help himself. Only with self-confidence and self-esteem can the poor rise above and defeat their poverty.

The highest form of tzdaka is providing a person – not with a gift – but with the means to support himself. Job opportunities, employment, investments, these are greater gifts than feeding a family.

Jewish tzdaka is building a just and godly society.

Part 3 Tefillah
Tefillah is translatable – it means prayer.

Every morning, during the month of Elul, in synagogues throughout the world, the Shofar is sounded as a call to prayer. Elul (אלול) is an acronym for the Hebrew אני לדודי ודודי לי (ani l'dodi v'dodi li) - I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine, from King Solomon's Song of Songs. This alludes to the belief that during the month of Elul, God is in the field, i.e., He is more accessible, more reachable, and listens to our prayers ever more closely and is more forgiving. According to custom, prayers said during the month of Elul are twelve times more powerful than during the other eleven months of the year.

Elul is the time to tell God what is in your heart, what you need to be stronger, to give more, to love more, to be better.

Part 4 Conclusion
Our Sages tell us that we should conduct ourselves as if the world is teetering between good and evil – that the number of sins committed is the same as the number of mitzvot – and it is up to the individual to bring the balance to good by doing one more mitzvah, no matter how trivial it may seem because it might be that mitzvah that saves the world.

We never know how our actions can affect the world; how a timely compliment, or that small bit of tzdaka, or a ride on a rainy day, or a shabbat meal invitation, can affect someone. To the giver, it might seem easy– “I’m cooking anyway, I’m driving anyway, I’m out walking anyway, etc. etc. – but to the recipient, it might make all the difference.

Therefore, we must act, at all times, as if our actions – no matter how trivial or easy they seem to us – have the power of saving the entire world from evil.

For, in fact we do have that power.

Please take a moment to say a prayer for our Holy Land, and our Holy soldiers, may they return home quickly and in health.

Our Father who is in heaven, Protector and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the dawn of our deliverance. Shield it beneath the wings of Your love; spread over it Your canopy of peace; send Your light and our truth to its leaders, officers, and counselors, and direct them with Your good counsel.
Strengthen the defenders of our Holy Land; grant them, our God, salvation and crown them with victory. Establish peace in the land, and everlasting joy for its inhabitants. Remember our brethren, the whole house of Israel, in all the lands of their dispersion. Speedily bring them to Zion, Your city, to Jerusalem Your dwelling-place, as it is written in the Torah of Your servant Moses. 
Even if you are dispersed in the uttermost parts of the world, from there the Lord your God will gather and fetch you. The Lord your God will bring you into the land which your ancestors possessed, and you shall possess it; and God will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your ancestors.
He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Forces, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our God, from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea. 

אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹאֲלוֹ, בָּרֵךְ אֶת מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, רֵאשִׁית צְמִיחַת גְּאֻלָּתֵנוּ. הָגֵן עָלֶיהָ בְּאֶבְרַת חַסְדֶּךָ, וּפְרֹשׁ עָלֶיהָ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ, וּשְׁלַח אוֹרְךָ וַאֲמִתְּךָ לְרָאשֶׁיהָ, שָׂרֶיהָ וְיוֹעֲצֶיהָ, וְתַקְּנֵם בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה מִלְּפָנֶיךָ. חַזֵּק אֶת יְדֵי מְגִנֵּי אֶרֶץ קָדְשֵׁנוּ, וְהַנְחִילֵם אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְשׁוּעָה וַעֲטֶרֶת נִצָּחוֹן תְּעַטְּרֵם, וְנָתַתָּ שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם לְיוֹשְׁבֶיהָ.
וְאֶת אַחֵינוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל פְּקָד-נָא בְּכָל אַרְצוֹת פְּזוּרֵיהֶם, וְתוֹלִיכֵם מְהֵרָה קוֹמְמִיּוּת לְצִיּוֹן עִירֶךָ וְלִירוּשָׁלַיִם מִשְׁכַּן שְׁמֶךָ, כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת משֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ: “אִם יִהְיֶה נִדַּחֲךָ בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם, מִשָּׁם יְקַבֶּצְךָ ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וּמִשָּׁם יִקָּחֶךָ. וֶהֱבִיאֲךָ ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יָרְשׁוּ אֲבֹתֶיךָ וִירִשְׁתָּהּ, וְהֵיטִבְךָ וְהִרְבְּךָ מֵאֲבֹתֶיךָ.
וְיַחֵד לְבָבֵנוּ לְאַהֲבָה וּלְיִרְאָה אֶת שְׁמֶךָ, וְלִשְׁמֹר אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָתֶךָ. וּשְׁלַח לָנוּ מְהֵרָה בֶּן דָּוִד מְשִׁיחַ צִדְקֶךָ, לִפְדּות מְחַכֵּי קֵץ יְשׁוּעָתֶךָ. הוֹפַע בַּהֲדַר גְּאוֹן עֻזֶּךָ עַל כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵּבֵל אַרְצֶךָ, וְיֹאמַר כֹּל אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ: “ה’ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶלֶךְ, וּמַלְכוּתו בַּכּל מָשָׁלָה”. אָמֵן סֶלָה.

  

May the Almighty cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them.
May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighters from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.
May He lead our enemies under our soldiers’ sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is the Lord your God, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you.

מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת חַיָּלֵי צְבָא הֲגַנָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הָעוֹמְדִים עַל מִשְׁמַר אַרְצֵנוּ וְעָרֵי אֱלֹהֵינו מִגְּבוּל הַלְּבָנוֹן וְעַד מִדְבַּר מִצְרַיִם וּמִן הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל עַד לְבוֹא הָעֲרָבָה בַּיַּבָּשָׁה בָּאֲוִיר וּבַיָּם. יִתֵּן ה’ אֶת אוֹיְבֵינוּ הַקָּמִים עָלֵינוּ נִגָּפִים לִפְנֵיהֶם. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִשְׁמֹר וְיַצִּיל אֶת חַיָלֵינוּ מִכָּל צָרָה וְצוּקָה וּמִכָּל נֶגַע וּמַחֲלָה וְיִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה וְהַצְלָחָה בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם. יַדְבֵּר שׂוֹנְאֵינוּ תַּחְתֵּיהֶם וִיעַטְרֵם בְּכֶתֶר יְשׁוּעָה וּבַעֲטֶרֶת נִצָּחון. וִיקֻיַּם בָּהֶם הַכָּתוּב: כִּי ה’ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הַהֹלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם לְהִלָּחֵם לָכֶם עִם אֹיְבֵיכֶם לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם: וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן:

 

I'm fine, 2

Sleep did not honor me with its presence.
―Alysha Speer

This too shall pass.
―Persian Proverb

גַעְתִּי בְקָרְאִי, נִחַר גְּרוֹנִי: כָּלוּ עֵינַי--מְיַחֵל, לֵאלֹהָי
רַבּוּ, מִשַּׂעֲרוֹת רֹאשִׁי שֹׂנְאַי חִנָּם:
I am weary of my crying; my throat is dried; mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head;
―Psalms 69:4-5

Eleven years ago, during Operation Protective Edge, I wrote a blogpost telling the world I was fine. I wasn't, but I figured if I told everyone (and myself) that I was, I would be. 

Now, I'm here to tell you that I'm exhausted. 

I am exhausted from getting up early in the morning after a night of disturbed sleep (or no sleep) and dreading reading the news, dreading reading the names,
dreading everything. 

I'm exhausted from trying to find joy in everything - only to have it extinguished: the plant died, the cookies burned, the coffee shop closed. 

I'm exhausted from seeing guns everywhere, including on my sons. 

I am tired of promised deals, fallen deals, demanded deals.
I'm exhausted by the continual sound of planes overhead, of shaking windows and doors.

I'm super exhausted from watching military helicopters crossing above my house on the way to Soroka Hospital. 
On the bright side – that won't be happening anymore. Soroka Hospital was hit by a ballistic missile last week. The hospital where all of my children and three of my grandchildren were born is out of operation. The hospital that serves all of southern Israel (more than a million people), that specializes in trauma treatment, burns, and pre-term babies, that treats and employs everyone equally – Jews, Arabs, Bedouins, Christians, Gazans, foreign workers from all over the world, and probably Martians – has had to cease its services after being targeted by fanatics two thousand miles away who are determined to destroy us.   

Speaking of which, I am also exhausted by the deafening silence and total lack of condemnation on the part of the Western liberal world on the complete destruction of a hospital, research labs, and a few institutions of higher learning. 

I'm exhausted by having to continually change plans, of never being able to plan, of postponing, cancelling, missing. Of simply not knowing. 

I'm tired of the misinformation, the deliberate dis-information, the absolute lies, and the hatred.
If I hear or read one more sentence that begins with 'Everyone knows' or 'As a Jew', I cannot be held responsible for my reaction. Just shut up.  

I'm exhausted from worrying about those in a shelter, those without a shelter, those who have to run downstairs or cross a street in the dark or bring their gun to the shelter;
from worrying about what this is doing to the babies, to the children, to the teens—will the generational PTSD ever end? 

I'm exhausted from checking up on everyone and from being checked up on. 

I'm exhausted from knowing that another day has passed and there are still hostages in tunnels, still starving, still needing to come home. 

I am exhausted from the sirens, from the pre-sirens, from the post-sirens.

I am exhausted from the continual army call-ups, the continual army service, the worrying, the wondering where they are, when/if they will be home and whether they will recover, jumping at every phone call, continually hearing knocks on the door that are only in my exhausted imagination.

I'm tired of being hopeful, of being cheerful, of laughing at memes, of deep breathing.
Of feeling helpless, and hopeless, and useless.
I'm tired of being resilient.

I'm exhausted from being exhausted. 

I'm exhausted from life not being boring, and from cheesecake and chocolate not being calorie-free.

And now, surrounded by miracles and blessings, I am going to be fine.

Please take a moment to say a prayer for our Holy Land, our Holy soldiers and for our hostages, may they return home quickly and in health.

Our Father who is in heaven, Protector and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the dawn of our deliverance. Shield it beneath the wings of Your love; spread over it Your canopy of peace; send Your light and our truth to its leaders, officers, and counselors, and direct them with Your good counsel.
Strengthen the defenders of our Holy Land; grant them, our God, salvation and crown them with victory. Establish peace in the land, and everlasting joy for its inhabitants. Remember our brethren, the whole house of Israel, in all the lands of their dispersion. Speedily bring them to Zion, Your city, to Jerusalem Your dwelling-place, as it is written in the Torah of Your servant Moses. 
Even if you are dispersed in the uttermost parts of the world, from there the Lord your God will gather and fetch you. The Lord your God will bring you into the land which your ancestors possessed, and you shall possess it; and God will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your ancestors.
He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Forces, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our God, from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea. 

אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹאֲלוֹ, בָּרֵךְ אֶת מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, רֵאשִׁית צְמִיחַת גְּאֻלָּתֵנוּ. הָגֵן עָלֶיהָ בְּאֶבְרַת חַסְדֶּךָ, וּפְרֹשׁ עָלֶיהָ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ, וּשְׁלַח אוֹרְךָ וַאֲמִתְּךָ לְרָאשֶׁיהָ, שָׂרֶיהָ וְיוֹעֲצֶיהָ, וְתַקְּנֵם בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה מִלְּפָנֶיךָ. חַזֵּק אֶת יְדֵי מְגִנֵּי אֶרֶץ קָדְשֵׁנוּ, וְהַנְחִילֵם אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְשׁוּעָה וַעֲטֶרֶת נִצָּחוֹן תְּעַטְּרֵם, וְנָתַתָּ שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם לְיוֹשְׁבֶיהָ.
וְאֶת אַחֵינוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל פְּקָד-נָא בְּכָל אַרְצוֹת פְּזוּרֵיהֶם, וְתוֹלִיכֵם מְהֵרָה קוֹמְמִיּוּת לְצִיּוֹן עִירֶךָ וְלִירוּשָׁלַיִם מִשְׁכַּן שְׁמֶךָ, כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת משֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ: “אִם יִהְיֶה נִדַּחֲךָ בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם, מִשָּׁם יְקַבֶּצְךָ ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וּמִשָּׁם יִקָּחֶךָ. וֶהֱבִיאֲךָ ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יָרְשׁוּ אֲבֹתֶיךָ וִירִשְׁתָּהּ, וְהֵיטִבְךָ וְהִרְבְּךָ מֵאֲבֹתֶיךָ.
וְיַחֵד לְבָבֵנוּ לְאַהֲבָה וּלְיִרְאָה אֶת שְׁמֶךָ, וְלִשְׁמֹר אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָתֶךָ. וּשְׁלַח לָנוּ מְהֵרָה בֶּן דָּוִד מְשִׁיחַ צִדְקֶךָ, לִפְדּות מְחַכֵּי קֵץ יְשׁוּעָתֶךָ. הוֹפַע בַּהֲדַר גְּאוֹן עֻזֶּךָ עַל כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵּבֵל אַרְצֶךָ, וְיֹאמַר כֹּל אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ: “ה’ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶלֶךְ, וּמַלְכוּתו בַּכּל מָשָׁלָה”. אָמֵן סֶלָה.

  

May the Almighty cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them.
May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighters from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.
May He lead our enemies under our soldiers’ sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is the Lord your God, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you.

מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת חַיָּלֵי צְבָא הֲגַנָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הָעוֹמְדִים עַל מִשְׁמַר אַרְצֵנוּ וְעָרֵי אֱלֹהֵינו מִגְּבוּל הַלְּבָנוֹן וְעַד מִדְבַּר מִצְרַיִם וּמִן הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל עַד לְבוֹא הָעֲרָבָה בַּיַּבָּשָׁה בָּאֲוִיר וּבַיָּם. יִתֵּן ה’ אֶת אוֹיְבֵינוּ הַקָּמִים עָלֵינוּ נִגָּפִים לִפְנֵיהֶם. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִשְׁמֹר וְיַצִּיל אֶת חַיָלֵינוּ מִכָּל צָרָה וְצוּקָה וּמִכָּל נֶגַע וּמַחֲלָה וְיִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה וְהַצְלָחָה בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם. יַדְבֵּר שׂוֹנְאֵינוּ תַּחְתֵּיהֶם וִיעַטְרֵם בְּכֶתֶר יְשׁוּעָה וּבַעֲטֶרֶת נִצָּחון. וִיקֻיַּם בָּהֶם הַכָּתוּב: כִּי ה’ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הַהֹלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם לְהִלָּחֵם לָכֶם עִם אֹיְבֵיכֶם לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם: וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן:

 

May it be the will of our Father in heaven,
Who brought His people Israel out from the suffering of Egypt
That He bless and save our abducted brothers and sisters.
Bound with iron chains,
May He strengthen their souls and faith,
Protect them from all harm and disease,
Have mercy on His sons and daughters awaiting His salvation.
Nullify all cruel decrees from upon them
In His great kindness, may He hasten their redemption,
And may they quickly emerge from darkness to light,
And from the pit of captivity to the freedom of the world.
And return in peace to their families and to their homes,
Please, plant brotherhood, peace and friendship in the hearts of all
Remove envy and baseless hatred,
And spread over us the Sukkah of Your peace
And may we merit to soon sing before You a ‘New Song.

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלִּפְנֵי אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם
אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיא אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתַּחַת סִבְלוֹת מִצְרַיִם
הוּא יְבָרֵךְ וְיִנְצֹר אֶת אַחֵינוּ וְאַחְיוֹתֵינוּ
הַחֲטוּפִים הָאֲסוּרִים בְּכַבְלֵי בַּרְזֶל
,יְחַזֵּק נַפְשָׁם וֶאֱמוּנָתָם
,יִשְׁמְרֵם מִכָּל נֶגַע וּמַחֲלָה
,יַחְמֹל עַל בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו הַמְּצַפִּים לִישׁוּעָתוֹ
.יְבַטֵּל מֵעֲלֵיהֶם כָּל גְּזֵרוֹת אַכְזָרִיּוֹת
בְּחַסְדּוֹ הַגָּדוֹל יָחִישׁ פְּדוּתָם וְיֵצְאוּ מְהֵרָה מֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה
וּמִבּוֹר הַשְּׁבִי לְחֵרוּת עוֹלָם וְיָשׁוּבוּ לְשָׁלוֹם אֶל מִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵיהֶם וְאֶל בָּתֵּיהֶם
,אָנָּא, נֶטַע אַחֲוָה שָׁלוֹם וְרֵעוּת בְּלֵב כֻּלָּם
הָסֵר קִנְאָה וְשִׂנְאַת חִנָּם וּפְרֹס עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ
.וְנִזְכֶּה בְּקָרוֹב לוֹמַר לְפָנֶיךָ שִׁירָה חֲדָשָׁה

Desert Flags

A thoughtful mind, when it sees a nation's flag, sees not the flag, but the nation itself.
—Henry Ward Beecher

נְרַנְּנָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ, וּבְשֵׁם-אֱלֹקינוּ נִדְגֹּל
We will shout for joy at your salvation, and in the name of our God we will raise our flags.

—Psalm 20

כָּל הָאָרֶץ דְּגָלִים דְּגָלִים, עַם רוֹקֵד גַּלִּים גַּלִים עַם שָׂמֵחַ, טַף צוֹהֵל – חַג הַיּוֹם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל.
The whole land is flags, flags, a dancing people in waves and waves
a joyful nation, a child cheers, today is a holiday for Israel.

—Raphael Sporta

Look up. Look waaaaaay up.

—The Friendly Giant  

It has long been a custom, in our blessed Land, to decorate the fronts of apartment blocks, public buildings, and private homes with flags for Israel's Independence Day (beginning of May-ish) and leave them up until Jerusalem Day - about three weeks later. Some people begin decorating from right after Holocaust Day. Some take down the decorations only after Shavuot. Some put up lights also. Some keep the decorations up all year round. There's a lot of wiggle room in this custom. 

At the risk of being – as the young'uns would put it – 'cringe', way too often my eyes fill up seeing all the flags everywhere. And now, as we think about putting the flags away for another year (thinking about doing something always being the first [often the longest and sometimes the only] step of actually doing something), I find myself contemplating why it is that this flag induces such a strong emotion in me. 

According to Wikipedia, flags have been around a very long time—with pictures of flags found on Egyptian hieroglyphics, and records of flags flown in the Chinese army from the 11th century BC.

It seems that the oldest flag still in use is the Danish flag that dates to about 1219. 

However, lost in flag history, at least in Wikipedia, is the account in the Torah of the flags of the twelve tribes of Israel. 
After the slaves fled Egypt, and after crossing the sea, and after receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai, and after building the Tabernacle, the nation was given its walking orders. Each tribe was counted and given a position in which to march through the desert. The tribe of Levi, in charge of carrying and caring for the Tabernacle, was in the middle of the people, and on each side – north, south, east, and west – were three tribes. Altogether, it is estimated that the Nation of Israel numbered well over than two million people. 

Each tribe carried a flag. Each flag had its own color, which, according to the sages, matched the colors of stones on the breastplate of the High Priest.

High Priest Breastplate

In addition, each flag had its own emblem symbolizing a characteristic of that tribe. For example, while the tribe of Reuven had mandrake flowers on its flag, the (more known) flag of Yehudah (Judah) was embossed with a lion.

Not the Lion of Judah

(These emblems are also on the Chagall Windows in the synagogue at Hadassah Hospital.)

The descriptions of the flags take up many verses in our Holy Torah. And we know that there are no superfluous words in the Torah. 

So what's with the flags? What exactly was the need or use for flags in the desert? Why were they so important that so many words were written about them? 
Many answers have been given.
In a very practical sense, the flags were used to keep each tribe in the right place and make them easy to locate so that if somebody fell behind for some reason – say they were stuck in line to the bathroom, or their order at Aroma took too long – they could easily find their way back to the correct tribe by looking for the flag. 
On a national level, the flags – along with trumpets and shofars – were used to call the people, when necessary, together; both in times of revelation and in times of war, the people of Israel need to be united in order to triumph.

Our sages tell us of another reason. The flag, which flew above their heads, was a constant reminder to the people that they were not alone in the desert. God was with them. Look up, they were told, and trust God.
I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains, says King David in Psalms (121), from where shall my salvation come? My salvation comes from God who made heaven and earth.

The prototype of modern Israel's flag was designed for the first World Zionist Congress in 1897. It went through a few changes, but today's flag is recognized the world over - for better or worse. 
In recent times, with the severe uptick in antisemitism, many vile meanings have been given to our beloved flag.
And in truth, the flag of Israel is laden with symbolism. While the two interlocking equilateral triangles of the Magen David in the center represent the unity and harmony that gives our nation the strength and resilience that we need to survive and thrive, the six points of the star signify the six directions - north, south, east, west, up, and down - to show that God surrounds us and protects us. The two blue stripes are a reference to the tallit, the prayer shawl that is wrapped around one's shoulders and over the head so that we should always remember to look to God for salvation. The white background is a sign of purity and holiness. 

And when we raise this flag, whether it's on our porch, or at Eurovision, or at sports events, we are proclaiming our connection, not only to our Land and to our People and to God, but also to our unbroken chain of peoplehood and to our shared destiny. 

And my eyes fill with tears, each and every time. 

!עם ישראל חי

AI generated

Please take a moment to say a prayer for our Holy Land, our Holy soldiers and for our hostages, may they return home quickly and in health.

Our Father who is in heaven, Protector and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the dawn of our deliverance. Shield it beneath the wings of Your love; spread over it Your canopy of peace; send Your light and our truth to its leaders, officers, and counselors, and direct them with Your good counsel.
Strengthen the defenders of our Holy Land; grant them, our God, salvation and crown them with victory. Establish peace in the land, and everlasting joy for its inhabitants. Remember our brethren, the whole house of Israel, in all the lands of their dispersion. Speedily bring them to Zion, Your city, to Jerusalem Your dwelling-place, as it is written in the Torah of Your servant Moses. 
Even if you are dispersed in the uttermost parts of the world, from there the Lord your God will gather and fetch you. The Lord your God will bring you into the land which your ancestors possessed, and you shall possess it; and God will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your ancestors.
He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Forces, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our God, from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea. 

אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹאֲלוֹ, בָּרֵךְ אֶת מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, רֵאשִׁית צְמִיחַת גְּאֻלָּתֵנוּ. הָגֵן עָלֶיהָ בְּאֶבְרַת חַסְדֶּךָ, וּפְרֹשׁ עָלֶיהָ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ, וּשְׁלַח אוֹרְךָ וַאֲמִתְּךָ לְרָאשֶׁיהָ, שָׂרֶיהָ וְיוֹעֲצֶיהָ, וְתַקְּנֵם בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה מִלְּפָנֶיךָ. חַזֵּק אֶת יְדֵי מְגִנֵּי אֶרֶץ קָדְשֵׁנוּ, וְהַנְחִילֵם אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְשׁוּעָה וַעֲטֶרֶת נִצָּחוֹן תְּעַטְּרֵם, וְנָתַתָּ שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם לְיוֹשְׁבֶיהָ.
וְאֶת אַחֵינוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל פְּקָד-נָא בְּכָל אַרְצוֹת פְּזוּרֵיהֶם, וְתוֹלִיכֵם מְהֵרָה קוֹמְמִיּוּת לְצִיּוֹן עִירֶךָ וְלִירוּשָׁלַיִם מִשְׁכַּן שְׁמֶךָ, כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת משֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ: “אִם יִהְיֶה נִדַּחֲךָ בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם, מִשָּׁם יְקַבֶּצְךָ ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וּמִשָּׁם יִקָּחֶךָ. וֶהֱבִיאֲךָ ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יָרְשׁוּ אֲבֹתֶיךָ וִירִשְׁתָּהּ, וְהֵיטִבְךָ וְהִרְבְּךָ מֵאֲבֹתֶיךָ.
וְיַחֵד לְבָבֵנוּ לְאַהֲבָה וּלְיִרְאָה אֶת שְׁמֶךָ, וְלִשְׁמֹר אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָתֶךָ. וּשְׁלַח לָנוּ מְהֵרָה בֶּן דָּוִד מְשִׁיחַ צִדְקֶךָ, לִפְדּות מְחַכֵּי קֵץ יְשׁוּעָתֶךָ. הוֹפַע בַּהֲדַר גְּאוֹן עֻזֶּךָ עַל כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵּבֵל אַרְצֶךָ, וְיֹאמַר כֹּל אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ: “ה’ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶלֶךְ, וּמַלְכוּתו בַּכּל מָשָׁלָה”. אָמֵן סֶלָה.

  

May the Almighty cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them.
May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighters from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.
May He lead our enemies under our soldiers’ sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is the Lord your God, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you.

מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת חַיָּלֵי צְבָא הֲגַנָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הָעוֹמְדִים עַל מִשְׁמַר אַרְצֵנוּ וְעָרֵי אֱלֹהֵינו מִגְּבוּל הַלְּבָנוֹן וְעַד מִדְבַּר מִצְרַיִם וּמִן הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל עַד לְבוֹא הָעֲרָבָה בַּיַּבָּשָׁה בָּאֲוִיר וּבַיָּם. יִתֵּן ה’ אֶת אוֹיְבֵינוּ הַקָּמִים עָלֵינוּ נִגָּפִים לִפְנֵיהֶם. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִשְׁמֹר וְיַצִּיל אֶת חַיָלֵינוּ מִכָּל צָרָה וְצוּקָה וּמִכָּל נֶגַע וּמַחֲלָה וְיִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה וְהַצְלָחָה בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם. יַדְבֵּר שׂוֹנְאֵינוּ תַּחְתֵּיהֶם וִיעַטְרֵם בְּכֶתֶר יְשׁוּעָה וּבַעֲטֶרֶת נִצָּחון. וִיקֻיַּם בָּהֶם הַכָּתוּב: כִּי ה’ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הַהֹלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם לְהִלָּחֵם לָכֶם עִם אֹיְבֵיכֶם לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם: וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן:

 

May it be the will of our Father in heaven,
Who brought His people Israel out from the suffering of Egypt
That He bless and save our abducted brothers and sisters.
Bound with iron chains,
May He strengthen their souls and faith,
Protect them from all harm and disease,
Have mercy on His sons and daughters awaiting His salvation.
Nullify all cruel decrees from upon them
In His great kindness, may He hasten their redemption,
And may they quickly emerge from darkness to light,
And from the pit of captivity to the freedom of the world.
And return in peace to their families and to their homes,
Please, plant brotherhood, peace and friendship in the hearts of all
Remove envy and baseless hatred,
And spread over us the Sukkah of Your peace
And may we merit to soon sing before You a ‘New Song.

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלִּפְנֵי אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם
אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיא אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתַּחַת סִבְלוֹת מִצְרַיִם
הוּא יְבָרֵךְ וְיִנְצֹר אֶת אַחֵינוּ וְאַחְיוֹתֵינוּ
הַחֲטוּפִים הָאֲסוּרִים בְּכַבְלֵי בַּרְזֶל
,יְחַזֵּק נַפְשָׁם וֶאֱמוּנָתָם
,יִשְׁמְרֵם מִכָּל נֶגַע וּמַחֲלָה
,יַחְמֹל עַל בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו הַמְּצַפִּים לִישׁוּעָתוֹ
.יְבַטֵּל מֵעֲלֵיהֶם כָּל גְּזֵרוֹת אַכְזָרִיּוֹת
בְּחַסְדּוֹ הַגָּדוֹל יָחִישׁ פְּדוּתָם וְיֵצְאוּ מְהֵרָה מֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה
וּמִבּוֹר הַשְּׁבִי לְחֵרוּת עוֹלָם וְיָשׁוּבוּ לְשָׁלוֹם אֶל מִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵיהֶם וְאֶל בָּתֵּיהֶם
,אָנָּא, נֶטַע אַחֲוָה שָׁלוֹם וְרֵעוּת בְּלֵב כֻּלָּם
הָסֵר קִנְאָה וְשִׂנְאַת חִנָּם וּפְרֹס עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ
.וְנִזְכֶּה בְּקָרוֹב לוֹמַר לְפָנֶיךָ שִׁירָה חֲדָשָׁה

 

  

No Coincidences

To your offspring I will give this Land.
—Genesis 12:7

I would not want to worship a God whose ways are understood by the minds of mere mortals.
—The Kotzker Rebbe 

A God that can be understood is no God. Who can explain the Infinite in words?
―W. Somerset Maugham  

Israel is not a perfect place, but it is a place where imperfect people can live perfect lives.
—Natan Sharansky

The time is always right to do what is right.
—Martin Luther King Jr.

And the streets of the city shall be filled, with boys and girls playing in its streets. So said the Lord of Hosts: As it will be wonderful in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, it will also be wonderful in My eyes, says the Lord of Hosts. So said the Lord of Hosts: Behold I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west. And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I shall be their God, in truth and in righteousness.
—Zechariah 8:5-8

A few things occurred to me last week as I read over the weekly Torah reading – Shemini. 

Shemini tells the story of the initiation of Aaron the Priest and his sons to service in the Tabernacle – their first sacrifices while still in the desert – and all the pomp and ceremony that surrounded it. In the midst of the festivities, however, Aaron's two sons, Nadav and Avihu, die for reasons undetermined. While our sages have presented several possible explanations for their death (they offered alien fire that was not commanded; they were drunk, they were too holy to live in this world), there is no real understanding in their deaths. 

We then turn the page (so to speak) and instead of reading about the aftermath of this tragedy, we read a shopping list of permitted and forbidden foods. 
We know there are no superfluous words in the Torah, no coincidental events, no mistakes. There is meaning behind every word and every incident. 
Therefore, we need to ask what is the connection between the events in the Tabernacle and the list of forbidden foods?
One explanation is that just as there is (obvious) holiness in the most holiest of actions (sacrifices, Temple, priests in fancy clothes), so there can be the same holiness in the most mundane actions (e.g., cooking, eating, washing the dishes) if we infuse our actions with that holiness – by eating only what is permitted, by thanking God, by sharing what we have.
But what made me think of something else was a dvar Torah I read this week by Rav Adin Steinsaltz (zt"l).
He wrote of the human need to have a logical explanation for all the things that one does and how, over the centuries, many have tried to give a logical explanation to the laws of Kashrut (keeping kosher). He cited health reasons, psychological reasons, and spiritual reasons. However, says Rav Steinsaltz, the ultimate reason we keep kosher is because God said so. It is incumbent upon us to act with full faith and commitment, even when the meaning and reasoning is beyond our comprehension; we do it despite not knowing, because God has commanded us and we know that these acts connect us to something far greater than ourselves. 

According to this commentary, it's easier to understand why the laws of kashrut follow the events of the Tabernacle. We don't know exactly why Nadav and Avihu died, and we don't know exactly why we are not allowed to eat an eagle. 
But we don't need to know. We only need to have faith that God knows, and in His commandments we are connected to Him and to each other, which gives us a power and a strength we would not otherwise have. 

In most years, Parshat Shemini is read before Yom HaZikaron (Remembrance Day for the Fallen Soldiers of the Wars of Israel and Victims of Actions of Terrorism) and Yom HaAzma'ut (Israel's Independence Day), which follow one another. 

There are no coincidences in the Torah. 

There are many reasons to live in Israel - the good weather, only one Passover seder (!), easily procurable kosher foods, universal healthcare, free (and Jewish) education from the age of three through high school, excellent and inexpensive universities.
There are many reasons not to live in Israel also - language difficulties, hot weather, lack of employment opportunities, high prices. Oh, and war (almost forgot). 

Every year, there are articles and blogs and op-eds listing what the writer loves about living in Israel. Even I've done this. 
And there is much to love, and much to be grateful for. 

However, similar to not needing a concrete reason to keep kosher, we don't need a concrete reason to live (or an excuse not to live) in the Land of Israel.
We live here because it is what God told us to do. We live here because it gives us an opportunity to be connected to something far greater than ourselves, and to something that will live long after us. 

Living in the Land of Israel infuses us with meaning and holiness. It gives us a power and a strength we would not otherwise have. 

Stand Tall.
The Nation of Israel lives. 

Wishing all of the Nation of Israel a joyous and meaningful Independence Day.  

Please take a moment to say a prayer for our Holy Land, our Holy soldiers and for our hostages, may they return home quickly and in health.

Our Father who is in heaven, Protector and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the dawn of our deliverance. Shield it beneath the wings of Your love; spread over it Your canopy of peace; send Your light and our truth to its leaders, officers, and counselors, and direct them with Your good counsel.
Strengthen the defenders of our Holy Land; grant them, our God, salvation and crown them with victory. Establish peace in the land, and everlasting joy for its inhabitants. Remember our brethren, the whole house of Israel, in all the lands of their dispersion. Speedily bring them to Zion, Your city, to Jerusalem Your dwelling-place, as it is written in the Torah of Your servant Moses. 
Even if you are dispersed in the uttermost parts of the world, from there the Lord your God will gather and fetch you. The Lord your God will bring you into the land which your ancestors possessed, and you shall possess it; and God will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your ancestors.
He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Forces, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our God, from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea. 

אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹאֲלוֹ, בָּרֵךְ אֶת מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, רֵאשִׁית צְמִיחַת גְּאֻלָּתֵנוּ. הָגֵן עָלֶיהָ בְּאֶבְרַת חַסְדֶּךָ, וּפְרֹשׁ עָלֶיהָ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ, וּשְׁלַח אוֹרְךָ וַאֲמִתְּךָ לְרָאשֶׁיהָ, שָׂרֶיהָ וְיוֹעֲצֶיהָ, וְתַקְּנֵם בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה מִלְּפָנֶיךָ. חַזֵּק אֶת יְדֵי מְגִנֵּי אֶרֶץ קָדְשֵׁנוּ, וְהַנְחִילֵם אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְשׁוּעָה וַעֲטֶרֶת נִצָּחוֹן תְּעַטְּרֵם, וְנָתַתָּ שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם לְיוֹשְׁבֶיהָ.
וְאֶת אַחֵינוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל פְּקָד-נָא בְּכָל אַרְצוֹת פְּזוּרֵיהֶם, וְתוֹלִיכֵם מְהֵרָה קוֹמְמִיּוּת לְצִיּוֹן עִירֶךָ וְלִירוּשָׁלַיִם מִשְׁכַּן שְׁמֶךָ, כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת משֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ: “אִם יִהְיֶה נִדַּחֲךָ בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם, מִשָּׁם יְקַבֶּצְךָ ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וּמִשָּׁם יִקָּחֶךָ. וֶהֱבִיאֲךָ ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יָרְשׁוּ אֲבֹתֶיךָ וִירִשְׁתָּהּ, וְהֵיטִבְךָ וְהִרְבְּךָ מֵאֲבֹתֶיךָ.
וְיַחֵד לְבָבֵנוּ לְאַהֲבָה וּלְיִרְאָה אֶת שְׁמֶךָ, וְלִשְׁמֹר אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָתֶךָ. וּשְׁלַח לָנוּ מְהֵרָה בֶּן דָּוִד מְשִׁיחַ צִדְקֶךָ, לִפְדּות מְחַכֵּי קֵץ יְשׁוּעָתֶךָ. הוֹפַע בַּהֲדַר גְּאוֹן עֻזֶּךָ עַל כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵּבֵל אַרְצֶךָ, וְיֹאמַר כֹּל אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ: “ה’ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶלֶךְ, וּמַלְכוּתו בַּכּל מָשָׁלָה”. אָמֵן סֶלָה.

  

May the Almighty cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them.
May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighters from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.
May He lead our enemies under our soldiers’ sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is the Lord your God, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you.

מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת חַיָּלֵי צְבָא הֲגַנָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הָעוֹמְדִים עַל מִשְׁמַר אַרְצֵנוּ וְעָרֵי אֱלֹהֵינו מִגְּבוּל הַלְּבָנוֹן וְעַד מִדְבַּר מִצְרַיִם וּמִן הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל עַד לְבוֹא הָעֲרָבָה בַּיַּבָּשָׁה בָּאֲוִיר וּבַיָּם. יִתֵּן ה’ אֶת אוֹיְבֵינוּ הַקָּמִים עָלֵינוּ נִגָּפִים לִפְנֵיהֶם. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִשְׁמֹר וְיַצִּיל אֶת חַיָלֵינוּ מִכָּל צָרָה וְצוּקָה וּמִכָּל נֶגַע וּמַחֲלָה וְיִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה וְהַצְלָחָה בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם. יַדְבֵּר שׂוֹנְאֵינוּ תַּחְתֵּיהֶם וִיעַטְרֵם בְּכֶתֶר יְשׁוּעָה וּבַעֲטֶרֶת נִצָּחון. וִיקֻיַּם בָּהֶם הַכָּתוּב: כִּי ה’ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הַהֹלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם לְהִלָּחֵם לָכֶם עִם אֹיְבֵיכֶם לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם: וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן:

 

May it be the will of our Father in heaven,
Who brought His people Israel out from the suffering of Egypt
That He bless and save our abducted brothers and sisters.
Bound with iron chains,
May He strengthen their souls and faith,
Protect them from all harm and disease,
Have mercy on His sons and daughters awaiting His salvation.
Nullify all cruel decrees from upon them
In His great kindness, may He hasten their redemption,
And may they quickly emerge from darkness to light,
And from the pit of captivity to the freedom of the world.
And return in peace to their families and to their homes,
Please, plant brotherhood, peace and friendship in the hearts of all
Remove envy and baseless hatred,
And spread over us the Sukkah of Your peace
And may we merit to soon sing before You a ‘New Song.

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלִּפְנֵי אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם
אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיא אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתַּחַת סִבְלוֹת מִצְרַיִם
הוּא יְבָרֵךְ וְיִנְצֹר אֶת אַחֵינוּ וְאַחְיוֹתֵינוּ
הַחֲטוּפִים הָאֲסוּרִים בְּכַבְלֵי בַּרְזֶל
,יְחַזֵּק נַפְשָׁם וֶאֱמוּנָתָם
,יִשְׁמְרֵם מִכָּל נֶגַע וּמַחֲלָה
,יַחְמֹל עַל בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו הַמְּצַפִּים לִישׁוּעָתוֹ
.יְבַטֵּל מֵעֲלֵיהֶם כָּל גְּזֵרוֹת אַכְזָרִיּוֹת
בְּחַסְדּוֹ הַגָּדוֹל יָחִישׁ פְּדוּתָם וְיֵצְאוּ מְהֵרָה מֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה
וּמִבּוֹר הַשְּׁבִי לְחֵרוּת עוֹלָם וְיָשׁוּבוּ לְשָׁלוֹם אֶל מִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵיהֶם וְאֶל בָּתֵּיהֶם
,אָנָּא, נֶטַע אַחֲוָה שָׁלוֹם וְרֵעוּת בְּלֵב כֻּלָּם
הָסֵר קִנְאָה וְשִׂנְאַת חִנָּם וּפְרֹס עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ
.וְנִזְכֶּה בְּקָרוֹב לוֹמַר לְפָנֶיךָ שִׁירָה חֲדָשָׁה

 

  

NPCs

In Jewish history there are no coincidences.
—Elie Wiesel

We need to be courageous and stand for our values, even when it is difficult.
—Ruth Bader Ginsburg

If we want to fight antisemitism, let us walk tall and proud as Jews, and let us work with all humanity to banish hatred forever.
—Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

By reaching out to others, by giving help to the needy and companionship to those who are alone, we bring freedom into the world, and with freedom, God.
—Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

There is no happiness without freedom, and no freedom without happiness.
—Theodore Herzl

For several years now, our family has implemented the custom of having a 'theme' for our Passover Seder. While not engraved in stone, participants are encouraged to speak about the story of the Exodus from Egypt and the redemption of our people according to the agreed upon theme. One year, it was the number four (four glasses of wine, four sons), one year it was Jewish celebrities (Groucho Marx, Henry Kissinger). Last year, it was the '11th' plague and two guests came with a long list of life's difficulties that included mismatched socks and not finding the good peeler. I related.

This year's theme was NPCs. NPCs, for those who are not familiar (everyone over the age of 16), is the abbreviation of Non-Playable Characters. Non-Playable Characters are those characters in video games who seems to have no role, they just give out weapons or shout something or otherwise get in the way.
I, myself, am not a video game player, and so while not familiar with the term, am completely familiar with the concept.

But hey.

I entered the challenge with gusto and came up with three different NPCs in the Pesach story.
And so, with no further ado, I give you my NPCs 2025:

1.  The Bread of Affliction - Ha Lachma'anya

I chose for my first NPC the passing hungry dude we invite at the beginning of our seder to come eat our matzah.

Matzah had just been described as the ‘bread of affliction” or the “bread of oppression”. Why would we invite hungry people to come and eat affliction and oppression? Why do we want to share our poverty, our despair, our suffering?
What has this dude done to us to deserve getting fed cardboard?
It’s a bit rude.
On the other hand, matzah is the bread that was eaten as we left bondage, thereby symbolizing, not only our affliction, but also our redemption.
Much has been spoken about the dichotomy of the symbols of Pesach, and the dichotomy of the Jewish people. Many of the symbols we have tonight have a dual meaning. The karpas, the maror, the salt water, the wine, all have double meanings.
Same goes for the matzah. It’s both, simultaneously, the bread of affliction and the bread of redemption.

Which brings me back to the dude we just invited to join us in our misery, or is it to our redemption?
Well, that depends on us.
Victor Frankl, in his Man’s Search for Meaning, said “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
A true slave thinks only of himself, and it doesn’t matter what kind of slave one is – a real slave to the Egyptians, or a slave to social media, or to work, or food, or shopping, or a million other things – a slave will think only of himself and his immediate needs.
Only a truly free person can put the needs of another before his own. Only a free person – in attitude, in emotion, in love – can share the little that he might have.
Rav Jonathan Sacks, in his Haggadah, said "Matzah represents two things: it is both the food of slaves and also the bread eaten by the Israelites as they left Egypt in liberty. What transforms the bread of oppression into the bread of freedom is the willingness to share it with others."

We’ve already made kiddush – the start of the meal. Nobody is going to come knocking on the door saying they are hungry. It seems a bit superfluous to invite people at this point, but the idea is that we are proclaiming our freedom – taking on the responsibilities of freedom! – of sharing, of caring for others, of being a united people.
Our invited dude is vital to our rejection of (the concept) of slavery and to our acceptance of freedom. 

2. Korban Pesach - Pesach, Matzah, Maror

My second NCP is the sheep that was sacrificed just before the exodus, the blood of which was painted over the doorpost.
Nobody ever talks about the poor lamb.
What did he do to deserve to be slaughtered?
He was a god, that’s what he did.
Bnei Yisrael took a sheep, which was sacred to the Egyptians, killed it, splattered its blood about, roasted it, and had a picnic. All in front of the eyes of the Egyptians.

What made them take such a chance? Bnei Yisrael were slaves. And while the institution of slavery was run by the government – there wasn’t private ownership of slaves – the Egyptians were, by no means, innocent civilians.

Killing a sheep and eating it in public is akin to going to Jenin or Ramallah or Tehran and eating a ham sandwich in the public square at noon during Ramadan.

Why did Bnei Yisrael do it?
Because God told them to.
But why did God tell them to?
Did God really need blood-splattered door posts to know where the Israelites lived? Couldn’t He have just read the nameplates and passed over the ones with Goldberg or Applebaum on the doors?
It wasn't God who needed that particular show, but, as usual, it was the Nation who did.
Because now, surrounded by miracles, Bnei Yisrael had the pride and confidence and, most important of all, the faith to follow God. Painting the doorposts with the blood of a lamb gave them the opportunity to stand up, to not be ashamed of doing what’s right in the eyes of God, even when it’s not particularly popular or goes against what other people (erroneously) think or believe to be correct.

Not to cower and hide.

Eighteen months ago, the Jewish Nation, globally, were given the opportunity again, to stand up, to speak out, to defend, and to take pride in their people and their heritage and their God. On campuses, in workplaces, in the spotlight, on the battlefield, and even (most incredibly) in the terror tunnels, so many did – acting with a bravery and a courage seldom seen.

Another element of the Korban Pesach – the sacrifice of the lamb is that it was meant to be eaten in public, everyone together, sharing, as one People, united in their faith in God.
Korban Pesach means that we stand up and be Jews, together, sharing a common history and a common destiny.
That lamb was vital in uniting the people and giving them the strength needed to walk out of slavery.

  3. Changing History

My third NPC is not actually mentioned in the Hagaddah at all. In fact, he’s not really a part of the Pesach story, per se, but only in the set-up to the Pesach story.

It’s the dude who finds Yosef, the son of Yaakov – he of the coloured coat – wandering about in a field and is asked if he knows where Yosef’s brothers are.

‘And a certain man found him (Yosef), and behold, he was wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying: What are you looking for?' And he (Yosef) said: 'I‘m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me please, where they are feeding the flock? And the man said: 'They left here and I heard them say: Let us go to Dotan.' And Yosef went after his brothers and found them in Dotan.’ (Genesis 37:15-17)

And that’s the story. We don’t know the guy’s name, we never hear from him again, a total NPC!
Our sages say that the man might have been Elijah the Prophet (Eliyahu HaNavi) or perhaps an angel.
But let’s say he wasn’t. Let’s say he was just a random dude.
What would have happened if our random dude hadn't found Yosef in that field at that time. What would have happened had he been in the field an hour later, or the day before?
If our dude hadn’t told Yosef where his brothers were, chances are Yosef would simply have gone home. He wouldn’t have been sold, he wouldn’t have interpreted Egyptian dreams, he wouldn’t have become viceroy of all Egypt and in charge of their food stores, and he wouldn’t have been able to bring his family to Egypt.
Instead, the sons of Yaakov might have all died of starvation.

But none of that happened because some guy, who happened to be in a particular field at a particular time was nice enough to stop Yosef as he was wandering around and ask if he needed help.

Our random dude actually plays an extremely pivotal role in our history.
He changes history. 

We don’t always know the impact we can have on the world. By being kind or generous, helpful, or smiling, (or the opposite) we have no idea what butterfly effect we might be having on human history. Our nameless guy didn’t – and yet there he is, though nameless, in our holy Torah.

4.  Epilogue

In the end, in real life, I don't think NPCs actually exist.

It seems that there is a vital importance to our place in the world.
Sometimes, we don't realize it right away. Sometimes, too often, we will never realize it.
But we are all part of God's plan.
Walk tall.

עם ישראל חי!

Please take a moment to say a prayer for our Holy Land, our Holy soldiers and for our hostages, may they return home quickly and in health.

Our Father who is in heaven, Protector and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the dawn of our deliverance. Shield it beneath the wings of Your love; spread over it Your canopy of peace; send Your light and our truth to its leaders, officers, and counselors, and direct them with Your good counsel.
Strengthen the defenders of our Holy Land; grant them, our God, salvation and crown them with victory. Establish peace in the land, and everlasting joy for its inhabitants. Remember our brethren, the whole house of Israel, in all the lands of their dispersion. Speedily bring them to Zion, Your city, to Jerusalem Your dwelling-place, as it is written in the Torah of Your servant Moses. 
Even if you are dispersed in the uttermost parts of the world, from there the Lord your God will gather and fetch you. The Lord your God will bring you into the land which your ancestors possessed, and you shall possess it; and God will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your ancestors.
He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Forces, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our God, from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea. 

אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹאֲלוֹ, בָּרֵךְ אֶת מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, רֵאשִׁית צְמִיחַת גְּאֻלָּתֵנוּ. הָגֵן עָלֶיהָ בְּאֶבְרַת חַסְדֶּךָ, וּפְרֹשׁ עָלֶיהָ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ, וּשְׁלַח אוֹרְךָ וַאֲמִתְּךָ לְרָאשֶׁיהָ, שָׂרֶיהָ וְיוֹעֲצֶיהָ, וְתַקְּנֵם בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה מִלְּפָנֶיךָ. חַזֵּק אֶת יְדֵי מְגִנֵּי אֶרֶץ קָדְשֵׁנוּ, וְהַנְחִילֵם אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְשׁוּעָה וַעֲטֶרֶת נִצָּחוֹן תְּעַטְּרֵם, וְנָתַתָּ שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם לְיוֹשְׁבֶיהָ.
וְאֶת אַחֵינוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל פְּקָד-נָא בְּכָל אַרְצוֹת פְּזוּרֵיהֶם, וְתוֹלִיכֵם מְהֵרָה קוֹמְמִיּוּת לְצִיּוֹן עִירֶךָ וְלִירוּשָׁלַיִם מִשְׁכַּן שְׁמֶךָ, כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת משֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ: “אִם יִהְיֶה נִדַּחֲךָ בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם, מִשָּׁם יְקַבֶּצְךָ ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וּמִשָּׁם יִקָּחֶךָ. וֶהֱבִיאֲךָ ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יָרְשׁוּ אֲבֹתֶיךָ וִירִשְׁתָּהּ, וְהֵיטִבְךָ וְהִרְבְּךָ מֵאֲבֹתֶיךָ.
וְיַחֵד לְבָבֵנוּ לְאַהֲבָה וּלְיִרְאָה אֶת שְׁמֶךָ, וְלִשְׁמֹר אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָתֶךָ. וּשְׁלַח לָנוּ מְהֵרָה בֶּן דָּוִד מְשִׁיחַ צִדְקֶךָ, לִפְדּות מְחַכֵּי קֵץ יְשׁוּעָתֶךָ. הוֹפַע בַּהֲדַר גְּאוֹן עֻזֶּךָ עַל כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵּבֵל אַרְצֶךָ, וְיֹאמַר כֹּל אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ: “ה’ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶלֶךְ, וּמַלְכוּתו בַּכּל מָשָׁלָה”. אָמֵן סֶלָה.

  

May the Almighty cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them.
May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighters from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.
May He lead our enemies under our soldiers’ sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is the Lord your God, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you.

מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת חַיָּלֵי צְבָא הֲגַנָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הָעוֹמְדִים עַל מִשְׁמַר אַרְצֵנוּ וְעָרֵי אֱלֹהֵינו מִגְּבוּל הַלְּבָנוֹן וְעַד מִדְבַּר מִצְרַיִם וּמִן הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל עַד לְבוֹא הָעֲרָבָה בַּיַּבָּשָׁה בָּאֲוִיר וּבַיָּם. יִתֵּן ה’ אֶת אוֹיְבֵינוּ הַקָּמִים עָלֵינוּ נִגָּפִים לִפְנֵיהֶם. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִשְׁמֹר וְיַצִּיל אֶת חַיָלֵינוּ מִכָּל צָרָה וְצוּקָה וּמִכָּל נֶגַע וּמַחֲלָה וְיִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה וְהַצְלָחָה בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם. יַדְבֵּר שׂוֹנְאֵינוּ תַּחְתֵּיהֶם וִיעַטְרֵם בְּכֶתֶר יְשׁוּעָה וּבַעֲטֶרֶת נִצָּחון. וִיקֻיַּם בָּהֶם הַכָּתוּב: כִּי ה’ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הַהֹלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם לְהִלָּחֵם לָכֶם עִם אֹיְבֵיכֶם לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם: וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן:

 

May it be the will of our Father in heaven,
Who brought His people Israel out from the suffering of Egypt
That He bless and save our abducted brothers and sisters.
Bound with iron chains,
May He strengthen their souls and faith,
Protect them from all harm and disease,
Have mercy on His sons and daughters awaiting His salvation.
Nullify all cruel decrees from upon them
In His great kindness, may He hasten their redemption,
And may they quickly emerge from darkness to light,
And from the pit of captivity to the freedom of the world.
And return in peace to their families and to their homes,
Please, plant brotherhood, peace and friendship in the hearts of all
Remove envy and baseless hatred,
And spread over us the Sukkah of Your peace
And may we merit to soon sing before You a ‘New Song.

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלִּפְנֵי אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם
אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיא אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתַּחַת סִבְלוֹת מִצְרַיִם
הוּא יְבָרֵךְ וְיִנְצֹר אֶת אַחֵינוּ וְאַחְיוֹתֵינוּ
הַחֲטוּפִים הָאֲסוּרִים בְּכַבְלֵי בַּרְזֶל
,יְחַזֵּק נַפְשָׁם וֶאֱמוּנָתָם
,יִשְׁמְרֵם מִכָּל נֶגַע וּמַחֲלָה
,יַחְמֹל עַל בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו הַמְּצַפִּים לִישׁוּעָתוֹ
.יְבַטֵּל מֵעֲלֵיהֶם כָּל גְּזֵרוֹת אַכְזָרִיּוֹת
בְּחַסְדּוֹ הַגָּדוֹל יָחִישׁ פְּדוּתָם וְיֵצְאוּ מְהֵרָה מֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה
וּמִבּוֹר הַשְּׁבִי לְחֵרוּת עוֹלָם וְיָשׁוּבוּ לְשָׁלוֹם אֶל מִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵיהֶם וְאֶל בָּתֵּיהֶם
,אָנָּא, נֶטַע אַחֲוָה שָׁלוֹם וְרֵעוּת בְּלֵב כֻּלָּם
הָסֵר קִנְאָה וְשִׂנְאַת חִנָּם וּפְרֹס עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ
.וְנִזְכֶּה בְּקָרוֹב לוֹמַר לְפָנֶיךָ שִׁירָה חֲדָשָׁה