Shabbat shalom everyone,
I’m sure you’ve all heard about the recent developments. After years of repeated threats to annihilate Israel and a second Holocaust, Israel has launched a pre-emptive strike.
As believing Jews, we follow the path of Hashem [השם מקדים תרופה למכה] who always provides the remedy before the blow. Thus, we are providing the remedy before the blow through prayer, even before Israel will get harsh reactions from Iran CV.
We are all one nation, as it is written in the verse “ שה פזורה ישראל ” meaning, Am Israel is like a herd of sheep, which is connected, but the sheep are scattered around the world. Even though we are in Canada and seemingly far away, we are all one nation, and we all need to pray for the success of the people of Israel and for the success of our brave IDF soldiers.
I find our Parasha very special because of the coincidence between it and the recent events. As you know, and we also spoke about it in my classes, all the prayers are commanded by Haza”l [our sages], and they are meant to replace the korbanot [the sacrifices], which we don’t have today. But in our Parasha, Parashat Beha’alotcha, the Pasuk says “וכי תבואו מלחמה בארצכם על הצר הצרר אתכם והרעותם בחצצרת ” meaning, Hashem says that if we have a war, we need to blow trumpets and pray to Hashem. The Rambam [Hilchot ta’aniot chapter 1] says that when Am Israel are in danger, this Pasuk is the place that we have a command to pray Deorayta, from the Torah. Its amazing to see that our Parasha is talking exactly about our situation.
Now Am Israel needs help from Hashem, and we are able to do a Deorayta Mitzvah and ask Hashem for help and a victory, health for all our brave and strong solders, and peace for all our brave brothers and sisters in Israel, which those days can be hard for them, and for us. On Shabbat Morning BH, when we open the ark we will dedicate a chapter of Tehillim with an Israeli melody for the success of our army and our nation. Also, we’ll recite Tehillim together after my class, before Minchah.
I invite you all to join us in this collective prayer, to strengthen the bond between us and with the Land of Israel. I’m sure that together all our prayers will go straight to Hashem.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Eliahu Barzilai
Psalms 130 (1) A song of ascents. Out of the depths I call You, O LORD. (2) O Lord, listen to my cry; let Your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy. (3) If You keep account of sins, O LORD, Lord, who will survive? (4) Yours is the power to forgive so that You may be held in awe. (5) I look to the LORD; I look to Him; I await His word. (6) I am more eager for the Lord than watchmen for the morning, watchmen for the morning. (7) O Israel, wait for the LORD; for with the LORD is steadfast love and great power to redeem. (8) It is He who will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.
| תהילים ק״ל (א) שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֑וֹת מִמַּעֲמַקִּ֖ים קְרָאתִ֣יךָ יהוה׃ (ב) אדני שִׁמְעָ֢ה בְק֫וֹלִ֥י תִּהְיֶ֣ינָה אׇ֭זְנֶיךָ קַשֻּׁב֑וֹת לְ֝ק֗וֹל תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃ (ג) אִם־עֲוֺנ֥וֹת תִּשְׁמׇר־יָ֑הּ אדני מִ֣י יַעֲמֹֽד׃ (ד) כִּֽי־עִמְּךָ֥ הַסְּלִיחָ֑ה לְ֝מַ֗עַן תִּוָּרֵֽא׃ (ה) קִוִּ֣יתִי יהוה קִוְּתָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י וְֽלִדְבָר֥וֹ הוֹחָֽלְתִּי׃ (ו) נַפְשִׁ֥י לַאדני מִשֹּׁמְרִ֥ים לַ֝בֹּ֗קֶר שֹׁמְרִ֥ים לַבֹּֽקֶר׃ (ז) יַחֵ֥ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶל־יהוה כִּֽי־עִם־יהוה הַחֶ֑סֶד וְהַרְבֵּ֖ה עִמּ֣וֹ פְדֽוּת׃ (ח) וְ֭הוּא יִפְדֶּ֣ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מִ֝כֹּ֗ל עֲוֺנֹתָֽיו׃ {פ} |
Psalms 121
(1) A song for ascents. I turn my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come? (2) My help comes from the LORD, maker of heaven and earth. (3) He will not let your foot give way; your guardian will not slumber; (4) See, the guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps! (5) The LORD is your guardian, the LORD is your protection at your right hand. (6) By day the sun will not strike you, nor the moon by night. (7) The
LORD will guard you from all harm; He will guard your life. (8) The LORD will guard your going and coming now and forever.
תהילים קכ״א
(א) שִׁ֗יר לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֭ינַי אֶל־הֶהָרִ֑ים מֵ֝אַ֗יִן יָבֹ֥א עֶזְרִֽי׃ (ב) עֶ֭זְרִי מֵעִ֣ם יהוה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ג) אַל־יִתֵּ֣ן לַמּ֣וֹט רַגְלֶ֑ךָ אַל־יָ֝נ֗וּם שֹׁמְרֶֽךָ׃ (ד) הִנֵּ֣ה לֹֽא־יָ֭נוּם וְלֹ֣א יִישָׁ֑ן שׁ֝וֹמֵ֗ר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ה) יהוה שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ יהוה צִ֝לְּךָ֗ עַל־יַ֥ד יְמִינֶֽךָ׃ (ו) יוֹמָ֗ם הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ לֹֽא־יַכֶּ֗כָּה וְיָרֵ֥חַ בַּלָּֽיְלָה׃ (ז) יהוה יִשְׁמׇרְךָ֥ מִכׇּל־רָ֑ע יִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (ח) יהוה יִשְׁמׇר־צֵאתְךָ֥ וּבוֹאֶ֑ךָ מֵ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ {פ}