1.
The power of prayer
* Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
Yesterday night, after a lecture at the Marom HaGalil Regional Council, I went to Meron to pray at the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. I arrived when a group of women were praying there with great emotion and I joined them. We prayed for the hostages, for the wounded, for the soldiers, for the entire nation of Israel. “I heard the news about the potential deal but what we are doing here right now is a practical response,” one of the women said.
These days are full of rumors, tension, and uncertainty. This week’s parasha, Shemot, reminds us that the entire process of leaving Egypt began with a prayer from the heart: “And the people groaned from their labor and cried out and their pleas from their hard work rose up to God.”
In the face of so many challenges, do we remember to pray, and not only to the news, to politics, or to social media?
In Egypt, it was prayer that promoted redemption. The above verse is following by these words: “And God heard their anguished cries, and God recalled His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” In the twinkling of an eye, we had left behind the mentality of helpless slaves, demanding Divine assistance which came at once.
Thus begins the book of Exodus. This is not just a history book but a commentary on what is happening today. May we invoke the power of prayer and b”h see good news and redemption.
Besorot tovot.
2.
* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
These are difficult and tumultuous days for everyone, regardless of your opinion about the hostage deal. There is so much hope, pain, and disappointment. We are exposed to the “media spins” of Hamas and the other evil forces involved in this deal. We are being constantly inundated with updates, true or false, to the interpretations and commentaries of political pundits and a barrage of “fake news.”
We long for a stabilizing force, something we can hold onto during these turbulent days. Our sages taught: “The world stands upon three things: Torah, Avodah (service), and Gemilut Chasadim (acts of lovingkindness).”
In other words, both the world around us and our internal world rest upon three things:
1) Torah study – Lets try to turn off the news and to listen to a Torah shiur online or open a holy book and learn on your own in the merit of our hostages, soldiers, and the entire Jewish people. In this way, we can feel connected to the holy and eternal story of our people.
2) “Avoda”- Our sages explain this term as “service of the heart,” which means prayer. Aside from our standard prayers, it would be valuable at this time to add your own heartfelt supplications and read chapters from the Book of Tehillim.
3) “Gemilut Chasadim”—acts of lovingkindness. Now is the time for action and not bewilderment. Every moment of volunteering and doing chesed for others fortifies the world and helps us all. This does not mean only involving yourself inmajor volunteer projects but also providing assistance to those in your immediate circle —to your sister, mother, or neighbor. Take a look around you and ask yourself who might need your help today.
When interpreting this verse, “On three things the world stands…” Rabbi Yaakov Edelstein zt”l would focus on the word “omed” - stand.
These three things stabilize the world and keep it standing. Particularly during these challenging days when our fears overwhelm us, and our feelings change from moment to moment—we can rely on these three tools to keep us grounded and increase the goodness in our world.
May we hear good news soon.
