Our sons are fighting to protect us from those who seek to destroy us. If they have time to pray before going into battle, we should stop and pray for their success and safe return.
Pray for our soldiers. Pray for the safe return of Gilad ben Aviva (Shalit). Pray for the safe return of Eliyahu Pinhas ben Miriam (Asheri). Pray for the safe return of Noach Moskowitz, who may now be held by the terrorists. (Thanks to Jameel for the Photos.)
UPDATE: This morning, the army discovered the body of Eliyahu Asheri הי"ד. The animals had shot him in the head shortly after he was captured. He was 19 years old and was completing his studies at the Pre-Army Yeshivah in Neve Tzuf. ארץ אל תכסי דמו!
תהלים פרק קל
שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ ד': ד' שִׁמְעָה בְקוֹלִי תִּהְיֶינָה אָזְנֶיךָ קַשֻּׁבוֹת לְקוֹל תַּחֲנוּנָי: אִם עֲוֹנוֹת תִּשְׁמָר יָ-הּ ד' מִי יַעֲמֹד: כִּי עִמְּךָ הַסְּלִיחָה לְמַעַן תִּוָּרֵא: קִוִּיתִי ד' קִוְּתָה נַפְשִׁי וְלִדְבָרוֹ הוֹחָלְתִּי: נַפְשִׁי לַד' מִשֹּׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר שֹׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר: יַחֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל ד'
שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ ד': ד' שִׁמְעָה בְקוֹלִי תִּהְיֶינָה אָזְנֶיךָ קַשֻּׁבוֹת לְקוֹל תַּחֲנוּנָי: אִם עֲוֹנוֹת תִּשְׁמָר יָ-הּ ד' מִי יַעֲמֹד: כִּי עִמְּךָ הַסְּלִיחָה לְמַעַן תִּוָּרֵא: קִוִּיתִי ד' קִוְּתָה נַפְשִׁי וְלִדְבָרוֹ הוֹחָלְתִּי: נַפְשִׁי לַד' מִשֹּׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר שֹׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר: יַחֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל ד'
כִּי עִם ד' הַחֶסֶד וְהַרְבֵּה עִמּוֹ פְדוּת: וְהוּא יִפְדֶּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכֹּל עֲוֹנֹתָיו:
Your name came up in a conversation today with Mark Robinson. I have posted on his son Matanya today.
ReplyDeleteI saw the first picture yesterday in the web edition of Haaretz, and it nearly brought me to tears. What is, I think, both so enormously moving and most hopeful is the beautiful image of each soldier covering the head of his comrade. To me this had not only the obvious meaning but also implied that these young men were not dati (they did not have kippot) yet were moved to engage in tefila at this time. I think that it is more than the cliche that "there are no athiests in foxholes". I like to believe that this is a hint that even among the chiloni that there is a deep and perhaps unconscious understanding that at times like this that our military prowess is not the only weapon that is important: אֵ֣לֶּה בָ֭רֶכֶב וְאֵ֣לֶּה בַסּוּסִ֑ים וַאֲנַ֓חְנוּ׀ בְּשֵׁם ה' אֱלֹ-ינוּ נַזְכִּֽר
ReplyDeletePerhaps there is hope that the fools like Akiva Eldar won't prevail.