Words From Rabbi White

Dear mitpallelim

oy! How things can change so quickly.

My previous two “blogs” described the wonderful three weeks I had just experienced in Israel: first, living for several days near the kotel with my son, daughter in law and grandchildren; then the week with our good friends the Gehr’s in the Arnona neighborhood of Jerusalem; and then the week in Netanya at my brother’s house. Everyone during those three weeks was so positive (except of course for the debates over judicial reform and religious/secular etc etc which are part and parcel of Israeli life.) And then came the events of shemini atseret………..,.

As the psalmist said: “may my tongue stick to my palate…if I don’t elevate Jerusalem at the top of my joy.” (Chapter 137)

Here are some more verses from the Psalms that can inspire us in these difficult times:

Psalm 120: … “deliver my soul from lying lips from a deceitful tongue” (such a fitting reference to Hamas!) “ I am for peace but they are for war”

Psalm 121 “I lift up my eyes, whence will my help come? My help is from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth”

Psalm 79 O God, nations have come into Your land and defiled it… They have given the dead bodies of Your servants as food to the birds… they have shed their blood like water… Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You…. Why should the nations say: Where is their God?”… and repay our neighbors seven times over”

And we pray for the welfare of our people; for our security forces; for those who have been injured; for the captives; and for Medinat Yisrael, that it should really become “Reishit tsemichat  ge’ulateinu

Shabbat shalom

Shalom ‘Al yisrael

Rabbi Menahem White