Special Sderot Prayer Added to Arsenal
Special Sderot Prayer Added to Arsenal

"One must not rely on miracles," Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu reminds - after composing a special prayer to be recited on Sabbath for the residents of Sderot.

Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, a former Chief Sephardic Rabbi (Rishon LeTzion) of Israel, has composed a special prayer for "Sderot, Ashkelon, and environs" - at the request of the Sderot Security Committee Chairman, Alon Davidi. 

Davidi asked Tzfat's Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, who visited Sderot this week, if his father could compose a special prayer on behalf of the residents of Sderot and the western Negev.  Within a day, the prayer was written, and its author asked that it be recited every Sabbath morning just prior to the opening of the Holy Ark.

The prayer includes the idea that we may not rely on miracles, implying that we must take concrete steps to fight the enemy. 

It is based on a prayer written by the late saintly Kabbalist of Jerusalem, Rabbi Salman Mutzafi (1900-1975).  It is rooted in the Halakhic [Jewish legal] ruling of the Shulkhan Arukh code of law (O.C. 576) that calls for fasting and prayer for troubles such as "Gentiles that come to make war on Israel."

The Hebrew prayer can be seen here.  The English translation is as follows:

Master of the Universe. We have come this day to place our supplication before You, on behalf of Your nation Israel, and to request mercy for them - for we rely upon the abundance of Your compassion, as is written: "And He said, I shall cause all My Goodness to pass before you, and I shall call out with the Name of G-d before you, and I shall show favor when I shall want to show favor, and I shall have mercy when I shall want to have mercy" (Ex. 33,19).

So much praise we must lay before You - for we have merited to see clearly the miracles and wonders You wrought for us against our enemies who plot to destroy us. Yet, in Your goodness, You have saved us and rescued us from thousands of rockets that they have fired at us - and especially at the cities of Sderot, Ashkelon, and environs; and from most of them we were saved, by Your great mercies.

Our Sages have taught that one must not rely on miracles, and especially in situations of danger that have already killed and maimed Jews.  The residents of these areas and their children live in fright and fear, and many of them have left their homes.  The honor of Israel is being desecrated, while the Government of Israel ties its soldiers' hands, preventing them from waging war in response - and is even scheming to give G-d's inheritance to terrorists, who would then, Heaven forbid, do in central Israel what they do in Sderot.

Master of the Univese, our eyes are turned pleadingly toward You, that you show us grace, and give to Your nation Israel favor, good sense, courage and bravery to fight the evil ones - and not to strengthen them. May we [have the strength] to smite and rout all our enemies, and to fulfill the prayer of King David, peace be upon him: "I pursued my enemies and caught them, and I did not return until I destroyed them; I crushed them until they could no longer rise up; they have fallen under my feet" (Psalms 18,38).

Please, G-d, shut the mouths of all those who denounce and besiege us, whether above or below.  May this verse be fulfilled for us: "No weapon that is formed against you shall succeed, and every tongue that rises against you in judgment - you shall condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of G-d and the recompense of their righteousness by Me, says G-d" (Isaiah 54,17).

And may this verse, written at the hand of Isaiah Your prophet, be fulfilled for us: "Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not dismay, for I am your G-d. I have adopted you and helped you and supported you with the right hand of My righteousness. All who rage against you shall be ashamed and disgraced... those who war against you will be as nothingness.  For I am the Lord your G-d, Who hold up your right arm and says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.' Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I will help you, says G-d and your Redeemer, the Holy of Israel.  Behold, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff. You shall fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the storm wind shall carry them - and you shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall glory in the Holy One of Israel.'



And may You redeem us completely and speedily, and may we merit to see the Messiah, son of David, crowned in his crown, and the Messiah, son of Joseph, complete in his glory and his beauty in the building of our Holy Temple, speedily in our days, Amen, may it be Your will.