Why has former Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, shlita, chosen the 4th day of Sivan, Wednesday, June 4th, Erev Shavuot, as a day of special prayers on behalf of Jonathan Pollard? Why did the Rabbi mandate a massive Tefilla assembly at the Kotel? These are the questions that have been asked recently. Jonathan and Esther Pollard have asked me to respond. I hope that the answers will encourage every single person to participate in this Yom Tefilla, wherever they may be. Our tradition has always taught us that as a nation, every individual is indispensable and yet the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. This is especially true in the world of Tefilla - Jewish prayer.
The Torah tells us in Vayikra 26:8, "Five of you will pursue 100, and 100 will pursue 10,000." Rashi comments if 5 Jews can pursue 100 enemies, a ratio of 1 to 20, then 100 Jews should pursue 2,000 not 10,000, as the pasuk states. This teaches us that when people are united, their actions are more effective. The Zohar explains that the koach haTefilla - the power of prayer - increases exponentially as the number of people joined together increases. The Chida explains that when two Jews sit together to say Tehillim, the Al-Mighty jumps the numbers up because our achdus enhances the power of that prayer. A Jerusalem sage, Rabbi Mustafi, teaches that according to the formula derived from the Zohar, one person who says Tehillim alone has the power of one, two people saying Tehillim together have the power of 21, and three people saying Tehillim together have the power of 321. And the exponential multiplication continues to grow as we add more individuals to the group. One can only imagine the koach haTefilla derived from the masses saying Tehillim together at one location.
Of all the issues of the Jewish world today, there is no issue that unites us more than Pidyon Shvuyim. That is why on June 4th, at 3:00 p.m., Jonathan's rabbi, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, the former Chief Rabbi of Israel, will lead a massive prayer assembly at the Kotel. Every single person that participates has a value that far exceeds his or her individual koach were he or she to pray alone. That is why the Pollards implore all of Israel to do their utmost to participate in this gathering.
As for the timing of the event, when Jonathan and Esther asked Rabbi Eliyahu why he chose this date to call the nation to battle stations for Jonathan before the Al-Mighty, there were a number of reasons, and I would like to share one with you.
June 4th, the 4th day of the Hebrew month Sivan, is the eve of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, when the Jewish People celebrate the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Torah and its 613 mitzvoth is what distinguishes the Jewish People as a nation. On Shavuot we not only celebrate the precious gift of Torah and mitzvoth with great joy and thanksgiving, we also do everything we can to honor the Torah and the Al-Mighty.
The mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim, the redemption of a captive, is one of the foremost mitzvahs of the Torah. It is such an important mitzvah that we are permitted to desecrate the holy Sabbath, if necessary, in order to fulfill it. We are even permitted to sell a Torah scroll, if necessary, in order to fulfill the mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim. By calling the nation together to pray for the redemption of Jonathan Pollard on the eve of Shavuot, Rabbi Eliyahu purposely chose the date that would allow all of the Jewish People the opportunity to start the holiday of Matan Torah [The Giving of the Torah] by participating in the greatest mitzvah of all - the mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim. In this way, we show our appreciation for our great gift, the Torah, by performing its foremost mitzvah as a nation in unity and in strength. This great merit accrues to both the individual and to the nation as a whole. This is the merit that is now so sorely needed to save Jonathan and all of Israel.
Jonathan has given 18 years of his life and freedom in prison for passing information to save the Jewish people from their enemies, who were plotting our destruction. Rabbi Eliyahu is asking every person to give one day (June 4th), and one hour (3:00 P.M.) for Jonathan Pollard; to come to the Kotel (the Western Wall) to stand united before HaShem as a nation and to fulfill the mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim. We should all - every single one of us - do our utmost to support Rabbi Eliyahu's request.
But what if you do not live in Jerusalem? What if a person does not live in Israel? Can they share in this mitzvah too? The answer is yes. If you live in Israel, commit to attend this assembly on June 4th at the Kotel. Call at least two friends and tell them to join you at this special Tehillim rally. Ask them to contact their friends, to call two more people. Share this mitzvah with your shul and yeshiva. Encourage your local community to be at the Kotel, Erev Shavuot at 3:00 p.m. If you do not live in Israel, call a relative or friend and ask them to go as your shaliach. Then, call some more friends in Israel and tell them to pass the word. If you are a member of a Jewish organization in America, urge that organization to contact their Israel counterparts and to have them spread the word. We, at National Council of Young Israel, have already done so.
Not a single one of us has the ability to free Jonathan Pollard; we all know that it is in the hand of G-d. We need to be united in thought, and beseech the Al-Mighty on Jonathan's behalf. Then, we have done our part and im yirtzeh HaShem, Hakadosh Baruch Hu will heed our prayers.
In the merit of our unified participation in the mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim at the Kotel on Wednesday, June 4 at 3:00 p.m., may we merit peace and tranquility and the receiving of the Torah on Shavuot.
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Rabbi Pesach Lerner is the Executive Vice President of the National Council of Young Israel.
The Torah tells us in Vayikra 26:8, "Five of you will pursue 100, and 100 will pursue 10,000." Rashi comments if 5 Jews can pursue 100 enemies, a ratio of 1 to 20, then 100 Jews should pursue 2,000 not 10,000, as the pasuk states. This teaches us that when people are united, their actions are more effective. The Zohar explains that the koach haTefilla - the power of prayer - increases exponentially as the number of people joined together increases. The Chida explains that when two Jews sit together to say Tehillim, the Al-Mighty jumps the numbers up because our achdus enhances the power of that prayer. A Jerusalem sage, Rabbi Mustafi, teaches that according to the formula derived from the Zohar, one person who says Tehillim alone has the power of one, two people saying Tehillim together have the power of 21, and three people saying Tehillim together have the power of 321. And the exponential multiplication continues to grow as we add more individuals to the group. One can only imagine the koach haTefilla derived from the masses saying Tehillim together at one location.
Of all the issues of the Jewish world today, there is no issue that unites us more than Pidyon Shvuyim. That is why on June 4th, at 3:00 p.m., Jonathan's rabbi, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, the former Chief Rabbi of Israel, will lead a massive prayer assembly at the Kotel. Every single person that participates has a value that far exceeds his or her individual koach were he or she to pray alone. That is why the Pollards implore all of Israel to do their utmost to participate in this gathering.
As for the timing of the event, when Jonathan and Esther asked Rabbi Eliyahu why he chose this date to call the nation to battle stations for Jonathan before the Al-Mighty, there were a number of reasons, and I would like to share one with you.
June 4th, the 4th day of the Hebrew month Sivan, is the eve of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, when the Jewish People celebrate the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Torah and its 613 mitzvoth is what distinguishes the Jewish People as a nation. On Shavuot we not only celebrate the precious gift of Torah and mitzvoth with great joy and thanksgiving, we also do everything we can to honor the Torah and the Al-Mighty.
The mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim, the redemption of a captive, is one of the foremost mitzvahs of the Torah. It is such an important mitzvah that we are permitted to desecrate the holy Sabbath, if necessary, in order to fulfill it. We are even permitted to sell a Torah scroll, if necessary, in order to fulfill the mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim. By calling the nation together to pray for the redemption of Jonathan Pollard on the eve of Shavuot, Rabbi Eliyahu purposely chose the date that would allow all of the Jewish People the opportunity to start the holiday of Matan Torah [The Giving of the Torah] by participating in the greatest mitzvah of all - the mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim. In this way, we show our appreciation for our great gift, the Torah, by performing its foremost mitzvah as a nation in unity and in strength. This great merit accrues to both the individual and to the nation as a whole. This is the merit that is now so sorely needed to save Jonathan and all of Israel.
Jonathan has given 18 years of his life and freedom in prison for passing information to save the Jewish people from their enemies, who were plotting our destruction. Rabbi Eliyahu is asking every person to give one day (June 4th), and one hour (3:00 P.M.) for Jonathan Pollard; to come to the Kotel (the Western Wall) to stand united before HaShem as a nation and to fulfill the mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim. We should all - every single one of us - do our utmost to support Rabbi Eliyahu's request.
But what if you do not live in Jerusalem? What if a person does not live in Israel? Can they share in this mitzvah too? The answer is yes. If you live in Israel, commit to attend this assembly on June 4th at the Kotel. Call at least two friends and tell them to join you at this special Tehillim rally. Ask them to contact their friends, to call two more people. Share this mitzvah with your shul and yeshiva. Encourage your local community to be at the Kotel, Erev Shavuot at 3:00 p.m. If you do not live in Israel, call a relative or friend and ask them to go as your shaliach. Then, call some more friends in Israel and tell them to pass the word. If you are a member of a Jewish organization in America, urge that organization to contact their Israel counterparts and to have them spread the word. We, at National Council of Young Israel, have already done so.
Not a single one of us has the ability to free Jonathan Pollard; we all know that it is in the hand of G-d. We need to be united in thought, and beseech the Al-Mighty on Jonathan's behalf. Then, we have done our part and im yirtzeh HaShem, Hakadosh Baruch Hu will heed our prayers.
In the merit of our unified participation in the mitzvah of Pidyon Shvuyim at the Kotel on Wednesday, June 4 at 3:00 p.m., may we merit peace and tranquility and the receiving of the Torah on Shavuot.
--------------------------------------------------------
Rabbi Pesach Lerner is the Executive Vice President of the National Council of Young Israel.