Prayer & reflection thread

This week has of course been one of great anguish for the Jewish community across the word, with the kidnap of 3 boys from a Yeshiva in Israel (I refuse to use the term 'occupied territory' as no part of Eretz Yisrael is occupied by anything other than the legitimate rulers). When I learned about this, I could help but not hug my husband, my boys & my girl, how could any human being use another human being in this way ? I shuddered to think of them being held captive in some hell hole whilst Arabs gleefully celebrated this criminal act. Furthermore there has been more bloodshed in our ancestor's homeland of Iraq. A terrible situation, where it seems dogmatism, tribal strife and bloodletting is going to occur on a greater scale than anything yet seen as a result of Islamic Jihadist terrorism (and if I may have a dig, which is why Israel cannot afford to lay down her arms). This is the world.

There is also matters closer to home. We know that there are people who are poor, who will be struggling to feed themselves. This is true of some in the Jewish community, especially the Haredi, and outside the community, with the ever rising increase in food banks and social dislocation. Then there is your own personal circumstances ; has it been a good week? A bad one? Is there any issues that you need to deal with before the weekend? Relationships to mend, people to praise, that last bit of work to be done? Are you struggling? These are all difficult challenges, we all live in the real world. So as we enter Shabbos this week, let us do so with joy, but also remember. Our Rabbis asked that we recite (in Judaism we 'chant' the Bible) Psalms 121 and 130, when the news broke about those lads being kidnapped. Perhaps they are a good place to start as we begin our Shabbat reflections

Psalm 130

Shir hamaalot mima amakim keraticha Adonai

Adonai shima bekoli tihyena oznecha kashubot le'kol tanhanuai

Im avonot tishmor Yah Adonai mi ya'amod

Ki imcha haslicha lemaan tivare

kiviti adonai kivta nafshi velidvaro hochalti

Nafshi ladonai mishomrim laboker shomrim laboker

Yachel yisrael el adonai ki im adonai hachesed veharbeh imo fedut

Vehu yifdeh et yisrael mikol avonotav.

From the depths I have cried out to you, O L-rd;

L-rd, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive

to the voice of my supplication.

If you, L-rd, were to mark iniquities, who, O L-rd, shall stand?

But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered. I trust in the L-rd;

My soul trusts in his word.

My soul waits for the L-rd,

more than watchmen wait for the dawn.

More than watchmen wait for the dawn, let Israel hope in the L-rd.

For with the L-rd there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Psalm 121

Esa einai el heharim,
me'ayin me'ayin yavo ezri
Esa einai el heharim,
me'ayin me'ayin yavo ezri

Ezri me'im Hashem,
Oseh shamayim va'aretz
Ezri me'im Hashem,
Oseh shamayim va'aretz

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains.
From where does my help come? 

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains.
From where does my help come?

My help comes from the L-rd,
who made heaven and earth.
My help comes from the L-rd,
who made heaven and earth.

And the following prayer, being recited across Israel and the Diaspora community   -

"May He who blessed our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Joseph, Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon, bless, protect and guard the captives –

Yaakov Naftali Ben Rachel Devorah (Frenkel)

Gilad Michael Ben Bat-Galim (Shaar)

Eyal Ben Iris Teshurah (Yifrach)

among our brethren, the whole house of Israel, who are in distress or captivity, as we, the members of his holy congregation, pray on their behalf. May the Holy One, blessed be He, have compassion on them and bring them out from darkness and the shadow of death; may He break their bonds, deliver them from their distress, and bring them swiftly back to their families’ embrace. May there be fulfilled through them the verse: “Those redeemed by the L-rd will return; they will enter Zion with singing and everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them and sorrow and sighing will be removed”. And let us say Amen"

In Britain, The Chief Rabbi, gave a passionate sermon at a special prayer service, attended by over 1,000 of our Jewish community  -