Psalms

Written to give voice to all of the hostages taken into captivity on October 7th. Lyrics inspired by the Amidah and Psalm 142 and written by Rabbi Karyn Kedar. Music written and produced by Beth Schafer. We look forward to the day when we can remove this video from the internet. #bringthemhomenow

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלִּפְנֵי אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם

אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיא אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתַּחַת סִבְלוֹת מִצְרַיִם

הוּא יְבָרֵךְ וְיִנְצֹר אֶת אַחֵינוּ וְאַחְיוֹתֵינוּ

הַחֲטוּפִים הָאֲסוּרִים בְּכַבְלֵי בַּרְזֶל,

יְחַזֵּק נַפְשָׁם וֶאֱמוּנָתָם,

יִשְׁמְרֵם מִכָּל נֶגַע וּמַחֲלָה,

יַחְמֹל עַל בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו הַמְּצַפִּים לִישׁוּעָתוֹ,

יְבַטֵּל מֵעֲלֵיהֶם כָּל גְּזֵרוֹת אַכְזָרִיּוֹת.

May it be the will of our FATHER IN HEAVEN

Who brought His people Israel out from the suffering of Egypt

that He bless and save our abducted brothers and sisters,

bound with iron chains.

May He strengthen their souls and faith,

Protect them from all harm and disease,

Have mercy on His sons and daughters awaiting His salvation,

Nullify all cruel decrees from upon them.

בְּחַסְדּוֹ הַגָּדוֹל

יָחִישׁ פְּדוּתָם

וְיֵצְאוּ מְהֵרָה מֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה

וּמִבּוֹר הַשְּׁבִי לְחֵרוּת עוֹלָם

וְיָשׁוּבוּ לְשָׁלוֹם אֶל מִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵיהֶם וְאֶל בָּתֵּיהֶם.

In His great kindness,

may He hasten their redemption

and may they quickly emerge from darkness to light,

and from the pit of captivity to the freedom of the world,

and return in peace to their families and to their homes.

אָנָּא, נֶטַע אַחֲוָה שָׁלוֹם וְרֵעוּת בְּלֵב כֻּלָּם,

הָסֵר קִנְאָה וְשִׂנְאַת חִנָּם

וּפְרֹס עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ

וְנִזְכֶּה בְּקָרוֹב לוֹמַר לְפָנֶיךָ שִׁירָה חֲדָשָׁה.

Please, plant brotherhood, peace and friendship in the hearts of all,

Remove envy and baseless hatred

and spread over us the Sukkah of Your peace,

And may we merit to soon sing before You a ‘New Song.’[1]

This prayer for the well-being of the captives taken hostage by ḤAMA”S and its allies on 7 October 2023 was written by the Ashkenazi chief rabbi of the State of Israel, David Lau, and shared by his office in the month preceding Pesaḥ 2024. The text of the prayer transcribed is that as posted at Arutz Sheva on 7 April 2024. The translation in English was made by Rabbi Shimshon Nadel as disseminated over Facebook on 8 April 2024. Many thanks to Abraham Katz for bringing the prayer to our attention. He notes the prayer is intended to be read at the Passover seder in the Maggid section before והיא שעמדה (v’hi she’amda).

By Hebrew Helpers

Look to this day, for it is life, the very life of life.

In its brief course lie all the realities and verities of existence,

The bliss of growth, the glory of action, the splendor of achievement,

Are but experiences of time.

For yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision

But today, well lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness,

and every tomorrow, a vision of hope.

Look well, therefore, to this day.

Such is the salutation to the ever-new dawn!