Prayer Amid the Pandemic, by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis (Office of the Chief Rabbi of the UK & the Commonwealth 2020)

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=30821

open_content_license: Public Domain (Compendium II: Copyright Office Practices, § 206.01. Edicts of government) date_src_start: 2020-03-27 date_src_end: 2020-03-27 languages_meta: [{"name":"English","code":"eng","standard":"ISO 639-3"},{"name":"Hebrew","code":"heb","standard":"ISO 639-3"}] scripts_meta: [{"name":"Latin","code":"Latn","standard":"ISO 15924"},{"name":"Hebrew (Ktav Ashuri)","code":"Hebr","standard":"ISO 15924"}]

Date: 2020-03-27

Last Updated: 2025-04-11

Categories: Epidemics & Pandemics

Tags: 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak, 2020 coronavirus outbreak in Europe, 2020 coronavirus pandemic, 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom, 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., COVID-19 coronavirus, English vernacular prayer

Excerpt: A prayer from the Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom amidst the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. . . .


Content:
The UK’s chief rabbi Ephraim Mirvis composed this prayer; he recommended that Psalms 91, Psalms 121, and Psalms 130 be said with it.

Contribute a translation Source (English)
אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם
Heavenly Father,
We turn to You at this time of deep global concern,
to bestow Your mercy upon all the inhabitants
of our vulnerable world,
which is now so seriously afflicted.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
כִּי אַעֲלֶה אֲרֻכָה לָךְ
וּמִמַּכּוֹתַיִךְ אֶרְפָּאֵךְ נְאֻם־ה׳ (ירמיה ל:יז)
Almighty God,
who sustains the living with lovingkindness,
supports the fallen and heals the sick,
grant consolation to the bereaved families
and send a speedy and complete recovery
to all who have contracted the virus,
as the Prophet Jeremiah declared:
“For I will restore health unto you,
and I will heal you of your wounds, says the Lord”.[1] Jeremiah 30:17. 

Bless with strength those who are suffering.
Bless with resilience those in isolation.
Bless with hope those who are despondent.
Bless with wisdom all those who seek a cure
and bless with compassion all those who offer comfort.

Bless the leaders of our nations.
Give them and their advisors knowledge and foresight
to act with wisdom and sincerity
for the wellbeing of all whom they serve.

Bless the doctors, nurses,
all healthcare professionals and key workers
who tirelessly seek to heal and help those affected,
while in so doing put themselves at risk.

Open our hearts in prayer
and our hands in generosity
to guarantee that the physical distance this virus creates between us
will be bridged through compassion and kindness.

Almighty God of healing and hope,
at this time of heightened global awareness
of our mutual interdependence,
enable all of humankind to appreciate
the strength that comes from being united
in concern and love,
rather than divided
with hate and prejudice.
As we look to the future,
may You endow all people
with the capacity to build and sustain
societies of unity,
tolerance,
harmony,
and peace.

O Lord, our Rock and Salvation,
lead us speedily from despair to hope,
from fear to trust
and from the dread of death to the celebration of life.
וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי־לְךָ יְהוָה עֵת רָצוֹן (תהלים סט:יד)
May this prayer of mine come before You at a propitious time.[2] Psalms 69:14. 
וְכֵן יְהִי רָצוֹן
אָמֵן׃
And may this be Your will,
Amen.

This prayer was shared from Rabbi Mirvis’s Fecebook page under the title “The Chief Rabbi’s Prayer 20th March 2020/24th Adar 5780.”

Source(s)

Notes

Notes
1 Jeremiah 30:17.
2 Psalms 69:14.

Contributor: Ephraim Mirvis

Co-authors:

Featured Image:
central london coronavirus warning (Getty)
Title: central london coronavirus warning (Getty)
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