תפילה לפני הבדלה לחרבות ברזל | Prayer before Havdalah for the War of Iron Swords, by Dr. Yael Levine • the Open Siddur Project

Tags: 2023-2024 Israel–Hamas war, 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., Three-phase Israel–Hamas war ceasefire proposal

Excerpt: A prayer by Dr. Yael Levine for salvation, comfort, and healing during the Ḥarvot Barzel War, first published in Olam Katan, issue 973 (21 November 2024, parashat Ḥayyei Sarah). . . .

Content:

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
	This tefillah is recited before Havdalah — for the “War of Iron Swords”
אֱ-לֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם, אֱ-לֹהֵי יִצְחָק וְאֱ-לֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב, אֱ-לֹהֵי שָׂרָה, אֱ-לֹהֵי רִבְקָה, אֱ-לֹהֵי רָחֵל וְאֱ-לֹהֵי לֵאָה, שְׁמוֹר וְהַצֵּל אֶת עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲהוּבֶיךָ מִכָּל רָע עַתָּה בְּמִלְחֶמֶת חַרְבוֹת בַּרְזֶל.	God of Avraham, God of Yitsḥaq, and God of Yaaqov, God of Sarah, God of Rivqah, God of Raḥel, and God of Leah. Protect and save Your beloved people Israel from all evil now during the War of Iron Swords.
חַזֵּק אֶת יְדֵי מְגִנֵּי אֶרֶץ קָדְשֵׁנוּ, וְהַנְחִילֵנוּ נִצָּחוֹן שָׁלֵם, גָּמוּר וּמֻחְלָט עַל אוֹיְבֵינוּ וּמְבַקְּשֵׁי רָעָתֵנוּ, הַקְּרוֹבִים וְהָרְחוֹקִים, אֲשֶׁר קָמוּ עָלֵינוּ לְכַלּוֹתֵינוּ.	Strengthen the hands of the defenders of our Holy Land, and grant us a complete, decisive, and final victory over our enemies and those who seek our harm, both near and far, who have risen up against us to annihilate us.
הָשֵׁב מְהֵרָה אֶת הַחֲטוּפִים וְהַשְּׁבוּיִים לְחֵיק מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֶת גּוּפוֹת הַחַיָּלִים וְהַחֲטוּפִים הַמֻּחְזָקוֹת בְּעַזָּה.	Return and restore the captives and hostages speedily to the bosom of the State of Israel, and bring back the bodies of the soldiers and hostages who have met their deaths, and are being held in Gaza.
שְׁלַח רְפוּאָה שְׁלֵמָה לְכָל פְּצוּעֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה, רְפוּאַת הַגּוּף וּרְפוּאַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ.	Send a complete recovery to all those wounded in the war, a healing of both body and soul.
רַחֲמֵנוּ כְּרַחֵם אָב עַל בָּנִים, וּכְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אִמּוֹ תְּנַחֲמֶנּוּ כֵּן תְּנַחֵם וּתְחַזֵּק אֶת בְּנֵי מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הַשְּׁכוֹל, הַחֲטוּפִים, הַנֶּעְדָּרִים וְהַפְּצוּעִים, אֶת הָעָם הַיּוֹשֵׁב בְּצִיּוֹן וְאֶת יְהוּדֵי הַתְּפוּצוֹת.	Have mercy upon us as a father has mercy on his children, and as a man whose mother consoles him, so may You comfort and strengthen the families of the bereaved, the hostages, the missing, the wounded, the inhabitants of Zion, and the Jews of the Diaspora.
וּבְנֵה הָאָרֶץ מֵהֲרִיסוֹתֶיהָ, כַּנֶּאֱמָר “כִּי אֲנִי ה׳ בָּנִיתִי הַנֶּהֱרָסוֹת נָטַעְתִּי הַנְּשַׁמָּה” (יחזקאל לו:לו), וְיָשׁוּבוּ הַתּוֹשָׁבִים הַמְּפֻנִּים לִמְגוּרֵיהֶם בְּקָרוֹב.	Rebuild the land from its ruins, as it is said, “For I, the Lord, have built up the ruins, I have planted the desolate ones” (Ezekiel 36:36), and may the displaced persons return to their homes soon.
שָׁמְרֵנוּ כְּאִישׁוֹן בַּת עָיִן בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ תַּסְתִּירֵנוּ.	Protect us as the apple of Your eye, and shelter us in the shadow of Your wings.
זָכְרֵנוּ בְּזִכְרוֹן טוֹב לְפָנֶיךָ, וּבַשְּׂרֵנוּ בְּשׂוֹרוֹת טוֹבוֹת יְשׁוּעוֹת וְנֶחָמוֹת.	Remember us favorably before You, and may You bring us good tidings, salvation, and comfort.
וּשְׁלַח לָנוּ מְהֵרָה בֶּן דָּוִד מְשִׁיחַ צִדְקֶךָ, בְּנֵה בֵיתְךָ כְּבַתְּחִילָה וְכוֹנֵן מִקְדָּשְׁךָ עַל מְכוֹנוֹ, וְהַרְאֵנוּ בְּבִנְיָנוֹ וְשַֹמְּחֵנוּ בְּתִקּוּנוֹ.	And send us speedily the son of David, Your righteous Messiah, Rebuild Your Temple as at the beginning and establish Your sanctuary upon its foundation, Let us witness its rebuilding and elate us by its restoration.

This prayer by Dr. Yael Levine was first published in Olam Katan, issue 973 (21 November 2024, parashat Ḥayyei Sarah).

Featured Image:

Title: Migdal_besamim
Caption: Migdal Besamim (Eli Shany, CC0)