תפילה לתשעה באב | Prayer for the Wellbeing of the State of Israel on Tishah b'Av 5783, by Rabbi David Bigman

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=52172

open_content_license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license

Date: 2023-07-27

Last Updated: 2025-03-29

Categories: Tishah b'Av, 🇮🇱 Medinat Yisra'el (the State of Israel)

Tags: 2023 Israeli judicial reform protests, 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., Thirty-seventh government of Israel

Excerpt: Former students felt the need for a special prayer for peace in the State of Israel in her present condition. I wrote this prayer yesterday (the eve of 7th Av 5783) and I felt as if I was praying while I wrote it. Students and friends, please send your constructive criticism. The prayer is for you to use on Tishah b'Av, on Shabbatot and in synagogues or in any other context. . . .


Content:
תלמידים ותיקים הביעו צורך בתפילה מיוחדת לשלום המדינה במצבה הנוכחי. כתבתי אמש (אור ל-ז׳ באב תשפ״ג) את התפילה, ותחושתי היתה שאני מתפלל תוך כדי כתיבה. תלמידים וחברים העירו הערות מועילות. התפילה לרשותכם לשימוש בתשעה באב השנה, בשבתות בבתי בנסת, או בבל הקשר אחר. —דוד ביגמן
Former students felt the need for a special prayer for peace in the State of Israel in her present condition. I wrote this prayer yesterday (the eve of 7th Av 5783) and I felt as if I was praying while I wrote it. Students and friends, please send your constructive criticism. The prayer is for you to use on Tishah b’Av, on Shabbatot and in synagogues or in any other context. —David Bigman

Source (Hebrew) Source (English)
אַתָּה יָצַרְתָּ עוֹלָמְךָ מִקֶּדֶם
בָּרָאתָ בְּרִיּוֹת אֵין קֵץ
וַתְּחַסֵּר מְעַט אֶת הָאָדָם.
You formed Your world of old
You created creatures without end
And humans were little missed.[1] After their eviction from the Garden of Aden. (Liturgy From the beginning of the qedushat hayom for musaf Shabbat Rosh Ḥodesh. — Shoshana Michael Zucker) 
עֲבָדֶיךָ גָּאַלְתָּ מֵעָרִיצוּת מִצְרַיִם
בְּשׂוֹרָה לְבָאֵי עוֹלָם
לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפְט.
You redeemed your servants from the tyranny of Egypt
A message to humankind
To do righteousness and justice.
אַךְ כִּסְדֹם הָיִינוּ
וּפַעֲמַיִם מֵאַרְצֵנוּ גָּלִינוּ
But we were like Sodom
And we were twice exiled from our land
וְשׁוּב גְּאַלְתָּנוּ מִצָרֵינוּ
וַהֲבֵאתָנוּ לְצִיּוֹן עִיר צֶדָק
כִּבְשֹוֹרָה לְבָאֵי עוֹלָם.
And You redeemed us again from our sorrows
And You brought us to Zion the city of righteousness
As a message to humankind.
וְשׁוּב אָנוּ הוֹלְכִים שֶׁבִי
שִׁכּוֹרֵי כֹּחַ וּבֶצַע.
And once more we are captivated
Drunk with power and greed.
הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ אֵלֶיךָ
וּבָרְכֵנוּ כְּאֶחָד בְּאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ
וְרַב שְׁלוֹם בָּנֶיךָ
עִם כׇּל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם.
Bring us back to You
And bless us as one in the light of Your presence
So that Your children will have much peace
With all humankind.
כִּי צִיּוֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה
שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה יִמָּצֵא בָהּ.
For Zion will be redeemed in righteousness[2] Isaiah 1:27. 
There will be joy and gladness in her.[3] Isaiah 51:3. 

The English translation here was provided by Dr. Susan Weingarten. (Thank you!) I have transcribed the vocalized Hebrew text from the image in which the prayer was disseminated. Any errors in reproducing the niqud are my own. I have also added stanza breaks and annotation. –Aharon Varady

Source(s)

Prayer for Tishah b’Av (David Bigman 2023)

 

Notes

Notes
1 After their eviction from the Garden of Aden. (Liturgy From the beginning of the qedushat hayom for musaf Shabbat Rosh Ḥodesh. — Shoshana Michael Zucker)
2 Isaiah 1:27.
3 Isaiah 51:3.

Contributor: Susan Weingarten (translation)

Co-authors:

Featured Image:
Prayer for Tishah b’Av (David Bigman 2023)
Title: Prayer for Tishah b’Av (David Bigman 2023)
Caption: Prayer for Tishah b'Av (David Bigman 2023)