A Call To Pray During Yom Kippur For End To Iranian Threat

(See below for Hebrew text of the Tefilla and an English translation)

Orthodox Union and Rabbinical Council of America Call Upon Their Congregations to Pray During Yom Kippur Services For End to Iranian Threat:

"The Threat Is Dire And Demands Our Attention
On Our Holiest Day"

The Orthodox Union (OU) and the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) today called upon all congregations to dedicate a specific moment during their services on the upcoming holy day of Yom Kippur to pray for an end to the threat of a nuclear armed Iran. The OU and RCA leadership issued the following statement:

“On Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, Jews worldwide spend the day in fasting, prayer and repentance. Yom Kippur is not a day for politics.

But Yom Kippur 5773 is different.


On this Yom Kippur – the world faces an evil regime whose leaders have publicly committed themselves to destroying the State of Israel and to harming Jews worldwide; in addition, the Iranians are a threat to the global community.

On this Yom Kippur – the leader of that evil regime will address the United Nations General Assembly and again preach his hatred;

On this Yom Kippur – the words found in the High Holiday prayer book, “God determines which nations shall face war and which shall enjoy peace,” prompt us to contemplate with anxiety the fate of the State of Israel and her people, of Jews throughout the world and, indeed, of civilization as a whole.

The threat is dire and demands our attention on our holiest day. Therefore, we call upon all congregations to dedicate a specific moment during their services on the upcoming holy day of Yom Kippur to pray for an end to the threat of a nuclear armed Iran.

On Yom Kippur, may Israel and its people be sealed in the Book of Life for a year of life and peace.”

Below is the Hebrew text, followed by the English translation.

Click here for full screen view.

Prayer Translation

Master of the Universe, on this day of judgment, we pray unto You regarding Your people Israel, wherever they may be. May You guard and save us
from all our enemies and from those who hate us, who surround us on
every side, from the borders of Lebanon until Egypt; and from enemies
lurking in the Holy Land who plot to spill the blood of innocent souls.

Save us from our most recent foe, a bitter and cruel enemy from the land of
Persia, who speaks haughtily and disdainfully about Your people Israel,
who threatens to annihilate all the inhabitants of the Holy Land, and who
diligently prepares weapons to destroy, to kill, and to obliterate all Jews,
as did the wicked Haman in his time.

Our Father in Heaven, we rely upon no one other than You, for only Your
great and exalted hand, with kindness and mercy, can save us from our
enemies. May You favor our requests, decree good life and peace for us,
and sever the hands of the enemies who plot to destroy us.

May their weapons be destroyed in the merit of our ancestors who walked
before You, and for the sake of Your great and holy Name by which we are
known. As Your prophet stated, “I will protect this city, Jerusalem, to save
it, for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.”

Remember us with kindness and mercy, for our sake and the sake of our
children forever.

And let us say: Amen.

(Translation by the Rabbinical Council of America of the prayer composed by Rabbi Jonah Metzger, Chief Rabbi of Israel.)

-----

If you found this post interesting or informative, please it below. Thanks!

Technorati Tag: Yom Kippur and Iran.