Praying for peace

On Rosh Hashanah, we acknowledge God’s kingship.

And if I truly acknowledge Him —

If I truly believe that God is the Almighty King —

Then there is no reason not to ask Him for what I really want. There is no reason to lower my expectations. There is no reason to trim my prayers so they fit some measure of what is “realistic” to request.

So, my God,
O merciful and gracious One, Creator of heaven and earth,
I do not come before You today to ask small, reduced requests. I come before You today to ask for what I truly want.

And what I want, God, is peace.

I do not only want the return of the hostages, though You know how much I want that.

I do not only want the safety of the soldiers, though You know how much I pray for them.

I do not only want Hamas erased from the face of the earth.

I want peace.

I want to live in a world where we can be ourselves in the deepest sense of the word, and those who are our enemies today can be themselves in the deepest sense of the word, and that will not keep us from being good neighbors. Maybe even allies.

I want to live in a world where we can lay both hands on the plow and not keep one forever ready for a weapon. Or maybe we can even lay one hand on the plow and the other on a book, or a paintbrush, or a pen — or maybe simply spread both arms and hug our loved ones without fear, because in the world where we will live we will beat fear into joie de vivre and anxiety into song, and we will not take up sword against others and will not have to learn how to be strong in times of war —

That is what I want, my God. That is what I ask of You, even though I do not see a path to such a world, or perhaps precisely because I do not see one.

I believe You can see such a path.
I believe You can guide us toward it.

Peace seems impossible right now. But the enormity of my request is the measure of my faith in You, King of the Universe.

Reign over the entire world in Your glory, You, the King to whom peace truly belongs.

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For more of my prayers at this season, as well as those of others, please download (free) the Az Nashir: Days of Awe “machzor companion.”