Tehillim Chapter 121

Wake up. Read the news. 

Silence. Shock. Sadness. Nausea. 

Where are the words? What are we supposed to do?

שִׁ֗יר לַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֭ינַי אֶל־הֶהָרִ֑ים מֵ֝אַ֗יִן יָבֹ֥א עֶזְרִֽי׃

Now what? Twenty-one miluim soldiers. Twenty-one people – men, husbands, brothers, sons, grandsons, friends, employees, students – from across the spectrum of Israeli society. All fighting to protect the Land of Israel. 

עֶ֭זְרִי מֵעִ֣ם הֹ’ עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃

If we didn’t already know, or if we thought for one second that we could forget, October 7, 2023 

reminded us that Hashem runs the world. Hashem knows all. Hashem knows what the purpose of all this is and who are we to think we can understand anything bigger than what we see with our own two eyes. 

אַל־יִתֵּ֣ן לַמּ֣וֹט רַגְלֶ֑ךָ אַל־יָ֝נ֗וּם שֹׁמְרֶֽךָ׃

הִנֵּ֣ה לֹֽא־יָ֭נוּם וְלֹ֣א יִישָׁ֑ן שׁ֝וֹמֵ֗ר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Hashem is here. Hashem has a plan. PLEASE, we beg, let us in on the plan! Our hearts are breaking and our eyes are crying.

ה’ שֹׁמְרֶ֑ךָ ה’ צִ֝לְּךָ֗ עַל־יַ֥ד יְמִינֶֽךָ׃

To me, belief in G-d is simple – Six Day War and pregnancy and childbirth. Both miracles with no rational or logical explanations. Similarly, I have to believe that this is all part of Hashem’s plan. Hashem has a plan and there will be an end to this war. An end where the Jewish people will be safe and victorious in the Promise Land. 

יוֹמָ֗ם הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ לֹֽא־יַכֶּ֗כָּה וְיָרֵ֥חַ בַּלָּֽיְלָה׃

“After the darkest nights comes the brightest sunrise.” That’s what Ishay Ribo said at his concert several months ago in reference to the socio-political divide in Israel with the impending judicial reform. All the more so, how true is it now? All we see is darkness. And everytime we wake to the dreaded “הותר לפרסום” words we hope that this is as dark as it is going to get and tomorrow, בעזרת ה, tomorrow we will finally see the light. 

ה’ יִשְׁמׇרְךָ֥ מִכׇּל־רָ֑ע יִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

ה’ יִשְׁמׇר־צֵאתְךָ֥ וּבוֹאֶ֑ךָ מֵ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם

Please Hashem we ask, we pray, we beg that you protect our soldiers. Protect them every time they come in and out of their homes. Protect them every time they come in and out of Gaza. Protect them every time they come in and out of a terror tunnel looking, desperately searching, for signs of our brothers and sisters who are being held hostage.

עושה שלום במרומיו הוא יעשה שלום עלינו ועל כל ישראל – ואמרו אמן