Tehillim vs. Terrorism

The People of Israel vs. terrorists:

The contrast couldn’t be more glaring.  Our way of Life is Choosing Life.  Terrorists by definition destroy life through terror.

Terror is nothing new in Israel.  We’re attacked endlessly for the sole reason we are Jews.  It should never be considered “the norm”, yet Israelis live with it daily and find a way to go on with their lives.  The number of Arab-Islamic terror attacks against individual Jews and Jewish communities has risen significantly this past year.  In Israel, fear mounts as Ramadan approaches, concerned that terrorists are emboldened to attack.  Jews were assaulted and murdered in Beer Sheva, Hadera, and B’nei Brak just in the past couple weeks. השם ירחם  G-d have mercy!

The Arab Muslim population, mothers and fathers alike, are ecstatic they killed Jews! 

Shurat HaDin

As I wrote in My Brother’s Keeper, 

As long as their babes are suckled with utter contempt for all life, and that is all they know their whole lives, then bringing goodness to them  will remain nearly impossible.

They inculcate this twisted mindset into their children.  When terrorists murder and maim, they gleefully pass out sweets to all, especially their children, to celebrate death.

Shurat HaDin

How can we ever achieve Shalom, real Peace with our Arab neighbors, when this is their modus operandi?  Their children lose their innocence and tolerance for others from birth, as their parents model for them vitriol and violence.  Peace will continue to be elusive until this perverted practice ends.

Our entire Torah religion is built on the principle of Life, in stark contrast to our enemies’ twisted view of glorifying death. [ibid]

 Our children are watching us.  How will they respond to the terror?  Jews are mourning inconsolably.  The Jew in response to terrorist attacks, knowing our family members and loved ones are fighting for their lives, turns to prayer and Divine love and mercy, not violence, not revenge.

There is no celebration of any life lost.

When we hear of the terrorist attacks, and the hideous injuries and illnesses of victims, “Please say Tehillim for… ” is the clarion cry pouring forth from Israel and Jewish families for mercy and healing.

תהילים יחד – קריאת תהילים משותפת Tehillim Yahad.  This is what our children will experience, not just in Israel but in the global Jewish community.  They learn to care for one another and their fellow man, even those they don’t know personally.  This is the foundation for building Am Yisroel, a family, a world society of Peace.

Psalm  20   תהילים כ׳  is a prayer we recite for healing.

 לַֽמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד: יַֽעַנְךָ֣ יְ֖הֹוָה בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה יְ֜שַׂגֶּבְךָ֗ שֵׁ֚ם | אֱלֹהֵ֬י יַֽעֲקֹֽב:יִשְׁלַ֣ח עֶזְרְךָ֣ מִקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וּ֜מִצִּיּ֗וֹן יִסְעָדֶֽךָּ:יִזְכֹּ֥ר כָּל־מִנְחֹתֶ֑יךָ וְ֜עוֹלָֽתְךָ֗ יְדַשְּׁנֶ֣ה סֶּֽלָה:יִֽתֶּן־לְךָ֥ כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְֽכָל־עֲצָֽתְךָ֥ יְמַלֵּֽא:נְרַ֚נְּנָ֨ה | בִּ֘ישׁ֚וּעָתֶ֗ךָ וּבְשֵׁם־אֱלֹהֵ֥ינוּ נִדְגֹּ֑ל יְמַלֵּ֥א יְ֜הֹוָ֗ה כָּל־מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶֽיךָ:עַתָּ֚ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֚י הוֹשִׁ֥יעַ | יְהֹוָ֗ה מְשִׁ֫יח֥וֹ יַֽ֖עֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵ֣י קָדְשׁ֑וֹ בִּ֜גְבוּר֗וֹת יֵ֣שַׁע יְמִינֽוֹ:אֵ֣לֶּה בָ֖רֶכֶב וְאֵ֣לֶּה בַסּוּסִ֑ים וַֽאֲנַ֓חְנוּ | בְּשֵׁם־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ נַזְכִּֽיר:הֵמָּה כָּֽרְע֣וּ וְנָפָ֑לוּ וַֽאֲנַ֥חְנוּ קַּ֜֗מְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָֽד:יְהֹוָ֥ה הוֹשִׁ֑יעָה הַ֜מֶּ֗לֶךְ יַֽעֲנֵ֥נוּ בְיֽוֹם־קָרְאֵֽנוּ

Those Psalms and prayers whispered on our lips, engraved in our hearts, are not only for the victims of terror, or family and loved ones, but ultimately for the world. May G-d hear our Tehillim and prayers and answer with healing and comfort.  May He shield and protect us, and keep our children safe.

Please G-d, may all children grow up to know and value kindness and compassion for all.  May they taste the lasting sweetness of love for their fellow human beings, more flavorful than the candy of hatred could ever be.

CHAZAK!

Miriam Leah