The Blogs: Yom Kippur begins tonight; I don’t know how to pray

בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה יִכָּתֵבוּן וּבְיוֹם צוֹם כִּפּוּר יֵחָתֵמוּן. כַּמָּה יַעַבְרוּן. וְכַמָּה יִבָּרֵאוּן. מִי יִחְיֶה. וּמִי יָמוּת. מִי בְקִצּוֹ. וּמִי לֹא בְקִצּוֹ. מִי בַמַּֽיִם. וּמִי בָאֵשׁ. מִי בַחֶֽרֶב. וּמִי בַחַיָּה. מִי בָרָעָב. וּמִי בַצָּמָא. מִי בָרַֽעַשׁ. וּמִי בַמַּגֵּפָה. מִי בַחֲנִיקָה וּמִי בַסְּקִילָה. מִי יָנוּחַ. וּמִי יָנֽוּעַ. מִי יִשָּׁקֵט. וּמִי יִטָּרֵף. מִי יִשָּׁלֵו. וּמִי יִתְיַסָּר. מִי יֵעָנִי. וּמִי יֵעָשֵׁר. מִי יִשָּׁפֵל. וּמִי יָרוּם:

Tomorrow is Yom Kippur and I don’t know how to pray.

How dare I ask God to save my life when so many much holier and more righteous than me were not saved?

When so many this year have died by fire,

who are continuing to die at the hands of the most vicious of beasts;

When so many are starving, desperate for water, medicine, space to heal;

When entire universes have been shattered,

And we are all plagued by nightmares, everlasting memories and fears;

When 97 of us cannot breathe, strangled by the lack of fresh air in the tunnels of stone.

When no one can rest, no one at all,

Under constant stoning of bombs and missiles from all sides.

How dare I pray for serenity when so many are confused?

How dare I desire tranquility when so many are tormented?