Eretz Yisrael Needs You

The picture at the left shows an IDF soldier davening Shacharis in his tefillin. This breaks my heart.

Though he is fighting a battle almost no thinks can be won, or the rest thinks Israel has no right to fight at all, he still makes sure he puts on his tefillin to daven. G-d bless him, and all the IDF troops.

For those people who want to do something to help Eretz Yisrael, and the IDF troops I want to share this information my Rav, Rabbi Chaim Silver, passed on to us last night at our communities Kinus tefillah prayer service.

“Operation Tefillah, Torah & Troops,” has been launched. Endorsed and guided by Rabbi Simcha HaCohen Kook, the Chief Rabbi of Rehovot, Israel, and the Bostoner Rebbe (Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Horowitz) of Har Nof, Israel, people from around the world are partnered with soldiers in the IDF. Each person who takes part in “Operation Tefillah, Torah & Troops” is paired with an Israeli soldier, and is responsible to say tefillot (prayers), learn Torah, and do special acts of chesed (kindness) on behalf of that soldier.

Rabbi Kook and the Bostoner Rebbe note that this concept is one that has been a part of the Jewish people for thousands of years. When Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses) led the Jewish people to war with the nation of Midyon, for every person who went to battle, there was a designated person who was responsible for praying and learning for him. Throughout his reign, David HaMelech (King David) utilized this practice as well.

To participate in “Operation Tefillah, Torah & Troops” and receive the name of an Israeli soldier who needs your prayers, send an e-mail to the office of Rabbi Kook at maortlmo@gmail.com.

For those who cannot for whatever reason commit to this much, you can still daven tehillim. In particular: Psalm 83, 130 and 142.

Every tefillah makes a difference! It’s the least we can do.