BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Judaism Tehillim for our soldiers

There are scientific studies showing that people who receive prayers while they are ill - even if they do not know they are being prayed for - fair better in battling their illness.

Throughout Jewish history, the Jewish people have also prayed for their soldiers during warring times. My Rabbi has indicated that Tehillim 20, 121, and 130 will be read, one chapter per day. We, of course, on our own can read more than one chapter.

There are many places on the Internet where you can find Tehillim in English and Hebrew (and other languages). Here is a link through Chabad offering them in English

Tehillim

Below is a copied email I received through Aish HaTorah. It is a way to be connected with a particular soldier and offer your prayers for an individual's safety:

As the members of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) battle Hamas terrorists and Palestinian militants in Gaza, leading international Torah scholars have launched a worldwide effort aimed at providing them with spiritual support.

"Operation Tefillah, Torah & Troops," which was launched by Rabbi Simcha HaCohen Kook, the Chief Rabbi of Rehovot, Israel, and the Bostoner Rebbe (Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Horowitz) of Har Nof, Israel, partners people from around the world 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. During the war in Lebanon in the summer of 2006, more than 50,000 people worldwide participated in this initiative spearheaded by Rabbi Kook and the Bostoner Rebbe, and facilitated in North America by the National Council of Young Israel.

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.

To request the name of a soldier by phone or fax, call the
National Council of Young Israel at 212-929-1525 x100,
or send a fax to 212-727-9526.

Members of the IDF who wish to have a "partner" praying for them are urged to e-mail the office of Rabbi Kook as well.

Rabbi Pesach Lerner, the Executive Vice President of the National Council of Young Israel, notes that every tefillah that is said on behalf of a soldier will make a difference, regardless of where a person may be in religious observance.

"Each soldier that is putting his or her life on the line to defend the land of Israel and safeguard the Jewish nation deserves to have someone praying for their well being and safe return," said Rabbi Lerner, "During my conversations with Rabbi Kook, he emphasized that every Jew is encouraged to participate in this critical endeavor and to pray for a soldier in a manner in which they feel comfortable, irrespective of their religious background."

Thank you,
Warmly,
Rabbi Kalman Packouz

thanks very much for this!

It can't hurt, can it, Jase?
I just sent in my 'request'.

Lisa,

This is some sort of Jewish Unity, it is a form of solidarity and
religious practice which unites religious Israeli soldiers and
religious Diaspora jews and Israeli's alike.

Pieter

P.S.- Gaza is a difficult question for me, and I follow the situation
from all angles (Haaretz, Al jazeera, CNN, European jewish sources,
BBC, German tv, Belgian and Dutch media)

I think it can connect non-religious Jews as well. You can "pray" in any form that you want - who wouldn't pray for the safety of a people?

We can also pray for the non-religious soldiers as well... so, really, it is a call for unity.

It's all difficult - on many levels. At the bottom most level, what are we modeling to our children? They get in trouble for hitting each other or for displaying violence, yet we go to war when conflicts cannot be resolved. My mind goes on and on, yet I do not have the time to put it on "paper" now - I am sure you and anyone else reading can fill in plenty of their own blanks.

Lisa,

You are right ofcourse, but non-religious people have another way to connect to
the conflict, for instance by closely monitor the situation, keeping updated
and watch the situation day after day, how it develops.

One has to pray for all the soldiers and victims of the rocket attacks ofcourse.
Another question is, praying for the non-religious jews the same as praying for non-jewish soldiers of the IDF (Tsahal): Druze, Bedouin (Muslim) and Christian soldiers who fight for Israel and the jewish people?

Lisa,

I am worried about the mental, psychological and physical effect of the ongoing conflict for both sides. The citizens of Southern-Israel and other places that are hit by the Hamas rockets and the innocent Palestinian civilians that are hit by Hamas and Israeli rockets, boms, gunfire and war. I am not worried for these Hamas and other crooks, but for Palestinian kids, mothers and elders. I fear for new generations on both sides who grow up with hatred and the image of the other as beasts or infidels. The Palestinians won't go away, they can go nowhere, because they are locked between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterannian sea.

I am not a peace activist nor a pacifist, but I hope that the Israeli's can attack their targets with Chirurgical Precision, special forces and the best technical means to avoid as much as possible civilian casualties.

I praise Israel that they took Palestinian victims, Palestinian kids in their hospitals.
I wonder if any Arab state would try to cure Israeli kids in Arab hospitals when Israel would be occupied or attacked in a defensive war when Israel would have been the agressor. (this is a fictional question, because Israel has no interest in one sided agression. Israel only acts out of self defense).

Pieter

I'm with you, Pieter. My naive mind does not understand war in the least bit. I am able to hear the news - only enough to learn what is going on - but, mostly, I rely on my friends in Israel and here to fill me in. I am unable to hear the details, nor to comprehend what that actually means for human lives.

The children have no idea that there are normal human beings on either end of this war. A friend of mine just watched a film - I forget the name, unfortunately - where a religious girl does not like the boys her parents are setting her up with. She wants to 'break free' and goes to stay with a cousin who is secular. That, too, was quite overwhelming for her and not where she fit in. When she returned to her home and actually met the right man, she knew she was where she belonged. My point in telling this is that on the way through her journey, she met a Palestinian woman and they became dear friends. When the two girls take their nephews to the playground, they are baffled when they won't play together. "But, he's a ...."

Our innocent children believe what we tell them. I suppose teaching our children hate for another person is almost as abusive as teaching them to hate themselves by telling them that 'they are no good' or 'why can't they be like their older...'

In addition to praying for our soldiers and the innocent people involved, we should probably also pray for our world.

Lisa,

Well said, you look at the human side and from the childrens point of
view! Beautiful story about the film, such friendships are important
in the polarised, segregated world we live in.

It reminds me of the peace village Neve Shalom - Wahat al-Salam in Israel where Jewish and Palestinian families live together in one community, jews, muslims and christians. Each group keep their own faiths and traditions, but communicate, get along together and the children go to one school where they ar tought in Hebrew and Arab by jewish and arab teachers. The children are the future.

Pieter

I received my soldier's name today. I was hesitant to do it at first because I didn't want to "fail" the soldier, and I didn't want to contact anyone.

Well, you don't have enough information to contact someone and if they've reached out and asked for someone to pray on their behalf... well, I think I can manage that.