Reflections on the Prayer for The State of Israel

 

Like many synagogues around the world, praying for the safety and health of the State of Israel has taken on new importance in the aftermath of October 7^th. While I know that many of us have questions about the theological and philosophical efficacy of petitionary prayer in general, the act of coming together as a community in worship and publicly affirming our fears about and connection to the State of Israel feels essential - especially at this troubling time. Here at Temple Emanuel we have now added the Tfillah  L'Medinat Yisrael (Prayer for the State of Israel) into every service.

In making the decision to add this prayer to our weekly services, the question arose about which version we should utilize – as there are many variations Recently, I have been looking into the origins of this prayer, and how they have evolved over time.

When the Modern State of Israel was established in 1948, the newly appointed Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion tasked the Chief Rabbis of Israel – Yitzhak HaLevi Hertzog and Ben Tzion Meir Hai Uziel - to compose a suitable prayer commemorating the occasion – a prayer that could be used in Synagogues around the world asking God’s blessing on and protection of for the nascent Jewish state.

The full text of the original prayer is rarely used in most synagogues today. It was written in the aftermath of the Shoah and reflects both the pain of our people’s experience and the desire for Jews to gain power over our enemies so that there never could be another Holocaust.  In particular, the phrase, “…send us quickly the Messiah son of David, agent of Your vindication, to redeem those who await Your deliverance,” shows the pain of a people who directly experienced the terror of the Nazi regime, as well as the fear of our enemies and concern for those who remain in peril.

One phrase that has remained constant though, is the description of the State of Israel as “Reishit tzmichat  g’ulateynu” – “The beginnings of the flowering of our redemption.”  This phrase was reportedly added by Chaim Nachman Bialik, who is widely recognized as the most famous of all modern Hebrew poets. There are multiple ways to interpret this phrase. The meaning of ‘redemption’ can take on Messianic overtones, historical longings, and/or a statement about Jewish self-determination. The implication of the prayer is that redemption is not only in God’s hands, but that we can bring it about by our actions and intention. Bialik’s words reflect a belief in the fact that, for too long, Jews were subject to foreign rule. Now that we have a State of our own, we have the ability and responsibility to raise ourselves up out of the morass of subjugation and take matters into our own hands.

Another component of the original text calls for God’s protection and guidance over the government, armed forces, and all religious, judicial, and secular leaders of the State. These words have remained intact in most versions of the prayer, but sections of the prayer that ask God to destroy our enemies so that we might prosper are problematic and have been edited out of most versions.

Many feel that it is also important to stress the hopes of peace – even in times of war – and, in the spirit of Israel’s Declaration of Independence, to remind ourselves that all of humanity is created in the image of God. Given that certain Far-Right elements in the current government are vocally calling for “resettlement” of Palestinians in Gaza, it is vitally important that the language of prayer rejects this draconian and racist agenda.

Here at Temple, we use the following text:

God who watches over the world, bless the State of Israel- first fruit of the fulfillment of Your promise of hope and peace. Protect it with Your care – that it may serve as a light to the world. Spread over it the shelter of Your peace. Extend the light of Your wisdom to all who govern and advise that they may work to create a society based on safety, equality, and love. Establish peace in the land and grant fullness of joy to all who live there.

Eternal God, we ask you to spread your shield of protection over all who are in harm’s way

And let us say, Amen.

It is incumbent upon us to  pray for peace in Israel for all – Israelis and Palestinians alike – so that we can work towards the day when conflict will cease and cooperation and coexistence will take root – flowering like the hopes for redemption that is the central theme of our prayer.

 

Opening Prayer for the CO State House on Tu B’Shvat

Today is the Jewish holiday of Tu B’shvat – the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat – also known as the New Year of the trees.  On this day, Jews around the world give thanks for the gift of trees.  Today is the “Jewish Arbor Day,” a day when we realize the importance of these magnificent plants that sustain us all.

Trees grow with their leaves spreading to the heavens – giving us oxygen to breath, wood with which to build, fruit to sustain our bodies and beauty to sustain our souls.

We live in and among them and there are many lessons we can learn from their magnificent beauty.

We can measure their growth against the sky, but it is what we do NOT see that truly should inspire us:  the miraculous anchors that sustain them – the roots that are planted firmly in soil – that keep them strong as they battle against the stormy winds of change and the seasonal upheaval that threatens their survival.

Trees are home to a variety of God’s creatures: all have a place among their branches; all are welcome to find their home in the cocoon of their canopies.  It is only when the balance of nature is upended and one organism becomes dominant that they become weakened by parasitic pests that strip them of their bark and feed on their foliage.

God – help us to learn from their majestic beauty – as well as from their fragility. As these legislators work to better our society may they come to value the deep roots implanted within our society:  roots of tolerance and trust; of mutual respect and an awareness of the call to both compassion and compromise.

May they continue to hold sacred the diversity of our state and our nation and hold fast against the rising tide of isolationism, divisiveness and brinksmanship that threatens to weaken the core values that keep us united and strong.

Help us to find you in the branches of government born out of a desire for dialogue and debate and the belief our national motto: E Pluribus Unum – from diversity comes unity.

And may we take time from our day – every day – to gaze up at the beauty of your creation- and in doing so – recognize just how fortunate we are to be here together.

AMEN

  

Thoughts About Israel on Tu B'Shvat

Dear Friends,

As the war between Israel and Hamas continues to rage, it is becoming increasingly difficult to watch the news unfold around us. While the IDF continues to fight against the terrorist infrastructure – every day uncovering more details about the labyrinth of tunnels, ammunition, and the lengths to which Hamas has plundered the resources of Gaza to implement its plans to attack the State of Israel and the international Jewish community, here in Denver – and, indeed, around the world, the noise of protest continues to grow louder and more strident. Many of these protests cross the line between criticism of the Israeli government and military and are focused on attacking the legitimacy of the Jewish State in and of itself. We are also experiencing a dramatic rise in anti-Semitism thinly disguised as Anti-Zionism.

In addition, the plight of the hostages in Gaza grows more dire every day as hopes for negotiated cease-fire that would guarantee their release seem far away. The number of casualties in Gaza – as reported by the Hamas-controlled health ministry – continue to grow and it becomes increasingly difficult to watch the cost in innocent lives – many of them women and children. The fact that Hamas has the ability to end this conflict (as, indeed they started it) by releasing the hostages and disarming seems to be irrelevant to the protestors around the world who can only paint Israel in negative tones.

Israel is now defending itself in a biased trial in the Hague where the horrific brutality displayed by Hamas is overlooked and Israeli military operations are portrayed as terroristic – in a Kafka-esque reversal of facts and narratives.

Meanwhile, the far-Right-wing Netanyahu government seems hell-bent on imposing its will upon a nation that overwhelmingly rejects its racist and self-serving attempts to reshape Israeli society in the image of a fundamentalist dictatorship. Many pundits in Israel see the current government doing all that it can to raid the coffers of the Knesset before they are ejected in new elections. But the current wartime footing of the nation makes it difficult to make any real electoral change.

The question of “what next?” after Gaza looms large in the minds of all who care about the future of the State of Israel. The hopes for a two-state solution grow smaller every day as the willingness of both the current government to hold it up as a goal and the lack of a true partner for peace within the Palestinian people continues to plague its supporters.

So how do we, as lovers of Israel and committed Jews, cope with the multitude of seemingly gordian knots that we face daily? Our own feelings of security are threatened by the increase in the numbers of hate-filled rhetoric and attacks that more and more are becoming the norm.

I don’t have answers to many of these questions – except to remind us that Jewish history is filled with periods of tension and insecurity. Those who are students of history understand why most of our Jewish ancestors fled the countries of their birth to come to America – the Land of Promise. Truth be told, despite the rise in anti-Semitism we are facing and the subsequent insecurity it has birthed within us, we still are incredibly fortunate to live in a time when we are not forced to be the only ones speaking up on our own behalf. We have many more allies than enemies. Our voices count and our friends have not all deserted us.

Today is the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat – also known as Tu B’Shvat – the “birthday of the trees.” This holiday reminds us of the importance of the leafy canopy that surrounds us. Trees provide us with shade, oxygen, wood, food, and beauty. We can measure their growth against the sky, but it is what we do NOT see that truly should inspire us:  the miraculous anchors that sustain them – the roots that are planted firmly in soil – that keep them strong as they battle against the stormy winds of change and the seasonal upheaval that threatens their survival.

Our task, during these trying times, is to continue to focus on the roots of our faith and history. We cannot stop raising our voices and speaking truth to ignorance, hatred and racism. Like the trees that sustain and inspire us, may we, too find ways to dig deep and harvest the bounty of our faith, courage, conviction and history. It takes a long time for a tree to mature – some take decades until their full potential is revealed.  May we learn a lesson from their patience and progress.  I have confidence that we will prevail and that peace will come – maybe not tomorrow, or the day after, but soon.

L’Shalom, 

Rabbi Joseph R. Black

My Words From the Kickoff for the Colorado Ballot Initiative to Ensure Abortion Rights in the State Constitution

 

Testimony by Rabbi Joseph R. Black – Temple Emanuel – Denver, CO

Abortion Care in the CO Constitution

January 22, 2024

 

I am here today in support of enshrining abortion access in the Colorado State Constitution. I have come to speak because, in addition to strongly supporting the right for all to have access to health care, this is also personal.  When my wife and I decided to get married 35 years ago, we looked forward to raising our children in a home filled with love and Jewish tradition.   As a rabbi, I had worked with many couples in preparation for marriage and I knew that since both of us were Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jews, there was a slight possibility that one or both of us might carry the gene for Tay-Sachs – a rare, incurable genetic disorder that results in a painful and gruesome death - usually within five years of birth.  Both my wife, Sue, and I discovered that we were carriers of Tay-Sachs. Thankfully, 33 years ago, in 1991, we were blessed by the birth of our healthy daughter. 

Our luck changed with our second pregnancy, however. To hear from our doctor that the embryo that we so desperately wanted to bring to term had a fatal disease was devastating.  Thankfully, at that time, abortion was legal and safe.  As difficult as it was to say goodbye to the hopes and dreams of a second baby, the thought of having to care for and eventually bury a suffering child was unpalatable.  Termination of the pregnancy was the obvious choice. Sue received excellent care and together we grieved the loss of what might have been.

Three years after the birth of our first child, we were blessed with a son. Today, our children are healthy. Our daughter was recently married to a wonderful young man who, like us, is also of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, but thankfully, is not a Tay-Sachs carrier. We now have a beautiful 6-month-old grandson who is the apple of our eye.

I stand here today in support of this initiative because I believe strongly that government should never put itself in a position to legislate how people can care for their own bodies. Abortion care is health care.

In the book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 30, verse 19, we find the following text that is often used against abortion rights. It reads as follows:

I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life, that you and your descendants may live! 

The words, “choose life” are quite powerful.  But they also can be spun and defined in a variety of ways. They can used to motivate us to live to our highest potential – choosing God’s loftiest ideals for our daily living and the choices we make, or they can be used as a weapon to narrowly define an agenda of intolerance.

There are too many individuals and organizations who want to impose their own fundamentalist and draconian definition of when life begins – For those who oppose Abortion Care, this means that the government has both the ability and responsibility to legislate individual’s bodies without regard to personal freedom, physical or mental health, abuse, rape, or economic hardship.

For me – the words, “Choose Life” mean that as humans blessed with the precious gift of life, we have a responsibility to live our lives in ways that affirm the highest aspirations of humanity.  It does not mean imposing our narrow understandings of life’s questions, traumas and values on others – nor does it disavow us from disagreeing on the many complex paradoxes with which we are confronted on a daily basis.

The passions that inflame anti-Abortion advocates cross the line of healthy disagreement and enter dangerous authoritarian oppression of some of the most vulnerable in our midst. My wife and I, due to our outspoken support of Abortion rights have been targeted by activists with vile threats and condemnation of our personal choices.

The decision to have an abortion is very difficult and painful.  It should never be taken lightly.  To choose to terminate a pregnancy for any reason is traumatic. And yet, I also feel - passionately - that such a decision should be made by individual people – who may or may not choose to consult with family (whenever possible), or clergy, or counselors or even God. But we have no right to legislate their personal and painful choices. Enshrining Abortion care in the Colorado State Constitution will help to ensure that every citizen of our state will have the right to make medical decisions free from government interference into the most intimate aspects of our lives. Anything else is antithetical to the foundation of the separation of religion and state upon which our nation was founded and for which too many have died.

There are those who have struggled with the issue of abortion and, after deliberate and careful analysis – after much prayer and reflection – have concluded that they cannot support an individual’s right to have an abortion.  While I, personally, do not agree with them, I respect their deliberation and I feel that the process of dialogue and discussion is vitally important.  We can agree to disagree- honoring the process that has brought us to our own conclusions.  But when these disagreements become the basis for government overreach that represses and demonizes, a dangerous line has been crossed. It is for this reason that we must pass this proposition and guarantee access to abortion care in the Colorado State Constitution.

Thank you.