As Jews around the world usher in the Sabbath with the candle lighting ritual, they ask God to spread over them “wings of peace…sukkat shalom.” They ask for “Shabbat shalom…Sabbath peace.” While some Jews actually will feel that peace during the 25 hours of this week’s Shabbat, I’m sure the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti will not. With so much chaos, destruction and death around them, they won’t feel it now, on their own Sabbath or for some time to come…unless they are very tuned in and tapped into God.
Knowing that prayers for others go a long way towards helping them heal–science has proven this to be so–I want to join Britain’s Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks in asking Jews around the world to say a special prayer for the Haitians this Shabbat. You can say one of your own, or you can recite the prayer he penned especially for this purpose. (To read more about this, click here.)
Here is the full text of his prayer:
“Sovereign of the Universe, we join our prayers to the prayers of others throughout the world, for the victims of the earthquake that brought destruction and disaster to Haiti and took so many lives.
“Almighty God, we beseech you, send comfort to the bereaved and healing to the injured. Be with those who are engaged in the work of rescue. Grant strength to those who see to the needs of the injured and sick, give shelter to the homeless and provide sustenance to those in need.
“Almighty God, we recognize how insignificant we are, and how helpless in the face of nature when its full power is unleashed. Open our hearts in prayer and our hands in generosity, so that by our actions we may bring comfort, healing and support. Help us now and all humanity as we seek to do what we can by helping people reconstruct their broken lives.”
Also, don’t forget to give to as well as to pray for those in Haiti. Before Shabbat begins, give tzedakah to an organization sending aid to Haiti. Help them heal in any way possible.
