Plagues

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלִּפְנֵי אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם

אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיא אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתַּחַת סִבְלוֹת מִצְרַיִם

הוּא יְבָרֵךְ וְיִנְצֹר אֶת אַחֵינוּ וְאַחְיוֹתֵינוּ

הַחֲטוּפִים הָאֲסוּרִים בְּכַבְלֵי בַּרְזֶל,

יְחַזֵּק נַפְשָׁם וֶאֱמוּנָתָם,

יִשְׁמְרֵם מִכָּל נֶגַע וּמַחֲלָה,

יַחְמֹל עַל בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו הַמְּצַפִּים לִישׁוּעָתוֹ,

יְבַטֵּל מֵעֲלֵיהֶם כָּל גְּזֵרוֹת אַכְזָרִיּוֹת.

May it be the will of our FATHER IN HEAVEN

Who brought His people Israel out from the suffering of Egypt

that He bless and save our abducted brothers and sisters,

bound with iron chains.

May He strengthen their souls and faith,

Protect them from all harm and disease,

Have mercy on His sons and daughters awaiting His salvation,

Nullify all cruel decrees from upon them.

בְּחַסְדּוֹ הַגָּדוֹל

יָחִישׁ פְּדוּתָם

וְיֵצְאוּ מְהֵרָה מֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה

וּמִבּוֹר הַשְּׁבִי לְחֵרוּת עוֹלָם

וְיָשׁוּבוּ לְשָׁלוֹם אֶל מִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵיהֶם וְאֶל בָּתֵּיהֶם.

In His great kindness,

may He hasten their redemption

and may they quickly emerge from darkness to light,

and from the pit of captivity to the freedom of the world,

and return in peace to their families and to their homes.

אָנָּא, נֶטַע אַחֲוָה שָׁלוֹם וְרֵעוּת בְּלֵב כֻּלָּם,

הָסֵר קִנְאָה וְשִׂנְאַת חִנָּם

וּפְרֹס עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ

וְנִזְכֶּה בְּקָרוֹב לוֹמַר לְפָנֶיךָ שִׁירָה חֲדָשָׁה.

Please, plant brotherhood, peace and friendship in the hearts of all,

Remove envy and baseless hatred

and spread over us the Sukkah of Your peace,

And may we merit to soon sing before You a ‘New Song.’[1]

This prayer for the well-being of the captives taken hostage by ḤAMA”S and its allies on 7 October 2023 was written by the Ashkenazi chief rabbi of the State of Israel, David Lau, and shared by his office in the month preceding Pesaḥ 2024. The text of the prayer transcribed is that as posted at Arutz Sheva on 7 April 2024. The translation in English was made by Rabbi Shimshon Nadel as disseminated over Facebook on 8 April 2024. Many thanks to Abraham Katz for bringing the prayer to our attention. He notes the prayer is intended to be read at the Passover seder in the Maggid section before והיא שעמדה (v’hi she’amda).

by Sheikha Ibtisam Mahameed and Rabba Tamar Elad-Appelbaum

This invocation, written by two mothers, one Muslim and one Jewish, invites us to take their plea for peace into our hearts and into the world. It has been shared widely by Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie and the Lab/Shul community.

Let us Light Candles for Peace

Two mothers, one plea:

Now, more than ever, during these days of so much crying,on the day that is sacred to both our religions, Friday, Sabbath Eve

Let us light a candle in every home – for peace:

A candle to illuminate our future, face to face,

A candle across borders, beyond fear.

From our family homes and houses of worship

Let us light each other up,

Let these candles be a lighthouse to our spirit

Until we all arrive at the sanctuary of peace.

Blessed Yah, Creator, Created, Creating...

We pray for peace,

For ourselves and the world,

Even if only for one day:

Instead of anger, we choose kindness.

Instead of revenge, we choose justice.

Instead of resentment, we choose empathy.

Instead of work, we choose rest.

Instead of ideology, we choose compromise.

Instead of destruction, we choose community.

Instead of fear, we choose endurance.

Instead of invective, we choose prayer.

Instead of violence, we choose peace.

Blessed Yah, Creator, Created, Creating...

We give thanks for this day of peace.

May it change us, may it change the world,

And let us say, Amen.

Lighting candles transforms ordinary time into sacred time, marking the official start of the Seder.

The Blessing:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל יוֹם טוֹב.

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha'olam asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Yom Tov.

Blessed are You, Adonai our Divine Presence, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us with laws and commanded us to light the festival lights.

As we light the festival candles, we acknowledge that as they brighten our Passover table, good thoughts, good words, and good deeds brighten our days.