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).

Eshet Chayil

Eishet Chayil mi yimtza, vrachok mi'pninim michrah.
Batach bah lev ba'alah, vshalal lo yechsar. G'malathu tov v'lo ra kol y'mei chayeha.
Darsha tsemer ufishtim, vata'as b'chefetz kapeha.
Hay'tah ka-oniyot socher, mimerchak tavi lachma.
Vatakom b'od laila, V'titen teref l'veitah v'chok l'na'aroteha.
Zam'mah sadeh v'tikachehu, mi'pri khapeha nat'ah karem.
Chag'rah b'oz motneha, vat'ametz z'ro'oteha.
Ta'ama ki tov sachrah, lo yichbe valayla nerah.
Yadeha shilcha v'kishor, v'khapeha tam'chu phalech.
Kapah par'sah l'ani, v'yadehah shil'cha la-evyon.
Lo tira l'veitah mishaleg, ki khol beitah lavush shanim.
Marvadim as'tah lah, shesh v'argaman l'vushah.
Nodah bash'arim ba'alah, b'shivto im ziknei aretz.
Sadin as'tah vatimkor, v'chagor nat'nah la'kna'ani.
Oz v'hadar l'vushah, vatischak l'yom acharon.
Piha pat'cha b'chochmah, v'torat chesed al l'shonah.
Tsofiya halichot beita, v'lechem atzlut lo tochel.
Kamu vaneha v'y'ashruhah, ba'alah vay'hal'lah.
Rabot banot asu chayil, v'at alit al kulanah.
Sheker hachen v'hevel hayofi, ishah yir'at adonai hi tithalal.
T'nu lah mip'ri yadeha, vihal'luha bash'arim ma'aseha.

אֵשֶׁת חַֽיִל מִי יִמְצָא, וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָהּ.
בָּֽטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ, וְשָׁלָל לֹא יֶחְסָר.
גְּמָלַֽתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא רָע, כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיהָ.
דָּרְשָֽׁה צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים, וַתַּֽעַשׂ בְּחֵפֶץ כַּפֶּיהָ.
הָיְתָה כָּאֳנִיּוֹת סוֹחֵר, מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ.
וַתָּקָם בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה, וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ.
זָמְמָה שָׂדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ, מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ נָטְעָה כָּֽרֶם.
חָגְרָה בְעוֹז מָתְנֶיהָ, וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרוֹעֹתֶיהָ.
טָֽעֲמָה כִּי טוֹב סַחְרָהּ, לֹא יִכְבֶּה בַלַּֽיְלָה נֵרָהּ.
יָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישׁוֹר, וְכַפֶּיהָ תָּֽמְכוּ פָֽלֶך.
כַּפָּהּ פָּרְשָֹה לֶעָנִי, וְיָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה לָאֶבְיוֹן.
לֹא תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּֽׁלֶג, כִּי כָל־בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִים.
מַרְבַדִּים עָשׂתָה־לָּהּ, שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָׁהּ.
נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ, בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם זִקְנֵי־אָרֶץ.
סָדִין עָשׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּר, וַחֲגוֹר נָתְנָה לַכְּנַעֲנִי.
עוֹז וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ, וַתִּשׂחַק לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן.
פִּֽיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה, וְתֽוֹרַת חֶֽסֶד עַל לְשׁוֹנָהּ:
צוֹפִיָּה הֲלִיכוֹת בֵּיתָהּ, וְלֶֽחֶם עַצְלוּת לֹא תֹאכֵל:
קָמוּ בָנֶֽיהָ וַיְּאַשְּׁרֽוּהָ, בַּעְלָהּ וַיְהַלְלָהּ:
רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָֽשׂוּ חָֽיִל, וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל כֻּלָּנָה:
שֶֽׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶֽבֶל הַיֹּֽפִי, אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת ה׳ הִיא תִתְהַלָּל:
תְּנוּ לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶֽיהָ, וִיהַלְלֽוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַעֲשֽׂיהָ:

Translation:

10 A woman of valour who can find? for her price is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, and he hath no lack of gain.
12 She doeth him good and not evil all the days of her life.
13 She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant-ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth food to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and maketh strong her arms.
18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good; her lamp goeth not out by night.
19 She layeth her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She maketh for herself coverlets; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24 She maketh linen garments and selleth them; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing; and she laugheth at the time to come.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and the law of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her:
29 'Many daughters have done valiantly, but thou excellest them all.'
30 Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her works praise her in the gates.

Translation source: Jewish Publication Society Bible (1917) (public domain)