Dear Friends,
This past Thursday evening, three teenage boys – two of them students at Rabbi Steinsaltz's Mekor Haim Yeshiva High School – were kidnapped. They were last seen in Gush Etzion, Alon Shevut. A massive manhunt is currently underway, by Israeli authorities.
We join the boys' families and Rabbi Steinsaltz in praying that the boys will return home safely and quickly.
The boys' names are:
Yaakov Naphtali ben Rachel Devorah
יעקב נפתלי בן רחל
Gil-Ad Michael ben Bat Galim
גיל-עד בן בת גלים
Ayal ben Irit Teshurah.
אייל בן איריס
In light of this situation, Rabbi Steinsaltz has prepared a message for the people of Israel and for all Jews throughout the world, and asked us to share it with you. His message is included below.
May we merit to hear good news.
*************
Message from Rav
Steinsaltz:
The kidnapping of our students is a shocking,
painful and frightening event. In a time and place that had seemed to us
quiet and serene, we have been thrown into an event that we can do nothing
to resolve.
Perhaps we are better off than in past times,
when we were totally unable even to attempt rescue and deliverance. We are
grateful to the Israel Defense Forces for all their efforts.
Still we, the families, the friends and the
teachers of the kidnapped boys are standing with "idle hands" (Ecclesiastes
10:18.) All we have left now is to turn to our Father in Heaven and plead.
We do not despair because we doubt our Heavenly Father. Rather we feel
helpless because, "God is in Heaven and you are upon earth" (Ecclesiastes
5:1).
Thus, we can never know the extent our pleas
and cries reach Heaven -- and also have some effect here, on earth. What we
can do – and this has been the Jewish way from time immemorial
– is to add more holiness and learn more Torah. If we can, each of us
should take upon ourselves something additional, no matter how small,
especially and explicitly devoted for the sake and well-being of the
missing boys.
Furthermore, we Jews have always been
accustomed to reciting the Psalms, and we certainly ought to do more of
this, especially two psalms that seem to me most relevant: Psalms 142 and
143, chapters that literally deal with our plight. We pray also for
the safety of those who are working toward their rescue.
May it be God's will that in their merit, and
for the merit of their suffering, together with our prayers and good deeds,
we shall soon see our boys returned to us, God willing, safe and
sound.
Adin Even-Israel
Steinsaltz
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