As a Jew, I live in a constant self-conflict: believing that good, even the Messiah, can and will come at any moment; while being extremely hesitant to actually predict the future, especially the immediate one (and for a four thousand year old people, one year means immediate future for sure).
A study of this Jewish reluctance to engage in specific end times prophecy deserves an entire article if not more, but my Breaking Israel News marching orders are clear: what are my hopes and prayers for 2016? To address this so precisely really does indicate a measure of prophecy. And being on the heels as we are of the 2015 Blood Moons, Shemitah, and other related events, I guess I am really “in the mood.”
So at the risk of being considered younger or less sane that I really am (at least I can vouch for the first), I hereby present some hopes and prayers for the coming twelve months. To paraphrase Gviha Ben Psisa in the Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin 91a), if I am wrong, so are many simpletons, but if I am right, it’s all from the Torah of Moses!
I prefer to build upon the successes of my predecessors; so with your permission, dear reader, I will base my hopes and prayers for the upcoming year on the traditional Jewish prayer of the Amidah, the central ritual prayer, recited every day, three times a day.
- Fathers: AVOT
May we connect to our patriarchs and matriarchs, back to Abraham and Sarah, who taught us compassion, all the way up to the last generation, who taught us tenacity when holding on to our Jewish identity.
- Strength: GEVURAH
May we overcome any and all difficulties in our own lives and our national lives, thus emulating the fortitude of God Himself.
- Holiness: KEDUSHAH
In the face of growing impurity and sacred cow slaughter all over the world, may we choose to adhere to God’s holiness.
- Knowledge: BINAH
May we make the efforts needed to grow our own knowledge and wisdom, and apply it in our Start Up Nation for the advancement of the entire world.
- Repentance: TESHUVAH
The first step in repentance is recognition of where we have erred and failed. May we recognize that such admittance is a sign of strength, not weakness, both on a personal level and on a national one.
- Forgiveness: SELIHAH
Traditionally, this blessing has each of us begging God for forgiveness. May we trigger this by forgiving others, and perhaps most of all, ourselves.
- Redemption: GEULAH
This seventh blessing, as described in the Talmud, is in the seventh slot because of the tradition that Redemption will come in or on the heels of the seventh year, the Shemitah year. May this post-Shemitah year of 5776 truly proclaim the complete redemption!
- Healing: REFUAH
We have merited to live in a century of medical advances, including eradication of numerous illnesses and heightened life expectancy. May these trends continue!
- Prosperity: BIRKAT HASHANIM
May we recognize the blessings we have, how even the poorest of residents of English speaking countries (and Hebrew ones) have a higher standard of living than kings and emperors of yesteryear.
- Ingathering of Exiles: KIBBUTZ GALUYOT
We now pray for the strengthening of the Jewish State, the miracle which is Israel. May we see the continuation of aliyah, from the West, East, North and South.
- Justice: MISHPAT
As we find ourselves in current events drawing attention to controversies regarding our legal system, may we pray for its continued improvement, and give thanks that we can impact upon our democratic governmental systems, if not perfectly, then certainly more than throughout the centuries of Jewish Exile.
- The Struggle with Israel’s Enemies: BIRKAT HAMINIM
As Bruriah, the wife of Rabbi Meir helped him learn in Tractate Berachot 10a, may sinners come to see the folly of their ways. May the two sided sword of social media help “trolls” come to support Israel instead of opposing us.
- The Righteous: BIRKAT HATZADIKIM
May the goodness in all, Jews and non-Jews, continue to grow.
- Jerusalem: YERUSHALAYIM
It is hard to imagine that Jerusalem was comparatively a dingy backwater until the miraculous Six-Day War, and today is home to over a tenth of Israelis. May her blessings increase!
- Coming of the Mashiach: TZEMACH DAVID
God promised David and his ancestor Judah that the scepter of benevolent rule would not stray from them. May this most repeated theme of prayer, redemption, be fulfilled in our times – even in this year!
- Hear our Prayer: TEFILLAH
May God hear our prayers, and may we especially merit to believe in their power.
- Worship: AVODAH
May the House of Prayer, Worship and Divine Service be returned. May all nations recognize that its restitution will be the greatest of blessings for all mankind, “for My house shall be called a place of prayer for all nations.”
- Thanksgiving: HODA’AH
We are so much closer to all of these prayers than we were last year, and developments are coming stronger and faster all the time. Thank you God for the universal and the personal!
- Peace: SHALOM
As the Sages emphasized at the end of the Mishna, God found no better container for blessing than peace. May we see peace, between ourselves and our family, our community, and throughout the entire world. “May He Who makes peace in His heights make peace upon us and all of Israel, Amen.”
