and again and again and again....
so, reflection on a previous post....I currently find myself in a similar situation with regards to the kidnapped soldiers. I asked, in said post, should I have really been praying for the end of the war? and I ask now - should I be praying for the return of the soldiers?
if it means one thousand terrorists will be freed, that x many more Jewish soldiers, children, tourists, journalists will be captured and held hostage again, that x more ppl will die in suicide bombings, be evicorated in random Arab cars, or even stabbed within the gates of the Old City at night, that x mothers, y father, q friends, z girlfrieds, and w related people who weren't even that close but knew the victims from just around the community will be affected....
what are the cost-benefits here? what am I asking for? what should I be asking for? the lives of a few vs the potential lives of many? is that even what they want from us? and from G-d?
but it hurts that they're not home. I don't even know them, but it hurts all of us, and the ache grows a little worse with each day that passes without our knowing what their fate will be.
It's arrogant to think that whatever I ask for in my prayers will be answerd just bc I asked. I know G-d's not going to change the course of history bc I asked Him too, foolishly and without knowing or understanding the consequences.
but they pray five times a day, and we only pray three, which means they've got a head start on us to begin with, and I need to do something to help bring up the team average a bit, whatever I can. that's what being a part of the Jewish community is really about, right?
so I ask again, what in the world am I supposed to be asking for?
if it means one thousand terrorists will be freed, that x many more Jewish soldiers, children, tourists, journalists will be captured and held hostage again, that x more ppl will die in suicide bombings, be evicorated in random Arab cars, or even stabbed within the gates of the Old City at night, that x mothers, y father, q friends, z girlfrieds, and w related people who weren't even that close but knew the victims from just around the community will be affected....
what are the cost-benefits here? what am I asking for? what should I be asking for? the lives of a few vs the potential lives of many? is that even what they want from us? and from G-d?
but it hurts that they're not home. I don't even know them, but it hurts all of us, and the ache grows a little worse with each day that passes without our knowing what their fate will be.
It's arrogant to think that whatever I ask for in my prayers will be answerd just bc I asked. I know G-d's not going to change the course of history bc I asked Him too, foolishly and without knowing or understanding the consequences.
but they pray five times a day, and we only pray three, which means they've got a head start on us to begin with, and I need to do something to help bring up the team average a bit, whatever I can. that's what being a part of the Jewish community is really about, right?
so I ask again, what in the world am I supposed to be asking for?
posted by Miri at 10:13 AM
4 Comments:
don't forget, though, that our three are really nine -- prayers that are sung count as though they were said three times.
which prayers do we sing on a daily basis? (forgive my ignorance - remember I only daven with a minyan on shabbat.)
what, like I have a regular minyan, either? Ok, so there's a kind of sing-song for shmonah esrei...I'm drawing a blank, really.
well, it was a worthy effort. it sounded like it came from something so let's just go with you forgot the source?
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