Ovadia Yosef, Amar call mass prayer for South, IDF
Prayer service at Western Wall to include traditional prayers of penitence along with the regular afternoon and evening services.
By JEREMY SHARONHaredim stand atop IDF Merkava tank 370(photo credit: REUTERS)
Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar have called for a mass prayer at the Western Wall on Sunday afternoon due to the ongoing hostilities in the South.“I call on the People of Israel from across the religious spectrum to come to this prayer service in light of the difficult events that have occurred in recent days,” Amar said.“The People of Israel live, and its success depends on unity and faith. I send my blessings for a full recovery to all who have been injured and my condolences to the families of those who have been killed. It is our obligation at this time to strengthen both the residents of the South and our heroic soldiers with prayer,” Amar concluded.Click for full JPost coverageThe prayer service will include traditional prayers of penitence along with the regular afternoon and evening services.In addition, Yosef called on all communal rabbis and synagogue managers to recite Psalm 83 over Shabbat as a special prayer for the success of IDF soldiers and to hearten residents in the South.The psalm talks of the efforts of “God’s enemies” to “destroy the People of Israel,” and calls on Him to drive off the foes of the Jewish people.Yosef also instructed synagogues to recite the psalm throughout the week following the morning service, as well as the Avinu Malkeinu prayer, traditionally said on fast days and the Ten Days of Penitence leading up to Yom Kippur.
