Chanukah Prayer

By Chuck Morse
web posted December 2, 2002

...and for the miracles, and for the salvation, and for the mighty deeds, and for the victories, and for the battles which you performed for our forefathers in those days, at this time.

And for the thousands of murderers, cogs in the wheels of an international conspiracy to kill Jews, who have failed in their hateful and satanic mission. May you deal appropriately with the souls of those who succeeded in striking down your innocent children of whom you created in your image.

And for the miracle of the Arkia flight from Mombasa, Kenya. Two missiles narrowly missed the plane and 250 Jews were saved.

In the days of Mattisyahu, the son of Yochanan, the High Priest, the Hasmonean, and his sons ­

In the days of the brave citizens of Israel, religious and secular, leftwing and rightwing, who are fulfilling your holy commandments by living in Israel. In the days of the righteous gentile, religious and secular, who support Israel and who are aware, at some level, of the redemptive possibilities Israel represents for all mankind.

When the wicked Greek kingdom rose up against Your people Israel to make them forget your Torah and compel them to stray from the statutes of Your Will ­

When those who seek to destroy the sovereign national rights of the Jewish people by killing as many Jews as possible behave as the Amelikites of old by deliberately killing women, children, the elderly, the infirm, and Holocaust survivors as if they were military targets. May those who behave in such a manner, regardless of race or ethnicity, be vomited off the face of the earth.

You in Your great mercy stood up for them in their time of their distress. You took up their grievance, judged their claim, and avenged their wrong.

In your infinite mercy and wisdom, you set modest and proper parameters for the children of Israel to reside. From Dan to Beersheba, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, exactly where Israel resides today in accordance with your Torah. Those who believe they are commanded to subdue the entire world in the name of their god seek to conquer this small land you promised Israel by "Jihad" along with all nations, residing in their vicinity who refuse to submit.

You delivered the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and the wanton into the hands of the diligent students of your Torah.

May the nations of the world who follow the path of peace, increasing numbers of which are feeling the bloody end of the sword of world conquering Islamic terror, wake up and take heed of their moral, spiritual and ethical responsibility to defend the lives and property of their citizens.

For Yourself You made a great and holy Name in Your world, and for your people Israel You worked a great victory and salvation as this very day.

In these times of stress and spiritual struggle, may we not forget the names of those who have been martyred. The most recent, Noy and Dvir Anter, 12 and 13, from Ariel, and Albert Deviley, 60, from Raanana, who died in the bombing of the Mombassa Paradise Hotel, and the 21 injured victims. The 700 Israeli's who died defending the sovereign right of their nation to exist. The 200 innocent people killed in Bali. The innocent theatregoers in Moscow who died as a result of an Islamic terror plot. The hundreds of innocent Hindu's of India who have been killed by Islamic machine-gun fire. The Christian missionaries killed in the Philippines. The American soldiers who died on the U.S.S.Cole, at the embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, and in the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia. To the 3,000 plus people who died on Sept. 11, 2001 in the hijacked planes, in the World Trade Center, in the Pentagon, and those who died trying to save them. To all those who were caught in the carnage. Their blood cries out from the grave for justice, may we have the courage to hear that cry and take up their standard.

Thereafter, Your children came to the Holy of Holies of Your House, cleansed Your Temple, purified the site of Your Holiness and kindled lights in the Courtyards of your Sanctuary; and they established these eight days of Chanukah to express thanks and praise to Your great Name.

* Traditional text is from "The Complete Art Scroll Siddur" - Mesorah Publications, Ltd.

Chuck Morse is a radio talk show host on Salem Radio/WROL in Boston. Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002 - City Metro Enterprises. All Rights Reserved

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