For those who suffer, and those who cry this night, give them repose, Lord; a pause in their burdens.
Let there be minutes where they experience peace, not of man but of angels.
Love them, Lord, when others cannot.
Hold them, Lord, when we fail with human arms.
Hear their prayers and give them the ability to hear You back in whatever language they best understand.
I can’t think of a worse nightmare for a parent than the death of a child. My children are all adults and I continue to pray daily that God will watch over their lives. I can’t imagine what the parents of the child victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newtown, Connecticut are going through right now and, coward that I am, I don’t want to know.
This isn’t the first time I’ve talked about a child’s death and sadly, I’m sure it won’t be the last. 8-year old Leiby Kletzky was murdered over a year ago in Brooklyn, and several Jewish children were killed at their school in Toulouse, France by a heartless terrorist.
I’m reminded of the final words of John Donne’s very old, very famous poem No Man is an Island:
Therefore, do not send to know
For whom the bell tolls
It tolls for thee
In truth, no matter where a child dies in the world or how he or she is taken, the child is taken from all of us. They are all our children. When someone’s precious son or daughter is killed, they’re taken from all of us and we all grieve.
I know I grieve.
Glorified and sanctified be God’s great name throughout the world which He has created according to His will. May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon; and say, Amen.
May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.
Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us
and for all Israel; and say, Amen.He who creates peace in His celestial heights, may He create peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.
-Mourner’s Kaddish
Morning Meditations 