Up, Up, and away…
Rabbis Menashe Malka and Reuven Deri boarded a hot air balloon and ascended 1,000 feet in the air in order to pray for timely rain.
The two were joined by Eshkol Regional Council Head Haim Yalin and Sdot Negev Regional Head Council Meir Yifrach, as well as beauty queen Shavit Wiesel and other worshippers.
The group, which took off from an open field near Kibbutz Ruhama in the Negev, was equipped with a prayer for rain drafted by late Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu.
With no precipitation in sight, farmers in northern Israel estimate crop damages would reach up to NIS 50 million (about $13 million.)
Hot air balloon operator Moran Itzkovitz said that “a joint prayer, while looking down at the amazing scenary of the dry Negev fields, may open the gates of heavens and strengthen farmers across the country.”
Also on Thursday, worshippers gathered in the northern town of Hatzor HaGlilit, at the tomb of Honi HaM’agel, who became famous for his ability to successfully pray for rain during a year of draught.
The prayer was attended by chief Rabbis Yona Metzger and Shlomo Amar, council heads, rabbis and yeshiva students from the surrounding areas. The worshippers blew the shofar and recited a special prayer authored by Rabbi Metzger.
On Wednesday, dozens of Rabbis and guests gathered for a mass prayer for rain on board the Ein Gev tourist vessel at the Sea of Galilee.
The prayer, which was organized by Emek HaYarden Regional Council rabbis and Ayelet HaShachar organization, was attended by Emek HaYarden Regional Council Head, Rabbi Shlomo Didi, Deputy Finance Minister Yitzhak Cohen and city of Rehovot Rabbi Simcha Hacohen Kook.
(Source: Ynet)
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12 Responses
Finish this joke: 2 rabbis and a beauty queen get into a hot-air balloon…
Whatever happened to “normal” tefillah?
did he take along the hot air? does he really think hashem can’t hear him if he doesn’t get a drop closer to him? if he’s a rabbi, doesn’t he believe in k’vodo molei olam?
So Hashem responds better to photo ops?
what do they think? they have to get closer to the clouds?
Hashem please answer their prayers and all of klal yisroel!
These Rabbis made a mockery out of something so terrible.
Israel is suffering from a drought..we need Tefillah not a publicity stunt. Shame on them.
לא בשמים היא
This must be from the long nussach of tefillas ha’derech: “Ki asik shomayma, shom Attah.”
A buch of “kibbutznikim” daven to Hashem in their best way they can, and we sit back and mock them, when was the last time YOU had eretz Yisroel in mind when you said “mashiv H’aruach”?
Wow…Hot air balloons on a hot air balloon!!
Obviously there’s no shortage of hot air.
So Much For M’maamakim.