This past Thursday, Rabbi Ariel Sadwin, director of Agudath Israel of Maryland, was honored to recite a prayer at the White House in honor of the National Day of Prayer.
Rabbi Sadwin, who was introduced by President Trump, said the following prayer:
King Solomon, in his great wisdom, writes in the second chapter of Song of Songs: “There He stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattices”.
The Midrash commentary explains this to be referring to Almighty G-d, at a time when His presence is NOT visible, nor is it readily apparent. But, fear not, says King Solomon, “He is right there in the background, watching over you through the window, and the lattice”.
Avinu H’av Harachaman – Oh, our Merciful Father: This idea is so apparent and reminiscent to this most challenging time during which we find ourselves. Our relationship with You seems so different from what it has always been.
We have not been in Your House – our holy synagogues – in nearly two months! These sacred places where we go to seek You and to derive inspiration – three times a day… every day – are empty, dark, and shuttered.
Instead, all we have had – is the sanctuary of our own homes and the limited allowable interactions. There is fear, there is sickness, there is death – wherever we turn and whenever we listen. But, yet, we know YOU are still there, watching over us.
Ribono Shel Olam – Master of the World: You are the Rofeh Chol Bassar – the Healer of all flesh. We implore you to eradicate this awful plague from Your earth. Heal those who suffer. Comfort those who mourn. Sustain those who have lost livelihood.
Please bless our President & First Lady, our Vice President & Second Lady, and the entire Administration, as well as the leaders of state and local governments – who must make critical decisions each and every day.
Please bless the doctors, nurses, first responders, and all medical personnel who dedicate their lives to save others.
Please bless the selfless community and civic leaders who are doing their part to help those in need.
And please bless each and every one of your 330 million children – who make up the United States of America. Amen.
Rabbi Ariel Sadwin came to the attention of the White House due to his extensive involvement in the COVID Blood Plasma Initiative. Rabbi Sadwin, along with Mr. Avrohom Weinstock, chief of staff for Agudath Israel, and many other partners, devoted countless hours to this cause. The initiative encourages those who already had COVID-19 to donate blood plasma, carrying healing anti-bodies, to those still suffering from the disease. Additionally, this initiative has facilitated wide-scale antibody titer testing to identify the many unconfirmed cases and allow them to also donate plasma. Due to the efforts put in place by these activists, thousands of additional donors were recruited to donate blood plasma, dramatically increasing the national supply of this potentially life-saving therapy.
Agudath Israel of America is proud of their involvement in this project and is grateful to the President for highlighting this cause.
To register to donate plasma, go to https://www.covidplasmasavealife.com/
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One Response
Very good and inspiring but I think he left out one important point to daven for: “Hashem, we know that You are the One Who does and has done and will do everything that occurs in Your world, and that everything You do is entirely for the good of the world. This situation may well be happening because You want us to realize that we have to improve our ways, our thinking about the world and our relationship with You, and each person has to search the inner recesses of his soul to try to understand what is expected of him as an individual. We entreat you to put wisdom in our hearts to reach the understand You expect of us.