From Seeking Rescue to Seeking Comfort: Eyal, Gilad, Naftali, Their Families, and Ourselves

Our minds are tossed and our hearts are torn with thoughts of Eyal, Gilad, and Naftali. Tossed from seeking rescue for those held captive to seeking comfort from the Eternal who wipes tears from our faces.  

Concerning them until today we worried about and we prayed for the protection of their bodies and souls -- echoing the traditional language from the morning liturgy:

אַחֵינוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַנְּתוּנִים בְּצָרָה

Acheinu kol beit yisrael, han'nutunim b'tzara

"As for our siblings from the whole house of Israel who are in distress or captivity, whether on sea or land, may the All-Present have compassion on them and lead them from distress to relief, from darkness to light, and from oppression to freedom -- now, swiftly and soon."

Then with the tragic news today of their murder, we worry and we pray for their souls and our's and for the body of our people  -- echoing the prophet:

וּמָחָה אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה דִּמְעָה מֵעַל כָּל פָּנִים

U'macha Hashem dima me'al kol panim

May the Eternal wipe away tears from off our faces (Isaiah 25:8) - May there be an end to death brought for carrying the name "Jew," an end to sadness and pain.

My mind is tossing . . . 

My mind is tossing from despair and hope for their rescue toward rescue from
the seeming despair of hope. For comfort and inspiration I turn to two teachers -- Rabbi Eliyahu Fink and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.  Links to their powerful messages about these three murdered boys are here:

Link to Rabbi Sacks: In Memoriam Eyal, Gilad, and Naftali

Rabbi Sacks encourages us to embrace a culture that values life and living over one that values death.  

Link to Rabbi Fink: What Do I Tell My Children

Rabbi Fink encourages us to embrace our individual power to heal and help the world through simple acts of caring regard and love.  

The words from Rabbi Sacks and Rabbi Fink are soothing to my soul at this time of anger and deep loss. May the memories of Eyal, Gilad, and Naftali endure as a blessing.  How is that possible in a world torn apart by violence?

Through each of us taking responsibility to act on Rabbi Fink's encouragement at moments like this, "Most of all, we can all be one of the helpers. Say something nice. Do something kind. Find empathy. Spread love."