R. Abraham Maimuni on Prayer in Times of War

(Hegyon Ha-Lev for Shabbat of Parsha Korach)

Parsha Korach tells of strife and rebellion within the Israelite  community. That 'plague' is stemmed when Aharon burns  incense—the  biblical and  ritual  symbol for  prayer and  purification. 

We are currently  fighting a defensive war with those who would  destroy us, but we are  also plagued by several civil wars in our Nation’s internal politics.   Our silent prayers and petitions have  the  same  role  to play in these wars as the  incense of Aharon.

Before our Tariqa’s weekly meeting in Safed last Wednesday, I opened the Kifaya of Rabbenu Abraham ben Ha Rambam “at random”—looking for a passage that might be the basis of a short Hegyon Ha Lev introduction to our silent prayer session.

In Northern Israel we are under daily attack from Hezbollah at the moment and many are frightened by the endless booms and bangs of the enemy overhead. (As I write we have today received 200 rockets in such indescriminate bombing).

It appeared to me that the 'randomly chosen' text had a very significant message for us all here in Israel—so at the meeting, we discussed it and read it in both English and Ivrit. (Currently nobody attending is fluent in the original Judeo-Arabic though we hope that will change! )

In that "sohbet" discussion, our shared belief and awareness was that our weekly act of congregational vocal and silent dhikr was a crucial part of the process of “trusting in Providence” that the Kifaya passage in question was describing.

We were declaring our trust in Providence by meeting in times of danger to perform Dhikr/Hazkarah as a focussed way to remember  the Divine Presence in our hearts and in every detail of what happens in Creation— both that which seems "good" and that which  seems "bad".

The Kifaya passage actually confirms this stance, as it opens with the statement that such “prayer and supplication” reinforces our confidence in Divine Providence:

“One who relies on God must reinforce [that reliance] through prayer and pleading. (tefillah and baqashot)”

 oooOooo

The paragraphs which follow this statement from the Kifaya are highly relevant to our current war situation in Israel. They balance Trust in Providence with Prudence in self-preservation/military action. Ultimately the passage supports both forms of action but insists that one must never lose faith and trust in G-d's Providence.

Here is the Kifaya text in English (derived from Wincelberg’s translation beginning on page 250 of his “Guide to Serving God”. *1

One who relies on God must reinforce it through prayer and pleading. (tefillah and baqashot)  David said, 'I call to God in praise, and I am saved from my enemies' (Tehillim 18:4). He also said, 'In my troubles, I called out to the Almighty; I cried to my God, and He heard me from His palace' (v. 7). There are many such passages. The Torah states, 'Who is a great nation that has a god close to it, like the Almighty, your God, whenever we call upon Him' (Devarim 4:7). And the Torah ordains, 'And when you approach war in your land against the  enemy who oppresses you, you shall blow trumpets, and God will remember you and save you from enemies' (Bemidbar 10:9).

 

However, although you should inwardly rely on God, reinforce that internal feeling with supplications[baqashot], and seek His compassion to prevent whatever the Torah considers harmful, you undoubtedly must help yourself with the things God has designated for repelling danger[....]

 

Although He ordered us to blow the trumpets and recall the concept of Divine Providence before going into battle—as it says, “When you approach the battle, the Kohen shall come and address the nation, saying, ‘Listen, Israel, You come today in battle against your foes. Let not your heart be weak, fear not, and do not panic’ (Devarim 20:2-3)—it also says, “they shall appoint officers at the front of the people” (v. 9); “and you shall build a siege against the ‘ city that wars with you until it falls” (v. 20).

 

[...]they were not saved solely by their swords and  strength. They did not rely [solely] on their military capabilities, but on God’s Providence over them and His approval of them, as it says there, “but by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You desire them” (Tehillim 44:4)."

Rabbenu Abraham ben Ha Rambam

Kifaya (Kitab Kifayat al-‘ābidīn)   

ooo0ooo

My Brief Hegyon Ha Lev

The  Love of God  for  His people (of our  nation and  all nations) is conditional upon the  Divine  Will and  does not  always depend  on what we might describe as  “our own worthiness"—  for how could we  ever be  truly worthy of any Divine  benificence.  Nevertheless—if we Jews take  the  words of  the  Sh’ma seriously, we should also remember that Divine support is  often conditional upon our loving and  wholehearted observance of the  mitzvot. 

For this reason it is not sufficient for us merely to rely on our military defences or  solely on Divine Providence—We must also heed the closing words in that Kifaya text and actively attempt to gain Divine approval by our actions: we need to examine our consciences and ask ourselves if ALL our actions at the moment (as a State, as a People, and as Individuals) are truly deserving of such Divine support. If we are lacking in any way, our prayers must be accompanied by practical deeds of teshuva and tikkun.

We must do all we can to seek Justice and  Compassion in every move  we make if we are to be considered, as it  were, “worthy” of Divine Protection.  

ooo0ooo 

For this  reason (I believe) Rabbenu Abraham chose the shofar to illustrate the importance of “prayer and  supplication/ tefillah and beqashot ” ... for  it  is  the  shofar that calls to battle, but also it is  the  shofar that we use to plead for mercy and forgiveness from  God on Rosh Hashanah.

Our “baqashot” are acts of praise and supplication made in prayerful humility rather than in  jingoism or bravado. 

The  shofar is  a call to action but its  Voice also pleads for Mercy, Forgiveness, and Divine Protection.

 

May Justice and  Compassion overcome  Hatred.

May we be sheltered in the  Sukkah of Peace.

 

Shabbat Shalom

 

Nachman Davies

Safed

July 4 2024  

*1  Ha Maspiq L'Ovdei Hashem / The  Guide to Serving God (Kifaya) trans.Y. Wincelberg. Feldheim Publishers , Jerusalem ,New York 2008 (page  250 &foll.)