Waging the Spiritual Battle- A Journal from the Home Front

Friday night Nov 16th (Jerusalem)- Right after lighting candles I started singing the song Hu Yigal Otanu...which was strange as I usually start to sing the same shabbat niggun every week.  The siren sounded a couple of minutes later....I was with my 3 kids and two other holy women.  We went into the safe room, held hands, davened, and danced.  I felt so much light.  We spoke after that the scence felt like we had just crossed the Yam Suf.  For the rest of Shabbat I felt so much light and protection from Ha Kadosh baruch Hu.  This was in direct contrast to the almost panic attack I had as we were about to take in Shabbat, going on my 2nd full week without my husband here and I could not remember how to set up the plata. The light of Shabbat was a huge matana and strength that I hope I will be able to carry into the week.

Sat Night- Saw the post to learn tehillim 83, which was the same tehillim I had opened up spontaneously when I asked Hashem to show me what tehillim to say.

Sunday- Too much media watching is not helpful to keep a state of emunah strong.  Lets go back to Shabbat!!!  I decided bli neder to start learning more hilchot brachot in addition to daily tehillim for the war.  Less news more Torah!!!!

Monday morning-  Saw a husband in uniform dropping off his daughter in my son's gan.  Out of 8 kids only, there are definitely a few soldiers in the group.  I gave him a bracha and took his name to daven for and then saw the post that Shirat Devora put up about the Shmira Project.  Please Am Yisrael pass this on to as MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE!!!!! This project is crucial http://www.shmiraproject.com/ as we are Am Echad and Lev Echad.  Each ones teshuvah supports the whole nation.  I personally am going to learn hilchot brachot daily bli neder on behalf of the soldiers in my sons gan.

Important Time Imminent: Tehillim 130 to be said in conjunction with mekubalim at the Kever of Rebbi Shimon at 5:00PM Israel time

I just had a recording on my machine from Rav Moshe, a mekubal who works with other Rabbis at the kever of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai to support Am Yisrael with personal etzot and tefilot (nightly tikkun Hatzot- for the benefit of all Am Yisrael).  He said that at 5:00 P.M to light a candle and say perek tehillim קל 130. The Rabbis will be davening at the kever that in the zchut of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai Am Yisrael should come to its speedy redemption and merit to receive Moshiach Tzidkenu. Amen!!!

Tehillim 83 should be said daily during the duration of the War

Thank you Yeranen Yaakov for posting this for us:

Arutz Sheva:

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef has called on Jews to seek divine protection as well as taking safety measures. He declared Friday that worshipers should say Psalm 83 for the safety of Israeli civilians and soldiers after opening the Aron Kodesh, both on the Sabbath and during the week, for the duration of the military operation.

I had asked Hashem the first night of the operation what tehillim I should say and then opened my tehillim to פג and saw last night this post above


Here is the translation and intro from my Metsudah tehillim
#83 פג

This Psalm is a fervent prayer for God to exterminate the nations who plot the destruction of Israel.  Their intention is not merely to destroy Israel but to obliterate God's Name from the face of the earth.

1. A song. a Pslam of Asaph.
2. God, do not hold your silence; be not silent and be not still Almighty
3. For behold, Your enemies are in an uproar and those who hate You have lifted up their head.
4. Against your people they plot deceitfully, and they conspire against those sheltered by You.
5.  They say "Come, let us cut them off from nationhood, let Israel's name be remembered no more"
6.  For they conspire togethere with a unanimous heart, against you they make a covenant.
7. The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites.
8. Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Philista with the inhabitants of Tyre.
9. Even Assyria is joined with them, they become a supporting arm to the children of Lot, Selah.
10. Do unto them as with Midian; as to Sisera as to Jabin, as the river bed of Kishon.
11. They were destroyed at Ein Dor, they became dung for their soil
12 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, and like Zebach and Zelmuna, all their princes.
13.  Who said, "Let us inherit for ourselves the pleasant habitations of God"
14. My G-d, make them like whirling chaff, like straw before the wind.
15.  Like fire that burns the forest, and like a flame that ignites the mountains.
16.  So pursue them with Your tempest, and terrify them with Your storm.
17.  Fill their faces with shame, then they will seek Your Name,  Hashem (insert YKVK)
18.  Let them be ashamed and terrified, forever; and let them be humiliated and perish.
19.  Then they will know that You, Whose Name is Hashem (insert YKVK), are alone, the most High
       over all the earth.

Names to daven for immediately!!!! -War Injuries

These were names were just sent to my inbox from my community group in Jerusalem to say tehillim for.  I have no further information at this time.

Shmuel ben Chaya Sarah Yehudis
Mira Rut Bat Chaya Leah
Yosef Yitzchak ben Mira Rut
Chanah Bat Mira Rut
Geulah Bat Mira Rut
Yehudah Chai Ben Chanah

The Kabbalah of Kislev- Rav Dov Bear Pinson Video

This week I (Devora) had the stomach flu while I was home alone with 3 kids and scared that I had to get an I.V in the middle of the night (husband on business).  Besides the physical hishtadlut (effort) of major hydration I also knew that Hashem wanted me to take this opportunity to find him in this place of my darkness.  I closed my eyes and saw and felt Hashem's light, felt some relaxation, and knew that whatever happened I would be guided and taken care of.  As I live in Israel, I always feel that these moments are "practice opportunities" for finding Hashem's light in a situation of war, etc where the opportinuty for a "panic attack" could be much greater.  May we all be blessed to experience Hashem not just through the darkness, but also through the light.  Chodesh tov.  May Am Yisrael be blessed with safety.  May we always turn out eyes to our Avinu Bashamayim