Kobi Nachshoni
Ynet
October 6, 2013
On backdrop of reports of progress made in negotiations with Palestinians, prominent religious Zionist rabbis call on public to say special prayer ‘for wholeness of the land’
Prominent religious Zionist rabbis are calling on the public to say a special prayer “for the wholeness of the land,” on the backdrop of reports of progress made in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and “the growing pressure on the prime minister to agree to additional withdrawals, Heaven forbid.”
In a “manifesto” issued by right-wing rabbis and national-religious yeshiva heads, they order worshippers to add to the Amidah prayer, which is said three times a day on weekdays, a segment written by the late former Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu against the plan to “tear our ancestral land.”
The collective call to add a segment on the most important part of the morning, afternoon and evening prayer is not a conventional thing. It is usually done only at real times of crisis, like during drought. Now the public is urged to do so when saying the Amidah prayer, when opening the Holy Ark and while lighting Shabbat candles.