Prayer for the Deliverance of the Captured Israeli Soldiers by Israel Chief Rabbi, Rishon le-Zion HaRav Shlomo Amar

MAY it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our fathers, that these Psalms which we have read before You today should come to You favorably, and be accepted before you as if King David Your anointed one – peace be on him –had said them himself. Please take action for the sake of Your Holy names which are written in them, and which are alluded to in them, and accept with  mercy and favor our prayers and requests, so that our supplications reach You.  Have pity, show  concern and extend mercy to the captives, ....Gilad ben Aviva Shalit, and save them, showing redemption and mercy, together with all  captives and prisoners from Your nation Israel. 


MAY the One who can liberate captives release them from their detention, deliver them from
captivity to liberty, from tyranny to redemption, and from gloom to brightness, and restore them to  complete health – a healing of the soul and of the body – and revitalize their spirit, reinvigorate  their strength, and help them in happiness and joy; then they will be strengthened and healed and  will have eternal happiness.


MAY the merit of the prayers, the cries, and the supplications of the multitudes who plead for 
them all over the world stand for them as a shield and a protection, freeing them from their 
captivity.  Please tear asunder any negative judgments.  May all their merits be presented before You, the Blessed One, and all that they have achieved and done for the sake of our nation and our heritage.  Tear up their verdicts for the merit of the Holy Name that is alluded to in the initial Hebrew letters of the phrase “Accept the prayer of your nation; fortify us, purify us, You who are so awesome.” 


MAY the words of this scriptural verse (Isaiah 53:10) be fulfilled for them: “God’s captives will  return and come to Zion in joy; eternal happiness will be on their heads, they will be invested with joy and happiness, and sorrow and anxiety will be banished.”  May this happen very soon!