Shabbat "Kel Na Refa Na Lah" Previewed with Rabbi David Fine of Israel's Barkai Center

Uh Sabbi David Fine uh contacted me earlier in the week. He lives in Modí and he's been in Israel I think for the last 18 years or so and uh he runs a rabbitic training organization for Israeli Hebrew rabbis and they have a project that is happening this Shabas and once we once we heard about it we said uh hey we've got to get this on the air. Uh the Shabbat is entitled Kelar Allah from this week's parabal. They're asking rabbis and synagogues all over the world to raise awareness of and davin for injured soldiers. It has the support of many rabbis and groups all over the world. I'm glad to hear that and is very important for the future well-being of the injured. Yeah, I would imagine that that's true. Rabbi David Fine from the Holy Land. A pleasure to welcome you to JM in the AM. >> Thank you so much, Nalcolm. It's a pleasure to be here. >> We We don't even understand. I'm not even talking about people here on this side of the world because we really don't get it. But even those in Israel who, you know, for whatever reason are lucky enough not to be in that space, we don't realize just how many injured soldiers there are and how many of them became um victims of the most recent war, obviously starting back um on October 7th of 203. For for those like yourself who are familiar with that arena, is it an overwhelming situation? Are there just so many and we don't realize the impact that it's having on so many families in the holy land? >> Right. So uh I happen to be very aware of the numbers and the issues because the rabbitic training program which is called Barai which you mentioned at the beginning we have trained over a 100 rabbis all over Israel and many of them have in their communities uh soldiers who have been uh injured. So there are probably there at least over 20,000 injured and there are probably many more that for whatever reason especially people who who are you know mentally injured let's put it that way who don't want uh people to know and don't get reported but it's very overwhelming and you're right even in Israel uh sometimes it uh it it the awareness is is not enough and it's interesting I was I've been listening for the last few minutes so I heard the gal sahan lmberg who was just buried So the people who are the the soldiers who are killed Shalam or unfortunately you know they're on the radio and and and and as they should be and people hear about them but a lot of the the hundreds of people who soldiers who have been injured over the past few weeks, months, whatever it may be, you know, no one really knows about them and they have to go on for weeks, months and years really uh trying to get better and it's really under the radar screen. And so what we're trying to do is raise awareness about this and to dive in >> the um and that's the point of the entire Shabbat, right? The point of the entire Shabbat is to let people like us around the world, especially again outside of Israel, there's less awareness um understand the situation and uh and try and sympathize somewhat for what our brothers and sisters are going through over there. And um I I I would hope that I don't know the soldiers and their families, I would hope if they knew that this was happening, and I assume a lot of them do know that it's happening, that they'd get some type of relief, some type of uh of um comfort from the fact that, you know, Jews around the world actually are concerned and are dedicating time uh during services this Shabbat to keep them in mind and to pray for them. When I tell some of the soldiers and their parents uh that Jews all over the world are praying for them, it literally brings tears to their eyes and it uh it is of enormous help uh in in a in a medical way. I mean even so it's you know very very important and there are studies by the way I've been a rabbi for many years so I know some of these things there there are studies that show that people get better even when they don't know that people are domining for them it still has some kind of uh effect. So it's extremely important uh that it happen all the time. Uh we're we're hoping we're hoping that at least this shabas it will be emphasized in in shs around the world. Um there are I mean look shabas is late you know in this in this area it starts in about 13 hours. There's still time rabbis and community leaders who would like to participate and really gain from all the uh material that you've released and made available to rabbis. I mean, I assume they could still do that before Shabas. These days, everything's online. What do you What will you say now to those who are tuned in who want to have a role in this very special Shabbat? >> I will just say that unfortunately it's not all online because this was supposed to be a guide for rabbis. And so I sent it in rabbitic channels in WhatsApp groups and on, you know, the RCA list serve and all that. But so many people found out about it and sort of that ship has sailed. So, while it's not online, uh I would be very happy to send anyone a copy of the 26-page booklet that we made with materials including activities uh for families and for children and for youth. Uh all you need to do is write to me, you know, email me at Rabbi Fine, Rabb I Fe, at Israel Rabbis, that's one word, I s a lra rabbis.org, and I'd be very happy to send. But even if you don't have our material, there's enough uh there's enough material in the in our in our misora to dive in for uh people who need it. And even if people at the mishab for the which I assume most say they people if people could just make and especially this shabish just uh make it a little bit more pronounced that we're doing for our brothers and sisters in Israel. uh because like you said unfortunately even in Israel it's sometimes uh forgotten about and uh one I'll just end with uh with one of our one of our rabbis uh in Barai uh from Ofim his name is Harab Shakar Bkak he actually uh fought with terrorists on the morning of October 7th uh and he was very badly injured in his leg actually the terrorist that uh was was shooting him or that shot him was wearing an IDF uniform so even though Harab Shakar knew that it was a terrorist. This he hesitated for a split second cuz he he couldn't shoot somebody who was wearing an IDF uniform and uh that was on October 7th and he is still while he's while he's doing well and speaking and rabbing and all that he still is suffering uh and is an enormous amount of pain uh almost all the time. So he's just one example but there like I said over 20,000 and uh and they're they're they're ill from they're injured soldiers from previous wars. Uh so we ask everyone to just really uh you know be no and to to just think about every everything that's going on and to and to pause and to to remember and to daven. >> Wow. You know I fine you just uh gave us a in what you just said. You gave us a piece of practical advice. I know that this is mundane compared to the bigger picture, but there are synagogues that, you know, know of lists and lists that continue to be published of soldiers who are injured who need our prayers. Um for some schulsa that might be impractical to actually recite each name as they're conducting the mishaber for those who are ill. But as you just said even a general statement about those who've been injured uh you know in the most recent war those who have been injured in you know terrorist attacks and serving in the Israeli army would be extremely beneficial because it would it would remind everybody in the shul that this is a significant group that we're praying for. So I think it's a good piece of practical advice. I I'll just say uh based on what you just said that uh I send out a a list of uh seriously injured soldiers every week to a lot of my rabbitic colleagues in America. Thank God Barak Hashem Bai and Har. It's it's only around 20 to 30 uh people soldiers every week meaning obviously that's tragic but you know it could be a lot more than that but if anyone is so 20 names could be said so every chabas so obviously those are only the seriously injured and recently seriously injured but if anyone wants to get on my list uh they're more than welcome to contact me again rabbi fine at Israel rabbis.org RG >> uh Rabbi Ka Cavode, what can I say? It's really an overwhelming conversation because we don't realize what's going on over there and just how uh how devoted the soldiers are and the price that they're willing to pay to support and to defend the people of Israel, the state of Israel, and the land of Israel. And uh this is a very very important reminder about that. So Colin, >> thank you. Thank you. And just a personal note, uh people could dive in for my son uh who's in uh Gaza as we speak. So I'd appreciate that as well. >> Wow. By fine. Have a shabbat shalom and I hope it's a very >> Thank you. It's a really a pleasure. Have a great shab and everyone should dive in hard. Thank you. >> Yeah, Kela is right. Um, yeah, maybe we should do the mishabak this week at that aliyah instead of waiting for the uh for the end of laning. Maybe we should do the mishabarak for those who are ill and right either before or right after that aliyah bring even more awareness to the project. Uh, you can reach Rabbi Fine, Rabbi Fine at israelabbis.org. Rabbi fine f i ne atrael rabbis.org