One of the soldiers who was killed this summer was Benaya Rein. He was killed just after Shabbat, mere hours before the ceasefire was declared, when Hezbollah terrorists fired an anti-tank missile at the tank he was commanding.Benaya was buried in the cemetery of his home community, Karnei Shomron, and immediately afterwards, his sister was rushed to the hospital to give birth, where she gave birth to a baby boy.
The following week, when the family got up from Shiva, they went first to the cemetery to visit Benaya’s grave, and then to the Brit Milah of their new grandson – named Benaya, after his heroic uncle.
When the family went through Benaya’s belongings, they found a piece of paper with a hand-written prayer written that had been with Benaya since grade school, and that he’d carried with him into war.
The text of the prayer is below, in Hebrew and English. We ask of you to please include it as a special prayer in your Yom Kippur services, in memory of Benaya and his heroism, and in tribute to his family and those of the other victims of terrorism and war, as they continue his legacy.
May it be Your will Dear G-d, our L-rd and L-rd of our fathers, that you nullify war and blood-letting from the world and that a large and wonderful peace should continue in the world; that nation should no longer lift up sword against nation, nor should they any longer learn war, but that all residents of the Earth should recognize and know the truth for its truthfulness – that we did not come to this world for argument or fighting – G-d forbid – and not for hatred or deceit, spite or blood-letting G-d forbid, but that we have come to the world in order to recognize and know You and Your blessings.
Capt. Benaya Rein was buried in Karnei Shomron. He is survived by his parents Hagit and Shimon, and seven siblings: Harel, Nuria, Morasha, Elyashiv, Bat-El, Elishama, and Dov.
May the G-d of Israel comfort them among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Posted by: RR | Friday, 29 September 2006 at 01:20 PM