Rav Yosef Tzvi Rimon, Chief Rabbi of Gush Etzion, Rosh Yeshiva of Machon Lev and Founder and Chairman of La’Ofek, has penned a new Kinnah for Tisha B’av this year, lamenting the events of the Simchas Torah massacre.
Rav Rimon stated: “This year, Tisha B’Av is especially difficult. There is the destruction that we always cry over, and there is our destruction that joins the larger destruction. But on the other hand, we have achieved special things. We come to this war, not out of weakness or lowliness. Am Yisrael has risen up. It is hard for us but we need to remember that within the hardship, we are living in incredible times and to know that we will win this war, with Hashem’s help.
In this spirit, I wrote this Kinah. It was important to me to write a Kinah that reflects the crying, the pain, the cost, the fears, and humiliation, but along with it, shows the greatness of Am Yisrael and our heroes to remind us that we are in a time of redemption with many miracles. B’ezrat Hashem, from the crying and the memory of destruction back then and the destruction of this year, we will quickly achieve victory and complete redemption.”
Read the full text of the Kinnah below:
שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה – שְׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת,
נֶהְפַּךְ מְחוֹלֵנוּ לְתוּגָה קוֹדֶרֶת;
בְּיוֹם זֶה נִפְרְצוּ הַגְּדֵרוֹת,
יִשּׁוּבֵי הָעוֹטֵף, אֳפָקִים וּשְׂדֵרוֹת.
Simchas Torah – Shemini Atzeret,
Our dancing was turned into despondent grief;
On this day the fences were breached,
[In] the towns of the [Gaza] envelope, Ofakim and Sderot.
אֵיכָה אַרְצֵנוּ הָיְתָה לְמִרְמָס,
וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ חַמַאס,
מֵרְצוּעַת עַזָּה מְקוֹר הָרֶשַׁע,
מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ חַמַאס יָצָא צֶפַע.
How was our land humiliated,
The land was filled with Hamas,
From the Gaza Strip, the source of the evil,
From the root of Hamas came poison.
אֵיכָה בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁבַע הַקָּפוֹת,
נָסוּ עַל נַפְשָׁם מֵאֵימַת חֲטִיפוֹת,
אוֹיֵב אַכְזָר מַצִּית שְׂרֵפוֹת,
רוֹצֵחַ, מַשְׁפִּיל, בְּלִי לְהַרְפּוֹת.
How in place of seven hakafos,
They fled for their lives for fear of kidnapping,
A cruel enemy ignited fires,
Murdered, degraded, without letting up.
אֵיכָה בִּמְקוֹם תְּפִלַּת הַגֶּשֶׁם,
יָרַד דּוֹדִי לַעֲרוּגוֹת הַבֹּשֶׂם,
שׁוֹשַׁנִּים נִטְבָּחִים, חִלּוּל הַשֵׁם,
לִמְרַצְּחִים אַל תִּתֵּן יָד וָשֵׁם.
How in place of the Prayer for Rain,
My beloved went down to the scented flower beds,
Roses were murdered, a desecration of G-d’s name,
Do not give a memorial and remembrance to the murderers.
אֵיכָה בִּשְׁנַת שִׁבְעִים וָשֵׁשׁ,
תִּמְרוֹת עָשָׁן דָּם וָאֵשׁ,
יְהוּדִי בְּמַחְבּוֹא נֶחֱרַד וְלוֹחֵשׁ,
תַּחַת עֹנֶג שַׁבַּת קֹדֶשׁ.
How, in the 76th year,
There were pillars of smoke, blood and fire,
A Jew in hiding, whispering in fear,
Instead of the joy of the holy Shabbas.
אֵיכָה בְּנֵי צִיּוֹן הַיְקָרִים,
נָפְלוּ בִּידֵי אַנָּסִים אֲרוּרִים,
מְרוּטֵי לֶחִי נְתוּנִים לְמַכִּים,
אַחִים חֲטוּפִים בִּידֵי חֲמָסִים.
How did the precious children of Zion,
Fall into the hands of accursed rapists,
The plucked of cheek were given over to the attackers,
Our brothers were taken captive by the violent ones.
בַּיּוֹם בּוֹ שִׁמְךָ הִתְחַלֵּל,
לוֹחֲמִים נֶאֶבְקוּ אֶת שִׁמְךָ לְגַדֵּל,
הַבֵּט וּרְאֵה – מִי כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל,
חַזְּקֵנוּ וְאַמְּצֵנוּ, וּבָא לְצִיּוֹן גּוֹאֵל.
On the day Your name was defiled,
Soldiers fought to advance Your great name,
Look and see – who is like Your people Israel?
Strengthen us and give us courage, and may the redeemer come to Zion.
כְּבַרְזֶל‭ ‬לַחֲמוּ‭ ‬אַמִּיצוֹת‭ ‬וְאַמִּיצִים‭ ‬אֲהוּבִים‭,‬
עֲדִינֵי נֶפֶשׁ מִיַּד צַר מְגִנִּים,
בִּגְבוּרָתָם רָאִינוּ תְּשׁוּעַת עוֹלָמִים,
נִזְקְפָה קוֹמָתֵנוּ דּוֹר גְּאוּלִים.
They fought like iron, the beloved brave ones,
The gentle souls, guarding from the oppressor,
Due to their courage, we have witnessed salvation of worlds,
Our stature was straightened, in a generation of redemption.
בַּיּוֹם בּוֹ נִטְמְאָה נַחֲלָתֵנוּ,
הֻתְּרָה לְפִרְסוּם גְּבוּרַת עַמֵּנוּ,
נַפְשָׁם בְּכַפָּם מוֹסְרִים גִּבּוֹרֵינוּ,
אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ נְקֹם נִקְמַת אַחֵינוּ!
On the day our inheritance was defiled,
The bravery of our people was released for publication,
Our courageous ones give up their souls in their palms,
Our Father, Our King, avenge the vengeance of our brothers.
עַל שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל נִקְרָא שְׁמֵנוּ,
זוֹכֵר וּמַזְכִּיר בְּרִית אֲבוֹתֵינוּ,
מִצָּפוֹן וּמִדָּרוֹם עוֹמְדִים לְכַלּוֹתֵנוּ,
וּבְרִיתְךָ עוֹמֶדֶת לָנוּ בְּאַרְצֵנוּ.
By Your Great Name we are called,
The One Who remembers and mentions the covenant of our forefathers,
From north and south they rise up to destroy us,
But Your covenant remains steadfast for us in our land.
עָרִיצֵי פָּרַס יָזְמוּ עֲלִילוֹת,
מַטָּחִים שָׁלְחוּ לְנוֹשְׂאֵי תְּפִלּוֹת,
סְפוּנִים יָשְׁבוּ וְעֵינֵיהֶם מְיַחֲלוֹת,
אֶת נִסֶּיךָ רָאוּ – נוֹרָא תְּהִלּוֹת.
The dictators of Persia initiated plots,
They sent barrages against those who raised a prayer,
They sat in shelters, their eyes hoping,
They saw Your miracles, the Awesome One of praise.
כַּנְפֵי רוּחַ, כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים,
רָאוֹ רָאִינוּ בְּרַעֲיוֹת חַיָּלִים,
הוֹרִים וִילָדִים אֶת יַקִּירֵיהֶם מְקַבְּרִים,
חַזְּקֵם וְאַמְּצֵם עֲדַת אַבִּירִים
The wings of spirit, the wings of eagles,
We have seen soldiers’ wives,
Parents and children bury their loved ones,
Strengthen and fortify them, the congregation of heroes.
גַּלֵּי שִׂנְאָה שׁוֹטְפִים עוֹלָמֶךָ,
שׁוֹצְפִים צוֹרְרִים עַל מַקְדִּישֵׁי שְׁמֶךָ,
רוֹדְפִים אֶת שְׁלוּחֶיךָ נוֹשְׂאֵי דְּגָלֶיךָ,
בְּאַהֲבָה יְהִי נָא עָלֵינוּ דִּלּוּגֶיךָ.
Waves of hate engulf Your world,
Oppressors swarm over those who sanctify Your name,
They chase Your messengers, those who carry Your flag,
May You skip over us with love.
הָשֵׁב חֲטוּפִים, קְרָא דְּרוֹר לַשְּׁבוּיִים,
נְטַע עֲקוּרִים בְּאַהֲבַת נְצָחִים,
שַׁקֵּם פְּצוּעִים רוֹמֵם נִדְכָּאִים,
נַהֵל עֲדָתְךָ בְּחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים.
Return the hostages, call for freedom for those in captivity,
Plant those who have been uprooted with everlasting love,
Rehabilitate the wounded, raise up the depressed,
Lead Your congregation with kindness and mercy.
מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ עַל מְדִינָתֵנוּ,
עַל גְּאֻלָּתֵנוּ וְעַל פְּדוּת נַפְשֵׁנוּ,
מְאֻחָדִים תּוֹלִיכֵנוּ קוֹמְמִיּוּת בְּאַרְצֵנוּ,
הָחֵשׁ בֶּן דָּוִד מְשִׁיחַ צִדְקֵנוּ.
We give thanks to You for our State,
And for our redemption and the salvation of our soul,
United lead us upright in our land,
Hasten the son of David, our righteous Mashiach.
{Matzav.com Israel}