Master of the Universe, Who makes peace in the upper echelons,
Although we are not authorized to establish prayers, we can no longer look at the slaughter which is taking place in your world and not pray. Although we know that both sides in the war spill blood callously, we cannot remain silent while so many non-combatants become casualties.
We turn to you with the prayer that simple humanity and the spirit of mercy will be awakened in the hearts of the murderers, so they will realize that we were all created in the image of God and that there are limits to acts of cruelty. May there appear in this world what You wrote in Your Torah: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of G-d He made man (Gen. 9:5).”
Send us the insight to know what to do at this difficult time, a time when once again the evil side of human nature is revealed and we do not know how we are supposed to act in the face of this bitter reality. Send us the ability to do everything we can to prevent bloodshed in the world and especially in the broad borders of the Holy Land, of which you wrote in Your Torah: “So you shall not pollute the Land you are in, for blood pollutes the Land; and the Land cannot be expiated of the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of him that shed it (Numbers 35:33).”
May the One who makes peace in the upper echelons bring peace on us and all Israel, and say Amen.