Tzfat Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu organized a mass prayer at the Kotel, on Sunday afternoon, for the people of China, who are suffering from the Coranavirus epidemic. The special prayer is cosponsored by the OU in Israel and additional rabbis.
The prayers called upon God to have mercy and cure the Chinese people from the Coronavirus and for the health of all people around the world.
Rabbi Uri Shenkin explained in English:
“The People of Israel are in the heart of the world, and when there is one organ that is sick, our rabbis say that the whole world is also sick.
“So when we feel the suffering of the Chinese people and [thus] the whole world we pray for them; we pray because we are part of humanity and they are part of us.
“We want them, we beg them to pray also to the Creator of the world together with us when we pray for them, so they will pray also for the welfare of China and also all humanity.
“Also we are thinking about our sins, and China should make a reflection considering the importance of human life, and … on the sanctity and holiness of human life.
“And together with this thinking, and also with your prayer in China, and our prayer here in the center of the world, we will pray to the Creator of the world to bring peace, love and health to the whole mankind,” Rabbi Shenkin said.
Rabbi Avi Berman, Executive Director of the Orthodox Union (OU) in Israel, added:
“There are many doctors and many physicians and many medical experts in the world trying to find a cure for this corona virus. What we know how to do well is we know how to pray, we know how to talk to God.
“We’re going to pray that the doctors are going to be successful, those that are looking for a cure are going to be successful.
“We’re going to stand right here under where the Temple was. In every Sukkot they used to come from all over the world and they used to pray for the success of the world in the Temple.
“Now that we don’t have the Temple – we’re standing right under it – and we’re praying to God, please; allow the doctors to find a cure as soon as possible. Allow this coronavirus to disappear from the world as fast.
“It came to the world, it should disappear as soon as possible — and may we see only prosperity and really, only success for the world, Rabbi Berman concluded.”