Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau has crafted a prayer for the return of the abducted to be recited at the Passover table. The prayer's text precedes the rabbi's address.
Rabbi Lau noted that during the Passover Seder, Jews reflect on the history of Egyptian slavery and subsequent liberation. This year, many chairs intended for the families of those abducted and killed during the October 7 attack will remain empty.
"Each of us has a sacred duty to empathize with our neighbors' pain, especially during the reading of the Haggadah, and to pray for the kidnapped and those in distress," emphasized the Chief Rabbi.
The prayer, composed by Rabbi David Lau, is recommended to be read before the passage "Vehi Sheamda," which recounts the Jews' perpetual struggle against persecution, with divine intervention ensuring their survival.
The translated prayer reads: "May it be the will of the Heavenly Father, who freed the Jews from the sufferings of Egypt, to bless and protect our kidnapped brothers and sisters, bound with iron chains. May He shield them from calamities and illness, show mercy to their children, and swiftly undo their unjust sentences. May they emerge from darkness into light, from captivity to freedom, returning peacefully to their families and homes."
