Birkat Halevana - Protection

Our Rabbis tell us that the Jewish Nation is compared to the moon. Just as the moon waxes and wanes, so too the Jewish Nation seems to have its own ups and downs. This is both a short and long-term phenomenon.

Each and every month, upon the new moon's arrival and rebirth, we go outside and thank G-d for creating the moon, by reciting a special blessing. We do this before the moon reaches its full strength on the 14th or 15th day of the month. By thanking G-d for the moon (that we are compared to as a nation), we achieve a special state of protection the entire month. We jump up and say [to the moon] '...just as we are jumping/dancing towards you, and cannot touch you, so too, even if our enemies jump towards us in order to hurt us, they shall have no ability to touch us or to rule over us or to hurt us at all. Fear and dread should fall upon upon them. They shall become stiff as stone from the strength of Your (G-d's) Great hand...'

We explicitly ask for this protection while reciting our blessing on the new moon that seemed to have disappeared for a night or two. Just as the Jewish nation seems to get to a point of despair and danger, G-d renews our license on life, the same way it is with the new moon. Right after we finish the blessing, it is customary to ask G-d for one very special request as it is a special time for prayers to be accepted.

I wish the Israeli soldiers that are highly-endangering their lives for the protection of their fellow Jewish brethren, the only protection that counts, from G-d himself. May He watch over them and protect them from our enemies who only seek to destroy us forever. We know G-d's protection is with us and with that, we can never be hurt.

This month, we can all ask for G-d to protect all of our brothers and sisters wherever they are from all of our enemies, near and far. If the soldiers themselves can try to say this blessing it would surely arouse great mercy upon them from Heaven and they should be especially protected the whole month.