An E-mail Addict For Chessed

            Chana is an e-mail addict for almost anything religiously Jewish. She has immense fulfillment in sharing and helping others through her various email listings and postings. Her e-mails range from Torah to name lists for davening. She sends out e-mails for Torah ideas and Divrei Torah that have an impact on her.   Chana is also responsible for the efforts (and successes) of many women of all ages (from young girls to older women) who keep to a commitment of reciting daily Tehillim allotments. This undertaking happened as a result of the beginning of the Intifada on October 7, 2000 when Kever Yosef was taken from the Jews. It was during the days between Yom Kippur and Succot. Chana made phone calls amongst her friends and the females got together during Chol HaMoed Succot and recited Tehillim. Although the desire to continue meeting as a group was in everyone’s heart, the short winter days and return to school/work schedules altered the idea. Instead the individuals involved took it upon themselves to continue their commitment – but at home.   Over the years the group has grown such that the Sefer Tehillim is now recited twice a day – morning and late afternoon. According to HaRav Mordechai Twersky, each person gets credit as if they recited the entire Book of the Tehillim twice each day, even though their actual portion was only in the morning or the afternoon.      Anyone interested in starting their own group?                   

  Would You Please Daven For…?       

 A different e-mail list that gets sent out is the Name List of people who are sick and in need of special davening. It came into being as just a personal list – which means to say that in communication with people on the street or in correspondence, names of people were mentioned. These names were then sent out as lists to others to pass on the power of prayer. The lists became longer as the names and requests multiplied.        Chana became frustrated when people did not always “update” her on the status (recovered, or ch”v niftar) of the person behind the name being davened for. A decision was made for a davening list with an integrated follow-up. She still sends out names that come to her as “One Time Prayer Requests”. But there is also a Tzfat Connections Prayer List.       And the lists became an international project.

Chana decided on guidelines for this venture: 

1)      The Name List (Tzfat Connections Prayer List) e-mails are sent out in Hebrew or in English. 2)      Certain “status” information along with the name – reason of why the name is given,city, and age (infant, illness, surgery, old age).    3)  Anyone can receive a list to daven for the Names in their own time schedule. But a Sponsor has to follow the guidelines written above.  

A commitment to the Tzfat Connections Prayer List means:  

1) Having an e-mail address and preferably a printer, too. 
2) One needs to look at their e-mails daily (not on Shabbat or Yom Tov)
3) Davening for the names on the List means that the Names are read out loud  -daily-six days a week
4) A person can give a name – be a Sponsor – to the List however this entails a responsibility to also daven for all the others on this List. Once a name is given and put on the List, the Sponsor is expected to periodically update Chana so she can update the List on how the “davened” name is doing. Old names are moved to the bottom of the List (or removed when the name has recovered (or was ch”v niftar).     In Yerushalayim, at the Kotel there is a Nishmat Kol Chai Minyan at midnight. Men and women gather – each on their own side of the mechitza (the dividing wall). During this special Tefilla (prayer service), there is also a List of names that people daven for. The names are abundant; and often names are added by the many in attendance at the Minyan. Each name (including the Tzfat Connections Prayer List) is recited out loud for all to answer Amen.     

 The power of prayer with kavana (real emotional intent) can move even the simple person to tears. Prayer (davening) is awesome!  A prayer Name List is an up and coming enterprise. People throughout the world have prayer e-mail chains. Anyone interested in starting their own group should do so and decide their own guidelines to follow.