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 Dear Friend,
This Shabbos named is Shabbat Shirah, ”The Shabbat of Song.” This is because the Torah portion contains the most famous “song” in the Torah, the song Moshe and the Jews sang upon their crossing of Reed Sea.
It is a song of deep love of G-d. A song of perfect faith. A song of prayer.
It is also a song closely connected to Miriam. "Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the tambourine in her hand; and all the women followed her with tambourines and dances. And Miriam called to them: 'Sing to G‑d, for He is most exalted; horse and rider He cast in the sea...'"
The same Miriam who served as the Jewish midwife bringing Jewish children into the world and refusing Pharoh’s orders, the same Miriam that watched her brother Moshe in the River, actively involved in saving his life. ..
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This week, I came across a beautiful prayer/song written by a nurse in Israel. And the author, an Israeli woman by the name of Dafna Meir, had many similarities to Miriam. She too helped bring Jewish children in the world as a fertility practitioner. And as a nurse in the neurosurgery department, she was involved daily in life-saving work.
But earlier this week,Dafna was tragically murdered at her own home in Israel by a Palestinian terrorist, leaving behind a grieving husband and 6 young children (2 of them foster children).
As we mourn over this terrible loss, cry out to Hashem in pain, and let others know about terrorism and murder of innocent lives in our Holy Land (often not mentioned in the media), I’ve attached a translation of the prayer Dafna posted on her blog that she wrote while studying for a medical exam.
"May it be Your Will, Creator of the world, He Who manages it with mercy and loving kindness, to grant me the ability to give medications to Your people in need of salvation, and also to the members of other nations who are in the devoted care of your faithful messengers, who continue their holy work day and night, on the Sabbath and holidays, without letup.
"Grant that I understand, remember and realize, that the medications are a gift from You, and their efficacy is Your message to us.
"Grant that I view and feel joy at their beneficial influence of the medications I, mercifully, can give those who are ill.
"Grant me the ability to concentrate when giving out these medicines, to understand the way each acts on disease.
"Grant that I notice in time any of my errors or those of my colleagues when handing out medications, and that I act quickly to correct the errors before the medication enters the body of the patient.
"Grant that I act with modesty, learn and teach others about the successes and failures in giving medication.
"Grant that I give medications to the sick from a position of good health and that I remember to be grateful that I myself do not have to take them.
"Grant that I learn to have empathy, although in good health, with the patient's suffering and help him with all my ability every day and every hour, using the tools that You have given me.
"Amen."
May her memory be as a blessing and we merit the day when we, like in our Torah Portion, will sing songs of joy and redemption at a time when "the spirit of impurity will be removed from the land" and G-d will "wipe away tears from the earth"...forever.
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This Shabbos Davening at 909 Reedy Creek Rd. begins at 9:30 am with Torah Reading and discussion at 10:30 am and a kiddush at around 12:30 pm. We are sponsoring the Kiddush this week in honor of our daughter’s Rivkah’s birthday.
Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Yisroel and Rebbetzin Chana
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Chabad of Cary Jewish Center 
