This Yom Kippur, in addition to our loved ones, we will certainly have the captives (the chatufim), the chayalim, and their families in mind, as well as all the wounded. Each of us will undoubtedly have many other individuals and needs in mind as well.
Let us remember to beg Hashem pleadingly for the vast majority of our brothers and sisters, many of whom are currently unable to ask for themselves. This is the only request that, in our daily Shemoneh Esrei, Hashem Himself expressly states that He desires. Let us storm the heavens for our beloved Father and for the majority of His children who are disconnected right now, to return to their loving Father Who desires and awaits their return.
The first Avinu Malkeinu we say responsively, repeating after the chazan, is asking Hashem to cause our (ALL of us) complete return to Him. Unfortunately, my experience is that we tend to sleep through that Avinu Malkeinu and wake up with a loud and energized “Sh’lach r’fuah sh’leimah.” While health is crucially important, it is only important in this world. What is even more crucial and urgent is that we and all of our brothers and sisters return to Hashem, because that is for eternity – forever and forever.
Why do we daven so hard for others who are in need of healing and for the return of the captives, which we absolutely should continue to do, and yet be so nonchalant and passive about davening for the eternity of others? Perhaps, eternity is not as real to us as it should be. For if it was, we would be belting out the loudest, most intense and emotional “Avinu Malkeinu hachazireinu…” that would even overshadow the others. We would be emotionally invested in the brachah of “Hashiveinu” in Shemoneh Esrei, knowing it is the one desire expressed by Hashem, and it is by far the most important need of our brothers and sisters who are now distant in their feeling of connection to Hashem. (In truth, they are really not distant, as we are all Hashem’s children, regardless of what we do or don’t do, and can never lose that title of child).
It is also the most important need of every one of us, even those who currently feel connected with Hashem. We all want to deepen our connection and return completely to Hashem. So at least until after Yom Kippur, let us raise the bar high in our tefilos in Shemoneh Esrei and in Avinu Malkeinu specifically for what Hashem desires, and for what we and all of our brothers and sisters need more than anything else in the world: t’shuvah sh’leimah!!
May Hashem return all of us to Him speedily and completely.