With Shofarot and Vuvuzelas, a "Curse" in Yaffo

I'm not wise enough to understand the actions taken today when a group of Kabbalists went to Yaffo and "cursed" those involved in removing ancient graves in the area. I have Emunat Hachamim that the actions taken were necessary, but I have not been able to reach that level of understanding.

Perhaps, in my limited understanding, I can offer that the Haredi websites were exaggerating when they called it a קללה - "a curse".

Here is the poster issued prior to the event, from Ladaat. Notice that the words are more of a "Tefilla and Tikkun" - not a curse.


Here is Rav Batzri leading the event, from Kikar Shabbat.
The other type of Shofar looks like a vuvuzela to me, but maybe I've never seen that type of shofar. There are better pictures of them at the Kikar Shabbat site.

Also from Kikar Shabbat, the main prayer involved in the "curse".


The prayer was taken from Rav Hayim Palachi's רפואה וחיים. Notice, in the original, it only mentions גוים (non-Jews who desecrate Jewish graves) - not the word put in brackets - זדים (transgressors - i.e., even Jews who do the same). I wonder if R' Hayim Palachi would approve of this prayer being used against Jews. Apparently, these Kabbalists say that he would.

As a possible explanation, we can say that it is unclear that "אותה יד תקצץ" is really a curse, as we see the gemara in Niddah 13b asks whether the Mishna's use of תקצץ is a curse or a Din. The gemara doesn't seem to be conclusive, but the מלאכת שלמה says that the gemara concludes that it is a curse. However, Tosafot on the gemara(ד"ה דינא תנן) says that in the case of another gemara (in Shabbat 108b), where a similar expression is used, it does not mean a curse. Rather, it means that it would have been better for his hand to be cut off before doing that act.


Incidentally, it seems that a lot more modern-day requests were added to this prayer, including prayers that women shouldn't abort their babies if they don't like their ultrasounds, that Yeshiva boys shouldn't be drafted, that girls shouldn't be drafted, that secular students should transfer to religious schools, and to kick the "Reformim" out of Israel.

Whether this was a curse or not, it seems that no punches were pulled, in the spiritual sense.