Learning Torah in a State of Holiness / Becoming a True Human Being When a worthy person learns and understands the Torah, it becomes for him an “elixir of life” and a “shining countenance.” But if a person is not worthy, then the Torah becomes for him a “potion of death” and a “dark countenance.” In his essence, a Jew is holy and far from all evil traits and desires. When he sins, however, he is overtaken by the evil traits associated with the seventy archetypal nations. And the evil trait that induced him to sin causes him to fall under the sway of the nation whose leading characteristic is that same trait. A Jew can free himself only by learning Torah, which is the opposite of all evil traits and desires. He must toil until he attains a true understanding of the holy Torah. And then he is at last considered to be a true “human being.” This prayer was composed by Reb Noson sometime during 1827. During that year, Czar Nikolai II, known as the Iron Czar, instituted the infamous Cantonist decree of forcibly drafting young Jewish boys into the Russian army. These boys were twelve years old (or younger when there were no twelve-year-olds available) and were placed in cantons (military camps) and forcibly trained to act like their hosts. When they reached the age of eighteen, they were then drafted into the czar’s army for a period of twenty-five years! Needless to say, the vast majority of these young Jews were torn away from their Jewish roots and never returned home. This is the pain seen in Reb Noson’s prayer. The Suffering of Exile “HaShem is my light and salvation. Whom shall I fear? HaShem is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? Evildoers, my adversaries and enemies crowd against me to eat my flesh, but they will stumble and fall.”
Master of the world, You Who have chosen Your nation, the Jewish people, with love, You know how many troubles we have suffered since the day that we went into exile — particularly what we are suffering now, since the promulgation of the evil and bitter edict to conscript twelve-year-old Jewish boys into the army.
Many hundreds of Jewish boys have been conscripted and subjected to hunger and the sword in an effort to remove every vestige of Judaism from them. That is the most bitter decree of all. Some of them have been subjected to terrors so harsh and bitter that they have died. Others were weakened by disease. Some purposely maimed themselves, suffering terribly, in order to stay out of the army and remain Jewish.
In addition to that, the suffering of these boys’ fathers, mothers, relatives and others who love them is so great that “the strength of the porter has collapsed.”
Woe to us for our catastrophe! What shall we say? How shall we justify ourselves? You have uncovered our sins. How shall we cry out over our disaster? We are crippled by our wounds.
You have not turned Your anger away from us. To the contrary, before the first blow was bandaged, You struck us again — for even after the stricken, moaning children were taken captive from every town, Your hand remained stretched out, and even more Jewish boys are slated to be drafted into the army within the year.
What will we do? We cannot even cry out to You because our hearts are closed and our spirits sealed due to these troubles. In addition, we suffer due to the enticements of our evil inclination. And so we are under siege from both directions — physical and spiritual, from without and from within.
From without, the sword bereaves us as the bitter decrees are put into effect. From within, our evil inclination grows stronger with its scheming and cunning.
You have only one purpose in subjecting us to this multitude of troubles: to inspire us to awaken and return to You. But we have not done so. To the contrary, the evil inclination mocks us and twists our hearts, so that innumerable Jews question Your straight and proper ways.
A Nation Alone Gracious and forgiving Master of the world, “forgive the sin of this nation in accordance with the greatness of Your kindness, as You brought this nation forth from Egypt and until now.”
You are the only One Who knows how alone we are, “like a beacon at the top of the mountain and like a flag upon the hill.” “We have become orphans without a father; our mothers are like widows.”
There is no one in the world to stand up on our behalf. In our time of trouble, give us refuge. Gaze upon our suffering and the troubles of our hearts.
What will we do? Because of the darkness of our exile and the bitterness of our troubles, our intellect has become so obscured and our mind so weakened that we grow weary seeking the way to return to You.
Since Your only intent in all of our troubles is for us to come back to You, send us a redeemer to rescue us from all of our troubles, material and spiritual. May he teach us the right path to follow and inspire us to return to You as a result of what we have endured.
When we do not learn Torah properly, its ways are concealed from our eyes. That concealment strengthens the desires and evil traits of the gentiles, who then promulgate evil and bitter decrees against us.
But how can we rectify this? Because of the difficulties of earning a living, because our evil inclination has grown stronger, and because of the multitude of our troubles, it is very difficult for us to learn Torah properly.
Even those few people who do learn Torah suffer from a dulled intellect, so that for the most part, they do not understand the simple meaning of the words — much less appreciate its depths and sweetness, its inner core and secrets.
We do not have access to the light of the countenance of the holy Torah. We do not realize how far we are from its seventy “shining countenances” — which, ideally, would overcome and eradicate the seventy “dark countenances,” thus breaking the power of the gentiles.
Making Torah Our Permanent Occupation Eternal God, have compassion on us and give us our portion in Your Torah. Help us gain the inspiration to learn Torah day and night, without the interference of any troubles or business affairs.
May other people do our work on our behalf. Generously supply us with all that we need even before we need it, so that we will not have to engage in any business in order to earn a living. Rather, may Torah constitute our work in this world and accompany us in the World to Come.
Even when we must engage in some work and business in order to earn a living, strengthen our hearts so that we will not forget our eternal world. May we feel pity for our souls and set aside time to learn Torah, so that our learning will be the permanent element of our lives and our work transient.
May we stop learning Torah only when we must take care of our business. Otherwise, whenever we can find a minute, an hour, or a day or two to learn Torah, may we do so with great persistence.
Open the pathways of our minds so that we will understand all of the words of the Torah clearly, and we will put all of our thoughts into the Torah, looking deeply into those parts that require study.
May our intent in learning Torah not be to take pride or prove our superiority, not to be called “rabbi,” to earn money or to gain honor — in other words, not to make the words of the Torah “a shovel with which to dig or a crown in which to glory” — but only so that we may understand its words clearly.
Illumine our eyes and open our hearts so that we will quickly understand everything that we learn. May we learn all of the Torah’s holy volumes every day: Tanakh, Talmud, Shulchan Arukh, Midrash, the Zohar and Tikkuney Zohar, the writings of the Ari and the works of the Tzaddikim of our days. May we complete these works and review them all the days of our lives.
Help us always learn Your Torah, which constitutes our lives and the length of our days. May we contemplate it day and night and dedicate ourselves to learn until we grasp the Torah and nullify all of our evil desires and traits.
Keeping Our Minds on Torah Grant our hearts understanding so that we will lovingly comprehend, keep and teach all of the words of Your Torah for its own sake.
Help us focus the entirety of our minds on Your holy Torah day and night, so that it will illumine us with the light of its pleasant, holy countenance, and all of the seventy faces of Torah that the perfect Tzaddikim have attained will shine upon us and protect us. As a result, may we eradicate all of our lusts and evil traits.
In every generation, grant us refuge from times of trouble. Act for Your sake, for the sake of our fathers, and for the sake of all of the holy and awesome Tzaddikim in every generation. Quickly nullify all of the harsh decrees against us — those that have already been decreed and those that are being contemplated. Uproot, shatter and nullify them all in Your great mercy and kindness, and may no vestige of them remain.
When we stand up to pray, we are in an uncertain state, in the muddy depths. Despite all of that, we “arise and are still with You” — we still recite the Shema twice daily.25See footnote 5, p. 221. That alone gives us the courage to come and plead before You.
Answer us in the merit of the true Tzaddikim who served You in great holiness and purity, with self-sacrifice, a wondrous consciousness, and a whole heart all the days of their lives. And answer us in the merit of the tens of thousands of holy martyrs who sanctified Your Name — great and small, young and old — who were slaughtered and impaled, who died after every sort of unnatural torment, whose blood was spilled like water from the day of the destruction of the Temple until now.
You Who answer Your nation, the Jewish people, at a time of trouble, hurry to rescue us. “It is a time of trouble for Jacob, but from it, he will be saved.” Have pity on us. Our physical and spiritual needs are many, but our minds too limited to express a ten-thousandth of them.
Remove all enemies, epidemics, wars, hunger and grief. Remove Satan from before us and behind us. Conceal us in the shadow of Your wings, for we have no one on whom to rely except for You, our Father in Heaven. “We do not know what we shall do, for our eyes turn to You.”
“Behold, like the eyes of servants to the hand of their masters, like the eyes of the maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so are our eyes turned to HaShem our God, until He will be gracious to us. Be gracious to us, HaShem. Be gracious to us, because we have suffered much contempt.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה ק"א - בִּקְרוֹב עָלַי מְרֵעִים]
יְהֹוָה אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי מִמִּי אִירָא יְהֹוָה מָעוֹז חַיַּי מִמִּי אֶפְחָד. בִּקְרֹב עָלַי מְרֵעִים לֶאֱכֹל אֶת בְּשָׂרִי צָרַי וְאוֹיְבַי לִי הֵמָּה כָּשְׁלוּ וְנָפָלוּ.
Learning Torah in a State of Holiness / Becoming a True Human Being
When a worthy person learns and understands the Torah, it becomes for him an “elixir of life” and a “shining countenance.” But if a person is not worthy, then the Torah becomes for him a “potion of death” and a “dark countenance.”
In his essence, a Jew is holy and far from all evil traits and desires. When he sins, however, he is overtaken by the evil traits associated with the seventy archetypal nations. And the evil trait that induced him to sin causes him to fall under the sway of the nation whose leading characteristic is that same trait.
A Jew can free himself only by learning Torah, which is the opposite of all evil traits and desires. He must toil until he attains a true understanding of the holy Torah. And then he is at last considered to be a true “human being.”
This prayer was composed by Reb Noson sometime during 1827. During that year, Czar Nikolai II, known as the Iron Czar, instituted the infamous Cantonist decree of forcibly drafting young Jewish boys into the Russian army. These boys were twelve years old (or younger when there were no twelve-year-olds available) and were placed in cantons (military camps) and forcibly trained to act like their hosts. When they reached the age of eighteen, they were then drafted into the czar’s army for a period of twenty-five years! Needless to say, the vast majority of these young Jews were torn away from their Jewish roots and never returned home. This is the pain seen in Reb Noson’s prayer.
The Suffering of Exile
“HaShem is my light and salvation. Whom shall I fear? HaShem is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? Evildoers, my adversaries and enemies crowd against me to eat my flesh, but they will stumble and fall.”
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, אוֹהֵב עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַבּוֹחֵר בְּעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה. אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ אֶת רִבּוּי הַצָּרוֹת צְרוּרוֹת וּתְכוּפוֹת שֶׁעָבְרוּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיּוֹם הַגָּלוּת, בִּפְרָט מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר עָלֵינוּ עַתָּה בַּיָּמִים הַלָּלוּ,
Master of the world, You Who have chosen Your nation, the Jewish people, with love, You know how many troubles we have suffered since the day that we went into exile — particularly what we are suffering now, since the promulgation of the evil and bitter edict to conscript twelve-year-old Jewish boys into the army.
וְלֹא דַי לָנוּ מִכָּל הַשָּׁנִים שֶׁעָבְרוּ עָלֵינוּ מֵאָז וְעַד עַתָּה, אֲשֶׁר נִלְכְּדוּ כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה מֵאוֹת נְפָשׁוֹת לַשְּׁבִי וּלְרָעָב וּלְחֶרֶב וּלְהַעֲבִירָם עַל דַּת אֲשֶׁר זֶה קָשֶׁה מֵהַכֹּל, מִלְּבַד הַנְּפָשׁוֹת שֶׁנִּפְחֲדוּ בִּפְחָדִים קָשִׁים וּמָרִים בְּלִי שִׁעוּר אֲשֶׁר כַּמָּה מֵהֶם מֵתוּ עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה, וְכַמָּה נֶחְלְשׁוּ בְּחֳלָאִים רָעִים, וְכַמָּה חִבְּלוּ בְּעַצְמָן וְסָבְלוּ יִסּוּרִים קָשִׁים וּמָרִים וַעֲצוּמִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשָּׁאֲרוּ בְּדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל,
Many hundreds of Jewish boys have been conscripted and subjected to hunger and the sword in an effort to remove every vestige of Judaism from them. That is the most bitter decree of all. Some of them have been subjected to terrors so harsh and bitter that they have died. Others were weakened by disease. Some purposely maimed themselves, suffering terribly, in order to stay out of the army and remain Jewish.
וּבִפְרָט הָרַחֲמָנוּת וְהַצַּעַר וְהַמְּרִירוּת הַקָּשֶׁה וְהַכָּבֵד שֶׁל נַפְשׁוֹת אֲבִיהֶם וְאִמָּם וּקְרוֹבֵיהֶם וְאוֹהֲבֵיהֶם, אֲשֶׁר כָּשַׁל כֹּחַ הַסַּבָּל.
In addition to that, the suffering of these boys’ fathers, mothers, relatives and others who love them is so great that “the strength of the porter has collapsed.”
אוֹי לָנוּ עַל שִׁבְרֵנוּ, אוֹי אוֹי וַאֲבוֹי, אוֹי מֶה הָיָה לָנוּ, אוֹי מֶה הָיָה לָנוּ, מַה נֹּאמַר וּמַה נְּדַבֵּר וּמַה נִּצְטַדָּק, הָאֱלֹהִים מָצָא אֶת עֲוֹנֵינוּ. מַה נִּזְעַק עַל שִׁבְרֵנוּ, נַחְלָה מַכּוֹתֵינוּ.
Woe to us for our catastrophe! What shall we say? How shall we justify ourselves? You have uncovered our sins. How shall we cry out over our disaster? We are crippled by our wounds.
וְלֹא דַי לָנוּ בְּכָל זֶה אֲשֶׁר בְּכָל זֹאת לֹא הֵשִׁיב אַפּוֹ מֵאִתָּנוּ וְעוֹד הוֹסִיף לְהַכּוֹת אוֹתָנוּ מַכָּה עַל מַכָּה, כִּי עַד לֹא חֻבְּשָׁה מַכָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, אֲשֶׁר עֵינֵינוּ עוֹלְלָה לְנַפְשֵׁנוּ עַל בְּנוֹת עִירֵנוּ, עַל נַפְשׁוֹת הַמֻּכִּים וְהַמְּרוּטִים נַפְשׁוֹת הַנֶּאֱנָחִים וְהַנֶּאֱנָקִים, אֲשֶׁר נִלְכְּדוּ כְּבָר מִכָּל עִיר וָעִיר, עוֹד יָדוֹ נְטוּיָה מִן אָז וְעַד עָתָּה,
You have not turned Your anger away from us. To the contrary, before the first blow was bandaged, You struck us again — for even after the stricken, moaning children were taken captive from every town, Your hand remained stretched out, and even more Jewish boys are slated to be drafted into the army within the year.
אוֹי, אוֹי, אוֹי, אוֹי מִי יָקוּם יַעֲקֹב כִּי קָטֹן הוּא. אוֹי, אוֹי,
Woe! Woe! Woe! Woe! “How shall Jacob rise, for he is small?”
מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה, אוֹי, אוֹי, כִּי נִסְתַּם לִבֵּנוּ וְנֶאֱטַם רוּחֵנוּ אֲפִלּוּ מִלִּצְעֹק אֵלֶיךָ, הֵן מֵרִבּוּי הַצָּרוֹת, הֵן מֵרִבּוּי הַהִתְגָּרוּת שֶׁל הַבַּעַל דָּבָר, כִּי הַמִּלְחָמָה מִכָּל צַד, בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת וְרוּחָנִיּוּת, מִבִּפְנִים וּמִבַּחוּץ.
What will we do? We cannot even cry out to You because our hearts are closed and our spirits sealed due to these troubles. In addition, we suffer due to the enticements of our evil inclination. And so we are under siege from both directions — physical and spiritual, from without and from within.
בַּחוּץ שִׁכְּלָהּ חֶרֶב מְרִירוּת הַגְּזֵרוֹת, וּבְבֵיתוֹ וּבְתוֹכוֹ שֶׁל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִתְגַּבֵּר בִּנְכָלָיו וְעַרְמִימוּיוֹתָיו וְתַאֲווֹתָיו וְהִרְהוּרָיו וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו וְכוּ'.
From without, the sword bereaves us as the bitter decrees are put into effect. From within, our evil inclination grows stronger with its scheming and cunning.
וְלֹא דַי שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ זוֹכִין לְהִתְעוֹרֵר וְלָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת עַל־יְדֵי רִבּוּי הַצָּרוֹת, אֲשֶׁר כַּוָּנָתְךָ רַק בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה לְבַד, עוֹד הוֹסִיף לְהָתֵל בָּנוּ וְרוֹצֶה לְעַקֵּם אֶת לְבַב כַּמָּה מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַמָּה מִינֵי עַקְמִימִיּוּת עַל עַקְמִימִיּוּת בְּלִי שִׁעוּר, עַד שֶׁהַרְבֵּה מְהַרְהֵרִים אַחַר מִדּוֹתֶיךָ הַיְשָׁרוֹת וְהַנְּכוֹנוֹת בֶּאֱמֶת:
You have only one purpose in subjecting us to this multitude of troubles: to inspire us to awaken and return to You. But we have not done so. To the contrary, the evil inclination mocks us and twists our hearts, so that innumerable Jews question Your straight and proper ways.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, חַנּוּן הַמַּרְבֶּה לִסְלֹחַ, סְלַח נָא מְחַל נָא כַּפֶּר נָא. סְלַח נָא לַעֲוֹן הָעָם הַזֶּה כְּגֹדֶל חַסְדֶּךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַד הֵנָּה,
A Nation Alone
Gracious and forgiving Master of the world, “forgive the sin of this nation in accordance with the greatness of Your kindness, as You brought this nation forth from Egypt and until now.”
כִּי אַתָּה לְבַד יוֹדֵעַ מַעֲמָד וּמַצָּב שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַתָּה, כִּי נִשְׁאַרְנוּ כַּתֹּרֶן עַל רֹאשׁ הָהָר וְכַנֵּס עַל הַגִּבְעָה. יְתוֹמִים הָיִינוּ וְאֵין אָב אִמּוֹתֵינוּ כְּאַלְמָנוֹת,
You are the only One Who knows how alone we are, “like a beacon at the top of the mountain and like a flag upon the hill.” “We have become orphans without a father; our mothers are like widows.”
וְאֵין מִי יַעֲמֹד בַּעֲדֵנוּ שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל יַעֲמָד לָנוּ בְּעֵת צָרָה. הַבִּיטָה בְעָנְיֵנוּ כִּי רַבּוּ מַכְאוֹבֵינוּ וְצָרוֹת לְבָבֵנוּ,
There is no one in the world to stand up on our behalf. In our time of trouble, give us refuge. Gaze upon our suffering and the troubles of our hearts.
וּמַה יַּעֲשׂוּ הֲמוֹן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי מֵעֹצֶם חֶשְׁכַּת הַגָּלוּת וּמְרִירוּת הַצָּרוֹת נֶחְשַׁךְ הַשֵּׂכֶל וְנֶחְסַר הַדַּעַת, עַד אֲשֶׁר נִלְאוּ לִמְצֹא הַפֶּתַח לִתְשׁוּבָה לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ עַל־יְדֵי כָּל מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר עֲלֵיהֶם, אֲשֶׁר כַּוָּנָתְךָ רַק בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה.
What will we do? Because of the darkness of our exile and the bitterness of our troubles, our intellect has become so obscured and our mind so weakened that we grow weary seeking the way to return to You.
חוּס וַחֲמֹל עָלֵינוּ וּשְׁלַח לָנוּ מוֹשִׁיעַ וָרַב, לְהַצִּילֵנוּ מִכָּל הַצָּרוֹת בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת וְרוּחָנִיּוּת. וְיוֹרֵנוּ הַדֶּרֶךְ הַיָּשָׁר וְהָאֱמֶת, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְהִתְעוֹרֵר לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת עַל־יְדֵי כָּל מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר עָלֵינוּ, הֵן מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר בִּכְלָלִיּוּת עַל כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֵן מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר בִּפְרָטִיּוּת עַל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו.
Since Your only intent in all of our troubles is for us to come back to You, send us a redeemer to rescue us from all of our troubles, material and spiritual. May he teach us the right path to follow and inspire us to return to You as a result of what we have endured.
מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת, צוֹפֶה נִסְתָּרוֹת, אַתָּה לְבַד יוֹדֵעַ כָּל מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַתָּה בִּכְלָל וּבִפְרָט, מַה נֹּאמַר וּמַה נְּדַבֵּר:
You Who know hidden things, You alone know all that we undergo. As for us, what shall we say? How shall we speak?
רִבּוֹנוֹ דְעַלְמָא כֹּלָּא, אָדוֹן יָחִיד, נוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה, אַתָּה גִלִּיתָ לָנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ, שֶׁכָּל כֹּחַ הָעֲכּוּ"ם הוּא מֵהָעַיִן אַנְפִּין חֲשׁוּכִין,
Overcoming Persecution
Master of the universe, You revealed to us that the gentiles derive their power from the seventy “dark countenances.”
דְּהַיְּינוּ עַל־יְדֵי מַה שֶּׁאָנוּ מִתְרַשְּׁלִין בְּעֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה, וְאֵין אָנוּ מְעַיְּנִין בָּהּ כָּרָאוּי, וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה דַּרְכֵי הַתּוֹרָה נִסְתְּרוּ וְנֶחְשְׁכוּ מֵעֵינֵינוּ, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מִתְגַּבְּרִים חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כָּל הַתַּאֲווֹת וּמִדּוֹת רָעוֹת שֶׁבָּאִים מֵהָעֲכּוּ"ם שֶׁיּוֹנְקִין מֵאַנְפִּין חֲשׁוּכִין, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ מִתְגַּבֵּר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם מֶמְשַׁלְתָּם, וְגוֹזְרִין עָלֵינוּ גְזֵרוֹת רָעוֹת וּמָרוֹת רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן.
When we do not learn Torah properly, its ways are concealed from our eyes. That concealment strengthens the desires and evil traits of the gentiles, who then promulgate evil and bitter decrees against us.
אֲבָל מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה לְתַקֵּן זֹאת, כִּי מֵחֲמַת עֹל הַפַּרְנָסָה וְהִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע וְרִבּוּי הַצָּרוֹת קָשֶׁה מְאֹד לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה כָּרָאוּי,
But how can we rectify this? Because of the difficulties of earning a living, because our evil inclination has grown stronger, and because of the multitude of our troubles, it is very difficult for us to learn Torah properly.
וַאֲפִלּוּ מְעַט שֶׁעוֹסְקִים בָּהּ, חָשְׁכוּ עֵינֵינוּ וְנִסְתַּם שִׂכְלֵנוּ מִלְּעַיֵּן בָּהּ כָּרָאוּי, וְעַל פִּי רֹב אֵין אָנוּ מְבִינִים אֲפִלּוּ פְּשׁוּטָן שֶׁל דְּבָרִים, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ מְבִינִים עִמְקוֹתֶיהָ וּנְעִימוֹתֶיהָ פְּנִימִיּוֹתֶיהָ וְסוֹדוֹתֶיהָ,
Even those few people who do learn Torah suffer from a dulled intellect, so that for the most part, they do not understand the simple meaning of the words — much less appreciate its depths and sweetness, its inner core and secrets.
וְאֵין אָנוּ זוֹכִים לִרְאוֹת אוֹר פְּנֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה. וְכַמָּה וְכַמָּה אָנוּ רְחוֹקִים מִשִּׁבְעִין פָּנִים לַתּוֹרָה מֵעַיִן אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין, שֶׁהֵם מַכְנִיעִים וּמְבַטְּלִים הָעַיִן אַנְפִּין חֲשׁוּכִין, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מִמֵּילָא נִשְׁבָּרִים וְנוֹפְלִים מֶמְשַׁלְתָּם שֶׁל הָעַיִן עֲכּוּ"ם שֶׁיּוֹנְקִים מֵהֶם,
We do not have access to the light of the countenance of the holy Torah. We do not realize how far we are from its seventy “shining countenances” — which, ideally, would overcome and eradicate the seventy “dark countenances,” thus breaking the power of the gentiles.
אֲבָל אֵיךְ זוֹכִים לָזֶה.
How can we attain that?
אֱלֹהֵי עוֹלָם בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְתֵן חֶלְקֵנוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ. זַכֵּנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְהִתְעוֹרֵר מֵעַתָּה אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וְנַתְחִיל מֵעַתָּה לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה. וְאַל יַטְרִידֵנוּ וְאַל יְבַלְבֵּל אוֹתָנוּ שׁוּם טִרְדָּא וְעֵסֶק וּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן,
Making Torah Our Permanent Occupation
Eternal God, have compassion on us and give us our portion in Your Torah. Help us gain the inspiration to learn Torah day and night, without the interference of any troubles or business affairs.
רַק תִּהְיֶה מְלַאכְתֵּנוּ נַעֲשֵׂית עַל־יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים. וּבְרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים תְּפַרְנֵס אוֹתָנוּ בְּהַרְחָבָה גְּדוֹלָה, וְתַסְפִּיק לָנוּ כָּל הִצְטַרְכוּתֵנוּ מֵאִתְּךָ קֹדֶם שֶׁנִּצְטָרֵךְ לָהֶם, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטָרֵךְ לַעֲסֹק בְּשׁוּם עֵסֶק בִּשְׁבִיל פַּרְנָסָה, רַק תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרָתֵנוּ אֻמָּנוּתֵנוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְתִהְיֶה עִמָּנוּ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא,
May other people do our work on our behalf. Generously supply us with all that we need even before we need it, so that we will not have to engage in any business in order to earn a living. Rather, may Torah constitute our work in this world and accompany us in the World to Come.
וַאֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁמֻּכְרָח לַעֲסֹק בְּאֵיזֶה מְלָאכָה וְעֵסֶק וּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן בִּשְׁבִיל פַּרְנָסָה, תַּעַזְרֵם וּתְחַזֵּק לְבָבָם, שֶׁאַל יִשְׁכְּחוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אֶת עוֹלָמָם הַנִּצְחִי, וְיָחוּסוּ עַל נַפְשָׁם לִקְבֹּעַ עִתִּים לַתּוֹרָה, וְתִהְיֶה תוֹרָתָם קֶבַע וּמְלַאְכְתָּם אֲרָעִי,
Even when we must engage in some work and business in order to earn a living, strengthen our hearts so that we will not forget our eternal world. May we feel pity for our souls and set aside time to learn Torah, so that our learning will be the permanent element of our lives and our work transient.
וְלֹא יִתְבַּטְּלוּ מֵעֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה כִּי אִם בְּעֵת הַהֶכְרַח בִּשְׁבִיל הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן וְהָעֵסֶק בִּלְבָד. וּבְכָל זְמַן שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לַחְטֹף אֵיזֶה שָׁעָה אוֹ רֶגַע, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן יוֹם אוֹ יוֹמַיִם לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה, יִזְכּוּ לַהֲגוֹת בָּהּ בְּהַתְמָדָה גְּדוֹלָה.
May we stop learning Torah only when we must take care of our business. Otherwise, whenever we can find a minute, an hour, or a day or two to learn Torah, may we do so with great persistence.
וּתְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְתִפְתַּח לָנוּ שְׁבִילֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל הָאֱמֶת שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְהָבִין כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה עַל בּוּרְיָן וַאֲמִתָּתָן, וְנִזְכֶּה לְהַכְנִיס כָּל מֹחֵנוּ וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתֵינוּ וְשִׂכְלֵנוּ בְּתוֹךְ הַתּוֹרָה וּלְעַיֵּן בָּהּ הֵיטֵב בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לְעַיֵּן.
Open the pathways of our minds so that we will understand all of the words of the Torah clearly, and we will put all of our thoughts into the Torah, looking deeply into those parts that require study.
וְכָל כַּוָּנָתֵנוּ יִהְיֶה לִשְׁמָהּ בֶּאֱמֶת, כְּדֵי לְהָבִין דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה עַל בּוּרְיָן לַאֲמִתָּתָן וְלֹא לְהִתְיָהֵר וּלְקַנְטֵר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְלֹא בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁיְּהֵא נִקְרָא רֶבִּי, וְלֹא בִּשְׁבִיל מָמוֹן וְכָבוֹד, וְלֹא נַעֲשֶׂה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה קַרְדֹּם לַחְפֹּר בָּהֶם, וְלֹא עֲטָרָה לְהִתְגַּדֵּל בָּהֶם,
May our intent in learning Torah not be to take pride or prove our superiority, not to be called “rabbi,” to earn money or to gain honor — in other words, not to make the words of the Torah “a shovel with which to dig or a crown in which to glory” — but only so that we may understand its words clearly.
רַק נַעֲסֹק בְּהַתּוֹרָה בֶּאֱמֶת לִשְׁמָהּ בְּכָל כֹּחֵנוּ וְשִׂכְלֵנוּ וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתֵינוּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּבִיאֵנוּ הַתַּלְמוּד לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה, לָסוּר מֵרָע וְלַעֲשׂוֹת הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ תָמִיד.
May we learn Torah only for its own sake, so that our study will lead to deed and we will turn aside from evil and do that which is good in Your eyes.
וְאַתָּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וַחֲסָדֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים, תָּאִיר עֵינֵינוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ וְתִפְתַּח לִבֵּנוּ, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְהָבִין הֵיטֵב בִּמְהִירוּת גָּדוֹל בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנִּלְמַד שָׁם וּלְהַשִּׂיג דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה בֶּאֱמֶת, וְנִזְכֶּה לִלְמֹד כָּל סִפְרֵי תוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה בְּכָל יוֹם, תַּנַ"ךְ וְשַׁ"ס וּפוֹסְקִים וּמְפָרְשֵׁיהֶם, וְכָל סִפְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשִׁים, וְסִפְרֵי הַזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ וְתִקּוּנִים, וְכָל כִּתְבֵי הָאֲרִ"י זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, וְכָל סִפְרֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁבְּיָמֵינוּ. וְנִזְכֶּה לְגוֹמְרָם וְלַחֲזֹר וּלְהַתְחִילָם כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה פְּעָמִים כָּל יְמֵי חַיֵּינוּ.
Illumine our eyes and open our hearts so that we will quickly understand everything that we learn. May we learn all of the Torah’s holy volumes every day: Tanakh, Talmud, Shulchan Arukh, Midrash, the Zohar and Tikkuney Zohar, the writings of the Ari and the works of the Tzaddikim of our days. May we complete these works and review them all the days of our lives.
רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, וְזַכֵּנוּ לְהַתְמִיד בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה בְּהַתְמָדָה גְּדוֹלָה, כִּי הֵם חַיֵּינוּ וְאֹרֶךְ יָמֵינוּ וּבָהֶם נֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וְלָיְלָה. וְנִזְכֶּה לְהָמִית עַצְמֵנוּ עַל הַתּוֹרָה עַד שֶׁתִּתְקַיֵּם בְּיָדֵינוּ. וְנִזְכֶּה לְשַׁבֵּר וּלְבַטֵּל וּלְהָמִית כָּל הַתַּאֲווֹת רָעוֹת וְכָל הַמִּדּוֹת רָעוֹת שֶׁבְּגוּפֵנוּ עַל־יְדֵי עֵסֶק וְעִיּוּן הַתּוֹרָה בֶּאֱמֶת:
Help us always learn Your Torah, which constitutes our lives and the length of our days. May we contemplate it day and night and dedicate ourselves to learn until we grasp the Torah and nullify all of our evil desires and traits.
אָבִינוּ אָב הָרַחֲמָן, הַמְרַחֵם רַחֵם נָא עָלֵינוּ וְתֵן בְּלִבֵּנוּ בִּינָה לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל, לִשְׁמֹעַ לִלְמֹד וּלְלַמֵּד, לִשְׁמֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת וּלְקַיֵּם אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי תַלְמוּד תּוֹרָתֶךָ לִשְׁמָהּ בְּאַהֲבָה,
Keeping Our Minds on Torah
Grant our hearts understanding so that we will lovingly comprehend, keep and teach all of the words of Your Torah for its own sake.
רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, וַעֲזֹר וְהוֹשִׁיעָה לָּנוּ בְּכָל מִינֵי יְשׁוּעוֹת, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְהִתְחַזֵּק בְּעֵסֶק תּוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה לִשְׁמָהּ. וְנַכְנִיס כָּל דַּעְתֵּנוּ וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתֵינוּ וְכָל רַעְיוֹנֵנוּ בְּתוֹךְ תּוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה תָמִיד יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁתָּאִיר לָנוּ הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה אוֹר פָּנֶיהָ הַנְּעִימִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. וְיָאִירוּ וְיָגֵנוּ עָלֵינוּ כָּל הָעַיִן פָּנִים לַתּוֹרָה שֶׁזָּכוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים הַשְּׁלֵמִים לְהַשִּׂיגָם, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִזְכֶּה לְשַׁבֵּר וּלְבַטֵּל כָּל הַתַּאֲווֹת וְכָל הַמִּדּוֹת רָעוֹת מֵאִתָּנוּ.
Help us focus the entirety of our minds on Your holy Torah day and night, so that it will illumine us with the light of its pleasant, holy countenance, and all of the seventy faces of Torah that the perfect Tzaddikim have attained will shine upon us and protect us. As a result, may we eradicate all of our lusts and evil traits.
וּבְרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וּבְחֶמְלָתְךָ הַגְּדוֹלָה, שֶׁאַתָּה חוֹמֵל עַל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר, תָּחוֹס וּתְרַחֵם וְתַחְמֹל עָלֵינוּ עַתָּה בְּעֵת צָרָה הַזֹּאת, וְתַעֲשֶׂה לְמַעַנְךָ וּלְמַעַן אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וּלְמַעַן כָּל הַצַּדִּיקִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים וְהַנּוֹרָאִים, שֶׁהָיוּ בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר עַד הֵנָּה, וּתְשַׁבֵּר וּתְבַטֵל בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וּבַחֲסָדֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים מְהֵרָה מֵאִתָּנוּ כָּל הַגְּזֵרוֹת קָשׁוֹת, הֵן אוֹתָם שֶׁכְּבָר נִגְזְרוּ עָלֵינוּ, הֵן אוֹתָם שֶׁרוֹצִים לִגְזֹר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כֻּלָּם תַּעֲקֹר וּתְשַׁבֵּר וּתְבַטֵּל בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וּבַחֲסָדֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים, וְלֹא יִשָּׁאֵר מֵהֶם שׁוּם רֹשֶׁם כְּלָל.
In every generation, grant us refuge from times of trouble. Act for Your sake, for the sake of our fathers, and for the sake of all of the holy and awesome Tzaddikim in every generation. Quickly nullify all of the harsh decrees against us — those that have already been decreed and those that are being contemplated. Uproot, shatter and nullify them all in Your great mercy and kindness, and may no vestige of them remain.
מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁמֹר שְׁאֵרִית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאַל יֹאבַד יִשְׂרָאֵל הָאוֹמְרִים שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Save the Remnant of Israel
Save the remnant of Israel who recite, “Hear, Israel.”
כִּי אֵיךְ שֶׁהוּא, אֵיךְ שֶׁאָנוּ עוֹמְדִים לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַתָּה בִּיוֵן מְצוּלָה וְאֵין מַעֲמָד כָּזֶה, עִם כָּל זֶה הֱקִיצוֹתִי וְעוֹדִי עִמָּךְ. כִּי עֲדַיִן אָנוּ אוֹמְרִים שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל פַּעֲמַיִם בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד.
When we stand up to pray, we are in an uncertain state, in the muddy depths. Despite all of that, we “arise and are still with You” — we still recite the Shema twice daily.25See footnote 5, p. 221. That alone gives us the courage to come and plead before You.
וְעַל זֶה לְבַד תָּמַכְנוּ יְתֵדוֹתֵינוּ לָבוֹא לְפָנֶיךָ אֲדוֹן כֹּל עַתָּה גַּם עַתָּה לְהַפִּיל תְּחִנָּתֵנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים, בִּזְכוּת וְכֹחַ הַצַּדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת שֶׁעָבְדוּ אוֹתְךָ בַּקֹּדֶשׁ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה וּבִמְסִירַת נֶפֶשׁ וּבְשֵׂכֶל נִפְלָא וּבִתְמִימוּת גָּדוֹל כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֵּיהֶם. וּבִזְכוּת כָּל הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁנֶּהֶרְגוּ עַל קְדֻשַּׁת שְׁמֶךָ, וְנִשְׁחֲטוּ וְנִצְלְבוּ וְנֶהֶרְגוּ וּמֵתוּ בְּכַמָּה מִינֵי עִנּוּיִים מְשׁוּנִים, וְנִשְׁפַּךְ דָּמָם כַּמַּיִם אַלְפֵי אֲלָפִים וְרִבֵּי רְבָבוֹת נַפְשׁוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל גְּדוֹלִים וּקְטַנִּים, נְעָרִים וּזְקֵנִים, מִיּוֹם הַחֻרְבָּן עַד הֵנָּה.
Answer us in the merit of the true Tzaddikim who served You in great holiness and purity, with self-sacrifice, a wondrous consciousness, and a whole heart all the days of their lives. And answer us in the merit of the tens of thousands of holy martyrs who sanctified Your Name — great and small, young and old — who were slaughtered and impaled, who died after every sort of unnatural torment, whose blood was spilled like water from the day of the destruction of the Temple until now.
הֵן עַל כָּל אֵלֶּה בָּאנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ הָעוֹנֶה לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֵת צָרָה, שֶׁתִּמָּלֵא רַחֲמִים עָלֵינוּ בְּעֵת צָרָה הַמָּרָה הַזֹּאת וּתְמַהֵר לְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ יְשׁוּעָה שְׁלֵמָה חִישׁ קַל מְהֵרָה, וִיקֻיַּם מְהֵרָה, וְעֵת צָרָה הִיא לְיַעֲקֹב וּמִמֶּנָּה יִוָּשֵׁעַ. חוּסָה עָלֵינוּ כְּרֹב רַחֲמֶיךָ יֶהֱמוּ מֵעֶיךָ וְרַחֲמֶיךָ עָלֵינוּ, כִּי צְרָכֵינוּ מְרֻבִּים מְאֹד מְאֹד בְּגוּף וָנֶפֶשׁ בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת וְרוּחָנִיּוּת, וְדַעְתֵּנוּ קְצָרָה לְבָאֵר וּלְפָרֵשׁ חֵלֶק אֶלֶף וּרְבָבָה מֵהֶם.
You Who answer Your nation, the Jewish people, at a time of trouble, hurry to rescue us. “It is a time of trouble for Jacob, but from it, he will be saved.” Have pity on us. Our physical and spiritual needs are many, but our minds too limited to express a ten-thousandth of them.
רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ מְהֵרָה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁאָנוּ צְרִיכִים לְהִוָּשַׁע, וְהָגֵן בַּעֲדֵנוּ וְהָסֵר מֵעָלֵינוּ אוֹיֵב דֶּבֶר וְחֶרֶב וְרָעָב וְיָגוֹן וְהָסֵר שָׂטָן מִלְּפָנֵינוּ וּמֵאַחֲרֵינוּ וּבְצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ תַּסְתִּירֵנוּ, כִּי אֵין לָנוּ עַל מִי לְהִשָּׁעֵן כִּי אִם עָלֶיךָ אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם. וַאֲנַחְנוּ לֹא נֵדַע מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה כִּי עָלֶיךָ עֵינֵינוּ.
Remove all enemies, epidemics, wars, hunger and grief. Remove Satan from before us and behind us. Conceal us in the shadow of Your wings, for we have no one on whom to rely except for You, our Father in Heaven. “We do not know what we shall do, for our eyes turn to You.”
הִנֵּה כְעֵינֵי עֲבָדִים אֶל יַד אֲדוֹנֵיהֶם כְּעֵינֵי שִׁפְחָה אַל יַד גְּבִרְתָּהּ כֵּן עֵינֵינוּ אֶל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַד שֶׁיְּחָנֵּנוּ. חָנֵּנוּ יְהֹוָה חָנֵּנוּ כִּי רַב שָׂבַעְנוּ בוּז.
“Behold, like the eyes of servants to the hand of their masters, like the eyes of the maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so are our eyes turned to HaShem our God, until He will be gracious to us. Be gracious to us, HaShem. Be gracious to us, because we have suffered much contempt.”
חוּסָה עָלֵינוּ בְּאֶרֶץ שִׁבְיֵנוּ וְאַל תִּשְׁפֹּךְ חֲרוֹנְךָ עָלֵינוּ כִּי אֲנַחְנוּ עַמְּךָ בְּנֵי בְּרִיתֶךָ,
Have mercy on us in the land of our captivity. Do not pour Your wrath upon us, for we are Your nation, the children of Your covenant.
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי־פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי, אָמֵן:
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, HaShem, my Rock and my Redeemer.”