When a Jew Learns God’s Ways, He Attains Humility and Can Guard the Covenant A Jew must learn God’s ways, so that he will be able to quickly repent his evil deeds and disgraceful thoughts and rectify the covenant in full. He must truly know and sense his lowliness, so that he will not harbor the slightest egotism or haughtiness. When he attains humility, he is able to guard the covenant. A Jew Requires Proper Mindfulness “I stretch my hands out to You. My soul turns to You like a weary land.” “My eye has failed because of affliction; HaShem, I call You every day. I stretch my hands out to You.”
You Who are filled with compassion, have compassion on me. Accept my prayers. Teach me Your true ways and straight advice at every moment, so that I will be able to return quickly from my evil deeds and disgraceful thoughts, and quickly rectify the covenant in full, in accordance with Your good will.
Authentic Humility I am so unworthy, so far from You, that I should not feel any need to pray to be saved from pride — for who am I that I should have the slightest pride?
But I am besieged from every side and at every moment until my mind is clouded by ulterior motives and egotism — particularly when I want to do something holy.
Therefore, I have come to You, Master of compassion. You know hidden things. You blend Your greatness with Your humility. Have pity and mercy on me at every moment. Always be with me and guard me, so that I will not have the slightest egotism or haughtiness.
May I attain true humility so that I will truly be able to guard the covenant — because, as You informed us through Your holy sages, we guard the covenant through humility.
Rescue me from false humility. Help me attain true humility, in accordance with Your good will. “HaShem, teach me Your ways. I will walk in Your truth. Unite my heart to fear Your Name.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה ק"ל - כָּל הַגָּדוֹל מֵחֲבֵרוֹ יִצְרוֹ גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ]
פֵּרַשְׂתִּי יָדַי אֵלֶיךָ נַפְשִׁי כְּאֶרֶץ עֲיֵפָה לְךָ סֶלָה. עֵינִי דָאֲבָה מִנִּי עֹנִי קְרָאתִיךָ יְהֹוָה בְכָל יוֹם שִׁטַּחְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ כַפָּי.
When a Jew Learns God’s Ways, He Attains Humility and Can Guard the Covenant
A Jew must learn God’s ways, so that he will be able to quickly repent his evil deeds and disgraceful thoughts and rectify the covenant in full.
He must truly know and sense his lowliness, so that he will not harbor the slightest egotism or haughtiness. When he attains humility, he is able to guard the covenant.
A Jew Requires Proper Mindfulness
“I stretch my hands out to You. My soul turns to You like a weary land.” “My eye has failed because of affliction; HaShem, I call You every day. I stretch my hands out to You.”
מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, רַחֵם עָלַי וְקַבֵּל תַּחֲנוּנָי, וְהוֹרֵנִי וְלַמְּדֵנִי דְרָכֶיךָ הָאֲמִתִּיִּים וְעֵצוֹתֶיךָ הַיְשָׁרוֹת בְּכָל־עֵת, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לָשׁוּב מְהֵרָה מִמַּעֲשַׂי הָרָעִים וּמִמַּחְשְׁבוֹתַי הַמְגֻנּוֹת, עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה מְהֵרָה לְתִקּוּן הַבְּרִית בֶּאֱמֶת בִּשְׁלֵמוּת כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב.
You Who are filled with compassion, have compassion on me. Accept my prayers. Teach me Your true ways and straight advice at every moment, so that I will be able to return quickly from my evil deeds and disgraceful thoughts, and quickly rectify the covenant in full, in accordance with Your good will.
וּתְחָנֵּנִי מֵאִתְּךָ דַּעַת וָשֵׂכֶל אֲמִתִּי, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לֵידַע וּלְהַרְגִּישׁ שִׁפְלוּתִי בֶּאֱמֶת, וְלֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתִּי שׁוּם צַד גֵּאוּת וְגַדְלוּת וְגַבְהוּת וְרָמוּת רוּחָא,
Send me true knowledge and mindfulness, so that I will truly know and sense my lowliness, and I will not have the slightest egotism or haughtiness.
כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת לְפִי פְּחִיתוּתִי לֹא הָיִיתִי צָרִיךְ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל זֶה כְּלָל לְהִנָּצֵל מִגֵּאוּת, כִּי מִי אָנֹכִי שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַל לִבִּי שׁוּם צַד גֵּאוּת, אַחֲרֵי שֶׁאֲנִי רָחוֹק מֵאִתְּךָ כָּל כָּךְ.
Authentic Humility
I am so unworthy, so far from You, that I should not feel any need to pray to be saved from pride — for who am I that I should have the slightest pride?
אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ אֵיךְ אוֹרְבִים עָלַי מִכָּל צַד בְּכָל־עֵת, עַד אֲשֶׁר מְבַלְבְּלִים דַּעְתִּי בִּפְנִיּוֹת וְגֵאוּת, בִּפְרָט בְּעֵת שֶׁאָנוּ רוֹצִים לַעֲסֹק בְּאֵיזֶה דָבָר שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה.
But I am besieged from every side and at every moment until my mind is clouded by ulterior motives and egotism — particularly when I want to do something holy.
עַל כֵּן בָּאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים, יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת אֲשֶׁר בִּמְקוֹם גְּדֻלָּתְךָ שָׁם אָנוּ מוֹצְאִים עַנְוְתָנוּתְךָ, שֶׁתָּחוֹס וְתַחְמֹל עָלַי בְּכָל־עֵת, וְתִהְיֶה עִמִּי וְתִשְׁמְרֵנִי תָמִיד, שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלֶה עַל לִבִּי שׁוּם צַד גֵּאוּת וְגַבְהוּת כְּלָל,
Therefore, I have come to You, Master of compassion. You know hidden things. You blend Your greatness with Your humility. Have pity and mercy on me at every moment. Always be with me and guard me, so that I will not have the slightest egotism or haughtiness.
עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לַעֲנָוָה אֲמִתִּיִּית, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לִשְׁמִירַת הַבְּרִית בֶּאֱמֶת, כַּאֲשֶׁר הוֹדַעְתָּנוּ עַל־יְדֵי חֲכָמֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי עֲנָוָה זוֹכִים לִשְׁמִירַת הַבְּרִית.
May I attain true humility so that I will truly be able to guard the covenant — because, as You informed us through Your holy sages, we guard the covenant through humility.
וְתַצִּילֵנִי מֵעֲנָוָה פְּסוּלָה, רַק אֶזְכֶּה לַעֲנָוָה אֲמִתִּית כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב. הוֹרֵנִי יְהֹוָה דַּרְכֶּךָ אֲהַלֵּךְ בַּאֲמִתֶּךָ יַחֵד לְבָבִי לְיִרְאָה שְׁמֶךָ.
Rescue me from false humility. Help me attain true humility, in accordance with Your good will. “HaShem, teach me Your ways. I will walk in Your truth. Unite my heart to fear Your Name.”
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי־פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי:
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing before You, HaShem, my Rock and my Redeemer.”