God Gives a Person Comfort Even in the Narrow Places A person should realize that he himself has caused all the problems he is undergoing with his own sins, evil deeds and disgraceful thoughts. Nevertheless, God’s kindness has not left him. He should look at the benefits that God gives him and the forbearance that God shows him. He must strive to find the comfort that God gives him even in the narrow places. Without that kindness, he would have been lost. Open Your Eyes to God’s Favors “When I call, answer me, my righteous God. In my distress, You have relieved me. Be gracious and hear my prayer.”
Master of the world, You are filled with compassion. You are good and do good to all. Help me open my eyes, heart and mind to always look at the benefits You give me and the forbearance that You show me for the good, giving me comfort even within my difficulties.
Only because of this do I still live and exist in the midst of all my oppressions and troubles of spirit and body. They have surrounded me, encompassed me and crushed me, so that I can barely turn to the right or to the left, and I do not know where to flee to escape my own self.
I myself caused everything that I am undergoing with my many sins, evil deeds and disgraceful thoughts. Nevertheless, Your kindness has not left me. “The kindness of HaShem has not ceased, for Your compassion has not been exhausted.” “For Your kindness is great toward me, and You rescued my spirit from the lowest depths of Sheol.”
You are kind to me every day, every moment and every hour. If not for the wondrous, awesome and elevated kindness that You bestow on me at every moment, I would have been lost in my impoverishment. “If HaShem had not been my help, in an instant my soul would have dwelt in silence.”
In Your vast kindness and compassion, help me and save me so that at every moment, hour and minute, I will feel, see and recognize Your kindness and goodness, and I will see and find all the comfort and salvation that You give me even within the narrow places.
May I always rejoice in Your salvation and always take strength and pray to You, whatever the situation may be. May I always thank You for the past and cry out to You for the future.
Strengthening Holy Faith May my heart not be at all twisted regarding Your good, straight and direct guidance and ways. In everything that I and all of the Jewish people undergo, may I believe with complete faith that You are righteous and just, that You guide Your world with kindness and Your creatures with compassion. “HaShem is good to all, and His compassion rests on all His works.”
Have compassion on me, You Who are filled with compassion and kindness at every moment. Expel and nullify every type of twistedness in my heart. May my heart not consider any thought that questions Your ways and guidance.
May I have the merit of gazing at Your breadth and Your wonderful kindness and goodness at every moment. Even within sorrow, You give us comfort in wondrous ways and with great salvation.
Besides that, at every moment I look forward to You bringing me forth and redeeming me quickly out of all my troubles entirely. Save me with a complete salvation.
You are our Father Who is compassionate to the poor. You save us at a time of trouble. May Your compassion be stirred for us now at this time of trouble. Answer us, HaShem, answer us, because we are in great distress. Rock of Israel, arise to help Israel. Help us and save us. Guard us and rescue us from any blemish in holy faith, during everything that we undergo in these times.
You know the bitterness of the multiple troubles that are now occurring to Your nation, the House of Israel. In addition to all our troubles that have reached our soul, these grow stronger and spread, until they twist the hearts of the children of Israel so that they question Your traits and compromise their holy faith in You, Heaven forbid. And there is no one to stand up on our behalf.
Have compassion on us for the sake of Your Name. Look at our impoverishment, because our pains and the troubles of our heart are many. Guardian of Israel, guard the remnant of Israel, and in Your great compassion have pity on every soul of Israel, so that no one will fall away from holy faith as a result of what the Jewish people are presently undergoing.
To the contrary, as a result of this, let us strengthen and arouse ourselves to truly return to You with all our heart. We will appeal, pray and cry out to You until You answer us, and we will know and believe that You will not abandon us forever, Heaven forbid. “HaShem will not forsake His nation and He will not abandon His inheritance.”
“HaShem will not forsake His nation for the sake of His great Name, for HaShem has sworn to make you His nation.” Help us, God of our salvation, for the sake of the honor of Your Name. Rescue us and forgive our sins for the sake of Your Name.
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה קצ"ה - בַּצָּר הִרְחַבְתָּ לִּי]
בְּקָרְאִי עֲנֵנִי אֱלֹהֵי צִדְקִי בַּצָּר הִרְחַבְתָּ לִי חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי.
God Gives a Person Comfort Even in the Narrow Places
A person should realize that he himself has caused all the problems he is undergoing with his own sins, evil deeds and disgraceful thoughts.
Nevertheless, God’s kindness has not left him. He should look at the benefits that God gives him and the forbearance that God shows him. He must strive to find the comfort that God gives him even in the narrow places. Without that kindness, he would have been lost.
Open Your Eyes to God’s Favors
“When I call, answer me, my righteous God. In my distress, You have relieved me. Be gracious and hear my prayer.”
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, טוֹב וּמֵטִיב לַכֹּל. זַכֵּנִי וְעָזְרֵנִי וּפְתַח עֵינַי וְלִבִּי וְדַעְתִּי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה תָמִיד לְהִסְתַּכֵּל עַל הַטּוֹבוֹת וְהַהַרְחָבוֹת שֶׁאַתָּה מֵטִיב עִמִּי וּמַרְחִיב לִי גַם בְּתוֹךְ הַצָּרָה וְהַמְּצוּקָה בְּעַצְמָהּ,
Master of the world, You are filled with compassion. You are good and do good to all. Help me open my eyes, heart and mind to always look at the benefits You give me and the forbearance that You show me for the good, giving me comfort even within my difficulties.
אֲשֶׁר רַק עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יֵשׁ לִי חַיּוּת וְקִיּוּם בְּתוֹךְ מָעוֹף מְצוּקוֹתַי וְצָרוֹתַי, צָרוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְהַגּוּף, אֲשֶׁר סַבּוּנִי גַּם סְבָבוּנִי כִּתְּרוּנִי וְהִדְרִיכוּנִי, אֲשֶׁר כִּמְעַט אֵין דֶּרֶךְ לִנְטוֹת יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל, אֲשֶׁר אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ לְהֵיכָן לִבְרֹחַ מִמֶּנִּי בְּעַצְמִי.
Only because of this do I still live and exist in the midst of all my oppressions and troubles of spirit and body. They have surrounded me, encompassed me and crushed me, so that I can barely turn to the right or to the left, and I do not know where to flee to escape my own self.
כִּי אָנֹכִי בְּעַצְמִי סַבּוֹתִי בְּנַפְשִׁי כָּל מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר עָלַי, בַּעֲוֹנוֹתַי הָרַבִּים וּבְמַעֲשַׂי הָרָעִים וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתַי הַמְגֻנּוֹת, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן חַסְדְּךָ לֹא הֵסַרְתָּ מִמֶּנִּי. חַסְדֵּי יְהֹוָה כִּי לֹא תָמְנוּ כִּי לֹא כָלוּ רַחֲמָיו. כִּי חַסְדְּךָ גָּדוֹל עָלָי וְהִצַּלְתָּ נַפְשִׁי מִשְּׁאוֹל תַּחְתִּיָּה.
I myself caused everything that I am undergoing with my many sins, evil deeds and disgraceful thoughts. Nevertheless, Your kindness has not left me. “The kindness of HaShem has not ceased, for Your compassion has not been exhausted.” “For Your kindness is great toward me, and You rescued my spirit from the lowest depths of Sheol.”
חַסְדְּךָ גָּדוֹל עָלַי מְאֹד מְאֹד בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל־עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה, כִּי לוּלֵי חַסְדְּךָ הַנִּפְלָא וְהַנּוֹרָא וְהַנִּשְׂגָּב אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה גוֹמֵל עִמִּי בְּכָל־עֵת כְּבָר אָבַדְתִּי בְעָנְיִי, לוּלֵא יְהֹוָה עֶזְרָתָה לִּי כִּמְעַט שָׁכְנָה דוּמָה נַפְשִׁי.
You are kind to me every day, every moment and every hour. If not for the wondrous, awesome and elevated kindness that You bestow on me at every moment, I would have been lost in my impoverishment. “If HaShem had not been my help, in an instant my soul would have dwelt in silence.”
וְאַחֲרֵי אֲשֶׁר חֲסָדֶיךָ וְרַחֲמֶיךָ רַבִּים וַעֲצוּמִים עָלַי כָּל כָּךְ, עָזְרֵנִי וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהַרְגִּישׁ וְלִרְאוֹת וּלְהַכִּיר בְּכָל־עֵת חֲסָדֶיךָ וְטוֹבוֹתֶיךָ, שֶׁאַתָּה מֵטִיב עִמִּי בְּכָל־עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה וָרֶגַע. וְאֶזְכֶּה לִרְאוֹת וְלִמְצֹא כָּל הַהַרְחָבוֹת וְהַיְשׁוּעוֹת שֶׁאַתָּה מַרְחִיב לִי גַם בְּתוֹךְ הַצָּרָה בְּעַצְמָהּ רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן,
In Your vast kindness and compassion, help me and save me so that at every moment, hour and minute, I will feel, see and recognize Your kindness and goodness, and I will see and find all the comfort and salvation that You give me even within the narrow places.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֶזְכֶּה לִשְׂמֹחַ בִּישׁוּעָתְךָ תָּמִיד, וּלְהִתְחַזֵּק וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ תָמִיד, יִהְיֶה אֵיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה. וְאֶהְיֶה תָמִיד מוֹדֶה עַל הֶעָבַר וְצוֹעֵק לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא,
May I always rejoice in Your salvation and always take strength and pray to You, whatever the situation may be. May I always thank You for the past and cry out to You for the future.
וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בְּלִבִּי שׁוּם עַקְמִימוּת כְּלָל עַל הַנְהָגוֹתֶיךָ וּדְרָכֶיךָ הַטּוֹבִים וְהַיְשָׁרִים וְהַנְּכוֹחִים בֶּאֱמֶת. וּבְכָל מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר עָלַי וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶזְכֶּה לְהַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, כִּי צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר אַתָּה, כִּי אַתָּה מַנְהִיג עוֹלָמְךָ בְּחֶסֶד וּבְרִיּוֹתֶיךָ בְּרַחֲמִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב טוֹב יְהֹוָה לַכֹּל וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו.
Strengthening Holy Faith
May my heart not be at all twisted regarding Your good, straight and direct guidance and ways. In everything that I and all of the Jewish people undergo, may I believe with complete faith that You are righteous and just, that You guide Your world with kindness and Your creatures with compassion. “HaShem is good to all, and His compassion rests on all His works.”
רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ, מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, מָלֵא חֶסֶד בְּכָל־עֵת, וְגָרֵשׁ וּבַטֵּל מֵאִתָּנוּ כָּל מִינֵי עַקְמִימוּת שֶׁבִּלְבָבֵנוּ, וְלֹא יַעֲלֶה וְלֹא יָבוֹא עַל לְבָבֵנוּ שׁוּם מַחֲשָׁבָה וְהִרְהוּר עַל דְּרָכֶיךָ וְהַנְהָגוֹתֶיךָ,
Have compassion on me, You Who are filled with compassion and kindness at every moment. Expel and nullify every type of twistedness in my heart. May my heart not consider any thought that questions Your ways and guidance.
רַק אֶזְכֶּה לְהַבִּיט וּלְהִסְתַּכֵּל עַל הַרְחָבוֹתֶיךָ וְנִפְלְאוֹת חֲסָדֶיךָ וְטוֹבוֹתֶיךָ בְּכָל־עֵת, וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּתוֹךְ הַצָּרָה בְּעַצְמָהּ רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן, אַתָּה מַרְחִיב לָנוּ הַרְחָבָה בִּדְרָכִים נִפְלָאִים וִישׁוּעוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת,
May I have the merit of gazing at Your breadth and Your wonderful kindness and goodness at every moment. Even within sorrow, You give us comfort in wondrous ways and with great salvation.
מִלְּבַד מַה שֶּׁאָנוּ מְצַפִּים וּמְקַוִּים בְּכָל־עֵת שֶׁתּוֹצִיאֵנוּ וְתִגְאָלֵנוּ מְהֵרָה מִתּוֹךְ כָּל הַצָּרוֹת לְגַמְרֵי, וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ יְשׁוּעָה שְׁלֵמָה חִישׁ קַל מְהֵרָה.
Besides that, at every moment I look forward to You bringing me forth and redeeming me quickly out of all my troubles entirely. Save me with a complete salvation.
אָבִינוּ אָב הָרַחֲמָן חוֹמֵל דַּלִּים, מוֹשִׁיעַ בְּעֵת צָרָה, יֶהֱמוּ מֵעֶיךָ וְיִכָמְרוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ עָלֵינוּ עַתָּה בְּעֵת צָרָה הַזֹּאת, עֲנֵנוּ יְהֹוָה עֲנֵנוּ כִּי בְצָרָה גְּדוֹלָה אֲנָחְנוּ. צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל קוּמָה בְּעֶזְרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעָזְרֵנוּ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ וְשָׁמְרֵנוּ וְהַצִּילֵנוּ מִפְּגַם הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר עָלֵינוּ בָּעִתִּים הַלָּלוּ,
You are our Father Who is compassionate to the poor. You save us at a time of trouble. May Your compassion be stirred for us now at this time of trouble. Answer us, HaShem, answer us, because we are in great distress. Rock of Israel, arise to help Israel. Help us and save us. Guard us and rescue us from any blemish in holy faith, during everything that we undergo in these times.
כִּי אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ מְרִירוּת הַצָּרוֹת הַכְּפוּלוֹת, שֶׁעוֹבְרִים עַתָּה עַל עַמְּךָ בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלֹא דַי לָנוּ בְּכָל צָרוֹתֵינוּ, אֲשֶׁר הִגִּיעַ עַד הַנֶּפֶשׁ, עוֹד הֵם מִתְגַּבְּרִים וּמִתְפַּשְּׁטִים חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לְעַקֵּם לְבַב בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַרְהֵר אַחַר מִדּוֹתֶיךָ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְלִפְגֹּם בֶּאֱמוּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְאֵין מִי יַעֲמֹד בַּעֲדֵנוּ.
You know the bitterness of the multiple troubles that are now occurring to Your nation, the House of Israel. In addition to all our troubles that have reached our soul, these grow stronger and spread, until they twist the hearts of the children of Israel so that they question Your traits and compromise their holy faith in You, Heaven forbid. And there is no one to stand up on our behalf.
רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, הַבִּיטָה בְעָנְיֵנוּ כִּי רַבּוּ מַכְאוֹבֵינוּ וְצָרוֹת לְבָבֵנוּ. שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁמֹר שְׁאֵרִית יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְחוּסָה בְּרֹב רַחֲמֶיךָ עַל כָּל נֶפֶשׁ וָנֶפֶשׁ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁלֹּא יִפֹּל שׁוּם אֶחָד מֵהָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה עַל־יְדֵי כָּל מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר עַתָּה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל,
Have compassion on us for the sake of Your Name. Look at our impoverishment, because our pains and the troubles of our heart are many. Guardian of Israel, guard the remnant of Israel, and in Your great compassion have pity on every soul of Israel, so that no one will fall away from holy faith as a result of what the Jewish people are presently undergoing.
רַק אַדְרַבָּא עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִתְחַזֵּק וְנִתְעוֹרֵר כֻּלָּנוּ לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם, וְנַעְתִּיר וְנִתְפַּלֵּל וְנִצְעַק אֵלֶיךָ עַד שֶׁתַּעֲנֵנוּ, וְנֵדַע וְנַאֲמִין בְּהָאֱמֶת כִּי לֹא תַעֲזֹב אוֹתָנוּ לְעוֹלָם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, כִּי לֹא יִטֹּשׁ יְהֹוָה עַמּוֹ וְנַחֲלָתוֹ לֹא יַעֲזֹב.
To the contrary, as a result of this, let us strengthen and arouse ourselves to truly return to You with all our heart. We will appeal, pray and cry out to You until You answer us, and we will know and believe that You will not abandon us forever, Heaven forbid. “HaShem will not forsake His nation and He will not abandon His inheritance.”
וְנֶאֱמַר, כִּי לֹא יִטֹּשׁ יְהֹוָה אֶת עַמּוֹ בַּעֲבוּר שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל כִּי הוֹאִיל יְהֹוָה לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶתְכֶם לוֹ לְעָם. עָזְרֵנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ עַל דְּבַר כְּבוֹד שְׁמֶךָ וְהַצִּילֵנוּ וְכַפֵּר עַל חַטֹּאתֵנוּ לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ.
“HaShem will not forsake His nation for the sake of His great Name, for HaShem has sworn to make you His nation.” Help us, God of our salvation, for the sake of the honor of Your Name. Rescue us and forgive our sins for the sake of 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.”