Creating Holy Lamps to Search in the King’s Treasure House / Confession of Wrongdoing A person should seek counsel from God on how to prepare himself for the long journey from which no one is exempt. While in this world, he should perform mitzvot in holiness, purity and joy, until they create holy candles. At the time of his death, he should use those candles to search in the King’s treasure house. Also, during his lifetime, a person should confess his wrongdoings every day to God. Then, directly before his death, he should confess in detail, with a whole, broken and crushed heart, so that he will awaken God’s compassion on his behalf, and so that his soul will leave while he is speaking words of faith. Preparing for the Long Journey “Look, answer me, HaShem my God. Illumine my eyes, lest I sleep in death.” “I will not die but I will live, and I will tell the deeds of God. God has indeed made me suffer, but He has not delivered me to death.”
Master of the world, Master of compassion, Master of mercy and graciousness! “He revives the dead, He supports the fallen, He heals the ill and frees the imprisoned. He keeps His faithfulness to those who sleep in the dust.”
Have compassion on me for the sake of Your Name. Give me perfect counsel. May I heed it so that I will begin — from now on, at any rate — to prepare myself for the long journey that I must undoubtedly embark on, the journey on which all people must travel, from which no one is exempt.
Woe! What shall I do? Not only do I not have provisions for this long, terrible and dangerous road, but as I set out, I am very much in debt on that road.
The creditors rush after me. They are ready at any moment to make their demands of me, Heaven forbid. I will have to give an accounting for my every deed at every moment; for every act, great or small; for every thought, speech and deed.
Woe! What shall I do? Who will stand up for me? Who will rise on my behalf? Woe! Woe! What shall I say? How will I speak? “What will I do when God arises? And when He visits, what will I reply to Him?”
HaShem, You are our God and God of our fathers. You are filled with compassion. Help me and save me so that I will — from now on, at any rate — improve my deeds and truly repent completely before You, and no longer turn aside from Your will, whether to the right or to the left.
Help me perform more mitzvot all the days of my life in great holiness and purity, and in vast joy and gladness, until they create many holy candles, so that each mitzvah will be a holy and awesome candle. As the verse states, “A mitzvah is a candle and the Torah is light.”
Have mercy on me. Help me sanctify myself with great holiness to rise ever higher and come close to You in ultimate truth, in accordance with Your good will.
And when I reach the time of my end, my time to leave the world, may I return my soul to You with great holiness and purity, without any dross or blemish. May I rectify during my lifetime all that I blemished and devastated with my many sins and iniquities.
Confessing Every Day In Your vast compassion, help me confess every day. In particular, before my death, may I confess to You in detail, with a whole, broken and crushed heart, and with intense weeping, so that I will awaken Your vast and true compassion on my behalf, so that You will forgive and grant atonement for all my transgressions, sins and iniquities that I committed before You from beginning to end, in this incarnation and in other incarnations.
May no impression or recollection remain of them at all. Rather, may all the sins be transformed to merits. May my death bring me atonement for all my sins. May my leaving the world be like my entry into the world: without any sin or blemish at all.
May I be firm and strong in Your holy faith always and forever. May I accept upon myself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven completely before my soul leaves, to recite the Shema at that time with a mouth filled with awe and fear, with truth and complete faith, with great joy and gladness.
Words of Faith May I speak many words of holy faith, saying clearly that I believe in You, HaShem our God and God of our fathers, and in all the true Tzaddikim from the beginning of the world until now, and in Your holy Torah that You gave us through Moses, Your servant, in its written and oral forms.
May I speak many words of truth and faith with a whole heart, until my soul leaves while I am speaking words of holy faith, and my soul is incorporated immediately into holy faith and rises and sees the light of Your countenance.
May my soul be bound in the knot of life with HaShem my God, amid the totality of holy souls (of the Tzaddikim) of the children of Israel, Your nation. May I “gaze upon the pleasantness of HaShem and visit in His palace.”
Master of the world, Master of the world, have compassion on me for the sake of Your Name. You are filled with compassion. You know hidden things; You know everything that I have gone through, everything that I have done and how I have caused blemishes, in contradiction to Your will.
Despite that, You are very kind to me and You continue to give me life. You strengthen me in Your compassion to seek refuge, to rescue my soul and help me escape whatever I need to escape.
Unique Master, filled with compassion, redeeming and strong, Redeemer of Israel, have compassion on me. Quickly redeem me completely for the sake of Your Name from all bad desires and bad thoughts, and from all transgressions and blemishes that I have grown accustomed to.
Woe is me! Woe is me! Woe, woe and woe! Woe! Woe! I have no idea at all what to say and how to seek counsel and advice in the depth of this swamp. There is no way for me to stand like this, so confused, with such bad habits, so weak, so stubborn.
Nevertheless, I still perceive Your vast kindness and mighty, infinite compassion for me, Your true and eternal kindness every day, “for Your kindness is great toward me, and You rescued my spirit from the lowest depths of Sheol.”
Your kindness to me is great, beyond comprehension and limit. “If I said, ‘My foot has stumbled,’ Your kindness, HaShem, supported me. With my many thoughts within me, Your consolations delighted my soul.”
Perfect Advice and Holy Candles Send my heart perfect, true counsel every day and moment, so that — from now on, at any rate — I will truly attain complete repentance. I will turn aside from evil and always do what is good in Your eyes.
May I be among those who fear You and are wholehearted, who attain vast, hidden good as You give them permission to search in the treasure house of the King. Fortunate is their portion.
May holy candles be made of all the mitzvot that You help me perform in my lifetime. May I use these holy candles of the mitzvot at the time of my death to search in the King’s treasure house. Then I will not rise in shame before You.
You are filled with compassion. I am asking a great deal, but nothing is hard for You. Nothing is beyond You. I believe that I can hope to attain all this because of Your great wonders, awesome favors, multitudinous kindness and great compassion.
My hope is in the power and merit of the holy, true, awesome and elevated Tzaddikim, on whom I always rely, and without whom I have no excuse to ask You even for the smallest thing.
I rely on their great power to petition and seek Your face for all great things and favors in all worlds, because their power and merit suffices for me and all Israel to attain all true and eternal good.
Have mercy on me, You Who are filled with compassion. Help me and save me to leap past all the vanities of this world and to truly and completely come close to You forever.
“My soul, return to your rest, for HaShem has dealt bountifully with you. [HaShem,] You have rescued my soul from death, my eye from tears, my foot from stumbling. I shall walk before HaShem in the lands of life.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה ער"ה - דַּע שֶׁכָּל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה שֶׁעוֹשִׂין, נַעֲשֶׂה מִמֶּנָּה נֵר אֶחָד]
הַבִּיטָה עֲנֵנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָי הָאִירָה עֵינַי פֶּן אִישַׁן הַמָּוֶת. לֹא אָמוּת כִּי אֶחְיֶה וַאֲסַפֵּר מַעֲשֵׂי יָהּ. יַסֹּר יִסְּרַנִי יָהּ וְלַמָּוֶת לֹא נְתָנָנִי.
Creating Holy Lamps to Search in the King’s Treasure House / Confession of Wrongdoing
A person should seek counsel from God on how to prepare himself for the long journey from which no one is exempt.
While in this world, he should perform mitzvot in holiness, purity and joy, until they create holy candles. At the time of his death, he should use those candles to search in the King’s treasure house.
Also, during his lifetime, a person should confess his wrongdoings every day to God. Then, directly before his death, he should confess in detail, with a whole, broken and crushed heart, so that he will awaken God’s compassion on his behalf, and so that his soul will leave while he is speaking words of faith.
Preparing for the Long Journey
“Look, answer me, HaShem my God. Illumine my eyes, lest I sleep in death.” “I will not die but I will live, and I will tell the deeds of God. God has indeed made me suffer, but He has not delivered me to death.”
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים, בַּעַל הַחֶמְלָה וְהַחֲנִינָה, מְחַיֶּה מֵתִים בְּרַחֲמִים רַבִּים, סוֹמֵךְ נוֹפְלִים וְרוֹפֵא חוֹלִים וּמַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים, וּמְקַיֵּם אֱמוּנָתוֹ לִישֵׁנֵי עָפָר.
Master of the world, Master of compassion, Master of mercy and graciousness! “He revives the dead, He supports the fallen, He heals the ill and frees the imprisoned. He keeps His faithfulness to those who sleep in the dust.”
רַחֵם עָלַי לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, וְתֵן לִי עֵצָה שְׁלֵמָה שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְקַיְּמָהּ, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאַתְחִיל עַל כָּל פָּנִים מֵעַתָּה לְהָכִין אֶת עַצְמִי עַל הַדֶּרֶךְ הָרָחוֹק שֶׁאֲנִי צָרִיךְ לֵילֵךְ בּוֹ בְּלִי סָפֵק, שֶׁהוּא דֶּרֶךְ כָּל הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אֵין אִישׁ נִמְלָט מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהַדֶּרֶךְ רָחוֹק וּמְסֻכָּן מְאֹד, וַעֲדַיִן לֹא הִתְחַלְתִּי לְהָכִין אֶת עַצְמִי כְּלָל,
Have compassion on me for the sake of Your Name. Give me perfect counsel. May I heed it so that I will begin — from now on, at any rate — to prepare myself for the long journey that I must undoubtedly embark on, the journey on which all people must travel, from which no one is exempt.
אוֹרְחָא רְחִיקָא, וַאֲפִלּוּ זַוְדָּא קַלִּילָא לֵית לִי,
That road is long and dangerous, and I have not begun to prepare myself at all. It is a long road, and I do not have even the slightest provisions.
אוֹי, מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה, לֹא דַי שֶׁאֵין לִי צֵדָה לְדֶרֶךְ רָחוֹק וְנוֹרָא וּמְאֻיָּם כָּזֶה, אַף־גַּם אֲנִי בַּעַל חוֹב גָּדוֹל בְּאוֹתוֹ הַדֶּרֶךְ, חוֹבוֹת רַבִּים וַעֲצוּמִים מְאֹד מְאֹד,
Woe! What shall I do? Not only do I not have provisions for this long, terrible and dangerous road, but as I set out, I am very much in debt on that road.
וְהַנּוֹגְשִׂים אָצִים שָׁם וְעוֹמְדִים מוּכָנִים בְּכָל עֵת לִתְבֹּעַ וְלִנְגֹּשׂ אוֹתִי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. וְעַל כָּל הַמַּעֲשֶׂה שָׁם אֶצְטָרֵךְ לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן עַל כָּל עֵת וָרֶגַע, עַל כָּל דָּבָר גָּדוֹל וְקָטָן, עַל כָּל מַחֲשָׁבָה דִּבּוּר וּמַעֲשֶׂה.
The creditors rush after me. They are ready at any moment to make their demands of me, Heaven forbid. I will have to give an accounting for my every deed at every moment; for every act, great or small; for every thought, speech and deed.
אוֹי, מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה, מִי יַעֲמֹד בַּעֲדִי, וּמִי יָקוּם בְּפָנַי, אוֹי, אוֹי, מָה אוֹמַר וּמָה אֲדַבֵּר, וּמָה אֶעֱשֶׂה כִּי יָקוּם אֵל, וְכִי יִפְקֹד מָה אֲשִׁיבֶנּוּ:
Woe! What shall I do? Who will stand up for me? Who will rise on my behalf? Woe! Woe! What shall I say? How will I speak? “What will I do when God arises? And when He visits, what will I reply to Him?”
וּבְכֵן יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, שֶׁתִּהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרִי וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה מֵעַתָּה עַל כָּל פָּנִים לְהֵטִיב אֶת מַעֲשַׂי, וְלָשׁוּב בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, וְלֹא אָסוּר עוֹד מֵרְצוֹנְךָ יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל.
HaShem, You are our God and God of our fathers. You are filled with compassion. Help me and save me so that I will — from now on, at any rate — improve my deeds and truly repent completely before You, and no longer turn aside from Your will, whether to the right or to the left.
וּתְזַכֵּנִי לְהַרְבּוֹת בְּמִצְוֹת כָּל יְמֵי חַיַּי בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה וּבְשִׂמְחָה וְחֶדְוָה רַבָּה וַעֲצוּמָה, עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נַעֲשִׂין מֵהַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁלִּי נֵרוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת הַרְבֵּה, וּמִכָּל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה יִהְיֶה נַעֲשֶׂה מִמֶּנָּה נֵר קָדוֹשׁ וְנוֹרָא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר.
Help me perform more mitzvot all the days of my life in great holiness and purity, and in vast joy and gladness, until they create many holy candles, so that each mitzvah will be a holy and awesome candle. As the verse states, “A mitzvah is a candle and the Torah is light.”
וְתַחְמֹל עָלַי וּתְזַכֵּנִי לְהִתְקַדֵּשׁ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה גְּדוֹלָה וְלַעֲלוֹת מַעְלָה מַעְלָה, וּלְהִתְקָרֵב אֵלֶיךָ בְּהִתְקָרְבוּת גָּדוֹל בֶּאֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב,
Have mercy on me. Help me sanctify myself with great holiness to rise ever higher and come close to You in ultimate truth, in accordance with Your good will.
עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה בָּעֵת שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ קִצִּי וּזְמַנִּי לְהִפָּטֵר מִן הָעוֹלָם, לְהָשִׁיב נַפְשִׁי וְרוּחִי וְנִשְׁמָתִי אֵלֶיךָ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה בְּלִי שׁוּם סִיג וּפְגָם, וַאֲתַקֵּן בְּחַיַּי כָּל אֲשֶׁר פָּגַמְתִּי וְשִׁחַתְתִּי בַּעֲוֹנוֹתַי הָרַבִּים וּבִפְשָׁעַי הָעֲצוּמִים,
And when I reach the time of my end, my time to leave the world, may I return my soul to You with great holiness and purity, without any dross or blemish. May I rectify during my lifetime all that I blemished and devastated with my many sins and iniquities.
וּתְזַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לְהִתְוַדּוֹת בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם, וּבִפְרָט סָמוּךְ לְמִיתָתִי אֶזְכֶּה לְהִתְוַדּוֹת לְפָנֶיךָ בְּפֶה מָלֵא בְּכָל מִינֵי וִדּוּיִם בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם, בְּלֵב נִשְׁבָּר וְנִדְכֶּה, וּבִבְכִיָּה רַבָּה וַעֲצוּמָה, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְעוֹרֵר רַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וְהָאֲמִתִּיִּים עָלַי, שֶׁתִּמְחוֹל וְתִסְלַח וּתְכַפֵּר לִי אֶת כָּל חֲטָאַי וַעֲוֹנוֹתַי וּפְשָׁעַי, שֶׁחָטָאתִי וְשֶׁעָוִיתִי וְשֶׁפָּשַׁעְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ מִתְּחִלָּה וְעַד סוֹף, בְּגִלְגּוּל זֶה וּבְגִלְגּוּלִים אֲחֵרִים,
Confessing Every Day
In Your vast compassion, help me confess every day. In particular, before my death, may I confess to You in detail, with a whole, broken and crushed heart, and with intense weeping, so that I will awaken Your vast and true compassion on my behalf, so that You will forgive and grant atonement for all my transgressions, sins and iniquities that I committed before You from beginning to end, in this incarnation and in other incarnations.
וְלֹא יִהְיֶה נִשְׁאָר מֵהֶם שׁוּם רֹשֶׁם וְזֵכֶר כְּלָל, רַק כָּל הָעֲוֹנוֹת יִתְהַפְּכוּ לְזְכֻיּוֹת. וְתִהְיֶה מִיתָתִי כַּפָּרָה עַל כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתַי. וְתִהְיֶה יְצִיאָתִי מִן הָעוֹלָם כְּבִיאָתִי לָעוֹלָם בְּלִי חֵטְא וּפְגָּם כְּלָל.
May no impression or recollection remain of them at all. Rather, may all the sins be transformed to merits. May my death bring me atonement for all my sins. May my leaving the world be like my entry into the world: without any sin or blemish at all.
וְאֶזְכֶּה לִהְיוֹת קַיָּם וְחָזָק בֶּאֱמוּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה תָמִיד לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. וְאֶזְכֶּה לְקַבֵּל עָלַי עוֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם שְׁלֵמָה קֹדֶם יְצִיאַת נִשְׁמָתִי, לִקְרוֹת אָז קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בְּפֶה מָלֵא, בְּאֵימָה וּבְיִרְאָה גְּדוֹלָה בֶּאֱמֶת וּבֶאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה בְּשִׂמְחָה וְחֶדְוָה רַבָּה וַעֲצוּמָה,
May I be firm and strong in Your holy faith always and forever. May I accept upon myself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven completely before my soul leaves, to recite the Shema at that time with a mouth filled with awe and fear, with truth and complete faith, with great joy and gladness.
וּלְדַבֵּר הַרְבֵּה דִּבּוּרֵי אֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה לוֹמַר בְּפֶה מָלֵא שֶׁאֲנִי מַאֲמִין בְּךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וּבְכָל הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁהָיוּ מִימוֹת עוֹלָם עַד הֵנָּה, וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לָנוּ עַל־יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ בִּכְתָב וּבְעַל־פֶּה,
Words of Faith
May I speak many words of holy faith, saying clearly that I believe in You, HaShem our God and God of our fathers, and in all the true Tzaddikim from the beginning of the world until now, and in Your holy Torah that You gave us through Moses, Your servant, in its written and oral forms.
וּלְהַאֲרִיךְ בְּדִבּוּרֵי אֱמֶת וֶאֱמוּנָה בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם, עַד שֶׁתֵּצֵא נִשְׁמָתִי מִתּוֹךְ דִּבּוּרֵי אֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, וְתֻכְלַל נַפְשִׁי וְרוּחִי וְנִשְׁמָתִי מִיַּד בְּתוֹךְ הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, וְתַעֲלֶה וְתִרְאֶה בְּאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ,
May I speak many words of truth and faith with a whole heart, until my soul leaves while I am speaking words of holy faith, and my soul is incorporated immediately into holy faith and rises and sees the light of Your countenance.
וְתִהְיֶה נַפְשִׁי צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים אֶת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי בְּתוֹךְ כְּלָל נַפְשׁוֹת (הַצַּדִּיקִים) הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּךָ, וְאֶזְכֶּה לַחֲזוֹת בְּנֹעַם יְהֹוָה וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ:
May my soul be bound in the knot of life with HaShem my God, amid the totality of holy souls (of the Tzaddikim) of the children of Israel, Your nation. May I “gaze upon the pleasantness of HaShem and visit in His palace.”
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, רַחֵם עָלַי לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ. מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת, אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ כָּל מַה שֶּׁעָבַר עָלַי וְכָל מַה שֶּׁעָבַרְתִּי וּפָגַמְתִּי נֶגְדְּךָ עַד הֵנָּה,
Master of the world, Master of the world, have compassion on me for the sake of Your Name. You are filled with compassion. You know hidden things; You know everything that I have gone through, everything that I have done and how I have caused blemishes, in contradiction to Your will.
אֲבָל חַסְדְּךָ גָּדוֹל עָלָי, וַעֲדַיִן אַתָּה מְחַיֶּה אוֹתִי, וְאַתָּה מְחַזְּקֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ עֲדַיִן לְחַפֵּשׂ וּלְבַקֵּשׁ פְּלֵטָה, לְפַלֵּט וּלְמַלֵּט נַפְשִׁי מִמַּה שֶּׁאֲנִי צָרִיךְ לְהִנָּצֵל וּלְהִמָּלֵט,
Despite that, You are very kind to me and You continue to give me life. You strengthen me in Your compassion to seek refuge, to rescue my soul and help me escape whatever I need to escape.
אָדוֹן יָחִיד, מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, פּוֹדֶה וּמַצִּיל, גּוֹאֵל חָזָק, גּוֹאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל, רַחֵם עָלַי וּמַהֵר לְגָאֳלֵנִי גְאֻלָּה שְׁלֵמָה מְהֵרָה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ מִכָּל הַתַּאֲווֹת רָעוֹת וְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים, וּמִכָּל הַחֲטָאִים וְהַפְּגָמִים שֶׁהֻרְגַּלְתִּי בָּהֶם.
Unique Master, filled with compassion, redeeming and strong, Redeemer of Israel, have compassion on me. Quickly redeem me completely for the sake of Your Name from all bad desires and bad thoughts, and from all transgressions and blemishes that I have grown accustomed to.
אוֹי לִי וַי לִי, אוֹי לִי וַי לִי, אוֹי, אוֹי וַאֲבוֹי, אוֹי, אוֹי, אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ כְּלָל מַה לְדַבֵּר, וְאֵיךְ לְבַקֵּשׁ עֵצָה וְתַחְבּוּלָה בִּיוֵן מְצוּלָה וְאֵין מָעֳמָד כָּזֶה, בְּבִלְבּוּל כָּזֶה, בִּרְגִילוּת לֹא טוֹבִים כָּאֵלֶּה, בְּרִפְיוֹן יָדַיִם כָּזֶה, בְּקַשְׁיוּת עֹרֶף כָּזֶה.
Woe is me! Woe is me! Woe, woe and woe! Woe! Woe! I have no idea at all what to say and how to seek counsel and advice in the depth of this swamp. There is no way for me to stand like this, so confused, with such bad habits, so weak, so stubborn.
אֲבָל אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן אֲנִי רוֹאֶה עֲדַיִן חֲסָדֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וְרַחֲמֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים עָלַי בְּלִי שִׁעוּר, חֲסָדִים אֲמִתִּיִּים וְנִצְחִיִּים בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם, כִּי חַסְדְּךָ גָּדוֹל עָלָי וְהִצַּלְתָּ נַפְשִׁי מִשְּׁאוֹל תַּחְתִּיָּה.
Nevertheless, I still perceive Your vast kindness and mighty, infinite compassion for me, Your true and eternal kindness every day, “for Your kindness is great toward me, and You rescued my spirit from the lowest depths of Sheol.”
חַסְדְּךָ גָּדוֹל עָלַי מְאֹד מְאֹד עַד אֵין חֵקֶר וְאֵין מִסְפָּר. אִם אָמַרְתִּי מָטָה רַגְלִי חַסְדְּךָ יְהֹוָה יִסְעָדֵנִי. בְּרֹב שַׂרְעַפַּי בְּקִרְבִּי תַּנְחוּמֶיךָ יְשַׁעַשְׁעוּ נַפְשִׁי.
Your kindness to me is great, beyond comprehension and limit. “If I said, ‘My foot has stumbled,’ Your kindness, HaShem, supported me. With my many thoughts within me, Your consolations delighted my soul.”
עַל כֵּן עֲדַיִן עַל מִשְׁמַרְתִּי אֶעֱמֹד לִשְׁטֹחַ אֵלֶיךָ כַּפַּי, עַד שֶׁתְּחָנֵּנִי וּתְרַחֵם עָלַי וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי יְשׁוּעָה שְׁלֵמָה בֶּאֱמֶת.
Therefore, I will strengthen and stretch my hands out to You, until You are gracious and have compassion on me and truly save me fully.
וְתִשְׁלַח בְּלִבִּי עֵצוֹת שְׁלֵמוֹת אֲמִתִּיּוֹת בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה מֵעַתָּה עַל כָּל פָּנִים לִתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה בֶּאֱמֶת, לָסוּר מֵרַע וְלַעֲשׂוֹת הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ תָמִיד,
Perfect Advice and Holy Candles
Send my heart perfect, true counsel every day and moment, so that — from now on, at any rate — I will truly attain complete repentance. I will turn aside from evil and always do what is good in Your eyes.
עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ לִהְיוֹת בִּכְלַל יְרֵאֶיךָ וּתְמִימֶךָ הַזּוֹכִים לְרַב טוּב הַצָּפוּן וְגָנוּז, אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה נוֹתֵן לָהֶם רְשׁוּת לְחַפֵּשׂ וּלְבַקֵּשׁ בְּגִנְזַיָּא דְמַלְכָּא, אַשְׁרֵי חֶלְקָם.
May I be among those who fear You and are wholehearted, who attain vast, hidden good as You give them permission to search in the treasure house of the King. Fortunate is their portion.
וְאֶזְכֶּה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נַעֲשִׂין נֵרוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת מִכָּל הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁאַתָּה מְזַכֵּנִי לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּחַיַּי, וְאֵצֶל אֵלּוּ הַנֵּרוֹת הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת שֶׁל הַמִּצְוֹת אֶזְכֶּה בְּעֵת מִיתָתִי לְחַפֵּשׂ וּלְבַקֵּשׁ בְּגִנְזַיָּא דְמַלְכָּא, וְלֹא אֵיעוּל בְּכִסּוּפָא קַמָּךְ:
May holy candles be made of all the mitzvot that You help me perform in my lifetime. May I use these holy candles of the mitzvot at the time of my death to search in the King’s treasure house. Then I will not rise in shame before You.
מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, הִקְשֵׁיתִי לִשְׁאֹל, אֲבָל מִמְּךָ לֹא יִקְשֶׁה וְלֹא יִפָּלֵא כָּל דָּבָר. וַאֲנִי מַאֲמִין בְּנִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים וּבְטוֹבוֹתֶיךָ הַנּוֹרָאִים וּבַחֲסָדֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וְרַחֲמֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים,
You are filled with compassion. I am asking a great deal, but nothing is hard for You. Nothing is beyond You. I believe that I can hope to attain all this because of Your great wonders, awesome favors, multitudinous kindness and great compassion.
שֶׁעֲדַיִן יֵשׁ גַּם לִי תִקְוָה לִזְכּוֹת לְכָל זֶה בְּכֹחַ וּזְכוּת הַצַּדִּיקִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים הַנּוֹרָאִים וְהַנִּשְׂגָּבִים, אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם אָנוּ נִשְׁעָנִים תָּמִיד, וּבִלְעָדָם אֵין לָנוּ שׁוּם פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְבַקֵּשׁ אוֹתְךָ אֲפִלּוּ עַל דָּבָר קָטָן שֶׁבִּקְטַנִּים,
My hope is in the power and merit of the holy, true, awesome and elevated Tzaddikim, on whom I always rely, and without whom I have no excuse to ask You even for the smallest thing.
אֲבָל בְּכֹחָם הַגָּדוֹל אָנוּ נִשְׁעָנִים לְחַלּוֹת וּלְבַקֵּשׁ פָּנֶיךָ עַל כָּל הַגְּדוֹלּוֹת וְהַטּוֹבוֹת שֶׁבְּכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת, כִּי כֹחָם וּזְכוּתָם מַסְפִּיק גַּם עָלַי וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְזַכּוֹת אוֹתָנוּ לְכָל טוּב אֲמִתִּי וְנִצְחִי.
I rely on their great power to petition and seek Your face for all great things and favors in all worlds, because their power and merit suffices for me and all Israel to attain all true and eternal good.
עָזְרֵנִי לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי לְמַעַן חַסְדֶּךָ, פֵּרַשְׂתִּי יָדַי אֵלֶיךָ נַפְשִׁי כְּאֶרֶץ עֲיֵפָה לְךָ סֶלָה.
Help me for the sake of Your Name. Save me for the sake of Your kindness. “I stretch my hands out to You. My soul turns to You like a weary land.”
חֲמֹל עָלַי מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, וְעָזְרֵנִי וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי לְדַלֵּג וּלְקַפֵּץ עַל כָּל הַבְלֵי עוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וּלְהִתְקָרֵב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְתָמִים לְעוֹלְמֵי עַד וּלְנֵצַח נְצָחִים.
Have mercy on me, You Who are filled with compassion. Help me and save me to leap past all the vanities of this world and to truly and completely come close to You forever.
וִיקֻיַּם בִּי מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, כִּי הִצַּלְתָּ נַפְשִׁי מִמָּוֶת הֲלֹא רַגְלַי מִדֶּחִי לְהִתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהִים בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים.
May the verse be realized in me, “You have rescued my spirit from death, my feet from stumbling, so that I may walk before God in the light of life.”
וְנֶאֱמַר, שׁוּבִי נַפְשִׁי לִמְנוּחָיְכִי כִּי יְהֹוָה גָּמַל עָלָיְכִי. כִּי חִלַּצְתָּ נַפְשִׁי מִמָּוֶת אֶת עֵינִי מִן דִּמְעָה אֶת רַגְלִי מִדֶּחִי. אֶתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה בְּאַרְצוֹת הַחַיִּים.
“My soul, return to your rest, for HaShem has dealt bountifully with you. [HaShem,] You have rescued my soul from death, my eye from tears, my foot from stumbling. I shall walk before HaShem in the lands of life.”
תּוֹדִיעֵנִי אֹרַח חַיִּים שֹׂבַע שְׂמָחוֹת אֶת פָּנֶיךָ נְעִימוֹת בִּימִינְךָ נֶצַח. אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:
“Let me know the way of life, the satiety of joy before Your countenance, the pleasantness at Your right hand forever.” Amen and amen.