A Person is Responsible for All of His Difficulties / True Words of Prayer and Torah The principal cause of a person’s dismay is his knowledge that he himself is responsible for all of his difficulties. He should strive at every moment to speak words of truth to God. In all his prayers, he should begin from the narrows, from his oppression. He should draw close to true Tzaddikim whose original Torah teachings possess the light of revelation, and he himself should create Torah insights in the way of those Tzaddikim. Crying Out “From the straits I called to God. God answered me with a vast expanse.” “In my distress, I will call HaShem, and I will cry out to my God. He will hear my voice from His palace, and my cry will come before Him in His ears.”
“I called from my distress to HaShem, and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I cried out; You heard my voice.” “I will call to HaShem with My voice and He will answer me from His holy mountain.” “To You, HaShem, do I call, and to HaShem I plead.”
You Who are filled with compassion, help me so that I will not be confused by the thoughts and ideas that distract me and prevent me from praying, from crying out to You, and from arranging my prayer and pleas before You at every moment.
May no suffering or oppression in body, soul or money prevent me from calling out to You. Rather, may I call and cry out to You always, however things may be.
You know how difficult it is for me to open my mouth to pray to You every day and moment — particularly to speak to You in my own words — so that most of the time, I feel so oppressed and heavy that I cannot open my mouth to say a word to You.
“Day and night Your hand is heavy upon me; my moisture is transformed to the droughts of summer.” I have no rest from those who constantly pursue my life. I suffer so many troubles of soul and body that my mouth is closed and mute, and it is hard for me to open my mouth before You.
God Helps Us Pray The principal cause of my weakness that constantly casts me down and dismays my mind is the knowledge that I myself am responsible for everything that I am undergoing.
But You are filled with compassion. You have already informed us that, nevertheless, You desire our prayer, You wish for our pleas, and You hear and heed our speech and groans and sighs. You have told us this many times without number, as the verse states, “He does not despise and does not abhor the cry of the poor person, and does not hide His face from him, and hears his outcry to Him.”
Therefore, I plead with You, I stretch my hands out before Your great and wondrous compassion, graciousness and mercy. Be with me at all times and in every hour. Help me never be distracted by any such confusions and ideas.
Rather, may I strengthen myself at every moment to express my speech to You out of the straits and oppression, so that “my mouth will speak in my trouble.”
In Your vast compassion and kindness, You constantly broaden the narrow places. Open my mouth and fill it. Help me, save me, give me merit. Open my mouth wide to express and present all of my words before You, with pleasing words of grace and pleading. Heed my prayers and beseeching. May Your compassion be stirred up for me at every moment. Bring me close to You, to Your Torah and to Your service in truth.
Torah Teachings That Possess the Light of Revelation Help me come close to true Tzaddikim, whose original Torah teachings possess the light of revelation drawn down from above. Above, their Torah is expansive and lofty, but below it grows narrow so that it may enter every individual’s heart and mind in a way that is proper for him. Keep me far from people who distort straight ways, whose Torah comes from below to above, too wide below and very abbreviated above.
In all of my prayers, pleas and requests, may I begin from the narrows, from oppression. In Your compassion, open my mouth and pour the spirit of Your holiness onto me from Heaven so that I will express all of my speech before You in truth, in accordance with Your good will. May my speech be truly pleasant before You.
Overcoming Obstacles You alone know how a person toils and how he is oppressed in this world every day — particularly when he wishes to approach holiness and express his speech before You, Master of compassion. At such a time, many rise against him in body and soul, materially and spiritually.
This is particularly true of an impoverished person such as myself. “God, You have known my foolishness, and my guilty deeds have not been concealed from You.” “You know my sitting and my rising; You understand how to attach me [to You] from afar, my going about and my lying down.” “HaShem, how many are my adversaries, how many rise against me” at every moment.
Have compassion on me. Strengthen me. Make me firm at every moment to trust in Your vast kindness so that I will call out to You always, however things may be.
“Turn to me and be gracious to me. Grant Your might to Your servant; save the son of Your maidservant. Send me a sign for the good; let my enemies see it and be ashamed, for You, HaShem, help me and console me.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה רע"ט - דַּע שֶׁיֵּשׁ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים תּוֹרָה מִלְּמַטָּה לְמַעְלָה]
מִן הַמֵּצַר קָרָאתִי יָהּ עָנָנִי בַּמֶּרְחָב יָהּ. בַּצַּר לִי אֶקְרָא יְהֹוָה וְאֶל אֱלֹהַי אֲשַׁוֵּעַ יִשְׁמַע מֵהֵיכָלוֹ קוֹלִי וְשַׁוְעָתִי לְפָנָיו תָּבוֹא בְּאָזְנָיו.
A Person is Responsible for All of His Difficulties / True Words of Prayer and Torah
The principal cause of a person’s dismay is his knowledge that he himself is responsible for all of his difficulties.
He should strive at every moment to speak words of truth to God. In all his prayers, he should begin from the narrows, from his oppression.
He should draw close to true Tzaddikim whose original Torah teachings possess the light of revelation, and he himself should create Torah insights in the way of those Tzaddikim.
Crying Out
“From the straits I called to God. God answered me with a vast expanse.” “In my distress, I will call HaShem, and I will cry out to my God. He will hear my voice from His palace, and my cry will come before Him in His ears.”
קָרָאתִי מִצָּרָה לִי אֶל יְהֹוָה וַיַּעֲנֵנִי, מִבֶּטֶן שְׁאוֹל שִׁוַּעְתִּי שָׁמַעְתִּי קוֹלִי. קוֹלִי אֶל יְהֹוָה אֶקְרָא וַיַּעֲנֵנִי מֵהַר קָדְשׁוֹ סֶלָה. קוֹלִי אֶל יְהֹוָה אֶקְרָא, וְאֶל יְהֹוָה אֶתְחַנָּן.
“I called from my distress to HaShem, and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I cried out; You heard my voice.” “I will call to HaShem with My voice and He will answer me from His holy mountain.” “To You, HaShem, do I call, and to HaShem I plead.”
עָזְרֵנִי מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, לְבַל יוּכְלוּ לְבַלְבֵּל אוֹתִי הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת וְהָרַעְיוֹנִים הַמְּבַלְבְּלִים וּמְעַכְּבִים מִלְּהִתְפַּלֵּל וְלִצְעֹק וּלְסַדֵּר תְּפִלָּתִי וּתְחִנָּתִי וּבַקָּשָׁתִי לְפָנֶיךָ בְּכָל־עֵת,
You Who are filled with compassion, help me so that I will not be confused by the thoughts and ideas that distract me and prevent me from praying, from crying out to You, and from arranging my prayer and pleas before You at every moment.
וְאַל יַטְרִידֵנִי הַצַּעַר וְהַדַּחֲקוּת בְּגוּף וָנֶפֶשׁ וּמָמוֹן חַס וְשָׁלוֹם מִלִּקְרֹא אֵלֶיךָ, רַק אֶזְכֶּה לִקְרֹא וְלִצְעֹק אֵלֶיךָ תָמִיד יִהְיֶה אֵיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה.
May no suffering or oppression in body, soul or money prevent me from calling out to You. Rather, may I call and cry out to You always, however things may be.
כִּי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה קָשֶׁה וְכָבֵד עָלַי בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל עֵת לִפְתֹּחַ פִּי לְפָנֶיךָ בִּתְפִלָּה, וּבִפְרָט בְּעֵת שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹצֶה לְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתִי לְפָנֶיךָ, עַד אֲשֶׁר עַל פִּי רֹב אֵינִי יָכוֹל לִפְתֹּחַ פִּי לְדַבֵּר דִּבּוּר לְפָנֶיךָ מֵרֹב הַדַּחֲקוּת וְהַכְּבֵדוּת,
You know how difficult it is for me to open my mouth to pray to You every day and moment — particularly to speak to You in my own words — so that most of the time, I feel so oppressed and heavy that I cannot open my mouth to say a word to You.
כִּי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה תִּכְבַּד עָלַי יָדֶיךָ נֶהְפַּךְ לְשַׁדִּי בְּחַרְבֹנֵי קַיִץ סֶלָה. וְאֵין לִי מְנוּחָה מֵרוֹדְפֵי נַפְשִׁי בְּכָל עֵת. וּמִגֹּדֶל רִבּוּי צָרוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְהַגּוּף, נִסְגַּר וְנֶאֱלַם פִּי, וְקָשֶׁה וְכָבֵד עָלַי מְאֹד לִפְתֹּחַ פִּי לְפָנֶיךָ.
“Day and night Your hand is heavy upon me; my moisture is transformed to the droughts of summer.” I have no rest from those who constantly pursue my life. I suffer so many troubles of soul and body that my mouth is closed and mute, and it is hard for me to open my mouth before You.
וְהָעִקָּר מֵחֲמַת הַחֲלִישׁוּת שֶׁמַּפִּיל וּמַחֲלִישׁ אוֹתִי בְּדַעְתִּי בְּכָל עֵת, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁאֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ, שֶׁאֲנִי בְּעַצְמִי הַחַיָּב בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר עָלַי.
God Helps Us Pray
The principal cause of my weakness that constantly casts me down and dismays my mind is the knowledge that I myself am responsible for everything that I am undergoing.
אֲבָל אַתָּה מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, כְּבָר הוֹדַעְתָּנוּ, שֶׁאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן אַתָּה מִתְאַוֶּה לִתְפִלָּתֵנוּ וְחָפֵץ בִּתְחִנּוֹתֵינוּ, וְשׁוֹמֵעַ וּמַאֲזִין וּמַקְשִׁיב לְקוֹל שִׂיחוֹתֵינוּ וְאֶנְקוֹתֵינוּ וְאַנְחוֹתֵינוּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר הִזְהַרְתָּנוּ פְּעָמִים רַבּוֹת אֵין מִסְפָּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, כִּי לֹא בָזָה וְלֹא שִׁקַּץ עֱנוּת עָנִי, וְלֹא הִסְתִּיר פָּנָיו מִמֶּנּוּ, וּבְשַׁוְּעוֹ אֵלָיו שָׁמֵעַ.
But You are filled with compassion. You have already informed us that, nevertheless, You desire our prayer, You wish for our pleas, and You hear and heed our speech and groans and sighs. You have told us this many times without number, as the verse states, “He does not despise and does not abhor the cry of the poor person, and does not hide His face from him, and hears his outcry to Him.”
עַל כֵּן הִנְנִי מַפִּיל תְּחִנָּתִי לְפָנֶיךָ, וּפוֹרֵשׂ וְשׁוֹטֵחַ כַּפַּי מוּל רַחֲמֶיךָ וַחֲנִינוֹתֶיךָ וְחֶמְלָתְךָ הַמְּרֻבִּים וְהַנִּפְלָאִים מְאֹד מְאֹד, שֶׁתִּהְיֶה עִמִּי בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה, וְתַעַזְרֵנִי תָמִיד שֶׁלֹּא אֶסְתַּכֵּל כְּלָל עַל כָּל מִינֵי בִּלְבּוּלִים וְרַעְיוֹנִים כָּאֵלֶּה וְכָאֵלֶּה,
Therefore, I plead with You, I stretch my hands out before Your great and wondrous compassion, graciousness and mercy. Be with me at all times and in every hour. Help me never be distracted by any such confusions and ideas.
רַק אֶזְכֶּה לְהִתְחַזֵּק בְּכָל עֵת לְהַתְחִיל לְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתִי לְפָנֶיךָ מִתּוֹךְ הַמֵּצַר וְהַדֹּחַק, וּלְקַיֵּם, וְדִבֶּר פִּי בַּצַּר לִי.
Rather, may I strengthen myself at every moment to express my speech to You out of the straits and oppression, so that “my mouth will speak in my trouble.”
וַאֲיַגֵעַ וְאֶחְתֹּר וְאֶדְחַק אֶת עַצְמִי לְהַטּוֹת תָּמִיד מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי וּלְבָבִי אֶל הָאֱמֶת, וּלְדַבֵּר לְפָנֶיךָ כָּל מַה שֶּׁאוּכַל לְדַבֵּר אֵיזֶה דִּבּוּר אֱמֶת כָּל שֶׁהוּא, אֲפִלּוּ מִתּוֹךְ הַמֵּצַר וְהַדֹּחַק הַגָּדוֹל.
May I always toil and strive to bend my thoughts and heart to the truth and to speak words of truth to You, even in my difficulties and oppression.
וְאַתָּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, בַּצָּר תַּרְחִיב לִי בְּכָל עֵת, וְתַרְחִיב פִּי וּתְמַלְּאֵהוּ. וְתַעַזְרֵנִי וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי וּתְזַכֵּנִי וְתִפְתַּח פִּי בְּהַרְחָבָה גְּדוֹלָה לְפָרֵשׁ וּלְבָאֵר וְלָשִׂיחַ כָּל שִׂיחָתִי לְפָנֶיךָ בְּדִבְרֵי חֵן וְרִצּוּי וְתַחֲנוּנִים, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁתִּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי וּתְחִנָּתִי, וְיִכָּמְרוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ עָלַי בְּכָל עֵת וּתְקָרְבֵנִי אֵלֶיךָ וּלְתוֹרָתְךָ וְלַעֲבוֹדָתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת.
In Your vast compassion and kindness, You constantly broaden the narrow places. Open my mouth and fill it. Help me, save me, give me merit. Open my mouth wide to express and present all of my words before You, with pleasing words of grace and pleading. Heed my prayers and beseeching. May Your compassion be stirred up for me at every moment. Bring me close to You, to Your Torah and to Your service in truth.
וּתְזַכֵּנִי לְהִתְקָרֵב לְצַדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים, אֲשֶׁר אוֹר הִתְגַּלּוּת חִדּוּשֵׁי תוֹרָתָם נִמְשָׁךְ מִלְּמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה, שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה תּוֹרָתָם רְחָבָה וּגְבוֹהָה מְאֹד וּלְמַטָּה מִתְקַצֶּרֶת הַרְבֵּה, כְּדֵי לְהַכְנִיסָהּ בְּתוֹךְ לְבָבֵנוּ וְשִׂכְלֵנוּ לְכָל אֶחָד כָּרָאוּי לוֹ. וְתַרְחִיקֵנִי מֵהַהוֹפְכִים אָרְחוֹת יֹשֶׁר, אֲשֶׁר תּוֹרָתָם מִמַּטָּה לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁלְּמַטָּה מַרְחִיבִים אוֹתָהּ יוֹתֵר מִדַּי וּלְמַעְלָה הִיא קְצָרָה מְאֹד.
Torah Teachings That Possess the Light of Revelation
Help me come close to true Tzaddikim, whose original Torah teachings possess the light of revelation drawn down from above. Above, their Torah is expansive and lofty, but below it grows narrow so that it may enter every individual’s heart and mind in a way that is proper for him. Keep me far from people who distort straight ways, whose Torah comes from below to above, too wide below and very abbreviated above.
וְתַחְמֹל עָלַי וּתְזַכֵּנִי לְחַדֵּשׁ חִדּוּשֵׁי תוֹרָה אֲמִתִּיִּים בְּדֶרֶךְ הַצַּדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת הַמַּמְשִׁיכִים וְאוֹמְרִים תּוֹרָה מִלְּמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה.
Have mercy on me. Help me create true Torah insights in the way of the true Tzaddikim who draw down and deliver teachings from above to below.
וְכֵן בְּכָל הַתְּפִלּוֹת וְהַתְּחִנּוֹת וּבַקָּשׁוֹת אֶזְכֶּה לְהַתְחִיל מִן הַמֵּצַר וְהַדֹּחַק, וְאַתָּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ תַּרְחִיב פִּי וְתַשְׁפִּיעַ לִי רוּחַ קָדְשְׁךָ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְפָרֵשׁ כָּל שִׂיחָתִי לְפָנֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב, וְיֶעֱרַב שִׂיחָתִי לְפָנֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת.
In all of my prayers, pleas and requests, may I begin from the narrows, from oppression. In Your compassion, open my mouth and pour the spirit of Your holiness onto me from Heaven so that I will express all of my speech before You in truth, in accordance with Your good will. May my speech be truly pleasant before You.
וְתַעַזְרֵנִי וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי בְּכָל עֵת בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי צָרִיךְ לְהִוָּשֵׁעַ, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה מְהֵרָה לִהְיוֹת כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב בֶּאֱמֶת.
Help me and save me at every moment, in every way that I need to be saved, so that I will quickly and truly be in accordance with Your good will.
כִּי אַתָּה לְבַד יוֹדֵעַ עֲמַל הָאָדָם וְדוֹחֲקוֹ בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם בְּכָל יוֹם, בִּפְרָט בְּעֵת שֶׁרוֹצֶה לָגֶשֶׁת אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתוֹ לְפָנֶיךָ בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים, שֶׁרַבִּים קָמִים כְּנֶגְדּוֹ בְּגוּף וָנֶפֶשׁ, בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת וּבְרוּחָנִיּוּת,
Overcoming Obstacles
You alone know how a person toils and how he is oppressed in this world every day — particularly when he wishes to approach holiness and express his speech before You, Master of compassion. At such a time, many rise against him in body and soul, materially and spiritually.
בִּפְרָט כָּמוֹנִי הֶעָנִי. אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ לְאִוַּלְתִּי וְאַשְׁמוֹתַי מִמְּךָ לֹא נִכְחָדוּ. אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ שִׁבְתִּי וְקוּמִי בַּנְתָּה לְרֵעִי מֵרָחוֹק. יְהֹוָה מָה רַבּוּ צָרָי רַבִּים קָמִים עָלַי בְּכָל עֵת.
This is particularly true of an impoverished person such as myself. “God, You have known my foolishness, and my guilty deeds have not been concealed from You.” “You know my sitting and my rising; You understand how to attach me [to You] from afar, my going about and my lying down.” “HaShem, how many are my adversaries, how many rise against me” at every moment.
רַחֵם עָלַי וְחַזְּקֵנִי וְאַמְּצֵנִי בְּכָל עֵת לִבְטֹחַ בַּחֲסָדֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לִקְרֹא אֵלֶיךָ תָמִיד, יִהְיֶה אֵיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה.
Have compassion on me. Strengthen me. Make me firm at every moment to trust in Your vast kindness so that I will call out to You always, however things may be.
פְּנֵה אֵלַי וְחָנֵּנִי תְּנָה עֻזְּךָ לְעַבְדֶּךָ וְהוֹשִׁיעָה לְבֶן אֲמָתֶךָ. עֲשֵׂה עִמִּי אוֹת לְטוֹבָה וְיִרְאוּ שׂוֹנְאַי וְיֵבֹשׁוּ כִּי אַתָּה יְהֹוָה עֲזַרְתַּנִי וְנִחַמְתָּנִי.
“Turn to me and be gracious to me. Grant Your might to Your servant; save the son of Your maidservant. Send me a sign for the good; let my enemies see it and be ashamed, for You, HaShem, help me and console me.”
בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:
“Blessed is HaShem forever, amen and amen.”