The Grasses of the Field Enhance a Person’s Prayers When a person prays in the field, all of the grasses enter into his prayer and imbue it with power. Hitbodedut Among the Trees and Grasses “Come, my beloved. Let us go out to the field, let us stay overnight in the villages. Let us arise to the vineyards, let us see if the grapevine has flowered, if the tiny grapes have developed, if the pomegranates have lost their flowers. There I will give you my love.”
Master of the world, help me always engage in a great deal of hitbodedut.5 Hitbodedut (literally, “self-seclusion”) refers to private prayer to God in one’s mother tongue. For a “how-to” guide to hitbodedut, see Where Earth and Heaven Kiss: Rebbe Nachman’s Path of Meditation, published by the Breslov Research Institute. See also Outpouring of the Soul. May I accustom myself to go out every day to the fields, among the trees, grasses and all of the vegetation of the field.
There, may I engage in hitbodedut and a great deal of conversation — that is, prayer — between myself and You, my Maker, expressing everything that is in my heart.
May all of the vegetation of the field, all of the grasses, trees and plants, be aroused to greet me, rise up and invest their strength and vitality in my words of conversation and prayer.
Then may my prayer and conversation reach the ultimate perfection with the aid of all of the plants of the field, so that all of them, with all of their might, vitality and spirit, reaching up to their supernal root, will be incorporated into my prayer.
As a result, may I open my heart and engage in a great deal of prayer, pleading and holy conversation before You Who are filled with vast compassion. May I pour forth all of my conversation before You.
At last, may I pour my heart out like water before Your countenance, HaShem, and lift my hands to You on behalf of my soul and the souls of my children and infants.
Seeking God’s Rescue HaShem, help! Help me, HaShem! My hope is almost entirely gone, Heaven forbid. Look, my hand has no more strength, my might is gone. I murmur to You from a great distance.
Have mercy on me. I am guilty a thousand times over, tens of thousands of times over, to this day. Have mercy on me, I who am so far away from You. Have mercy on me, I who do not deserve mercy. Have mercy on me! Have compassion on me!
Be gracious to me, HaShem. Grant me a gift that is totally undeserved. Be gracious to me! Redeem me! Rescue me from transgressions, sins and offenses. Rescue me from the judgment of Gehennom.
Rescue me from the harsh and bitter punishments that I deserve, Heaven forbid, according to Your true judgments. Rescue me from the sword of the angel of death, from being beaten in the grave and from the judgment of Gehennom.
Bring me back to You in complete repentance. Help me walk in Your laws and keep Your judgments. “Guard my soul and save me; may I never be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.”
May Your lovingkindness be wondrous. Reveal new kindnesses that have been concealed with You to bring compassion to someone like myself, someone who does not deserve compassion, for Your sake and for the sake of our forefathers and our rabbis, the true Tzaddikim, whose holiness is capable of shielding even me.
Save me, my Father in Heaven! Save me, my Master, the King! “I have spread my hands out to You.” “To You have I raised my eyes, You Who dwell in Heaven.” “I have stretched out my hands the entire day.” “My soul turns to You like a tired land.”
Help me always be in accordance with Your will. “My eyes are raised to the heights, HaShem. I have been oppressed; be my guarantor.” “Be a guarantor to Your servant for the good — do not let the wicked oppress me!”
“My eyes have pined for Your salvation and Your righteous word,” “until HaShem will gaze and see from Heaven.” Perhaps You will have pity! Perhaps You will have compassion!
“And I will always hope, and I will add to all of Your praises,” “because the Lord will not cast away forever.” “It is good for a person to hope silently for the salvation of HaShem,” “because our soul is cast down to the dust, our belly clings to the earth. Arise to help us and redeem us for the sake of Your kindness.” Amen and amen.
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה י"א - דַּע, כְּשֶׁאָדָם מִתְפַּלֵּל בַּשָּׂדֶה]
לְכָה דוֹדִי נֵצֵא הַשָּׂדֶה נָלִינָה בַּכְּפָרִים, נַשְׁכִּימָה לַכְּרָמִים, נִרְאֶה אִם פָּרְחָה הַגֶּפֶן פִּתַּח הַסְּמָדַר הֵנֵצוּ הָרִמּוֹנִים, שָׁם אֶתֵּן אֶת דּוֹדַי לָךְ.
The Grasses of the Field Enhance a Person’s Prayers
When a person prays in the field, all of the grasses enter into his prayer and imbue it with power.
Hitbodedut Among the Trees and Grasses
“Come, my beloved. Let us go out to the field, let us stay overnight in the villages. Let us arise to the vineyards, let us see if the grapevine has flowered, if the tiny grapes have developed, if the pomegranates have lost their flowers. There I will give you my love.”
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, זַכֵּנִי לְהַרְבּוֹת בְּהִתְבּוֹדְדוּת תָּמִיד, וְאֶזְכֶּה לִהְיוֹת רָגִיל לָצֵאת בְּכָל יוֹם לַשָּׂדֶה בֵּין אִילָנוֹת וַעֲשָׂבִים וְכֹל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה,
Master of the world, help me always engage in a great deal of hitbodedut.5 Hitbodedut (literally, “self-seclusion”) refers to private prayer to God in one’s mother tongue. For a “how-to” guide to hitbodedut, see Where Earth and Heaven Kiss: Rebbe Nachman’s Path of Meditation, published by the Breslov Research Institute. See also Outpouring of the Soul. May I accustom myself to go out every day to the fields, among the trees, grasses and all of the vegetation of the field.
וְשָׁם אֶזְכֶּה לְהִתְבּוֹדֵד וּלְהַרְבּוֹת בְּשִׂיחָה זוֹ תְפִלָּה, בֵּינִי לְבֵין קוֹנִי, לָשׂוּחַ שָׁם כָּל אֲשֶׁר עִם לְבָבִי,
There, may I engage in hitbodedut and a great deal of conversation — that is, prayer — between myself and You, my Maker, expressing everything that is in my heart.
וְכֹל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה וְכָל הָעֲשָׂבִים וְהָאִילָנוֹת וְכָל הַצְּמָחִים, כֻּלָּם יִתְעוֹרְרוּ לִקְרָאתִי, וְיַעֲלוּ וְיִתְּנוּ כֹּחָם וְחַיּוּתָם לְתוֹךְ דִּבְרֵי שִׂיחָתִי וּתְפִלָּתִי,
May all of the vegetation of the field, all of the grasses, trees and plants, be aroused to greet me, rise up and invest their strength and vitality in my words of conversation and prayer.
עַד שֶׁתִּהְיֶה תְפִלָּתִי וְשִׂיחָתִי נִשְׁלֶמֶת בְּתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת עַל־יְדֵי כָּל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה, שֶׁיֻּכְלְלוּ כֻּלָּם עִם כָּל כֹּחוֹתָם וְחַיּוּתָם וְרוּחָנִיוּתָם עַד שָׁרְשָׁם הָעֶלְיוֹן, כֻּלָּם יֻכְלְלוּ בְּתוֹךְ תְּפִלָּתִי,
Then may my prayer and conversation reach the ultimate perfection with the aid of all of the plants of the field, so that all of them, with all of their might, vitality and spirit, reaching up to their supernal root, will be incorporated into my prayer.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֶזְכֶּה לִפְתֹּחַ אֶת לִבִּי לְהַרְבּוֹת בִּתְפִלָּה וְתַחֲנוּנִים וּבְשִׂיחָה קְדוֹשָׁה לְפָנֶיךָ מָלֵא רַחֲמִים רַבִּים, וּלְפָנֶיךָ אֶשְׁפֹּךְ כָּל שִׂיחִי,
As a result, may I open my heart and engage in a great deal of prayer, pleading and holy conversation before You Who are filled with vast compassion. May I pour forth all of my conversation before You.
עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לִשְׁפֹּךְ לִבִּי כַמַּיִם נוֹכַח פָּנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה, וְאֶשָּׂא אֵלֶיךָ כַּפָּי, עַל נַפְשִׁי וְנֶפֶשׁ עוֹלָלַי וְטַפַּי:
At last, may I pour my heart out like water before Your countenance, HaShem, and lift my hands to You on behalf of my soul and the souls of my children and infants.
אֲהָהּ יְהֹוָה, עֲזֹר עֲזֹר, אֲהָהּ יְהֹוָה, כִּמְעַט אָפֵס תִּקְוָה חָלִילָה, רְאֵה כִּי אָזְלַת יָדִי וְאָפֵס כֹּחִי, רַק מֵרָחוֹק וּמֵעָפָר אֲנִי מְצַפְצֵף אִמְרָתִי אֵלֶיךָ.
Seeking God’s Rescue
HaShem, help! Help me, HaShem! My hope is almost entirely gone, Heaven forbid. Look, my hand has no more strength, my might is gone. I murmur to You from a great distance.
חֲמֹל עַל חַיָּב אֲלָפִים וּרְבָבוֹת פְּעָמִים עַד הַיּוֹם כָּמוֹנִי, חֲמֹל עַל רָחוֹק כָּמוֹנִי, חֲמֹל עַל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְחֶמְלָה כָּמוֹנִי, חֲמֹל עָלַי, חֲמֹל עָלַי, חֲמֹל עָלַי, חֲמֹל עָלַי, רַחֵם עָלַי, רַחֵם עָלַי,
Have mercy on me. I am guilty a thousand times over, tens of thousands of times over, to this day. Have mercy on me, I who am so far away from You. Have mercy on me, I who do not deserve mercy. Have mercy on me! Have compassion on me!
חָנְנֵנִי יְהֹוָה בְּמַתְּנַת חִנָּם לְגַמְרֵי, חָנֵּנִי חָנֵּנִי, פְּדֵנִי פְּדֵנִי, הַצִּילֵנִי מֵחֲטָאִים וַעֲוֹנוֹת וּפְשָׁעִים, הַצִּילֵנִי מִדִּינָהּ שֶׁל גֵּיהִנָּם,
Be gracious to me, HaShem. Grant me a gift that is totally undeserved. Be gracious to me! Redeem me! Rescue me from transgressions, sins and offenses. Rescue me from the judgment of Gehennom.
הַצִּילֵנִי מֵעוֹנָשִׁים הַקָּשִׁים וְהַמָּרִים שֶׁהָיוּ מַגִּיעִים לִי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם עַל־פִּי מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ הָאֲמִתִּיִּים, הַצִּילֵנִי מֵחַרְבּוֹ שֶׁל מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת וּמֵחִבּוּט הַקֶּבֶר וּמִדִּינָהּ שֶׁל גֵּיהִנָּם,
Rescue me from the harsh and bitter punishments that I deserve, Heaven forbid, according to Your true judgments. Rescue me from the sword of the angel of death, from being beaten in the grave and from the judgment of Gehennom.
הַצִּילֵנִי מֵחֶרְפּוֹת וּבוּשׁוֹת וּבִזְיוֹנוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא אֵבוֹשׁ וְלֹא אֶכָּלֵם וְלֹא אֶכָּשֵׁל לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, לֹא בְעַלְמָא הָדֵין וְלֹא בְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי,
Rescue me from dishonor, shame and disgrace. May I never be ashamed or humiliated. May I never stumble, either in this world or the next.
הַחֲזִירֵנִי בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ, עֲשֵׂה אֵת אֲשֶׁר בְּחֻקֶּיךָ אֵלֵךְ וְאֶת מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ אֶשְׁמֹר. שָׁמְרָה נַפְשִׁי וְהַצִּילֵנִי אַל אֵבוֹשׁ כִּי חָסִיתִי בָךְ.
Bring me back to You in complete repentance. Help me walk in Your laws and keep Your judgments. “Guard my soul and save me; may I never be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.”
הַפְלֵא חֲסָדֶיךָ, גַּלֵּה חֲסָדִים חֲדָשִׁים הַגְּנוּזִים אֶצְלְךָ לְקָרֵב וּלְרַחֵם אֶת שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְרַחֵם כָּמוֹנִי, לְמַעַנְךָ וּלְמַעַן אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים, אֲשֶׁר קְדֻשָּׁתָם כְּדַאי לְהָגֵן גַּם עָלַי.
May Your lovingkindness be wondrous. Reveal new kindnesses that have been concealed with You to bring compassion to someone like myself, someone who does not deserve compassion, for Your sake and for the sake of our forefathers and our rabbis, the true Tzaddikim, whose holiness is capable of shielding even me.
הוֹשִׁיעָה, אָבִי שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, הוֹשִׁיעָה, אֲדוֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ, שִׁטַּחְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ כַפָּי, אֵלֶיךָ נָשָׂאתִי אֶת עֵינַי הַיּוֹשְׁבִי בַּשָּׁמָיִם, פָּרַשְׂתִּי יָדַי כָּל הַיּוֹם, נַפְשִׁי כְּאֶרֶץ עֲיֵפָה לְךָ סֶלָה.
Save me, my Father in Heaven! Save me, my Master, the King! “I have spread my hands out to You.” “To You have I raised my eyes, You Who dwell in Heaven.” “I have stretched out my hands the entire day.” “My soul turns to You like a tired land.”
זַכֵּנִי שֶׁאֶהְיֶה כִּרְצוֹנְךָ תָּמִיד, דַּלּוּ עֵינַי לַמָּרוֹם אֲדֹנָי עָשְׁקָה לִּי עָרְבֵנִי, עֲרֹב עַבְדְּךָ לְטוֹב, אַל יַעַשְׁקוּנִי זֵדִים.
Help me always be in accordance with Your will. “My eyes are raised to the heights, HaShem. I have been oppressed; be my guarantor.” “Be a guarantor to Your servant for the good — do not let the wicked oppress me!”
עֵינַי כָּלוּ לִישׁוּעָתֶךָ וּלְאִמְרַת צִדְקֶךָ, עַד יַשְׁקִיף וְיֵרֶא יְהֹוָה מִשָּׁמָיִם. אוּלַי יָחוֹס אוּלַי יְרַחֵם.
“My eyes have pined for Your salvation and Your righteous word,” “until HaShem will gaze and see from Heaven.” Perhaps You will have pity! Perhaps You will have compassion!
וַאֲנִי תָּמִיד אֲיַחֵל וְהוֹסַפְתִּי עַל כָּל תְּהִלָּתֶךָ, כִּי לֹא יִזְנַח לְעוֹלָם אֲדֹנָי. טוֹב וְיָחִיל וְדוּמָם לִתְשׁוּעַת יְהֹוָה, כִּי שָׁחָה לֶעָפָר נַפְשֵׁנוּ, דָּבְקָה לָאָרֶץ בִּטְנֵנוּ, קוּמָה עֶזְרָתָה לָּנוּ וּפְדֵנוּ לְמַעַן חַסְדֶּךָ. אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:
“And I will always hope, and I will add to all of Your praises,” “because the Lord will not cast away forever.” “It is good for a person to hope silently for the salvation of HaShem,” “because our soul is cast down to the dust, our belly clings to the earth. Arise to help us and redeem us for the sake of Your kindness.” Amen and amen.