Prayer is a Gate to God / When Prayer is in Exile, it Causes a Person to Become Egotistical / To Break Free of the Exile of Prayer, a Person Must Pray Forcefully A person connects and clings to God through prayer. For prayer is the gate through which we enter into the presence of God, and from there we can know Him. The word TeFiLah (תפילה, prayer) connotes connectedness, as it is written, “”With Divine bonds (נפתולי, naFTuLei) have I been bound (נפתלתי, niFTaLti)” (Genesis 30:8). Often, however, when a person prays, he experiences thoughts of self-importance. This is because prayer — which is associated with malkhut (sovereignty) and the “I”— is in exile within the malkhut of wickedness, which seeks to gain prominence and rule. And when his prayer wishes to leave, the kingdom of wickedness holds onto it. The antidote is for a person to pray forcefully, which empowers his prayer to rectify his ego and the “woman of valor,” malkhut. Then his prayer can leave that exile. When malkhut is in exile, it wears black clothing When a person prays forcefully and takes it out of exile, it becomes a nest for the Holy One. A person’s basic intent should be to rectify the Divine Presence so that She can unite with her Husband. Initially, one needs an arousal from below — the rectification of the Divine Presence — so that She will be clothed in shining garments. Then God’s vow to the Patriarchs is renewed. Forceful Prayer “My God, open my lips, and my mouth will speak Your praise.” Master of the world, You Who hear prayer, You compassionately choose the prayer of Your nation, the Jewish people.
Help me and save me so that I will bring all of my abilities into my words of prayer, strengthening that prayer — which is the sovereignty of holiness — to overcome the kingdom of wickedness.
Have compassion on me for the sake of Your Name. Save me, help me, strengthen me and bolster me with Your great power so that I will bring all of my abilities into my prayer. May I always pray to You with great forcefulness.
As a result, may I entirely nullify all of my egotistical ideas, impure motives and foreign thoughts, so that none of them will have the slightest power to disorient my prayer, Heaven forbid.
Instead, may I expel them, remove them and nullify them entirely so they will be unable to arise in my mind at all, and my prayer will be pure, well arranged, acceptable and welcome to You.
May I bring my prayer forth from its coverings, from the garments of the “husk.” May I separate it and clarify it, purifying it from the grasp of the “husks,” from the grasp of the kingdom of wickedness.
May my prayer attain ultimate rectification. May it have the power to arouse Your supernal love so that You will bind it to You in love, fellowship and friendship.
Have compassion on us. Quickly deliver us from this long, bitter exile. Redeem us with an everlasting redemption. Bind together the “tent” so that it will be unified.
Help Us Attain Perfect Prayer You who are filled with compassion, Redeemer of Israel, have compassion on the Congregation of Israel, which is associated with Your mighty Divine Presence. The entire revelation of Your Godliness, the knowledge of Your exaltedness, and the yearning for Your faith comes about by means of Israel, Your nation, whom You have chosen.
You revealed to us that prayer brings about the essence of connecting and clinging to You. Prayer is the gate through which we come into the presence of HaShem, and from which we recognize Him.
Have compassion on us for the sake of Your Name. Help us truly pray perfectly, with unlimited power. May we always increase our prayer, as You indicated we should do through Your holy sages, who said, “If only a person could pray the entire day.”
Arise to help us and save us always — in particular, when we are praying, since at that time foreign thoughts, distractions and obstacles overwhelm us to an unimaginable extent. Have compassion on us and compassionately fulfill our requests to pray with great vigor, until we break and nullify all of our foreign thoughts entirely.
May we always attain perfect prayer, until with its aid we will come close to You and truly recognize You, truly bonding with and clinging to You — completely, perfectly, in accordance with Your good will.
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה פ"ד - דַּע, שֶׁעִקָּר הִתְחַבְּרוּת וּדְבֵקוּת לְהשי"ת עַל־יְדֵי הַתְּפִלָּה]
אֲדֹנָי שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח וּפִי יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶךָ. רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה, הַבּוֹחֵר בִּתְפִלַּת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרַחֲמִים,
Prayer is a Gate to God / When Prayer is in Exile, it Causes a Person to Become Egotistical / To Break Free of the Exile of Prayer, a Person Must Pray Forcefully
A person connects and clings to God through prayer. For prayer is the gate through which we enter into the presence of God, and from there we can know Him. The word TeFiLah (תפילה, prayer) connotes connectedness, as it is written, “”With Divine bonds (נפתולי, naFTuLei) have I been bound (נפתלתי, niFTaLti)” (Genesis 30:8).
Often, however, when a person prays, he experiences thoughts of self-importance. This is because prayer — which is associated with malkhut (sovereignty) and the “I”— is in exile within the malkhut of wickedness, which seeks to gain prominence and rule. And when his prayer wishes to leave, the kingdom of wickedness holds onto it. The antidote is for a person to pray forcefully, which empowers his prayer to rectify his ego and the “woman of valor,” malkhut. Then his prayer can leave that exile.
When malkhut is in exile, it wears black clothing When a person prays forcefully and takes it out of exile, it becomes a nest for the Holy One.
A person’s basic intent should be to rectify the Divine Presence so that She can unite with her Husband. Initially, one needs an arousal from below — the rectification of the Divine Presence — so that She will be clothed in shining garments. Then God’s vow to the Patriarchs is renewed.
Forceful Prayer
“My God, open my lips, and my mouth will speak Your praise.” Master of the world, You Who hear prayer, You compassionately choose the prayer of Your nation, the Jewish people.
זַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לְהַרְבּוֹת בִּתְפִלָּה תָמִיד, וְאֶזְכֶּה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכַוָּנָה גְּדוֹלָה וּבִמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ וּבְכֹחַ גָּדוֹל.
In Your vast compassion, help me always pray a great deal. May I pray forcefully with great concentration and self-sacrifice.
וְתַעַזְרֵנִי וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהַכְנִיס כָּל הַכֹּחוֹת שֶׁבְּקִרְבִּי בְּתוֹךְ דִּבּוּרֵי הַתְּפִלָּה, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהַגְבִּיר אֶת הַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁהִיא מַלְכוּת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה עַל מַלְכוּת הָרִשְׁעָה.
Help me and save me so that I will bring all of my abilities into my words of prayer, strengthening that prayer — which is the sovereignty of holiness — to overcome the kingdom of wickedness.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֶזְכֶּה לְהַכְנִיעַ וּלְשַׁבֵּר וּלְבַטֵּל כָּל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת שֶׁל גַּדְלוּת וּפְנִיּוֹת וְכָל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת הַבָּאִים לְבַלְבֵּל אֶת תְּפִלָּתִי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
As a result, may I subdue, break and nullify all egotistical ideas, impure motives and foreign thoughts that perturb my prayer, Heaven forbid.
כִּי אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁאֵין בִּי כֹּחַ לְבַטְּלָם כִּי אִם בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וּבַחֲסָדֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים.
You know that I can nullify them only with the aid of Your vast compassion and great love.
רַחֵם עָלַי לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי וְעָזְרֵנִי וְחַזְּקֵנִי וְאַמְּצֵנִי בְּכֹחֲךָ הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהַכְנִיס כָּל הַכֹּחוֹת שֶׁבִּי בְּתוֹךְ הַתְּפִלָּה. וְאֶתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ תְפִלָּתִי תָמִיד בְּכֹחַ גָּדוֹל,
Have compassion on me for the sake of Your Name. Save me, help me, strengthen me and bolster me with Your great power so that I will bring all of my abilities into my prayer. May I always pray to You with great forcefulness.
עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה לְבַטֵּל לְגַמְרֵי כָּל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת שֶׁל גַּדְלוּת וּפְנִיּוֹת וְכָל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לָהֶם שׁוּם כֹּחַ לְבַלְבֵּל אֶת תְּפִלָּתִי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם,
As a result, may I entirely nullify all of my egotistical ideas, impure motives and foreign thoughts, so that none of them will have the slightest power to disorient my prayer, Heaven forbid.
רַק אֶזְכֶּה לְגָרְשָׁם וּלְסַלְּקָם וּלְבַטְּלָם לְגַמְרֵי מֵעָלַי וּמֵעַל גְּבוּלִי שֶׁלֹּא יוּכְלוּ לַעֲלוֹת עַל דַּעְתִּי כְּלָל, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁתִּהְיֶה תְפִלָּתִי זַכָּה וּנְכוֹנָה וּרְצוּיָה וּמְקֻבֶּלֶת לְפָנֶיךָ.
Instead, may I expel them, remove them and nullify them entirely so they will be unable to arise in my mind at all, and my prayer will be pure, well arranged, acceptable and welcome to You.
וְאֶזְכֶּה לְהוֹצִיא אֶת הַתְּפִלָּה מִכִּסּוּיִין דִּילָהּ מִלְּבוּשִׁין דִּקְלִפָּה, לְבָרְרָהּ וּלְזַכְּכָהּ מֵאֲחִיזַת הַקְּלִפּוֹת מֵאֲחִיזַת מַלְכוּת הָרִשְׁעָה,
May I bring my prayer forth from its coverings, from the garments of the “husk.” May I separate it and clarify it, purifying it from the grasp of the “husks,” from the grasp of the kingdom of wickedness.
וּלְהַעֲלוֹתָהּ וּלְהַלְבִּישָׁהּ בִּלְבוּשִׁין דִּנְהִירִין שֶׁהֵם, חִוָּר, סֻמָּק, יָרוֹק, שֶׁהֵם אוֹר הָאָבוֹת,
May I raise it and clothe in garments of light, the lights of the Patriarchs.
עַד שֶׁתִּהְיֶה מְתֻקֶּנֶת בְּתַכְלִית הַתִּקּוּן, וְיִהְיֶה לָהּ כֹּחַ לְעוֹרֵר אַהֲבָתְךָ הָעֶלְיוֹנָה, שֶׁתְּחַבֵּר אוֹתָהּ עִמְּךָ בְּאַהֲבָה וְאַחֲוָה וְרֵעוּת,
May my prayer attain ultimate rectification. May it have the power to arouse Your supernal love so that You will bind it to You in love, fellowship and friendship.
וְיִהְיֶה נַעֲשָׂה תָמִיד יִחוּד קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ עַל־יְדֵי תְפִלּוֹתֵנוּ, יִחוּדָא שְׁלִים בְּתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת.
May our prayers bring about a complete, perfect unification of the Holy One and His Divine Presence.
וְתִזְכֹּר וּתְקַיֵּם אֶת בְּרִיתְךָ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה, וּתְחַדֵּשׁ הַשְּׁבוּעָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לָהֶם כְּאִלּוּ הַיּוֹם נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לָהֶם.
Remember and maintain Your covenant that You swore to our forefathers as on this day. Renew Your vow to them as though You are making that vow today.
וּתְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וּתְמַהֵר לְהוֹצִיאֵנוּ מֵהַגָּלוּת הָאָרוֹךְ הַמַּר הַזֶּה, וְתִגְאָלֵנוּ גְאֻלַּת עוֹלָם לְחַבֵּר אֶת הָאֹהֶל לִהְיוֹת אֶחָד:
Have compassion on us. Quickly deliver us from this long, bitter exile. Redeem us with an everlasting redemption. Bind together the “tent” so that it will be unified.
מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, גּוֹאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל, רַחֵם עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר הִיא שְׁכִינַת עֻזֶּךָ, אֲשֶׁר כָּל הִתְגַלּוּת אֱלָהוּתְךָ וִידִיעַת רוֹמְמוּתְךָ וּתְשׁוּקַת אֱמוּנָתֶךָ, הַכֹּל עַל־יְדֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּךָ אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם בָּחָרְתָּ.
Help Us Attain Perfect Prayer
You who are filled with compassion, Redeemer of Israel, have compassion on the Congregation of Israel, which is associated with Your mighty Divine Presence. The entire revelation of Your Godliness, the knowledge of Your exaltedness, and the yearning for Your faith comes about by means of Israel, Your nation, whom You have chosen.
וְגִלִּיתָ לָנוּ שֶׁעִקָּר הַהִתְחַבְּרוּת וְהַדְּבֵקוּת אֵלֶיךָ הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הַתְּפִלָּה, כִּי הַתְּפִלָּה הִיא שַׁעַר שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ שָׁם נִכְנָסִין לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וּמִשָּׁם מַכִּירִין אוֹתוֹ.
You revealed to us that prayer brings about the essence of connecting and clinging to You. Prayer is the gate through which we come into the presence of HaShem, and from which we recognize Him.
רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, וְזַכֵּנוּ לִתְפִלָּה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת בְּכָל הַכֹּחוֹת בֶּאֱמֶת, וְנִזְכֶּה לְהַרְבּוֹת בִּתְפִלָּה תָמִיד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁגִּלִּיתָ לָנוּ עַל־יְדֵי חֲכָמֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁאָמְרוּ, הַלְוַאי שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל אָדָם כָּל הַיּוֹם כֻּלּוֹ.
Have compassion on us for the sake of Your Name. Help us truly pray perfectly, with unlimited power. May we always increase our prayer, as You indicated we should do through Your holy sages, who said, “If only a person could pray the entire day.”
קוּמָה בְּעֶזְרָתֵנוּ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ תָמִיד בִּפְרַט בְּעֵת הַתְּפִלָּה, שֶׁאָז מִתְגַּבְּרִים עָלֵינוּ הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת וְהַבִּלְבּוּלִים וְהַמְּנִיעוֹת הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד, אֲשֶׁר אֵין לְשַׁעֵר. רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ וּמַלֵּא מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֵינוּ בְּרַחֲמִים, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכֹחַ גָּדוֹל עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְשַׁבֵּר וּלְבַטֵּל כָּל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת לְגַמְרֵי,
Arise to help us and save us always — in particular, when we are praying, since at that time foreign thoughts, distractions and obstacles overwhelm us to an unimaginable extent. Have compassion on us and compassionately fulfill our requests to pray with great vigor, until we break and nullify all of our foreign thoughts entirely.
וְנִזְכֶּה לִתְפִלָּה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת תָּמִיד, עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי הַתְּפִלָּה לִכְנֹס וּלְהִתְקָרֵב אֵלֶיךָ וּלְהַכִּיר אוֹתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, וּלְהִתְחַבֵּר וּלְהִתְדַּבֵּק בְּךָ בְּתַכְלִית הַדְּבֵקוּת בִּשְׁלֵמוּת בֶּאֱמֶת כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב,
May we always attain perfect prayer, until with its aid we will come close to You and truly recognize You, truly bonding with and clinging to You — completely, perfectly, in accordance with Your good will.
בְּעָלְמָא דֵין וּבְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי, לְעוֹלְמֵי עַד וּלְנֵצַח נְצָחִים.
May we cling to You in this world and in the World to Come, forever and ever.
וִיקֻיַּם בָּנוּ מְהֵרָה מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב: וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם חַיִּים כֻּלְכֶם הַיּוֹם.
Quickly may the verse be realized in us, “You who cling to HaShem your God are alive, all of you, today.”
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי־פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי. אָמֵן נֶצַח סֶלָה וָעֶד:
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing before You, HaShem, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Amen forever, selah forever.