Peace / Cooperation / Purity / The covenant / Song / Redemption / Healing / Shabbat For the whole world to come to the service of God there must be universal peace among men, so that people can jointly search for the truth and put aside their “false idols of silver.” The way to come to peace is through the exploration of the deeper meaning of the Torah using the Thirteen Rules of Interpretation. The more a person develops his mind through Torah study, the more he refines his voice and can reach a level where simply by crying out, even without words, God saves him from trouble. The precondition for deepening one’s understanding of the Torah is moral purity, in fulfillment of God’s covenant with the Jewish people. True peace is preceded by bitterness. Therefore, healing, which is accomplished by bringing harmony to the four elements of which the body is composed, usually necessitates treatment with bitter medicines. The bitterness necessary to heal the spiritual maladies caused by sin may be so great that the individual, weakened as he is by his sins, cannot bear it. But God in His mercy knows this, and sends a person only as much bitterness as he can endure in order to heal him. May it be Your will, HaShem my God and God of my fathers, Master of peace, King to Whom peace belongs, that You let peace reign among the Jewish people. Let peace abound and spread among all the inhabitants of the world. Then there will be no hatred, jealousy, competitiveness, one-upmanship or provocation between one person and another, but only abundant love and peace among everyone. Everyone will understand the meaning of loving one’s fellow man. They will realize that their friends really want their good and seek their love, and desire that they should be truly — eternally — successful. People will be able to come together and talk to one another, and explain the truth to one another.
Then they will be able to inspire one another and remind each other to think very carefully about their situation in this world. For the world passes like the blink of an eye and a fleeting shadow — and not like the shadow of a wall, but like the shadow of a bird flying past. Let people talk to their friends about the ultimate futility of this mundane world and its desires, and discuss the real purpose of our coming into this lowly world.
Let them talk to each other at length with brotherly love and affection, truthfully and from the depths of their hearts, without anyone just trying to win an argument or be provocative. Then they will inspire each other to return to God sincerely and cast aside their idols of silver and gold. People will stop following the stubbornness of their hearts and spending all their days in the race for wealth. They will stop running after unnecessary luxuries or trying to amass a vain fortune. They will drive the madness from their hearts.
Then all the nations of the world will also be inspired and see the truth, and they will all repent and return to You, taking on themselves the yoke of Your kingship.
May the verse be fulfilled, “For then I will send a clear language to the nations, so that all of them will call upon the Name of God and serve Him with one accord.”
The covenant: Purity And so may it be Your Will, HaShem my God and God of my fathers, You Who are filled with compassion, You Who have mercy on the lowly and guard the covenant with love, You Who deal kindly even with the guilty — that You deal kindly with Your servant so that I may live!
In Your abundant kindness and true compassion, help me and save me! From now on let me guard the holy covenant in accordance with Your will. Rescue me from all wrongful behavior and impure thoughts.
Grant me wisdom, understanding and knowledge, guidance and strength, so that I will be able to overcome all evil thoughts and fantasies until I become totally free of them. Help me drive them out of my mind and break their power over me completely.
In Your compassion, help me drive this foolishness out of myself altogether, so that it will have no influence whatsoever over me. Let me break its power, drive it out of myself, and rid myself of it forever.
Compassionate God, help me make complete amends for all the wrong I’ve done. Wherever I may have caused damage, let me repair it. At any time and in any place where evil thoughts and desires attack me, help me break my lust right then and there, and totally rid myself of all foolish and evil thoughts and fantasies.
Then I will be able to refine and elevate all the holy sparks that I have caused to fall among the forces of evil, and restore them to the realm of holiness.
Don’t let a single one be lost, through the power of Your great compassion and kindness, and through the merit and strength of the true tzaddikim and holy elders, who attained the ultimate level of guarding the covenant in truth and perfection.
From now on help me draw upon myself a spirit of holiness and purity at all times. May the verse be fulfilled in me, “The spirit of HaShem will rest upon him, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of guidance and strength, a spirit of knowledge and awe of HaShem.” Please, HaShem, You Who are filled with compassion, Master of all, You Who make plans to ensure that no one will be cast out — You show me the most tremendous goodness and kindness quite literally at every moment. How great is the goodness with which You have treated me, how amazing is the kindness You have shown Your servant!
“You have done so much, HaShem my God, Your miracles and Your thoughts are for us! There is none to compare with You. If I were to try to describe and express them, they are too awesome to recount.”
And after all the great, wondrous, enormous and unparalleled kindnesses and goodness that You have shown me time after time without number, what can I say? How can I speak? How can the servant of my Master dare speak with my Master?
What expression can I use to depict my horrible state of spiritual disease and agony as a result of my sins and transgressions against You, my God and God of my fathers? Because of what I’ve done, I’m under constant attack from the most despicable thoughts and desires. “I am sinking in the mud of the deep and I cannot stand. I have entered the depths of the waters and the swirling current has swept me away.”
Considering the holiness of a Jew at his root, when even a single isolated lustful thought enters his mind once in a while, it is as if he is drowning in the muddy depths of the sea. In that case, what name can I give to my troubles? How can I express what’s in my heart?
What words can I use to describe my pain and heartbreak? My mind is awash with torrents of such thoughts all the time. I don’t have a moment of respite.
What can I say? How can I speak? “A person’s own folly makes his path crooked, and his heart rages against God.” For I myself am responsible for everything I’m going through, on account of my own evil behavior and confused thoughts. I have followed my impulses without making any attempt to control them or drive them out. This is what has brought me to such a state and caused me to become so distanced. Woe!
HaShem, You know that I have no other solution but to cry out and plead with You, and wait and hope for Your mercy. I will sit and wait, hope and long for Your kindness. Sanctify me with Your supreme holiness as an unearned gift. For the fact is that I have failed to carry out all the teachings of the Torah on how to attain purity. Even when You send me good advice, it is hard for me to follow it because of my stubbornness. I do not have any idea of what I can do, except to rely on Your abundant compassion and great kindness.
For I put my trust in Your mercy and rely on Your kindness, I hope for Your forgiveness and await Your salvation. Have mercy on me and save me in the merit of all the true tzaddikim and holy elders in every generation, from the days of the Patriarchs until the present. I rely on their strength alone as I cry out and plead with You like a child nagging his father, hoping for Your compassion and salvation. Bring me to perfect repentance quickly, swiftly and speedily!
Therefore, I have come before You, HaShem my God and God of my fathers — God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, God of all the true tzaddikim, God of the first and the last, God of all Israel.
My hands are stretched out toward the Ark of Your Covenant, my eyes are hoping for Your abundant kindnesses, and my thoughts are turned toward Your holy dwelling place. In the merit and power of the true tzaddikim and holy elders, arouse Your great compassion for me. Inspire me and Your entire nation, the House of Israel, with a spirit of holiness and purity, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of guidance and strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of HaShem.
Whenever a wrongful thought comes into my mind, give me the strength to curb my desires and control my evil urge so as to break the thought and put it out of my mind completely. Let me pay no attention to it whatsoever. Help me release all the holy sparks that have fallen into the domain of evil because of me, and let me cleanse my mind of folly. Wherever I caused damage, let me repair it.
Compassionate God, help me drive out the spirit of foolishness from myself and from the entire Jewish people. Let it never again have any hold over my body, my mind or my soul, not in this world or in the World to Come. From now on let my thoughts always be holy and pure. Save me from any form of mental confusion. Let my thoughts be holy, pure, clear and clean at all times.
Help me sanctify myself and observe the holy covenant in every way. Forgive me for my failure to observe the covenant in the past, and for all the damage I have caused through my thoughts, words and deeds, my eyes, ears and other senses, whether unintentionally or deliberately, under duress or freely, from my earliest days until today.
You know the bitterness of my heart, the bitterness of my terrible wounds, and the bitterness of my crushed soul. My soul is so very bitter! What is there to compare with my bitterness? It is more bitter than death, more bitter than wormwood and gall, more bitter than all the bitterness in the world!
Master of the world, You know that my soul is so weak as a result of the terrible, bitter and damaging illnesses and pains I have brought upon it through my evil deeds. There is not a single remedy in the world that can help me. Even if, in Your compassion, You can find some remedy that will help me, I will not be able to bear the bitterness of the cure because of my terrible wounds.
For it’s impossible for me to bear the bitterness of the remedy and the repentance needed to rectify the damage caused by a single bad thought, let alone a multitude of evil thoughts and sins such as these.
If I tried to give an account of even the tiniest portion of my misdeeds that happened in the space of a single day, I would run out of time. Even the days that for me would be considered “good” are marked by a constant succession of lapses every single moment; all the more so the bad days I’ve had.
Master of the world, You know that even if You throw all my sins “behind Your back” in the compassionate way that You deal with all Your creatures, and even if You send me only the slightest amount of bitterness as a remedy, it will still be impossible for me to bear it. For my soul is so sick, and the bitterness necessary to heal it so great, that I cannot bear even the tiniest fraction of this bitterness owing to my innumerable sins and transgressions. “You desired to lift my soul out of the pit of destruction and decay,” and You have thrown all my sins “behind Your back.” You have sent me the remedy needed to bring peace to my soul with only the barest minimum of bitterness, according to my capacity. Even so, even this minute amount of bitterness is very hard for me to receive and to bear.
I am so weak, sick, spiritually hurt and confused that I cannot bear any bitterness at all. For this reason, I have come to lay my request before You, HaShem my God and God of my fathers, “great in counsel and mighty in action,” “Who performs great deeds that cannot be fathomed, miracles and wonders without number.” Nothing is impossible for You. Indeed, “You can do everything and no purpose is withheld from You.” You are the true, faithful and compassionate Healer, and everything is in Your hand. “In Your hand is power and strength, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all.” Who can tell You what to do?
Therefore, “I will stand at my post” and cry and shout out to You all the time, until You show me favor and sweeten the bitterness of my cure, and show me the tree of life with which to sweeten the bitterness of the evil waters. Compassionate God, remove every kind of bitterness from me.
Give me strength, power and courage to bear and receive with love the little bitterness that I must inevitably suffer in order to be healed. Loving and kind God, minimize the bitterness needed to cure me as much as possible. Quickly send me a complete healing, both spiritually and physically. From afar I can see the endless and infinite lovingkindness with which You treat me at every moment. That is why I am casting my burden upon You alone. Have compassion on me. Protect me and spread Your sukkah of peace over me. Send complete healing to all the illnesses and pains of my soul and my body.
Fulfill in me the verse, “Peace, peace, to the one that is far and the one that is near, says HaShem, Who creates the fruit of the lips, and I will heal him.”
From now on let me genuinely sanctify myself with the holiness of the covenant. Shine on me with the light of Your countenance and radiate to me with favor, so that I will attain the inner light of holiness.
Open up my mind and inspire me with an abundance of holy wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Illumine my eyes with the light of Your Torah so that I will be able to develop new and original Torah ideas at all times. Let me apply the Thirteen Rules for interpreting the Torah in order to reveal and elucidate new and original Torah teachings.
Compassionate and loving God, anoint me with the “holy oil” of wisdom and understanding that flows from the thirteen attributes of the holy beard [of the Divine persona of Arikh Anpin], and let me be included among the holy elders and attain the light of the inner face of Your glory.
And through this, help me refine my voice so that I will honor HaShem with my material possessions and with my very throat. Help me serve You joyously at all times with shouts of joy, holy songs and melodies. Let me sing my songs all the days of my life in honor of the House of HaShem.
Let me so refine my voice of joyful song that simply through the melody that I will sing to You, You will see our suffering at the hands of all the nations that are persecuting us. You will see our plight and our troubles, take note of which nation it is that is persecuting us, and redeem and save us from them, in fulfillment of the verse, “[HaShem] saw their suffering, hearing their cry.”
Master of the world, You know the thoughts in the minds of the nations who have power over us, and their plans against us. “They hold secret conversations against Your people and take counsel against Your treasured ones.” You know all their evil intentions against us. “They have said, ‘Come, let us cut them off from being a nation, so that the name of Israel will no longer be remembered.’”
At this time of crisis, there is no one to stand up for us. “Men of piety have disappeared from the earth,” and there is no one to mend the breach. Whom can we rely on except our Father in Heaven?
You Who are filled with compassion for Your nation, the Jewish people, at all times — see our plight! We are in such pain, and we’re suffering so much in our hearts. See how downtrodden is Your nation, the Jewish people. We have no one to help or support us.
Act for Your sake and not for ours. Act for the sake of the true tzaddikim who rest in the earth, “the holy ones who are in the earth, the mighty ones in whom lies all my desire.”
Act for Your sake and save us! Incline the hearts of those in the government, the officials and advisers, in our favor. Thwart and eliminate all their evil plans against Israel, Your nation. Compassionate God, cancel all the evil decrees and all legislation that does not benefit the Jewish people — both those that have already been passed and those they want to introduce. Cancel all of them and remove any trace of them completely.
Turn the hearts of all the rulers, kings and officials in our favor at all times. For You know, HaShem our God, that we have no one to stand up for us now at this time of trouble, on the threshold of the coming of the Mashiach. We can rely only on Your compassion. “Turn back from the fury of Your anger and reconsider this evil against Your people.”
Let us purify our voice and our cry, until we have the power to sweeten all the harsh judgments and annul all the decrees against us and Your entire nation, the House of Israel, through the power of our song alone. Let our song be sweet to You; have compassion on us and save us.
Shabbat Let us sing joyous songs, melodies and praises to Your Name at all times, until we arouse the “Song of Songs of Solomon,” the song that is exalted above all songs. May we sing all ten types of song with which the Book of Psalms was composed.
Bless us with the goodness of Your peace, and send peace to Your nation, the Jewish people, forever. Let peace reign among all Israel, between every Jew and his friend, and between every husband and wife. May there be no hatred, jealousy, competitiveness or hostility in the entire Jewish nation, forever.
May this peace grow and spread until it extends to all the inhabitants of the world, until everyone will be able to inspire their friends to search for the truth and keep their minds on their ultimate purpose instead of wasting their days on vanity and emptiness.
Let everyone cast aside their idols of silver and gold, and return to You in genuine repentance, serving You truthfully with reverence and love. Let us always celebrate Shabbat with the utmost happiness and delight, and have Shabbat Shalom, a Sabbath of Peace. Spread over us the sukkah of Your peace.
May we have peace in our bodies. Send us spiritual and physical healing. Let us not suffer from disharmony among the four elements in our bodies, but all of them should work together harmoniously in peace.
Remove sickness from our midst and send complete healing to all the sick of Your nation, the House of Israel (and especially to [name], the [son/daughter] of [mother’s name]).
Grant us peace in our material lives, and send blessing and success to all the work of our hands. Let no Jew feel jealous in his heart because of the wealth or possessions of his friend. May there be no robbery or exploitation among us. May no one be jealous of me, and may I not be jealous of others.
Grant me peace in my Torah study: free me from doubts and questions, and help me understand clearly and rapidly whatever I study. Help me understand all the words of Your Torah clearly, without any questions at all. Help me always come up with interpretations and new Torah insights in holiness and purity, truth and faith, in accordance with Your will. Bring us to perfect peace and harmony on every level, until we can bring the whole world to Your service and everyone will return to You and serve You with fear, awe and love. Have pity and mercy on us, and compassionately fulfill our requests. Bless us with peace, supreme and exalted God. “HaShem will give strength to His people; HaShem will bless His people with peace.”
Fulfill for us the verse, “For you will go forth in joy and arrive in peace. The mountains and hills will break out in glad song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” “Great peace to those who love Your Torah; they will not stumble.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה כ"ז - רְצִיצָא ב']
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, אֲדוֹן הַשָּׁלוֹם, מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהַשָּׁלוֹם שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁתָּשִׂים שָׁלוֹם בֵּין עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיִתְרַבֶּה הַשָּׁלוֹם, עַד שֶׁיֻּמְשַׁךְ הַשָּׂלוֹם בֵּין כָּל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה שׁוּם שִׂנְאָה וְקִנְאָה וְתַחֲרוּת וְנִצָּחוֹן וְקִנְטוּר בֵּין אֶחָד לַחֲבֵרוֹ, רַק יִהְיֶה אַהֲבָה וְשָׁלוֹם גָּדוֹל בֵּין כֻּלָּם, וְכָל אֶחָד יֵדַע בְּאַהֲבַת חֲבֵרוֹ, שֶׁחֲבֵרוֹ דוֹרֵשׁ טוֹבָתוֹ וּמְבַקֵּשׁ אַהֲבָתוֹ וְחָפֵץ בְּהַצְלָחָתוֹ הַנִּצְחִיִּית, עַד שֶׁיֻּכְלוּ לְהִתְוָעֵד וּלְהִתְקַבֵּץ יַחַד כָּל אֶחָד עִם חֲבֵרָיו, וִידַבְּרוּ זֶה עִם זֶה, וְיַסְבִּירוּ זֶה לָזֶה הָאֱמֶת,
Peace / Cooperation / Purity / The covenant / Song / Redemption / Healing / Shabbat
For the whole world to come to the service of God there must be universal peace among men, so that people can jointly search for the truth and put aside their “false idols of silver.” The way to come to peace is through the exploration of the deeper meaning of the Torah using the Thirteen Rules of Interpretation. The more a person develops his mind through Torah study, the more he refines his voice and can reach a level where simply by crying out, even without words, God saves him from trouble. The precondition for deepening one’s understanding of the Torah is moral purity, in fulfillment of God’s covenant with the Jewish people.
True peace is preceded by bitterness. Therefore, healing, which is accomplished by bringing harmony to the four elements of which the body is composed, usually necessitates treatment with bitter medicines. The bitterness necessary to heal the spiritual maladies caused by sin may be so great that the individual, weakened as he is by his sins, cannot bear it. But God in His mercy knows this, and sends a person only as much bitterness as he can endure in order to heal him.
May it be Your will, HaShem my God and God of my fathers, Master of peace, King to Whom peace belongs, that You let peace reign among the Jewish people. Let peace abound and spread among all the inhabitants of the world. Then there will be no hatred, jealousy, competitiveness, one-upmanship or provocation between one person and another, but only abundant love and peace among everyone. Everyone will understand the meaning of loving one’s fellow man. They will realize that their friends really want their good and seek their love, and desire that they should be truly — eternally — successful. People will be able to come together and talk to one another, and explain the truth to one another.
עַד שֶׁיֻּכְלוּ לְעוֹרֵר זֶה אֶת זֶה, וּלְהַזְכִּיר זֶה אֶת זֶה, לְהִסְתַּכֵּל עַל עַצְמוֹ הֵיטֵב הֵיטֵב בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, עוֹלָם הָעוֹבֵר כְּהֶרֶף עַיִן, צֵל עוֹבֵר, לֹא כְצִלּוֹ שֶׁל דֶּקֶל, וְלֹא כְצִלּוֹ שֶׁל כֹּתֶל, אֶלָּא כְצִלּוֹ שֶׁל עוֹף הַפּוֹרֵחַ, וִידַבֵּר וְיָשִׂיחַ כָּל אֶחָד עִם חֲבֵרוֹ, מַהוּ הַתַּכְלִית מִכָּל תַּאֲווֹת עוֹלָם הַזֶּה וַהֲבָלָיו, וְעַל מָה אֲתִינָן לְהַאי עַלְמָא שְׁפֵלָה.
Then they will be able to inspire one another and remind each other to think very carefully about their situation in this world. For the world passes like the blink of an eye and a fleeting shadow — and not like the shadow of a wall, but like the shadow of a bird flying past. Let people talk to their friends about the ultimate futility of this mundane world and its desires, and discuss the real purpose of our coming into this lowly world.
וְיַרְבּוּ לְדַבֵּר זֶה עִם זֶה בְּאַהֲבָה וְאַחְוָה וְחִבָּה גְּדוֹלָה בֶּאֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ מֵעֻמְקָא דְלִבָּא, בְּלִי שׁוּם נִצָּחוֹן וְקִנְטוּר כְּלָל, עַד שֶׁיְּעוֹרֵר כָּל אֶחָד אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ לָשׁוּב אֶל יְהֹוָה בֶּאֱמֶת, וּלְהַשְׁלִיךְ אֶת אֱלִילֵי כַסְפּוֹ וֶאֱלִילֵי זְהָבוֹ, וְלֹא יֵלְכוּ עוֹד בִּשְׁרִירוּת לִבָּם הָרָע, וְלֹא יַטּוּ אַחֲרֵי הַבֶּצַע כָּל יְמֵיהֶם, וְלֹא יִרְדְּפוּ אַחַר הַמּוֹתָרוֹת לְהַרְבּוֹת הוֹן מֵהֶבֶל, וִיגָרְשׁוּ הָרוּחַ שְׁטוּת מִקִּרְבָּם,
Let them talk to each other at length with brotherly love and affection, truthfully and from the depths of their hearts, without anyone just trying to win an argument or be provocative. Then they will inspire each other to return to God sincerely and cast aside their idols of silver and gold. People will stop following the stubbornness of their hearts and spending all their days in the race for wealth. They will stop running after unnecessary luxuries or trying to amass a vain fortune. They will drive the madness from their hearts.
וְיִתְרַבֶּה וְיִתְגַּדֵּל הַשָּׁלוֹם בָּעוֹלָם, עַד שֶׁיָּשׁוּבוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב,
Peace will increase and spread throughout the world, until the entire Jewish people will return to You in perfect repentance, as You want us to.
עַד שֶׁיִּתְעוֹרְרוּ גַם כָּל אֻמִּין דְּעַלְמָא, וְיַכִּירוּ הָאֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ וְיָשׁוּבוּ כֻלָּם אֵלֶיךָ, וִיקַבְּלוּ כֻלָּם אֶת עוֹל מַלְכוּתְךָ עֲלֵיהֶם,
Then all the nations of the world will also be inspired and see the truth, and they will all repent and return to You, taking on themselves the yoke of Your kingship.
וִיקֻיַּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, כִּי אָז אֶהְפֹּךְ אֶל עַמִּים שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה לִקְרֹא כֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יְהֹוָה לְעָבְדוֹ שְׁכֶם אֶחָד:
May the verse be fulfilled, “For then I will send a clear language to the nations, so that all of them will call upon the Name of God and serve Him with one accord.”
וּבְכֵן יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, מָלֵא רַחֲמִים חוֹמֵל דַּלִּים, שׁוֹמֵר הַבְּרִית וְהַחֶסֶד, הַגּוֹמֵל לְחַיָּבִים טוֹבוֹת, גְּמֹל עַל עַבְדְּךָ וְאֶחְיֶה,
The covenant: Purity
And so may it be Your Will, HaShem my God and God of my fathers, You Who are filled with compassion, You Who have mercy on the lowly and guard the covenant with love, You Who deal kindly even with the guilty — that You deal kindly with Your servant so that I may live!
וְזַכֵּנִי בַּחֲסָדֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וּבְרַחֲמֶיךָ הָאֲמִתִּיִּים, וְעָזְרֵנִי וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה מֵעַתָּה לִשְׁמִירַת הַבְּרִית קֹדֶשׁ בֶּאֱמֶת כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב, וְתַצִּילֵנִי מֵעַתָּה מִכָּל מִינֵי פְּגָם הַבְּרִית וּמִכָּל מִינֵי הִרְהוּרִים רָעִים,
In Your abundant kindness and true compassion, help me and save me! From now on let me guard the holy covenant in accordance with Your will. Rescue me from all wrongful behavior and impure thoughts.
וְתִהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרִי וְתִתֶּן לִי חָכְמָה וּבִינָה וָדַעַת, וְעֵצָה וּגְבוּרָה, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל כָּל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת וְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים, לְהִמָּלֵט מֵהֶם וּלְהִנָּצֵל מֵהֶם לְגַמְרֵי בְּכֹחֲךָ הַגָּדוֹל, לְגָרְשָׁם וּלְשַׁבְּרָם וּלְבַטְּלָם מֵעָלַי וּמֵעַל גְּבוּלִי.
Grant me wisdom, understanding and knowledge, guidance and strength, so that I will be able to overcome all evil thoughts and fantasies until I become totally free of them. Help me drive them out of my mind and break their power over me completely.
וְאֶזְכֶּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ לְגָרֵשׁ כָּל הָרוּחַ שְׁטוּת מִקִּרְבִּי, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה שׁוּם אֲחִיזָה לְהָרוּחַ שְׁטוּת אֶצְלִי, רַק אֲשַׁבְּרוֹ וַאֲגָרְשׁוֹ וַאֲבַטְּלוֹ מֵעָלַי וּמֵעַל גְּבוּלִי מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם.
In Your compassion, help me drive this foolishness out of myself altogether, so that it will have no influence whatsoever over me. Let me break its power, drive it out of myself, and rid myself of it forever.
וְתַעַזְרֵנִי וּתְזַכֵּנִי לְהוֹצִיא כָּל נִצּוֹצוֹת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה שֶׁנָּפְלוּ עַל יָדִי בַּקְלִפּוֹת בֵּין הָרוּחַ שְׁטוּת וְהַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא עַל־יְדֵי פְּגָם הַבְּרִית.
Help me release all the holy sparks that have fallen among the forces of evil as a result of abusing the covenant.
וְתַעַזְרֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לִתְשׁוּבַת הַמִּשְׁקָל מַמָּשׁ, וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁקִּלְקַלְתִּי שָׁם אֲתַקֵּן בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ. וּבְכָל־עֵת וּבְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁיִּרְצוּ לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עָלַי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, מַחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת וְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים, שָׁם דַּיְיקָא אֶזְכֶּה לְשַׁבֵּר תַּאֲוָתִי וּלְגָרֵשׁ הָרוּחַ שְׁטוּת מִקִּרְבִּי, לְגָרֵשׁ וּלְסַלֵּק וּלְבַעֵר וּלְבַטֵּל כָּל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת וְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים מִמֶּנִּי,
Compassionate God, help me make complete amends for all the wrong I’ve done. Wherever I may have caused damage, let me repair it. At any time and in any place where evil thoughts and desires attack me, help me break my lust right then and there, and totally rid myself of all foolish and evil thoughts and fantasies.
עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה לְבָרֵר וּלְהַעֲלוֹת כָּל נִצּוֹצֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה שֶׁנָּפְלוּ וְנִתְעַרְבְּבוּ עַל יָדִי בֵּין הַקְּלִפּוֹת, לְבָרְרָם וּלְהַעֲלוֹתָם כֻּלָּם וְלַהֲשִׁיבָם אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה,
Then I will be able to refine and elevate all the holy sparks that I have caused to fall among the forces of evil, and restore them to the realm of holiness.
וְאַל יִדַּח מִמְּךָ שׁוּם נִדָּח כְּלָל, בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וּבַחֲסָדֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים, וּבִזְכוּת וְכֹחַ צַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת זְקֵנִים שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר זָכוּ לִשְׁמִירַת הַבְּרִית בֶּאֱמֶת בְּתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת.
Don’t let a single one be lost, through the power of Your great compassion and kindness, and through the merit and strength of the true tzaddikim and holy elders, who attained the ultimate level of guarding the covenant in truth and perfection.
וְאֶזְכֶּה מֵעַתָּה לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עָלַי בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה רוּחַ קְדֻשָּׁה וְטָהֳרָה, וִיקֻיַּם בִּי מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְנָחָה עָלָיו רוּחַ יְהֹוָה רוּחַ חָכְמָה וּבִינָה רוּחַ עֵצָה וּגְבוּרָה רוּחַ דַּעַת וְיִרְאַת יְהֹוָה: אָנָּא יְהֹוָה, מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, אֲדוֹן כֹּל, חוֹשֵׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת לְבַל יִדַּח מִמְּךָ נִדָּח, אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה גוֹמֵל עִמִּי טוֹבוֹת וַחֲסָדִים רַבִּים וַעֲצוּמִים בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל רֶגַע, מַמָּשׁ. מָה רַב טוּבְךָ אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ עִמִּי, מָה רַב חַסְדְּךָ אֲשֶׁר הִפְלֵאתָ עִם עַבְדֶּךָ,
From now on help me draw upon myself a spirit of holiness and purity at all times. May the verse be fulfilled in me, “The spirit of HaShem will rest upon him, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of guidance and strength, a spirit of knowledge and awe of HaShem.” Please, HaShem, You Who are filled with compassion, Master of all, You Who make plans to ensure that no one will be cast out — You show me the most tremendous goodness and kindness quite literally at every moment. How great is the goodness with which You have treated me, how amazing is the kindness You have shown Your servant!
רַבּוֹת עָשִׂיתָ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתֶיךָ אֵלֵינוּ אֵין עֲרוֹךְ אֵלֶיךָ אַגִּידָה וַאֲדַבֵּרָה עָצְמוּ מִסַּפֵּר.
“You have done so much, HaShem my God, Your miracles and Your thoughts are for us! There is none to compare with You. If I were to try to describe and express them, they are too awesome to recount.”
וְאַחֲרֵי כָּל הַחֲסָדִים וְהַטּוֹבוֹת הַגְּדוֹלוֹת וְהַנּוֹרָאוֹת וְהָעֲצוּמוֹת וְהַמֻּפְלָגוֹת מְאֹד מְאֹד, אֲשֶׁר גָּמַלְתָּ עִמִּי בְּלִי שִׁעוּר וָעֵרֶךְ וּמִסְפָּר, מָה אוֹמַר וּמָה אֲדַבֵּר, וְאֵיךְ יוּכַל עֶבֶד אֲדוֹנִי זֶה לְדַבֵּר עִם אֲדוֹנִי זֶה,
And after all the great, wondrous, enormous and unparalleled kindnesses and goodness that You have shown me time after time without number, what can I say? How can I speak? How can the servant of my Master dare speak with my Master?
וּבְאֵיזֶה לָשׁוֹן אֲכַנֶּה אֶת שִׁרְיוֹן צָרַעַת נִגְעֵי נַפְשִׁי וּמַכְאוֹבַי הַמְּרֻבִּים, עַל־יְדֵי חַטָּאַי וַעֲוֹנוֹתַי וּפְשָׁעַי שֶׁחָטָאתִי וְשֶׁעָוִיתִי וְשֶׁפָּשַׁעְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, אֲשֶׁר עַל־יָדָם נִמְשָׁכִים וּבָאִים עָלֵינוּ בְּכָל עֵת, הִרְהוּרִים וּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת וּמְגֻנּוֹת. טָבַעְתִּי בִּיוֵן מְצוּלָה וְאֵין מָעֳמָד, בָּאתִי בְמַעֲמַקֵּי מַיִם וְשִׁבֹּלֶת שְׁטָפָתְנִי,
What expression can I use to depict my horrible state of spiritual disease and agony as a result of my sins and transgressions against You, my God and God of my fathers? Because of what I’ve done, I’m under constant attack from the most despicable thoughts and desires. “I am sinking in the mud of the deep and I cannot stand. I have entered the depths of the waters and the swirling current has swept me away.”
כִּי לְפִי קְדֻשַּׁת אִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי בְּשָׁרְשׁוֹ, כְּשֶׁבָּא עָלָיו הִרְהוּר אֶחָד בִּזְמַן רָחוֹק, נִקְרָא מֻטְבָּע בִּיוֵן מְצוּלָה, בִּמְצוּלוֹת יָם. וְעַתָּה אֵיךְ נְכַנֶּה צָרוֹתֵינוּ וְאֵיךְ נְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתֵנוּ,
Considering the holiness of a Jew at his root, when even a single isolated lustful thought enters his mind once in a while, it is as if he is drowning in the muddy depths of the sea. In that case, what name can I give to my troubles? How can I express what’s in my heart?
וּבְאֵיזֶה לָשׁוֹן אֲנִי יָכוֹל לְסַפֵּר נִגְעֵי לְבָבִי וּמַכְאוֹבַי, אֲשֶׁר הַמְּצוּלוֹת יָם מִתְגַּבְּרִים בְּכָל עֵת עָלֵינוּ, לֹא יִתְּנוּנִי הָשֵׁב רוּחִי,
What words can I use to describe my pain and heartbreak? My mind is awash with torrents of such thoughts all the time. I don’t have a moment of respite.
מָה אוֹמַר וּמָה אֲדַבֵּר, אִוֶּלֶת אָדָם תְּסַלֵּף דַּרְכּוֹ וְעַל יְהֹוָה יִזְעַף לִבּוֹ, כִּי אֲנִי בְעַצְמִי גָרַמְתִּי לִי כָּל זֶה עַל־יְדֵי מַעֲשַׂי הָרָעִים וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתַי הַמְבֻלְבָּלוֹת, שֶׁהָלַכְתִּי אַחֲרֵיהֶם וְלֹא נִתְגַּבַּרְתִּי לְשַׁבְּרָם וּלְגָרְשָׁם מֵעָלָי, עַד שֶׁבָּאתִי לְמַה שֶּׁבָּאתִי וְנִתְרַחַקְתִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְרַחַקְתִּי.
What can I say? How can I speak? “A person’s own folly makes his path crooked, and his heart rages against God.” For I myself am responsible for everything I’m going through, on account of my own evil behavior and confused thoughts. I have followed my impulses without making any attempt to control them or drive them out. This is what has brought me to such a state and caused me to become so distanced. Woe!
אוֹי לִי וַי לִי, אוֹי לְנַפְשִׁי.
Woe! My poor soul!
וְאַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ כִּי אֵין לִי שׁוּם עֵצָה וְתַחְבּוּלָה, כִּי אִם לִצְעֹק וּלְהִתְחַנֵּן אֵלֶיךָ וּלְהִסְתַּכֵּל וּלְצַפּוֹת לְרַחֲמֶיךָ, וְאֵשֵׁב וַאֲיַחֵל וַאֲצַפֶּה לַחֲסָדֶיךָ, שֶׁתְּחָנֵּנִי בְּמַתְּנַת חִנָּם לְגַמְרֵי, וּתְקַדְּשֵׁנִי בִּקְדֻשָּׁתְךָ הָעֶלְיוֹנָה, כִּי כָל הָעֵצוֹת פָּגַמְתִּי בָּהֶם, וַאֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁאַתָּה מַשְׁפִּיעַ לִי עֵצָה טוֹבָה, קָשֶׁה לִי לְקַיֵּם הָעֵצָה בְּעַצְמָהּ, כִּי קְשֵׁה לֵב אָנִי, וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ שׁוּם תַחְבּוּלָה וְעֵצָה וּמִשְׁעָן, כִּי אִם עַל רַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וַחֲסָדֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים,
HaShem, You know that I have no other solution but to cry out and plead with You, and wait and hope for Your mercy. I will sit and wait, hope and long for Your kindness. Sanctify me with Your supreme holiness as an unearned gift. For the fact is that I have failed to carry out all the teachings of the Torah on how to attain purity. Even when You send me good advice, it is hard for me to follow it because of my stubbornness. I do not have any idea of what I can do, except to rely on Your abundant compassion and great kindness.
כִּי עַל רַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים אָנוּ בְּטוּחִים וְעַל חֲסָדֶיךָ אָנוּ נִשְׁעָנִים וְלִסְלִיחוֹתֶיךָ אָנוּ מְקַוִּים וְלִישׁוּעָתְךָ אָנוּ מְצַפִּים, שֶׁתְּרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ בִּזְכוּת צַדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים זְקֵנִים שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה שֶׁהָיוּ בְּכָל דּוֹר מִימֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ עַד עָתָּה, וְעַל כֹּחָם לְבַד סָמַכְנוּ לִצְעֹק וְלִזְעֹק וּלְהִתְחַנֵּן אֵלֶיךָ כְּבֵן הַמִּתְחַטֵּא לִפְנֵי אָבִיו, וּלְצַפּוֹת לְרַחֲמֶיךָ וּלְקַוֹּת לִישׁוּעָתֶךָ, שֶׁתַּחֲזִירֵנוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ חִישׁ קַל מְהֵרָה:
For I put my trust in Your mercy and rely on Your kindness, I hope for Your forgiveness and await Your salvation. Have mercy on me and save me in the merit of all the true tzaddikim and holy elders in every generation, from the days of the Patriarchs until the present. I rely on their strength alone as I cry out and plead with You like a child nagging his father, hoping for Your compassion and salvation. Bring me to perfect repentance quickly, swiftly and speedily!
עַל־כֵּן בָּאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב, וֵאלֹהֵי כָּל הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים, אֱלֹהֵי הָרִאשׁוֹנִים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִים, אֱלֹהֵי כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל,
Therefore, I have come before You, HaShem my God and God of my fathers — God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, God of all the true tzaddikim, God of the first and the last, God of all Israel.
וְכַפַּי פְּרוּשׂוֹת מוּל אֲרוֹן בְּרִיתֶךָ, וְעֵינַי מְיַחֲלוֹת לַהֲמוֹן חֲסָדֶיךָ, וְרַעְיוֹנַי צוֹפִיּוֹת לִמְעוֹן קְדֻשָּׁתֶךָ, שֶׁתְּעוֹרֵר רַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וְהַגְּדוֹלִים עָלַי בִּזְכוּת וְכֹחַ הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים וְהַזְּקֵנִים דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, וְתַמְשִׁיךְ וְתַשְׁפִּיעַ עָלַי וְעַל כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, רוּחַ קְדֻשָּׁה וְטָהֳרָה רוּחַ חָכְמָה וּבִינָה רוּחַ עֵצָה וּגְבוּרָה רוּחַ דַּעַת וְיִרְאַת יְהֹוָה,
My hands are stretched out toward the Ark of Your Covenant, my eyes are hoping for Your abundant kindnesses, and my thoughts are turned toward Your holy dwelling place. In the merit and power of the true tzaddikim and holy elders, arouse Your great compassion for me. Inspire me and Your entire nation, the House of Israel, with a spirit of holiness and purity, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of guidance and strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of HaShem.
בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל כָּל הַהִרְהוּרִים וּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת לְשַׁבְּרָם וּלְגָרְשָׁם וּלְבַטְּלָם מִמֶּנִּי.
Then I will be able to conquer all my evil and lustful thoughts, break their power and drive them out of my mind.
וּבְכָל עֵת שֶׁיָּבוֹא עָלַי אֵיזֶה הִרְהוּר לֹא טוֹב חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אֶזְכֶּה בְּכֹחֲךָ לְשַׁבֵּר תַּאֲוָתִי וְלָכוֹף אֶת יִצְרִי, לְשַׁבְּרוֹ וּלְגָרְשׁוֹ מִמֶּנִּי וּלְהָסִיחַ דַּעְתִּי מִמֶּנּוּ לְגַמְרֵי. וְאֶזְכֶּה לְהוֹצִיא מֵהַקְּלִפּוֹת כָּל הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה שֶׁנָּפְלוּ עַל יָדִי בֵּינֵיהֶם, וּלְבָרֵר הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה מִן הָרוּחַ שְׁטוּת, וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁקִּלְקַלְתִּי שָׁם אֲתַּקֵּן,
Whenever a wrongful thought comes into my mind, give me the strength to curb my desires and control my evil urge so as to break the thought and put it out of my mind completely. Let me pay no attention to it whatsoever. Help me release all the holy sparks that have fallen into the domain of evil because of me, and let me cleanse my mind of folly. Wherever I caused damage, let me repair it.
עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ לְגָרֵשׁ וּלְבַטֵּל הָרוּחַ שְׁטוּת מִמֶּנִּי וּמִכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגַמְרֵי, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה שׁוּם שְׁלִיטָה וַאֲחִיזָה לְהָרוּחַ שְׁטוּת, לֹא בְּגוּפִי וְלֹא בְּנַפְשִׁי וְרוּחִי וְנִשְׁמָתִי, מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם, לָא בְּעָלְמָא הָדֵין וְלָא בְּעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי. וְאֶזְכֶּה מֵעַתָּה לְמַחֲשָׁבוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת וּטְהוֹרוֹת תָּמִיד, וְתַצִּילֵנִי מֵעַתָּה מִכָּל מִינֵי בִּלְבּוּל הַדַּעַת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, רַק אֶזְכֶּה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי קְדוֹשָׁה וּטְהוֹרָה זַכָּה וּנְקִיָּה תָמִיד,
Compassionate God, help me drive out the spirit of foolishness from myself and from the entire Jewish people. Let it never again have any hold over my body, my mind or my soul, not in this world or in the World to Come. From now on let my thoughts always be holy and pure. Save me from any form of mental confusion. Let my thoughts be holy, pure, clear and clean at all times.
וְתַעַזְרֵנִי לְקַדֵּשׁ עַצְמִי בִּקְדֻשַּׁת הַבְּרִית בְּכָל מִינֵי קְדֻשּׁוֹת. וְתִמְחֹל וְתִסְלַח לִי כָּל מַה שֶׁפָּגַמְתִּי עַד הֵנָּה בִּפְגַם הַבְּרִית, הֵן מַה שֶׁפָּגַמְתִּי בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה דִּבּוּר וּמַעֲשֶׂה, הֵן מַה שֶׁפָּגַמְתִּי בִּרְאִיַּת הָעַיִן וּבִּשְׁמִיעַת הָאֹזֶן וּבִשְׁאָר חוּשִׁים, בְּשׁוֹגֵג אוֹ בְּמֵזִיד, בְּאֹנֶס אוֹ בְּרָצוֹן, מִנְּעוּרַי עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.
Help me sanctify myself and observe the holy covenant in every way. Forgive me for my failure to observe the covenant in the past, and for all the damage I have caused through my thoughts, words and deeds, my eyes, ears and other senses, whether unintentionally or deliberately, under duress or freely, from my earliest days until today.
עַל כֻּלָּם תִּמְחֹל וְתִסְלַח וּתְכַפֵּר לִי אֱלוֹהַּ סְלִיחוֹת, וּתְמַלֵּא כָּל הַשֵּׁמוֹת שֶׁפָּגַמְתִּי בְּשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל.
Forgive me for everything and grant me atonement, God of forgiveness. Restore all the holy Names that I have blemished by abusing Your great Name.
וּמֵעַתָּה תִהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרֵי וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי וְתַצְלִיחֵנִי וְתַעַזְרֵנִי בְּכָל עֵת בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לִקְדֻשַּׁת הַבְּרִית בֶּאֱמֶת:
From now on give me constant help and support so that I will genuinely attain the holiness of the covenant.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, רִבּוֹנוֹ דְעַלְמָא כֹּלָּא, רְפָאֵנִי יְהֹוָה וְאֵרָפֵא הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי וְאִוָּשֵׁעָה כִּי תְהִלָּתִי אָתָּה.
Healing
Master of the world! Master of the entire world! “Heal me, HaShem, and I will be healed, save me and I will be saved, for You are my praise!”
כִּי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת מְרִירוּת לְבָבִי, אֶת מְרִירוּת מַכּוֹתַי הָאֲנוּשׁוֹת, אֶת מְרִירוּת נַפְשִׁי הָאֻמְלָלָה, כִּי נַפְשִׁי מָרָה לִי מְאֹד, וְאֶל מָה אֲדַמֶּה וְאַמְשִׁיל מְרִירוּתִי. מַר מִמָּוֶת, מַר מִלַּעֲנָה וָרֹאשׁ, מַר מִכָּל מְרִירוּת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם.
You know the bitterness of my heart, the bitterness of my terrible wounds, and the bitterness of my crushed soul. My soul is so very bitter! What is there to compare with my bitterness? It is more bitter than death, more bitter than wormwood and gall, more bitter than all the bitterness in the world!
וְאַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר לְפִי עֹצֶם חֻלְשׁוֹת נַפְשִׁי, לְפִי עֹצֶם וְרִבּוּי הַחוֹלָאַת וְהַמַּכְאוֹבִים הָרָעִים וְהַמָּרִים וְהַפְּגָמִים הָעֲצוּמִים, שֶׁהִטַּלְתִּי בְּנַפְשִׁי עַל־יְדֵי מַעֲשַׂי הָרָעִים, אֵין שׁוּם רְפוּאָה בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁתּוּכַל לְהוֹעִיל לִי, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם תִּמָּצֵא בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ אֵיזֶה רְפוּאָה שֶׁיּוֹעִיל לִי, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִי לִסְבֹּל מְרִירוּת הָרְפוּאָה לְפִי מַכּוֹתַי הָאֲנוּשׁוֹת מְאֹד,
Master of the world, You know that my soul is so weak as a result of the terrible, bitter and damaging illnesses and pains I have brought upon it through my evil deeds. There is not a single remedy in the world that can help me. Even if, in Your compassion, You can find some remedy that will help me, I will not be able to bear the bitterness of the cure because of my terrible wounds.
כִּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִי לִסְבֹּל מְרִירוּת הָרְפוּאָה וְהַתְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁצְּרִיכִים לִסְבֹּל לְתַקֵּן פְּגָם הִרְהוּר אֶחָד, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן הִרְהוּרִים וּפְגָמִים וַחֲטָאִים רַבִּים וַעֲצוּמִים כָּאֵלֶּה.
For it’s impossible for me to bear the bitterness of the remedy and the repentance needed to rectify the damage caused by a single bad thought, let alone a multitude of evil thoughts and sins such as these.
וְאִם אָמַרְתִּי לְסַפֵּר אֶפֶס קָצֶה מֵהַפְּגָמִים שֶׁל יוֹם אֶחָד, יִכְלֶה הַזְּמַן. אֲפִלּוּ הַפְּגָמִים שֶׁל הַיּוֹם שֶׁנִּקְרָא אֶצְלֵנוּ טוֹב קְצַת, גַּם כֵּן אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְשַׁעֵר וּלְהַעֲרִיךְ הַפְּגָמִים שֶׁבְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן הַיָּמִים רָעִים שֶׁהָיָה לִי.
If I tried to give an account of even the tiniest portion of my misdeeds that happened in the space of a single day, I would run out of time. Even the days that for me would be considered “good” are marked by a constant succession of lapses every single moment; all the more so the bad days I’ve had.
אוֹי אוֹי וַאֲבוֹי, אוֹי אוֹי וָמַר, מָה אוֹמַר וּמָה אֲדַבֵּר, מְרִירוּת נַפְשִׁי עַד שָׁמַיִם יַגִּיעַ, כְּאֵב נִשְׁמָתִי מִי יוּכַל לְשַׁעֵר.
Woe! Woe! Woe! What can I say? How can I speak? The bitterness of my soul reaches the very heavens! Who can imagine the pain of my soul?
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ, וְאִם אֲפִלּוּ תַשְׁלִיךְ אַחֲרֵי גֵוְךָ כָּל חַטֹּאתָי, כַּאֲשֶׁר אַתָּה מִתְנַהֵג עִם בְּרִיּוֹתֶיךָ בְּרַחֲמִים, וְלֹא תַלְבִּישׁ אֶת רְפוּאָתִי כִּי אִם בִּמְרִירוּת מְעַט דִּמְעַט, גַּם כֵּן אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִי לִסְבֹּל כְּלָל. כִּי לְפִי עֹצֶם רִבּוּי הַמְּרִירוּת הַמֻּכְרָח לִרְפוּאָתִי, לְפִי עֹצֶם חָלְיֵי נַפְשִׁי, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִי לְקַבֵּל וְלִסְבֹּל אֲפִלּוּ חֵלֶק אֶחָד מֵאַלְפֵי אֲלָפִים וְרִבֵּי רְבָבוֹת, מֵהַמְּרִירוּת הַמֻּכְרָח לִרְפוּאָתִי, לְפִי עֹצֶם חֲטָאַי וַעֲוֹנוֹתַי וּפְשָׁעַי הַמְּרֻבִּים, כִּי אַתָּה חָשַׁקְתָּ נַפְשִׁי מִשַּׁחַת בְּלִי, וְהִשְׁלַכְתָּ אַחֲרֵי גֵוְךָ כָּל חַטֹּאתָי, וְלֹא הִלְבַּשְׁתָּ אֶת הַשָּׁלוֹם וְהָרְפוּאָה שֶׁלִּי כִּי אִם בִּמְרִירוּת מְעַט דִּמְעַט כְּפִי יְכָלְתִּי. וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן גַּם זֶה מְעַט הַמְּרִירוּת קָשֶׁה לִי לְקַבֵּל וְלִסְבֹּל,
Master of the world, You know that even if You throw all my sins “behind Your back” in the compassionate way that You deal with all Your creatures, and even if You send me only the slightest amount of bitterness as a remedy, it will still be impossible for me to bear it. For my soul is so sick, and the bitterness necessary to heal it so great, that I cannot bear even the tiniest fraction of this bitterness owing to my innumerable sins and transgressions. “You desired to lift my soul out of the pit of destruction and decay,” and You have thrown all my sins “behind Your back.” You have sent me the remedy needed to bring peace to my soul with only the barest minimum of bitterness, according to my capacity. Even so, even this minute amount of bitterness is very hard for me to receive and to bear.
כִּי לְפִי עֹצֶם חָלְיִי וְחֻלְשׁוֹתַי וּמַכּוֹת נַפְשִׁי הָאֲנוּשׁוֹת מְאֹד וּפִזּוּר דַּעְתִּי, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִי לִסְבּוֹל שׁוּם מְרִירוּת כְּלָל: וְעַל זֹאת בָּאתִי לְהַפִּיל תְּחִנָּתִי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, גְּדוֹל הָעֵצָה וְרַב הָעֲלִילִיָּה, עוֹשֶׂה גְדוֹלוֹת עַד אֵין חֵקֶר נִסִּים וְנִפְלָאוֹת עַד אֵין מִסְפָּר. וְאֵין דָּבָר נִמְנָע מִמֶּךָּ, הֵן כֹּל תּוּכָל וְלֹא יִבָּצֵר מִמְּךָ מְזִמָּה וְאַתָּה רוֹפֵא נֶאֱמָן וְרַחֲמָן אֱמֶת, וּבְיָדְךָ הַכֹּל וּבְיָדְךָ כֹּחַ וּגְבוּרָה וּבְיָדְךָ לְגַדֵּל וּלְחַזֵּק לַכֹּל. וּמִי יֹאמַר לְךָ מַה תַּעֲשֶׂה.
I am so weak, sick, spiritually hurt and confused that I cannot bear any bitterness at all. For this reason, I have come to lay my request before You, HaShem my God and God of my fathers, “great in counsel and mighty in action,” “Who performs great deeds that cannot be fathomed, miracles and wonders without number.” Nothing is impossible for You. Indeed, “You can do everything and no purpose is withheld from You.” You are the true, faithful and compassionate Healer, and everything is in Your hand. “In Your hand is power and strength, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all.” Who can tell You what to do?
עַל כֵּן עַל מִשְׁמַרְתִּי אֶעֱמֹדָה וְאֶזְעַק וַאֲשַׁוֵּעַ וְאֶצְעַק אֵלֶיךָ תָּמִיד, עַד שֶׁתְּחָנֵּנִי וְתַמְתִּיק אֶת מְרִירוּת רְפוּאָתִי, וְתוֹרֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ אֶת עֵץ הַחַיִּים לְהַמְתִּיק וּלְבַטֵּל מְרִירוּת הַמַּיִם הָרָעִים, וְתָסִיר מִמֶּנִּי כָּל מִינֵי מְרִירוּת בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ.
Therefore, “I will stand at my post” and cry and shout out to You all the time, until You show me favor and sweeten the bitterness of my cure, and show me the tree of life with which to sweeten the bitterness of the evil waters. Compassionate God, remove every kind of bitterness from me.
וְתִתֶּן לִי כֹחַ וּגְבוּרָה וְהִתְחַזְּקוּת לִסְבֹּל וּלְקַבֵּל עָלַי בְּאַהֲבָה מְעַט הַמְּרִירוּת שֶׁאֲנִי מֻכְרָח לִסְבֹּל בִּשְׁבִיל רְפוּאָתִי, וּתְמַעֵט בְחַסְדְּךָ אֶת הַמְּרִירוּת שֶׁל רְפוּאָתִי בְּתַכְלִית הַמִּעוּט, וּתְמַהֵר לְרַפּאֹת אוֹתִי רְפוּאָה שְׁלֵמָה, רְפוּאַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ וּרְפוּאַת הַגּוּף, כִּי אֲנִי רוֹאֶה מֵרָחוֹק חֲסָדֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים, שֶׁאַתָּה מַגְדִּיל עִמִּי בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה בְּלִי שִׁעוּר וָעֵרֶךְ וּמִסְפָּר. עַל כֵּן אֲנִי מַשְׁלִיךְ יְהָבִי עָלֶיךָ לְבַד, שֶׁתְּרַחֵם עָלַי וְתָגֵן בַּעֲדִי וְתִפְרֹס עָלַי אֶת סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ, וְתַעֲלֶה רְפוּאָה שְׁלֵמָה לְכָל תַּחֲלוּאֵי וּמַכְאוֹבֵי נַפְשִׁי וְגוּפִי.
Give me strength, power and courage to bear and receive with love the little bitterness that I must inevitably suffer in order to be healed. Loving and kind God, minimize the bitterness needed to cure me as much as possible. Quickly send me a complete healing, both spiritually and physically. From afar I can see the endless and infinite lovingkindness with which You treat me at every moment. That is why I am casting my burden upon You alone. Have compassion on me. Protect me and spread Your sukkah of peace over me. Send complete healing to all the illnesses and pains of my soul and my body.
וּתְקַיֵּים בִּי מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, בּוֹרֵא נִיב שְׂפָתָיִם שָׁלוֹם, שָׁלוֹם לָרָחוֹק וְלַקָּרוֹב אָמַר יְהֹוָה וּרְפָאתִיו.
Fulfill in me the verse, “Peace, peace, to the one that is far and the one that is near, says HaShem, Who creates the fruit of the lips, and I will heal him.”
וּתְזַכֵּנִי מֵעַתָּה לִקְדֻשַּׁת הַבְּרִית בֶּאֱמֶת, וְתַשְׁפִּיעַ וְתָאִיר עָלַי בְּאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ, וְתַמְשִׁיךְ עָלַי הֶאָרַת פָּנִים, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהַדְרַת פָּנִים לְהֶאָרַת פָּנִים דִּקְדֻשָּׁה.
From now on let me genuinely sanctify myself with the holiness of the covenant. Shine on me with the light of Your countenance and radiate to me with favor, so that I will attain the inner light of holiness.
וְתִפְתַּח אֶת דַּעְתִּי, וְתַשְׁפִּיעַ עָלַי שֶׁפַע הַחָכְמָה וְהַבִּינָה וְהַדַּעַת מֵאִתְּךָ, וְתָאִיר עֵינַי בִּמְאוֹר תּוֹרָתֶךָ, עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְחַדֵּשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה בְּכָל עֵת חִדּוּשִׁים אֲמִתִּיִּים, וְאֶזְכֶּה לִדְרוֹשׁ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה בִּשְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּוֹת שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה נִדְרֶשֶׁת בָּהֵן, וּלְגַלּוֹת וּלְבָאֵר עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה דְּרוּשִׁים וּבֵאוּרִים וְחִדּוּשִׁים אֲמִתִּיִּים בַּתּוֹרָה.
Open up my mind and inspire me with an abundance of holy wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Illumine my eyes with the light of Your Torah so that I will be able to develop new and original Torah ideas at all times. Let me apply the Thirteen Rules for interpreting the Torah in order to reveal and elucidate new and original Torah teachings.
וְתַמְשִׁיךְ עָלַי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ הָאֲמִתִּיִּים מְשַׁח רְבוּת קוּדְשָׁא, שֶׁפַע הַדַּעַת וְהַשֵּׂכֶל דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, מִתְּלֵיסָר תִּקּוּנֵי דִיקְנָא קַדִּישָׁא, וּתְזַכֵּנִי לִהְיוֹת נִכְלָל בִּכְלַל זְקֵנִים שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה, עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהֶאָרַת פָּנִים לְהַדְרַת פָּנִים:
Compassionate and loving God, anoint me with the “holy oil” of wisdom and understanding that flows from the thirteen attributes of the holy beard [of the Divine persona of Arikh Anpin], and let me be included among the holy elders and attain the light of the inner face of Your glory.
וְתַעַזְרֵנִי וּתְזַכֵּנִי שֶׁיִּזְדַּכֵּךְ קוֹלִי עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה, וְאֶזְכֶּה לְכַבֵּד אֶת יְהֹוָה מֵהוֹנִי וּמִגְּרוֹנִי, שֶׁתִּהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרִי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לַעֲבֹד אוֹתְךָ תָּמִיד בְּשִׂמְחָה, בְּקוֹל רִנָּה וְזִמְרָה וְשִׁירִים וְנִגּוּנִים דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, וּנְגִינוֹתַי אֲנַגֵּן כָּל יְמֵי חַיַּי עַל בֵּית יְהֹוָה.
And through this, help me refine my voice so that I will honor HaShem with my material possessions and with my very throat. Help me serve You joyously at all times with shouts of joy, holy songs and melodies. Let me sing my songs all the days of my life in honor of the House of HaShem.
וְאֶזְכֶּה שֶׁיִּזְדַּכֵּךְ קוֹל רִנָּתִי כָּל כָּךְ, עַד שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הַנִּגּוּן לְבַד שֶׁנָּשִׁיר וּנְרַנֵּן לְפָנֶיךָ, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תִּרְאֶה בְצָרוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָנוּ מִכָּל עַם וְלָשׁוֹן, וְתִרְאֶה בְעָנְיֵינוּ וְצָרוֹתֵינוּ, וְתִסְתַּכֵּל וְתַשְׁגִּיחַ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ, אֵיזֶה אֻמָּה מְצֵרָה לָנוּ, וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ וְתַצִּילֵנוּ מֵהֶם. וּתְקַיֵּם בָּנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וַיַּרְא (יְהֹוָה) בַּצַּר לָהֶם בְּשָׁמְעוֹ אֶת רִנָּתָם:
Let me so refine my voice of joyful song that simply through the melody that I will sing to You, You will see our suffering at the hands of all the nations that are persecuting us. You will see our plight and our troubles, take note of which nation it is that is persecuting us, and redeem and save us from them, in fulfillment of the verse, “[HaShem] saw their suffering, hearing their cry.”
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת אֲשֶׁר חוֹשְׁבִים וְיוֹעֲצִים עָלֵינוּ בְּכָל עֵת, בֵּין הָעַכּוּ"ם הַמּוֹשְׁלִים עָלֵינוּ עַכְשָׁיו, עַל עַמְּךָ יַעֲרִימוּ סוֹד וְיִתְיָעֲצוּ עַל צְפוּנֶיךָ. אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת כָּל מַחְשְׁבוֹתָם עָלֵינוּ לְרָעָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אָמְרוּ לְכוּ וְנַכְחִידֵם מִגּוֹי וְלֹא יִזָּכֵר שֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹד.
Master of the world, You know the thoughts in the minds of the nations who have power over us, and their plans against us. “They hold secret conversations against Your people and take counsel against Your treasured ones.” You know all their evil intentions against us. “They have said, ‘Come, let us cut them off from being a nation, so that the name of Israel will no longer be remembered.’”
וּבְצוֹק הָעִתִּים הַלָּלוּ אֵין מִי שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד בַּעֲדֵנוּ, אָבַד חָסִיד מִן הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹדֵר בַּפֶּרֶץ אָיִן, עַל מִי לָנוּ לְהִשָּׁעֵן, עַל אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם.
At this time of crisis, there is no one to stand up for us. “Men of piety have disappeared from the earth,” and there is no one to mend the breach. Whom can we rely on except our Father in Heaven?
מָלֵא רַחֲמִים עַל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל תָּמִיד, הַבִּיטָה בְעָנְיֵינוּ כִּי רַבּוּ מַכְאוֹבֵינוּ וְצָרוֹת לְבָבֵינוּ, וּרְאֵה אֶת עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְרוּדִים מְאֹד, וְאֵין עוֹזֵר וְאֵין סוֹמֵךְ וְאֶפֶס עָצוּר וְעָזוּב.
You Who are filled with compassion for Your nation, the Jewish people, at all times — see our plight! We are in such pain, and we’re suffering so much in our hearts. See how downtrodden is Your nation, the Jewish people. We have no one to help or support us.
עֲשֵׂה לְמַעַנְךָ וְלֹא לְמַעֲנֵנוּ, עֲשֵׂה לְמַעַן הַצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים שׁוֹכְנֵי עָפָר, לִקְדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ הֵמָּה וְאַדִּירֵי כָּל חֶפְצִי בָם.
Act for Your sake and not for ours. Act for the sake of the true tzaddikim who rest in the earth, “the holy ones who are in the earth, the mighty ones in whom lies all my desire.”
עֲשֵׂה לְמַעַנְךָ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ. וְתַטֵּה לֵב הַמַּלְכוּת וְהַשָּׂרִים וְהַיּוֹעֲצִים עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה, וּתְגָרֵשׁ וּתְשַׁבֵּר וּתְבַטֵּל כָּל מַחְשְׁבוֹתָם הָרָעוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמְּךָ הַקָּדוֹשׁ. וּתְבַטֵּל בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ כָּל הַגְּזֵרוֹת רָעוֹת וְכָל הַפְּקֻדּוֹת שֶׁאֵינָן טוֹבוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הֵן אוֹתָן הַגְּזֵרוֹת וְהַפְּקֻדּוֹת שֶׁכְּבָר נִגְזְרוּ, וְהֵן אוֹתָם שֶׁרוֹצִים לִגְזֹר עֲדַיִן חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כֻּלָּם תְּשַׁבֵּר וְתַעֲקֹר וּתְבַטֵּל אוֹתָם בְּבִטּוּל גָּמוּר,
Act for Your sake and save us! Incline the hearts of those in the government, the officials and advisers, in our favor. Thwart and eliminate all their evil plans against Israel, Your nation. Compassionate God, cancel all the evil decrees and all legislation that does not benefit the Jewish people — both those that have already been passed and those they want to introduce. Cancel all of them and remove any trace of them completely.
וְתַהֲפֹךְ לֵב כָּל הַקֵּיסָרִים וְהַמְּלָכִים וְהַשָּׂרִים עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה תָמִיד. כִּי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, כִּי אֵין מִי שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד בַּעֲדֵנוּ עַתָּה בְּעֻקְבָא דִמְשִׁיחָא בְּעֵת צָרָה הַזֹּאת, כִּי אִם רַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לְבַד, שׁוּב מֵחֲרוֹן אַפֶּךָ וְהִנָּחֵם עַל הָרָעָה לְעַמֶּךָ.
Turn the hearts of all the rulers, kings and officials in our favor at all times. For You know, HaShem our God, that we have no one to stand up for us now at this time of trouble, on the threshold of the coming of the Mashiach. We can rely only on Your compassion. “Turn back from the fury of Your anger and reconsider this evil against Your people.”
זַכֵּנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים שֶׁיִזְדַּכֵּךְ קוֹל רִנָּתֵנוּ, עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְהַמְתִּיק כָּל הַדִּינִים וּלְבַטֵּל כָּל הַצָּרוֹת וְכָל הַגְּזֵרוֹת מֵעָלֵינוּ וּמֵעַל כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַל־יְדֵי הַנִּגּוּנִים לְבַד שֶׁתִּשְׁמַע קוֹל רִנָּתֵנוּ וְיֶעֱרַב לְךָ רִנּוּנֵנוּ, וּתְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ:
Let us purify our voice and our cry, until we have the power to sweeten all the harsh judgments and annul all the decrees against us and Your entire nation, the House of Israel, through the power of our song alone. Let our song be sweet to You; have compassion on us and save us.
לְשַׁבַּת־קוֹדֶשׁ וְנִזְכֶּה לָשִׁיר וּלְרַנֵּן וּלְנַגֵּן לְפָנֶיךָ נִגּוּנִים וְשִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת לְשִׁמְךָ וְלַעֲבוֹדָתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת תָּמִיד, עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְעוֹרֵר בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים אֲשֶׁר לִשְׁלֹמֹה, שִׁיר הַמְּעֻלֶּה עַל כָּל הַשִּׁירִים, וְנִזְכֶּה לְכָל עֲשָׂרָה מִינֵי נְגִינָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם סֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים.
Shabbat
Let us sing joyous songs, melodies and praises to Your Name at all times, until we arouse the “Song of Songs of Solomon,” the song that is exalted above all songs. May we sing all ten types of song with which the Book of Psalms was composed.
וּתְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָנוּ בִּשְׁלוֹמְךָ הַטּוֹב, וְתַשְׁפִּיעַ שָׁלוֹם עַל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שָׁלוֹם בֵּין כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, בֵּין אֶחָד לַחֲבֵרוֹ, וּבֵין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ. וְלֹא יִהְיֶה שׁוּם שִׂנְאָה וְקִנְאָה וְתַחֲרוּת וְקִנְטוּר בֵּין כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמְּךָ לְעוֹלָם,
Bless us with the goodness of Your peace, and send peace to Your nation, the Jewish people, forever. Let peace reign among all Israel, between every Jew and his friend, and between every husband and wife. May there be no hatred, jealousy, competitiveness or hostility in the entire Jewish nation, forever.
וְיִתְרַבֶּה וְיִתְגַּדֵּל הַשָּׁלוֹם עַד שֶׁיֻּמְשַׁךְ שָׁלוֹם בֵּין כָּל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם, עַד שֶׁיֻּכְלוּ כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְעוֹרֵר אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ אֶל הָאֱמֶת, שֶׁיִּסְתַּכֵּל עַל תַּכְלִיתוֹ הַנִּצְחִי וְלֹא יְבַלֶּה יָמָיו לָהֶבֶל וְלָרִיק,
May this peace grow and spread until it extends to all the inhabitants of the world, until everyone will be able to inspire their friends to search for the truth and keep their minds on their ultimate purpose instead of wasting their days on vanity and emptiness.
עַד שֶׁיַּשְׁלִיכוּ כָּל אִישׁ אֶת אֱלִילֵי כַסְפּוֹ וֶאֱלִילֵי זְהָבוֹ וְיָשׁוּבוּ כֻלָּם אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, לְעָבְדְּךָ בֶּאֱמֶת בְּיִרְאָה וּבְאַהֲבָה. וּתְזַכֵּנוּ לְקַבֵּל שַׁבָּת שָׁלוֹם בְּשִׂמְחָה וְחֶדְוָה גְּדוֹלָה וַעֲצוּמָה תָמִיד, וְתִפְרֹס עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ.
Let everyone cast aside their idols of silver and gold, and return to You in genuine repentance, serving You truthfully with reverence and love. Let us always celebrate Shabbat with the utmost happiness and delight, and have Shabbat Shalom, a Sabbath of Peace. Spread over us the sukkah of Your peace.
וְנִזְכֶּה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שָׁלוֹם בְּגוּפֵנוּ, וְתִרְפָּאֵנוּ רְפוּאַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ וּרְפוּאַת הַגּוּף, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה מַחֲלֹקֶת בֵּין הָאַרְבַּע יְסוֹדוֹת שֶׁבְּגוּפֵנוּ, רַק כֻּלָּם יִתְנַהֲגוּ בְּמֶזֶג הַשָּׁוֶה בְּשָׁלוֹם גָּדוֹל,
May we have peace in our bodies. Send us spiritual and physical healing. Let us not suffer from disharmony among the four elements in our bodies, but all of them should work together harmoniously in peace.
וְתָסִיר מַחֲלָה מִקִּרְבֵּנוּ וְתִשְׁלַח רְפוּאָה שְׁלֵמָה לְחוֹלֵי עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל (וּבִפְרָט לִפְלוֹנִי בֶּן פְּלוֹנִית וְכוּ'):
Remove sickness from our midst and send complete healing to all the sick of Your nation, the House of Israel (and especially to [name], the [son/daughter] of [mother’s name]).
וְתַעַזְרֵנוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שָׁלוֹם בְּמָמוֹנֵינוּ, וְתִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה וְהַצְלָחָה בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ, וְלֹא יַעֲלֶה שׁוּם קִנְאָה בְּלֵב שׁוּם אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל עַל מָמוֹן וְחֶפְצֵי חֲבֵרוֹ. וְלֹא יִהְיֶה שׁוּם גְּזֵלוֹת וְעֹשֶׁק בֵּינֵינוּ, וְלֹא תַּעֲלֶה קִנְאַת אָדָם עָלַי וְלֹא קִנְאָתִי עַל אֲחֵרִים.
Grant us peace in our material lives, and send blessing and success to all the work of our hands. Let no Jew feel jealous in his heart because of the wealth or possessions of his friend. May there be no robbery or exploitation among us. May no one be jealous of me, and may I not be jealous of others.
וְתַזְמִין לָנוּ פַּרְנָסוֹתֵינוּ קֹדֶם שֶׁנִּצְטָרֵךְ לָהֶם, וְאַל תַּצְרִיכֵנוּ לֹא לִידֵי מַתְּנַת בָּשָׂר וָדָם וְלֹא לִידֵי הַלְוָאָתָם:
Grant me my livelihood before I need it. Don’t let me have to depend on the gifts of flesh and blood, or on their loans.
וּתְזַכֵּנוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שָׁלוֹם בְּתוֹרָתֵינוּ בְּלֹא קֻשְׁיּוֹת, וְנִזְכֶּה לְהָבִין הֵיטֵב בִּמְהִירוּת גָּדוֹל בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנִּלְמַד שָׁם, וְנִזְכֶּה לְהָבִין כָּל דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָתְךָ עַל בּוּרְיָן בְּלִי שׁוּם קֻשְׁיוֹת כְּלָל. וְתַעַזְרֵנוּ וּתְזַכֵּנוּ לְחַדֵּשׁ תָּמִיד בֵּאוּרִים וְחִדּוּשִׁים אֲמִתִּיִּים בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה בֶּאֱמֶת וּבֶאֱמוּנָה כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב. וְנִזְכֶּה לְכָל בְּחִינוֹת שָׁלוֹם בְּתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת, עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְעוֹרֵר כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, וְיָשׁוּבוּ כֻלָּם אֵלֶיךָ וְיַעַבְדוּךָ בְּאֵימָה וּבְיִרְאָה וּבְאַהֲבָה. חוּס וַחֲמֹל עָלֵינוּ וּמַלֵּא מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֵינוּ בְּרַחֲמִים, בָּרְכֵנוּ בַּשָּׁלוֹם אֵל רָם וְנִשָּׂא. יְהֹוָה עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן יְהֹוָה יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ בַשָּׁלוֹם.
Grant me peace in my Torah study: free me from doubts and questions, and help me understand clearly and rapidly whatever I study. Help me understand all the words of Your Torah clearly, without any questions at all. Help me always come up with interpretations and new Torah insights in holiness and purity, truth and faith, in accordance with Your will. Bring us to perfect peace and harmony on every level, until we can bring the whole world to Your service and everyone will return to You and serve You with fear, awe and love. Have pity and mercy on us, and compassionately fulfill our requests. Bless us with peace, supreme and exalted God. “HaShem will give strength to His people; HaShem will bless His people with peace.”
וְקַיֵּם לָנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, כִּי בְּשִׂמְחָה תֵצֵאוּ וּבְשָׁלוֹם תּוּבָלוּן הֶהָרִים וְהַגְּבָעוֹת יִפְצְחוּ לִפְנֵיכֶם רִנָּה וְכָל עֲצֵי הַשָּׂדֶה יִמְחֲאוּ כָף. שָׁלוֹם רָב לְאוֹהֲבֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ וְאֵין לָמוֹ מִכְשׁוֹל.
Fulfill for us the verse, “For you will go forth in joy and arrive in peace. The mountains and hills will break out in glad song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” “Great peace to those who love Your Torah; they will not stumble.”
עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו הוּא בְּרַחֲמָיו יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:
“May He Who makes peace in His high places lovingly make peace for us and for all Israel, and say, ‘Amen.’”