Not Listening to Intelligent, Wicked Men / Overcoming Licentious Thoughts The words of a wicked person who is intelligent give birth to licentiousness in the mind of the person who listens to him. Therefore, we must take care not to heed the words of such a person, for they are a venomous vapor that issues forth from his mouth and into the body of the person listening to him. So Balaam, who was the paradigm of such an intelligent, wicked man, breathed forth the vapors of licentiousness into Midian through his words, which expressed his state of consciousness. As a result, even though the Jewish soldiers who attacked Midian were not physically harmed, they did not escape unscathed, for their minds were affected by lascivious fantasies. HaShem, my God and the God of my fathers, in Your compassion keep me from becoming friends with wicked people. Close my ears from hearing their brazen words — words which are a poisonous brew of lust and which arouse lust in those who hear them.
HaShem, keep me far away from those words. You know that I am only flesh and blood, and I cannot protect myself. In fact, “I am a beast and not a man,” so I don’t even know how to tell the difference between a righteous person and a wicked person.
Therefore, I cast my burden onto You, so that You will keep me far away from wicked people — so that I will never speak with them and never even hear their words.
And even if I must speak with them, protect me, Mighty God. Put me in Your “booth of peace” and conceal me in the shadow of Your wings, so that I will be safe from their poisonous words. Protect me so that their venom and arrows will not enter into me and their blemished words will not harm me. Sanctify me with Your supernal holiness and help me to guard the covenant. Have pity on me and be with me always.
Kind God, save me. Help me to crush and uproot Balaam’s influence of lust upon the world. Draw onto me and onto Your entire nation, the Jewish people, the holiness and purity of Moses and the holiness of all the true Tzaddikim who guard the covenant.
In their merit, revive me and protect me so that I too will guard the covenant. Starting from this moment, keep me away from every imperfection of the covenant, from every sort of evil musing and from every type of mental confusion. Help me to attain the holiness of the covenant and the utmost holiness of the mind.
Tranquility and Purity Compassionate God, keep me from ever getting angry or irritated. Help me to be constantly good to everyone. Let me never feel any anger or irritation in my heart. Guide me to serve You and connect myself to the true Tzaddikim, the holy Torah and You with a strong bond that lasts forever — genuinely, with all my heart and with complete faith.
“You Whose eyes are pure and do not look upon evil,” sanctify me and purify me of all uncleanness and pollution, particularly the pollution of sexual lust.
“Save me from the mud so that I will not sink. May I be saved from my enemies and from the depths of the waters.” Raise me up “from the tumultuous pit, from the miry clay.” Keep my mind from being contaminated. Protect me from evil musings and thoughts. Help me because I rely on You, because I have no one else upon whom to rely but You, my Father in Heaven. May the verse be realized in me, “I will sprinkle pure waters upon you and purify You; of all Your contaminations and all your idols, I will purify you.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה מ"ג - לְהִתְרַחֵק מִדִּבּוּרִים שֶׁל הָרָשָׁע]
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁתִּהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרֵנוּ וְתִשְׁמְרֵנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, וְתַרְחִיקֵנוּ מִלְּהִתְחַבֵּר עִם רְשָׁעִים, וְתִשְׁמֹר אוֹתִי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה נִשְׁמַע לְאָזְנַי לְעוֹלָם דִּבּוּרִים שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים שֶׁהֵם בְּנֵי דֵעָה, אֲשֶׁר דִּבּוּרֵיהֶם הֵם אֲוִירִים אַרְסִיִּים שֶׁל נִאוּף וּמוֹלִידִים נִאוּף בְּהַשּׁוֹמֵעַ דִּבְרֵיהֶם.
Not Listening to Intelligent, Wicked Men / Overcoming Licentious Thoughts
The words of a wicked person who is intelligent give birth to licentiousness in the mind of the person who listens to him. Therefore, we must take care not to heed the words of such a person, for they are a venomous vapor that issues forth from his mouth and into the body of the person listening to him.
So Balaam, who was the paradigm of such an intelligent, wicked man, breathed forth the vapors of licentiousness into Midian through his words, which expressed his state of consciousness. As a result, even though the Jewish soldiers who attacked Midian were not physically harmed, they did not escape unscathed, for their minds were affected by lascivious fantasies.
HaShem, my God and the God of my fathers, in Your compassion keep me from becoming friends with wicked people. Close my ears from hearing their brazen words — words which are a poisonous brew of lust and which arouse lust in those who hear them.
אָנָּא יְהֹוָה, רַחֵם עָלַי וְהַרְחִיקֵנִי מִדִּבּוּרִים אֵלּוּ, כִּי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ כִּי בָּשָׂר וָדָם אָנֹכִי, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִי בְעַצְמִי לִהְיוֹת נִשְׁמָר מֵהֶם, וְגַם כִּי בַעַר אָנֹכִי מֵאִישׁ וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ לְהַבְחִין וְלֵידַע מִי הוּא הַצַּדִּיק וּמִי הוּא הָרָשָׁע לְהִתְרַחֵק מִמֶּנּוּ.
HaShem, keep me far away from those words. You know that I am only flesh and blood, and I cannot protect myself. In fact, “I am a beast and not a man,” so I don’t even know how to tell the difference between a righteous person and a wicked person.
עַל כֵּן עָלֶיךָ אֲנִי מַשְׁלִיךְ אֶת יְהָבִי, שֶׁאַתָּה תִּשְׁמְרֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וְתַרְחִיקֵנִי מִן הָרְשָׁעִים, וְלֹא אֲדַבֵּר עִמָּהֶם לְעוֹלָם וְלֹא אֶשְׁמַע דִּבְרֵיהֶם בְּשׁוּם פַּעַם.
Therefore, I cast my burden onto You, so that You will keep me far away from wicked people — so that I will never speak with them and never even hear their words.
וַאֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַהֶכְרֵחַ לְדַבֵּר עִמָּם, תָּגֵן בַּעֲדִי בְּכֹחֲךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְתִפְרֹס עָלַי סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ וְתַסְתִּירֵנִי בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהִנָּצֵל מֵאֶרֶס דִּבְרֵיהֶם, וְתִשְׁמְרֵנִי וְתַצִּילֵנִי שֶׁלֹּא יִכְנֹס בִּי אַרְסֵיהֶם וְחִצֵּיהֶם, וְלֹא יַזִּיקוּ לִי פְּגַם דִּבְרֵיהֶם, וּתְקַדְּשֵׁנִי בִּקְדֻשָּׁתְךָ הָעֶלְיוֹנָה וּתְזַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לִשְׁמִירַת הַבְּרִית בֶּאֱמֶת, וְתַחְמֹל עָלֵינוּ וְתִהְיֶה עִמָּנוּ תָמִיד:
And even if I must speak with them, protect me, Mighty God. Put me in Your “booth of peace” and conceal me in the shadow of Your wings, so that I will be safe from their poisonous words. Protect me so that their venom and arrows will not enter into me and their blemished words will not harm me. Sanctify me with Your supernal holiness and help me to guard the covenant. Have pity on me and be with me always.
לְז' אֲדָר הִילּוּלָא דְּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ ע"ה
וּבְחַסְדְּךָ הַגָּדוֹל תּוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ וְתַעַזְרֵנוּ וְתַכְנִיעַ וּתְשַׁבֵּר וּתְעַקֵּר וּתְבַטֵּל קְלִפַּת בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע מִן הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהוּא פְּגַם תַּאֲוַת נִאוּף, וְתַמְשִׁיךְ עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל קְדֻשַּׁת וּפְרִישׁוּת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, וּקְדֻשַּׁת כָּל הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים שׁוֹמְרֵי הַבְּרִית בֶּאֱמֶת,
Kind God, save me. Help me to crush and uproot Balaam’s influence of lust upon the world. Draw onto me and onto Your entire nation, the Jewish people, the holiness and purity of Moses and the holiness of all the true Tzaddikim who guard the covenant.
בִּזְכוּתָם תְּחַיֵּנוּ וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה גַּם כֵּן לִהְיוֹת שׁוֹמְרֵי הַבְּרִית בֶּאֱמֶת. וְתִשְׁמְרֵנוּ וְתַצִּילֵנוּ מֵעַתָּה מִכָּל מִינֵי פְּגַם הַבְּרִית וּמִכָּל מִינֵי הִרְהוּרִים רָעִים וּמִכָּל מִינֵי בִּלְבּוּלִים וְעִרְבּוּב הַדַּעַת, וּתְזַכֵּנוּ לִקְדֻשַּׁת הַבְּרִית וְלִקְדֻשַּׁת הַדַּעַת בְּתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת בֶּאֱמֶת:
In their merit, revive me and protect me so that I too will guard the covenant. Starting from this moment, keep me away from every imperfection of the covenant, from every sort of evil musing and from every type of mental confusion. Help me to attain the holiness of the covenant and the utmost holiness of the mind.
וּתְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְתַצִּילֵנוּ תָמִיד מִן הַכַּעַס וּמִן הַקְּפֵּדוֹת, וְנִזְכֶּה לִהְיוֹת טוֹב לַכֹּל תָּמִיד, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בְלִבֵּנוּ שׁוּם כַּעַס וּקְפֵּדָא וְשׁוּם קִנְטוּר בָּעוֹלָם כְּלָל, וּתְקָרְבֵנוּ לַעֲבוֹדָתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת. וְנִזְכֶּה לְהִתְקַשֵּׁר בֶּאֱמֶת לַצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים וְאֶל הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה וּלְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבִתְמִימוּת וּבֶאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, בְּהִתְקַשְׁרוּת אַמִּיץ וְחָזָק לְעוֹלְמֵי עַד וּלְנֵצַח נְצָחִים.
Tranquility and Purity
Compassionate God, keep me from ever getting angry or irritated. Help me to be constantly good to everyone. Let me never feel any anger or irritation in my heart. Guide me to serve You and connect myself to the true Tzaddikim, the holy Torah and You with a strong bond that lasts forever — genuinely, with all my heart and with complete faith.
טְהוֹר עֵינַיִם מֵרְאוֹת בְּרָע קַדְּשֵׁנוּ וְטַהֲרֵנוּ מִכָּל מִינֵי טֻמְאוֹת וְזֻהֲמוֹת, וּבִפְרָט מִפְּגַם זֻהֲמַת תַּאֲוַת נִאוּף.
“You Whose eyes are pure and do not look upon evil,” sanctify me and purify me of all uncleanness and pollution, particularly the pollution of sexual lust.
הַצִּילֵנִי מִטִּיט וְאַל אֶטְבָּעָה אִנָּצְלָה מִשּׂוֹנְאַי וּמִמַּעֲמַקֵּי מָיִם, הַעֲלֵנִי מִבּוֹר שָׁאוֹן מִטִּיט הַיָּוֵן, הַצִּילֵנִי מִפְּגַם הַדַּעַת, הַצִּילֵנִי מַלְּטֵנִי פְּדֵנִי מֵהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים מִמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת, עָזְרֵנִי כִּי עָלֶיךָ נִשְׁעָנְתִּי, כִּי אֵין לִי עַל מִי לְהִשָּׁעֵן כִּי אִם עַל אָבִי שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, וְקַיֵּם בִּי מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וּטְהַרְתֶּם מִכֹּל טֻמְאוֹתֵיכֶם וּמִכָּל גִּלּוּלֵיכֶם אֲטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם.
“Save me from the mud so that I will not sink. May I be saved from my enemies and from the depths of the waters.” Raise me up “from the tumultuous pit, from the miry clay.” Keep my mind from being contaminated. Protect me from evil musings and thoughts. Help me because I rely on You, because I have no one else upon whom to rely but You, my Father in Heaven. May the verse be realized in me, “I will sprinkle pure waters upon you and purify You; of all Your contaminations and all your idols, I will purify you.”
אַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי אַל תִּרְחַק מִמֶּנִּי. חוּשָׁה לְעֶזְרָתִי יְהֹוָה תְּשׁוּעָתִי.
“Do not abandon me, HaShem my God. Do not grow distant from me. Hurry to help me, HaShem Who saves me.”
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי:
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, HaShem, my Rock and my Redeemer.”