Responding to a Heretic / Questions That the Mind Cannot Comprehend / Relying on Faith / The Holy Source of Dispute / Learning Halakhah / Perfecting One’s Faith / Elevating the Sparks of the Holy Letters / Fasting / Defending Those Who Lack Faith We must sharpen our finite minds, so that we can understand matters clearly and “know what to respond to a heretic.” But that is true only in regard to questions that have comprehensible answers. There are other questions whose answers the human mind will not understand until the coming of the Mashiach. We are forbidden to delve into these questions, because doing so will only cause us to go astray. Instead, in such cases, we must rely on faith. Our knowledge of God comes from the good inclination in the heart, and the concealment of that knowledge comes from the evil inclination in the heart. That concealment is heresy and doubt, and we must rectify it at its source. Its source is dispute. The dynamic of dispute originates in the realm of holiness and then devolves from level to level until it manifests in the doubts of the evil inclination. An example of holy dispute is that of arguments between the Talmudic sages, in which one forbids something and the other permits it. A person rectifies holy dispute by deciding halakhah or by learning what the halakhah is. By doing so, he clarifies his mind so that in regard to answerable questions, the gates of his mind are opened and he can “reply to the heretic.” But in regard to questions that have no answer, he must strengthen himself with faith. And when he perfects his faith, he can bring others, including non- Jews, close to God. In order to do that, he must elevate the sparks of the letters of his speech. When the holy sparks of the letters of his speech are purified and separated from the “husks,” the “husks” remain lifeless. Then the non-Jews who have hitherto drawn energy from those “husks” cast away their faith and come to Jewish faith. But first, in order to elevate those holy sparks of speech, this person needs to fast. The “husks” derive their energy from the “back” of holiness, because the “face” of holiness is too bright for them. The main desires are those of eating and drinking. Since they are close to the organs of speech, when they are strong, they draw speech into exile, so that a person cannot speak to God. In order to take away their power, a person must fast. By doing so, he draws down the “waters of kindness.” These moisten his throat, and then he can speak. Then faith itself speaks in defense of those people who are distant from God, and asks God to bring them under His wings. It states that those who are far from God see that the world is guided by natural laws of cause and effect. They conclude that there is nothing else except nature or, at the very least, there is a God but He acts only through intermediaries — e.g., the intermediaries of working in order to earn a living, and taking medicine in order to overcome illness. In truth, God is the First Cause and, ultimately, no other cause is needed. This awareness is reinforced when we see how the Tzaddik overcomes the laws of nature with his prayer. HaShem, my God and the God of my fathers, plant Your faith in the heart of every Jew, including myself.
May our faith be strong and true, genuine and wholehearted, without any questions or doubts of any kind. May it be so real that it is no different than looking at something with our physical eyes.
Wholehearted Faith Master of the Universe, “You Who seek faithfulness,” may my inner being not be divided, but may I serve You always with all my heart, soul and strength, genuinely and completely, with both my good and evil inclinations.
Remove from my heart and mind every type of doubt, skepticism and confusion — every foreign thought that disturbs my holy faith — so that I will entertain no doubts, misgivings or faithlessness.
Open my mind and heart. Give me the wisdom, understanding and awareness to understand everything that I am obligated to understand — so that, in accordance with the level of intellect that You have given me, I will know how to dispel any heretical thoughts and doubts that might arise within me.
Keep my mind from wandering beyond its boundaries, so that I will not investigate anything forbidden to me — any of those matters that are, on my level, “that which is above, that which is below, that which is within and that which is beyond.”
Keep me from entertaining any uncertainty about the holy ways in which You guide the world, which human intellect cannot fathom, for “whoever comes to that will not return, and will not reach the pathways of life.”
Guard and protect my spirit. Support me with Your right hand, and do not allow my feet to stumble. “All Your commandments are faithful; when falsehood pursues me, help me!” Guide me to attain a wholehearted simplicity with the complete faith of all my heart, without any cleverness, philosophy or sophistry.
Help me to cast away my wisdom and intellect in all these matters and rely only on faith. Help me to apply my mind to study only Your holy Torah, and not bring it to bear on any questions in areas that are forbidden to me. As the verse states, “Do not seek that which is hidden from you; do not investigate that which is concealed from you.” May I study only that which is permitted to me — with truthfulness, simplicity, faith, holiness, purity and wholeheartedness — all for the sake of Your Name and in order to serve You, in accordance with Your desire.
Learning Halakhah and Attaining Peace Guide me to learn works of halakhah with great diligence every day, with a comprehending mind and heart, so that I will quickly and properly understand the halakhah and be able to derive proper conclusions from the holy disputes among the halakhic masters.
May I be blessed with the ability to render halakhic decisions and thus make peace between them. As a result, may peace descend and spread throughout the world.
Please guide all Jews to attain peace with each other. Nullify all contention and increase concord until people gather together in order to discuss Your ultimate truth, and remind each other not to waste their days in vain and empty matters — until at last everyone will return to Your truth and serve You with an undivided faith.
May peace rest within me, so that my heart will not be separated from You. May I believe in You and Your holy Tzaddikim. May I serve You with a complete heart, with both my good and evil inclinations, knowing that the world is filled with Your glory and that You stand next to me and hear my every word of prayer. May I sense Your presence resting upon me always, particularly when I pray, so that I will be inspired to speak to You with devotion and fervor and not say even a single word without profound intent.
My Father, King and Refuge, do not treat me in accordance with the evil of my deeds. Help me to pray with all my might and all my heart, so that “I will thank You with an upright heart when I learn Your righteous judgments.” May my heart be upright and straight, with no sophistry or falsehood whatsoever.
May I attain a complete faith, as a result of which I will be able to extract the holiness from food and eat with great sanctity, ingesting only foods that have been fully refined of evil “husks.” May my eating thus constitute a complete “unification of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and His Shekhinah.”
And so, dear God, help me to rectify damaged speech. Help me to extract and raise all the holy sparks of the letters of speech that fell into exile amidst the “husk” of evil because of my sins, particularly since I have stubbornly pursued my desires for eating and drinking. I have filled my stomach with unnecessary food and drink until I have been overcome by the “three ministers of Pharaoh” — that is, the “butler,” “baker” and “cook,” which correspond to the trachea, esophagus and jugular veins. As a result, the yoke of the exile of Pharaoh and Egypt — which corresponds to the narrow passage of the throat — has pushed holy speech to the narrow back of the throat, and so now my throat is dry and I am unable to say anything meaningful to You.
Overcoming the Lust for Food Master of the World, You know my heart. You know me from beginning to end. “You know my humiliation, my shame and my disgrace; all my adversaries are apparent to You.”
I do not know the path upon which to walk. I lack counsel on how to eat in a holy manner, in a way that will save me from the craving for food and drink.
Master of the Universe, my every trait requires correction. I am failing in every area of serving You, so much so that I do not know how to begin to talk to You. As a result, there are no words on my tongue; I cannot say anything at all.
I know that I am guilty from beginning to end. I have caused a great deal of damage with my craving for eating and drinking — something that I made no effort to overcome. As a result, my speech is so blemished and has fallen into such terrible exile that I cannot say even a single worthwhile word.
Master of the Universe, the span of my existence is immeasurably small. I do not know which path to walk upon and which counsel to take in order to save myself — my poor, pitiful soul — from destruction. My only ability rests in my words. And I cannot access that either, “because there is no word in my tongue; HaShem, You know all of this” — because my speech has descended into a profound exile.
And so, HaShem, “I call out to You from the straits” — from the narrowness of the throat, the depth of exile. “From the depths have I called You, HaShem. HaShem, hear my voice. May Your ears be attentive to the outcry of my entreaty. You have heard my voice; do not hide Your ear, but grant me breadth and save me.”
In Your great might and love, help me to destroy my craving for eating and drinking. Help me to make do with little, eating just enough to keep myself alive in a holy and pure state, without any bodily desires and pleasure at all.
Attaining Clear Speech God, in Your compassion and love, help me to fast a great deal in holiness and purity, in joy and with a good heart, in accordance with Your will, so that I will rectify the blemish of speech and reconnect the “rear aspect of holiness,”15This refers to that which is “behind” and outside the realm of holiness. bringing speech forth from its exile — the exile of Pharaoh, his ministers and Egypt.
My Father in Heaven, “I spread my hands out to You. HaShem, teach me Your path and guide me upon the straight way despite those who gaze upon me. HaShem, show me Your path; I will walk in Your truth. Unify my heart to fear Your Name. Guide me in Your truth and teach me that You are the God of my salvation. I have hoped for You every day.”
Teach me how to do Your will. Guide me on Your paths so that I will quickly eradicate my craving for eating and drinking. Let me rectify the blemish in my speech, drawing down the “waters of love” to moisten the narrowness of my throat. Help me to refine all the sparks of the letters of speech and elevate them from exile.
May the verse be realized, “Call out with the throat; do not restrain yourself.” May I attain clear speech, so that the awareness of my lips “shall speak clearly.”
Give the glorious beauty of refined speech the ability to transform the countenance of the nations and the “husks.” Extract other sparks of holiness from them, until they remain without any life force; so that all the nations cast away their gods of silver and gold and cling instead to the faith of Israel; and all those who are far from You come to serve You and attain Your holy faith. Then — may the day come soon! — the verse will be realized, “I will give the nations a clear speech so that all of them will call out in the Name of HaShem and serve Him with one accord.”
Always Starting Anew God, may I always serve You and learn Your holy Torah with all my heart. May I begin to serve You every day as though I had never yet done so, particularly since I am so insignificant that, truthfully, I have not yet begun to serve You.
Help me to always start from the beginning, “renewing my youth like an eagle” to learn Your Torah and serve You. May I not grow old and tired, but every day perform Your commandments and serve You as though it is something completely new to me.
May the verse be realized in me, “Those who hope in HaShem will renew strength. They will raise a wing like the eagles. They will run and not be weary; they will proceed and not be tired.”
Relying on God Alone God, guide me to believe and trust in You with all my heart, to cast my entire burden onto You alone, to know that everything — be it earning a living, raising children or keeping healthy — occurs only in accordance with Your providence.
Therefore, may I know, believe and trust that You can provide me with a good income even without my having to engage in any business, and that You can send me complete health without my having to resort to taking any medicine. For You, HaShem my God, are the true Cause of everything.
And even when, at times, in accordance with Your desire, I must engage in some activity to earn a living, or take medicine to maintain my health, may I do so with faith in You alone, and not treat these means as the principal cause.
In the merit of the true Tzaddikim, give me the strength to nullify the fixed laws of existence, so that I may transform nature with my prayers and entreaties — until everyone will see and believe that there is no path of nature whatsoever, but that everything functions solely in accordance with Your providence.
Forgive me and Your entire nation, the Jewish people, for all the damage that we have caused to Your holy faith by attributing cause and effect to nature alone.
From this moment on, strengthen the heart of everyone in the world to know and believe that You are HaShem, the God of heaven and earth, and that everything functions only in accordance with Your providence.
Eating in Holiness and Purity Master of the Universe, help me to attain a complete faith with all my heart, until I can extract all foods from the blemish impressed into them by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. May I eat solely from foods that are entirely good — foods that have been completely refined so that they contain no evil “husks.”
May I be satisfied by eating just a little. May I eat in holiness and purity so as to bring about a complete “unification of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and His Shekhinah.”
Overcoming Nature Itself [HaShem, my God and the God of my fathers, may the energy of faith itself persuade You to bring all people who are far from a complete and holy faith back to You, so that they will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
Do not be angry at people who lack faith. They erred because they extrapolated from those things that they can perceive to Your hidden presence. And since the things that people can perceive give the impression that You guide Your world in accordance with the laws of nature, they grew distant from Your holy faith. Instead of trusting in You, they turned to intermediate objects as though, Heaven forbid, You are unable to pour abundance onto a person and send him all he needs without those intermediaries.
In Your compassion, send all those people who are far from You — including myself — true Tzaddikim, whose prayer has the power to bring about wonders that transcend the laws of nature.
Our sages teach that this will occur universally in the future, when “the Tzaddikim will revive the dead” and perform other wonders; when the will of the Tzaddikim shall overcome Your will, as it were, so that, our sages state, “although the Holy One, Blessed be He, decrees, the righteous man nullifies.”
Give us the evidence of these miracles now, so that we will rightly infer that You hear the prayer of the Tzaddik and do his will, destroying the “configurations of the stars” and nullifying nature.
In this way, may we understand that even in the way of nature — the way in which You guide the world in accordance with the “configuration of the stars” — everything happens only in accordance with Your holy will, wondrous knowledge and complete providence.
May the verses be realized, “Trust in HaShem and do good; dwell in the land and shepherd faith. Take delight in HaShem and He will give You the requests of your heart.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה ס"ב - וַיַּסֵּב אֱלֹקִים]
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁתִּקְבַּע וְתִטַּע אֱמוּנָתְךָ בְּלִבֵּנוּ וּבְלֵב כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Responding to a Heretic / Questions That the Mind Cannot Comprehend / Relying on Faith / The Holy Source of Dispute / Learning Halakhah / Perfecting One’s Faith / Elevating the Sparks of the Holy Letters / Fasting / Defending Those Who Lack Faith
We must sharpen our finite minds, so that we can understand matters clearly and “know what to respond to a heretic.” But that is true only in regard to questions that have comprehensible answers. There are other questions whose answers the human mind will not understand until the coming of the Mashiach. We are forbidden to delve into these questions, because doing so will only cause us to go astray. Instead, in such cases, we must rely on faith.
Our knowledge of God comes from the good inclination in the heart, and the concealment of that knowledge comes from the evil inclination in the heart. That concealment is heresy and doubt, and we must rectify it at its source. Its source is dispute. The dynamic of dispute originates in the realm of holiness and then devolves from level to level until it manifests in the doubts of the evil inclination.
An example of holy dispute is that of arguments between the Talmudic sages, in which one forbids something and the other permits it. A person rectifies holy dispute by deciding halakhah or by learning what the halakhah is. By doing so, he clarifies his mind so that in regard to answerable questions, the gates of his mind are opened and he can “reply to the heretic.” But in regard to questions that have no answer, he must strengthen himself with faith. And when he perfects his faith, he can bring others, including non- Jews, close to God.
In order to do that, he must elevate the sparks of the letters of his speech. When the holy sparks of the letters of his speech are purified and separated from the “husks,” the “husks” remain lifeless. Then the non-Jews who have hitherto drawn energy from those “husks” cast away their faith and come to Jewish faith.
But first, in order to elevate those holy sparks of speech, this person needs to fast.
The “husks” derive their energy from the “back” of holiness, because the “face” of holiness is too bright for them. The main desires are those of eating and drinking. Since they are close to the organs of speech, when they are strong, they draw speech into exile, so that a person cannot speak to God. In order to take away their power, a person must fast. By doing so, he draws down the “waters of kindness.”
These moisten his throat, and then he can speak. Then faith itself speaks in defense of those people who are distant from God, and asks God to bring them under His wings.
It states that those who are far from God see that the world is guided by natural laws of cause and effect. They conclude that there is nothing else except nature or, at the very least, there is a God but He acts only through intermediaries — e.g., the intermediaries of working in order to earn a living, and taking medicine in order to overcome illness. In truth, God is the First Cause and, ultimately, no other cause is needed. This awareness is reinforced when we see how the Tzaddik overcomes the laws of nature with his prayer.
HaShem, my God and the God of my fathers, plant Your faith in the heart of every Jew, including myself.
וְנִזְכֶּה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה אֱמוּנָתֵנוּ חֲזָקָה וּנְכוֹנָה בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם, בְּלִי שׁוּם קֻשְׁיָא וּבִלְבּוּל בָּעוֹלָם כְּלָל. וְתִהְיֶה אֱמוּנָתֵינוּ חֲזָקָה כָּל כָּךְ, כְּאִלּוּ אָנוּ רוֹאִין בְּעֵינֵינוּ מַמָּשׁ אֶת הַדָּבָר שֶׁאָנוּ מַאֲמִינִים בּוֹ:
May our faith be strong and true, genuine and wholehearted, without any questions or doubts of any kind. May it be so real that it is no different than looking at something with our physical eyes.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, עֵינֶיךָ הֲלוֹא לֶאֱמוּנָה, עָזְרֵנוּ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ וְחָנֵּנוּ בֶּאֱמוּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה חָלַק לִבֵּנוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְנִזְכֶּה לַעֲבֹד אוֹתְךָ תָמִיד בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם בְּכָל לְבָבֵנוּ וּבְכָל נַפְשֵׁנוּ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֵנוּ, וְתִהְיֶה עֲבוֹדָתֵנוּ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבִשְׁלֵמוּת גָּדוֹל בִּשְׁנֵי יְצָרֵינוּ.
Wholehearted Faith
Master of the Universe, “You Who seek faithfulness,” may my inner being not be divided, but may I serve You always with all my heart, soul and strength, genuinely and completely, with both my good and evil inclinations.
וְתָסִיר מִלְּבָבֵנוּ וּמִדַּעְתֵּנוּ כָּל מִינֵי כְּפִירוֹת וְקֻשְׁיוֹת וּבִלְבּוּלִים, וְכָל מִינֵי מַחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת הַמְבַלְבְּלִים חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אֶת הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, וְלֹא יַעֲלֶה וְלֹא יָבוֹא וְלֹא יַגִּיעַ לְלִבִּי שׁוּם קֻשְׁיָא וּבִלְבּוּל וְלֹא שׁוּם כְּפִירָה כְּלָל.
Remove from my heart and mind every type of doubt, skepticism and confusion — every foreign thought that disturbs my holy faith — so that I will entertain no doubts, misgivings or faithlessness.
וְתִפְתַּח אֶת דַּעְתִּי וּלְבָבִי, וּתְחָנֵּנִי מֵאִתְּךָ חָכְמָה בִּינָה וָדַעַת, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לֵידַע וּלְהָבִין עַל בּוּרְיוֹ כָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאֲנִי מְחֻיָּב לְהָבִין וּלְהַשִּׂיג כְּפִי בְּחִינָתִי, כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁהִגְבַּלְתָּ לְשִׂכְלִי, מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי מְחֻיָּב לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל בֶּאֱמֶת, עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לֵידַע לְהָשִׁיב לְאֶפִּיקוֹרְס, וּלְגָרֵשׁ וְלִדְחוֹת כָּל מִינֵי כְּפִירוֹת וְאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת מִלִּבִּי וּמִדַּעְתִּי.
Open my mind and heart. Give me the wisdom, understanding and awareness to understand everything that I am obligated to understand — so that, in accordance with the level of intellect that You have given me, I will know how to dispel any heretical thoughts and doubts that might arise within me.
וְתִהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרִי שֶׁלֹּא יִרְדֹּף שִׂכְלִי לָצֵאת חוּץ מִן הַגְּבוּל חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְלֹא אַתְחִיל לַחֲקֹר וּלְעַיֵּן חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, בַּמֶּה שֶּׁאֵין לִי רְשׁוּת לַחֲקֹר בּוֹ, וְלֹא אֶסְתַּכֵּל כְּלָל בְּהָעִנְיָנִים הַנִּקְרָאִים לְפִי בְּחִינָתִי, מַה לְּמַעְלָה, מַה לְּמַטָּה, מַה לְּפָנִים, מַה לְּאָחוֹר.
Keep my mind from wandering beyond its boundaries, so that I will not investigate anything forbidden to me — any of those matters that are, on my level, “that which is above, that which is below, that which is within and that which is beyond.”
וְתִשְׁמְרֵנִי שֶׁלֹּא אַתְחִיל לִכְנֹס בְּשׁוּם קֻשְׁיָא וַחֲקִירָה בְּדַרְכֵי הַנְהָגוֹתֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, מַה שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַשֵּׂכֶל הָאֱנוֹשִׁי לְהָבִינָם, אֲשֶׁר עַל הַחוֹקְרִים בָּהֶם נֶאֱמַר עֲלֵיהֶם, כָּל בָּאֶיהָ לֹא יְשׁוּבוּן וְלֹא יַשִּׂיגוּ אָרְחוֹת חַיִּים.
Keep me from entertaining any uncertainty about the holy ways in which You guide the world, which human intellect cannot fathom, for “whoever comes to that will not return, and will not reach the pathways of life.”
שָׁמְרָה נַפְשִׁי וְהַצִּילֵנִי, שָׁמְרֵנִי וְהַצִּילֵנִי יְמִינְךָ תִסְעָדֵנִי, וְאַל תִּתֵּן לַמּוֹט רַגְלַי, כָּל מִצְוֹתֶיךָ אֱמוּנָה שֶׁקֶר רְדָפוּנִי עָזְרֵנִי. עָזְרֵנִי וְחָנֵּנִי, זַכֵּנִי לִתְמִימוּת וּפְשִׁיטוּת בֶּאֱמֶת וּבֶאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה וּבְלֵבָב שָׁלֵם, בְּלִי שׁוּם חָכְמוֹת וַחֲקִירוֹת וְעַרְמוּמִיּוּת כְּלָל.
Guard and protect my spirit. Support me with Your right hand, and do not allow my feet to stumble. “All Your commandments are faithful; when falsehood pursues me, help me!” Guide me to attain a wholehearted simplicity with the complete faith of all my heart, without any cleverness, philosophy or sophistry.
עָזְרֵנִי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהַשְׁלִיךְ אֶת חָכְמָתִי וְשִׂכְלִי בְּעִנְיָנִים הַלָּלוּ לְגַמְרֵי, רַק אֶסְמֹךְ עַל אֱמוּנָה לְבַד, וְלֹא אֶשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ עִם שִׂכְלִי רַק בְּעֵסֶק תּוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, וְלֹא אַתְחִיל לִכְנֹס בְּשִׂכְלִי בְּשׁוּם חֲקִירָה כְּלָל בַּמֶּה שֶּׁאֵין לִי רְשׁוּת לִכְנֹס. וּבַמֻּפְלָא מִמֶּנִּי לֹא אֶדְרֹשׁ וּבַמְכֻסֶּה מִמֶּנִּי לֹא אֶחְקֹר. רַק בַּמֶּה שֶּׁהֻרְשֵׁתִי אֶתְבּוֹנֵן בֶּאֱמֶת וּבִתְמִימוּת וּבֶאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה וּבִקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה וּבְלֵבָב שָׁלֵם, לְשִׁמְךָ וְלַעֲבוֹדָתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב:
Help me to cast away my wisdom and intellect in all these matters and rely only on faith. Help me to apply my mind to study only Your holy Torah, and not bring it to bear on any questions in areas that are forbidden to me. As the verse states, “Do not seek that which is hidden from you; do not investigate that which is concealed from you.” May I study only that which is permitted to me — with truthfulness, simplicity, faith, holiness, purity and wholeheartedness — all for the sake of Your Name and in order to serve You, in accordance with Your desire.
וּבְכֵן תַּעַזְרֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לַעֲסֹק בְּסִפְרֵי הַפּוֹסְקִים בְּהַתְמָדָה גְּדוֹלָה, וְתַעַזְרֵנִי וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי לִלְמֹד הַרְבֵּה בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם סִפְרֵי הַפּוֹסְקִים. וְתִפְתַּח אֶת דַּעְתִּי וְתָכִין אֶת לְבָבִי, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לִלְמֹד בִּמְהִירוּת גָּדוֹל, וּלְהָבִין הַדִּין עַל בּוּרְיוֹ, וּלְבָרֵר וּלְלַבֵּן הַפְּסַק הֲלָכָה בְּכָל דִּינֵי הַתּוֹרָה בֶּאֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ,
Learning Halakhah and Attaining Peace
Guide me to learn works of halakhah with great diligence every day, with a comprehending mind and heart, so that I will quickly and properly understand the halakhah and be able to derive proper conclusions from the holy disputes among the halakhic masters.
וְאֶזְכֶּה לֵידַע הַהַכְרָעָה בֶּאֱמֶת בֵּין כָּל בַּעֲלֵי הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה שֶׁמְּחֻלָּקִים בְּדִינֵי הַתּוֹרָה, וְאֶזְכֶּה לַעֲשׂוֹת שָׁלוֹם וְהַכְרָעָה בֵּינֵיהֶם, וְעַל־יְדֵי הַשָּׁלוֹם הַזֶּה יֻמְשַׁךְ וְיִשְׁתַּלְשֵׁל שָׁלוֹם בְּכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת, עַד שֶׁיִּתְפַּשֵּׁט הַשָּׁלוֹם גַּם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה,
May I be blessed with the ability to render halakhic decisions and thus make peace between them. As a result, may peace descend and spread throughout the world.
וְתָשִׂים שָׁלוֹם בֵּין כָּל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעוֹלָם, וּתְבַטֵּל כָּל מִינֵי מַחֲלֹקֶת מִן הָעוֹלָם וְיִתְרַבֶּה הַשָּׁלוֹם בָּעוֹלָם, עַד שֶׁיֻּכְלוּ לְהִתְוָעֵד יַחַד כָּל אֶחָד עִם חֲבֵרָיו, וְיַסְבִּירוּ זֶה לָזֶה הָאֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ, וְיַזְכִּירוּ זֶה אֶת זֶה שֶׁלֹּא יְבַלּוּ יְמֵיהֶם לָהֶבֶל וְלָרִיק, עַד שֶׁיָּשׁוּבוּ כֻּלָּם אֶל הָאֱמֶת וְיַעַבְדּוּךָ כֻּלָּם בֶּאֱמֶת וּבֶאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה.
Please guide all Jews to attain peace with each other. Nullify all contention and increase concord until people gather together in order to discuss Your ultimate truth, and remind each other not to waste their days in vain and empty matters — until at last everyone will return to Your truth and serve You with an undivided faith.
וּתְזַכֵּנוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שָׁלוֹם בַּעֲצָמֵנוּ, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה חָלַק לִבֵּנוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם מֵאִתְּךָ, רַק נִזְכֶּה לְהַאֲמִין בְּךָ וּבְצַדִּיקֶיךָ הָאֲמִתִּיִּים וּלְעָבְדְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵבָב שָׁלֵם בִּשְׁנֵי יְצָרֵינוּ. וְנִזְכֶּה לֵידַע יְדִיעָה שְׁלֵמָה בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם שֶׁמְּלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדֶךָ, וְאַתָּה בְּעַצְמְךָ וּבִכְבוֹדְךָ עוֹמֵד אֶצְלֵנוּ בִּשְׁעַת הַתְּפִלָּה, וְאַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ וּמַאֲזִין וּמַקְשִׁיב כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר שֶׁל תְּפִלּוֹתֵינוּ. וְנַרְגִּישׁ אֱלָהוּתְךָ עָלֵינוּ תָמִיד, וּבִפְרַט בִּשְׁעַת הַתְּפִלָּה, עַד שֶׁנִּתְעוֹרֵר עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה בְּהִתְעוֹרְרוּת גָּדוֹל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּהִתְלַהֲבוּת גָּדוֹל וּבְכַוָּנָה גְּדוֹלָה וַעֲצוּמָה, וּלְדַקְדֵּק מְאֹד לְכַוֵּן אֶת דְּבָרֵינוּ, וְלֹא יֵצֵא שׁוּם דִּבּוּר מִפִּינוּ בִּתְפִלָּה שֶׁלֹּא בְּכַוָּנָה.
May peace rest within me, so that my heart will not be separated from You. May I believe in You and Your holy Tzaddikim. May I serve You with a complete heart, with both my good and evil inclinations, knowing that the world is filled with Your glory and that You stand next to me and hear my every word of prayer. May I sense Your presence resting upon me always, particularly when I pray, so that I will be inspired to speak to You with devotion and fervor and not say even a single word without profound intent.
אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ מַחֲסֵינוּ, אַל תַּעַשׂ עִמָּנוּ כְּרֹעַ מַעֲלָלֵינוּ. חוּס וַחֲמֹל עָלֵינוּ וְזַכֵּנוּ לִתְפִלָּה בְּכַוָּנָה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵבָב שָׁלֵם, וְנִזְכֶּה לְקַיֵּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, אוֹדְךָ בְּיֹשֶׁר לֵבָב בְּלָמְדִי מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ. וּתְזַכֵּנוּ לְיִשְׁרַת לֵבָב שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בְּלִבֵּנוּ שׁוּם עַקְמִימִיּוּת וְעַרְמוּמִיּוּת כְּלָל, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בְלִבִּי רְמִיָּה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם:
My Father, King and Refuge, do not treat me in accordance with the evil of my deeds. Help me to pray with all my might and all my heart, so that “I will thank You with an upright heart when I learn Your righteous judgments.” May my heart be upright and straight, with no sophistry or falsehood whatsoever.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, עָזְרֵנִי וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי וְזַכֵּנִי לְיִשְׁרַת לֵבָב בֶּאֱמֶת כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב.
Faith and Holy Eating
Master of the World, help me to attain an upright heart, in accordance with Your desire.
חוּס וְרַחֵם עָלַי בְּחֶמְלָתְךָ הָאֲמִתִּיִּית, וְזַכֵּנִי לֶאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה בֶּאֱמֶת, עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה לְבָרֵר כָּל הַמַּאֲכָלִים וְלֶאֱכֹל בִּקְדֻשָּׁה גְּדוֹלָה, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּל אֲכִילָתִי וּסְעוּדָתִי מִמַּאֲכָלִים שֶׁנִּתְבָּרְרוּ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת מִן הָרַע, שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁאַר בָּהֶם שׁוּם אֲחִיזַת הָרַע וְהַקְּלִפּוֹת כְּלָל, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נַעֲשָׂה עַל־יְדֵי אֲכִילָתֵנוּ יִחוּד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ אַפִּין בְּאַפִּין:
May I attain a complete faith, as a result of which I will be able to extract the holiness from food and eat with great sanctity, ingesting only foods that have been fully refined of evil “husks.” May my eating thus constitute a complete “unification of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and His Shekhinah.”
אָנָּא יְהֹוָה, מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, עָזְרֵנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, וְתֵן לָנוּ כֹחַ מֵאִתְּךָ שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְקָרֵב רְחוֹקִים לֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה וְלַעֲבוֹדָתְךָ הָאֲמִתִּיִּית.
Rectifying Damaged Speech
HaShem, give me the ability to guide people to truly believe in You and serve You.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תִּתְעַטֵּר וְתִתְקַשֵּׁט הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה בְּקִשּׁוּטִין נָאִים וְיָפִים, בְּקִשּׁוּטִין דְּלָא הֲווֹ, בְּקִשּׁוּטִין קַדִּישִׁין, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לְנַחַת וּלְרָצוֹן לְפָנֶיךָ:
As a result, may holy faith be crowned with newly-created, holy, beautiful adornments that please You.
וְזַכֵּנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לְתַקֵּן פְּגָם הַדִּבּוּר, וְתַעַזְרֵנוּ לְבָרֵר וּלְהַעֲלוֹת כָּל נִיצוֹצֵי אוֹתִיּוֹת הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁנָּפְלוּ בְּגָלוּת גָּדוֹל בֵּין הַקְּלִפּוֹת וְהַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא בַּעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁהָלַכְנוּ בִּשְׁרִירוּת לִבֵּנוּ וְרָדַפְנוּ אַחַר תַּאֲוַת אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, וְהָיִינוּ מְמַלְּאִים כְּרֵסֵנוּ בְּמוֹתְרוֹת אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֻכְרָח לְקִיּוּם הַגּוּף, עַד אֲשֶׁר בַּעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים עַל־יְדֵי פְּגָם תַּאֲוַת אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, הִתְגַּבְּרוּ עָלֵינוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה שָׂרֵי פַּרְעֹה, שֶׁהֵם שְׁלֹשָׁה קְלִפּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים, וְשַׂר הָאוֹפִים, וְשַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים, שֶׁהֵם קָנֶה, וֵשֶׁט וּוְרִידִין. וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה גָבַר עָלֵינוּ עֹל גָּלוּת פַּרְעֹה וּמִצְרַיִם, שֶׁהוּא מֵצַר הַגָּרוֹן, שֶׁנִּמְשַׁךְ הַדִּבּוּר דִּקְדֻשָּׁה לְהָעֹרֶף לְמֵצַר הַגָּרוֹן, עַד אֲשֶׁר נִחַר גְּרוֹנִי וְאֵינִי יָכוֹל לְדַבֵּר שׁוּם דִּבּוּר הָגוּן לְפָנֶיךָ:
And so, dear God, help me to rectify damaged speech. Help me to extract and raise all the holy sparks of the letters of speech that fell into exile amidst the “husk” of evil because of my sins, particularly since I have stubbornly pursued my desires for eating and drinking. I have filled my stomach with unnecessary food and drink until I have been overcome by the “three ministers of Pharaoh” — that is, the “butler,” “baker” and “cook,” which correspond to the trachea, esophagus and jugular veins. As a result, the yoke of the exile of Pharaoh and Egypt — which corresponds to the narrow passage of the throat — has pushed holy speech to the narrow back of the throat, and so now my throat is dry and I am unable to say anything meaningful to You.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת לְבָבִי, אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אוֹתִי מִתְּחִלָּה וְעַד סוֹף, אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ חֶרְפָּתִי וּבָשְׁתִּי וּכְלִמָּתִי נֶגְדְּךָ כָּל צוֹרְרָי.
Overcoming the Lust for Food
Master of the World, You know my heart. You know me from beginning to end. “You know my humiliation, my shame and my disgrace; all my adversaries are apparent to You.”
וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ שׁוּם דֶּרֶךְ וְשׁוּם עֵצָה אֵיךְ לְהִתְנַהֵג בְּעִנְיָן אֲכִילָה בִּקְדֻשָּׁה, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהִנָּצֵל בֶּאֱמֶת מִפְּגַם תַּאֲוַת אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה.
I do not know the path upon which to walk. I lack counsel on how to eat in a holy manner, in a way that will save me from the craving for food and drink.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, צְרָכַי מְרֻבִּים מְאֹד בְּכָל מִדָּה וּמִדָּה, וּבְכָל דָּבָר וְדָבָר, וּבְכָל עִנְיָן וְעִנְיָן מֵעֲבוֹדַת יְהֹוָה, עַד אֲשֶׁר מֵעֹצֶם רִבּוּי צָרְכֵי יְשׁוּעָתִי בְּכָל דָּבָר, עַל כֵּן אֵין מִלָּה בִּלְשׁוֹנִי, וְאֵינִי יָכוֹל לְדַבֵּר כְּלָל, כִּי אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מֵהֵיכָן אַתְחִיל לְדַבֵּר וּלְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתִי.
Master of the Universe, my every trait requires correction. I am failing in every area of serving You, so much so that I do not know how to begin to talk to You. As a result, there are no words on my tongue; I cannot say anything at all.
וּבֶאֱמֶת אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ בְּעַצְמִי, שֶׁאֲנִי בְּעַצְמִי הַחַיָּב מִתְּחִלָּה וְעַד סוֹף, וְכַמָּה פְּגָמִים פָּגַמְתִּי עַל־יְדֵי תַאֲוַת אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה שֶׁלֹּא הִשְׁתַּדַּלְתִּי כְּלָל לְגָרְשָׁם מֵעָלַי, עַד אֲשֶׁר עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִפְגַּם הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁלִּי מְאֹד, וְנָפְלוּ חֶלְקֵי הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁלִּי בְּגָלוּת גָּדוֹל וְעָצוּם מְאֹד, עַד אֲשֶׁר אֵינִי זוֹכֶה לְדַבֵּר שׁוּם דִּבּוּר הָגוּן וְרָאוּי,
I know that I am guilty from beginning to end. I have caused a great deal of damage with my craving for eating and drinking — something that I made no effort to overcome. As a result, my speech is so blemished and has fallen into such terrible exile that I cannot say even a single worthwhile word.
וַעֲדַיִן לֹא הִתְחַלְתִּי לִקְרוֹת אוֹתְךָ כְּלָל כָּרָאוּי בֶּאֱמֶת, וּכְבָר יָגַעְתִּי בְקָרְאִי נִחַר גְּרוֹנִי כָּלוּ עֵינַי מְיַחֵל לֵאלֹהָי.
Yet still I have not begun to call out to You properly. “I am worn out with weeping; my throat is dry; my eyes wear away as I hope for my God.”
מָרָא דְעַלְמָא כֹּלָּא, צַר לִי מְאֹד מְאֹד בְּלִי שִׁעוּר וָעֵרֶךְ וּמִסְפָּר, וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ כְּלָל בְּאֵיזֶה דֶּרֶךְ וְעֵצָה וְתַחְבּוּלָה אֵיךְ לְמַלֵּט נַפְשִׁי הָאֻמְלָלָה וְהָעֲלוּבָה מְאֹד מִנִּי שָׁחַת, כִּי אֵין כֹּחִי אֶלָּא בַּפֶּה לְבַד, וְגַם זֶה נִמְנָע מִמֶּנִּי, כִּי אֵין מִלָּה בִּלְשׁוֹנִי הֵן יְהֹוָה יָדַעְתָּ כֻלָּהּ, כִּי חֶלְקֵי הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁלִּי יָרְדוּ בְּגָלוּת עָצוּם וְכָבֵד מְאֹד.
Master of the Universe, the span of my existence is immeasurably small. I do not know which path to walk upon and which counsel to take in order to save myself — my poor, pitiful soul — from destruction. My only ability rests in my words. And I cannot access that either, “because there is no word in my tongue; HaShem, You know all of this” — because my speech has descended into a profound exile.
אֲהָהּ יְהֹוָה, צַר לִי מְאֹד, וְהִנְנִי קוֹרֵא אֵלֶיךָ מִן הַמֵּצָר, מִמֵּצַר הַגָּרוֹן מֵעֹמֶק הַגָּלוּת, מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְהֹוָה, אֲדֹנָי שִׁמְעָה בְקוֹלִי תִּהְיֶינָה אָזְנֶיךָ קַשּׁוּבוֹת לְקוֹל תַּחֲנוּנָי. קוֹלִי שָׁמָעְתָּ אַל תַּעְלֵם אָזְנְךָ לְרַוְחָתִי לְשַׁוְעָתִי.
And so, HaShem, “I call out to You from the straits” — from the narrowness of the throat, the depth of exile. “From the depths have I called You, HaShem. HaShem, hear my voice. May Your ears be attentive to the outcry of my entreaty. You have heard my voice; do not hide Your ear, but grant me breadth and save me.”
עָזְרֵנִי בְּכֹחֲךָ הַגָּדוֹל וּבַחֲסָדֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְשַׁבֵּר לְגַמְרֵי בֶּאֱמֶת תַּאֲוַת אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, וְאֶזְכֶּה לְהִסְתַּפֵּק בַּמֻּעָט, לֶאֱכֹל מְעַט כְּדֵי חִיּוּנִי בְּצִמְצוּם, בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה, בְּלִי שׁוּם תַּאֲוַת וַהֲנָאַת הַגּוּף כְּלָל:
In Your great might and love, help me to destroy my craving for eating and drinking. Help me to make do with little, eating just enough to keep myself alive in a holy and pure state, without any bodily desires and pleasure at all.
וּבְכֵן תַּעַזְרֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וּבַחֲסָדֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים, וּתְזַכֵּנִי לְהִתְעַנּוֹת תַּעֲנִיתִים הַרְבֵּה בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה, בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְטוּב לֵבָב כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב בֶּאֱמֶת, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי הַתַּעֲנִיתִים לְתַקֵּן פְּגָם הַדִּבּוּר וּלְחַבֵּר אֲחוֹרֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה וּלְהוֹצִיא הַדִּבּוּר מֵהַגָּלוּת, מִגָּלוּת פַּרְעֹה וְשָׂרָיו וּמִצְרַיִם.
Attaining Clear Speech
God, in Your compassion and love, help me to fast a great deal in holiness and purity, in joy and with a good heart, in accordance with Your will, so that I will rectify the blemish of speech and reconnect the “rear aspect of holiness,”15This refers to that which is “behind” and outside the realm of holiness. bringing speech forth from its exile — the exile of Pharaoh, his ministers and Egypt.
אָבִי שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, שִׁטַּחְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ כַפָּי. הוֹרֵנִי יְהֹוָה דַּרְכֶּךָ וּנְחֵנִי בְּאֹרַח מִישׁוֹר לְמַעַן שׁוֹרְרָי. הוֹרֵנִי יְהֹוָה דַּרְכֶּךָ אֲהַלֵּךְ בַּאֲמִתֶּךָ יַחֵד לְבָבִי לְיִרְאָה שְׁמֶךָ. הַדְרִכֵנִי בַאֲמִתֶּךָ וְלַמְּדֵנִי כִּי אַתָּה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעִי אוֹתְךָ קִוִּיתִי כָּל הַיּוֹם.
My Father in Heaven, “I spread my hands out to You. HaShem, teach me Your path and guide me upon the straight way despite those who gaze upon me. HaShem, show me Your path; I will walk in Your truth. Unify my heart to fear Your Name. Guide me in Your truth and teach me that You are the God of my salvation. I have hoped for You every day.”
עָזְרֵנִי כִּי עָלֶיךָ נִשְׁעָנְתִּי, וַאֲנַחְנוּ לֹא נֵדַע מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה כִּי עָלֶיךָ עֵינֵינוּ, וַאֲנִי סוֹמֵךְ עַצְמִי עָלֶיךָ לְבַד בֶּאֱמֶת וְכִרְצוֹנְךָ אֶעֱשֶׂה.
Help me, because I rely on You. “I do not know what to do, because my eyes are turned to You.” I rely on You alone and I do Your will.
חוּס וְחָנֵּנִי וְרַחֵם עָלַי וְלַמְּדֵנִי לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, וְהוֹרֵנוּ דְרָכֶיךָ בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה מְהֵרָה לְשַׁבֵּר בֶּאֱמֶת תַּאֲוַת אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה. וְנִזְכֶּה לְתַקֵּן פְּגָם הַדִּבּוּר, לְהַמְשִׁיךְ מֵימֵי הַחֲסָדִים לְלַחְלֵחַ מֵצַר הַגָּרוֹן, וְתַעַזְרֵנוּ לְבָרֵר וּלְהַעֲלוֹת כָּל נִיצוֹצֵי אוֹתִיּוֹת הַדִּבּוּר מִן הַגָּלוּת,
Teach me how to do Your will. Guide me on Your paths so that I will quickly eradicate my craving for eating and drinking. Let me rectify the blemish in my speech, drawing down the “waters of love” to moisten the narrowness of my throat. Help me to refine all the sparks of the letters of speech and elevate them from exile.
וִיקֻיַּם בָּנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, קְרָא בְגָרוֹן אַל תַּחְשֹׂךְ. וְנִזְכֶּה לְשָׂפָה בְרוּרָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה דַעַת שִׂפְתוֹתֵינוּ בָּרוּר מִלֵּלוּ.
May the verse be realized, “Call out with the throat; do not restrain yourself.” May I attain clear speech, so that the awareness of my lips “shall speak clearly.”
וּבְרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, תִּתֵּן כֹּחַ לְהוֹד יֹפִי הַדִּבּוּר הַמְבֹרָר, שֶׁיַּהֲפֹךְ פָּנָיו אֶל הָעֲכּוּ"ם וְהַקְּלִפּוֹת, וִיבָרֵר מִבֵּינֵיהֶם שַׁאֲרֵי נִיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, עַד שֶׁיִּשָּׁאֲרוּ הַקְּלִפּוֹת וְהָעֲכּוּ"ם בְּלִי שׁוּם חַיּוּת, עַד אֲשֶׁר עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יַשְׁלִיכוּ כָּל הָעַמִּים אֶת אֱלִילֵי כַּסְפָּם וֶאֱלִילֵי זְהָבָם וְיַדְבִּיקוּ אֶת עַצְמָם בֶּאֱמוּנַת יִשְֹרָאֵל, וְיִתְקָרְבוּ כָּל הָרְחוֹקִים לַעֲבוֹדָתְךָ וְלֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה. וִיקֻיַּם מְהֵרָה מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, כִּי אָז אֶהְפֹּךְ אֶל עַמִּים שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה לִקְרֹא כֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יְהֹוָה לְעָבְדוֹ שְׁכֶם אֶחָד:
Give the glorious beauty of refined speech the ability to transform the countenance of the nations and the “husks.” Extract other sparks of holiness from them, until they remain without any life force; so that all the nations cast away their gods of silver and gold and cling instead to the faith of Israel; and all those who are far from You come to serve You and attain Your holy faith. Then — may the day come soon! — the verse will be realized, “I will give the nations a clear speech so that all of them will call out in the Name of HaShem and serve Him with one accord.”
וְתַעַזְרֵנוּ לַעֲסֹק תָּמִיד בַּעֲבוֹדָתְךָ וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם. וְנִזְכֶּה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה עֲבוֹדָתְךָ אֶצְלֵנוּ חֲדָשָׁה בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם, וְנַתְחִיל בְּכָל פַּעַם מֵחָדָשׁ כְּאִלּוּ לֹא הִתְחַלְנוּ עֲדַיִן מֵעוֹלָם לְעָבְדֶךָ, בִּפְרַט קְטַנֵּי עֵרֶךְ כָּמוֹנוּ אֲשֶׁר בֶּאֱמֶת לֹא הִתְחַלְתִּי עֲדַיִן שׁוּם הַתְחָלָה אֲמִתִּיִּית בַּעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ.
Always Starting Anew
God, may I always serve You and learn Your holy Torah with all my heart. May I begin to serve You every day as though I had never yet done so, particularly since I am so insignificant that, truthfully, I have not yet begun to serve You.
וַאֲפִלּוּ בָּעֵת שֶׁתְּזַכֵּנוּ לַעֲבֹד אוֹתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת כָּרָאוּי, תְּזַכֵּנוּ תָמִיד לְהַתְחִיל בְּכָל פַּעַם מֵחָדָשׁ, וְנִזְכֶּה לְחַדֵּשׁ כַּנֶּשֶׁר נְעוּרֵינוּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ וּבַעֲבוֹדָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, וְלֹא נִפּוֹל חַס וְשָׁלוֹם לְזִקְנָה וְתָשׁוּת כֹּחַ כְּלָל, רַק בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם יִהְיוּ מִצְוֹתֶיךָ וַעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ בְּעֵינֵינוּ כַּחֲדָשִׁים.
Help me to always start from the beginning, “renewing my youth like an eagle” to learn Your Torah and serve You. May I not grow old and tired, but every day perform Your commandments and serve You as though it is something completely new to me.
וְאֶזְכֶּה לִהְיוֹת עַז כַּנָּמֵר וְקַל כַּנֶּשֶׁר רָץ כַּצְּבִי וְגִבּוֹר כָּאֲרִי לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם.
May I be as “bold as a leopard, fleet as an eagle, swift as a deer and powerful as a lion” to do Your will, my Father in Heaven.
אַל תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי לְעֵת זִקְנָה כִּכְלוֹת כֹּחִי אַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי.
“Do not cast me aside in a time of old age; when my strength leaves, do not abandon me.”
וִיקֻיַּם בָּנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְקֹוֵי יְהֹוָה יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹחַ יַעֲלוּ אֵבֶר כַּנְּשָׁרִים יָרוּצוּ וְלֹא יִיגָעוּ יֵלְכוּ וְלֹא יִיעָפוּ.
May the verse be realized in me, “Those who hope in HaShem will renew strength. They will raise a wing like the eagles. They will run and not be weary; they will proceed and not be tired.”
וּתְזַכֵּנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לֶאֱמוּנָה וּבִטָּחוֹן בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵבָב שָׁלֵם, וְנַשְׁלִיךְ כָּל יְהָבֵנוּ וְכָל מַחְסוֹרֵנוּ עָלֶיךָ לְבַד. וְנִהְיֶה חֲזָקִים בְּמִדַּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן בִּשְׁלֵמוּת תָּמִיד, וְלֹא נִתְלֶה שׁוּם דָּבָר בְּשׁוּם סִבָּה וּבְשׁוּם אֶמְצָעִי כְּלָל, רַק נֵדַע וְנַאֲמִין שֶׁהַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחְתְךָ לְבַד, הֵן פַּרְנָסָה וּבָנִים וּרְפוּאָה וְכָל שְׁאָר הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, בְּכֻלָּם לֹא נִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ וְלֹא נִתְלֶה בְּשׁוּם סִבָּה כְּלָל.
Relying on God Alone
God, guide me to believe and trust in You with all my heart, to cast my entire burden onto You alone, to know that everything — be it earning a living, raising children or keeping healthy — occurs only in accordance with Your providence.
וְנֵדַע וְנַאֲמִין וְנִבְטַח בֶּאֱמֶת שֶׁאַתָּה יָכוֹל לְהַזְמִין לָנוּ פַּרְנָסָה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, בְּלִי שׁוּם סִבָּה שֶׁל הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה. וְכֵן אַתָּה יָכוֹל לִשְׁלֹחַ לָנוּ רְפוּאָה שְׁלֵמָה בְּלִי שׁוּם עִסְקֵי רְפוּאוֹת וְסַמִּים, כִּי אַתָּה הוּא יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ עִלַּת כָּל הָעִלּוֹת וְסִבַּת כָּל הַסִּבּוֹת.
Therefore, may I know, believe and trust that You can provide me with a good income even without my having to engage in any business, and that You can send me complete health without my having to resort to taking any medicine. For You, HaShem my God, are the true Cause of everything.
וַאֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁאָנוּ מֻכְרָחִים לִפְעָמִים כְּפִי רְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב לַעֲסֹק בְּאֵיזֶה סִבָּה בִּשְׁבִיל פַּרְנָסָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא, נִזְכֶּה לְהַאֲמִין בְּךָ לְבַד וְלֹא לַעֲשׂוֹת מֵהַסִּבּוֹת עִקָּר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
And even when, at times, in accordance with Your desire, I must engage in some activity to earn a living, or take medicine to maintain my health, may I do so with faith in You alone, and not treat these means as the principal cause.
וְתִתֶּן לָנוּ כֹחַ בִּזְכוּת צַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְבַטֵּל בִּתְפִלָּתֵנוּ אֶת חִיּוּב מַעֲרֶכֶת הַמַּזָּלוֹת, לְשַׁדֵּד הַמַּעֲרָכוֹת וּלְשַׁנּוֹת הַטֶּבַע בִּתְפִלּוֹתֵינוּ וּתְחִנּוֹתֵינוּ, עַד שֶׁיִּרְאוּ הַכֹּל וְיַאֲמִינוּ בֶּאֱמֶת, כִּי אֵין שׁוּם דֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע כְּלָל, רַק הַכֹּל מִתְנַהֵג בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתְךָ לְבַד תָּמִיד,
In the merit of the true Tzaddikim, give me the strength to nullify the fixed laws of existence, so that I may transform nature with my prayers and entreaties — until everyone will see and believe that there is no path of nature whatsoever, but that everything functions solely in accordance with Your providence.
וִיקֻיַּם בָּנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְתִגְזַר אֹמֶר וְיָקָם לָךְ וְעַל דְּרָכֶיךָ נָגַהּ אוֹר.
May the verse be realized in me, “When you decree, it will come true for you, and light will shine upon your ways.”
וְתִמְחֹל וְתִסְלַח לָנוּ וּלְכָל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל כָּל הַפְּגָמִים שֶׁפָּגַמְנוּ עַד הֵנָּה בֶּאֱמוּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, בַּמֶּה שֶּׁהָיִינוּ תוֹלִים הַדְּבָרִים בְּסִבּוֹת שֶׁל דֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע.
Forgive me and Your entire nation, the Jewish people, for all the damage that we have caused to Your holy faith by attributing cause and effect to nature alone.
וּמֵעַתָּה תְחַזֵּק אֶת לְבָבֵנוּ וּלְבַב כָּל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכָל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם, שֶׁיִּזְכּוּ כֻלָּם לֵידַע וּלְהַאֲמִין כִּי אַתָּה הוּא יְהֹוָה הָאֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ, וְהַכֹּל מִתְנַהֵג בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתְךָ לְבַד, וְכָל הַסִּבּוֹת הַכֹּל מֵאִתְּךָ לְבַד:
From this moment on, strengthen the heart of everyone in the world to know and believe that You are HaShem, the God of heaven and earth, and that everything functions only in accordance with Your providence.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מַלֵּא מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֵינוּ בְּרַחֲמִים וְזַכֵּנוּ לֶאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵבָב שָׁלֵם, עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי הָאֱמוּנָה שֶׁיִּתְבָּרְרוּ כָּל הַמַּאֲכָלִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, מִפְּגַם עֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כָּל אֲכִילוֹתֵנוּ וּסְעוּדָתֵנוּ מִמַּאֲכָלִים שֶׁנִּתְבָּרְרוּ לְגַמְרֵי מִן הָרַע וְהַקְּלִפּוֹת, מַאֲכָלִים שֶׁהֵם כֻּלָּם טוֹב.
Eating in Holiness and Purity
Master of the Universe, help me to attain a complete faith with all my heart, until I can extract all foods from the blemish impressed into them by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. May I eat solely from foods that are entirely good — foods that have been completely refined so that they contain no evil “husks.”
וְנִזְכֶּה לְהִסְתַּפֵּק בַּאֲכִילָה מֻעֶטֶת, וְתִהְיֶה אֲכִילָתֵנוּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נַעֲשָׂה עַל־יְדֵי אֲכִילָתֵנוּ יִחוּד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ אַפִּין בְּאַפִּין.
May I be satisfied by eating just a little. May I eat in holiness and purity so as to bring about a complete “unification of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and His Shekhinah.”
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה שֶׁהָאֱמוּנָה בְּעַצְמָּה תַּמְלִיץ לְפֶָנֶיךָ עַל־כָּל הָרְחוֹקִים מִשְּׁלֵמוּת הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, שֶׁתְּקָרֵב אוֹתָם גַּם־כֵּן בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ וְתַכְנִיס בָּהֶם אֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה וִישָׁרָה.
Overcoming Nature Itself
[HaShem, my God and the God of my fathers, may the energy of faith itself persuade You to bring all people who are far from a complete and holy faith back to You, so that they will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
וְאַל יִחַר אַפְּךָ בָּהֶם מַה שֶּׁפָּגְמוּ עַד הֵנָּה בֶּאֱמוּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה. כִּי עִקָּר טָעוּת שֶׁל הָרְחוֹקִים מֵאֱמוּנָתְךָ, הוּא רַק מֵחֲמַת שֶׁעִקָּר יְדִיעַת אֱלֹהוּתְךָ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא מֵהַגָּלוּי עַל הַסָּתוּם, וּמֵחֲמַת שֶׁבַּגָּלוּי נִדְמֶה לְהָעוֹלָם שֶׁכָּל הַנְהָגַת הָעוֹלָם הוּא עַל־פִּי דֶּרֶך הַטֶּבַע עַל־יְדֵי מַעֲרֶכֶת הַמַּזָּלוֹת, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נָפְלוּ בְּטָעוּת הַרְבֵּה, כָּל אֶחָד לְפִי טָעוּתוֹ, עַד אֲשֶׁר עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִתְרַחֲקוּ מֵאֱמוּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, וְאֵינָם בּוֹטְחִים בְּשִׁמְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, רַק עוֹשִׂים מֵהַסִּבּוֹת וְהָאֶמְצָעִיִּים עִקָּר, כְּאִלּוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אֵין אַתָּה יָכֹל לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ וּלְהַזְמִין לְהָאָדָם כָּל מָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לוֹ בְּלִי שׁוּם סִבּוֹת וְאֶמְצָעִיִּים כְּלָל.
Do not be angry at people who lack faith. They erred because they extrapolated from those things that they can perceive to Your hidden presence. And since the things that people can perceive give the impression that You guide Your world in accordance with the laws of nature, they grew distant from Your holy faith. Instead of trusting in You, they turned to intermediate objects as though, Heaven forbid, You are unable to pour abundance onto a person and send him all he needs without those intermediaries.
עַל כֵּן חוּס וַחֲמוֹל נָא עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל הָרְחוֹקִים מִמְּךָ, וְתִשְׁלַח לָנוּ צַדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם כֹּחַ לְבַטֵּל בִּתְפִלָּתָם חִיּוּב מַעֲרֶכֶת הַמַּזָּלוֹת, וְיַעֲשׂוּ נִפְלָאוֹת בָּעוֹלָם, דְּבָרִים שֶׁהֵם לְמַעֲלָה מִדֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע לְגַמְרֵי, מֵעֵין הַהַנְהָגָה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא.
In Your compassion, send all those people who are far from You — including myself — true Tzaddikim, whose prayer has the power to bring about wonders that transcend the laws of nature.
כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, עֲתִידִין צַדִּיקִים לְהַחֲיוֹת אֶת הַמֵּתִים. וּשְׁאָר נִפְלָאוֹת. וְיִתְבַּטֵּל רְצוֹנְךָ כִּבְיָכוֹל מִפְּנֵי רְצוֹנָם, בִּבְחִינַת ״צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים״. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גּוֹזֵר וְצַדִּיק מְבַטֵּל.
Our sages teach that this will occur universally in the future, when “the Tzaddikim will revive the dead” and perform other wonders; when the will of the Tzaddikim shall overcome Your will, as it were, so that, our sages state, “although the Holy One, Blessed be He, decrees, the righteous man nullifies.”
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יִתְוַדַּע מֵהַגָּלוּי עַל הַסָּתוּם, שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֱלוֹהַּ נִמְצָא שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלַּת הַצַּדִּיק וְעוֹשֶׂה רְצוֹנוֹ וּמְשַׁדֵּד הַמַּעֲרָכוֹת וּמְבַטֵּל הַטֶּבַע.
Give us the evidence of these miracles now, so that we will rightly infer that You hear the prayer of the Tzaddik and do his will, destroying the “configurations of the stars” and nullifying nature.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יָבִינוּ הַכֹּל מִמֵּילָא, כִּי גַּם הַדֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע שֶׁהוּא הַהַנְהָגָה שֶׁעַל־פִּי מַעֲרֶכֶת הַמַּזָּלוֹת, מִתְנַהֵג הַכֹּל רַק בִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַקָּדוֹשׁ וּבִידִיעָתְךָ הַנִּפְלָאָה וּבְהַשְׁגָּחָתְךָ הַשְּׁלֵמָה.
In this way, may we understand that even in the way of nature — the way in which You guide the world in accordance with the “configuration of the stars” — everything happens only in accordance with Your holy will, wondrous knowledge and complete providence.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִזְכֶּה כֻלָּנוּ לְבִטָּחוֹן חָזָק וֶלֶאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה.
May we attain that strong trust and complete faith soon.]
וִיקֻיַּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, בְּטַח בַּיהֹוָה וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב שְׁכָן אֶרֶץ וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָה. וְהִתְעַנַּג עַל יְהֹוָה וְיִתֶּן לְךָ מִשְׁאֲלוֹת לִבֶּךָ.
May the verses be realized, “Trust in HaShem and do good; dwell in the land and shepherd faith. Take delight in HaShem and He will give You the requests of your heart.”
גּוֹל עַל יְהֹוָה דַּרְכֶּךָ וּבְטַח עָלָיו וְהוּא יַעֲשֶׂה. הָאִירָה פָנֶיךָ עַל עַבְדֶּךָ הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי בְחַסְדֶּךָ.
“Commit your path to HaShem and trust in Him, and He will act. Shine Your face on Your servant, save me with Your lovingkindness.”
פָּנֶיךָ הָאֵר בְּעַבְדֶּךָ וְלַמְּדֵנִי אֶת חֻקֶּיךָ.
“Cause Your face to shine upon Your servant and teach me Your laws.”
אֱלֹהִים יְחָנֵּנוּ וִיבָרְכֵנוּ יָאֵר פָּנָיו אִתָּנוּ סֶלָה.
“God, be gracious to us and bless us; cause Your face to shine upon us.”
יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ הָאֵר פָּנֶיךָ וְנִוָּשֵׁעָה.
“HaShem, God of hosts, bring us back; cause Your face to shine, so that we will be saved.”
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי. אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, HaShem, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Amen and amen.