Doing Business Honestly Sanctifies the Name of God / Income Without Toil When a person does business honestly, he keeps the commandment, “You shall love HaShem your God,” in keeping with our sages’ interpretation, “You shall cause God’s Name to be beloved.” Thus, he sanctifies the name of Heaven and, as a result, he enjoys an income without toil. The reason for this is as follows. Our sages teach that earning a living is as difficult as the splitting of the Red Sea. The entire night preceding the Splitting of the Sea, the prosecuting angels argued that the Israelites were no better than their Egyptian pursuers and were not worthy of redemption. Therefore, the Splitting of the Sea was “difficult” for God, for God’s attribute of judgment demanded retribution from the Jews. But in the morning, God recalled the merit of Abraham, who had risen in the morning to do God’s will.4Genesis 22:3. Abraham’s merit transformed the “difficulty” of the Red Sea into mitigated judgment, and then the sea split easily. Abraham is also identified with the commandment, “You shall love HaShem your God,” since he is associated with the trait of kindness. When a person does business honestly, he keeps the commandment, “You shall love HaShem your God.” In so doing, he attaches himself to Abraham and to the morning. Then earning a living is not difficult for him, just as the splitting of the Red Sea was not difficult when the morning arrived. Dealing Pleasantly with People HaShem, my God and God of my fathers, help me turn away from evil. May I always do that which is good in Your eyes. Then may You and all who see me love me and treat me graciously, kindly and compassionately.
In that spirit, may I engage in business honestly and speak pleasantly with others. Then Your spirit and the spirit of people will be pleased with me, and I will be beloved in Heaven and esteemed on earth.
Send me a comfortable income. Give me everything I require. Attend to all of the needs of my family, even before they grow urgent — without my having to engage in any toil or hardship.
Have compassion on us in the merit of Abraham, the man of kindness. Act on behalf of Your love for him and give us our income with great generosity — without any toil, trouble or hardship.
May I not be dependent on people’s gifts or loans. May I have sufficient funds to be able to keep Your commandments, do Your will and learn Your Torah always, all the days of my life — and may this be true as well for my children and grandchildren, and for all the children of Your nation, the House of Israel, from now and forever.
My compassionate Father, grant me income. Support me in Your vast compassion — not in accordance with my deeds and the evil of my actions, but solely in accordance with Your kindness. “He gives bread to all flesh, for His kindness is forever.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה ר"י - מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן בֶּאֱמוּנָה]
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁתְּרַחֵם עָלַי וְתַעַזְרֵנִי וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לָסוּר מֵרָע וְלַעֲשׂוֹת הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ תָמִיד, וְתִתְּנֵנִי לְאַהֲבָה לְחֵן וּלְחֶסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ וּבְעֵינֵי כָּל רוֹאַי וְתִגְמְלֵנִי חֲסָדִים טוֹבִים.
Doing Business Honestly Sanctifies the Name of God / Income Without Toil
When a person does business honestly, he keeps the commandment, “You shall love HaShem your God,” in keeping with our sages’ interpretation, “You shall cause God’s Name to be beloved.” Thus, he sanctifies the name of Heaven and, as a result, he enjoys an income without toil. The reason for this is as follows.
Our sages teach that earning a living is as difficult as the splitting of the Red Sea. The entire night preceding the Splitting of the Sea, the prosecuting angels argued that the Israelites were no better than their Egyptian pursuers and were not worthy of redemption. Therefore, the Splitting of the Sea was “difficult” for God, for God’s attribute of judgment demanded retribution from the Jews. But in the morning, God recalled the merit of Abraham, who had risen in the morning to do God’s will.4Genesis 22:3. Abraham’s merit transformed the “difficulty” of the Red Sea into mitigated judgment, and then the sea split easily. Abraham is also identified with the commandment, “You shall love HaShem your God,” since he is associated with the trait of kindness.
When a person does business honestly, he keeps the commandment, “You shall love HaShem your God.” In so doing, he attaches himself to Abraham and to the morning. Then earning a living is not difficult for him, just as the splitting of the Red Sea was not difficult when the morning arrived.
Dealing Pleasantly with People
HaShem, my God and God of my fathers, help me turn away from evil. May I always do that which is good in Your eyes. Then may You and all who see me love me and treat me graciously, kindly and compassionately.
וְאֶזְכֶּה לְקַיֵּם בִּשְׁלֵמוּת מִצְוַת וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם מִתְאַהֵב עַל־יָדִי,
May I keep the mitzvah of “You shall love HaShem your God” fully, as our sages interpret it, to make the Name of Heaven beloved through my deeds.
שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מַשָּׂאִי וּמַתָּנִי בֶּאֱמוּנָה, וְדִבּוּרִי בְּנַחַת עִם הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וְיִהְיֶה רוּחַ הַמָּקוֹם וְרוּחַ הַבְּרִיּוֹת נוֹחָה הֵימֶנִּי, וְאֶהְיֶה אָהוּב לְמַעְלָה וְנֶחְמָד לְמַטָּה,
In that spirit, may I engage in business honestly and speak pleasantly with others. Then Your spirit and the spirit of people will be pleased with me, and I will be beloved in Heaven and esteemed on earth.
וְאֶמְצָא חֵן וְשֵׂכֶל טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי אֱלֹהִים וְאָדָם.
Help me find such favor so that I will be wise in Your eyes and in the eyes of man.
וּתְרַחֵם עָלַי וְתַזְמִין לִי פַּרְנָסָתִי בְּרֶוַח, וְתִתֶּן לִי כָּל צָרְכִּי וְכָל צָרְכֵי אַנְשֵׁי בֵּיתִי קֹדֶם שֶׁאֶצְטָרֵךְ לָהֶם, בְּלִי יְגִיעָה וָטֹרַח וְעָמָל כְּלָל:
Send me a comfortable income. Give me everything I require. Attend to all of the needs of my family, even before they grow urgent — without my having to engage in any toil or hardship.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ, כִּי קָשִׁין מְזוֹנוֹתֵינוּ כִּקְרִיעַת יַם־סוּף,
Earning a Living
Master of the world, You know that earning a living is as difficult as the splitting of the Red Sea.
אֲבָל גָּדוֹל אַתָּה וְרַב כֹּחַ, וּבְכֹחֲךָ הַגָּדוֹל וּבַחֲסָדֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, גַּם קְרִיעַת יַם־סוּף קַל לְפָנֶיךָ,
But You are great and mighty, and in Your power and kindness, even the Splitting of the Sea was easy for You.
כִּי מִי יֹאמַר לְךָ מַה תַּעֲשֶׂה, וְאֵין דָּבָר נִמְנַע מִמֶּךָּ,
Who will question You and ask You, “What are You doing?” Nothing is impossible for You.
עַל כֵּן רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ בִּזְכוּת אָבִינוּ הָרִאשׁוֹן אַבְרָהָם אִישׁ הַחֶסֶד, וַעֲשֵׂה לְמַעַן אַהֲבָתוֹ, וְתֵן לָנוּ פַּרְנָסוֹתֵינוּ בְּהַרְחָבָה גְּדוֹלָה, בְּלִי יְגִיעָה וָטֹרַח וּבְלִי שׁוּם טִרְדָּא כְּלָל.
Have compassion on us in the merit of Abraham, the man of kindness. Act on behalf of Your love for him and give us our income with great generosity — without any toil, trouble or hardship.
וְאַל תַּצְרִיכֵנִי לֹא לִידֵי מַתְּנַת בָּשָׂר וָדָם וְלֹא לִידֵי הַלְוָאָתָם, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לִשְׁמֹר מִצְוֹתֶיךָ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנְךָ וְלַעֲסֹק בְּתוֹרָתְךָ תָמִיד כָּל יְמֵי חַיַּי, אֲנִי וְזַרְעִי וְזֶרַע זַרְעִי וְכָל זֶרַע עַמְּךָ בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם.
May I not be dependent on people’s gifts or loans. May I have sufficient funds to be able to keep Your commandments, do Your will and learn Your Torah always, all the days of my life — and may this be true as well for my children and grandchildren, and for all the children of Your nation, the House of Israel, from now and forever.
וִיקֻיַּם בִּי מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב הַשְׁלֵךְ עַל יְהֹוָה יְהָבְךָ וְהוּא יְכַלְכְּלֶךָ לֹא יִתֵּן לְעוֹלָם מוֹט לַצַּדִּיק.
May the verse be realized in me, “Cast your burden upon HaShem and He will support you. He will never allow the righteous man to stumble.”
עֵינֵי כֹל אֵלֶיךָ יְשַׂבֵּרוּ וְאַתָּה נוֹתֵן לָהֶם אֶת אָכְלָם בְּעִתּוֹ. פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל חַי רָצוֹן.
“The eyes of all turn to You, and You give them their food in its time. You open Your hand and satisfy the will of all living beings.”
אָבִי אָב הָרַחֲמָן פַּרְנְסֵנִי וְכַלְכְּלֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לְבַד, לֹא כְמַעֲשַׂי וּכְרֹעַ מַעֲלָלַי, רַק כְּחַסְדְּךָ עֲשֵׂה עִמִּי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, נוֹתֵן לֶחֶם לְכָל בָּשָׂר כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ.
My compassionate Father, grant me income. Support me in Your vast compassion — not in accordance with my deeds and the evil of my actions, but solely in accordance with Your kindness. “He gives bread to all flesh, for His kindness is forever.”
וְאַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי וְאַל תִּטְּשֵׁנִי, עָזְרֵנִי כִּי עָלֶיךָ נִשְׁעָנְתִּי. אַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי אַל תִּרְחַק מִמֶּנִּי. חוּשָׁה לְעֶזְרָתִי אֲדֹנָי תְּשׁוּעָתִי:
Never abandon me. Help me, for I rely on You. “Do not abandon me, HaShem; my God, do not be far from me. Hurry to help me, God Who is my salvation.”