Our Sages instituted (Berachos 4b) that before beginning the Shemoneh Esrei one must say the verse, “Hashem, open my lips and my mouth will tell of Your praise” (Tehillim 51:17). This is a plea that the Holy One Blessed is He accept our prayers with favor and not say, as He does to the wicked, “What business do you have relating My statutes and bearing My covenant upon your mouth?” (Tehillim 50:16). The Creator, may He be blessed, is disgusted with the prayers of a person whose deeds are despicable. What, then, is the purpose of his life? He would be better off dead than alive. Therefore when a person stands up to pray let him do so in fear and trembling and let his heart and mouth be in accord as the declare the unity of Hashem’s great name with complete intention during the Shemoneh Esreh.. Then the Holy One Blessed is He will call him by the name, “Peace,” and for the rest of his life this will be his name On High throughout all the firmaments. Thus the Zohar teaches (2:200b), “When he leaves this world his soul ascends, passing through all those firmaments and encountering no protest. Then the Holy One Blessed is He and all His hosts call him ‘Peace,’ as they open before him twelve gates of pure balsam.”
To illustrate the loftiness of Israel’s prayers we will cite here the continuation of the passage from the Zohar. To begin with you must know that there are certain angels assigned over all the entrances, gates and windows of every firmament by day and by night. The appointed ministers of the day are called, “the rulers of the day,” while the appointed ministers of the night are called, “the rulers of the night” (Bereishis 1:16). At every entrance, gate and window there is one appointed minister, under whom are thousands of ministers and governors. Who can count or even conceive of all the ministers of these ministers and all the hosts and bands that are under them? Every day at nightfall and again at daybreak an announcement is made throughout all the firmaments instructing the appointed ministers to take up their positions, whereupon each one goes to its station. Then the Holy One Blessed is He descends and all Israel go to their synagogues to give praise to their Master with songs and prayers. If a person approaches Hashem’s service with awe and trembling and prays with full concentration, so that his mouth and heart are as one as they declare the unity of the holy Name, then the Holy One Blessed is He is gratified and joyful with his prayer. Then each word he utters ascends On High to be received joyfully by the appointed angels until it reaches the highest heights where it is fashioned into a crown upon the head of the King of the Kings of Kings, the Holy One Blessed is He.
The process of its ascent is as follows: In each of the four directions of the world there are officers and ministers stationed On High. To begin with, the prayer comes before one of these appointed ministers, in front of whom are nine entrances, beside which are four other officers and ministers.. All of these are overseen by a single angel named ABULYEL. This angel goes out to greet the prayer, accompanied by all the other angels. Then they take this prayer and kiss it, elevating it to the second firmament and bringing it to an awesome place where there are twelve entrances. Over each of these entrances are assigned many appointed ministers and hosts. Beside the twelfth gate is a single minister named ANEL who is appointed over all twelve gates. When Israel’s prayer comes before him he proclaims with a loud voice, “Open the gates and allow a righteous nation to enter, who keep the faith” (Yeshayahu 26:2). Then the gates are opened and the prayer ascends through all those entrances. Then another minister name AZRYEL is aroused, who is appointed over sixty myriad camps of angels. These all take hold of that prayer, proclaiming, “The eyes of Hashem are upon the righteous and His ears are towards their cry; the face of Hashem is upon the doers of evil to cut off their memory from the earth” (Tehillim 34:16-17).
Afterwards the prayer is elevated to the third firmament where it is brought before another appointed minister named GAVRY. This one also has at his command numerous bands of angels. In that firmament there is a certain hard rock. Upon this rock is a great light and under the rock are three hundred and seventy-five windows. The idea behind this is that at Mount Sinai these three hundred and seventy-five camps of angels joined together to protest against the bringing of the Torah down to earth. For this the Holy One Blessed is He punished them by placing them beneath that rock where they have remained since the Torah was given to Israel. Three times every day these angels are allowed out from under the rock. When a Jew utters a prayer with complete concentration it ascends to that place and it is displayed before those angels. Then the three hundred and seventy-five camps all come out to greet it with great honor, singing, “Hashem our Master, how mighty is Your name over all the earth, that You have set Your glory upon the heavens” (Tehillim 8:2).
They shower it with numerous crowns and accompany it as it ascends still higher to the awesome and tremendous fourth firmament where another appointed minister named TAM- SHAEL takes it and crowns it with wreaths made from the spices of Gan Eden. From there it ascends along with all the camps until the fifth great and awesome firmament and it is brought before the minister named GARDYEL who does battle with the guardian angels of the other nations, with the approval of the Holy One Blessed is He. When the prayer reaches that place, the appointed minister together with all his hosts and camps shudder and come out to greet it, bowing down before it. It then ascends to the awesome and tremendous sixth firmament where there are seventy ministers with an minister appointed over them named ANFYEL. This minister takes the prayer and bestows upon it seventy crowns, after which he brings it up to the seventh firmament. There it is delivered into the care of the great minister SANDLOFON who possesses the keys to all his Master’s gates. The great minister ushers the prayer into seven mansions that are known as the “Holy Palaces.” Although much more could be said on the subject, let this be sufficient, for I am in favor of brevity.
In light of these things, let everyone who fears God and trembles before Him take to heart the sublimity and glory of prayer and the importance of praying with concentration. Fortunate is he who honors his Creator with his voice, with love and with concentration of the heart, and who ascribes to the Holy One Blessed is He — unity, sanctity and blessing. Concerning this was it written, “You shall surely give to him from your flock, from your threshing floor and from your winepress” (Devarim 15:14). The phrase, “from your flock,” alludes to the reciting the passages of the sacrifices before the morning service. One should have mind the verse, “And let us pay for [the offerings of] bullocks with [the prayers of] our lips” (Hoshea 14:3), as one recites them. The next phrase, “from your threshing floor (garnecha),” alludes to the prayers, praises and songs that one offers up with one’s throat (garon). Finally, in the phrase, “from your winepress (miyikvecha),” the middle letters form an acronym for the words: “unification” (yichud), “blessing” (berachah) and “holiness” (kedushah), as is mentioned in Tikkunei Zohart (Zohar Chadash 130a).
Therefore let a person ensure that his hands are clean of theft, fraud and infringement, and that his heart is pure through always dealing in good faith. And let him pray with concentration, according to his level of understanding. Then the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart will be acceptable, as it is written, “Lift up your hands in holiness and bless Hashem!” (Tehillim 134:2). Amein.
חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה תִּקְּנוּ לוֹמַר קֹדֶם תְּפִלַּת שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה פָּסוּק: ה' שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח וּפִי יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶךָ. וְהַכַּוָּנָה בָּזֶה, לְבַקֵּשׁ מֵאֵת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מְרֻצֶּה תָּמִיד בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ, וְשֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר עָלָיו (תְּהִלִּים נ, טז): "וְלָרָשָׁע אָמַר אֱלֹהִים מַה לְּךָ לְסַפֵּר חֻקָּי, וַתִּשָּׂא בְּרִיתִי עֲלֵי פִּיךָ". כִּי בִּהְיוֹת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ מוֹאֵס בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ שֶׁל הָאָדָם עַל יְדֵי דְּרָכָיו הַמְכֹעָרִים, אִם כֵּן מַה יִּתְרוֹן בִּשְׁנֵי חַיָּיו?! טוֹב הוּא מוֹתוֹ מֵחַיָּיו! וְלָכֵן בְּעָמְדוֹ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל יַעֲמֹד בְּאֵימָה וּבִרְעָדָה, וְלִבּוֹ וּפִיו יִהְיוּ שָׁוִין לְיַחֵד שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בְּכַוָּנָה שְׁלֵמָה בִּתְפִלַּת שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קָרִיב לֵיהּ 'שָׁלוֹם', וְכָל יְמֵי חַיָּיו קוֹרְאִין אֶת שְׁמוֹ לְמַעְלָה 'שָׁלוֹם' בְּכָל רְקִיעִין: וְכַד אִסְתַּלֵּק הַאי בַּר נָשׁ מֵהַאי עָלְמָא — נִשְׁמְתָא סְלִיקָא וּבוֹקַעַת כָּל אִנּוּן רְקִיעִין, וְלֵית מָאן דְּיִמְחֵי בְּיָדֵיהּ. וְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּפָמַלְיָא דִּילֵיהּ קוֹרְאִין לְשָׁלוֹם וּפָתְחִין לֵיהּ תְּרֵיסַר תַּרְעֵי דַּאֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַכְיָא.
Our Sages instituted (Berachos 4b) that before beginning the Shemoneh Esrei one must say the verse, “Hashem, open my lips and my mouth will tell of Your praise” (Tehillim 51:17). This is a plea that the Holy One Blessed is He accept our prayers with favor and not say, as He does to the wicked, “What business do you have relating My statutes and bearing My covenant upon your mouth?” (Tehillim 50:16). The Creator, may He be blessed, is disgusted with the prayers of a person whose deeds are despicable. What, then, is the purpose of his life? He would be better off dead than alive. Therefore when a person stands up to pray let him do so in fear and trembling and let his heart and mouth be in accord as the declare the unity of Hashem’s great name with complete intention during the Shemoneh Esreh.. Then the Holy One Blessed is He will call him by the name, “Peace,” and for the rest of his life this will be his name On High throughout all the firmaments. Thus the Zohar teaches (2:200b), “When he leaves this world his soul ascends, passing through all those firmaments and encountering no protest. Then the Holy One Blessed is He and all His hosts call him ‘Peace,’ as they open before him twelve gates of pure balsam.”
וְהִנֵּה לְהוֹדִיעַ גֹּדֶל מַעֲלוֹת הִתְרוֹמְמוּת תְּפִלַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל נְבָאֵר פֹּה מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר: צָרִיךְ שֶׁתֵּדַע, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְמַעְלָה בְּכָל רְקִיעִין מְמֻנִּים מְיֻחָדִים בַּיּוֹם עַל כָּל פְּתָחִים וּשְׁעָרִים וְחַלּוֹנוֹת, וְכֵן יֵשׁ מְמֻנִּים מְיֻחָדִים בַּלַּיְלָה עַל הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְעֵיל. וְהַמְמֻנִּים שֶׁל יוֹם נִקְרָאִים 'מֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַיּוֹם', וּמְמֻנִּים שֶׁל הַלַּיְלָה נִקְרָאִים 'מֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַלַּיְלָה'. וּבְכָל פֶּתַח וְשַׁעַר וְחַלּוֹן מְמֻנֶּה אֶחָד, וּתְחוּתֵיהּ מְמֻנִּים שָׂרִים וְשִׁלְטוֹנִים לִרְבָבוֹת, וּמִי יוּכַל לְסַפֵּר וּלְשַׁעֵר כָּל שָׂרֵי הַמְמֻנִּים וְחֵילוֹת וְכִתּוֹת, שֶׁהֵן תַּחַת כָּל מְמֻנֶּה?! וְתָמִיד כַּד עָיֵל לַיְלָה וְכַד עָיֵל יְמָמָא — אֲזַי כְּרוּזִים נִכְרָזִין בְּכָל רְקִיעִין, שֶׁיַּעַמְדוּ הַמְמֻנִּים עַל מִשְׁמַרְתָּם, וּמִיָּד כָּל מְמֻנֶּה קָאִים עַל אַתְרֵיהּ הַמְיֻחָד לוֹ, וְאָז הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קַדְמָא וְאַתְיָא וְנַחְתָּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּעָאלִין לְבֵי כְּנִשְׁתָּא וּלְשַׁבָּחָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן בְּשִׁירוֹת וּבִתְפִלּוֹת. וּמִי שֶׁהוּא יָרֵא, וְחָרֵד לִבּוֹ לַעֲבוֹדַת ה' לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכַוָּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ פּוּמֵיהּ וְלִבֵּהּ שָׁוִין לְיַחֵד שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, אֲזַי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְרֻצֶּה וְשָׂמֵחַ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ, וְכָל תֵּבָה סַלְקָא לְעֵילָא וּמִתְקַבֶּלֶת בְּשִׂמְחָה בִּפְנֵי הַמַּלְאָכִים מְמֻנִּים, עַד שֶׁעוֹלָה לְמַעְלָה לַמַּדְרֵגָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה, לִהְיוֹת כֶּתֶר עַל רֹאשׁ מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.
To illustrate the loftiness of Israel’s prayers we will cite here the continuation of the passage from the Zohar. To begin with you must know that there are certain angels assigned over all the entrances, gates and windows of every firmament by day and by night. The appointed ministers of the day are called, “the rulers of the day,” while the appointed ministers of the night are called, “the rulers of the night” (Bereishis 1:16). At every entrance, gate and window there is one appointed minister, under whom are thousands of ministers and governors. Who can count or even conceive of all the ministers of these ministers and all the hosts and bands that are under them? Every day at nightfall and again at daybreak an announcement is made throughout all the firmaments instructing the appointed ministers to take up their positions, whereupon each one goes to its station. Then the Holy One Blessed is He descends and all Israel go to their synagogues to give praise to their Master with songs and prayers. If a person approaches Hashem’s service with awe and trembling and prays with full concentration, so that his mouth and heart are as one as they declare the unity of the holy Name, then the Holy One Blessed is He is gratified and joyful with his prayer. Then each word he utters ascends On High to be received joyfully by the appointed angels until it reaches the highest heights where it is fashioned into a crown upon the head of the King of the Kings of Kings, the Holy One Blessed is He.
וְהִנֵּה לְכָל אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הָעוֹלָם עוֹמְדִים לְמַעְלָה שָׂרִים וּמְמֻנִּים, וּמַגִּיעִים לְגַבֵּי חַד מְמֻנֶּה, וְשָׁם הֵן תִּשְׁעָה פְּתָחִין, וְשָׁם עוֹמְדִים אַרְבָּעָה שָׂרִים וּמְמֻנִּים עַל גַּבֵּיהוֹן. חַד מַלְאָךְ וּשְׁמוֹ אַבּוּלִיאֵל, וְהוּא יוֹצֵא לִקְרַאת תְּפִלּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל עִם כָּל הַמַּלְאָכִים, וְנַטְלִין הַאי צְלוֹתָא וְנָשְׁקִין לָהּ וּמַעֲלִין לָהּ לְמַעְלָה לָרָקִיעַ, וּמֵבִיא הַתְּפִלָּה לְמָקוֹם נוֹרָא מְאֹד, אֲשֶׁר שָׁמָּה שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר פְּתָחִין, וְעַל כָּל פֶּתַח יֵשׁ מְמֻנִּים וְחֵילוֹת הַרְבֵּה, וּבַשַּׁעַר הַשְּׁנֵים עָשָׂר עוֹמֵד שָׁם מְמֻנֶּה חַד, עֲנָאֵל שְׁמֵיהּ, וְהוּא מְמֻנֶּה עַל כָּל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר הַשְּׁעָרִים; וּכְשֶׁבָּא תְּפִלָּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְפָנָיו, מַכְרִיז בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל: פִּתְחוּ שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק, וְיָבוֹא גּוֹי צַדִּיק שׁוֹמֵר אֱמוּנִים. וְאָז נִפְתָּחִים כָּל הַשְּׁעָרִים, וּצְלוֹתָא דָּא עוֹלָה בְּכָל אִנּוּן פְּתָחִין, וְאָז מִתְעוֹרֵר חַד מְמֻנֶּה, וּשְׁמֵיהּ עַזְרִיאֵל, וְהוּא מְמֻנֶּה עַל שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא מַחֲנוֹת שֶׁל מַלְאָכִים, וְכֻלְּהוּ נִטָּלִין לְהַהוּא צְלוֹתָא וְאָמְרִין: עֵינֵי ה' אֶל צַדִּיקִים, וְאָזְנָיו אֶל שַׁוְעָתָם. פְּנֵי ה' בְּעֹשֵׂי רָע לְהַכְרִית מֵאֶרֶץ זִכְרָם.
The process of its ascent is as follows: In each of the four directions of the world there are officers and ministers stationed On High. To begin with, the prayer comes before one of these appointed ministers, in front of whom are nine entrances, beside which are four other officers and ministers.. All of these are overseen by a single angel named ABULYEL. This angel goes out to greet the prayer, accompanied by all the other angels. Then they take this prayer and kiss it, elevating it to the second firmament and bringing it to an awesome place where there are twelve entrances. Over each of these entrances are assigned many appointed ministers and hosts. Beside the twelfth gate is a single minister named ANEL who is appointed over all twelve gates. When Israel’s prayer comes before him he proclaims with a loud voice, “Open the gates and allow a righteous nation to enter, who keep the faith” (Yeshayahu 26:2). Then the gates are opened and the prayer ascends through all those entrances. Then another minister name AZRYEL is aroused, who is appointed over sixty myriad camps of angels. These all take hold of that prayer, proclaiming, “The eyes of Hashem are upon the righteous and His ears are towards their cry; the face of Hashem is upon the doers of evil to cut off their memory from the earth” (Tehillim 34:16-17).
וְאַחַר כָּךְ מוֹלִיכִין אֶת הַתְּפִלָּה לָרָקִיעַ לְמַעְלָה, וּמַגַּעַת לְחַד מְמֻנֶּה, גַּבְרִי שְׁמֵיהּ, וְיֵשׁ לוֹ הַרְבֵּה כִּתּוֹת מַלְאָכִים, וּבְאוֹתוֹ הָרָקִיעַ יֵשׁ שָׁם חַד טִינָרָא תַּקִּיפָא מְאֹד, וְהַאי טִינָרָא — יֵשׁ לוֹ אוֹר גָּדוֹל, וְתַחַת הַאי טִינָרָא יֵשׁ שָׁם שְׁלשׁ מֵאוֹת וְשִׁבְעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה חַלּוֹנוֹת. וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא, כִּי בִּשְׁעַת מַתַּן תּוֹרָה נִתְחַבְּרוּ אֵלּוּ שְׁלשׁ מֵאוֹת שִׁבְעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה מַחֲנוֹת מַלְאָכִים בְּחִבּוּר אֶחָד, וְהָיוּ מְקַטְרְגִים שֶׁלֹּא תֵּרֵד הַתּוֹרָה לְמַטָּה. וְאַנְזִיף בְּהוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְעָיֵל לְהוּ תְּחוֹת הַאי טִינָרָא מֵאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם שֶׁנִּתְּנָה הַתּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְשָׁלשׁ פְּעָמִים בְּכָל יוֹם יוֹצְאִים מִתְּחוֹת הַהִיא טִינָרָא. וְכַאֲשֶׁר עוֹלִין תְּפִלָּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ בְּכַוָּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, כָּאָמוּר, וּמַגַּעַת לְהַאי טִינָרָא, אֲזַי מַרְאֶה לְהוֹן תְּפִלָּתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲזַי יוֹצְאִין שְׁלשׁ מֵאוֹת שִׁבְעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה מַחֲנוֹת הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְעֵיל, לִקְרַאת הַאי צְלוֹתָא, וְעוֹשִׂין לָהּ כָּבוֹד גָּדוֹל וְאָמְרִין שִׁירָה: ה' אֲדוֹנֵינוּ, מָה אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר תְּנָּה הוֹדְךָ עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם!
Afterwards the prayer is elevated to the third firmament where it is brought before another appointed minister named GAVRY. This one also has at his command numerous bands of angels. In that firmament there is a certain hard rock. Upon this rock is a great light and under the rock are three hundred and seventy-five windows. The idea behind this is that at Mount Sinai these three hundred and seventy-five camps of angels joined together to protest against the bringing of the Torah down to earth. For this the Holy One Blessed is He punished them by placing them beneath that rock where they have remained since the Torah was given to Israel. Three times every day these angels are allowed out from under the rock. When a Jew utters a prayer with complete concentration it ascends to that place and it is displayed before those angels. Then the three hundred and seventy-five camps all come out to greet it with great honor, singing, “Hashem our Master, how mighty is Your name over all the earth, that You have set Your glory upon the heavens” (Tehillim 8:2).
וּמְעַטְּרִין לְהַאי תְּפִלָּה בְּכַמָּה עִטְרִין, וּמְלַוִּין הַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁעוֹלָה עוֹד לְמַעְלָה לְרָקִיעַ נוֹרָא וְגָדוֹל. וְיוֹצֵא מֵהַהוּא רָקִיעַ מְמֻנֶּה חַד, תַּמְשָׁאֵל שְׁמֵיהּ, וְנוֹטֵל הַתְּפִלָּה וּמְעַטֵּר לֵיהּ לְהַאי צְלוֹתָא בְּעִטְרִין דִּבְשָׂמִים שֶׁל גַּן עֵדֶן, וּמִשָּׁם עוֹלָה הַתְּפִלָּה עִם כָּל מְשִׁרְיָן לְרָקִיעַ גָּדוֹל וְנוֹרָא, וּבָאת לְחַד מְמֻנֶּה, גַּרְדִיאֵל שְׁמֵיהּ, וְהוּא בַּעַל הַמִּלְחָמָה נֶגֶד שָׂרֵי הָאֻמּוֹת בִּרְצוֹן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְכַד הַאי צְלוֹתָא סַלְקָא לְשָׁם, אֲזַי הוּא מְמֻנֶּה עִם חַיָּלָיו וּמַחֲנוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ, אֲשֶׁר שָׁם מִזְדַּעְזְעִים וְיוֹצְאִין לִקְרָאתָהּ וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לְנֶגֶד צְלוֹתָא דָּא וְסַלְקִין עוֹד לְמַעְלָה לְרָקִיעַ נוֹרָא וּמָרוֹם, וְתַמָּן שִׁבְעִים שָׂרִים, וְחַד מְמֻנֶּה עֲלֵיהוֹן, עַנְפִּיאֵל שְׁמֵיהּ, וְנוֹטֵל הַאי צְלוֹתָא וּמְעַטֵּר לַהּ שִׁבְעִין עִטְרִין, וְסַלְקִין לַהּ לָרָקִיעַ הַזֶּה, וְשָׁם בָּאָה הַתְּפִלָּה לְיַד מְמֻנֶּה גָּדוֹל סַנְדְּלָפוֹן, דְּכָל פִּתְחִין וּמְפַתְּחִין דְּמָארֵי בְּיָדוֹי, וּמְעַיֵּל צְלוֹתָא וּמְעַטֵּר לַהּ שִׁבְעִין עִטְרִין, וְסַלְקִין לָהּ לָרָקִיעַ הַזֶּה, וְשָׁם בָּאָה הַתְּפִלָּה לְיַד מְמֻנֶּה הַגָּדוֹל סַנְדְּלָפוֹן, דְּכָל פִּתְחִין וּמְפַתְּחִין דְּמָארֵי בְּיָדוֹי, וּמְעַיֵּל צְלוֹתָא דָּא לְתוֹךְ שִׁבְעָה הֵיכָלִין, וְנִקְרָאִין 'הֵיכַל קַדִּישִׁין'. וְדַי בָּזֶה, כִּי יֵשׁ עוֹד לְהַאֲרִיך בָּזֶה; מִכָּל מָקוֹם אֲנִי אוֹהֵב לְקַצֵּר.
They shower it with numerous crowns and accompany it as it ascends still higher to the awesome and tremendous fourth firmament where another appointed minister named TAM- SHAEL takes it and crowns it with wreaths made from the spices of Gan Eden. From there it ascends along with all the camps until the fifth great and awesome firmament and it is brought before the minister named GARDYEL who does battle with the guardian angels of the other nations, with the approval of the Holy One Blessed is He. When the prayer reaches that place, the appointed minister together with all his hosts and camps shudder and come out to greet it, bowing down before it. It then ascends to the awesome and tremendous sixth firmament where there are seventy ministers with an minister appointed over them named ANFYEL. This minister takes the prayer and bestows upon it seventy crowns, after which he brings it up to the seventh firmament. There it is delivered into the care of the great minister SANDLOFON who possesses the keys to all his Master’s gates. The great minister ushers the prayer into seven mansions that are known as the “Holy Palaces.” Although much more could be said on the subject, let this be sufficient, for I am in favor of brevity.
וְעַתָּה כָּל הַיָּרֵא וְחָרֵד צָרִיךְ לָשׂוּם אֶל לִבּוֹ גֹּדֶל הִתְרוֹמְמוּת וְשֶׁבַח הַתְּפִלָּה, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכַוָּנַת הַלֵּב; וְאַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר שֶׁמְּכַבֵּד אֶת בּוֹרְאוֹ בִּגְרוֹנוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְכַוָּנַת הַלֵּב, וְנוֹתֵן לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִחוּד וּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְרָכָה. וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דְּבָרִים טו, יד): "הַעֲנֵק תַּעֲנִיק מִצֹּאנְךָ, מִגָּרְנְךָ וּמִיִּקְבֶךָ. מִצֹּאנְךָ" — זֶה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לוֹמַר פָּרָשַׁת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת וּלְכַוֵּן: וּנְשַׁלְּמָה פָּרִים שְׂפָתֵינוּ. וְעוֹד: הַעֲנֵק לַה' מִגָּרְנְךָ — מִגָּרוֹן שֶׁלְּךָ בִּתְפִלָּה, שֶׁבַח וְזִמְרָה. מִיִּקְבֶךָ — הָאוֹתִיּוֹת הָאֶמְצָעִיּוֹת הֵן אוֹתִיּוֹת יב"ק, שֶׁהוּא רָאשֵׁי תֵּבוֹת יִחוּד, בְּרָכָה, קִדּוּשׁ, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּתִקּוּנֵי זֹהַר.
In light of these things, let everyone who fears God and trembles before Him take to heart the sublimity and glory of prayer and the importance of praying with concentration. Fortunate is he who honors his Creator with his voice, with love and with concentration of the heart, and who ascribes to the Holy One Blessed is He — unity, sanctity and blessing. Concerning this was it written, “You shall surely give to him from your flock, from your threshing floor and from your winepress” (Devarim 15:14). The phrase, “from your flock,” alludes to the reciting the passages of the sacrifices before the morning service. One should have mind the verse, “And let us pay for [the offerings of] bullocks with [the prayers of] our lips” (Hoshea 14:3), as one recites them. The next phrase, “from your threshing floor (garnecha),” alludes to the prayers, praises and songs that one offers up with one’s throat (garon). Finally, in the phrase, “from your winepress (miyikvecha),” the middle letters form an acronym for the words: “unification” (yichud), “blessing” (berachah) and “holiness” (kedushah), as is mentioned in Tikkunei Zohart (Zohar Chadash 130a).
עַל כֵּן יִרְאֶה הָאָדָם לִהְיוֹת נְקִי כַּפַּיִם מִגֶּזֶל וּמִגְּנֵבוֹת, וְלִהְיוֹת יָדָיו נְקִיִּם מֵהַשָּׁגַת גְּבוּל, וּבַר לָלֵב שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן שֶׁלּוֹ בֶּאֱמוּנָה, וּתְפִלָּתוֹ תִּהְיֶה בְּכַוָּנָה כְּפִי הַשָּׂגָתוֹ, אֲזַי יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִינוּ וְהֶגְיוֹן לְבָבֵנוּ. עָלָיו נֶאֱמַר (תְּהִלִּים קלד, ב): "שְׂאוּ יְדֵיכֶם קֹדֶשׁ וּבָרְכוּ אֶת ה'", אָמֵן.
Therefore let a person ensure that his hands are clean of theft, fraud and infringement, and that his heart is pure through always dealing in good faith. And let him pray with concentration, according to his level of understanding. Then the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart will be acceptable, as it is written, “Lift up your hands in holiness and bless Hashem!” (Tehillim 134:2). Amein.