Regardless of the depth of our spiritual exile, Torah study has the power to elevate us to ever higher levels of Teshuvah and connection with God, but only when we study the Torah for its own sake — “to learn, teach, observe and perform” the will of God, and to give God pleasure. Some of the strongest opposition to the true Tzaddikim comes from Torah scholars who study for motives of self-aggrandizement. However, the true Tzaddik has the power to lift up the “fallen Torah” of such scholars and restore it to its holy source. The entire Oral Torah — the Mishnah, Gemara, Midrashim, Halakhah, Kabbalah, Chassidut, etc. — was revealed and transmitted by generations of Tzaddikim. Through intense study for its own sake, we can bind our soul to that of the departed Tanna (Mishnaic teacher) or Tzaddik who originally revealed the teaching we are studying. The intimate spiritual communion that comes from mouthing of the words of the Tzaddik's teachings is called “kissing.” HaShem! How can I approach You after all the love and kindness You have shown me?
HaShem: Arouse Your love for me. Just as You had mercy on us and lovingly gave us Your holy Torah — that hidden treasure, that daily joy — so now help me and bring me to constantly immerse myself in Torah study for its own sake.
Let me pay no attention whatsoever to the vanities of this world. Let my only desire be for Your Torah. Let me meditate on Your Torah day and night. Let me conduct all my studies in holiness and purity, and let my only motive be to study for the sake of Your great and holy Name, and to cause You delight.
Bring me to study, teach, guard, practice and fulfil all the teachings of Your Torah in love. Let the light of the holy Torah shine upon me. Let my study and contemplation of the Torah take me from darkness to light, and bring me to repent and come to perfect Teshuvah. As our Rabbis said: “The radiance of the Torah has the power to bring people back to good.”
Please, HaShem: Let my Torah study be an elixir of life. Let my learning bring me back to You in genuine, perfect Teshuvah. Let it restore my youth like the eagle, and give me back the times I have spent in such intense darkness.
From now on, let the merit and power of the holy Torah shield me and protect me from every kind of sin and transgression and from all wrong-doing, both when I am actually engaged in my studies and at times when I have to interrupt them. Let the merit and power of the Torah give me constant protection and save me from every kind of sin and wrong-doing, just as You have informed us through Your holy sages, who said that “The Torah shields and protects both while one is engaged in it and at times when one is not.”
Let my Torah study bring a flow of holiness and purity into me, and from now on let me sanctify and purify myself the way You want me to — for my own good.
Please, God of love: Have pity on me and on all Your people Israel. We have fallen very low at this time, and we have no-one to help or support us. “The enemy hand is ever stronger, and there is no one to lead us and save us.” We have nothing to vitalize and uplift our downtrodden souls except the study of Your Torah, whose holiness, purity and perfection enlightens all eyes and restores the soul.
You have promised us in the Torah that even at this time, at the end of days, despite the intensity of the “concealment within the concealment” — when the very fact of God's concealment is itself hidden from us — even then, the Torah will not be forgotten: it will not cease to be heard from our mouths and the mouths of our children and descendants.
It is written: “I will surely hide my face from them” — a concealment within a concealment — “...and this song” — the Torah — “will give testimony before the People as a witness, for it will not be forgotten from the mouth of their descendants.”
Well, the first part of the prophecy — “I will surely hide” — has already come true: You have hidden Yourself from us behind countless veils upon veils, as You know, HaShem.
Arouse Your great love for us and have mercy on us. Do not hide Your face from us any more. Turn to us. Be kind to us and shine Your face upon us. Fulfil Your holy promise to us that “this song” — the Torah — “will give testimony before the People as a witness, for it will not be forgotten from the mouth of their descendants” — it will not cease to be heard on our lips!
Loving God: Help us learn and meditate on Your holy Torah constantly, day and night, in holiness and purity — both us, our children and our children's children, and don't let us ever forget the Torah. Don't let the Torah ever cease to be heard on our mouths or the mouths of our descendants.
Let the prophecy of Isaiah be fulfilled in us: “And as for Me, this is My Covenant with them, says HaShem: My spirit which is upon You and My words which I have put in Your mouth will not depart from Your mouth or the mouth of Your children and Your children's children, says HaShem, from now and for ever.”
Through our study of the holy Torah, help us come back to You in sincere Teshuvah and repent for all our many sins and transgressions and rebellions. From now on, let us carry out everything the Torah teaches in love.
Arouse Your love for me. Shine Your holy spirit upon me. Bring me to learn Torah — both the Written and the Oral Torah — with such holy intensity that when I am studying, I will have the power to connect my soul with the soul of the Tzaddik who first revealed the teaching or law I am learning. Help me come to the level of spiritual communion that is referred to as “kissing.” Let me attach my soul to the soul of the Tzaddik with such intimacy that it will be as if I am “kissing” the Tzaddik or the Tanna who first revealed this teaching.
May my study give the Tzaddik or the Tanna profound pleasure. Let me cause the Tanna or Tzaddik supreme delight by studying his words in extreme holiness, so that even there in the grave his very lips will be gently whispering. And by studying the Torah in great holiness and purity, let me lift the Shekhinah up from the dust and out of exile.
Please HaShem, loving God: Our spirit is so crushed. Have pity on us. Protect me and my children, my descendants and those of all Your people, the House of Israel. Keep me well away from those who have gone astray from the true path. Compassionate God: Don't ever let my Torah study turn into a fatal poison, God forbid. Don't allow the least hint of opposition to the true Tzaddikim ever come into my heart as a result of anything I study. Don't let me ever study for my own self-aggrandizement or in order to chide, especially when studying the Oral Torah — the Gemara and its commentaries, and the Law Codes.
HaShem, God of love: Save me from even the least hint of pride or arrogance. Don't let me ever be sly and over-clever in any way. Let me never harbor doubts or questions in my heart about the true Tzaddikim of the generation, and certainly never let a single insolent word against them leave my mouth. Let me never insult their honor in any way, God forbid.
On the contrary, let my studies bring me to a close bond of connection with the true Tzaddikim. Let me accept their authority, believe in them, and subordinate myself to them. Let me embrace the dust of their feet and drink their holy words thirstily all the days of my life — and so too my children, my children's children, and those of all Your people, the House of Israel, from now on and for ever.
Let me come close and bind myself to the outstandingly great, true Tzaddikim who have the power to bring all the twisted words of slander spoken against the true Tzaddikim back to their holy source and to use them to reconstruct the original Torah laws from which these evil words of the enemies of the truth developed. For they used their study of the Oral Torah to twist the words of the living God, so as to give themselves an opening to speak out insolently and contemptuously against the Tzaddik.
Loving God: Through the power of the true Tzaddikim, let me become genuinely sanctified and purified until I too can attain this wisdom and know how to sift through these twisted words, and transform and elevate them back to their holy root, so as to turn them into genuine Torah laws.
Help me lift up the Shechinah from her exile and bring her to rejoin her Beloved in love, brotherhood and friendship, “embracing,” “kissing” and perfectly unified. Help me humble and break all those who have set themselves in opposition to the truth, and let me take their prey from their mouths. Put truth and faith into their hearts, and let them realize the truth. Let them come back to You genuinely and whole-heartedly.
Reveal the truth and spread it throughout the world, and fulfil the verse in the Psalms: “Truth will blossom forth from the earth, and justice will be seen from the heavens.” Let peace reign among all the members of Your people Israel for ever.
Let me serve You happily at all times. Help me be one of those people who bear insults without returning them, who do not answer even when they hear themselves abused, who act out of love and rejoice in their suffering.
Grant us all holy wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Let us come to learn the Holy Torah for its own sake at all times and return to You truly and sincerely. Let abundant blessings flow down to us from the source of blessings, and let us do Your will in truth all the days of our lives — we, our children, our descendants, and all Your people the House of Israel, from now and for ever. Amen. Selah.
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה יב - תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד]
בַּמֶּה נְקַדֵּם יְהֹוָה כְּעַל כֹּל אֲשֶׁר גְּמָלָנוּ בְּרַחֲמָיו וְרוֹב חֲסָדָיו,
Regardless of the depth of our spiritual exile, Torah study has the power to elevate us to ever higher levels of Teshuvah and connection with God, but only when we study the Torah for its own sake — “to learn, teach, observe and perform” the will of God, and to give God pleasure. Some of the strongest opposition to the true Tzaddikim comes from Torah scholars who study for motives of self-aggrandizement. However, the true Tzaddik has the power to lift up the “fallen Torah” of such scholars and restore it to its holy source.
The entire Oral Torah — the Mishnah, Gemara, Midrashim, Halakhah, Kabbalah, Chassidut, etc. — was revealed and transmitted by generations of Tzaddikim. Through intense study for its own sake, we can bind our soul to that of the departed Tanna (Mishnaic teacher) or Tzaddik who originally revealed the teaching we are studying. The intimate spiritual communion that comes from mouthing of the words of the Tzaddik's teachings is called “kissing.”
HaShem! How can I approach You after all the love and kindness You have shown me?
אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָנוּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטַע בְּתוֹכֵנוּ.
You have given us the Torah of truth and planted eternal life among us. The kindness You have shown us is for all eternity.
וְעַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֲשֶׁר חֲסָדֶיךָ מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם עָלֵינוּ, יֶהֱמוּ מֵעֶיךָ עָלֵינוּ. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁחָמַלְתָּ עָלֵינוּ, וְנָתַתָּ לָנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים תּוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, חֶמְדָּה גְנוּזָה שַׁעֲשׁוּעַ יוֹם יוֹם כֵּן תְּזַכֵּנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, וּתְחָנֵּנוּ בַּחֲסָדֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים, וְתִהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרֵנוּ שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה כֻּלָּנוּ לִלְמֹד וְלַעֲסֹק בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה לִשְׁמָהּ תָּמִיד,
HaShem: Arouse Your love for me. Just as You had mercy on us and lovingly gave us Your holy Torah — that hidden treasure, that daily joy — so now help me and bring me to constantly immerse myself in Torah study for its own sake.
וְנַהֲפוֹךְ פָּנֵינוּ מֵהֶבְלֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה לְגַמְרֵי, כִּי אִם בְּתוֹרַת יְהֹוָה תִּהְיֶה חֶפְצֵנוּ, וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ נֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה וְכָל לִמּוּדֵנוּ יִהְיֶה בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה, וְכָל כַּוָּנָתֵנוּ תִהְיֶה רַק בִּשְׁבִיל שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בֶּאֱמֶת, לַעֲשׂוֹת נַחַת רוּחַ לְפָנֶיךָ בְּלִמּוּדֵנוּ.
Let me pay no attention whatsoever to the vanities of this world. Let my only desire be for Your Torah. Let me meditate on Your Torah day and night. Let me conduct all my studies in holiness and purity, and let my only motive be to study for the sake of Your great and holy Name, and to cause You delight.
וְנִזְכֶּה לִלְמֹד וּלְלַמֵּד לִשְׁמוֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת וּלְקַיֵּם אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ בְּאַהֲבָה. וְתַעַזְרֵנוּ שֶׁיָּאִיר לָנוּ אוֹר הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לִלְמֹד וְלַהֲגוֹת בָּהּ, לְהוֹצִיאֵנוּ מֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה, לְהַחֲזִירֵנוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, הַמָּאוֹר שֶׁבָּה מַחֲזִיר לַמּוּטָב:
Bring me to study, teach, guard, practice and fulfil all the teachings of Your Torah in love. Let the light of the holy Torah shine upon me. Let my study and contemplation of the Torah take me from darkness to light, and bring me to repent and come to perfect Teshuvah. As our Rabbis said: “The radiance of the Torah has the power to bring people back to good.”
אָנָּא יְהֹוָה, עָזְרֵנוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נַעֲשָׂה אֶצְלֵנוּ מִלִּמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה סַם חַיִּים, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה עַל יְדֵי לִמּוּדֵנוּ לַחֲזוֹר בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, וּלְחַדֵּשׁ כַּנֶּשֶׁר נְעוּרֵנוּ, לְחַדֵּשׁ יָמֵינוּ שֶׁעָבְרוּ בְּחֹשֶׁךְ גָּדוֹל.
Please, HaShem: Let my Torah study be an elixir of life. Let my learning bring me back to You in genuine, perfect Teshuvah. Let it restore my youth like the eagle, and give me back the times I have spent in such intense darkness.
וּזְכוּת וְכֹחַ הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה יָגֵן עָלֵינוּ, לְהַצִּילֵנוּ מֵעַתָּה מִכָּל מִינֵי חַטָּאִים וַעֲוֹנוֹת וּפְשָׁעִים, וּמִכָּל מִינֵי פְּגָמִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם בֵּין בְּעֵת שֶׁנַּעֲסוֹק בָּהּ, וּבֵין בְּעֵת שֶׁאָנוּ מֻכְרָחִים שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲסֹק בָּהּ, תָּמִיד יָגֵן עָלֵינוּ זְכוּת וְכֹחַ הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, לְהַצִּילֵנוּ מִכָּל מִינֵי חַטָּאִים וּפְגָמִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוֹדַעְתָּ לָנוּ עַל יְדֵי חֲכָמֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁאָמְרוּ, אוֹרַיְתָא מַגְנָא וּמַצְלָא בֵּין בְּעִדָּנָא דְעָסִיק בָּהּ וּבֵין בְּעִדָּנָא דְלָא עָסִיק בָּהּ.
From now on, let the merit and power of the holy Torah shield me and protect me from every kind of sin and transgression and from all wrong-doing, both when I am actually engaged in my studies and at times when I have to interrupt them. Let the merit and power of the Torah give me constant protection and save me from every kind of sin and wrong-doing, just as You have informed us through Your holy sages, who said that “The Torah shields and protects both while one is engaged in it and at times when one is not.”
וְנִזְכֶּה שֶׁיֻּמְשַׁךְ עָלֵינוּ קְדֻשָּׁה וְטָהֳרָה עַל יְדֵי לִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה מֵעַתָּה לְקַדֵּשׁ וּלְטַהֵר עַצְמֵנוּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה גְּדוֹלָה כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב:
Let my Torah study bring a flow of holiness and purity into me, and from now on let me sanctify and purify myself the way You want me to — for my own good.
אָנָּא יְהֹוָה, רַחֲמָן מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, חֲמֹל עָלַי וְעַל כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעֵת הַזֹּאת, אֲשֶׁר יָרַדְנוּ מְאֹד בְּאֵין עוֹזֵר וְסוֹמֵךְ, וּרְאֵה כִּי אָזְלַת יָד וְאֶפֶס עָצוּר וְעָזוּב. וְאֵין לָנוּ שׁוּם חַיּוּת וּמְשִׁיבַת נֶפֶשׁ לְהַחֲיוֹת נַפְשׁוֹתֵינוּ הָאֻמְלָלוֹת מְאֹד, כִּי אִם עַל יְדֵי לִמּוּד תּוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה וְהַטְּהוֹרָה וְהַתְּמִימָה, הַמְּאִירַת עֵינַיִם וּמְשִׁיבַת נָפֶשׁ,
Please, God of love: Have pity on me and on all Your people Israel. We have fallen very low at this time, and we have no-one to help or support us. “The enemy hand is ever stronger, and there is no one to lead us and save us.” We have nothing to vitalize and uplift our downtrodden souls except the study of Your Torah, whose holiness, purity and perfection enlightens all eyes and restores the soul.
כַּאֲשֶׁר הִבְטַחְתָּ לָנוּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה אֲשֶׁר גַּם בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה, בְּתוֹקֶף הַהַסְתָּרָה שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַסְתָּרָה, גַּם אָז לֹא תִשָּׁכַח הַתּוֹרָה מִפִּינוּ וּמִפִּי זַרְעֵינוּ,
You have promised us in the Torah that even at this time, at the end of days, despite the intensity of the “concealment within the concealment” — when the very fact of God's concealment is itself hidden from us — even then, the Torah will not be forgotten: it will not cease to be heard from our mouths and the mouths of our children and descendants.
כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְאָנֹכִי הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר פָּנַי מֵהֶם וְכו' וְעָנְתָה הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְפָנָיו לְעֵד כִּי לֹא תִשָּׁכַח מִפִּי זַרְעוֹ.
It is written: “I will surely hide my face from them” — a concealment within a concealment — “...and this song” — the Torah — “will give testimony before the People as a witness, for it will not be forgotten from the mouth of their descendants.”
וְהִנֵּה עַתָּה בַּעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים, כְּבָר נִתְקַיֶּם בָּנוּ, וְאָנֹכִי הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר, כִּי נִסְתַּרְתָּ מִמֶּנּוּ מְאֹד מְאֹד בְּהַסְתָּרָה שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַסְתָּרָה בַּאֲלָפִים וּרְבָבוֹת הַסְתָּרוֹת, כַּאֲשֶׁר אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ.
Well, the first part of the prophecy — “I will surely hide” — has already come true: You have hidden Yourself from us behind countless veils upon veils, as You know, HaShem.
וּבְכֵן יֵעוֹרְרוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים עָלֵינוּ וְאַל תּוֹסִיף לְהַסְתִּיר פָּנֶיךָ עוֹד מִמֶּנּוּ, פְּנֵה אֵלֵינוּ וְחָנֵּנוּ וְהָאֵר פָּנֶיךָ בָּנוּ, וְקַיֵּם לָנוּ הַבְטָחָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה שֶׁהִבְטַחְתָּ לָנוּ, וְעָנְתָה הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְפָנָיו לְעֵד כִּי לֹא תִשָּׁכַח מִפִּי זַרְעוֹ.
Arouse Your great love for us and have mercy on us. Do not hide Your face from us any more. Turn to us. Be kind to us and shine Your face upon us. Fulfil Your holy promise to us that “this song” — the Torah — “will give testimony before the People as a witness, for it will not be forgotten from the mouth of their descendants” — it will not cease to be heard on our lips!
וְעָזְרֵנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לִלְמֹד וְלַהֲגוֹת וּלְהַתְמִיד בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה, אֲנַחְנוּ וְצֶאֱצָאֵינוּ וְצֶאֱצָאֵי צֶאֱצָאֵינוּ, וְלֹא תִשָּׁכַח הַתּוֹרָה מִפִּינוּ וּמִפִּי זַרְעֵנוּ לְעוֹלָם.
Loving God: Help us learn and meditate on Your holy Torah constantly, day and night, in holiness and purity — both us, our children and our children's children, and don't let us ever forget the Torah. Don't let the Torah ever cease to be heard on our mouths or the mouths of our descendants.
וִיקֻיַּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וַאֲנִי זֹאת בְּרִיתִי אוֹתָם אָמַר יְהֹוָה, רוּחִי אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיךָ וּדְבָרַי אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בְּפִיךָ, לֹא יָמוּשׁוּ מִפִּיךָ וּמִפִּי זַרְעֲךָ וּמִפִּי זֶרַע זַרְעֲךָ אָמַר יְהֹוָה מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם.
Let the prophecy of Isaiah be fulfilled in us: “And as for Me, this is My Covenant with them, says HaShem: My spirit which is upon You and My words which I have put in Your mouth will not depart from Your mouth or the mouth of Your children and Your children's children, says HaShem, from now and for ever.”
וְנִזְכֶּה עַל יְדֵי לִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, וְלַחֲזוֹר בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ עַל כָּל חֲטָאֵינוּ וַעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ וּפְשָׁעֵינוּ הַמְּרֻבִּים. וְנִזְכֶּה מֵעַתָּה לְקַיֵּם אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ בְּאַהֲבָה.
Through our study of the holy Torah, help us come back to You in sincere Teshuvah and repent for all our many sins and transgressions and rebellions. From now on, let us carry out everything the Torah teaches in love.
וּתְעוֹרֵר רַחֲמֶיךָ עָלֵינוּ, וְתַשְׁפִּיעַ עָלֵינוּ קְדֻשָּׁתֶךָ. וּתְזַכֵּנוּ שֶׁנִּלְמַד בִּקְדֻשָּׁה גְּדוֹלָה תּוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְתוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה בְּעֵת הַלִּמּוּד לְקַשֵּׁר רוּחֵנוּ עִם רוּחַ הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁחִדֵּשׁ זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה וְהַהֲלָכָה שֶׁאָנוּ לוֹמְדִים אוֹתָהּ, עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לִבְחִינַת נְשִׁיקִין דִּקְדֻשָּׁה לְאַדְבָּקָא רוּחֵנוּ בְּרוּחַ הַצַּדִּיק. וְיִהְיֶה דוֹמֶה כְּאִלּוּ אָנוּ מְנַשְּׁקִין עַצְמֵנוּ עִם הַצַּדִּיק וְהַתַּנָּא שֶׁחִדֵּשׁ הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת.
Arouse Your love for me. Shine Your holy spirit upon me. Bring me to learn Torah — both the Written and the Oral Torah — with such holy intensity that when I am studying, I will have the power to connect my soul with the soul of the Tzaddik who first revealed the teaching or law I am learning. Help me come to the level of spiritual communion that is referred to as “kissing.” Let me attach my soul to the soul of the Tzaddik with such intimacy that it will be as if I am “kissing” the Tzaddik or the Tanna who first revealed this teaching.
וְנִזְכֶּה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִמּוּדֵנוּ לְנַחַת רוּחַ לְהַצַּדִּיק וְהַתַּנָּא שֶׁחִדֵּשׁ זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה וְהַהֲלָכָה שֶׁאָנוּ לוֹמְדִים אוֹתָהּ, וְנִגְרוֹם תַּעֲנוּג גָּדוֹל לְהַתַּנָּא וְהַצַּדִּיק הַזֶּה, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שִׂפְתוֹתָיו דוֹבְבוֹת בַּקֶּבֶר עַל יְדֵי לִמּוּדֵנוּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה גְּדוֹלָה אֶת דְּבָרָיו הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. וְנִזְכֶּה לְאַקָּמָא שְׁכִינְתָּא מֵעַפְרָא, לְהַעֲלוֹת הַשְּׁכִינָה מֵהַגָּלוּת עַל יְדֵי לִמּוּדֵנוּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה:
May my study give the Tzaddik or the Tanna profound pleasure. Let me cause the Tanna or Tzaddik supreme delight by studying his words in extreme holiness, so that even there in the grave his very lips will be gently whispering. And by studying the Torah in great holiness and purity, let me lift the Shekhinah up from the dust and out of exile.
אָנָּא יְהֹוָה מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, חֲמֹל עַל נַפְשׁוֹתֵינוּ הָאֻמְלָלוֹת, וְהַצֵּל אוֹתִי וְאֶת זַרְעִי וְאֶת כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְתַבְדִּילֵנוּ מִן הַתּוֹעִים מִדֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת. וְתַצִּיל אוֹתָנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה נַעֲשָׂה אֶצְלֵנוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם מִלִּמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה סַם מָוֶת, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה נִכְנַס בְּלִבֵּנוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם שׁוּם צַד הִתְנַגְּדוּת עַל צַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת עַל יְדֵי לִמּוּדֵינוּ, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לִמּוּדֵינוּ לְהִתְיָהֵר וּלְקַנְטֵר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וּבִפְרָט בְּעֵת לִמּוּדֵינוּ בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה בַּגְּמָרָא וְתוֹסָפוֹת וּפוֹסְקִים.
Please HaShem, loving God: Our spirit is so crushed. Have pity on us. Protect me and my children, my descendants and those of all Your people, the House of Israel. Keep me well away from those who have gone astray from the true path. Compassionate God: Don't ever let my Torah study turn into a fatal poison, God forbid. Don't allow the least hint of opposition to the true Tzaddikim ever come into my heart as a result of anything I study. Don't let me ever study for my own self-aggrandizement or in order to chide, especially when studying the Oral Torah — the Gemara and its commentaries, and the Law Codes.
אָנָּא יְהֹוָה, תַּצִּיל וּתְמַלֵּט אוֹתָנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, שֶׁלֹּא יִכְנֹס בְּלִבֵּנוּ שׁוּם צַד גֵּאוּת וְגַבְהוּת בָּעוֹלָם כְּלָל, וְלֹא יִכְנֹס בְּלִבֵּנוּ שׁוּם צַד עַרְמִימִיּוּת כְּלָל, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בְּלִבֵּנוּ שׁוּם הִרְהוּרִים וְקֻשְׁיוֹת עַל צַדִּיקֵי הַדּוֹר הָאֲמִתִּיִּים, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁלֹּא יֵצֵא עָתָק מִפִּינוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם לְדַבֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם שׁוּם דִּבּוּר כְּנֶגֶד כְּבוֹדָם חָלִילָה.
HaShem, God of love: Save me from even the least hint of pride or arrogance. Don't let me ever be sly and over-clever in any way. Let me never harbor doubts or questions in my heart about the true Tzaddikim of the generation, and certainly never let a single insolent word against them leave my mouth. Let me never insult their honor in any way, God forbid.
רַק אַדְרַבָּא תְּזַכֵּנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים עַל יְדֵי לִמּוּדֵינוּ, לְהִתְקַשֵּׁר וּלְהִתְקָרֵב לְצַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת לִהְיוֹת נִכְנַע אֶצְלָם, וּלְהַאֲמִין בָּם וּלְהִתְבַּטֵּל אֲלֵיהֶם, וּלְהִתְאַבֵּק בַּעֲפַר רַגְלֵיהֶם, וְלִשְׁתּוֹת בַּצָּמָא אֶת דִּבְרֵיהֶם הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּי, אֲנִי וְזַרְעִי וְזֶרַע זַרְעִי וְכָל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם,
On the contrary, let my studies bring me to a close bond of connection with the true Tzaddikim. Let me accept their authority, believe in them, and subordinate myself to them. Let me embrace the dust of their feet and drink their holy words thirstily all the days of my life — and so too my children, my children's children, and those of all Your people, the House of Israel, from now on and for ever.
וּתְזַכֵּנוּ לְהִתְקַשֵּׁר וּלְהִתְקָרֵב לְצַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת הַגְּדוֹלִים בְּמַּעֲלָה מְאֹד, אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ לָהֶם כֹּחַ לְהַעֲלוֹת וְלַהֲפוֹךְ כָּל הַדִּבּוּרִים וְהַצֵּרוּפִים רָעִים שֶׁמְּדַבְּרִים עַל הַצַּדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת לְהָפְכָם אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, וְלַעֲשׂוֹת מֵהַדִּבּוּרִים רָעִים שֶׁלָּהֶם צֵרוּפֵי הֲלָכוֹת, אֲשֶׁר מִשָּׁם נִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּ אֵלּוּ הַדִּבּוּרִים רָעִים שֶׁל הַמִּתְנַגְּדִים אֶל הָאֶמֶת, אֲשֶׁר הָפְכוּ דִבְרֵי אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים וְנַעֲשָׂה לָהֶם פֶּה לְדַבֵּר עַל הַצַּדִּיק עָתָק בְּגַאֲוָה וָבוּז עַל יְדֵי לִמּוּדָם תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה.
Let me come close and bind myself to the outstandingly great, true Tzaddikim who have the power to bring all the twisted words of slander spoken against the true Tzaddikim back to their holy source and to use them to reconstruct the original Torah laws from which these evil words of the enemies of the truth developed. For they used their study of the Oral Torah to twist the words of the living God, so as to give themselves an opening to speak out insolently and contemptuously against the Tzaddik.
וּתְזַכֶּה אוֹתָנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים עַל יְדֵי כֹּחַ הַצַּדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת, לְהִתְקַדֵּשׁ וּלְהִטָּהֵר בֶּאֱמֶת עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה גַם אֲנַחְנוּ לָבוֹא לְדַעַת זֶה, שֶׁנֵּדַע לְבָרֵר וּלְהַעֲלוֹת וְלַהֲפוֹךְ כָּל הַצֵּרוּפִים רָעִים אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, לְבָרְרָם וּלְהַעֲלוֹתָם לְשָׁרְשָׁם שֶׁבַּקְּדֻשָּׁה לַעֲשׂוֹת מֵהֶם צֵרוּפֵי הֲלָכוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת.
Loving God: Through the power of the true Tzaddikim, let me become genuinely sanctified and purified until I too can attain this wisdom and know how to sift through these twisted words, and transform and elevate them back to their holy root, so as to turn them into genuine Torah laws.
וְנִזְכֶּה לְהַעֲלוֹת הַשְּׁכִינָה מֵהַגָּלוּת וּלְחַבְּרָהּ עִם דּוֹדָהּ בְּאַהֲבָה וְאַחֲוָה וְרֵעוּת, בִּבְחִינַת חִבּוּק וְנִשּׁוּק וְזִוּוּג, וּלְהוֹצִיא בִּלְעָם מִפִּיהֶם. וְתַכְנִיעַ וּתְשַׁבֵּר וּתְבַטֵּל אֶת כָּל הַחוֹלְקִים עַל הָאֱמֶת, וְתִתֵּן בְּלִבָּם אֱמֶת וֶאֱמוּנָה שֶׁיִּתְגַּלֶּה לָהֶם הָאֱמֶת, וְיָשׁוּבוּ כֻלָּם אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם,
Help me lift up the Shechinah from her exile and bring her to rejoin her Beloved in love, brotherhood and friendship, “embracing,” “kissing” and perfectly unified. Help me humble and break all those who have set themselves in opposition to the truth, and let me take their prey from their mouths. Put truth and faith into their hearts, and let them realize the truth. Let them come back to You genuinely and whole-heartedly.
וּתְגַלֶּה וּתְפַרְסֵם אֶת הָאֱמֶת בָּעוֹלָם. וּתְקַיֵּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, אֱמֶת מֵאֶרֶץ תִּצְמָח וְצֶדֶק מִשָּׁמַיִם נִשְׁקָף. וְתָשִׂים שָׁלוֹם בֵּין כָּל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעוֹלָם.
Reveal the truth and spread it throughout the world, and fulfil the verse in the Psalms: “Truth will blossom forth from the earth, and justice will be seen from the heavens.” Let peace reign among all the members of Your people Israel for ever.
וְזַכֵּנִי לַעֲבוֹד אוֹתְךָ בְּשִׂמְחָה תָמִיד. וְעָזְרֵנִי לִהְיוֹת מִן הַנֶּעְלָבִים וְאֵינָם עוֹלְבִים, שׁוֹמְעִים חֶרְפָּתָם וְאֵינָם מְשִׁיבִים, עוֹשִׂים מֵאַהֲבָה וּשְׂמֵחִים בְּיִסּוּרִים.
Let me serve You happily at all times. Help me be one of those people who bear insults without returning them, who do not answer even when they hear themselves abused, who act out of love and rejoice in their suffering.
וְחָנֵּנוּ מֵאִתְּךָ חָכְמָה בִּינָה וָדָעַת, וְנִזְכֶּה כֻלָּנוּ לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה לִשְׁמָהּ תָּמִיד, וְנָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת. וְתַשְׁפִּיעַ עָלֵינוּ רַב בְּרָכוֹת מִמְּקוֹר הַבְּרָכוֹת. וְנִזְכֶּה לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת כָּל יְמֵי חַיֵּינוּ, אֲנַחְנוּ וְזַרְעֵינוּ וְכָל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם, אָמֵן סֶלָה:
Grant us all holy wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Let us come to learn the Holy Torah for its own sake at all times and return to You truly and sincerely. Let abundant blessings flow down to us from the source of blessings, and let us do Your will in truth all the days of our lives — we, our children, our descendants, and all Your people the House of Israel, from now and for ever. Amen. Selah.