We Must Serve God Wholeheartedly / Only the Tzaddik May Study the Sciences / Faith and Prayer are One The principal thing in life is to serve God wholeheartedly, without any cleverness. According to some philosophers, the core of being, the nature of the World to Come itself, consists of the knowledge of everything as it is. They therefore dedicate their lives to reaching that deep understanding. If the philosophers were correct, then only a tiny minority of human beings — the elite intellectuals — could attain ultimate reward and truth. But the truth is that we attain the goal of our existence when we possess faith and perform God’s commandments with absolute simplicity. Then we attain a state beyond the vision of any human eye. Besides that, one may not engage in philosophy or study the secular sciences. This is because each of the seven wisdoms possesses its own stumbling block that can make a person fall. That stumbling block is in the realm of Amalek, who was a philosopher who denied all matters of faith. (In this context, the heretical philosophers interpret everything in the Torah non-literally, entirely denying its simple meaning.) Only the great Tzaddik may enter into that realm and learn the seven wisdoms. Anyone else who enters into the realm of those wisdoms can fall. But the Tzaddik remains faithful. Faith is of a piece with prayer. This is because a person’s prayer changes nature. Since the secular sciences define reality as being bounded by the laws of nature, prayer eradicates those sciences. Our goal must be for our prayer to be absorbed into God’s Oneness. Then our prayer and God will be one, as it were. Serving God Without Philosophical Inquiry You Who support wholehearted people, please save us. You Who are eternally mighty, please grant us success. You Who are perfect in Your deeds, answer us on the day that we call. You Who act with simplicity with wholehearted people, make it possible for me to truly serve You wholeheartedly and with absolute simplicity, without any cleverness at all.
Have compassion on me and on all Jews. In Your mighty kindness, help us truly attain wholeheartedness, the ways of ultimately true simplicity that are known to You, in accordance with Your good will and the will of Your truly God-fearing and wholehearted Tzaddikim.
Master of the world, Master of the entire universe, I know and believe with complete faith that even where I am now, there is a path and straight counsel in the ways of wholeheartedness and simplicity — so that I, too, may emerge from where I need to emerge and truly return to You with a full heart.
I do not know of any path or counsel to become wholehearted, except to cry out to You constantly with whatever words come into my mouth, because “whoever is in trouble is not exacting [about what words he expresses].”
Perhaps I will appease You. Perhaps I will arouse such compassion in You that I, even I, will return to You with complete repentance, in truth and perfect wholeheartedness, in accordance with Your good will.
From this moment on, may I attain rest and quiet. May I control my mind so that I will no longer engage in any foreign thoughts — whether philosophical inquiry, crookedness in the heart, or any type of alien thinking and evil desire.
You Who are filled with compassion, my eyes are always turned to You so that I may attain this. “My eyes are always turned to HaShem, for He will extricate my feet from the net.”
I have hoped in You, HaShem. I have waited for You, HaShem. HaShem, may I still hope? Perhaps You will have pity, perhaps You will have compassion. Do what is good in Your eyes. Behold, as clay in the hand of the potter, so am I in Your hands, Master of compassion, Master of salvations, You Who are good and do good to all.
There is no limit to Your goodness. There is no end to Your graciousness. There is no way of evaluating Your ways of lovingkindness and the wonders that You perform in every generation with the Jewish people and with each and every individual, down to the smallest detail.
In Your abundance, grant me underserved lovingkindness so that I will truly return to You and come close to You wholeheartedly, with absolute simplicity, without any cleverness at all.
Have compassion on us, on our children, and on all of the children of Your nation, the House of Israel. Guard us and rescue us from all sorts of philosophical inquiry and foreign sophistication.
May we not gaze, glance or look at any book — even one that was composed by Jews — that is based on philosophical approaches which are in keeping with the ideas and logic of external wisdoms derived from and originating with non-Jews, which do not conform with the holy religion of Israel and are not the portion of Jacob.
Keep our feet from being bruised, Heaven forbid, by their stumbling blocks, which exist in all of the seven wisdoms. All of these contain the “husk” and pollution of Amalek, which is the stumbling block within all wisdoms.
Because of that stumbling block, all those who enter those wisdoms stumble and fall, until they deny God and come to complete heresy, may the Compassionate One protect us, may the Compassionate One rescue us from them and their multitudes.
Rescue us, please, our Father in Heaven. Help us, save us and assist us in the merit of Moses and in the merit of all of the true Tzaddikim who waged war against Amalek, so that we may receive power from them and be rescued from the “husk” of Amalek, which is philosophy and external wisdoms.
Arouse the hearts of the true Tzaddikim in this generation, and the hearts of all of the Tzaddikim who are lying in the dust, so that now as well they will battle on our behalf and subdue, cast down, break and uproot the “husk” of Amalek and its troops.
Powerful Redeemer, rescue, save and extricate the remnant of Your nation, the House of Israel, from this bitter foe, this cruel, hostile enemy, this evil Haman Amalek, may his name be blotted out and his memory destroyed.
He wants to gain strength at present, Heaven forbid, in this time of the “footsteps of the Mashiach,” to inject denial and heresy into the Jewish people, Heaven forbid, by enticing them to learn outsiders’ books, sciences and languages.
Master of the world, You alone know the intensity of this trouble. You alone know that there is no one to stand up on our behalf. Therefore, may the core of Your compassion be aroused on our behalf and on behalf of Your entire nation, the House of Israel. May Your great Name stand up on our behalf at this time of trouble.
Have pity and be gracious to us. Have compassion on us and save us, for our eyes are turned to You. In Your vast compassion, grant us the ability to attain true, complete faith, wholeheartedly and simply, without any philosophical inquiries or foreign wisdoms at all.
May we truly realize the verse, “The end of the matter, when everything has been heard: Fear God and keep His commandments, for that is the entirety of a person.”
May we cast aside all external wisdoms. May we be wholehearted with You, HaShem our God, until as a result of that wholeheartedness and simplicity, we attain the true, eternal goal.
Place our portion among the true Tzaddikim for whom You hid away Your vast goodness. As the verse states, “How vast is Your goodness that You hid away for those who fear You; You have acted on behalf of those who take refuge in You from human beings.” “No eye but Yours, God, has seen what You do for the person who hopes in You.”
In Your vast compassion, help us and save us so that we will pray to You always with great, marked intent, with all our heart and soul, until our prayer will be absorbed into Your Oneness forever. As the verse states, “He is your praise and He is your God.”
Master of the world, I am so far from this that I do not know how to pray for it. However, I completely believe that by means of true faith, wholeheartedness and simplicity, we can attain this in our lifetime.
You Who are filled with compassion, “HaShem, hear my words, comprehend my thought. Take heed of the voice of my outcry, my King and my God, for it is to You that I pray.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה י"ט - עִקָּר הַתַּכְלִית לָלֶכֶת בִּתְמִימוּת וּבִפְשִׁיטוּת]
תּוֹמֵךְ תְּמִימִים הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא, תַּקִּיף לָעַד הַצְלִיחָה נָא, תָּמִים בְּמַעֲשָׂיו עֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם קָרְאֵנוּ. תָּם וּמִתַּמָּם עִם תְּמִימִים, זַכֵּנִי לַעֲבֹד אוֹתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, בִּתְמִימוּת וּבִפְשִׁיטוּת גָּמוּר בְּלִי שׁוּם חָכְמוֹת כְּלָל.
We Must Serve God Wholeheartedly / Only the Tzaddik May Study the Sciences / Faith and Prayer are One
The principal thing in life is to serve God wholeheartedly, without any cleverness.
According to some philosophers, the core of being, the nature of the World to Come itself, consists of the knowledge of everything as it is. They therefore dedicate their lives to reaching that deep understanding.
If the philosophers were correct, then only a tiny minority of human beings — the elite intellectuals — could attain ultimate reward and truth. But the truth is that we attain the goal of our existence when we possess faith and perform God’s commandments with absolute simplicity. Then we attain a state beyond the vision of any human eye.
Besides that, one may not engage in philosophy or study the secular sciences. This is because each of the seven wisdoms possesses its own stumbling block that can make a person fall. That stumbling block is in the realm of Amalek, who was a philosopher who denied all matters of faith. (In this context, the heretical philosophers interpret everything in the Torah non-literally, entirely denying its simple meaning.)
Only the great Tzaddik may enter into that realm and learn the seven wisdoms. Anyone else who enters into the realm of those wisdoms can fall. But the Tzaddik remains faithful.
Faith is of a piece with prayer. This is because a person’s prayer changes nature. Since the secular sciences define reality as being bounded by the laws of nature, prayer eradicates those sciences.
Our goal must be for our prayer to be absorbed into God’s Oneness. Then our prayer and God will be one, as it were.
Serving God Without Philosophical Inquiry
You Who support wholehearted people, please save us. You Who are eternally mighty, please grant us success. You Who are perfect in Your deeds, answer us on the day that we call. You Who act with simplicity with wholehearted people, make it possible for me to truly serve You wholeheartedly and with absolute simplicity, without any cleverness at all.
שָׁמְרֵנִי וְהַצִּילֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, מֵחֲקִירוֹת וְחָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת וְזָרוֹת.
In Your vast compassion, guard me and rescue me from philosophical inquiries and from external and foreign wisdoms.
רַחֵם עָלַי וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְזַכֵּנוּ בַּחֲסָדֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים לִתְמִימוּת בֶּאֱמֶת, כַּאֲשֶׁר אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ דַּרְכֵי הַתְּמִימוּת בֶּאֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ, כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב וְכִרְצוֹן צַדִּיקֶיךָ הַיְרֵאִים וְהַתְּמִימִים בֶּאֱמֶת:
Have compassion on me and on all Jews. In Your mighty kindness, help us truly attain wholeheartedness, the ways of ultimately true simplicity that are known to You, in accordance with Your good will and the will of Your truly God-fearing and wholehearted Tzaddikim.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, רִבּוֹנוֹ דְעַלְמָא כֹּלָּא, אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ וּמַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, שֶׁגַּם בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁאֲנִי שָׁם עַתָּה, יֵשׁ דֶּרֶךְ וְעֵצָה יְשָׁרָה בְּדַרְכֵי הַתְּמִימוּת וְהַפְּשִׁיטוּת, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לָצֵאת מִמַּה שֶׁאֲנִי צָרִיךְ לָצֵאת, וְלָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם,
Master of the world, Master of the entire universe, I know and believe with complete faith that even where I am now, there is a path and straight counsel in the ways of wholeheartedness and simplicity — so that I, too, may emerge from where I need to emerge and truly return to You with a full heart.
וְלֹא אָשׁוּב עוֹד לְכִסְלָה, וְלֹא אוֹסִיף עוֹד לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵי הַבְּהֵמוֹת שֶׁהֵם הָעֲוֹנוֹת שֶׁכְּבָר רָדַפְתִּי אַחֲרֵיהֶם הַרְבֵּה.
Sanctifying Our Thoughts
May I no longer regress to foolishness, and no longer pursue the “animals” — sins — that I have sought so strenuously.
אֲבָל בַּעֲוֹנוֹתַי הָרַבִּים, נִתְבַּלְבֵּל דַּעְתִּי וְנִטַּמְטֵם לִבִּי, עַד אֲשֶׁר קָשֶׁה לִי מְאֹד לִמְצֹא דַרְכֵי הַתְּמִימוּת,
In my sinfulness, I soiled my consciousness and closed my heart, so that now it is very hard for me to find the way to be wholehearted.
וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ עַתָּה שׁוּם דֶּרֶךְ וְעֵצָה שֶׁל תְּמִימוּת, כִּי אִם לִצְעֹק אֵלֶיךָ תָמִיד מַה שֶּׁיָּבוֹא לְתוֹךְ פִּי, כִּי מָאן דְּהוּא בְּדוֹחֲקָא לָא אִסְתַּכַּל מִידִי.
I do not know of any path or counsel to become wholehearted, except to cry out to You constantly with whatever words come into my mouth, because “whoever is in trouble is not exacting [about what words he expresses].”
אוּלַי אֶזְכֶּה לְפַיֶּסְךָ וּלְעוֹרֵר רַחֲמִים כָּאֵלֶּה אֶצְלְךָ, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה גַּם אָנֹכִי לָשׁוּב בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבִתְמִימוּת גָּמוּר כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב.
Perhaps I will appease You. Perhaps I will arouse such compassion in You that I, even I, will return to You with complete repentance, in truth and perfect wholeheartedness, in accordance with Your good will.
וְאֶזְכֶּה מֵעַתָּה לָנוּחַ וּלְהַשְׁקִיט, לִתְפֹּס מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי לִבְלִי לְהַנִּיחָהּ עוֹד לַחְשׁוֹב שׁוּם מַחְשְׁבוֹת חוּץ, הֵן מַחֲשָׁבוֹת שֶׁל חֲקִירוֹת וְעַקְמִימֻיּוֹת שֶׁבַּלֵּב, הֵן כָּל מִינֵי מַחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת וְהִרְהוּרִים וְתַאֲווֹת רָעוֹת.
From this moment on, may I attain rest and quiet. May I control my mind so that I will no longer engage in any foreign thoughts — whether philosophical inquiry, crookedness in the heart, or any type of alien thinking and evil desire.
רַק אֶזְכֶּה לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי תָמִיד בִּקְדֻשָּׁה גְּדוֹלָה, וּלְהַטּוֹתָהּ תָּמִיד אֶל נְקֻדַּת הָאֱמֶת וְהַתְּמִימוּת, בְּלִי שׁוּם חָכְמוֹת שֶׁל הָעוֹלָם כְּלָל.
Instead, may I always sanctify my thoughts and turn them to the core of truth and wholeheartedness, without any this-worldly cleverness at all.
מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, עֵינַי תְלוּיוֹת אֵלֶיךָ תָמִיד לִזְכּוֹת לָזֶה, עֵינַי תָּמִיד אֶל יְהֹוָה כִּי הוּא יוֹצִיא מֵרֶשֶׁת רַגְלָי.
You Who are filled with compassion, my eyes are always turned to You so that I may attain this. “My eyes are always turned to HaShem, for He will extricate my feet from the net.”
לְךָ יְהֹוָה קִוִּיתִי, לְךָ יְהֹוָה חִכִּיתִי, לְךָ יְהֹוָה אֲיַחֵל. אוּלַי יָחוֹס, אוּלַי יְרַחֵם, וְהַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ עֲשֵׂה עִמִּי, כִּי הִנֵּה כַּחֹמֶר בְּיַד הַיּוֹצֵר, כֵּן אֲנִי בְּיָדְךָ בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים בַּעַל הַיְשׁוּעוֹת, הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב לַכֹּל.
I have hoped in You, HaShem. I have waited for You, HaShem. HaShem, may I still hope? Perhaps You will have pity, perhaps You will have compassion. Do what is good in Your eyes. Behold, as clay in the hand of the potter, so am I in Your hands, Master of compassion, Master of salvations, You Who are good and do good to all.
כִּי אֵין קִצְבָה לְטוֹבוֹתֶיךָ וְאֵין קֵץ לַחֲנִינוֹתֶיךָ, וְאֵין לְשַׁעֵר דַּרְכֵי חֲסָדֶיךָ וְנִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר עִם כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעִם כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בִּפְרָטֵי פְּרָטִיּוּת.
There is no limit to Your goodness. There is no end to Your graciousness. There is no way of evaluating Your ways of lovingkindness and the wonders that You perform in every generation with the Jewish people and with each and every individual, down to the smallest detail.
עֲשֵׂה עִמִּי חֶסֶד חִנָּם מִמַּה שֶּׁלֹּא יֶחְסַר עִמָּךְ, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּלְהִתְקָרֵב אֵלֶיךָ בִּתְמִימוּת וּבִפְשִׁיטוּת גָּמוּר בְּלִי שׁוּם חָכְמוֹת כְּלָל:
In Your abundance, grant me underserved lovingkindness so that I will truly return to You and come close to You wholeheartedly, with absolute simplicity, without any cleverness at all.
וְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל זַרְעֵנוּ וְעַל כָּל זֶרַע עַמְּךָ בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְתִשְׁמֹר וְתַצִּיל אוֹתָנוּ מִכָּל מִינֵי חֲקִירוֹת וְחָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת,
Have compassion on us, on our children, and on all of the children of Your nation, the House of Israel. Guard us and rescue us from all sorts of philosophical inquiry and foreign sophistication.
וְלֹא נָשִׂים עַיִן וְלֹא נַבִּיט וְלֹא נִסְתַּכֵּל כְּלָל בְּשׁוּם סֵפֶר הַמְיֻסָּד עַל פִּי דַרְכֵי הַמְחַקְרִים, אֲפִלּוּ בִּסְפָרִים שֶׁחִבְּרוּ קְצָת מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל פִּי הַהַקְדָּמוֹת וְהַסְּבָרוֹת שֶׁל חָכְמוֹת הַחִיצוֹנִיּוֹת שֶׁנִּמְשָׁכִין וּבָאִין מֵהָעַכּוּ"ם, אֲשֶׁר לֹא נִכְנְסוּ בְּדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ, כִּי לֹא בְאֵלֶּה חֵלֶק יַעֲקֹב.
May we not gaze, glance or look at any book — even one that was composed by Jews — that is based on philosophical approaches which are in keeping with the ideas and logic of external wisdoms derived from and originating with non-Jews, which do not conform with the holy religion of Israel and are not the portion of Jacob.
שְׁמֹר רַגְלֵנוּ מִלִּנָּגֵף חַס וְשָׁלוֹם בְּאַבְנֵי נֶגֶף שֶׁלָּהֶם, הַמֻּנָּחִים בְּכָל חָכְמוֹתֵיהֶם הַכְּלוּלִים בְּשֶׁבַע חָכְמוֹת, אֲשֶׁר בְּכֻלָּם מֻנָּח קְלִפַּת וְזֻהֲמַת עֲמָלֵק, שֶׁהוּא הָאֶבֶן נֶגֶף שֶׁבְּכָל הַחָכְמוֹת,
Keep our feet from being bruised, Heaven forbid, by their stumbling blocks, which exist in all of the seven wisdoms. All of these contain the “husk” and pollution of Amalek, which is the stumbling block within all wisdoms.
אֲשֶׁר עַל יָדוֹ נִכְשָׁלִים וְנוֹפְלִים כָּל הַנִּכְנָסִין בָּהֶם, וְיוֹצְאִין מֵעוֹלָמָם, וּבָאִין לִידֵי כְּפִירוֹת וְאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת גָּמוּר רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן, רַחֲמָנָא לִישֵׁזְבָן מֵהֶם וּמֵהֲמוֹנָם.
Because of that stumbling block, all those who enter those wisdoms stumble and fall, until they deny God and come to complete heresy, may the Compassionate One protect us, may the Compassionate One rescue us from them and their multitudes.
הַצִּילֵנוּ נָא אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, עָזְרֵנוּ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ וְזַכֵּנוּ בִּזְכוּת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ וּבִזְכוּת כָּל הַצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁלָּחֲמוּ מִלְחֶמֶת עֲמָלֵק, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְקַבֵּל כֹּחַ מֵהֶם, לְהִנָּצֵל גַּם עַתָּה מִקְלִפַּת עֲמָלֵק, שֶׁהוּא פִּילוֹסוֹפְיָא וְחָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת.
Rescue us, please, our Father in Heaven. Help us, save us and assist us in the merit of Moses and in the merit of all of the true Tzaddikim who waged war against Amalek, so that we may receive power from them and be rescued from the “husk” of Amalek, which is philosophy and external wisdoms.
וּתְעוֹרֵר לֵב צַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת שֶׁבַּדּוֹר הַזֶּה, וְכָל הַצַּדִּיקִים שׁוֹכְנֵי עָפָר, שֶׁיִּלָּחֲמוּ גַּם עַתָּה בַּעֲדֵנוּ, וְיַכְנִיעוּ וְיַשְׁפִּילוּ וִישַׁבְּרוּ וְיַעַקְרוּ אֶת קְלִפַּת עֲמָלֵק וְחֵילוֹתָיו,
Arouse the hearts of the true Tzaddikim in this generation, and the hearts of all of the Tzaddikim who are lying in the dust, so that now as well they will battle on our behalf and subdue, cast down, break and uproot the “husk” of Amalek and its troops.
לְבַל יִהְיֶה לָהֶם שׁוּם כֹּחַ לְהַכְנִיס חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, דַּרְכֵיהֶם וְדֵעוֹתֵיהֶם הָרָעוֹת וְהַמָּרוֹת בְּלֵב עַמְּךָ בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל.
May these have no power to inject their evil and bitter ways and perspectives into the hearts of Your nation, the House of Israel, Heaven forbid.
גּוֹאֵל חָזָק, הַצֵּל וּמַלֵּט וּפַלֵּט אֶת שְׁאֵרִית עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵהַצַּר הַמַּר וְהַצּוֹרֵר הַזֶּה, מֵהָאוֹיֵב הָאַכְזָר הַזֶּה, הוּא אִישׁ צַר וְאוֹיֵב הָמָן עֲמָלֵק הָרָע הַזֶּה, יִמַּח שְׁמוֹ וְנִמַּח זִכְרוֹ,
Powerful Redeemer, rescue, save and extricate the remnant of Your nation, the House of Israel, from this bitter foe, this cruel, hostile enemy, this evil Haman Amalek, may his name be blotted out and his memory destroyed.
שֶׁהוּא הַקְּלִפָּה וְהַזֻּהֲמָה שֶׁמַּכְנֶסֶת בָּעוֹלָם חָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת וְאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת וַחֲקִירוֹת כְּנֶגֶד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ,
He is the “husk” and pollution that injects external wisdoms, heresy and atheistic philosophical inquiries into the world.
שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַתָּה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם בְּעִקְבוֹת מְשִׁיחָא, לְהַכְנִיס גַּם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּפִירוֹת וְאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיכִין אוֹתָם לִלְמֹד סִפְרֵיהֶם וְחָכְמוֹתֵיהֶם וּלְשׁוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם.
He wants to gain strength at present, Heaven forbid, in this time of the “footsteps of the Mashiach,” to inject denial and heresy into the Jewish people, Heaven forbid, by enticing them to learn outsiders’ books, sciences and languages.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אַתָּה לְבַד יָדַעְתָּ אֶת עֹצֶם הַצָּרָה הַזֹּאת, אַתָּה לְבַד יָדַעְתָּ כִּי אֵין מִי שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד בַּעֲדֵינוּ. עַל כֵּן יֶהֱמוּ מֵעֶיךָ וְרַחֲמֶיךָ עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל יַעֲמָד לָנוּ בְּעֵת צָרָה.
Master of the world, You alone know the intensity of this trouble. You alone know that there is no one to stand up on our behalf. Therefore, may the core of Your compassion be aroused on our behalf and on behalf of Your entire nation, the House of Israel. May Your great Name stand up on our behalf at this time of trouble.
חוּס וְחָנֵּנוּ וְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ כִּי אֵלֶיךָ עֵינֵינוּ. וְזַכֵּנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, לֶאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה בֶּאֱמֶת בִּתְמִימוּת וּבִפְשִׁיטוּת בְּלִי שׁוּם חֲקִירוֹת וְחָכְמוֹת זָרוֹת כְּלָל,
Have pity and be gracious to us. Have compassion on us and save us, for our eyes are turned to You. In Your vast compassion, grant us the ability to attain true, complete faith, wholeheartedly and simply, without any philosophical inquiries or foreign wisdoms at all.
רַק נִזְכֶּה לַעֲבוֹד אוֹתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת לְקַיֵּם מִצְוֹתֶיךָ וְלַעֲסֹק בְּתוֹרָתְךָ בְּעוּבְדָּא וּבְמִלּוּלָא, בִּתְמִימוּת וּבִפְשִׁיטוּת כָּל יָמֵינוּ לְעוֹלָם.
May we truly serve You, keep Your mitzvot and learn Your Torah in deed and word, wholeheartedly and simply, all of our days, forever.
וְנִזְכֶּה לְקַיֵּם בֶּאֱמֶת מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, סוֹף דָּבָר הַכֹּל נִשְׁמָע, אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים יְרָא וְאֶת מִצְוֹתָיו שְׁמוֹר, כִּי זֶה כָּל הָאָדָם.
May we truly realize the verse, “The end of the matter, when everything has been heard: Fear God and keep His commandments, for that is the entirety of a person.”
וְנַשְׁלִיךְ כָּל הַחָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת אַחֲרֵי גֵּוֵנוּ, וְנִזְכֶּה לִהְיוֹת תְּמִימִים עִם יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, עַד אֲשֶׁר נִזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי הַתְּמִימוּת וְהַפְּשִׁיטוּת לְהַשִּׂיג אֶת הַתַּכְלִית הָאֲמִתִּי, תַּכְלִית הַנִּצְחִי,
May we cast aside all external wisdoms. May we be wholehearted with You, HaShem our God, until as a result of that wholeheartedness and simplicity, we attain the true, eternal goal.
וְתָשִׂים חֶלְקֵנוּ עִם הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים, אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם צָפַנְתָּ רַב טוּבְךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, מָה רַב טוּבְךָ אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לִּירֵאֶיךָ, פָּעַלְתָּ לַחוֹסִים בָּךְ נֶגֶד בְּנֵי־אָדָם. וְנֶאֱמַר, כִּי עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ יַעֲשֶׂה לִמְחַכֵּה־לוֹ:
Place our portion among the true Tzaddikim for whom You hid away Your vast goodness. As the verse states, “How vast is Your goodness that You hid away for those who fear You; You have acted on behalf of those who take refuge in You from human beings.” “No eye but Yours, God, has seen what You do for the person who hopes in You.”
וְתַעַזְרֵנוּ וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ תָמִיד בְּכַוָּנָה גְּדוֹלָה וַעֲצוּמָה בְּכָל לֵב וָנֶפֶשׁ, עַד אֲשֶׁר נִזְכֶּה שֶׁתֻּכְלַל תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ בְּאַחְדּוּתְךָ לְעוֹלָם, כָּאָמוּר, הוּא תְהִלָּתְךָ וְהוּא אֱלֹהֶיךָ,
In Your vast compassion, help us and save us so that we will pray to You always with great, marked intent, with all our heart and soul, until our prayer will be absorbed into Your Oneness forever. As the verse states, “He is your praise and He is your God.”
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲנִי רָחוֹק מִזֶּה כָּל־כָּךְ, עַד אֲשֶׁר אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ אֵיךְ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל זֶה. אַךְ אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה וּתְמִימוּת וּפְשִׁיטוּת בֶּאֱמֶת יְכוֹלִין לִזְכּוֹת גַּם לָזֶה בַּחַיִּים חַיּוּתֵנוּ.
Master of the world, I am so far from this that I do not know how to pray for it. However, I completely believe that by means of true faith, wholeheartedness and simplicity, we can attain this in our lifetime.
מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, אֲמָרַי הַאֲזִינָה יְהֹוָה בִּינָה הֲגִיגִי. הַקְשִׁיבָה לְקוֹל שַׁוְעִי מַלְכִּי וֵאלֹהָי כִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֶתְפַּלָּל.
You Who are filled with compassion, “HaShem, hear my words, comprehend my thought. Take heed of the voice of my outcry, my King and my God, for it is to You that I pray.”
הוֹשִׁיעָה, אֲדוֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ, אָנָּא יְהֹוָה הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא. אָנָּא יְהֹוָה הַצְלִיחָה נָא. אָנָּא יְהֹוָה עֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם קָרְאֵנוּ.
Save me, my Lord and King. Please, HaShem, save me. Please, HaShem, give me success. Please, HaShem, answer us on the day that we call.
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי־פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי:
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing before You, HaShem, my Rock and my Redeemer.”