There are times when “making a break from Torah is the way to keep the Torah” (Menachot 99). It is impossible to study and pray continuously without a break. The question is how to strike the right balance between study and devotion on the one hand and relaxation on the other without wasting time. During the period of the exile, the forces of evil and the seventy nations are “clouds covering the eyes” (Zohar III:252) — preventing the eyes of the intellect from “shining like the sun and the moon.” However in the time of Mashiach, these clouds will be removed, and it will be possible to devote ourselves to Torah and service of God constantly. Master of the Universe:
You created us in this lowly world for a good purpose. You decreed that our souls should descend from the upper world, the palace of the King, the Holy of Holies, and enter a physical body in this world. Your holy intention was for our good, to enable us to attach ourselves to You in this lowly world. Because of this, it is clearly our obligation to remain attached to You constantly without a moment's break. We should busy ourselves with Your holy Torah day and night, without the least interruption and without wasting any time. For the Torah is our source of vitality and long life. We have no vitality except when attached to You and Your holy Torah.
But HaShem, what should we do? You know that because of the gross materialism of our bodies and our long exile among the nations caused by our many sins, it is quite impossible for us to be constantly attached to You and Your holy Torah the way we should, without a break. We have no choice but to leave aside our Torah studies every so often and interrupt our exploration of Your holy wisdom for a while. Our minds are subject to such powerful distractions owing to “the clouds that cover the eyes” during this deep exile. Even the true Tzaddik is forced to take a break from his devotions and his pursuit of the higher wisdom in order to rest his mind. Otherwise the distractions would become overwhelming, and they could throw him off course and thwart him completely.
If this applies to the Tzaddik, what should I do? I am bereft of understanding and wisdom. I have no idea how to conduct myself as regards learning and resting. How can I strike the right balance between them, so that I rest only when necessary, without wasting too much time?
I have therefore come before You to ask Your help. HaShem my God and God of my fathers: guide me on the right path. Send me wisdom, understanding and knowledge from Your holy dwelling-place. Help me know how to conduct myself in regard to the teaching that “making a break from the Torah is sometimes the way to keep the Torah.” Guide me and teach me to act at all times as You would want me to for my own good. Let me do everything properly at the right time.
Let me constantly devote myself to Torah, prayer and good deeds for the sake of Your Name, day and night. Let me apply myself unremittingly and with all my energy. Help me fill every day with genuine service of God. Grant me to know when I need to rest a little. Let me never rest except when necessary. Even when I do need to take a break from Torah study, help me not to lose everything, God forbid. Grant me knowledge and understanding, and inspire me with the wisdom to be able to be inwardly attached to HaShem and to the holy Torah even at times when I am not studying.
Even when I have to interrupt my studies, let the eyes of my mind shine with the trace of the light of the wisdom of the holy Torah that still remains from when I was studying. Let my eyes shine like the sun and the moon — sometimes like the sun, as when I am attached to the higher wisdom in Your holy Torah, and sometimes like the moon, as when I am forced to take a break from the pursuit of wisdom and Torah study. Let my eyes then radiate like the sheen of the waxing moon, so that I will be able to be attached to You constantly for ever.
Help me at all times, and bring me to genuine and complete teshuvah. From now on, let me be truly attached to You the way You want, and let me spend all my days in Torah, prayer and good deeds, in holiness and purity, truth and faith, awe and love, joy and satisfaction at the abundance of everything. Loving God: help me not to waste a single hour or even a single moment of my short life. My days are few, and if not now, then when?
The time will come when You will ask me to account for every hour and every moment of every day of my life. Help me! Even when I am forced to take a break from Torah study, send me activities that are bound up with Your service and in accord with Your will, through which I can exercise my intellect and relax my mind, and still be involved in holy activities that are truly in accordance with Your will. Have pity on me, and help me live the way You want me to from now and at all times.
Arouse Your great love for us and redeem us very soon. Send us Mashiach quickly — Mashiach ben David and Mashiach ben Yosef. Let them both be joined and merged together. Let them subdue all the seventy nations and all the forces of evil and throw them down into the dust. Let their wisdom be revealed to the world. Let their fountains spread outwards, and let the earth be filled with the knowledge of HaShem as the waters cover the sea. Let every being know that You made it and every creature understand that You created it, and let all the nations repent and come to serve and fear You through the wisdom of the two Mashiachs. Fulfil the prophecy: “For then I will send the nations a pure language, so that all will call on the Name of HaShem and serve Him with one accord.”
Remove the dominion of arrogance from the earth, and speedily uproot, break, cast down, destroy and humble the forces of evil speedily in our days. Take away all the clouds covering the eyes. We will then be able to be attached to You and Your holy Torah constantly, without any interruption at all. No obstacle will have any power to distract our minds at all. We will be able to remain attached to You constantly all the days of our lives for ever, and the verse will be fulfilled: “The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun.” Speedily in our days. Amen.
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה ט"ז - ר' יוֹחָנָן מִשְׁתָּעֵי הַאי כַּוְרָא צַּדִּיק]
רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים,
There are times when “making a break from Torah is the way to keep the Torah” (Menachot 99). It is impossible to study and pray continuously without a break. The question is how to strike the right balance between study and devotion on the one hand and relaxation on the other without wasting time.
During the period of the exile, the forces of evil and the seventy nations are “clouds covering the eyes” (Zohar III:252) — preventing the eyes of the intellect from “shining like the sun and the moon.” However in the time of Mashiach, these clouds will be removed, and it will be possible to devote ourselves to Torah and service of God constantly.
Master of the Universe:
אַתָּה בָּרָאתָ אוֹתָנוּ בִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב בָּעוֹלָם הַשָּׁפָל הַזֶּה, וְגָזַרְתָּ עַל נִשְׁמָתֵנוּ שֶׁתֵּרֵד מֵעוֹלָם הָעֶלְיוֹן, מֵהֵיכָלָא דְמַלְכָּא מִקָּדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים, וְתִכְנֹס בַּגּוּף הַגַּשְׁמִי בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְכַוָּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה הָיְתָה לְטוֹבָתֵנוּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְדַבֵּק עַצְמֵנוּ בְּךָ בָּעוֹלָם הַשָּׁפָל הַזֶּה. עַל־כֵּן בְּוַדַּאי חוֹבָה עָלֵינוּ לִהְיוֹת דְּבֵקִים בְּךָ תָּמִיד בְּלִי הֶפְסֵק רֶגַע, וְלַעֲסֹק בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה, בְּלִי שׁוּם הֶפְסֵק וּבִטּוּל כְּלָל, כִּי הִיא חַיֵּינוּ וְאֹרֶךְ יָמֵינוּ, וְאֵין לָנוּ שׁוּם חַיּוּת כִּי אִם כְּשֶׁאָנוּ דְבֵקִים בְּךָ וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה,
You created us in this lowly world for a good purpose. You decreed that our souls should descend from the upper world, the palace of the King, the Holy of Holies, and enter a physical body in this world. Your holy intention was for our good, to enable us to attach ourselves to You in this lowly world. Because of this, it is clearly our obligation to remain attached to You constantly without a moment's break. We should busy ourselves with Your holy Torah day and night, without the least interruption and without wasting any time. For the Torah is our source of vitality and long life. We have no vitality except when attached to You and Your holy Torah.
אֲבָל מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה, יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, כִּי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ, כִּי מֵחֲמַת עֲכִירַת גַּשְׁמִיּוּת גוּפֵנוּ, וּמֵעֹצֶם גָּלוּתֵנוּ בֵּין הָעַכּוּ"ם בַּעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָנוּ עַכְשָׁיו בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן לִהְיוֹת תָּמִיד דְּבוּקִים בְּךָ וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה בְּלִי שׁוּם הֶפְסֵק כַּמֻּטָּל עָלֵינוּ, וּבְהֶכְרַח אָנוּ מֻכְרָחִים לִפְעָמִים לְבַטֵּל קְצָת מְעַט מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, מִלְּשׁוֹטֵט בְּחָכְמָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, כִּי מֵעֹצֶם הַבִּלְבּוּלִים הַבָּאִים עַל הַמֹּחַ עַל־יְדֵי הָעֲנָנִין דִּמְכַסְּיָין עַל עֵיְנִין, הַמִּתְגַּבְּרִים עַתָּה בְּתֹקֶף גָּלוּתֵנוּ, מֵחֲמַת זֶה, הַהֶכְרַח אֲפִלּוּ לְהַצַּדִּיק הָאֲמִתִּי, שֶׁיִּתְבַּטֵּל לִפְעָמִים מִדְּבֵקוּתוֹ וּמֵחָכְמָתוֹ הָעֶלְיוֹנָה, כְּדֵי לָתֵת נַיְחָא לְהַמּוֹחִין, שֶׁלֹּא יִתְגַּבְּרוּ הַבִּלְבּוּלִים חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לְבַלְבֵּל וּלְבַטֵּל לְגַמְרֵי.
But HaShem, what should we do? You know that because of the gross materialism of our bodies and our long exile among the nations caused by our many sins, it is quite impossible for us to be constantly attached to You and Your holy Torah the way we should, without a break. We have no choice but to leave aside our Torah studies every so often and interrupt our exploration of Your holy wisdom for a while. Our minds are subject to such powerful distractions owing to “the clouds that cover the eyes” during this deep exile. Even the true Tzaddik is forced to take a break from his devotions and his pursuit of the higher wisdom in order to rest his mind. Otherwise the distractions would become overwhelming, and they could throw him off course and thwart him completely.
וְאָנֹכִי הֶעָנִי בְּדַעַת, הָרָשׁ בְּחָכְמָה, לֹא יָדַעְתִּי נַפְשִׁי, אֵיךְ לְהִתְנַהֵג בְּעִנְיָן הַלִּמּוּד וְהַבִּטּוּל, אֵיךְ לְפַלֵּס דַּרְכִּי, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַבִּטּוּל בְּעֵת הַהֶכְרַח לְבַד בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ וּבִזְמַנּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא לְהִתְבַּטֵּל יוֹתֵר מִדָּי.
If this applies to the Tzaddik, what should I do? I am bereft of understanding and wisdom. I have no idea how to conduct myself as regards learning and resting. How can I strike the right balance between them, so that I rest only when necessary, without wasting too much time?
וּבְכֵן בָּאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ לְבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, שֶׁתְּזַכֵּנִי וְתַדְרִיכֵנִי בְּדֶרֶךְ הַנָּכוֹן וְהָאֱמֶת, וְתַשְׁפִּיעַ עָלַי מִמְּעוֹן קְדֻשָּׁתְךָ חָכְמָה בִּינָה וָדַעַת. וְתַעַזְרֵנִי שֶׁאֵדַע אֵיךְ לְהִתְנַהֵג בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, בְּעִנְיַן בִּטּוּלָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה זֶהוּ קִיּוּמָהּ. וְתַדְרִיכֵנִי וּתְלַמְּדֵנִי בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהִתְנַהֵג תָּמִיד כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב, לַעֲשׂוֹת הַכֹּל יָפֶה בְּעִתּוֹ,
I have therefore come before You to ask Your help. HaShem my God and God of my fathers: guide me on the right path. Send me wisdom, understanding and knowledge from Your holy dwelling-place. Help me know how to conduct myself in regard to the teaching that “making a break from the Torah is sometimes the way to keep the Torah.” Guide me and teach me to act at all times as You would want me to for my own good. Let me do everything properly at the right time.
לַעֲסֹק בְּתוֹרָה וּתְפִלָּה וּבְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים לְשִׁמְךָ תָּמִיד יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה בְּהַתְמָדָה גְּדוֹלָה וּבִזְרִיזוּת גְּדוֹלָה, וְאֶזְכֶּה לְהַרְבּוֹת בְּכָל יוֹם בַּעֲבוֹדַת יְהֹוָה בֶּאֱמֶת. וּתְחָנֵּנִי לָדַעַת מָתַי אֲנִי מֻכְרָח לְבַטֵּל קְצָת, וְאֶזְכֶּה שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לִי שׁוּם בִּטּוּל כִּי אִם בְּעֵת הַהֶכְרַח לְבַד. וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּעֵת שֶׁאֲנִי מֻכְרָח לְהִתְבַּטֵּל קְצָת מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, תַּעַזְרֵנִי וּתְזַכֵּנִי שֶׁלֹּא אֶתְבַּטֵּל חַס וְשָׁלוֹם לְגַמְרֵי מִכֹּל וָכֹל. רַק תְּחָנֵּנִי דֵּעָה בִּינָה וְהַשְׂכֵּל, וְתַשְׁפִּיעַ עָלַי שֵׂכֶל מֵאִתְּךָ, שֶׁאוּכַל לִהְיוֹת דָּבוּק בְּהֶעְלֵם אֶל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְאֶל הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, אֲפִלּוּ בְּעֵת בִּטּוּלָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה.
Let me constantly devote myself to Torah, prayer and good deeds for the sake of Your Name, day and night. Let me apply myself unremittingly and with all my energy. Help me fill every day with genuine service of God. Grant me to know when I need to rest a little. Let me never rest except when necessary. Even when I do need to take a break from Torah study, help me not to lose everything, God forbid. Grant me knowledge and understanding, and inspire me with the wisdom to be able to be inwardly attached to HaShem and to the holy Torah even at times when I am not studying.
וְיִהְיוּ מְאִירִין עֵינֵי שִׂכְלִי בְּעֵת הַבִּטּוּל, עַל־יְדֵי הָרְשִׁימוּ שֶׁנִּשְׁאָר מֵאוֹר הַחָכְמָה שֶׁל הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה שֶׁהָיִיתִי עוֹסֵק בָּהּ. וְיִהְיוּ עֵינַי מְאִירוֹת כַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְכַיָּרֵחַ. לִפְעָמִים כַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ, כְּשֶׁאָנוּ דְבֵקִים בַּחָכְמָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה. וְלִפְעָמִים כַּיָּרֵחַ, כְּשֶׁאָנוּ מֻכְרָחִין לְהִתְבַּטֵּל מִן הַחָכְמָה וּמֵעֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁאָז יָאִירוּ עֵינַי כְּיָרֵחַ יָקָר הוֹלֵךְ, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהִתְדַּבֵּק בְּךָ תָמִיד לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.
Even when I have to interrupt my studies, let the eyes of my mind shine with the trace of the light of the wisdom of the holy Torah that still remains from when I was studying. Let my eyes shine like the sun and the moon — sometimes like the sun, as when I am attached to the higher wisdom in Your holy Torah, and sometimes like the moon, as when I am forced to take a break from the pursuit of wisdom and Torah study. Let my eyes then radiate like the sheen of the waxing moon, so that I will be able to be attached to You constantly for ever.
וְתִהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרִי תָמִיד, וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ, וְאֶזְכֶּה מֵעַתָּה לְהִתְדַּבֵּק בְּךָ בֶּאֱמֶת כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב, וְאֶזְכֶּה לְבַלּוֹת כָּל יָמַי בְּתוֹרָה וּתְפִלָּה וּבְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה בֶּאֱמֶת וּבֶאֱמוּנָה וּבְיִרְאָה וּבְאַהֲבָה, בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְטוּב לֵבָב מֵרֹב כֹּל. עָזְרֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים שֶׁלֹּא אֲאַבֵּד מֵעַתָּה שׁוּם שָׁעָה וְשׁוּם רֶגַע מִימֵי חַיַּי הַמּוּעָטִים בְּחִנָּם, כִּי מְעַט יָמַי, וְאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁיו אֵימָתַי.
Help me at all times, and bring me to genuine and complete teshuvah. From now on, let me be truly attached to You the way You want, and let me spend all my days in Torah, prayer and good deeds, in holiness and purity, truth and faith, awe and love, joy and satisfaction at the abundance of everything. Loving God: help me not to waste a single hour or even a single moment of my short life. My days are few, and if not now, then when?
כִּי הֲלֹא אַתָּה עָתִיד לְקַבֵּל דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן מֵאִתָּנוּ, עַל כָּל שָׁעָה וָרֶגַע מִימֵי חַיֵּינוּ. עָזְרֵנִי שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ בְּעֵת שֶׁאֲנִי מֻכְרָח לְהִתְבַּטֵּל מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שֶׁתַּזְמִין לִי אָז אֵיזֶה עֲסָקִים מֵעֲבוֹדָתְךָ וּרְצוֹנְךָ שֶׁאוּכַל עַל יָדָם לְפַקֵּחַ אֶת דַּעְתִּי וְלָתֵת נַיְיחָא לְמוֹחִי, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן אֶעֱסֹק אָז בִּדְבָרִים קְדוֹשִׁים שֶׁהֵם רְצוֹנְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, חוּס וַחֲמֹל עָלַי וְעָזְרֵנִי מֵעַתָּה לִהְיוֹת כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב תָּמִיד בֶּאֱמֶת:
The time will come when You will ask me to account for every hour and every moment of every day of my life. Help me! Even when I am forced to take a break from Torah study, send me activities that are bound up with Your service and in accord with Your will, through which I can exercise my intellect and relax my mind, and still be involved in holy activities that are truly in accordance with Your will. Have pity on me, and help me live the way You want me to from now and at all times.
וּתְעוֹרֵר רַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים עָלֵינוּ, וּתְמַהֵר וְתָחִישׁ לְגָאֳלֵנוּ וְתִשְׁלַח לָנוּ מְהֵרָה אֶת מְשִׁיחֵינוּ, מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן־דָּוִד וּמָשִׁיחַ בֶּן־יוֹסֵף, וּשְׁנֵיהֶם יִתְחַבְּרוּ וְיֻכְלְלוּ יַחַד, וְיַכְנִיעוּ וְיַשְׁפִּילוּ אֶת כָּל הַשִּׁבְעִין עַכּוּ"ם וְכָל הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא עַד עָפָר, וִיגַלּוּ חָכְמָתָם בָּעוֹלָם, וְיָפוּצוּ מַעְיְנוֹתֵיהֶם חוּצָה. וְתִמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה לָדַעַת אֶת יְהֹוָה כַּמַּיִם לַיָּם מְכַסִּים. וְיֵדַע כָּל פָּעוּל כִּי אַתָּה פְּעַלְתּוֹ, וְיָבִין כָּל יְצוּר כִּי אַתָּה יְצַרְתּוֹ, וְיָשׁוּבוּ כָל הָעַמִּים עַל־יְדֵי חָכְמָתָם שֶׁל הַתְּרֵין מְשִׁיחִין לַעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ וּלְיִרְאָתֶךָ. וִיקוּיַּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, כִּי אָז אֶהְפֹּךְ אֶל עַמִּים שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה לִקְרֹא כֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יְהֹוָה לְעָבְדוֹ שְׁכֶם אֶחָד.
Arouse Your great love for us and redeem us very soon. Send us Mashiach quickly — Mashiach ben David and Mashiach ben Yosef. Let them both be joined and merged together. Let them subdue all the seventy nations and all the forces of evil and throw them down into the dust. Let their wisdom be revealed to the world. Let their fountains spread outwards, and let the earth be filled with the knowledge of HaShem as the waters cover the sea. Let every being know that You made it and every creature understand that You created it, and let all the nations repent and come to serve and fear You through the wisdom of the two Mashiachs. Fulfil the prophecy: “For then I will send the nations a pure language, so that all will call on the Name of HaShem and serve Him with one accord.”
וְתַעֲבִיר מֶמְשֶׁלֶת זָדוֹן מִן הָאָרֶץ, וּמַלְכוּת הָרִשְׁעָה מְהֵרָה תְעַקֵּר וּתְשַׁבֵּר וּתְמַגֵּר וּתְכַלֵּם וְתַכְנִיעֵם וְתַשְׁפִּילֵם בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ. וּתְבַטֵּל וּתְבָעֵר כָּל הָעֲנָנִין דִּמְכַסְּיָין עַל עֵיְנִין, וְאָז נִזְכֶּה לִהְיוֹת דְּבֵקִים בְּךָ וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה תָמִיד, בְּלִי שׁוּם הֶפְסֵק וּבִטּוּל כְּלָל וְלֹא יִהְיֶה כֹחַ לְשׁוּם מוֹנֵעַ וּלְשׁוּם מְבַלְבֵּל לְבַלְבֵּל אֶת דַּעְתֵּנוּ כְּלָל, רַק נִזְכֶּה לִהְיוֹת דְּבֵקִים בְּךָ תָמִיד כָּל יְמֵי חַיֵּינוּ לְעוֹלְמֵי עַד וּלְנֵצַח נְצָחִים וִיקוּיַּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְהָיָה אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הַחַמָּה, בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ אָמֵן:
Remove the dominion of arrogance from the earth, and speedily uproot, break, cast down, destroy and humble the forces of evil speedily in our days. Take away all the clouds covering the eyes. We will then be able to be attached to You and Your holy Torah constantly, without any interruption at all. No obstacle will have any power to distract our minds at all. We will be able to remain attached to You constantly all the days of our lives for ever, and the verse will be fulfilled: “The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun.” Speedily in our days. Amen.