A Person Has the Power to Direct His Thoughts as He Wishes / One Can Always Bring His Mind Back to the Right Path A person has the power to direct his thoughts as he wishes. For instance, since a person cannot have two thoughts at the same time, to get rid of a troublesome thought, he should focus on another thought. Even if a person’s thoughts are out of control, he can force his mind back to the right path. His mind may be compared to a horse that has run off the road. He can grab it by the reins and pull it back against its will to where it belongs. Sanctifying Our Thoughts You Who think thoughts so that no one will be cast aside from You, have compassion on me for the sake of Your Name. Help me sanctify and purify my thoughts from this moment on. May I no longer experience any extraneous, foreign thoughts at all, and may I certainly never indulge in any evil fantasies, Heaven forbid.
Controlling Our Thoughts In Your holy Torah, You revealed to us that thought is in a person’s hands and that he can direct it as he wishes. Moreover, it is completely impossible for two thoughts to exist at the same time.
I have been striving so long to stop my thoughts, to grasp them and seize them so that they will not turn aside from the straight path, Heaven forbid — but I have not yet succeeded.
Every day I experience a profusion of evil thoughts and fantasies. Over the days and years, I have wasted hours upon hours in a profusion of evil and foreign thoughts and ideas, and in doing so, I have tremendously unsettled and befouled my mind.
This has created all of my flaws and impediments, all of my transgressions, sins and offenses that I have committed before You from my beginning until this day.
I have floundered in all of these only because I was not careful to seize my thoughts and guard them properly. Only because of that did I come to what I came and floundered as I floundered — whether inadvertently or purposefully, whether against my will or intentionally.
Therefore, I have come to You Who are filled with compassion, to assist me with Your great salvation. From now on may I guard my thoughts exceptionally well, with every sort of exemplary care.
From now on may I be sure not to allow my thoughts to stray beyond the border in the least, Heaven forbid — not even by a hairsbreadth. Even within the realm of holiness, may I guard my thoughts from becoming disoriented.
Whenever and wherever I note any confusion of mind, may I quickly flee and take refuge — and, how much more, may my thoughts never stray beyond the boundary of holiness for even the slightest moment, Heaven forbid.
Even if sometimes, Heaven forbid, because of some inattention on my part, my thoughts should suddenly swell and stray outside — since I am so used to that from the past — always help me and remind me instantly, without any hesitation or mental indulgence at all, to immediately grasp my thoughts and bring them back to the straight path, back in from the outside, bringing them immediately from evil to good, from the mundane to the holy.
Master of the world, Master of the world, Master of the world! Remember, have compassion and save me quickly! I have yearned for all of this so powerfully for so long, yet I have not yet attained it.
But I truly know and believe that the choice is mine, and that I can grasp my thoughts and at every instant turn them the right way. I am so used to letting my thoughts go where they may that this habit has become second nature, and it seems to me that I cannot escape it, Heaven forbid.
But that is not the case, because I always have free will. I can always grasp my thoughts at every moment and carefully guard them well from outside thoughts and always turn them to holiness.
Therefore, I have come to spread my hands out to You, so You will strengthen me and sustain me. In Your compassion, help me truly sanctify and purify my thoughts from now on.
Help me, Master of salvation, in the merit and power of the great, true Tzaddikim, whose holiness of thought You alone know. You alone know the place to which they rose in their exceedingly holy and awesome thoughts.
I have come to You aided by the power of the ascent of such holy thoughts — because their power and merit are sufficient to shield me as well — to extricate my thoughts and mind from all of the places into which they fell and were scattered and dispersed, and raise me from every type of evil habit to which I have grown accustomed.
Purify me of every type of uncleanness and pollution that has taken hold of me, Heaven forbid, as a result of the blemish of evil and confused thoughts in which I have so thoroughly engaged.
The holiness of thought of the Tzaddikim is greater than anything else. It has the power to descend into all of the places in which I fell as a result of the dispersal of my consciousness and thoughts beyond the boundary of holiness, and to raise me from evil to good.
Always teach me how to extricate my thoughts — beginning now — from straying outside, Heaven forbid, and how to purify and sanctify my thoughts with every sort of holiness.
Regarding this alone I have stood firm to pray to You and hope in Your salvation, so that that from now on I will begin to strengthen myself to sanctify my thoughts.
Help me from Heaven to begin this process and bring it to completion, until I truly attain holiness of thought, in accordance with Your good will. May my thoughts cling to You, to Your holy Torah, and to Your true Tzaddikim from now and forever. Amen, selah.
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה נ' - הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה – בְּיַד הָאָדָם לְהַטּוֹתָהּ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ]
חוֹשֵׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת לְבַל יִדַּח מִמְּךָ נִדָּח, רַחֵם עָלַי לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, וֶהְיֵה בְּעֶזְרִי מֵעַתָּה שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְקַדֵּשׁ וּלְטַהֵר אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי, שֶׁלֹּא אֶחְשֹׁב עוֹד מֵעַתָּה שׁוּם מַחֲשָׁבָה חִיצוֹנָה וְזָרָה כְּלָל, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁלֹּא אֲהַרְהֵר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם שׁוּם הִרְהוּר רַע כְּלָל.
A Person Has the Power to Direct His Thoughts as He Wishes / One Can Always Bring His Mind Back to the Right Path
A person has the power to direct his thoughts as he wishes.
For instance, since a person cannot have two thoughts at the same time, to get rid of a troublesome thought, he should focus on another thought.
Even if a person’s thoughts are out of control, he can force his mind back to the right path. His mind may be compared to a horse that has run off the road. He can grab it by the reins and pull it back against its will to where it belongs.
Sanctifying Our Thoughts
You Who think thoughts so that no one will be cast aside from You, have compassion on me for the sake of Your Name. Help me sanctify and purify my thoughts from this moment on. May I no longer experience any extraneous, foreign thoughts at all, and may I certainly never indulge in any evil fantasies, Heaven forbid.
כִּי אַתָּה גִּלִּיתָ לָנוּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, שֶׁהַמַּחֲשָׁבָה בְּיַד הָאָדָם לְהַטּוֹתָהּ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שְׁנֵי מַחֲשָׁבוֹת בְּיַחַד בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן כְּלָל.
Controlling Our Thoughts
In Your holy Torah, You revealed to us that thought is in a person’s hands and that he can direct it as he wishes. Moreover, it is completely impossible for two thoughts to exist at the same time.
וְזֶה כַמָּה שֶׁאֲנִי חוֹתֵר לַעֲצֹר מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי לְתָפְשָׂהּ וּלְאָחֲזָהּ שֶׁלֹּא תִטֶּה מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ הַיָּשָׁר לַחוּץ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וַעֲדַיִן לֹא עָלְתָה בְּיָדִי,
I have been striving so long to stop my thoughts, to grasp them and seize them so that they will not turn aside from the straight path, Heaven forbid — but I have not yet succeeded.
וְלֹא דַי שֶׁלֹּא זָכִיתִי לָזֶה לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי כָּרָאוּי, אַף גַּם פָּגַמְתִּי בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד מֵהֵפֶךְ אֶל הֵפֶךְ,
And not only have I not succeeded in properly sanctifying my thoughts, but to the contrary, they have caused a great deal of damage.
כִּי חָשַׁבְתִּי מַחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת וְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד בְּכָל יוֹם, וְכִלִּיתִי שָׁעוֹת וְעִתִּים הַרְבֵּה וְיָמִים וְשָׁנִים בְּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת וְרַעְיוֹנוֹת זָרִים הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד, וּבִלְבַּלְתִּי וְעָכַרְתִּי אֶת דַּעְתִּי מְאֹד,
Every day I experience a profusion of evil thoughts and fantasies. Over the days and years, I have wasted hours upon hours in a profusion of evil and foreign thoughts and ideas, and in doing so, I have tremendously unsettled and befouled my mind.
אֲשֶׁר עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה בָּאוּ כָּל הַקִּלְקוּלִים וְהַמִּכְשׁוֹלוֹת שֶׁלִּי, וְכָל הַחֲטָאִים וְהָעֲוֹנוֹת וְהַפְּשָׁעִים שֶׁלִּי, שֶׁחָטָאתִי וְשֶׁעָוִיתִי וְשֶׁפָּשַׁעְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ מֵעוֹדִי וְעַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה,
This has created all of my flaws and impediments, all of my transgressions, sins and offenses that I have committed before You from my beginning until this day.
אֲשֶׁר בְּכֻלָּם לֹא נִכְשַׁלְתִּי כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי פְּגָם הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה שֶׁלֹּא נִזְהַרְתִּי לְתָפְסָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ כָּרָאוּי, אֲשֶׁר רַק עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה בָּאתִי לְמַה שֶּׁבָּאתִי, וְנִכְשַׁלְתִּי בְּמַה שֶּׁנִּכְשַׁלְתִּי, בְּשׁוֹגֵג וּבְמֵזִיד, בְּאֹנֶס וּבְרָצוֹן.
I have floundered in all of these only because I was not careful to seize my thoughts and guard them properly. Only because of that did I come to what I came and floundered as I floundered — whether inadvertently or purposefully, whether against my will or intentionally.
עַל־כֵּן בָּאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, שֶׁתַּעַזְרֵנִי בְּעֶזְרָתְךָ וִישׁוּעָתְךָ הַגְּדוֹלָה שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה מֵעַתָּה לִשְׁמֹר אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי הֵיטֵב הֵיטֵב בְּכָל מִינֵי שְׁמִירוֹת מְעֻלּוֹת,
Therefore, I have come to You Who are filled with compassion, to assist me with Your great salvation. From now on may I guard my thoughts exceptionally well, with every sort of exemplary care.
וְאֶזָּהֵר מֵעַתָּה לִבְלִי לְהַנִּיחַ אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי כְּלָל לָצֵאת חוּץ לַשִׁטָּה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אֲפִלּוּ כְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה, וַאֲפִלּוּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה אֶזְכֶּה לְשָׁמְרָהּ מִבִּלְבּוּלִים.
From now on may I be sure not to allow my thoughts to stray beyond the border in the least, Heaven forbid — not even by a hairsbreadth. Even within the realm of holiness, may I guard my thoughts from becoming disoriented.
וּבְכָל עֵת וְעִנְיָן שֶׁאֶרְאֶה אֵיזֶה בִּלְבּוּל הַדַּעַת אֶבְרַח וְאֶמָּלֵט מִשָּׁם מְהֵרָה, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁלֹּא תֵצֵא מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי חוּץ לִגְבוּל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אֲפִלּוּ רֶגַע קַלָּה, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם,
Whenever and wherever I note any confusion of mind, may I quickly flee and take refuge — and, how much more, may my thoughts never stray beyond the boundary of holiness for even the slightest moment, Heaven forbid.
לִפְעָמִים עַל־יְדֵי אֵיזֶה הֶסֵּח־הַדַּעַת תִּפְרַח וְתֵצֵא פִּתְאֹם מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי לַחוּץ מֵחֲמַת גֹּדֶל הַהֶרְגֵּל מִכְּבָר, תִּהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרִי תָמִיד וְתַזְכִּירֵנִי תֵכֶף וּמִיָּד בְּלִי שְׁהִיָּה וְחִמּוּץ הַמֹּחַ כְּלָל, שֶׁאֶתְפֹּס אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי מִיָּד לַהֲשִׁיבָהּ לְדֶרֶךְ הַיָּשָׁר, מִחוּץ לִפְנִים, וּלְהַטּוֹתָהּ מִיָּד מֵרַע לְטוֹב, מֵחֹל לְקֹדֶשׁ:
Even if sometimes, Heaven forbid, because of some inattention on my part, my thoughts should suddenly swell and stray outside — since I am so used to that from the past — always help me and remind me instantly, without any hesitation or mental indulgence at all, to immediately grasp my thoughts and bring them back to the straight path, back in from the outside, bringing them immediately from evil to good, from the mundane to the holy.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, זְכֹר וְרַחֵם וְהוֹשִׁיעָה מְהֵרָה, כִּי זֶה כַּמָּה נִכְסוֹף נִכְסַפְתִּי לְכָל זֶה וַעֲדַיִן לֹא עָלְתָה בְּיָדִי,
Master of the world, Master of the world, Master of the world! Remember, have compassion and save me quickly! I have yearned for all of this so powerfully for so long, yet I have not yet attained it.
אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ וּמַאֲמִין, שֶׁעֲדַיִן הַבְּחִירָה בְּיָדִי, וַעֲדַיִן אֲנִי יָכוֹל לִתְפֹּס מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי וּלְהַטּוֹתָהּ בְּכָל פַּעַם לְדֶרֶךְ הַיָּשָׁר, אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁכְּבָר הֻרְגַּלְתִּי בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֻרְגַּלְתִּי, עַד שֶׁהַהֶרְגֵּל נַעֲשָׂה כְּמוֹ טֶבַע אֶצְלִי, עַד שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לִי שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהִמָּלֵט מֵהֶם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
But I truly know and believe that the choice is mine, and that I can grasp my thoughts and at every instant turn them the right way. I am so used to letting my thoughts go where they may that this habit has become second nature, and it seems to me that I cannot escape it, Heaven forbid.
אֲבָל הָאֱמֶת אֵינוֹ כֵן, כִּי הַבְּחִירָה חָפְשִׁיִּית לְעוֹלָם, וַעֲדַיִן עֲדַיִן אֲנִי יָכוֹל לִתְפֹּס אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי בְּכָל עֵת, וּלְהִזָּהֵר לְשָׁמְרָהּ הֵיטֵב מִמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת חוּץ, וּלְהַטּוֹתָהּ אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה תָמִיד.
But that is not the case, because I always have free will. I can always grasp my thoughts at every moment and carefully guard them well from outside thoughts and always turn them to holiness.
עַל־כֵּן בָּאתִי לִשְׁטֹחַ כַּפַּי אֵלֶיךָ שֶׁתְּחַזֵּק וּתְאַמֵּץ אוֹתִי, וּתְזַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ לְקַדֵּשׁ וּלְטַהֵר אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי מֵעַתָּה בֶּאֱמֶת.
Therefore, I have come to spread my hands out to You, so You will strengthen me and sustain me. In Your compassion, help me truly sanctify and purify my thoughts from now on.
עָזְרֵנִי בַּעַל הַיְשׁוּעוֹת, בִּזְכוּת וְכֹחַ הַצַּדִּיקִים הַגְּדוֹלִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים, אֲשֶׁר קְדֻשַּׁת מַחֲשַׁבְתָּם נוֹדַעַת לְךָ לְבַד, כִּי אַתָּה לְבַד יוֹדֵעַ הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁעָלוּ לְשָׁם בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתָּם הַקְּדוֹשָׁה וְהַנּוֹרָאָה מְאֹד.
Help me, Master of salvation, in the merit and power of the great, true Tzaddikim, whose holiness of thought You alone know. You alone know the place to which they rose in their exceedingly holy and awesome thoughts.
בְּכֹחַ עֲלִיַּת מַחֲשָׁבוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת כָּאֵלּוּ בָּאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ, כִּי כֹּחָם וּזְכוּתָם כְּדַאי לְהָגֵן גַּם עָלַי לְהוֹצִיא מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי וְדַעְתִּי מִכָּל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁנָּפְלוּ וְנִתְפַּזְּרוּ וְנָפוֹצוּ לְשָׁם, וּלְהַעֲלוֹתִי מִכָּל מִינֵי רְגִילוּת רָעִים שֶׁהֻרְגַּלְתִּי בָּהֶם,
I have come to You aided by the power of the ascent of such holy thoughts — because their power and merit are sufficient to shield me as well — to extricate my thoughts and mind from all of the places into which they fell and were scattered and dispersed, and raise me from every type of evil habit to which I have grown accustomed.
וּלְטַהֲרֵנִי מִכָּל מִינֵי טֻמְאוֹת וְזֻהֲמוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱחָזוּ בִּי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, עַל־יְדֵי פְּגָם הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת וּמְבֻלְבָּלוֹת שֶׁחָשַׁבְתִּי בָּהֶם הַרְבֵּה,
Purify me of every type of uncleanness and pollution that has taken hold of me, Heaven forbid, as a result of the blemish of evil and confused thoughts in which I have so thoroughly engaged.
וּלְקַדְּשֵׁנִי וּלְטַהֲרֵנִי בְּכָל מִינֵי קְדֻשּׁוֹת, שֶׁכֻּלָּם תְּלוּיִם בִּקְדֻשַּׁת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה,
Sanctify me and purify me with every sort of holiness, each of which depends on the holiness of thought.
כִּי קְדֻשַּׁת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיקִים עוֹלָה עַל הַכֹּל, וְיֵשׁ לָהּ כֹּחַ לֵירֵד לְתוֹךְ כָּל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁיָּרַדְתִּי בָהֶם עַל־יְדֵי פִּזּוּר דַּעְתִּי וּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי חוּץ לִגְבוּל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, וּלְהַעֲלוֹת אוֹתִי מֵרַע לְטוֹב,
The holiness of thought of the Tzaddikim is greater than anything else. It has the power to descend into all of the places in which I fell as a result of the dispersal of my consciousness and thoughts beyond the boundary of holiness, and to raise me from evil to good.
וּלְלַמְּדֵנִי בְּכָל עֵת אֵיךְ לְמַלֵּט מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי מֵעַתָּה מִלָּצֵאת חוּץ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וּלְטַהֲרָהּ וּלְקַדְּשָׁהּ בְּכָל מִינֵי קְדֻשּׁוֹת.
Always teach me how to extricate my thoughts — beginning now — from straying outside, Heaven forbid, and how to purify and sanctify my thoughts with every sort of holiness.
וְעַל זֶה לְבַד תָּמַכְתִּי יְתֵדוֹתַי עֲדַיִן לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ וּלְצַפּוֹת לִישׁוּעָה, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה מֵעַתָּה לְהַתְחִיל לְחַזֵּק עַצְּמִי לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי,
Regarding this alone I have stood firm to pray to You and hope in Your salvation, so that that from now on I will begin to strengthen myself to sanctify my thoughts.
וְאַתָּה תְּסַיְּעֵנִי מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהַתְחִיל וְלִגְמֹר, עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לִקְדֻשַּׁת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה בֶּאֱמֶת כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב. וְתִהְיֶה מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי דְבוּקָה בְּךָ וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה וּבְצַדִּיקֶיךָ הָאֲמִתִּיִּים מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם, אָמֵן סֶלָה:
Help me from Heaven to begin this process and bring it to completion, until I truly attain holiness of thought, in accordance with Your good will. May my thoughts cling to You, to Your holy Torah, and to Your true Tzaddikim from now and forever. Amen, selah.