The Greater a Person’s Awareness, the Greater the Suffering He Must Undergo / Suffering is Ameliorated When One Eats in a State of Holiness and Fear of God / When a Person Eats in a State of Holiness and Fear of Heaven, God’s Presence Speaks from His Throat Every Jew — even a great Tzaddik — must experience some suffering every day. Indeed, the greater a person’s awareness, the greater his suffering. Some suffering comes from a person’s holy fear of God. But at times it comes from fallen fears. This suffering is ameliorated when a person eats in a state of holiness and fear of Heaven. Eating in this way also prevents the suffering from descending to the Side of Evil and the realm of harsh judgment. When a person does not eat in a holy fashion, his mouth is that of an animal. At that time, his fear of Heaven stands at a distance and does not enter into him. But when he eats in a holy fashion, he makes his mouth human and the fear of Heaven does enter into him. Then he is a “speaking being” — that is, a human being. By eating in a state of holiness and by drawing holy fear onto himself while he eats, a person sweetens the suffering and judgment. The holy fear that he draws onto himself elevates and sweetens his fallen fears. And then his mouth ascends beyond the human level to the level of “supernal man.” Then God’s Presence speaks from his throat. Holy Eating and Drinking May it be Your will, HaShem my God and God of my fathers, that You will help me and save me in Your vast compassion and mighty kindness, so that I will entirely break my desire for eating.
May I always draw onto myself the holy fear that comes to a person, particularly when he eats. When I sit at the table for a meal, may I always experience great dread and fear of You.
In consequence of that, help me in Your intense kindness to sweeten and nullify every type of hurt and suffering, and all judgments in the world that affect me, all of my family members, and all of the children of Israel, Your nation.
You know all of our toil and affliction, all of the types of hurt and suffering that every one of us experiences every day, and our intensely degraded state of awareness. It is hard for us to bear the pain and suffering that we experience every day.
Have compassion on us for the sake of Your Name. Help us wake up from now on and draw Your supernal holiness onto ourselves. May we truly draw the fear of Heaven onto ourselves. And may Your fear be upon our faces so that we will not sin.
In particular, at mealtimes, help us and save us so that we will eat in great holiness and purity, until we will always draw onto ourselves the holy fear that comes to a person at the time of eating.
As a result, may we nullify and sweeten every type of suffering and pain, and all of the judgments in the world that affect us and Your entire nation, the House of Israel.
As a result, help us rise from the animalistic to the human level, the level of true holiness, which is associated with the unique human quality of speech. May we attain holy speech always.
Nothing is Impossible Master of the world, I have asked for something difficult — but in the context of Your great compassion and graciousness, nothing is remote.
But we have already heard from afar of Your greatness, Your humility and Your vast, immeasurable compassion and kindness, a little of which I have seen with my own eyes.
Therefore, I hope, and I open my mouth to ask and request of You that I may reach even the greatest of levels, because nothing is impossible for You. Nothing is beyond You. “You can do everything; no purpose can be withheld from You.”
And the more distant and guilty I am, please reveal more to me — in particular, Your great goodness, kindness and graciousness, which constitute the essence of Your greatness and for whose sake You created all worlds.
The fact that You grant kindness and goodness to true Tzaddikim who truly serve You all of the days of their lives with true self-sacrifice, who attain what they attain with their good deeds, does not constitute a revelation of the awesome wonders of Your goodness and kindness.
But the ways of Your goodness, kindness, compassion and graciousness — which are awesome, wondrous and elevated beyond all comprehension, beyond measure, limit or number — are revealed in regard to a person like me. When You draw someone as distant, blemished and guilty as myself close to You, then “because of me the righteous will crown You, because You will recompense me.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה ע"ז - דַּע, שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל]
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, שֶׁתִּהְיֶה בְּעֶזְרִי וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וּבַחֲסָדֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים, וּתְזַכֵּנִי לְשַׁבֵּר תַּאֲוַת אֲכִילָה לְגַמְרֵי,
The Greater a Person’s Awareness, the Greater the Suffering He Must Undergo / Suffering is Ameliorated When One Eats in a State of Holiness and Fear of God / When a Person Eats in a State of Holiness and Fear of Heaven, God’s Presence Speaks from His Throat
Every Jew — even a great Tzaddik — must experience some suffering every day. Indeed, the greater a person’s awareness, the greater his suffering.
Some suffering comes from a person’s holy fear of God. But at times it comes from fallen fears.
This suffering is ameliorated when a person eats in a state of holiness and fear of Heaven. Eating in this way also prevents the suffering from descending to the Side of Evil and the realm of harsh judgment.
When a person does not eat in a holy fashion, his mouth is that of an animal. At that time, his fear of Heaven stands at a distance and does not enter into him. But when he eats in a holy fashion, he makes his mouth human and the fear of Heaven does enter into him. Then he is a “speaking being” — that is, a human being.
By eating in a state of holiness and by drawing holy fear onto himself while he eats, a person sweetens the suffering and judgment. The holy fear that he draws onto himself elevates and sweetens his fallen fears.
And then his mouth ascends beyond the human level to the level of “supernal man.” Then God’s Presence speaks from his throat.
Holy Eating and Drinking
May it be Your will, HaShem my God and God of my fathers, that You will help me and save me in Your vast compassion and mighty kindness, so that I will entirely break my desire for eating.
שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה אֲכִילָתִי וּשְׁתִיָּתִי בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה בְּעִתּוֹ וּבִזְמַנּוֹ, בַּמִדָּה וּבַמִשְׁקָל וּבַמְּשׂוּרָה, כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב בֶּאֱמֶת.
May I eat and drink in great holiness and purity, at the proper time, in a carefully calibrated fashion, truly in accordance with Your good will.
וְאֶזְכֶּה לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עָלַי תָמִיד הַיִּרְאָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה הַנִּגֶּשֶׁת וּבָאָה אֶל הָאָדָם לְעֵת הָאוֹכֶל דַיְקָא, וְאֵשֵׁב עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן בִּשְׁעַת סְעוּדָה בְּאֵימָה וּבְיִרְאָה גְּדוֹלָה מִפָּנֶיךָ תָמִיד.
May I always draw onto myself the holy fear that comes to a person, particularly when he eats. When I sit at the table for a meal, may I always experience great dread and fear of You.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תְּזַכֵּנִי בַּחֲסָדֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים לְהַמְתִּיק וּלְבַטֵּל כָּל מִינֵי צַעַר וְיִסּוּרִים וְכָל הַדִּינִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, מֵעָלַי וּמֵעַל כָּל בְּנֵי בֵיתִי וּמֵעַל כָּל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּךָ.
In consequence of that, help me in Your intense kindness to sweeten and nullify every type of hurt and suffering, and all judgments in the world that affect me, all of my family members, and all of the children of Israel, Your nation.
כִּי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת כָּל עֲמָלֵנוּ וְלַחֲצֵנוּ, אֶת כָּל מִינֵי צַעַר וְיִסּוּרִין הָעוֹבְרִים עָלֵינוּ עַל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם, וּבְעֹצֶם שִׁפְלוּת דַּעְתֵּנוּ, קָשֶׁה לָנוּ לִסְבּוֹל הַצַּעַר וְהַיִּסּוּרִין שֶׁל כָּל יוֹם וָיוֹם.
You know all of our toil and affliction, all of the types of hurt and suffering that every one of us experiences every day, and our intensely degraded state of awareness. It is hard for us to bear the pain and suffering that we experience every day.
רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ וְזַכֵּנוּ לְהִתְעוֹרֵר מֵעַתָּה לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עָלֵינוּ קְדֻשָּׁתְךָ הָעֶלְיוֹנָה, וְנִזְכֶּה כֻלָּנוּ לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עָלֵינוּ יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם בֶּאֱמֶת, וְתִהְיֶה יִרְאָתְךָ עַל פָּנֵינוּ לְבִלְתִּי נֶחֱטָא,
Have compassion on us for the sake of Your Name. Help us wake up from now on and draw Your supernal holiness onto ourselves. May we truly draw the fear of Heaven onto ourselves. And may Your fear be upon our faces so that we will not sin.
וּבִפְרַט בִּשְׁעַת אֲכִילָה תְּזַכֵּנוּ וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ לֶאֱכוֹל בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה, עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עָלֵינוּ תָמִיד בִּשְׁעַת הָאֲכִילָה אֶת הַיִּרְאָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה הַנִּגֶּשֶׁת וּבָאָה אֶל הָאָדָם אָז,
In particular, at mealtimes, help us and save us so that we will eat in great holiness and purity, until we will always draw onto ourselves the holy fear that comes to a person at the time of eating.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִזְכֶּה לְבַטֵּל וּלְהַמְתִּיק כָּל מִינֵי צַעַר וְיִסּוּרִין וְכָל הַדִּינִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, מֵעָלֵינוּ וּמֵעַל כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל.
As a result, may we nullify and sweeten every type of suffering and pain, and all of the judgments in the world that affect us and Your entire nation, the House of Israel.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תְזַכֵּנוּ לַעֲלוֹת מִבְּחִינַת מַדְרֵגַת חַי לְמַדְרֵגַת אָדָם דִּקְדֻשָּׁה בֶּאֱמֶת, שֶׁהוּא גֶדֶר מְדַבֵּר, וְנִזְכֶּה לְדִבּוּר דִּקְדֻשָּׁה תָמִיד.
As a result, help us rise from the animalistic to the human level, the level of true holiness, which is associated with the unique human quality of speech. May we attain holy speech always.
וּתְזַכֵּנוּ לַעֲלוֹת בְּכָל פַּעַם מִדַּרְגָא לְדַרְגָא עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לַעֲלוֹת וּלְהִכָּלֵל בִּבְחִינַת אָדָם הָעֶלְיוֹן, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לִבְחִינַת שְׁכִינָה מְדַבֶּרֶת מִתּוֹךְ גְּרוֹנֵנוּ:
Help us rise at every moment from level to level until we are subsumed into the level of “supernal man,” and God’s Presence speaks from our throats.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, הִקְשֵׁיתִי לִשְׁאוֹל, אֲבָל לְפִי גֹּדֶל רַחֲמֶיךָ וְחֲנִינוּתֶךָ, אֵין שׁוּם דָּבָר רָחוֹק,
Nothing is Impossible
Master of the world, I have asked for something difficult — but in the context of Your great compassion and graciousness, nothing is remote.
כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת יָדַעְתִּי אֲשֶׁר לְפִי שִׁפְלוּת פְּחִיתוּת מַדְרֵגָתִי, אֵין לִי פֶּה לְדַבֵּר וּלְבַקֵּשׁ אֲפִלּוּ עַל דָּבָר קָטָן שֶׁבַּקְּטַנִּים,
In truth, I know that taking into account my lowly inadequacy, I do not have the right to speak about and request even the most insignificant thing.
וְאֵין שׁוּם דְּבַר קְדֻשָּׁה שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה עָצוּם וְנִשְׂגָּב וּמְרוֹמָם וּמְרֻחָק מִמֶּנִּי בְּתַכְלִית הַהִתְרַחֲקוּת וְהַהִתְרוֹמְמוּת אֲשֶׁר אִי־אֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר.
There is nothing in the world of a holy nature that is not totally and completely beyond me, to an extent that is beyond description.
אֲבָל כְּבָר שָׁמַעְנוּ מֵרָחוֹק גְּדֻלָּתֶךָ וְעַנְוְתָנוּתֶךָ וְרַחֲמֶיךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ הָרַבִּים בְּלִי שִׁעוּר, וּמְעַט רָאִיתִי בְּעֵינַי.
But we have already heard from afar of Your greatness, Your humility and Your vast, immeasurable compassion and kindness, a little of which I have seen with my own eyes.
עַל־כֵּן יֵשׁ לִי גַם־כֵּן תִּקְוָה וּפִתְחוֹן פֶּה לִשְׁאוֹל וּלְבַקֵּשׁ מִמְּךָ אֲפִלּוּ עַל הַמַּדְרֵגָה הַגְּדוֹלָה שֶׁבַּגְּדוֹלוֹת, כִּי אֵין דָּבָר נִמְנַע מִמֶּךָּ, וּמִמְּךָ לֹא יִפָּלֵא כָּל דָּבָר, הֵן כֹּל תּוּכָל וְלֹא יִבָּצֵר מִמְּךָ מְזִמָּה.
Therefore, I hope, and I open my mouth to ask and request of You that I may reach even the greatest of levels, because nothing is impossible for You. Nothing is beyond You. “You can do everything; no purpose can be withheld from You.”
וְרַק בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה בָּרָאתָ עוֹלָמֶךָ כְּדֵי לְהַרְאוֹת טוּבְךָ וְרַחֲמֶיךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ לְכָל הַחֲפֵצִים וּמִשְׁתּוֹקְקִים לְקַבְּלָם,
You created Your world only for this: to show Your goodness, Your compassion and Your kindness to all who desire and yearn to receive them.
וְכָל מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי רָחוֹק וְחַיָּב בְּיוֹתֵר, יִתְגַלֶּה בְּיוֹתֵר עַל־יָדִי דַיְקָא, רַב טוּבְךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ וַחֲנִינוּתֶךָ אֲשֶׁר זֶהוּ עִקָּר גְּדֻלָּתֶךָ, וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה בָּרָאתָ כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת כֻּלָּם.
And the more distant and guilty I am, please reveal more to me — in particular, Your great goodness, kindness and graciousness, which constitute the essence of Your greatness and for whose sake You created all worlds.
כִּי לֹא יִתְגַּלּוּ נוֹרָאוֹת נִפְלָאוֹת טוּבְךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁאַתָּה גוֹמֵל חֶסֶד וָטוֹב לְצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים הָעוֹבְדִים אוֹתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת כָּל יְמֵי חַיֵּיהֶם בִּמְסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ בֶּאֱמֶת, כִּי הֵם זוֹכִים לְמַה שֶּׁזּוֹכִים עַל־יְדֵי מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הַטּוֹבִים.
The fact that You grant kindness and goodness to true Tzaddikim who truly serve You all of the days of their lives with true self-sacrifice, who attain what they attain with their good deeds, does not constitute a revelation of the awesome wonders of Your goodness and kindness.
אֲבָל בְּאִישׁ כָּמוֹנִי יִתְגַּלּוּ דַרְכֵי טוּבְךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ וְרַחֲמָנוּתֶךָ וַחֲנִינוּתֶךָ הַנּוֹרָאִים וְנִפְלָאִים וְנִשְׂגָּבִים מִכָּל הַשִּׂכְלִיּוֹת בְּלִי שִׁעוּר וָעֵרֶךְ וּמִסְפָּר, כְּשֶׁתְּקָרֵב מְרֻחָק וּפָגוּם וְחַיָּב כָּמוֹנִי אֵלֶיךָ תִּתְבָּרַךְ, בִּי יַכְתִּירוּ צַדִּיקִים כִּי תִגְמוֹל עָלָי.
But the ways of Your goodness, kindness, compassion and graciousness — which are awesome, wondrous and elevated beyond all comprehension, beyond measure, limit or number — are revealed in regard to a person like me. When You draw someone as distant, blemished and guilty as myself close to You, then “because of me the righteous will crown You, because You will recompense me.”
עָזְרֵנִי עוֹזֵר דַּלִּים, הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי בַּעַל הַיְשׁוּעוֹת, אַל תִּטְּשֵׁנִי וְאַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעִי,
Help me, You Who help the poor. Save me, Master of salvations. “Do not forsake me and do not abandon me, God of my salvation.”
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.”