Yearning for God / Constricting the Light of the Flame of the Heart / Serving God with Wisdom / Rectifying Creation / Revealing God’s Heavenly Torah Every Jew is “a portion of God from above.” The essence of that Godliness lies in his heart, and it is infinite. Thus there is no end to a Jew’s yearning for God. But if that were all there is, everything would remain overwhelmed by the infinity of that flame. Consequently, a Jew could not serve God or reveal any good traits, since he would become absorbed in Infinity, in God. Similarly, in the beginning, there was no room for creation, because everything was the Infinite One. But since God wanted to reveal His sovereignty, which requires the revelation of “traits” or worlds, He constricted His infinite light and, within the resulting Vacated Space, created those worlds. In the same way, every individual must constrict the light of the flame of his heart. By guarding against evil thoughts and thinking only good thoughts on how to serve God, his heart creates a “vacated space” in which he can then engage in good deeds and attain good traits. With that, he can serve God in measure and by degree, and thus reveal His sovereignty. Just as creation came about through God’s wisdom, so do we serve God with wisdom. When a person’s heart is empty, it is open to wisdom. Thus he can serve God and rectify creation. Should he fail and instead engage in evil thoughts, in the foolishness of the heart, he seals his heart and fills up the Vacated Space of creation. Then it is as though he had destroyed the world. But when he again engages in good thoughts, he rectifies creation. By purifying his heart, rejecting the bad thoughts and engaging in good thoughts, he renews the creation and can make miracles happen. The essence of returning to God depends on the thoughts in one’s heart: on fleeing bad thoughts and engaging only in good thoughts, on considering one’s end, and on thinking about how to come close to God and thus attain the Heavenly Torah, which contains the secrets of the delights of the World to Come and the pleasure of the Shabbat. A person must have the strength to run the track. Even after he has repented and repaired what he has damaged, he must make up for what he could have accomplished when he was far from God. The heart of the Tzaddik is always open to wisdom. Therefore, he can engage in the act of creation and do wonders. (The Tzaddik gains his understanding from the Jewish people. Should the latter descend into the external wisdoms of the nations, he too falls from his understanding.) When a person prays, he connects the thoughts in his heart to his words. As a result, God’s sovereignty is enhanced. Life, abundance and blessing are drawn to the Jewish people, and the sovereignty of evil falls. This leads to supernal and lower unifications and the revelation of God’s Heavenly Torah. God, You Who are the Rock of my heart and the Holy Rock of all worlds, Creator of the universe, Master of every deed and every soul, You Who know all hidden things — You know my heart.
You know the intensity of the holy fire, Your light that pours through my heart, because I am a portion of God from above, and Your presence resides in my heart.
Therefore, my heart sings within me and resonates like a harp. “My flesh and heart have all but expired, Rock of my heart. My portion is God forever. My soul yearns to exhaustion for the courtyards of HaShem. My heart and flesh sing to the God of my life.”
“Many waters cannot extinguish” the leaping flames of my heart that yearns for You, nor can the rivers overflow it, for the light of my heart is connected to Your great and endless light. The flame of my heart is infinite. There is no end to my yearning for You. I desire You — intensely and without measure. The depth of the infinite light of that flame might not allow me to serve You, because it is aflame with the desire to cleave to You and be absorbed into You forever. Through Your holy sages, You revealed to us that this is not what You intended when You created us. You know that we are flesh and blood and cannot cleave to You unceasingly. Therefore, You desire our service through our good deeds — and for that, we came down into this lowly world to serve You with Torah and perform its commandments.
You have decreed that we may not break through the barriers beyond our abilities to come to You. We may not let the fire burn for You beyond its proper measure. We must constrict the light of the fervor in our heart, and make a hollow in our heart. As the verse states, “My heart is empty within me.”
Then we can picture in our hearts all good and holy traits and accept the yoke of Your service, walk in Your good ways, cleave to Your holy traits and serve You in a measured, graduated fashion.
In this way, we accept the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven and reveal Your sovereignty to everyone. And that was Your intent in creating man: to reveal Your sovereignty to the world.
Redemption Now! And so I come to You, HaShem, my God and the God of my fathers; God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob; God of all the true Tzaddikim; God of the first and the last; God of the entire Jewish people. Arouse Your compassion and love for me, as blemished and confused as I am.
Teach me and guide me to know how to act, how to constrict the light in a graduated, measured fashion in accordance with Your desire. For You know that I must yearn for You always, long for You in truth and run after You “like a mighty man running upon the track” — yet I have lost days and years in vanity and emptiness, cast away from You.
What can I say to You, You Who dwell in the heights? What can I tell You, You Who make Your habitation in the heavens? I do not have the mouth to speak or the arrogance to lift my head. There is no way out of these areas where I have been trapped by my many sins, in a graduated and orderly fashion. I must escape quickly and run with all my might. I must rush to save my life and not even look behind me. I cannot delay even for a moment.
Arouse Your true compassion for me, hidden within You. Bring me out quickly with Your strong arm. Lift me on the wings of eagles and swiftly bring me to serve You. My hope in You is not at an end, for “the mercies of HaShem have not ended, His compassion has not ceased.”
Still, I must constrict the light of the flame of my heart, my Father in Heaven. For You know how many blemishes I am afflicted with because my fervor has overflowed its banks. “I am a beast and do not know, I have been an animal with You.”
And so I come before You, My Father and Master, Redeemer of Israel and my Holy One, the Rock of my heart. I cast myself onto You. I give my body and soul to You alone. “In Your hand do I deposit my spirit, You have saved me, HaShem. To You, HaShem, do I lift my soul.”
I give my entire heart to You alone. HaShem, direct me on Your path so that I will walk in Your truth. Direct my heart to fear Your Name. Guide me and teach me how to deal with my yearnings for You and how to constrict my fervor, so that I will come to truly repent and walk upon Your holy paths and cling to Your good traits. May I always accept the yoke of the sovereignty of Heaven with love and desire, awe and fear, and holiness and purity, and serve You in a graduated, measured fashion, in accordance with Your desire.
Rescue me from the evil inclination! Save me from a foolish and uncircumcised heart. Redeem me and be gracious to me. Deliver me from evil thoughts and evil counsel, which are the essence of the evil inclination in the heart. Have mercy and be gracious to me, You Who redeem from death and destruction.
Redeem me from the depths of the sea, from evil thoughts. Rescue my spirit from evil musings, which so deeply harm a Jewish soul. Save me from every type of foreign thought and confusion, which are the essence of the evil inclination in the heart, the foreskin that covers the heart and seals it shut.
Only these have stopped me; only because of these have I been caught and trapped. All the sins that I have committed from my youth until this day occurred only because I did not sanctify my thoughts, but followed after the stubbornness of my heart. I engaged in evil deeds only because of the evil thoughts and bedlam which I allowed to enter my heart and which I did not arouse myself to expel, until they crept up to my neck and weakened my strength. And finally, because of them, I caused all these blemishes and have been distanced from You so far that the paths of repentance have disappeared from before me, and I do not know how to escape. And now, “From where will my help come”? From where will my salvation come? Where will I seek the tranquility that will do good for me forever?
Purify me! Sanctify my thoughts with Your powerful, great and awesome holiness before which no evil can stand. My Father in Heaven, expel all the foolishness of my heart. Remove the foreskin of my heart, so that the verse may be realized in me, “May HaShem your God circumcise Your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love HaShem your God with all your heart and with all your soul for the sake of your life.”
Guide me to attain holy and pure thoughts, and deliver me from evil thoughts. Rescue me! Sanctify my thoughts in Your compassion, You Who know all hidden things. Most Holy One of Jacob, sanctify me and purify me. Give me Your awesome holiness as a loving gift in such a way that I can receive it.
Purify me soon, so that my heart will be freed of the foreskin of the heart, foolishness in the heart, every kind of foreign thought and evil musing and extrinsic wisdom drawn from the evil inclination. Help me to draw into my heart — in a graduated, measured fashion — holy and pure thoughts, which are the good inclination. Give me the strength to overcome my evil inclination with my good inclination, and overcome my evil thoughts with holy thoughts, to expel all evil, perplexing and disturbing thoughts from my heart — so that I will be able to think properly of how to serve You with pure and clear thought, without any confusion at all, and You will always be with me.
Direct me and teach me Your good ways. Lead me to cling to Your holy traits until I completely accept the yoke of Your sovereignty — with love and fear, truth and faith, holiness and purity — and return to You fully and cling to You always, as is Your desire, so that I will walk quickly upon Your path, which I could already have been traversing had I not been cast away from You.
Have pity on me. Save me, quickly and fully. Save my body and soul forever. Help me, because I rely on You. Save me, because as a Jew I am called by Your Name.
Do not cast me aside. Do not abandon me. “Recall Your compassion, HaShem, and Your lovingkindness, because they are eternal.” “Remember me, HaShem, when You desire Your nation. Visit me with Your salvation.”
Purify my heart to serve You. “Awaken, my glory; awaken lyre and harp, I will awaken the dawn.” Wake me. Guide me to appeal to You with my best words of prayer. “Perhaps He will have pity. Perhaps He will have compassion. Perhaps He will have pity on a poor and impoverished people — perhaps He will have compassion!”
Master of the World, I do not know what to say. “There is no word in my tongue because You know everything, HaShem.” But I have come to You, my God and the God of my fathers, You Who are filled with compassion. I stretch my hands out to You and raise my eyes to Your holy dwelling place. Perhaps there is hope. Give me hope — swiftly, quickly. Give me a true life. Take away my sadness. “Give joy to the soul of Your servant because, HaShem, I lift my soul to You!”
Inspire me to truly and wholly return to You, to return to the quarry from which I was hewn. And when I return, may that bring about an upper and lower unification.
“I Am Prayer” [Master of the Universe, help me to serve You with all my heart, as the verse states, “Serve Him with all your heart” — particularly in prayer, which is the essence of the service of the heart.
Help me to concentrate on my prayers and put my entire heart into the meaning of the words, so that I will pray to You with all my heart, without any foreign or external thoughts at all. May I engage always in the service of prayer, so that the verse will be realized in me, “I am prayer.”
Please answer my prayers to You as though I had offered all the sacrifices, particularly the burnt offering, which brings atonement for the thoughts of the heart.
Master of the World, You alone know the depth of my fall. How cheapened I have become, the lowness to which I have descended, and how far I am from prayer, complete prayer. How completely removed I am; and, as a result, I fall ever lower — spiritually and in the material world.
And You know how far I am from good counsel, so that in everything I do, I am terribly divided. I am confused and torn, and my mind and heart are endlessly in turmoil.
Have mercy and pity on me, so that from this point on, at any rate, I will return to You with all my heart and pray to You with all my heart — until You will have pity on me and raise “the fallen booth of David,” spread the “booth of Your peace” and rectify me with Your counsel. Save me quickly, for the sake of Your Name, so that the verse will be realized, “There are many thoughts in a man’s heart, but the counsel of HaShem shall prevail.”
Redeem me forever. Bring back the sovereignty of the House of David, so that everyone will accept the yoke of Your sovereignty and the moon will be restored, so that its “light will be like the light of the sun, like the light of the seven days of Creation,” when both the sun and moon were “the two great lights.” And may the verse be realized in us, “They will seek HaShem their God and David their king.” Amen.]
For the Months of Nisan and Tishrei Help me to sanctify myself, especially during the two holy months that are the two heads of the year, Nisan and Tishrei, which are days of repentance. Every year at that time, may I repent completely and sanctify myself with great holiness and joy, drawing holiness and repentance onto myself from these two months to the entire year.
Inspire me to discover the ten types of melody, so that every day I will bring You songs and praises in a voice of joy and song to Your great and holy Name, with every type of holy melody, until the song that will be aroused in future days — a simple, doubled, tripled and quadrupled song — will sing itself through me.
As the verse states, “You shall have a song, as in the evening when the festival is sanctified.” And may the verse be realized in me, “Whether they sing or dance, all my thoughts are about You.”
May I attain the secrets of the holy Kabbalah until I know the Torah of the Hidden Ancient One regarding those things that will be revealed in the future.
Tzitzit Help me to keep the mitzvah of wearing tzitzit completely, with all its details, particulars, intentions, and the 613 commandments that are dependent on it — with a good heart and great joy.
May it be Your will that my wearing of tzitzit be considered as though it included the tekheilet thread,7According to the Talmud, at least one thread on each of the four corners of the tzitzit used to be dyed blue (tekheilet) using the blood of the chilazon, a species of snail found on the shores of the Mediterranean. As the identity of the chilazon became lost over the centuries, the threads of the tzitzit are now all white. for You know that it is my desire to do Your will, and I desire and yearn to wear the tekheilet thread on the tzitzit.
If I could find this tekheilet thread for the tzitzit, I would spend an inordinate amount of money to keep the mitzvah properly. But because of our many sins, the Temple has been destroyed and the chilazon snail has been lost, and so we cannot keep this mitzvah completely.
Therefore, please consider my wearing of tzitzit with white threads as though I were keeping the mitzvah of wearing the tekheilet thread as well. In Your compassion, build Your city quickly and in our days. Bring us in peace to the Holy Land, and may the chilazon snail be again revealed, so that we will be able to keep the mitzvah of the tekheilet thread. As a result, may evil government be eliminated, broken, uprooted and crushed.
And may the verse be realized, “Destroy in wrath, destroy it, so that it is no more. And may everyone know that God rules over Jacob to the ends of the earth. Selah.”
Inspire me and Your entire nation, the House of Israel, to cling to You always and accept upon ourselves the yoke of Your sovereignty with love. Draw onto us a long, good and well-established life.
May the verse be realized in us, “You who cling to HaShem your God are alive, all of You today.” Sweeten and eliminate all judgments against me and Your entire nation, the House of Israel, always. Draw onto us an abundance of goodness, blessing, compassion, life, peace and holy wealth. May the verse be realized in us, “I will pour endless blessing onto you.”
Bringing Joy to Bridegrooms and Brides Lead me to experience the joy of a mitzvah. Help me to give joy to worthy bridegrooms and brides by singing and dancing before them in joy and delight, in holiness and purity.
In this way, may I unite the supernal bridegroom and bride, the “youthful wife with her beloved,” in love and affection, bringing about supernal and lower unifications, so that the four letters of Your great and holy Name will be combined and the verse will be realized, “In your midst, I am holy, and I will not come in fury.”
Coming Close to True Tzaddikim Guide me to come close to true Tzaddikim. Guide Your entire nation, the House of Israel, to break free of the superficial wisdom of the gentiles, and pay no attention to that superficial wisdom. Instead, may our thoughts cling to You and Your holy Torah always.
In this way, may the light of the true Tzaddikim grow and be elevated, so that they will constantly attain new supernal achievements. And may we receive great benefit from their holy light.
For Shabbat May I attain the sanctity of the holy Shabbat and celebrate every Shabbat with joy and delight, song and praise, awe and love, truth and faith, holiness and purity.
With the power of the holiness of the Shabbat, may I break and eliminate the lust for money, so that I will not covet money at all. Instead, may I yearn and long always for the eternal goal, so that I may be prepared to greet the “day that is entirely Shabbat and contentment, forever.”
In the Company of Tzaddikim [Master of the World, give me the merit to be among the true Tzaddikim whose hearts are open with wisdom, as in the verse, “My heart is empty within me” — so that at every moment, they renew the work of creation and bring about miracles and wonders in the world, which is literally recreated in their hearts constantly.
May I fill the throats of these Torah sages with the wine that brings joy. And please consider my doing so as though I had poured wine libations on the altar, as our sages of blessed memory have stated.]
Attaining a Holy Mind You Who are filled with compassion, be compassionate to me and fulfill my request. From this moment on, may I expel and eliminate every evil thought from my heart, and instead draw onto myself holy and pure, clear and proper thoughts. And may I begin, from this moment on, to serve You in truth — in a graduated and measured manner, as is Your desire — so that I will quickly reach the perfect and true goal.
My Father in Heaven, teach me Your ways. Teach me to do Your will. Bring me close to You. “Place me as a seal upon Your heart, like a seal upon Your arm, for love is as strong as death, jealously is as harsh as Gehinnom. Its flames are flames of fire, a flame of God. Many waters cannot extinguish love and rivers cannot overflow it. If a person were to give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be scorned.”
You Who have pity on the poor, have pity on us all. Swiftly redeem us all — as a whole and as individuals — in both the physical and spiritual realms. Bring the righteous Mashiach so that we will experience and inherit the goodness and blessing of his days and the life of the World to Come.
“Bring me back and I will return, for You, HaShem, are my God.” “Come back, HaShem — how long? And reconsider Your servant.” “Bring us back to You, HaShem, and we will return. Renew our days as of old.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה מ"ט - לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ שָׂם אֹהֶל בָּהֶם]
צוּר לְבָבִי וּקְדוֹשִׁי, צוּר עוֹלָמִים יוֹצֵר הַכֹּל, רִבּוֹן כָּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים אֲדוֹן כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת, יוֹדֵעַ הַתַּעֲלוּמוֹת, אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת לְבָבִי,
Yearning for God / Constricting the Light of the Flame of the Heart / Serving God with Wisdom / Rectifying Creation / Revealing God’s Heavenly Torah
Every Jew is “a portion of God from above.” The essence of that Godliness lies in his heart, and it is infinite. Thus there is no end to a Jew’s yearning for God.
But if that were all there is, everything would remain overwhelmed by the infinity of that flame. Consequently, a Jew could not serve God or reveal any good traits, since he would become absorbed in Infinity, in God.
Similarly, in the beginning, there was no room for creation, because everything was the Infinite One. But since God wanted to reveal His sovereignty, which requires the revelation of “traits” or worlds, He constricted His infinite light and, within the resulting Vacated Space, created those worlds.
In the same way, every individual must constrict the light of the flame of his heart. By guarding against evil thoughts and thinking only good thoughts on how to serve God, his heart creates a “vacated space” in which he can then engage in good deeds and attain good traits. With that, he can serve God in measure and by degree, and thus reveal His sovereignty.
Just as creation came about through God’s wisdom, so do we serve God with wisdom. When a person’s heart is empty, it is open to wisdom. Thus he can serve God and rectify creation. Should he fail and instead engage in evil thoughts, in the foolishness of the heart, he seals his heart and fills up the Vacated Space of creation. Then it is as though he had destroyed the world.
But when he again engages in good thoughts, he rectifies creation. By purifying his heart, rejecting the bad thoughts and engaging in good thoughts, he renews the creation and can make miracles happen. The essence of returning to God depends on the thoughts in one’s heart: on fleeing bad thoughts and engaging only in good thoughts, on considering one’s end, and on thinking about how to come close to God and thus attain the Heavenly Torah, which contains the secrets of the delights of the World to Come and the pleasure of the Shabbat.
A person must have the strength to run the track. Even after he has repented and repaired what he has damaged, he must make up for what he could have accomplished when he was far from God.
The heart of the Tzaddik is always open to wisdom. Therefore, he can engage in the act of creation and do wonders. (The Tzaddik gains his understanding from the Jewish people. Should the latter descend into the external wisdoms of the nations, he too falls from his understanding.)
When a person prays, he connects the thoughts in his heart to his words. As a result, God’s sovereignty is enhanced. Life, abundance and blessing are drawn to the Jewish people, and the sovereignty of evil falls. This leads to supernal and lower unifications and the revelation of God’s Heavenly Torah.
God, You Who are the Rock of my heart and the Holy Rock of all worlds, Creator of the universe, Master of every deed and every soul, You Who know all hidden things — You know my heart.
אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת עֹצֶם תַּבְעֵרַת קְדֻשַּׁת אוֹר הָאֱלָהוּת הַשּׁוֹפֵעַ בְּלִבִּי, כִּי אֲנַחְנוּ חֵלֶק אֱלוֹהַּ מִמַּעַל וּשְׁכִינַת אֱלָהוּתְךָ בְּתוֹךְ לְבָבֵנוּ.
You know the intensity of the holy fire, Your light that pours through my heart, because I am a portion of God from above, and Your presence resides in my heart.
עַל כֵּן הוֹמֶה עָלַי לִבִּי, לִבִּי כַכִּנּוֹר יֶהֱמֶה, כָּלָה שְׁאֵרִי וּלְבָבִי צוּר לְבָבִי וְחֶלְקִי אֱלֹהִים לְעוֹלָם. נִכְסְפָה וְגַם כָּלְתָה נַפְשִׁי לְחַצְרוֹת יְהֹוָה לִבִּי וּבְשָׂרִי יְרַנְּנוּ אֶל אֵל חָי. וְרִשְׁפֵּי שַׁלְהֶבֶת לְבָבִי הַבּוֹעֵר וְנִכְסָף אֵלֶיךָ,
Therefore, my heart sings within me and resonates like a harp. “My flesh and heart have all but expired, Rock of my heart. My portion is God forever. My soul yearns to exhaustion for the courtyards of HaShem. My heart and flesh sing to the God of my life.”
מַיִם רַבִּים לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹתָהּ וּנְהָרוֹת לֹא יִשְׁטְפוּהָ, כִּי אוֹר לְבָבִי מְקֻשָּׁר וּמְחֻבָּר בְּאוֹרְךָ הַגָּדוֹל הָאֵין סוֹף, עַל כֵּן אוֹר לַהֲבִיּוּת לְבָבִי הוּא עַד אֵין סוֹף, כִּי אֵין סוֹף וְאֵין תַּכְלִית לִתְשׁוּקָתִי אֵלֶיךָ, וְגַעְגּוּעִי וְחֶפְצִי וְכוֹסְפִי חָזָק וְאַמִּיץ אֵלֶיךָ בְּלִי שִׁעוּר וָעֵרֶךְ, עַד אֲשֶׁר לְפִי עֹצֶם אוֹר לַהֲבִיּוּת הַלֵּב עַד אֵין סוֹף וְתַכְלִית לֹא הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲשׂוֹת שׁוּם עֲבוֹדָה כְּלָל, כִּי אוֹר קְדֻשַּׁת לְבָבִי בּוֹעֵר וּמִתְלַהֵב אֵלֶיךָ בְּחֵשֶׁק נִמְרָץ וּבְרָצוֹן חָזָק, לִהְיוֹת דָּבוּק וְנִכְלָל בְּךָ תָמִיד לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. אַךְ אַתָּה גִּלִּיתָ לָנוּ עַל־יְדֵי חֲכָמֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, אֲשֶׁר אֵין רְצוֹנְךָ בָּזֶה, וְלֹא זֹאת הָיְתָה כַּוָּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה בִּבְרִיאָתֵנוּ, כִּי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ כִּי בָשָׂר וָדָם אֲנַחְנוּ, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לָנוּ לִהְיוֹת דְּבוּקִים בְּךָ תָמִיד, וְאַתָּה חָפֵץ בַּעֲבוֹדָתֵנוּ בְּעוּבְדוֹת וּבְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה בָּאנוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַשָּׁפָל לַעֲבֹד אוֹתְךָ בְּתוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת.
“Many waters cannot extinguish” the leaping flames of my heart that yearns for You, nor can the rivers overflow it, for the light of my heart is connected to Your great and endless light. The flame of my heart is infinite. There is no end to my yearning for You. I desire You — intensely and without measure. The depth of the infinite light of that flame might not allow me to serve You, because it is aflame with the desire to cleave to You and be absorbed into You forever. Through Your holy sages, You revealed to us that this is not what You intended when You created us. You know that we are flesh and blood and cannot cleave to You unceasingly. Therefore, You desire our service through our good deeds — and for that, we came down into this lowly world to serve You with Torah and perform its commandments.
עַל כֵּן גָּזַרְתָּ עָלֵינוּ לִבְלִי לַהֲרֹס לַעֲלוֹת אֶל יְהֹוָה וְלִבְלִי לִבְעֹר אֵלֶיךָ יוֹתֵר מֵהַמִּדָּה, וְגָזַרְתָּ עָלֵינוּ לְצַמְצֵם אוֹר הַהִתְלַהֲבוּת שֶׁבִּלְבָבֵנוּ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת חָלָל פָּנוּי בַּלֵּב כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְלִבִּי חָלַל בְּקִרְבִּי.
You have decreed that we may not break through the barriers beyond our abilities to come to You. We may not let the fire burn for You beyond its proper measure. We must constrict the light of the fervor in our heart, and make a hollow in our heart. As the verse states, “My heart is empty within me.”
כְּדֵי שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִזְכֶּה לְצַיֵּר בִּלְבָבֵנוּ כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת וּקְדוֹשׁוֹת, וּלְהַמְשִׁיךְ עָלֵינוּ עֹל עֲבוֹדָתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, וְלָלֶכֶת בִּדְרָכֶיךָ הַטּוֹבִים וּלְהִתְדַּבֵּק בְּמִדּוֹתֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת וְלַעֲבֹד אוֹתְךָ בְּהַדְרָגָה וּבְמִדָּה,
Then we can picture in our hearts all good and holy traits and accept the yoke of Your service, walk in Your good ways, cleave to Your holy traits and serve You in a measured, graduated fashion.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִזְכֶּה לְקַבֵּל עָלֵינוּ עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם שְׁלֵמָה, וּלְגַלּוֹת מַלְכוּתְךָ לְכָל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר זֶה הָיָה כַּוָּנָתְךָ בִּבְרִיאַת הָאָדָם כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְגַּלֶּה מַלְכוּתְךָ בָּעוֹלָם:
In this way, we accept the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven and reveal Your sovereignty to everyone. And that was Your intent in creating man: to reveal Your sovereignty to the world.
וּבְכֵן בָּאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב, וֵאלֹהֵי כָל הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים, אֱלֹהֵי הָרִאשׁוֹנִים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִים, וֵאלֹהֵי כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל יֶהֱמוּ נָא וְיִכְָמְרוּ נָא רַחֲמֶיךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ עָלַי, עַל פָּגוּם וּמְבֻלְבָּל כָּמוֹנִי,
Redemption Now!
And so I come to You, HaShem, my God and the God of my fathers; God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob; God of all the true Tzaddikim; God of the first and the last; God of the entire Jewish people. Arouse Your compassion and love for me, as blemished and confused as I am.
וְתוֹרֵנִי וְתַדְרִיכֵנִי בַּאֲמִתְּךָ וּתְלַמְּדֵנִי, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לָדַעַת בֶּאֱמֶת אֵיךְ לְהִתְנַהֵג בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, בְּאֵיזֶה דֶרֶךְ בְּאֵיזֶה אֹפֶן לְצַמְצֵם הָאוֹר בְּהַדְרָגָה וּבְמִדָּה כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב בֶּאֱמֶת. כִּי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ, כִּי אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לִכְסֹף אֵלֶיךָ תָמִיד וּלְהִשְׁתּוֹקֵק אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, וְלָרוּץ אֵלֶיךָ כְּגִבּוּר לָרוּץ אֹרַח הַזֶּה שֶׁהָיִיתִי יָכוֹל לֵילֵךְ בַּזְּמַן שֶׁהָיִיתִי נָזוּף מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, כִּי כְּבָר כִּלִּיתִי יָמִים וְשָׁנִים הַרְבֵּה בְּהֶבֶל וָרִיק.
Teach me and guide me to know how to act, how to constrict the light in a graduated, measured fashion in accordance with Your desire. For You know that I must yearn for You always, long for You in truth and run after You “like a mighty man running upon the track” — yet I have lost days and years in vanity and emptiness, cast away from You.
מָה אוֹמַר לְפָנֶיךָ יוֹשֵׁב מָרוֹם, וּמַה אֲסַפֵּר לְפָנֶיךָ שׁוֹכֵן שְׁחָקִים, אֵין לִי פֶּה לְהָשִׁיב וְלֹא מֵצַח לְהָרִים רֹאשׁ. וּבִמְקוֹמוֹת אֵלּוּ שֶׁנִּתְפַּסְתִּי בָּהֶם בַּעֲוֹנוֹתַי הָרַבִּים, בְּוַדַּאי אֵין שׁוּם דֶּרֶךְ לָצֵאת מֵהֶם בְּהַדְרָגָה כְּסֵדֶר, וּבְוַדַּאי הַהֶכְרַח לִבְרֹחַ מִשָּׁם מְהֵרָה וְלָרוּץ מִשָּׁם בִּמְהִירוּת וּבִזְרִיזוּת גָּדוֹל, לְמַהֵר לְהִמָּלֵט עַל נַפְשִׁי, וְלִבְלִי לְהַבִּיט אַחֲרַי, כִּי לֹא אוּכַל לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ עוֹד חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אֲפִלּוּ כְרֶגַע,
What can I say to You, You Who dwell in the heights? What can I tell You, You Who make Your habitation in the heavens? I do not have the mouth to speak or the arrogance to lift my head. There is no way out of these areas where I have been trapped by my many sins, in a graduated and orderly fashion. I must escape quickly and run with all my might. I must rush to save my life and not even look behind me. I cannot delay even for a moment.
וְאַתָּה צָרִיךְ לְעוֹרֵר רַחֲמֶיךָ הָאֲמִתִּיִּים עָלַי, הַגְּנוּזִים אֶצְלְךָ, וּלְהוֹצִיאֵנִי מְהֵרָה בִּזְרוֹעַ עֻזְּךָ, וְלִשָּׂא אוֹתִי עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים, וּלְהָבִיא אוֹתִי אֵלֶיךָ לְקָרְבֵנִי לַעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ חִישׁ קַל מְהֵרָה, כִּי עֲדַיִן לֹא אָבְדָה תִקְוָתִי וְתוֹחַלְתִּי מֵיְהֹוָה, כִּי חַסְדֵּי יְהֹוָה כִּי לֹא תָמְנוּ כִּי לֹא כָלוּ רַחֲמָיו.
Arouse Your true compassion for me, hidden within You. Bring me out quickly with Your strong arm. Lift me on the wings of eagles and swiftly bring me to serve You. My hope in You is not at an end, for “the mercies of HaShem have not ended, His compassion has not ceased.”
אֲבָל אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן אֲנִי מֻכְרָח לְצַמְצֵם אוֹר הִתְלַהֲבוּת לְבָבִי כַּאֲשֶׁר נִגְלָה לְפָנֶיךָ אָבִי שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, כִּי גָלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לְפָנֶיךָ, לְכַמָּה פְּגָמִים בָּאתִי עַל־יְדֵי רִבּוּי הַהִתְלַהֲבוּת חוּץ מֵהַמִּדָּה, וַאֲנִי בַעַר וְלֹא אֵדָע בְּהֵמוֹת הָיִיתִי עִמָּךְ.
Still, I must constrict the light of the flame of my heart, my Father in Heaven. For You know how many blemishes I am afflicted with because my fervor has overflowed its banks. “I am a beast and do not know, I have been an animal with You.”
עַל כֵּן בָּאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ אָבִי אָבִי אֲדוֹנִי אֲדוֹנִי, גּוֹאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל וּקְדוֹשִׁי צוּר לְבָבִי, הֲרֵינִי מַשְׁלִיךְ עַצְמִי עָלֶיךָ, הֲרֵינִי מוֹסֵר גּוּפִי וְנַפְשִׁי וְרוּחִי וְנִשְׁמָתִי אֵלֶיךָ לְבַד. בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי פָּדִיתָה אוֹתִי יְהֹוָה אֵל אֱמֶת. אֵלֶיךָ יְהֹוָה נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא.
And so I come before You, My Father and Master, Redeemer of Israel and my Holy One, the Rock of my heart. I cast myself onto You. I give my body and soul to You alone. “In Your hand do I deposit my spirit, You have saved me, HaShem. To You, HaShem, do I lift my soul.”
וַאֲנִי מוֹסֵר כָּל לְבָבִי עָלֶיךָ לְבַד. הוֹרֵנִי יְהֹוָה דַּרְכֶּךָ אֲהַלֵּךְ בַּאֲמִתֶּךָ יַחֵד לְבָבִי לְיִרְאָה שְׁמֶךָ. הוֹרֵנִי וְלַמְּדֵנִי אֵיךְ לְהִתְנַהֵג בְּעִנְיָן הַתְּשׁוּקָה וְהַהִתְלַהֲבוּת אֵלֶיךָ, וְאֵיךְ לְצַמְצֵם אֶת הַהִתְלַהֲבוּת, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לִתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה בֶּאֱמֶת, וְלֵילֵךְ בִּדְרָכֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים וּלְהִתְדַּבֵּק בְּמִדּוֹתֶיךָ הַטּוֹבוֹת, וּלְקַבֵּל עָלַי תָמִיד עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם שְׁלֵמָה, בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְרָצוֹן, בְּאֵימָה וּבְיִרְאָה, בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה, וְלַעֲבֹד אוֹתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ בְּהַדְרָגָה וּבְמִדָּה כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב בֶּאֱמֶת:
I give my entire heart to You alone. HaShem, direct me on Your path so that I will walk in Your truth. Direct my heart to fear Your Name. Guide me and teach me how to deal with my yearnings for You and how to constrict my fervor, so that I will come to truly repent and walk upon Your holy paths and cling to Your good traits. May I always accept the yoke of the sovereignty of Heaven with love and desire, awe and fear, and holiness and purity, and serve You in a graduated, measured fashion, in accordance with Your desire.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ כִּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִי לְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתִי לְפָנֶיךָ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן, בִּפְרָט בְּעִנְיָן זֶה,
Plea for Purity
Master of the World, You know that I cannot express myself before You fully, particularly regarding this matter.
עָזְרֵנִי עָזְרֵנִי הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי, חָנֵּנִי חָנֵּנִי, פְּדֵנִי, גְּאָלֵנִי, מַלְּטֵנִי, הַצִּילֵנִי, הַצִּילֵנִי נָא בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ מִן הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע, הַצִּילֵנִי מִטִּפְּשׁוּת לֵב מֵעָרְלַת לֵב, פְּדֵנִי וְחָנֵּנִי וּמַלְּטֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, מִמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת מֵחָכְמוֹת רָעוֹת, שֶׁהֵם עִקָּר הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע שֶׁבַּלֵּב, חוּס וַחֲמֹל עָלַי, חוּס וְחָנֵּנִי, גּוֹאֵל מִמָּוֶת וּפוֹדֶה מִשַּׁחַת,
Rescue me from the evil inclination! Save me from a foolish and uncircumcised heart. Redeem me and be gracious to me. Deliver me from evil thoughts and evil counsel, which are the essence of the evil inclination in the heart. Have mercy and be gracious to me, You Who redeem from death and destruction.
פְּדֵנִי מִמְּצוּלוֹת יָם, פְּדֵנִי מִמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת, מַלְּטָה נַפְשִׁי מֵהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים הַפּוֹגְמִים בְּנֶפֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְאֹד מְאֹד, כַּאֲשֶׁר אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, הַצִּילֵנִי מַלְּטֵנִי מִכָּל מִינֵי מַחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת וּבִלְבּוּלִים, אֲשֶׁר הֵם הֵם עִקָּר הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע שֶׁבַּלֵּב, אֲשֶׁר הֵם עָרְלַת לֵב, שֶׁהֵם מְטַמְטְמִין אֶת הַלֵּב, וְרַק הֵם הָיוּ בְּעוֹכְרָי,
Redeem me from the depths of the sea, from evil thoughts. Rescue my spirit from evil musings, which so deeply harm a Jewish soul. Save me from every type of foreign thought and confusion, which are the essence of the evil inclination in the heart, the foreskin that covers the heart and seals it shut.
כִּי עַל יָדָם נִתְפַּסְתִּי וְנִלְכַּדְתִּי בַּעֲוֹנוֹתַי וּפְשָׁעַי הָעֲצוּמִים שֶׁחָטָאתִי וְשֶׁעָוִיתִי וְשֶׁפָּשַׁעְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ מִנְּעוּרַי עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, אֲשֶׁר כֻּלָּם בָּאוּ עָלַי רַק עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא נִזְהַרְתִּי לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי בְּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת וּטְהוֹרוֹת, וְהָלַכְתִּי אַחֲרֵי שְׁרִירוּת לִבִּי, וַהֲרֵעוֹתִי אֶת מַעֲשַׂי עַל־יְדֵי רִבּוּי הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת וּבִלְבּוּלִים רַבִּים, אֲשֶׁר הִנַּחְתִּי לִכְנֹס בְּלִבִּי, וְלֹא הִתְגַּבַּרְתִּי לְגָרְשָׁם מִמֶּנִּי, עַד אֲשֶׁר הִשְׂתָּרְגוּ עָלוּ עַל צַוָּארִי הִכְשִׁילוּ כֹחִי. עַד אֲשֶׁר עַל יָדָם בָּאתִי לְכָל הַפְּגָמִים שֶׁפָּגַמְתִּי נֶגְדְּךָ, וּלְכָל הַהִתְרַחֲקוּת אֲשֶׁר נִתְרַחֲקְתִּי מִמְּךָ עַד הֵנָּה, עַד אֲשֶׁר דַּרְכֵי הַתְּשׁוּבָה בֶּאֱמֶת נֶעֶלְמוּ מִמֶּנִּי, וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ שׁוּם דֶּרֶךְ אֵיךְ לָצֵאת וּלְהִמָּלֵט מֵהֶם, וְעַתָּה מֵאַיִן יָבוֹא עֶזְרִי מֵאַיִן תָּבֹא תְּשׁוּעָתִי, מֵאַיִן אֲבַקֵּשׁ מָנוֹחַ אֲשֶׁר יִיטַב לִי לָעַד.
Only these have stopped me; only because of these have I been caught and trapped. All the sins that I have committed from my youth until this day occurred only because I did not sanctify my thoughts, but followed after the stubbornness of my heart. I engaged in evil deeds only because of the evil thoughts and bedlam which I allowed to enter my heart and which I did not arouse myself to expel, until they crept up to my neck and weakened my strength. And finally, because of them, I caused all these blemishes and have been distanced from You so far that the paths of repentance have disappeared from before me, and I do not know how to escape. And now, “From where will my help come”? From where will my salvation come? Where will I seek the tranquility that will do good for me forever?
אֲהָהּ יְהֹוָה, עֲזֹר עֲזֹר הַצֵּל הַצֵּל הוֹשִׁיעָה הוֹשִׁיעָה, הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי אֱלֹהִים כִּי בָאוּ מַיִם עַד נָפֶשׁ.
HaShem, help me! “Save me, God, for the water has risen up to my soul.”
הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי טַהֲרֵנִי קַדְּשֵׁנִי, קַדֵּשׁ אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי בִּקְדֻשָּׁתְךָ הָעֲצוּמָה, בִּקְדֻשָּׁתְךָ הַגְּדוֹלָה, בִּקְדֻשָּׁתְךָ הַנּוֹרָאָה, אֲשֶׁר אֵין שׁוּם סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא יְכוֹלָה לַעֲמֹד נֶגֶד קְדֻשָּׁתְךָ הַגְּדוֹלָה וְהַנּוֹרָאָה. אָבִי שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, גָּרֵשׁ מִפְּנֵי קְדֻשָּׁתְךָ כָּל הַטִּפְּשׁוּת שֶׁבְּלִבִּי, כָּל עָרְלַת לְבָבִי, וְקַיֵּם לִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וּמָל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת לְבָבְךָ וְאֶת לְבַב זַרְעֶךָ לְאַהֲבָה אֶת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ לְמַעַן חַיֶּיךָ.
Purify me! Sanctify my thoughts with Your powerful, great and awesome holiness before which no evil can stand. My Father in Heaven, expel all the foolishness of my heart. Remove the foreskin of my heart, so that the verse may be realized in me, “May HaShem your God circumcise Your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love HaShem your God with all your heart and with all your soul for the sake of your life.”
זַכֵּנִי לְמַחֲשָׁבוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת וּטְהוֹרוֹת, הַצִּילֵנִי מִמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת, הַצִּילֵנִי נָא מֵהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים, הַצִּילֵנִי הַצִּילֵנִי, קַדֵּשׁ אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים, בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים, יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת חֲמֹל עָלַי, מָלֵא רַחֲמִים יֶהֱמוּ וְיִכְָמְרוּ מֵעֶיךָ עָלַי, קְדוֹשׁ יַעֲקֹב קַדְּשֵׁנִי וְטַהֲרֵנִי, קָדוֹשׁ עַל כָּל הַקְּדֻשּׁוֹת תֶּן לִי בְּמַתְּנַת חִנָּם וְנִדְבַת חֶסֶד קְדֻשָּׁתְךָ הַנּוֹרָאָה בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְקַבְּלָהּ.
Guide me to attain holy and pure thoughts, and deliver me from evil thoughts. Rescue me! Sanctify my thoughts in Your compassion, You Who know all hidden things. Most Holy One of Jacob, sanctify me and purify me. Give me Your awesome holiness as a loving gift in such a way that I can receive it.
זַכֵּנִי מְהֵרָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִבִּי פָּנוּי וְחָלָל מִכָּל מִינֵי עָרְלַת לֵב, מִכָּל מִינֵי טִפְּשׁוּת הַלֵּב, מִכָּל מִינֵי מַחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת וְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים וְחָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת הַנִּמְשָׁכִין מֵהַיֵּצֶר הָרָע. וְעָזְרֵנִי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהַמְשִׁיךְ לְתוֹךְ לִבִּי בְּהַדְרָגָה וּבְמִדָּה מַחֲשָׁבוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת וּטְהוֹרוֹת, מַחֲשָׁבוֹת זַכּוֹת וּנְכוֹנוֹת, מַחֲשָׁבוֹת טוֹבוֹת שֶׁהֵם הַיֵּצֶר הַטּוֹב, וְתִתֶּן לִי כֹחַ לְהַגְבִּיר הַיֵּצֶר הַטּוֹב עַל הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע, לְהַגְבִּיר הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת עַל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת, לְגָרֵשׁ וּלְסַלֵּק מִלִבִּי כָּל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת וּבִלְבּוּלִים, וְכָל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת הַטּוֹרְדוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, וְאֶזְכֶּה לַחְשֹׁב בֶּאֱמֶת כָּרָאוּי אֵיךְ לַעֲבֹד אוֹתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה זַכָּה וְצַחָה בְּלִי שׁוּם בִּלְבּוּל הַדַּעַת כְּלָל, וְאַתָּה תִהְיֶה עִמִּי תָמִיד.
Purify me soon, so that my heart will be freed of the foreskin of the heart, foolishness in the heart, every kind of foreign thought and evil musing and extrinsic wisdom drawn from the evil inclination. Help me to draw into my heart — in a graduated, measured fashion — holy and pure thoughts, which are the good inclination. Give me the strength to overcome my evil inclination with my good inclination, and overcome my evil thoughts with holy thoughts, to expel all evil, perplexing and disturbing thoughts from my heart — so that I will be able to think properly of how to serve You with pure and clear thought, without any confusion at all, and You will always be with me.
וְתוֹרֵנִי וּתְלַמְּדֵנִי דְרָכֶיךָ הַטּוֹבִים, וּתְדַבְּקֵנִי בְּמִדּוֹתֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת, עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְקַבֵּל עָלַי עֹל מַלְכוּתְךָ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְיִרְאָה בֶּאֱמֶת וּבֶאֱמוּנָה, בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה, וְלָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה בֶּאֱמֶת, וּלְהִתְדַּבֵּק בְּךָ תָמִיד לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב בֶּאֱמֶת. וְאֶזְכֶּה לָרוּץ מְהֵרָה כָּל הָאֹרַח הַזֶּה שֶׁהָיִיתִי יָכוֹל לֵילֵךְ בַּזְּמַן שֶׁהָיִיתִי נָזוּף מִלְּפָנֶיךָ,
Direct me and teach me Your good ways. Lead me to cling to Your holy traits until I completely accept the yoke of Your sovereignty — with love and fear, truth and faith, holiness and purity — and return to You fully and cling to You always, as is Your desire, so that I will walk quickly upon Your path, which I could already have been traversing had I not been cast away from You.
וְתַעַזְרֵנִי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְתַקֵּן מְהֵרָה בְּחַיַּי כָּל הַפְּגָמִים שֶׁפָּגַמְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ מִנְּעוּרַי עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, עַל־יְדֵי חֲטָאַי וַעֲוֹנוֹתַי וּפְשָׁעַי הָרַבִּים וְהָעֲצוּמִים.
Help me to rectify quickly everything that I have done wrong before You, from my youth until this day — all of my sins.
חוּס וְחָנֵּנִי וְרַחֵם עָלַי וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי חִישׁ קַל מְהֵרָה, יְשׁוּעָה שְׁלֵמָה וַאֲמִתִּיִּית, יְשׁוּעַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְהַגּוּף בֶּאֱמֶת, יְשׁוּעָה הַנִּצְחִיִּית לְעוֹלְמֵי עַד וּלְנֵצַח נְצָחִים. עָזְרֵנִי כִּי עָלֶיךָ נִשְׁעָנְתִּי, הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי כִּי שִׁמְךָ נִקְרָא עָלֵינוּ,
Have pity on me. Save me, quickly and fully. Save my body and soul forever. Help me, because I rely on You. Save me, because as a Jew I am called by Your Name.
אַל תַּנִּיחֵנוּ וְאַל תִּטְּשֵׁנוּ וְאַל תַּעַזְבֵנוּ, זְכוֹר רַחֲמֶיךָ יְהֹוָה וַחֲסָדֶיךָ כִּי מֵעוֹלָם הֵמָּה. זָכְרֵנִי יְהֹוָה בִּרְצוֹן עַמֶּךָ פָּקְדֵנִי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ,
Do not cast me aside. Do not abandon me. “Recall Your compassion, HaShem, and Your lovingkindness, because they are eternal.” “Remember me, HaShem, when You desire Your nation. Visit me with Your salvation.”
טַהֵר לְבָבִי לְעָבְדְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת. עוּרָה כְבוֹדִי עוּרָה הַנֵּבֶל וְכִנּוֹר אָעִירָה שָׁחַר. עוּרָה נָּא, עוֹרְרִי נָּא, קוּמִי נָא, עִמְדִי נָא, חַלִּי נָא פְּנֵי אֵל בְּמֵיטַב הִגָּיוֹן, אוּלַי יָחוֹס אוּלַי יְרַחֵם, אוּלַי יָחוֹס עַם עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן אוּלַי יְרַחֵם, אוּלַי יְרַחֵם אוּלַי יְרַחֵם.
Purify my heart to serve You. “Awaken, my glory; awaken lyre and harp, I will awaken the dawn.” Wake me. Guide me to appeal to You with my best words of prayer. “Perhaps He will have pity. Perhaps He will have compassion. Perhaps He will have pity on a poor and impoverished people — perhaps He will have compassion!”
דַּלּוּ עֵינַי לַמָּרוֹם יְהֹוָה עָשְׁקָה לִי עָרְבֵנִי.
“My eyes are raised to the heights, HaShem. I have been oppressed, be my guarantor.”
מָרָא דְעַלְמָא כֹּלָּא, אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ כְּלָל מַה לְדַבֵּר, כִּי אֵין מִלָּה בִּלְשׁוֹנִי הֵן יְהֹוָה יָדַעְתָּ כֻלָּהּ. רַק בָּאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, לִשְׁטֹחַ כַּפַּי אֵלֶיךָ וְלִשָּׂא עֵינַי לִמְעוֹן קְדֻשָּׁתֶךָ, אוּלַי יֵשׁ תִּקְוָה. תֵּן לִי תִקְוָה טוֹבָה חִישׁ קַל מְהֵרָה, תֵּן לִי חַיִּים אֲמִתִּיִּים, הָסֵר מִמֶּנִּי יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה, שַׂמֵּחַ נֶפֶשׁ עַבְדֶּךָ כִּי אֵלֶיךָ יְהֹוָה נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא.
Master of the World, I do not know what to say. “There is no word in my tongue because You know everything, HaShem.” But I have come to You, my God and the God of my fathers, You Who are filled with compassion. I stretch my hands out to You and raise my eyes to Your holy dwelling place. Perhaps there is hope. Give me hope — swiftly, quickly. Give me a true life. Take away my sadness. “Give joy to the soul of Your servant because, HaShem, I lift my soul to You!”
זַכֵּנִי מְהֵרָה לִתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה בֶּאֱמֶת, וְאֶזְכֶּה לָשׁוּב לַמָּקוֹר שֶׁנֶּחְצַבְתִּי מִשָּׁם, וְאֶזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי תְשׁוּבָתִי לְיַחֵד יִחוּדָא עִלָּאָה וְיִחוּדָא תַּתָּאָה:
Inspire me to truly and wholly return to You, to return to the quarry from which I was hewn. And when I return, may that bring about an upper and lower unification.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, זַכֵּנִי לַעֲבוֹד אוֹתְךָ בְּכָל לְבָבִי כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, וּלְעָבְדּוֹ בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶם. וּבִפְרָט בִּשְעַת הַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁהוּא עִקָּר עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבַּלֵּב.
“I Am Prayer”
[Master of the Universe, help me to serve You with all my heart, as the verse states, “Serve Him with all your heart” — particularly in prayer, which is the essence of the service of the heart.
אֶזְכֶּה לְכַוֵּן לִבִּי הֵיטֵב בִּתְפִלָּתִי וְלָשׂוּם כָּל לִבִּי בֶּאֱמֶת עַל כַָּוּנַת הַתְּפִלָּה, ואֶזְכֶּה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ בְּכָל לִבִּי בֶּאֱמֶת בְּלִי שׁוּם מַחֲשָׁבָה זָרָה וְחִיצוֹנָה כְּלָל. וְאֶזְכֶּה לַעֲסֹק תָּמִיד בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַתְּפִלָּה בֶּאֱמֶת, וִיקֻיַּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּה.
Help me to concentrate on my prayers and put my entire heart into the meaning of the words, so that I will pray to You with all my heart, without any foreign or external thoughts at all. May I engage always in the service of prayer, so that the verse will be realized in me, “I am prayer.”
וְתִהְיֶה תְּפִלָּתִי חֲשׁוּבָה לְפָנֶיךָ כְּאִלוּ הִקְרַבְתִּי כָּל הַקָרְבָּנוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, בִּפְרָט קָרְבָּן עוֹלָה שֶׁמְּכַפֵּר עַל הִרְהוּר הַלֵּב.
Please answer my prayers to You as though I had offered all the sacrifices, particularly the burnt offering, which brings atonement for the thoughts of the heart.
וְנִזְכֶּה שֶעַל־יְדֵי תְּפִלָתֵנוּ יִהְיֶה עֲלִיָּה גְּדוֹלָה וּשְׁלֵמָה לִשְׁנֵי הַבָּתִים ״בֵּיתָא־עִלָּאָה וּבֵיתָא־תַּתָּאָה״.
And through my prayer, may the two houses — the supernal house and the lower house — be elevated completely.
וְתִבְנֶה עִירְךָ בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ, וְתֶחֱזֵינָה עֵינֵינוּ בְּשׁוּבְךָ לְצִיּוֹן בְּרַחֲמִים, וְשָׁם נַעֲבָדְךָ בְּיִרְאָה כִּימֵי עוֹלָם וּכְשָׁנִים קַדְמוֹנִיּוֹת:
Build Your city quickly in our days. May our eyes see Your return to Zion. There may we serve You in awe, as we did in earlier days.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אַתָּה לְבַד יַָדעְתָּ עֹמֶק יְרִידָתֵנוּ וּנְפִילָתֵנוּ, וּפְחִיתוּת וְשִׁפְלוּת מַדְרֵגָתֵנוּ בָּעֵת הַזֹּאת, וְכַמָּה אָנוּ רְחוֹקִים מֵעֲבוֹדַת הַתְּפִלָּה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת בְּתַכְלִית הָרִחוּק, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה מִתְגַּבֶּרֶת הַיְּרִידָה וְהַנְּפִילָה בְּכָל פַּעַם בְּיוֹתֵר בְּרוּחֳנִיוּת וּבְגַשְׁמִיוּת.
Master of the World, You alone know the depth of my fall. How cheapened I have become, the lowness to which I have descended, and how far I am from prayer, complete prayer. How completely removed I am; and, as a result, I fall ever lower — spiritually and in the material world.
וְגַם אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ כַּמָּה אָנוּ רְחוֹקִים מֵעֵצָה שְׁלֵמָה, עַד אֲשֶׁר נָפְלָה עֲצָתֵנוּ לְגַמְרֵי, וּבְכָל מַה שֶׁאָנוּ צְרִיכִים לַעֲשׂוֹת יֵשׁ לָנוּ חֲלוּקַת הָעֵצָה הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד, עַד אֲשֶׁר אָנוּ הוֹלְכִים מְבֻלְבָּלִים וּמְטֹרָפִים וְדַעֲתֵּנוּ וְלִבֵּנוּ מְעֻרְבָּב בְּבִלְבּוּלִים הַרְבֵּה בְּלִי שִׁעוּר.
And You know how far I am from good counsel, so that in everything I do, I am terribly divided. I am confused and torn, and my mind and heart are endlessly in turmoil.
עַל־כֵּן חוּס וַחֲמֹל נָא עָלֵינוּ וְזַכֵּנוּ מֵעַתָּה עַל־כָּל־פָּנִים לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבֵנוּ, וְנִזְכֶּה לְהִתְפַּלֵל לְפָנֶיךָ בְּכָל־לֵב עַד שֶׁתָּחֹס וְתַחְמֹל עָלֵינוּ וְתָקִים לָנוּ ״אֶת סֻכַּת דָּוִד הַנּוֹפָלֶת״, וּפְרוֹשׂ עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ וְתַקְּנֵנוּ בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה מִלְּפָנֶיךָ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ מְהֵרָה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, וִיקֻיַּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, רַבּוֹת מַחֲשָׁבוֹת בְּלֵב אִישׁ וַעֲצַת יְיָ הִיא תָקוּם.
Have mercy and pity on me, so that from this point on, at any rate, I will return to You with all my heart and pray to You with all my heart — until You will have pity on me and raise “the fallen booth of David,” spread the “booth of Your peace” and rectify me with Your counsel. Save me quickly, for the sake of Your Name, so that the verse will be realized, “There are many thoughts in a man’s heart, but the counsel of HaShem shall prevail.”
וְתִגְאָלֵנוּ גְּאֻלַּת עוֹלָם וְתַחֲזִיר לָנוּ מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד עַל מְכוֹנָה, וִיקַבְּלוּ כֻלָּם עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת עֹל מַלְכוּתֶךָ, וּתְמַלֵּא פְּגִימַת הַלְּבָנָה, וְיִהְיֶה אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הַחַמָּה כְּאוֹר שִבְעַת יְמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמָר, אֶת שְׁנֵי הַמְּאוֹרוֹת הַגְּדוֹלִים. וִיקֻיַּם בָּנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וּבִקְּשׁוּ אֶת יְיָ אֱלהֵֹיהֶם וְאֶת־דָּוִד מַלְכָּם, אָמֵן.
Redeem me forever. Bring back the sovereignty of the House of David, so that everyone will accept the yoke of Your sovereignty and the moon will be restored, so that its “light will be like the light of the sun, like the light of the seven days of Creation,” when both the sun and moon were “the two great lights.” And may the verse be realized in us, “They will seek HaShem their God and David their king.” Amen.]
לְחֹדֶשׁ נִיסָן וְתִּשְׁרֵי וּתְזַכֵּנִי לְקַדֵּשׁ עַצְמִי בְּיוֹתֵר בְּשְׁנֵי הַחֳדָשִׁים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁהֵם שְׁנֵי רָאשִׁים שֶׁל הַשָּׁנָה, שֶׁהֵם נִיסָן וְתִשְׁרֵי, שֶׁהֵם יְמֵי תְשׁוּבָה, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה בְּכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה לָשׁוּב בָּהֶם בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה וּלְהִתְקַדֵּשׁ בָּהֶם בִּקְדֻשָּׁה יְתֵרָה וּבְשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה. וְאֶזְכֶּה לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עָלַי קְדֻשָּׁה גְּדוֹלָה וּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה תָמִיד מִשְּׁנֵי הַחֳדָשִׁים הָאֵלּוּ עַל כָּל הַשָּׁנָה כֻּלָּה.
For the Months of Nisan and Tishrei
Help me to sanctify myself, especially during the two holy months that are the two heads of the year, Nisan and Tishrei, which are days of repentance. Every year at that time, may I repent completely and sanctify myself with great holiness and joy, drawing holiness and repentance onto myself from these two months to the entire year.
וּתְזַכֵּנִי לְעוֹרֵר וּלְגַלּוֹת עֲשָׂרָה מִינֵי נְגִינָה, וְאֶזְכֶּה מְהֵרָה לְסַדֵּר לְפָנֶיךָ בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד שִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת הַרְבֵּה בְּקוֹל גִּילָה וְרַנֵּן לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ, בְּשִׁיר וָשֶׁבַח וְנִגּוּן וְזִמְרָה וְעֹז וְחֶדְוָה, בְּכָל עֲשָׂרָה מִינֵי נְגִינָה הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה שֶׁיִּתְעַר עַל יָדֵינוּ הַשִּׁיר שֶׁיִּתְעַר לֶעָתִיד, שֶׁהוּא שִׁיר פָּשׁוּט כָּפוּל מְשֻׁלָּשׁ מְרֻבָּע,
Inspire me to discover the ten types of melody, so that every day I will bring You songs and praises in a voice of joy and song to Your great and holy Name, with every type of holy melody, until the song that will be aroused in future days — a simple, doubled, tripled and quadrupled song — will sing itself through me.
כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, הַשִּׁיר יִהְיֶה לָכֶם כְּלֵיל הִתְקַדֶּשׁ חָג. וִיקֻיַּם בָּנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְשָׁרִים כְּחֹלְלִים כָּל מַעְיָנַי בָּךְ.
As the verse states, “You shall have a song, as in the evening when the festival is sanctified.” And may the verse be realized in me, “Whether they sing or dance, all my thoughts are about You.”
וּתְזַכֵּנוּ לֵידַע וּלְהַשִּׂיג סוֹדוֹת הַקַּבָּלָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהַשִּׂיג וְלֵידַע אוֹרַיְיתָא דְעַתִּיקָא סְתִימָאָה דַעֲתִידָא לְאִתְגַּלְּיָא לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא:
May I attain the secrets of the holy Kabbalah until I know the Torah of the Hidden Ancient One regarding those things that will be revealed in the future.
וְזַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת צִיצִית בִּשְׁלֵמוּת בְּכָל פְּרָטֶיהָ וְדִקְדּוּקֶיהָ וְכַוָּנוֹתֶיהָ וְתַרְיַ"ג מִצְוֹת הַתְּלוּיִם בָּהּ, וּבְלֵב טוֹב וּבְשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה.
Tzitzit
Help me to keep the mitzvah of wearing tzitzit completely, with all its details, particulars, intentions, and the 613 commandments that are dependent on it — with a good heart and great joy.
וִיהִי רָצוֹן לְפָנֶיךָ שֶׁתְּהֵא חֲשׁוּבָה מִצְוַת צִיצִית שֶׁאָנוּ עוֹשִׂין מִצֶּמֶר לָבָן כְּאִלּוּ קִיַּמְנוּ גַּם מִצְוַת תְּכֵלֶת שֶׁבַּצִּיצִית. כִּי גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לְפָנֶיךָ שֶׁרְצוֹנֵנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנְךָ, וְאָנוּ חֲפֵצִים וּמִתְגַּעְגְּעִים לְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת תְּכֵלֶת שֶׁבַּצִּיצִית,
May it be Your will that my wearing of tzitzit be considered as though it included the tekheilet thread,7According to the Talmud, at least one thread on each of the four corners of the tzitzit used to be dyed blue (tekheilet) using the blood of the chilazon, a species of snail found on the shores of the Mediterranean. As the identity of the chilazon became lost over the centuries, the threads of the tzitzit are now all white. for You know that it is my desire to do Your will, and I desire and yearn to wear the tekheilet thread on the tzitzit.
וְאִם הָיִינוּ זוֹכִים לִמְצֹא תְּכֵלֶת לְצִיצִית הָיִינוּ מְפַזְּרִים הוֹן רַב כְּדֵי לְקַיֵּם הַמִּצְוָה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת. אַךְ בַּעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים חָרַב בֵּית מִקְדָּשֵׁנוּ וְנִתְעַלֵּם הַחִלָּזוֹן בַּעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ, וּמֵאָז וָהָלְאָה אֵין אָנוּ זוֹכִים לְקַיֵּם מִצְוָתְךָ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת,
If I could find this tekheilet thread for the tzitzit, I would spend an inordinate amount of money to keep the mitzvah properly. But because of our many sins, the Temple has been destroyed and the chilazon snail has been lost, and so we cannot keep this mitzvah completely.
עַל כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁתְּהֵא חֲשׁוּבָה מִצְוַת צִיצִית לָבָן לְפָנֶיךָ כְּאִלּוּ קִיַּמְנוּ מִצְוַת תְּכֵלֶת שֶׁבַּצִּיצִית, וְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וּבְנֵה עִירְךָ בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ, וַהֲבִיאֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם לָאָרֶץ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, וְזַכֵּנוּ שֶׁיַּחֲזֹר וְיִתְגַּלֶּה הַחִלָּזוֹן וְנִזְכֶּה לְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת תְּכֵלֶת שֶׁבַּצִּיצִית, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תְּכַלֶּה וּתְשַׁבֵּר וְתַעֲקֹר וּתְמַגֵּר מַלְכוּת הָרִשְׁעָה מִן הָעוֹלָם,
Therefore, please consider my wearing of tzitzit with white threads as though I were keeping the mitzvah of wearing the tekheilet thread as well. In Your compassion, build Your city quickly and in our days. Bring us in peace to the Holy Land, and may the chilazon snail be again revealed, so that we will be able to keep the mitzvah of the tekheilet thread. As a result, may evil government be eliminated, broken, uprooted and crushed.
וִיקֻיַּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, כַּלֵּה בְחֵמָה כַּלֵּה וְאֵינֵמוֹ וְיֵדְעוּ כִּי אֱלֹהִים משֵׁל בְּיַעֲקֹב לְאַפְסֵי הָאָרֶץ סֶלָה:
And may the verse be realized, “Destroy in wrath, destroy it, so that it is no more. And may everyone know that God rules over Jacob to the ends of the earth. Selah.”
וּתְזַכֵּנוּ אוֹתָנוּ וְאֶת כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, לִהְיוֹת דְּבוּקִים בְּךָ תָמִיד, וּלְקַבֵּל עָלֵינוּ אֶת עֹל מַלְכוּתְךָ בְּאַהֲבָה. וְתַמְשִׁיךְ וְתַשְׁפִּיעַ עָלֵינוּ חַיִּים אֲרֻכִּים טוֹבִים וְקַיָּמִים,
Inspire me and Your entire nation, the House of Israel, to cling to You always and accept upon ourselves the yoke of Your sovereignty with love. Draw onto us a long, good and well-established life.
וִיקֻיַּם בָּנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם חַיִּים כֻּלְּכֶם הַיּוֹם. וְתַמְתִּיק וּתְבַטֵּל כָּל הַדִּינִים מֵעָלֵינוּ וּמֵעַל כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל תָּמִיד לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, וְתַמְשִׁיךְ עָלֵינוּ שֶׁפַע טוֹבָה וּבְרָכָה וְרַחֲמִים וְחַיִּים וְשָׁלוֹם וַעֲשִׁירוּת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, וִיקֻיַּם בָּנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וַהֲרִיקוֹתִי לָכֶם בְּרָכָה עַד בְּלִי דָּי:
May the verse be realized in us, “You who cling to HaShem your God are alive, all of You today.” Sweeten and eliminate all judgments against me and Your entire nation, the House of Israel, always. Draw onto us an abundance of goodness, blessing, compassion, life, peace and holy wealth. May the verse be realized in us, “I will pour endless blessing onto you.”
וְזַכֵּנוּ לְשִׂמְחָה שֶׁל מִצְוָה, וְעָזְרֵנוּ לְשַׂמֵּחַ חָתָן וְכַלָּה הַכְּשֵׁרִים, לְשַׂמְּחָם בְּכָל מִינֵי שְׂמָחוֹת וּלְזַמֵּר וּלְרַקֵּד לִפְנֵיהֶם בְּשִׂמְחָה וְחֶדְוָה רַבָּה, בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה,
Bringing Joy to Bridegrooms and Brides
Lead me to experience the joy of a mitzvah. Help me to give joy to worthy bridegrooms and brides by singing and dancing before them in joy and delight, in holiness and purity.
וְנִזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה לְיַחֵד חָתָן וְכַלָּה הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וּלְחַבֵּר אֵשֶׁת נְעוּרִים עִם דּוֹדָהּ בְּאַהֲבָה וְאַחְוָה וְרֵעוּת, וְנִזְכֶּה לְיַחֵד יִחוּדָא עִלָּאָה וִיחוּדָא תַּתָּאָה, וְיִתְחַבְּרוּ יַחַד אַרְבַּע אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁל שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ, וִיקֻיַּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, בְּקִרְבְּךָ קָדוֹשׁ וְלֹא אָבוֹא בְּעִיר:
In this way, may I unite the supernal bridegroom and bride, the “youthful wife with her beloved,” in love and affection, bringing about supernal and lower unifications, so that the four letters of Your great and holy Name will be combined and the verse will be realized, “In your midst, I am holy, and I will not come in fury.”
וְזַכֵּנִי לְהִתְקָרֵב לְצַדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים, וְתַעֲזֹר אוֹתִי וְאֶת כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לָצֵאת מֵחָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת שֶׁל הָעֲכּוּ"ם, וְלֹא נַטֶּה מַחֲשַׁבְתֵּנוּ לְשׁוּם חָכְמָה חִיצוֹנָה כְּלָל, רַק מַחֲשַׁבְתֵּנוּ תִהְיֶה דְבוּקָה בְּךָ וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה תָמִיד לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.
Coming Close to True Tzaddikim
Guide me to come close to true Tzaddikim. Guide Your entire nation, the House of Israel, to break free of the superficial wisdom of the gentiles, and pay no attention to that superficial wisdom. Instead, may our thoughts cling to You and Your holy Torah always.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יִתְגַּדֵּל וְיִתְעַלֶּה אוֹר הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים וְיִזְכּוּ לְהַשִּׂיג תָּמִיד הַשָּׂגוֹת עֶלְיוֹנוֹת חֲדָשׁוֹת, וּתְזַכֵּנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לְקַבֵּל וְלֶהֱנוֹת מֵאוֹרָם הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ:
In this way, may the light of the true Tzaddikim grow and be elevated, so that they will constantly attain new supernal achievements. And may we receive great benefit from their holy light.
לְשַׁבַּת־קוֹדֶשׁ וְזַכֵּנוּ לִקְדֻשַּׁת שַׁבַּת קֹדֶשׁ, שֶׁנִזְכֶּה לְקַבֵּל שַׁבָּתוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה ובְחֶדְוָה רַבָּה וַעֲצוּמָה, בְּשִׁיר וָשֶׁבַח הַלֵּל וְזִמְרָה, בְּגִילָה רִנָּה דִּיצָה וְחֶדְוָה, בְּיִרְאָה וְאַהֲבָה בֶּאֱמֶת וּבֶאֱמוּנָה, בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה גְּדוֹלָה.
For Shabbat
May I attain the sanctity of the holy Shabbat and celebrate every Shabbat with joy and delight, song and praise, awe and love, truth and faith, holiness and purity.
וְנִזְכֶּה בְּכֹחַ קְדֻשַּׁת שַׁבָּת לְשַׁבֵּר וּלְבַטֵּל תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן מֵאִתָּנוּ, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לָנוּ שׁוּם תַּאֲוָה וְחֶמְדָּה לְמָמוֹן כְּלָל, רַק נִזְכֶּה לְהִתְאַווֹת וְלִכְסוֹף תָּמִיד לְתַכְלִית הַנִּצְחִי, לִהְיוֹת מְקֻשָּׁט לְיוֹם שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ שַׁבָּת וּמְנוּחָה לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָמִים:
With the power of the holiness of the Shabbat, may I break and eliminate the lust for money, so that I will not covet money at all. Instead, may I yearn and long always for the eternal goal, so that I may be prepared to greet the “day that is entirely Shabbat and contentment, forever.”
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, זַכֵּנִי לִהְיוֹת בִּכְלָל הַצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִים אֲשֶׁר לִבָּם פָּתוּח בְּחָכְמָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְלִבִּי חָלַל בְּקִרְבִּי. עַד אֲשֶׁר עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יְכוֹלִים לְחַדֵּשׁ בְּכָל־פַּעַַם מַעֲַשֵׂה־בְּרֵאשִׁית וְלַעֲשׂוֹת נִסִּים וְנִפְלָאוֹת בָּעוֹלָם. כִּי נַעֲשָׂה בְּתוֹךְ לִבָּם בְּכָל פַּעַם בְּחִינַת בְּרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם מַמָּשׁ.
In the Company of Tzaddikim
[Master of the World, give me the merit to be among the true Tzaddikim whose hearts are open with wisdom, as in the verse, “My heart is empty within me” — so that at every moment, they renew the work of creation and bring about miracles and wonders in the world, which is literally recreated in their hearts constantly.
וְזַכֵּנִי לְמַלֹּאת גְּרוֹנָם שֶׁל תַּלְמִידֵי־חֲכָמִים יַיִן־הַמְּשַׂמֵּחַ, וְיִהְיֶה נֶחְשָׁב לְפָנֶיךָ כְּאִלוּ הִקְרַבְתִּי נְסָכִים עַל־גַבֵּּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה.
May I fill the throats of these Torah sages with the wine that brings joy. And please consider my doing so as though I had poured wine libations on the altar, as our sages of blessed memory have stated.]
מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ, וּמַלֵּא מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֵינוּ בְּרַחֲמִים, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה מֵעַתָּה לְגָרֵשׁ וּלְבַעֵר וּלְבַטֵּל כָּל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת מִלְּבָבֵנו, וְנַמְשִׁיךְ עָלֵינוּ מַחֲשָׁבוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת וּטְהוֹרוֹת זַכּוֹת וּנְכוֹנוֹת. וְנַתְחִיל מֵעַתָּה לְעָבְדְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת בְּהַדְרָגָה וּבְמִדָּה כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לָבוֹא וּלְהַגִּיעַ מְהֵרָה לְתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת, לַתַּכְלִית הָאֲמִתִּי.
Attaining a Holy Mind
You Who are filled with compassion, be compassionate to me and fulfill my request. From this moment on, may I expel and eliminate every evil thought from my heart, and instead draw onto myself holy and pure, clear and proper thoughts. And may I begin, from this moment on, to serve You in truth — in a graduated and measured manner, as is Your desire — so that I will quickly reach the perfect and true goal.
אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, הוֹרֵנוּ דְרָכֶיךָ לַמְּדֵנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנֶךָ, קָרְבֵנוּ אֵלֶיךָ, שִׂימֵנִי כַחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ כַּחוֹתָם עַל זְרוֹעֶךָ, כִּי עַזָּה כַמָּוֶת אַהֲבָה קָשָׁה כִשְׁאוֹל קִנְאָה, רְשָׁפֶיהָ רִשְׁפֵּי אֵשׁ שֶׁלְהֶבֶתְיָהּ. מַיִם רַבִּים לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת אֶת הָאַהֲבָה וּנְהָרוֹת לֹא יִשְׁטְפוּהָ, אִם יִתֵּן אִישׁ אֶת כָּל הוֹן בֵּיתוֹ בָּאַהֲבָה בּוֹז יָבוּזוּ לוֹ.
My Father in Heaven, teach me Your ways. Teach me to do Your will. Bring me close to You. “Place me as a seal upon Your heart, like a seal upon Your arm, for love is as strong as death, jealously is as harsh as Gehinnom. Its flames are flames of fire, a flame of God. Many waters cannot extinguish love and rivers cannot overflow it. If a person were to give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be scorned.”
חוֹמֵל דַּלִים חֲמֹל עָלֵינוּ וּתְמַהֵר וְתָחִישׁ לְגָאֳלֵנוּ בִּכְלָלִיּוּת וּבִפְרָטִיּוּת, בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת וּבְרוּחָנִיּוּת, וְתָבִיא לָנוּ אֶת מְשִׁיחַ צִדְקֵנוּ, וְנִזְכֶּה וְנִחְיֶה וְנִרְאֶה וְנִירַשׁ טוֹבָה וּבְרָכָה לִשְׁנֵי יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ וּלְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
You Who have pity on the poor, have pity on us all. Swiftly redeem us all — as a whole and as individuals — in both the physical and spiritual realms. Bring the righteous Mashiach so that we will experience and inherit the goodness and blessing of his days and the life of the World to Come.
הֲשִׁיבֵנִי וְאָשׁוּבָה כִּי אַתָּה אֱלֹהָי. שׁוּבָה יְהֹוָה עַד מָתָי וְהִנָּחֵם עַל עֲבָדֶיךָ. הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ יְהֹוָה אֵלֶיךָ וְנָשׁוּבָה חַדֵּשׁ יָמֵינוּ כְּקֶדֶם.
“Bring me back and I will return, for You, HaShem, are my God.” “Come back, HaShem — how long? And reconsider Your servant.” “Bring us back to You, HaShem, and we will return. Renew our days as of old.”
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי. אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, HaShem, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Amen and amen.