Actualizing One’s State of Awareness / Bringing People Close to God / Childbearing A person must work to fully actualize his state of awareness. He must try to perfect his awareness in the ways that are unique to him, yet not beyond his capabilities. When a person’s awareness is fully developed, it is — with five exceptions — like that of God. His awareness then derives from God’s awareness, and he is fruitful. A person can only perfect his awareness by bringing other people close to God. Thus a person’s students are called his “children.” Similarly, helping potential converts increases self-awareness. Each convert has questions and barriers to his service of God; when a person answers these, he perfects his own state of awareness. That is why Tzaddikim work so hard to bring people close to God. They do so not for self-aggrandizement, but in order to perfect their state of awareness. Achieving this brings about fruitfulness — including fruitfulness in the simple sense of having children. Thus Tzaddikim have the ability to bless women to bear children. God, You graciously give man knowledge and teach human beings understanding. Grant me Your wisdom, understanding and knowledge.
Master of the World, Blessed God Who is great in awareness, guide me to a perfect, true knowledge so that I will truly perfect my awareness until it is as close as can possibly be to Your mind — so that there will be no difference between the two except for the five matters in which human awareness is dissimilar to Your mind, regarding five things that the human mind cannot grasp.
Pour onto me a holy awe of You that is so present that I will not sin. Instead, my fear of sin will precede my wisdom and, as a result, my wisdom and awareness will be perfectly preserved.
Teaching Worthy Students Then, in Your vast compassion and love, help me to guide many worthy students. Help me to illuminate them with a holy and true awareness. Help me to guide them on the straight path, teaching them the way upon which they are to walk and the deeds they must perform, as we received from our holy sages, of blessed memory — and then they will walk on the path that our forefathers walked.
Guide me to illuminate them with proper and straight advice, to awaken them from their sleep and fill them with proper awareness and the fear of Heaven, so that they will truly return to You with all their heart, with all their soul and with all their might.
In Your vast compassion, prevent me from being influenced by any ulterior motives or any external thoughts, Heaven forbid, of increasing my followers for the sake of my honor, Heaven forbid.
Rather, may my sole intent be truly for the sake of Your glory and for the sake of fulfilling Your will. Give me in my weariness the strength to bear with love all the annoyances and difficulties that are involved in bringing people to serve You, so that I will run after them with all my might to bring them to You, solely for the sake of Your Name, so that I will perfect my own awareness to the ultimate degree, in accordance with Your desire.
May I be the parent of children who will live in holiness and purity for the sake of Your Name and for the sake of serving You. May I have as many offspring as the grains of sand and the stars in the sky.
Hear my prayer and listen to my outcry so that all barren women will be healed swiftly and easily, and give birth to healthy children, so that Your people will be “like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted.”
Just as You showed compassion to Abraham and Sarah, and granted them Isaac in their old age and promised them that You would increase his seed like the stars of the sky, so too have compassion on all the barren women of Your nation, the House of Israel, whose eyes are turned to You alone. Give them healthy children to serve and fear You.
Have compassion on them for Your sake. Turn to them for good and fulfill their requests. Accede to them and hear their prayers, so that they will conceive swiftly and easily, and give birth to healthy children in whom they will rejoice and whom they will raise to learn Torah, get married and perform good deeds — for many days and years of good.
Master of the World, compassionately accept my prayer and perfect my awareness so that I will know You with an ultimate fullness and proclaim Your greatness and might to the entire world, telling future generations of all Your great and awesome deeds, which we learned about from our fathers and holy teachers. “Each generation will praise Your deeds to the next generation and tell Your might”; fathers will tell their children of Your truth.
May we truly realize the verse, “You will make them known to your children and your children’s children, so that all the nations of the earth will know that HaShem is God — there is no other.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה נ"ג - הֵא הַדַּעַת]
אַתָּה חוֹנֵן לְאָדָם דַּעַת וּמְלַמֵּד לֶאֱנוֹשׁ בִּינָה, חָנֵּנוּ מֵאִתְּךָ חָכְמָה בִּינָה וָדָעַת.
Actualizing One’s State of Awareness / Bringing People Close to God / Childbearing
A person must work to fully actualize his state of awareness. He must try to perfect his awareness in the ways that are unique to him, yet not beyond his capabilities. When a person’s awareness is fully developed, it is — with five exceptions — like that of God. His awareness then derives from God’s awareness, and he is fruitful.
A person can only perfect his awareness by bringing other people close to God. Thus a person’s students are called his “children.” Similarly, helping potential converts increases self-awareness. Each convert has questions and barriers to his service of God; when a person answers these, he perfects his own state of awareness.
That is why Tzaddikim work so hard to bring people close to God. They do so not for self-aggrandizement, but in order to perfect their state of awareness.
Achieving this brings about fruitfulness — including fruitfulness in the simple sense of having children. Thus Tzaddikim have the ability to bless women to bear children.
God, You graciously give man knowledge and teach human beings understanding. Grant me Your wisdom, understanding and knowledge.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֵל בָּרוּךְ גָּדוֹל דֵּעָה, זַכֵּנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לְדַעַת שָׁלֵם וֶאֱמֶת, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהַשְׁלִים אֶת דַּעְתִּי בְּתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה דַעְתִּי קָרוֹב וְסָמוּךְ לְדַעַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּתַכְלִית הַהִתְקָרְבוּת, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶם כִּי אִם בַּחֲמִשָּׁה דְבָרִים שֶׁנִּבְדָּל דַּעַת הָאָדָם מִדַּעַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לֶאֱנוֹשִׁי לְהַשִּׂיגָם,
Master of the World, Blessed God Who is great in awareness, guide me to a perfect, true knowledge so that I will truly perfect my awareness until it is as close as can possibly be to Your mind — so that there will be no difference between the two except for the five matters in which human awareness is dissimilar to Your mind, regarding five things that the human mind cannot grasp.
וְאֶזְכֶּה לִינֹּק תָּמִיד מִדַּעַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת.
And may I always manifest an awareness of You in the most perfect way.
וּתְזַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִי חֹמֶר מְמֻזָּג בְּמֶזֶג הַשָּׁוֶה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רָאוּי לְקַבֵּל שֵׂכֶל.
In Your vast compassion, give me a well-balanced nature, one best suited to receive true mindfulness.
וְתַשְׁפִּיעַ עָלַי יִרְאָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, וְתִהְיֶה יִרְאַת יְהֹוָה עַל פָּנַי לְבִלְתִּי אֶחֱטָא, וְתִהְיֶה יִרְאַת חֶטְאִי קוֹדֶמֶת לְחָכְמָתִי, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תִּתְקַיֵּם חָכְמָתִי וְדַעְתִּי בְּתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת:
Pour onto me a holy awe of You that is so present that I will not sin. Instead, my fear of sin will precede my wisdom and, as a result, my wisdom and awareness will be perfectly preserved.
וּתְזַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וַחֲסָדֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים, לְהַעֲמִיד תַּלְמִידִים הֲגוּנִים הַרְבֵּה לְהָאִיר בָּהֶם דַּעַת קָדוֹשׁ וַאֲמִתִּי, לְהַדְרִיכָם בְּדֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה, לְהוֹדִיעָם אֶת הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר יֵלְכוּ בָהּ וְאֵת הַמַּעֲשֶׂה אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשׂוּ, כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁקִּבַּלְנוּ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר דָּרְכוּ בּוֹ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ מֵעוֹלָם,
Teaching Worthy Students
Then, in Your vast compassion and love, help me to guide many worthy students. Help me to illuminate them with a holy and true awareness. Help me to guide them on the straight path, teaching them the way upon which they are to walk and the deeds they must perform, as we received from our holy sages, of blessed memory — and then they will walk on the path that our forefathers walked.
לְהָאִיר בָּהֶם עֵצוֹת נְכוֹנוֹת וִישָׁרוֹת, וּלְעוֹרְרָם וּלְהָקִיצָם מִשְּׁנָתָם לְהַכְנִיס בָּהֶם דַּעַת וְיִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁיִּזְכּוּ לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת בְּכָל לְבָבָם וּבְכָל נַפְשָׁם וּבְכָל מְאֹדָם.
Guide me to illuminate them with proper and straight advice, to awaken them from their sleep and fill them with proper awareness and the fear of Heaven, so that they will truly return to You with all their heart, with all their soul and with all their might.
אֲלַמְּדָה פֹשְׁעִים דְּרָכֶיךָ וְחַטָּאִים אֵלֶיךָ יָשׁוּבוּ.
“I will teach the willful Your ways, and the transgressors will return to You.”
וְתַצִּילֵנִי וְתִשְׁמְרֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלֶה בְּדַעְתִּי שׁוּם פְּנִיָּה וּמַחֲשֶׁבֶת חוּץ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם בְּעִנְיָן הִתְקָרְבוּת בְּנֵי אָדָם בִּשְׁבִיל לְהַרְבּוֹת כְּבוֹדִי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם,
In Your vast compassion, prevent me from being influenced by any ulterior motives or any external thoughts, Heaven forbid, of increasing my followers for the sake of my honor, Heaven forbid.
רַק כָּל כַּוָּנָתִי תִהְיֶה בֶּאֱמֶת בִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹדְךָ כְּדֵי לְמַלֹּאת רְצוֹנֶךָ. וְתִתֵּן כֹּחַ לְיָעֵף כָּמוֹנִי לִסְבֹּל וּלְקַבֵּל בְּאַהֲבָה כָּל הַטִּרְחוֹת וְהַיְגִיעוֹת שֶׁצְּרִיכִין בִּשְׁבִיל עֵסֶק זֶה לְקָרֵב בְּנֵי אָדָם לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְאֶזְכֶּה לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם בְּכָל כֹּחִי לְקָרְבָם לַעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ, וְכָל כַּוָּנָתִי יִהְיֶה לְשִׁמְךָ לְבַד בֶּאֱמֶת, כְּדֵי לְהַשְׁלִים דַּעְתִּי בְּתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב,
Rather, may my sole intent be truly for the sake of Your glory and for the sake of fulfilling Your will. Give me in my weariness the strength to bear with love all the annoyances and difficulties that are involved in bringing people to serve You, so that I will run after them with all my might to bring them to You, solely for the sake of Your Name, so that I will perfect my own awareness to the ultimate degree, in accordance with Your desire.
וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תְּזַכֵּנִי לְהוֹלִיד בָּנִים חָיִּים וְקַיָּמִים בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה לְשִׁמְךָ וְלַעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ, וְתַרְבֶּה זַרְעֵנוּ כְּחוֹל הַיָּם וּכְכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם לָרוֹב.
May I be the parent of children who will live in holiness and purity for the sake of Your Name and for the sake of serving You. May I have as many offspring as the grains of sand and the stars in the sky.
וּתְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְתִתֶּן לָנוּ כֹחַ שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לִפְקֹד עֲקָרוֹת בִּתְפִלָּתֵנוּ, וּתְלַמְּדֵנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים אֵיךְ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בִּשְׁבִיל עֲקָרוֹת לְפָקְדָם לְטוֹבָה בִּדְבַר יְשׁוּעָה וְרַחֲמִים.
In Your compassion, give me the strength to pray on behalf of barren women so that they will be miraculously healed.
וְתִשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ וְתַאֲזִין שַׁוְעָתֵנוּ, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כָּל הָעֲקָרוֹת נִפְקָדוֹת לְטוֹבָה חִישׁ קַל מְהֵרָה, וְיוֹלִידוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ בָּנִים חָיִּים וְקַיָּמִים, וְיִתְרַבּוּ עַמְּךָ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּחוֹל הַיָּם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִמַּד וְלֹא יִסָּפֵר.
Hear my prayer and listen to my outcry so that all barren women will be healed swiftly and easily, and give birth to healthy children, so that Your people will be “like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted.”
וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁגָּבְרוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ עַל אָבִינוּ הָרִאשׁוֹן אֶחָד הָיָה אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ וְאִשְׁתּוֹ שָׂרָה אִמֵּנוּ, אֲשֶׁר זְכַרְתָּם לְטוֹבָה וַתִּפְקְדֵם לְעֵת זִקְנוּתָם וְנָתַתָּ לָהֶם אֶת יִצְחָק וְהִבְטַחְתָּם לְהַרְבּוֹת זַרְעוֹ כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם, כֵּן יֶהֱמוּ נָא מֵעֶיךָ וְרַחֲמֶיךָ עַל כָּל עֲקָרוֹת עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲשֶׁר עֵינֵיהֶם תּוֹלוֹת אֵלֶיךָ לְבַד, שֶׁתִּתֵּן לָהֶם זֶרַע שֶׁל קַיָּמָא לַעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ וּלְיִרְאָתֶךָ.
Just as You showed compassion to Abraham and Sarah, and granted them Isaac in their old age and promised them that You would increase his seed like the stars of the sky, so too have compassion on all the barren women of Your nation, the House of Israel, whose eyes are turned to You alone. Give them healthy children to serve and fear You.
רַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם לְמַעַנְךָ וּפָקְדֵם לְטוֹבָה וּמַלֵּא מִשְׁאֲלוֹתָם בְּרַחֲמִים, וְתֵעָתֵר לָהֶם וְתִשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתָם וְתִתֵּן לָהֶם הֵרָיוֹן חִישׁ קַל מְהֵרָה, וְיִזְכּוּ לְהוֹלִיד זֶרַע שֶׁל קַיָּמָא וְיִשְׂמְחוּ אֲבִיהֶם וְאִמָּם בָּהֶם, וְיִזְכּוּ לְגַדְּלָם לְתוֹרָה וּלְחֻפָּה וּלְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים וְשָׁנִים טוֹבִים:
Have compassion on them for Your sake. Turn to them for good and fulfill their requests. Accede to them and hear their prayers, so that they will conceive swiftly and easily, and give birth to healthy children in whom they will rejoice and whom they will raise to learn Torah, get married and perform good deeds — for many days and years of good.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, חוּס וְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ, וְהִתְפַּתֶּה וְהִתְרַצֶּה וְהִתְפַּיֵּס לִתְפִלָּתֵנוּ, וּשְׁמַע קוֹל פְּגִיעָתֵנוּ, וְהַשְׁלֵם אֶת דַּעְתֵּנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, וְנִזְכֶּה לְהַכִּיר אוֹתְךָ גַּם בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם בְּתַכְלִית הַשְּׁלֵמוּת שֶׁאֵין שְׁלֵמוּת אַחֲרָיו, וּלְהוֹדִיעַ גְּדֻלָּתְךָ וּגְבוּרָתְךָ לְכָל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם, לְהוֹדִיעַ לַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים אֶת כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה יְהֹוָה הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא, אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְנוּ מֵאֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. דּוֹר לְדוֹר יְשַׁבַּח מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וּגְבוּרוֹתֶיךָ יַגִּידוּ. אָב לְבָנִים יוֹדִיעַ אֶל אֲמִתֶּךָ.
Master of the World, compassionately accept my prayer and perfect my awareness so that I will know You with an ultimate fullness and proclaim Your greatness and might to the entire world, telling future generations of all Your great and awesome deeds, which we learned about from our fathers and holy teachers. “Each generation will praise Your deeds to the next generation and tell Your might”; fathers will tell their children of Your truth.
וְנִזְכֶּה לְקַיֵּם בֶּאֱמֶת מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְהוֹדַעְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֵי בָנֶיךָ. לְמַעַן דַּעַת כָּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי יְהֹוָה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים אֵין עוֹד:
May we truly realize the verse, “You will make them known to your children and your children’s children, so that all the nations of the earth will know that HaShem is God — there is no other.”