“It is a great mitzvah to be happy always.” The only way to experience genuine simchah in our hearts is by first “smoothing out the crookedness of the heart” — cleansing ourselves of mundane fears and desires, so as to reach out to God sincerely and honestly. This is attained when we offer our prayers with such intensity that the very words resound in our hearts like thunder, inspiring us with heavenly awe. In order for the spiritual message of our prayers to penetrate our minds, we must free ourselves of skepticism, sinful thoughts, and anything else that detracts from our complete faith in God and in the true Tzaddikim. In a cloud of glory You revealed Yourself to Your holy people when You spoke with them at Mount Sinai. “With claps of thunder and flashes of lightning You revealed Yourself, and at the sound of the shofar You appeared...” to teach Your people Torah and Mitzvot. Master of the Universe: Grant that I should hear the sounding of the shofar on Rosh HaShanah from shofar-blowers who are genuinely pure and God-fearing. Let the holy sound of the shofar penetrate my mind like thunder, until I am gripped with fear and awe of HaShem and His radiant glory, so that all the crookedness in my heart will be smoothed out and I will come to inner purity and holy joy, as it is written: “And to the pure of heart, joy.” “Happy is the people who know the shofar blast, HaShem, they will walk in the light of Your countenance. They will rejoice in Your Name all day long, and through Your righteousness they will be exalted.” HaShem, grant that I should experience the fulfilment of this verse in my own life.
Through hearing the shofar sounded on Rosh HaShanah by someone who is truly God-fearing, guard and protect me the whole year round from every kind of fear, and from all possible damage as a result of thunderstorms. “With claps of thunder and flashes of lightning You were revealed to them, and with the sound of the shofar You appeared to them.”
HaShem, our God and God of our fathers: Lovingly help me to fulfil Your mitzvot with great joy. Bring me to pray to You with all my strength. Let the various kinds of energy in all of my two hundred and forty-eight limbs, my three hundred and sixty-five sinews, my flesh, my bones, my veins and arteries, my fat, my blood, my brain, the nerves that branch out through my whole body, my five senses and all my other faculties enter into my prayers and be merged within them. Let me bring out the sounds and words of the prayers with great force. Let my voice come forth like thunder, and let the sound of my voice arouse my inner concentration, so that I will hear and understand the words I am saying in my heart. Let me pray with intense attention and devotion. And bring me to attain the highest level of heavenly fear: awe at Your exaltedness.
Protect me from all extraneous fears, so that I will not be afraid of anything or anyone in the world — not of powerful officials or important personages, nor of wild animals, violent robbers or anything else in the entire world. Let me have no extraneous fear whatever. Let me only fear You at all times, and help me experience supreme awe at Your exaltedness.
Loving God: Help me clear my mind and my thoughts of ideas and theories that are in conflict with the Torah, in order that I should not sully my intelligence and sensitivity with sinful thoughts and desires, or sour my mind with erroneous theories. Free me of all doubts and skepticism, and let my mind and my thoughts be pure, clear and holy.
Give me the strength to fight against the bad thoughts, doubts and sinful desires that come to confuse me. Let me keep them out of my mind. Let me fight them down and drive them away completely. Let them have no power to enter my consciousness at all, and let me sanctify my mind and my thoughts at all times.
Please, HaShem: You know the tremendous damage caused in the upper worlds by every single bad thought, and even more so by evil doubts that go against the very foundations of Torah faith, God forbid. Such doubts cause a flaw in all the worlds, and have the power to uproot a person from the Source of life, until it becomes extremely difficult for him to repent and rediscover the path of life. You alone know the full extent of the damage caused on the highest of levels by every evil thought and idea that comes into the mind.
You also know the tremendous power such thoughts have over our minds, and their ability to confuse us. We are under constant pressure to succumb to them. I have sinned in this many times. I have failed to protect myself against such thoughts or fight them, and I have caused tremendous damage to my own mind by the evil thoughts I have allowed to enter. My whole mind is full of alien thoughts. I have transgressed the prohibition against chametz — leaven, souring my mind with forbidden desires and skepticism, and allowing myself to fall prey to all kinds of meaningless distractions.
Not only have I not tried to fight against such thoughts. I have opened myself to them, making no effort at all to push them out. I have not followed the advice given in Your holy Torah to at least sit passively rather than wilfully entertain sinful thoughts: “sit and do nothing.” I have not listened to my teachers.
How many of my days have gone to waste because of confused and evil thoughts. “I am sinking in the depths of the mud with nothing to support me; I have come into the deepest water and the current is sweeping me away.” My mind is such a turmoil of evil thoughts and confusion that it is extremely hard for me to fight them even when I want to.
“HaShem, You know my folly, and my sin is not hidden from You.” I come before You prostrate, humbled, begging and supplicating like a poor man at the door, sighing and beaten down, asking, requesting and begging as a free gift and an act of mercy that You should show me Your wonderful love and kindness and take me out of my darkness into the light. Help me to sanctify my thoughts today and for ever.
Master of the Universe: Help me to receive the full holiness of the Pesach festival season. Throughout the eight days of Pesach, guard me from transgressing the prohibition against eating even the slightest amount of chametz. Help me to fulfil the mitzvah of eating matza on Pesach in great holiness, and let me thereby receive the light of the spiritual insight and inspiration that radiate then.
With the strength this inspiration will give me, let me keep my mind and my thoughts holy every day of the year and for all time. Let me close my mind to extraneous, idle thoughts, and certainly to evil or atheistic thoughts. Let them not enter my mind for even a brief moment. Let me not be drawn in by the persuasive arguments and temptations of my evil inclination, and let me avoid all debates with it.
Help me to keep firm against the evil inclination at all times, and to push down all improper and idle thoughts. Let me drive them out of my mind and keep them out until eventually they will disappear completely. Don't let them have even the slightest hold or influence on my mind or my thoughts. Let me be included among the true Tzaddikim who make battle with the unholy forces of the Sitra Achra, the “Other Side,” so that they should not come close to the Holy Sanctuary.
Master of the Universe: You know the shame and pain of the downcast. Remember the preciousness of my poor soul. Take pity on me in Your tender kindness. Help me, strengthen me and encourage me. Sanctify me with Your exalted holiness. Let Your holiness and purity be drawn down upon me, so that from now on I will be able to guard myself against all improper thoughts, against mental confusion, and especially against skepticism and sinful thoughts of any kind. Let my thoughts always be holy, clear and free of all impurity.
Lovingly help me to have faith in the true Tzaddikim. Let no doubts whatever enter my mind on account of the disputes between the true Tzaddikim. Let me have complete faith in all the true Tzaddikim, and let me have no questions either about them or on account of the disputes between them.
Master of the Universe: It is true that I have wasted the drops of my mind and soul, and it is my own deficiencies that make it hard for me to draw close to the true Tzaddikim and develop genuine faith in them. This is the reason for the doubts I have about them. But still, HaShem, please do not treat me according to my sins. Don't judge me harshly, in spite of all the wrong I have done. For Your sake, if not for mine, fulfil my request and let no questions and doubts about the true Tzaddikim or their disputes enter my heart. Grant that I should have genuine, perfect faith in them at all times.
Lovingly and tenderly help me come back to You sincerely and walk the path of life. Let me fix everything I have damaged. Have compassion on me and bring me back from death to life, from chametz to matza, from bad fear to good fear, from a spoiled voice and a spoiled intellect to a good voice and a good mind. “Give me the wisdom to know the path of life and let me be satisfied with the joy of seeing Your face, so as to enjoy the pleasantness of Your merciful right hand for ever.” “For with You is the source of life. In Your light we will see light.”
Our Father in Heaven: It is from You that all the living have their share of life. Living God, our portion and our rock: Save us from death. Redeem us from destruction. Keep me and all Your people, the House of Israel, from all kinds of evil thoughts and doubts. They are called “the side of death.” In Your abundant love and kindness, grant me life. Let me live a life that is truly good, long, and eternal. Help me sanctify my mind, “the wellspring of living waters.”
Bring me to love and cherish Your great Name with a true love that will rise up to You directly. Unify my heart to love and fear Your Name. Save me from fallen fears, so that I will have no fear of anything in the world besides You. Let Your fear be on my face, so that I will never sin.
Help me pray to You with all my strength. Let me put all my energy into the words of the prayers and bring forth the sounds and words with great force. Let my voice penetrate my mind and resound in my heart like thunder, inspiring my heart to Your service. Let the thunder of my voice and words bring me to genuine fear of Heaven, so that my words will be a resounding influence drawing myself and others to serve and fear You.
Let the voice of our prayers rise and find favor before You, like the seven voices with which King David cried out over the water: “The voice of HaShem is upon the waters, the God of glory thunders, HaShem is upon vast waters! The voice of HaShem is in power...” Let the crookedness of my heart be smoothed out completely. “The stubbornness of my heart will depart; I will not know evil.” Bring me to be truly pure-hearted, and let me always face God honestly.
May it be Your will, HaShem my God and God of my fathers, to lovingly help me attain great joy, true joy, in serving You, as it is written: “Serve HaShem with happiness...” “...and rejoice with trembling.” Bring me to fulfil all the mitzvot with a happiness and joy that come from the mitzvah itself. While engaged in each mitzvah, let me rejoice over the fact that You have lovingly given me the privilege of performing this mitzvah.
Let all my joy be from the mitzvah alone and not from the thought of the reward I will receive in the World to Come, not to speak of any honor or other extraneous benefits I anticipate from other people, or other mundane advantages of any kind. Let my entire joy be from the mitzvah itself. Let my World to Come be in the actual performance of the mitzvah, so that I will have no wish for any reward for the mitzvah in the Next World. Let my reward be that You will grant me another mitzvah, as taught by our Rabbis: “The reward for a mitzvah is a mitzvah.”
Through Your holy mitzvot, which are Your unity, let me become fully merged with You, and fulfil through me the words of the Psalms: “HaShem will rejoice in His works” and “Israel will rejoice in their Maker.” Take joy in us through granting us the opportunity to carry out actions that are good in Your eyes, and let our joy be in You.
By lovingly helping us to perform our mitzvot with joy, give us the power to bring vitality and Godly blessing into our two hundred and forty-eight limbs and three hundred and sixty-five sinews, and into the entire world, the entire year, and the three dimensions: space, time and soul. Let all of them be blessed and receive goodness, vitality, holiness and purity through our fulfilment of the mitzvot with great joy.
Master of the Universe: Help us fulfil perfectly the teaching of our Rabbis, of blessed memory, that “Every single person is obliged to say, `The world was created for my sake.' “ Help me keep these words in my heart constantly, in order that I should always steer clear of even the smallest sin or anything else that goes contrary to Your will, so that I never become the cause of any kind of deficiency, damage or impediment, whether in myself or in the world as a whole. Instead, let me always be watchful for anything I can do to improve or benefit the world, or provide for its needs, and let me pray for the world.
In Your abundant love and kindness, help us to be able to pray for the entire world and thereby bring about the fulfilment of its needs. Help us nullify all evil decrees through our prayers. Grant us the knowledge of whether the decree has already been sealed or not, so that we may know how best to pray to You, and whether we should clothe our prayers in the form of narrative at times when this is necessary. Even though we may be very far from this level of understanding at the present time, even so, everything is in Your hand, and for You nothing is impossible.
“HaShem, do not hold back Your love from me; Your mercy and Your truth will always protect me.” Help me come to everything I have requested of You. Sanctify me with Your mitzvot and delight my soul with Your salvation. Purify my heart to serve You sincerely with the service of the heart — namely prayer — so that I will be able to pray to You with all my strength and to fulfil Your mitzvot joyously at all times.
“Let the words of my prayer be sweet to Him.” “I will rejoice in HaShem, and my soul will exult in HaShem and delight in His salvation.” “All my bones will declare: HaShem, who is like You? You save the poor from those who are too strong for them, and the needy from those who would rob them.” “Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for those who are pure of heart.” Blessed be HaShem for ever. Amen. Amen.
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה ה' - בַּחֲצוֹצְרוֹת]
אַתָּה נִגְלֵיתָ בַּעֲנַן כְּבוֹדֶךָ עַל עַם קָדְשְׁךָ לְדַבֵּר עִמָּם. בְּקוֹלוֹת וּבְרָקִים עֲלֵיהֶם נִגְלֵיתָ וּבְקוֹל שׁוֹפָר עֲלֵיהֶם הוֹפָעְתָּ בְּהִגָּלוֹתְךָ מַלְכֵּנוּ עַל הַר סִינַי לְלַמֵּד לְעַמְּךָ תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת.
(הַשְׁמָטָה הַשַּׁיָּךְ כָּאן מִסֵּפֶר "תְּפִלּוֹת וְתַחֲנוּנִים")
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם מָלֵא רַחֲמִים זַכֵּנוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ קוֹל שׁוֹפָר בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה מִתּוֹקְעִים הֲגוּנִים יְרֵאִים וַחֲרֵדִים לִדְבַר ה' וְקוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר הַקָּדוֹשׁ יִפְגַּע בְּהַמּוֹחִין שֶׁלָּנוּ, וְהַקּוֹל הַזֶּה יִהְיֶה בִּבְחִינַת רְעָמִים עַד שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה תִּפֹּל עָלֵינוּ אֵימָה וָפַחַד גָּדוֹל מִפַּחַד ה' וּמֵהֲדַר גְּאוֹנוֹ, וְנִזְכֶּה שֶׁיִּתְפַּשֵּׁט עַל יְדֵי זֶה כָּל מִינֵי עַקְמִימוּת שֶׁבְּלִבֵּנוּ, וְנִזְכֶּה לַיַּשְׁרוּת לֵב וּלְשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה דִּקְדֻשָּׁה כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וּלְיִשְׁרֵי לֵב שִׂמְחָה. וִיקֻיַּם בָּנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יוֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה ה' בְּאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יְהַלֵּכוּן בְּשִׁמְךָ יְגִילוּן כָּל הַיּוֹם וּבְצִדְקָתְךָ יָרוּמוּ.
“It is a great mitzvah to be happy always.” The only way to experience genuine simchah in our hearts is by first “smoothing out the crookedness of the heart” — cleansing ourselves of mundane fears and desires, so as to reach out to God sincerely and honestly. This is attained when we offer our prayers with such intensity that the very words resound in our hearts like thunder, inspiring us with heavenly awe. In order for the spiritual message of our prayers to penetrate our minds, we must free ourselves of skepticism, sinful thoughts, and anything else that detracts from our complete faith in God and in the true Tzaddikim.
In a cloud of glory You revealed Yourself to Your holy people when You spoke with them at Mount Sinai. “With claps of thunder and flashes of lightning You revealed Yourself, and at the sound of the shofar You appeared...” to teach Your people Torah and Mitzvot. Master of the Universe: Grant that I should hear the sounding of the shofar on Rosh HaShanah from shofar-blowers who are genuinely pure and God-fearing. Let the holy sound of the shofar penetrate my mind like thunder, until I am gripped with fear and awe of HaShem and His radiant glory, so that all the crookedness in my heart will be smoothed out and I will come to inner purity and holy joy, as it is written: “And to the pure of heart, joy.” “Happy is the people who know the shofar blast, HaShem, they will walk in the light of Your countenance. They will rejoice in Your Name all day long, and through Your righteousness they will be exalted.” HaShem, grant that I should experience the fulfilment of this verse in my own life.
וְעַל יְדֵי שְׁמִיעַת קוֹל שׁוֹפָר בר"ה מֵאִישׁ יָרֵא וְחָרֵד תִּשְׁמְרֵנוּ וְתַצִּילֵנוּ בְּכָל הַשָּׁנָה מִכָּל מִינֵי פְּחָדִים וּמִכָּל מִינֵי הֶזֵּקוֹת הַבָּאִים לִפְעָמִים עַל יְדֵי בְּרָקִים וּרְעָמִים ח"ו כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּקוֹלוֹת וּבְרָקִים עֲלֵיהֶם נִגְלֵית וּבְקוֹל שׁוֹפָר עֲלֵיהֶם הוֹפַעְתָּ:
(עַד כָּאן הוֹסָפָה מִסֵּפֶר "תְּפִלּוֹת וְתַחֲנוּנִים")
Through hearing the shofar sounded on Rosh HaShanah by someone who is truly God-fearing, guard and protect me the whole year round from every kind of fear, and from all possible damage as a result of thunderstorms. “With claps of thunder and flashes of lightning You were revealed to them, and with the sound of the shofar You appeared to them.”
וּבְכֵן יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁתַּעַזְרֵנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לְקַיֵּם מִצְוֹתֶיךָ בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה, וּתְזַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ בְּכָל כֹּחִי, וְכָל מִינֵי כֹּחַ שֶׁנִּמְצָא בִּי בְּרַמַ"ח אֵבָרַי וּשְׁסָ"ה גִּידַי, בְּבָשָׂר וְגִידִין וַעֲצָמוֹת וְעוֹרָקִים בַּחֵלֶב וּבַדָּם, וְכָל הַכֹּחַ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּמֹּחַ שֶׁבָּרֹאשׁ, וּבַמֹּחַ שֶׁמִּתְפַּשֵּׁט בְּכָל הַגּוּף, וְכָל הַכֹּחַ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּחֲמִשָּׁה חוּשִׁים. וְכָל שְׁאָר מִינֵי כֹּחוֹת כֻּלָּם יֻכְלְלוּ בְּתוֹךְ הַתְּפִלָּה, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהוֹצִיא הַקּוֹל וְהַדִּבּוּר שֶׁל הַתְּפִלָּה בְּכֹחַ גָּדוֹל. וְאֶזְכֶּה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה קוֹלִי נִשְׁמַע כְּמוֹ רַעַם גְּבוּרוֹתֶיךָ, וְהַקּוֹל הַזֶּה יְעוֹרֵר כַּוָּנַת לִבִּי, שֶׁלִּבִּי יִהְיֶה שׁוֹמֵעַ וּמֵבִין הֵיטֵב מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי מִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכַוָּנַת הַלֵּב. וְזַכֵּנִי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִי יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם יִרְאַת הָרוֹמְמוּת,
HaShem, our God and God of our fathers: Lovingly help me to fulfil Your mitzvot with great joy. Bring me to pray to You with all my strength. Let the various kinds of energy in all of my two hundred and forty-eight limbs, my three hundred and sixty-five sinews, my flesh, my bones, my veins and arteries, my fat, my blood, my brain, the nerves that branch out through my whole body, my five senses and all my other faculties enter into my prayers and be merged within them. Let me bring out the sounds and words of the prayers with great force. Let my voice come forth like thunder, and let the sound of my voice arouse my inner concentration, so that I will hear and understand the words I am saying in my heart. Let me pray with intense attention and devotion. And bring me to attain the highest level of heavenly fear: awe at Your exaltedness.
וְאֶהְיֶה נִשְׁמָר שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לִי שׁוּם יִרְאָה חִיצוֹנָה כְּלָל, שֶׁלֹּא אִירָא וְלֹא אֶפְחַד מִשּׁוּם דָּבָר שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, לֹא מִשַּׂר וְאָדוֹן, וְלֹא מִשּׁוּם אָדָם שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, וְלֹא מֵחַיָּה רָעָה וְלִסְטִים, וְלֹא מִשּׁוּם דָּבָר שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לִי שׁוּם פַּחַד וְיִרְאָה חִיצוֹנָה כְּלָל, כִּי אִם מִמְּךָ לְבַד אִירָא וְאֶפְחַד תָּמִיד, וְאֶזְכֶּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ לְיִרְאָה עִלָּאָה יִרְאַת הָרוֹמְמוּת:
Protect me from all extraneous fears, so that I will not be afraid of anything or anyone in the world — not of powerful officials or important personages, nor of wild animals, violent robbers or anything else in the entire world. Let me have no extraneous fear whatever. Let me only fear You at all times, and help me experience supreme awe at Your exaltedness.
וְזַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וַחֲסָדֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים, לְפַנּוֹת אֶת מוֹחִי וּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי מֵחָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת וּמִמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא אֲטַמְטֵם אֶת מוֹחִי וּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי בְּתַאֲווֹת וְהִרְהוּרִים חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. וְלֹא אַחְמִיץ אֶת מוֹחִי וּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי בְּחָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת וּבְתַאֲווֹת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְלֹא אֲהַרְהֵר בְּהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לִי שׁוּם הִרְהוּר וּמַחֲשֶׁבֶת חוּץ בָּעוֹלָם כְּלָל, רַק יִהְיֶה מוֹחִי וּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי נָקִי וְזַךְ וָצַח, שֶׁלֹּא יִכְנֹס בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי שׁוּם מַחֲשָׁבָה חִיצוֹנָה כְּלָל.
Loving God: Help me clear my mind and my thoughts of ideas and theories that are in conflict with the Torah, in order that I should not sully my intelligence and sensitivity with sinful thoughts and desires, or sour my mind with erroneous theories. Free me of all doubts and skepticism, and let my mind and my thoughts be pure, clear and holy.
וְתִתֶּן לִי כֹּחַ לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל כָּל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת, מַחֲשָׁבוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת וְהִרְהוּרִים הַבָּאִים עָלַי לְבַלְבֵּל אֶת דַּעְתִּי, שֶׁלֹּא אֶתֵּן לָהֶם שׁוּם מָקוֹם לִכְנוֹס בְּמוֹחִי כְּלָל, וְאֶזְכֶּה לִגְעוֹר בָּהֶם וְלָרִיב עִמָּהֶם לְגָרְשָׁם מֵעָלַי וּמֵעַל גְּבוּלִי, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לָהֶם שׁוּם כֹּחַ לִכְנוֹס בְּדַעְתִּי כְּלָל, וְאֶזְכֶּה לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי תָּמִיד:
Give me the strength to fight against the bad thoughts, doubts and sinful desires that come to confuse me. Let me keep them out of my mind. Let me fight them down and drive them away completely. Let them have no power to enter my consciousness at all, and let me sanctify my mind and my thoughts at all times.
אָנָּא יְהֹוָה רַחֲמָן מָלֵא רַחֲמִים. טוֹב וּמֵטִיב לַכֹּל. אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת גֹּדֶל עֹצֶם הַפְּגַם הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא הַנּוֹגֵעַ בְּעוֹלָמוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים מְאֹד עַל יְדֵי כָּל מַחֲשָׁבָה רָעָה, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן עַל יְדֵי הִרְהוּר רַע חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, שֶׁהוּא פּוֹגֵם וּמְקַלְקֵל מְאֹד בְּכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת, וְעוֹקֵר אֶת הָאָדָם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם מִמְּקוֹר הַחַיִּים, עַד אֲשֶׁר קָשֶׁה לוֹ עוֹד לָשׁוּב וּלְהַשִּׂיג אֹרְחוֹת חַיִּים, וְכָל שְׁאָר הַפְּגָמִים הָעֲצוּמִים וְהַנּוֹרָאִים עַד גָּבְהֵי מְרוֹמִים, הַנּוֹגְעִים בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁנּוֹגְעִים, שֶׁנַּעֲשִׂים עַל יְדֵי כָּל מַחֲשָׁבָה רָעָה וְהִרְהוּר הַנִּכְנָס בַּמּוֹחַ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
Please, HaShem: You know the tremendous damage caused in the upper worlds by every single bad thought, and even more so by evil doubts that go against the very foundations of Torah faith, God forbid. Such doubts cause a flaw in all the worlds, and have the power to uproot a person from the Source of life, until it becomes extremely difficult for him to repent and rediscover the path of life. You alone know the full extent of the damage caused on the highest of levels by every evil thought and idea that comes into the mind.
וְגַם אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת גֹּדֶל עֹצֶם הַהִתְגַּבְּרוּת שֶׁמִּתְגַּבְּרִים עָלֵינוּ בְּכָל פַּעַם, לְבַלְבֵּל אֶת דַּעְתֵּנוּ בְּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת וְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים. וּבַעֲוֹנוֹתַי הָרַבִּים לֹא נִזְהַרְתִּי לְהִשָּׁמֵר מֵהֶם וּלְהִתְגַּבֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם, עַד אֲשֶׁר פָּגַמְתִּי אֶת מוֹחִי מְאֹד עַל יְדֵי מַחְשְׁבוֹתַי הָרָעוֹת שֶׁהִכְנַסְתִּי בְּמוֹחִי, עַד שֶׁכָּל מוֹחִי הוּא מָלֵא מַחֲשָׁבוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת, וְעָבַרְתִּי עַל אִסּוּר חָמֵץ שֶׁהָיִיתִי מַחְמִיץ אֶת מוֹחִי בְּתַאֲווֹת וְהִרְהוּרִים וּבִלְבּוּלִים וּבְכָל מִינֵי שְׁטוּתִים.
You also know the tremendous power such thoughts have over our minds, and their ability to confuse us. We are under constant pressure to succumb to them. I have sinned in this many times. I have failed to protect myself against such thoughts or fight them, and I have caused tremendous damage to my own mind by the evil thoughts I have allowed to enter. My whole mind is full of alien thoughts. I have transgressed the prohibition against chametz — leaven, souring my mind with forbidden desires and skepticism, and allowing myself to fall prey to all kinds of meaningless distractions.
וְלֹא דַי שֶׁלֹּא הָיִיתִי מִתְגַּבֵּר עַל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת, אַף גַּם נָתַתִּי לָהֶם כֹּחַ לִכְנוֹס בְּמוֹחִי, וְלֹא הִשְׁתַּדַּלְתִּי לְגָרְשָׁם כְּלָל, וְלֹא קִיַּמְתִּי עֵצוֹתֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת אֲשֶׁר גִּלִּיתָ לִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לְגָרְשָׁם מִמֶּנִּי בְּשֵׁב וְאַל תַּעֲשֶׂה, וְלֹא שָׁמַעְתִּי לְקוֹל מוֹרַי.
Not only have I not tried to fight against such thoughts. I have opened myself to them, making no effort at all to push them out. I have not followed the advice given in Your holy Torah to at least sit passively rather than wilfully entertain sinful thoughts: “sit and do nothing.” I have not listened to my teachers.
אוֹי לִי וַי לִי עַל הַיָּמִים שֶׁעָבְרוּ בְּבִלְבּוּל הַדַּעַת וּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת. טָבַעְתִּי בִּיוֵן מְצוּלָה וְאֵין מָעֳמָד בָּאתִי בְּמַעֲמַקֵּי מַיִם וְשִׁבּוֹלֶת שְׁטָפָתְנִי, כָּל דַּעְתִּי וּמוֹחִי נִתְעַרְבֵּב כָּל כָּךְ בְּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת וּבִלְבּוּלִים, עַד אֲשֶׁר אֲפִלּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֲנִי חָפֵץ לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם וְלִבְרוֹחַ מֵהֶם, קָשֶׁה עָלַי מְאֹד.
How many of my days have gone to waste because of confused and evil thoughts. “I am sinking in the depths of the mud with nothing to support me; I have come into the deepest water and the current is sweeping me away.” My mind is such a turmoil of evil thoughts and confusion that it is extremely hard for me to fight them even when I want to.
יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ לְאִוַּלְתִּי וְאַשְׁמוֹתַי מִמְּךָ לֹא נִכְחָדוּ. הֵן עַל כָּל אֵלֶּה בָּאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, בְּלֵב נִשְׁבָּר וְנִדְכֶּה, בְּקִידָה וּבִכְרִיעָה וּבְהִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה, בִּתְחִנָּה וּבַקָּשָׁה, כְּעָנִי בַּפֶּתַח, נֶאֱנַח וְנִדְכֶּה, שׁוֹאֵל וּמְבַקֵּשׁ מַתְּנַת חִנָּם וְנִדְבַת חֶסֶד, שֶׁתְּחָנֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים וַחֲסָדֶיךָ הַנִּפְלָאִים, וְתוֹצִיאֵנִי מֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה, וְתַעֲזֹר לִי מֵהַיּוֹם לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי תָּמִיד מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם:
“HaShem, You know my folly, and my sin is not hidden from You.” I come before You prostrate, humbled, begging and supplicating like a poor man at the door, sighing and beaten down, asking, requesting and begging as a free gift and an act of mercy that You should show me Your wonderful love and kindness and take me out of my darkness into the light. Help me to sanctify my thoughts today and for ever.
(הַשְׁמָטָה הַשַּׁיָּךְ כָּאן מִסֵּפֶר "תְּפִלּוֹת וְתַחֲנוּנִים")
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם זַכֵּנִי לְקַבֵּל קְדֻשַּׁת חַג הַפֶּסַח הַקָּדוֹשׁ בִּזְמַנּוֹ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, וְתִשְׁמְרֵנִי בְּכָל יְמֵי הַפֶּסַח הַקְּדוֹשִׁים מֵאִסּוּר אֲכִילַת חָמֵץ אֲפִילּוּ בְּמַשֶּׁהוּ, וּתְזַכֵּנוּ לְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת אֲכִילַת מַצָּה בְּפֶסַח בִּקְדֻשָּׁה גְּדוֹלָה, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה אֶזְכֶּה לְקַבֵּל הַמֹּחִין הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הַמְּאִירִים אָז.
Master of the Universe: Help me to receive the full holiness of the Pesach festival season. Throughout the eight days of Pesach, guard me from transgressing the prohibition against eating even the slightest amount of chametz. Help me to fulfil the mitzvah of eating matza on Pesach in great holiness, and let me thereby receive the light of the spiritual insight and inspiration that radiate then.
וּבְכֹחַ הַזֶּה תְּזַכֵּנוּ לִשְׁמוֹר הַמֹּחִין וְהַמַּחֲשָׁבָה שֶׁלִּי בִּקְדֻשָּׁה גְּדוֹלָה בְּכָל יְמֵי הַשָּׁנָה לְעוֹלָם, וְלֹא אֶתֵּן מָקוֹם לְשׁוּם מַחְשָׁבָה חִיצוֹנָה וּבְטֵלָה וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְשׁוּם מַחְשָׁבָה רָעָה וְהִרְהוּר רַע חַס וְשָׁלוֹם לִכָּנֵס בְּמוֹחִי וְדַעְתִּי אֲפִלּוּ כְּרֶגַע קַלָּה, וְלֹא אֶכְנוֹס עִם פִּתּוּיֵי יִצְרִי הָרַע בְּשׁוּם טוֹעֵן וְנִטְעָן כְּלָל.
With the strength this inspiration will give me, let me keep my mind and my thoughts holy every day of the year and for all time. Let me close my mind to extraneous, idle thoughts, and certainly to evil or atheistic thoughts. Let them not enter my mind for even a brief moment. Let me not be drawn in by the persuasive arguments and temptations of my evil inclination, and let me avoid all debates with it.
רַק אֶזְכֶּה לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל יִצְרִי תָּמִיד וְלִגְעֹר בְּכָל מִינֵי מַחֲשָׁבוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת וּבְטֵלוֹת וּלְגָרְשָׁם וּלְהַרְחִיקָם מִמּוֹחִי וּלְבַטְּלָם בְּבִטּוּל גָּמוּר בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לָהֶם שׁוּם נְגִיעָה וַאֲחִיזָה בְּמוֹחִי וּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי אֲפִילּוּ בְּמַשֶּׁהוּ, וְאֶזְכֶּה לִהְיוֹת בִּכְלַל הַצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים דְּעָבְדִין מִצְוָתָא וּמְרִיבָה בְּסִטְרִין אַחַרְנִין דְּלָא תַּקְרִיבוּ לְמַשְׁכְּנָא דִּקְדֻשָּׁה:
(עַד כָּאן הוֹסָפָה מִסֵּפֶר "תְּפִלּוֹת וְתַחֲנוּנִים")
Help me to keep firm against the evil inclination at all times, and to push down all improper and idle thoughts. Let me drive them out of my mind and keep them out until eventually they will disappear completely. Don't let them have even the slightest hold or influence on my mind or my thoughts. Let me be included among the true Tzaddikim who make battle with the unholy forces of the Sitra Achra, the “Other Side,” so that they should not come close to the Holy Sanctuary.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, צוֹפֶה בְּעֶלְבּוֹן אֲנוּחִים, תִּיקַר נָא נַפְשִׁי הָאֻמְלָלָה בְּעֵינֶיךָ, וַחֲמֹל עָלַי בְּחֶמְלָתְךָ וַחֲנִינוֹתֶיךָ, וְעָזְרֵנִי וְסַיְּעֵנִי וְחַזְּקֵנִי וְאַמְּצֵנִי, וְקַדְּשֵׁנִי בִּקְדֻשָּׁתְךָ הָעֶלְיוֹנָה, שֶׁיִּמָּשֵׁךְ עָלַי קְדֻשָּׁה וְטָהֳרָה מֵאִתְּךָ, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה מֵעַתָּה לִשְׁמוֹר עַצְמִי שֶׁלֹּא אַנִּיחַ לִכְנוֹס כְּלָל לְתוֹךְ מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי שׁוּם מַחֲשֶׁבֶת חוּץ שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, וְלֹא שׁוּם בִּלְבּוּל הַדַּעַת. וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן, שֶׁלֹּא אֲהַרְהֵר בְּשׁוּם הִרְהוּר בָּעוֹלָם כְּלָל, רַק מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי תִּהְיֶה קְדוֹשָׁה תָּמִיד, זַכָּה וּנְקִיָּה מִכָּל סִיג וּפְסוֹלֶת.
Master of the Universe: You know the shame and pain of the downcast. Remember the preciousness of my poor soul. Take pity on me in Your tender kindness. Help me, strengthen me and encourage me. Sanctify me with Your exalted holiness. Let Your holiness and purity be drawn down upon me, so that from now on I will be able to guard myself against all improper thoughts, against mental confusion, and especially against skepticism and sinful thoughts of any kind. Let my thoughts always be holy, clear and free of all impurity.
וּבְכֵן תְּזַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, לְהַאֲמִין בְּצַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת, וְלֹא יִכְנֹס בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי וְדַעְתִּי שׁוּם הִרְהוּר וּמַחֲשָׁבָה כְּלָל עַל הַמַּחֲלוֹקֶת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בֵּין הַצַּדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת. רַק אֶזְכֶּה לְהַאֲמִין בְּצַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לִי שׁוּם הִרְהוּר וְקֻשְׁיָא עֲלֵיהֶם וְעַל הַמַּחֲלוֹקֶת שֶׁבֵּינֵיהֶם כְּלָל.
Lovingly help me to have faith in the true Tzaddikim. Let no doubts whatever enter my mind on account of the disputes between the true Tzaddikim. Let me have complete faith in all the true Tzaddikim, and let me have no questions either about them or on account of the disputes between them.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אִם אָמְנָם פָּגַמְתִּי בְּטִפֵּי מוֹחִי, אֲשֶׁר עַל יְדֵי זֶה אֵינִי רָאוּי וּכְדַאי לְהִתְקָרֵב לְצַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת, וְלִזְכּוֹת לְהַאֲמִין בָּהֶם בֶּאֱמֶת, אֲשֶׁר מֵחֲמַת זֶה בָּאִים עָלַי מַחֲשָׁבוֹת חוּץ וְהִרְהוּרִים לְהַרְהֵר אַחֲרֵיהֶם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. אָנָּא יְהֹוָה אַל תַּעֲשֶׂה עִמִּי כַּחֲטָאַי וְאַל תְּדִינֵנִי כְּמִפְעָלַי, וַעֲשֵׂה לְמַעַנְךָ וְלֹא לְמַעֲנִי, וּמַלֵּא בַקָּשָׁתִי בְּרַחֲמִים. וְזַכֵּנִי שֶׁלֹּא יִכְנֹס בְּלִבִּי שׁוּם קֻשְׁיָא וְהִרְהוּר כְּלָל עַל הַצַּדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת וְעַל הַמַּחֲלוֹקֶת שֶׁבֵּינֵיהֶם, רַק אֶזְכֶּה לְהַאֲמִין בָּהֶם תָּמִיד בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה בֶּאֱמֶת.
Master of the Universe: It is true that I have wasted the drops of my mind and soul, and it is my own deficiencies that make it hard for me to draw close to the true Tzaddikim and develop genuine faith in them. This is the reason for the doubts I have about them. But still, HaShem, please do not treat me according to my sins. Don't judge me harshly, in spite of all the wrong I have done. For Your sake, if not for mine, fulfil my request and let no questions and doubts about the true Tzaddikim or their disputes enter my heart. Grant that I should have genuine, perfect faith in them at all times.
וַחֲמֹל עָלַי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, וְזַכֵּנִי לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּלְהַשִּׂיג אֹרְחוֹת חַיִּים, וּבַמָּקוֹם שֶׁקִּלְקַלְתִּי שָׁם אֶתְתַּקֵּן. וְתָשִׁיב אוֹתִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים, מִמָּוֶת לְחַיִּים, מֵחָמֵץ לְמַצָּה, מִיִּרְאָה רָעָה לְיִרְאָה טוֹבָה, מִקּוֹל פָּגוּם מֵחָכְמָה פְּגוּמָה לְקוֹל טוֹב לְחָכְמָה טוֹבָה, תּוֹדִיעֵנִי אֹרַח חַיִּים שֹׂבַע שְׂמָחוֹת אֶת פָּנֶיךָ נְעִימוֹת בִּימִינְךָ נֶצַח. כִּי עִמְּךָ מְקוֹר חַיִּים בְּאוֹרְךָ נִרְאֶה אוֹר.
Lovingly and tenderly help me come back to You sincerely and walk the path of life. Let me fix everything I have damaged. Have compassion on me and bring me back from death to life, from chametz to matza, from bad fear to good fear, from a spoiled voice and a spoiled intellect to a good voice and a good mind. “Give me the wisdom to know the path of life and let me be satisfied with the joy of seeing Your face, so as to enjoy the pleasantness of Your merciful right hand for ever.” “For with You is the source of life. In Your light we will see light.”
אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם חוֹתֵךְ חַיִּים לְכָל חַי. אֵל חַי חֶלְקֵנוּ צוּרֵנוּ, גְּאָלֵנוּ מִמָּוֶת פְּדֵנוּ מִשַּׁחַת. וְהַצֵּל אוֹתִי וְאֶת כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִכָּל מִינֵי מַחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת וְהִרְהוּרִים שֶׁהֵם נִקְרָאִים סִטְרָא דְּמוֹתָא. וְחָנֵּנִי מֵאִתְּךָ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, וְתֵן לִי חַיִּים טוֹבִים, חַיִּים אֲרוּכִים, חַיִּים אֲמִתִּיִּים, חַיִּים נִצְחִיִּים. וְעָזְרֵנִי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת הַמּוֹחִין שֶׁלִּי הַנִּקְרָאִים בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים:
Our Father in Heaven: It is from You that all the living have their share of life. Living God, our portion and our rock: Save us from death. Redeem us from destruction. Keep me and all Your people, the House of Israel, from all kinds of evil thoughts and doubts. They are called “the side of death.” In Your abundant love and kindness, grant me life. Let me live a life that is truly good, long, and eternal. Help me sanctify my mind, “the wellspring of living waters.”
וְזַכֵּנִי לְאַהֲבָה אֶת שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל בֶּאֱמֶת אַהֲבַת הַמִּישׁוֹר, וְיַחֵד לְבָבִי לְאַהֲבָה וּלְיִרְאָה אֶת שְׁמֶךָ. וְתַצִּיל אוֹתִי מִיִּרְאוֹת הַנְּפוּלוֹת שֶׁלֹּא אֶתְיָרֵא מִשּׁוּם דָּבָר שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, כִּי אִם מִמְּךָ לְבַד אִירָא וְאֶפְחַד תָּמִיד, לְבַעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה יִרְאָתְךָ עַל פָּנַי לְבִלְתִּי אֶחֱטָא לְעוֹלָם.
Bring me to love and cherish Your great Name with a true love that will rise up to You directly. Unify my heart to love and fear Your Name. Save me from fallen fears, so that I will have no fear of anything in the world besides You. Let Your fear be on my face, so that I will never sin.
וְעָזְרֵנִי לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ בְּכָל כֹּחִי, שֶׁאַכְנִיס כָּל כֹּחִי בְּדִבּוּרֵי הַתְּפִלָּה, וְאוֹצִיא אֶת הַקּוֹל וְהַדִּבּוּר שֶׁל הַתְּפִלָּה בְּכֹחַ גָּדוֹל, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה קוֹלִי פּוֹגֵעַ בְּמוֹחִי וְיִהְיֶה נִשְׁמַע לְלִבִּי כְּמוֹ קוֹל רְעָמִים, עַד שֶׁהַלֵּב יִשְׁמַע הֵיטֵב דִּבּוּרֵי הַתְּפִלָּה וְיִתְעוֹרֵר לַעֲבוֹדָתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, וְיִהְיוּ נַעֲשִׂים מִקּוֹלִי וְדִבּוּרִי בְּחִינַת רְעָמִים. וְזַכֵּנִי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִי יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם בֶּאֱמֶת, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ דְבָרַי נִשְׁמָעִים לַבְּרִיּוֹת לַעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ וּלְיִרְאָתֶךָ,
Help me pray to You with all my strength. Let me put all my energy into the words of the prayers and bring forth the sounds and words with great force. Let my voice penetrate my mind and resound in my heart like thunder, inspiring my heart to Your service. Let the thunder of my voice and words bring me to genuine fear of Heaven, so that my words will be a resounding influence drawing myself and others to serve and fear You.
וְקוֹל תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ יַעֲלֶה לְפָנֶיךָ לְרָצוֹן כְּמוֹ שִׁבְעָה קוֹלוֹת שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד עַל הַמָּיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, קוֹל יְהֹוָה עַל הַמָּיִם אֵל הַכָּבוֹד הִרְעִים יְהֹוָה עַל מַיִם רַבִּים. קוֹל יְהֹוָה בַּכֹּחַ. וְזַכֵּנִי שֶׁיִּתְפַּשֵּׁט עַקְמִימִיּוּת שֶׁבְּלִבִּי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בְּלִבִּי שׁוּם עַקְמִימִיּוּת וְעִקְּשׁוּת כְּלָל. לֵבָב עִקֵּשׁ יָסוּר מִמֶּנִּי רַע לֹא אֵדָע. רַק אֶזְכֶּה לְיוֹשֶׁר לֵבָב בֶּאֱמֶת, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִבִּי יָשָׁר עִם יְהֹוָה תָּמִיד:
Let the voice of our prayers rise and find favor before You, like the seven voices with which King David cried out over the water: “The voice of HaShem is upon the waters, the God of glory thunders, HaShem is upon vast waters! The voice of HaShem is in power...” Let the crookedness of my heart be smoothed out completely. “The stubbornness of my heart will depart; I will not know evil.” Bring me to be truly pure-hearted, and let me always face God honestly.
וּבְכֵן יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, שֶׁתַּעַזְרֵנִי וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לִזְכּוֹת לְשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה בֶּאֱמֶת בַּעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, עִבְדוּ אֶת יְהֹוָה בְּשִׂמְחָה, וְגִילוּ בִּרְעָדָה. וּתְזַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה בֶּאֱמֶת, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִי שִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה מֵהַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ, שֶׁאָגִיל וְאֶשְׂמַח מְאֹד בִּשְׁעַת עֲשִׂיַּת כָּל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה, בַּמֶּה שֶׁזָּכִיתִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַמִּצְוָה,
May it be Your will, HaShem my God and God of my fathers, to lovingly help me attain great joy, true joy, in serving You, as it is written: “Serve HaShem with happiness...” “...and rejoice with trembling.” Bring me to fulfil all the mitzvot with a happiness and joy that come from the mitzvah itself. While engaged in each mitzvah, let me rejoice over the fact that You have lovingly given me the privilege of performing this mitzvah.
וְכָל שִׂמְחָתִי יִהְיֶה רַק הַמִּצְוָה לְבַד, לֹא בִּשְׁבִיל שְׂכַר עוֹלָם הַבָּא, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלֶה בְּדַעְתִּי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם פְּנִיּוֹת שֶׁל שְׁטוּת בִּשְׁבִיל בְּנֵי אָדָם, אוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל עִסְקֵי עוֹלָם הַזֶּה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. רַק שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה מֵהַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ. וְיִהְיֶה כָּל הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא שֶׁלִּי בְּהַמִּצְוָה בְּעַצְמָהּ עַד שֶׁלֹּא אֶרְצֶה שׁוּם שְׂכַר עוֹלָם הַבָּא בִּשְׁבִיל הַמִּצְוָה, רַק שֶׁכָּל שְׂכָרִי יִהְיֶה שֶׁתְּזַכֵּנִי לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָה אַחֶרֶת בִּשְׂכַר מִצְוָה זֹאת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁשְּׂכַר מִצְוָה מִצְוָה.
Let all my joy be from the mitzvah alone and not from the thought of the reward I will receive in the World to Come, not to speak of any honor or other extraneous benefits I anticipate from other people, or other mundane advantages of any kind. Let my entire joy be from the mitzvah itself. Let my World to Come be in the actual performance of the mitzvah, so that I will have no wish for any reward for the mitzvah in the Next World. Let my reward be that You will grant me another mitzvah, as taught by our Rabbis: “The reward for a mitzvah is a mitzvah.”
וְאֶזְכֶּה לְהִכָּלֵל בְּךָ עַל יְדֵי מִצְוֹתֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הֵם אַחְדּוּתֶךָ. וִיקֻיַּם בָּנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, יִשְׂמַח יְהֹוָה בְּמַעֲשָׂיו, יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעוֹשָׂיו. שֶׁאַתָּה תִּשְׂמַח בָּנוּ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁתְּזַכֵּנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ, וַאֲנַחְנוּ נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בָּךְ.
Through Your holy mitzvot, which are Your unity, let me become fully merged with You, and fulfil through me the words of the Psalms: “HaShem will rejoice in His works” and “Israel will rejoice in their Maker.” Take joy in us through granting us the opportunity to carry out actions that are good in Your eyes, and let our joy be in You.
וְתַעַזְרֵנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לְהַמְשִׁיךְ חַיּוּת וְשֶׁפַע טוֹבָה וּבְרָכָה עַל יְדֵי עֲשִׂיַּת מִצְוֹתֵינוּ בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה, לִרְמַ"ח אֵבָרֵינוּ וּשְׁסָ"ה גִּידֵנוּ, וּלְכָל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ, וּלְכָל הַשָּׁנָה כֻּלָּהּ. וְכָל הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה קוֹמוֹת, הֵן קוֹמַת עוֹלָם, הֵן קוֹמַת שָׁנָה, הֵן קוֹמַת נֶפֶשׁ, כֻּלָּם יִתְבָּרְכוּ וִיקַבְּלוּ חַיִּים וְטוֹבָה וּבְרָכָה וּקְדֻשָּׁה וְטָהֳרָה, עַל יְדֵי קִיּוּם מִצְוֹתֵינוּ בְּשִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה:
By lovingly helping us to perform our mitzvot with joy, give us the power to bring vitality and Godly blessing into our two hundred and forty-eight limbs and three hundred and sixty-five sinews, and into the entire world, the entire year, and the three dimensions: space, time and soul. Let all of them be blessed and receive goodness, vitality, holiness and purity through our fulfilment of the mitzvot with great joy.
(הַשְׁמָטָה הַשַּׁיָּךְ כָּאן מִסֵּפֶר "תְּפִלּוֹת וְתַחֲנוּנִים")
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם עָזְרֵנוּ לְקַיֵּם בִּשְׁלֵמוּת מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זַ"ל חַיָּב כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לוֹמַר בִּשְׁבִילִי נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, וְאֶזְכֶּה לִשְׁמוֹר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלּוּ בְּלִבִּי הֵיטֵב בְּכָל עֵת, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה אֶזְכֶּה לִהְיוֹת תָּמִיד בּוֹרֵחַ מִן הָעֲבֵרָה וַאֲפִלּוּ מִפְּגָם קַל שֶׁהוּא נֶגֶד רְצוֹנְךָ ח"ו, בִּכְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא אֶגְרֹם עַל יְדֵי זֶה חִסָּרוֹן וְהֶזֵּק וּמִכְשׁוֹל וְתַקָּלָה לִי וּלְכָל הָעוֹלָם ח"ו, וְאֶזְכֶּה אַדְּרַבָּא לִרְאוֹת וּלְעַיֵּן בְּכָל עֵת בְּתִקּוּן הָעוֹלָם וּלְמַלֹּאות חֶסְרוֹן הָעוֹלָם וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעֲבוּרָם:
(עַד כָּאן הוֹסָפָה מִסֵּפֶר "תְּפִלּוֹת וְתַחֲנוּנִים")
Master of the Universe: Help us fulfil perfectly the teaching of our Rabbis, of blessed memory, that “Every single person is obliged to say, `The world was created for my sake.' “ Help me keep these words in my heart constantly, in order that I should always steer clear of even the smallest sin or anything else that goes contrary to Your will, so that I never become the cause of any kind of deficiency, damage or impediment, whether in myself or in the world as a whole. Instead, let me always be watchful for anything I can do to improve or benefit the world, or provide for its needs, and let me pray for the world.
וְתַעַזְרֵנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, שֶׁנּוּכַל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עֲבוּר כָּל הָעוֹלָם וּלְמַלֹּאת חֶסְרוֹן הָעוֹלָם. וְכָל מִינֵי גְּזֵרוֹת שֶׁנִּגְזְרוּ עַל הָעוֹלָם, כֻּלָּם נִזְכֶּה לְבַטֵּל עַל יְדֵי תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ. וְנִזְכֶּה לָדַעַת וּלְהַשִּׂיג אִם הוּא קוֹדֶם גְּזַר דִּין, אוֹ לְאַחַר גְּזַר דִּין. וּתְזַכֵּנוּ לֵידַע אֵיךְ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ, וּלְהַלְבִּישׁ אֶת תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ בְּסִפּוּרֵי דְבָרִים, בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַשָּׁעָה צְרִיכָה לְכָךְ. וְאִם אָמְנָם בָּעֵת הַזֹּאת אָנוּ רְחוֹקִים מְאֹד מִדַּעַת וְהַשָּׂגָה זֹאת, עִם כָּל זֶה בְּיָדְךָ הַכֹּל, וּמִמְּךָ לֹא יִבָּצֵר כָּל דָּבָר,
In Your abundant love and kindness, help us to be able to pray for the entire world and thereby bring about the fulfilment of its needs. Help us nullify all evil decrees through our prayers. Grant us the knowledge of whether the decree has already been sealed or not, so that we may know how best to pray to You, and whether we should clothe our prayers in the form of narrative at times when this is necessary. Even though we may be very far from this level of understanding at the present time, even so, everything is in Your hand, and for You nothing is impossible.
אַתָּה יְהֹוָה לֹא תִכְלָא רַחֲמֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי חַסְדְּךָ וַאֲמִתְּךָ תָּמִיד יִצְּרוּנִי. וְתַעַזְרֵנִי וּתְזַכֵּנִי לְהַגִּיעַ וְלָבֹא לְכָל מַה שֶּׁבִּקַּשְׁתִּי מִלְּפָנֶיךָ. קַדְּשֵׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֶיךָ וְשַׂמַּח נַפְשֵׁנוּ בִּישוּעָתֶךָ וְטַהֵר לִבֵּנוּ לַעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבַּלֵּב זוֹ תְפִלָּה, לִזְכּוֹת לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ בְּכָל כֹּחִי בֶּאֱמֶת, וְלַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוֹתֶיךָ בְּשִׂמְחָה תָּמִיד, יֶעֱרַב עָלָיו שִׂיחִי אָנֹכִי אֶשְׂמַח בַּיהֹוָה. וְנַפְשִׁי תָּגִיל בַּיהֹוָה תָּשִׂישׂ בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ. כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה יְהֹוָה מִי כָמוֹךָ, מַצִּיל עָנִי מֵחָזָק מִמֶּנּוּ וְעָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן מִגּוֹזְלוֹ. אוֹר זָרוּעַ לַצַּדִּיק וּלְיִשְׁרֵי לֵב שִׂמְחָה. בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:
“HaShem, do not hold back Your love from me; Your mercy and Your truth will always protect me.” Help me come to everything I have requested of You. Sanctify me with Your mitzvot and delight my soul with Your salvation. Purify my heart to serve You sincerely with the service of the heart — namely prayer — so that I will be able to pray to You with all my strength and to fulfil Your mitzvot joyously at all times.
יֶעֱרַב עָלָיו שִׂיחִי אָנֹכִי אֶשְׂמַח בַּיהֹוָה. וְנַפְשִׁי תָּגִיל בַּיהֹוָה תָּשִׂישׂ בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ. כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה יְהֹוָה מִי כָמוֹךָ, מַצִּיל עָנִי מֵחָזָק מִמֶּנּוּ וְעָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן מִגּוֹזְלוֹ. אוֹר זָרוּעַ לַצַּדִּיק וּלְיִשְׁרֵי לֵב שִׂמְחָה. בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:
“Let the words of my prayer be sweet to Him.” “I will rejoice in HaShem, and my soul will exult in HaShem and delight in His salvation.” “All my bones will declare: HaShem, who is like You? You save the poor from those who are too strong for them, and the needy from those who would rob them.” “Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for those who are pure of heart.” Blessed be HaShem for ever. Amen. Amen.