God’s Simple Compassion and His Great Compassion / God’s Prayer / We Repent by Learning Torah / Three Phases of Learning Torah / God “Prays” on Our Behalf God has two types of compassion: Simple Compassion and, higher than that, Great Compassion. We need God’s Great Compassion to help us in both the spiritual and material realms. But although everyone wants that Great Compassion and it stands before everyone’s eyes, no one knows where it is, no one can pray and draw it down, because — due to our oppressive exile — no one recognizes God’s greatness. Therefore, God Himself must pray for this. And what brings Him to pray? Our repentance, which we attain by learning Torah. The mechanism behind this is as follows. Every person possesses a portion of the spiritual worlds in the form of holy “letters” and permutations of holy energies. One connects these to whatever he chooses to cling to. If he pursues base desires, he connects them to the Side of Evil. Then the holy letters and permutations of holy energies are confused, and consequently, his mind is confused. That constitutes the exile of God’s Divine Presence. Then, because one lacks proper awareness, he lacks access to God’s Great Compassion. This person must study Torah, proceeding through three phases. First, when he sits down to learn, he brings all of his thoughts and consciousness into the Torah so that he is contained within in it like a fetus in its mother’s womb. Second, he learns Torah and comes to understand it — that is called birth and nursing. And third, he infers one matter from another and creates original insights — that is the level of independent intelligence. When this person proceeds through these three phases of learning Torah, he attains complete repentance. He now restores the holy letters and permutations of holy energies to their root. In doing so, he becomes a new person. His awareness is whole and, as a result, God has compassion on him. Now God prays on his behalf. That means that God’s Simple Compassion awakens His Great Compassion. This may be conceptualized as follows. A certain person is in need of a great deal of charity. There are two philanthropists in his community. One is accessible, but does not have enough money to help him. The other does have enough money to help him, but is accessible only to the first philanthropist. The person therefore asks the first philanthropist to petition the wealthier philanthropist on his behalf. In the same way, we ask God to arouse His Simple Compassion on our behalf so that it will draw down His Great Compassion. Learning Torah HaShem, our God and God of our fathers, help us learn Your holy Torah always, day and night. May this book of the Torah never leave our mouths or the mouths of our children.
May we comprehend their implications and always create original, true insights that will rise before the throne of Your glory to give You satisfaction and gain Your approval.
As a result of learning the Torah, may we repent completely of all our sins that we committed throughout the course of our lives. May the light within the Torah transform and improve us.
And as a result of learning the holy Torah, may we extract, gather and raise all of the holy sparks and permutations of sparks that come from all levels of creation, sparks that fell because of our sins until they were scattered among the “husks.”
Since You know that we cannot extract and raise these sparks ourselves, have compassion on us and on the holy sparks associated with us, which are holy letters, now scattered and alienated among the various nations and “husks.”
Return us to You fully by swiftly extracting, gathering and redeeming all of these holy sparks from their exile and bringing them back to their proper place. In this way, You will restore all of the worlds and all of the holy names that were blemished as a result of our sins.
Our King, restore, return and gather into holiness all those who were separated from You. As the verse states, “HaShem your God will bring back your exiles and have compassion on you. He will once again gather you from all of the nations to which HaShem your God scattered you. If your exiles will be at the end of the heavens, from there HaShem your God will gather you and He will take you from there.”
Bring our holy consciousness to perfection. Imbue the world with that consciousness and with great compassion. Eradicate anger and cruelty. Then, at last, “no one will cause damage or destruction on Your entire holy mountain,” because “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of HaShem as water covers the seabed.”
God’s Compassion on Our Behalf You Yourself pray on our behalf, meaning that Your Simple Compassion arouses Your Great Compassion. And then, as the verse states, “With great compassion I will gather you.”
HaShem, You know that no one at this time is capable of standing up on our behalf to arouse that compassion. We have been so alienated from You that only You, our Father and King, can arouse compassion on our behalf.
Therefore, please pray on our behalf so that “we will live and not die, and the earth will not be desolate.” As the verse states, “He prays on his behalf always; all the days, He blesses him.”
With Your Simple Compassion, arouse Your vast, Great Compassion — a compassion so intense that it has the power to draw us close to You, a compassion that does not contain the slightest trace of judgment.
“Your compassion is abundant, HaShem. Give me life in accordance with Your way.” “HaShem is compassionate and gracious, longsuffering and exceedingly kind.” “HaShem is good to all, and His compassion rests upon all of His works.”
“In accordance with Your kindness, give me life, and I will keep the testimony of Your mouth.” “HaShem, Your kindness fills the earth; teach me Your rules.”
And then at last, “I will bring them to My holy mountain and give them joy in My House of Prayer. Their burnt-offerings and sacrifices will be accepted upon My Altar, for My House shall be called a House of Prayer for all nations.”
[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה ק"ה - עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ וַיְּהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה]
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁתְּרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְתַעַזְרֵנוּ שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לַעֲסֹק בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה תָּמִיד יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה, לֹא יָמוּשׁ סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה מִפִּינוּ וּמִפִּי זַרְעֵנוּ עַד עוֹלָם.
God’s Simple Compassion and His Great Compassion / God’s Prayer / We Repent by Learning Torah / Three Phases of Learning Torah / God “Prays” on Our Behalf
God has two types of compassion: Simple Compassion and, higher than that, Great Compassion.
We need God’s Great Compassion to help us in both the spiritual and material realms. But although everyone wants that Great Compassion and it stands before everyone’s eyes, no one knows where it is, no one can pray and draw it down, because — due to our oppressive exile — no one recognizes God’s greatness. Therefore, God Himself must pray for this. And what brings Him to pray? Our repentance, which we attain by learning Torah.
The mechanism behind this is as follows.
Every person possesses a portion of the spiritual worlds in the form of holy “letters” and permutations of holy energies. One connects these to whatever he chooses to cling to. If he pursues base desires, he connects them to the Side of Evil. Then the holy letters and permutations of holy energies are confused, and consequently, his mind is confused. That constitutes the exile of God’s Divine Presence. Then, because one lacks proper awareness, he lacks access to God’s Great Compassion.
This person must study Torah, proceeding through three phases.
First, when he sits down to learn, he brings all of his thoughts and consciousness into the Torah so that he is contained within in it like a fetus in its mother’s womb. Second, he learns Torah and comes to understand it — that is called birth and nursing. And third, he infers one matter from another and creates original insights — that is the level of independent intelligence.
When this person proceeds through these three phases of learning Torah, he attains complete repentance. He now restores the holy letters and permutations of holy energies to their root. In doing so, he becomes a new person. His awareness is whole and, as a result, God has compassion on him.
Now God prays on his behalf. That means that God’s Simple Compassion awakens His Great Compassion.
This may be conceptualized as follows. A certain person is in need of a great deal of charity. There are two philanthropists in his community. One is accessible, but does not have enough money to help him. The other does have enough money to help him, but is accessible only to the first philanthropist. The person therefore asks the first philanthropist to petition the wealthier philanthropist on his behalf.
In the same way, we ask God to arouse His Simple Compassion on our behalf so that it will draw down His Great Compassion.
Learning Torah
HaShem, our God and God of our fathers, help us learn Your holy Torah always, day and night. May this book of the Torah never leave our mouths or the mouths of our children.
וְנִזְכֶּה לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ, לְהָבִין כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה עַל בּוּרְיָן וַאֲמִתָּתָן בִּמְהִירוּת גָּדוֹל.
May we understand the truth of all the words of Your holy Torah clearly and swiftly.
וְנִזְכֶּה לְהָבִין דָּבָר מִתּוֹךְ דָּבָר, וּלְחַדֵּשׁ תָּמִיד חִדּוּשִׁים אֲמִתִּיִּים בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, חִדּוּשִׁים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לְךָ לְנַחַת וּלְרָצוֹן לִפְנֵי כִסֵּא כְבוֹדֶךָ.
May we comprehend their implications and always create original, true insights that will rise before the throne of Your glory to give You satisfaction and gain Your approval.
וּתְזַכֵּנוּ עַל־יְדֵי עֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה לִתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה בֶּאֱמֶת, עַל כָּל חֲטָאֵינוּ וַעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ וּפְשָׁעֵינוּ, שֶׁחָטָאנוּ וְשֶׁעָוִינוּ וְשֶׁפָּשַׁעְנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ מִיּוֹם הֱיוֹתֵינוּ עַל הָאֲדָמָה עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, וְהַמָּאוֹר שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה יַחֲזִירֵנוּ לְמוּטַב בֶּאֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ.
As a result of learning the Torah, may we repent completely of all our sins that we committed throughout the course of our lives. May the light within the Torah transform and improve us.
וְנִזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי עֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, לְבָרֵר וּלְלַקֵּט וּלְהַעֲלוֹת כָּל נִיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים וְכָל הַצֵּרוּפִים מִכְּלָלִיּוּת כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת שֶׁנָּפְלוּ עַל־יָדֵינוּ בֵּין הַקְּלִפּוֹת, וְנִתְפַּזְּרוּ לְמָקוֹם שֶׁנִּתְפַּזְּרוּ, וְנָפְלוּ לְמָקוֹם שֶׁנָּפְלוּ:
And as a result of learning the holy Torah, may we extract, gather and raise all of the holy sparks and permutations of sparks that come from all levels of creation, sparks that fell because of our sins until they were scattered among the “husks.”
אָנָּא יְהֹוָה, מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, חוֹשֵׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת לְבַל יִדַּח מִמְּךָ נִדָּח.
Redeeming Exiled Holiness
HaShem, You conceive thoughts so that no one will be cast aside from You.
אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ כִּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָנוּ לְבָרְרָם וּלְהַעֲלוֹתָם בְּעַצְמֵנוּ, רַחֲמֶיךָ רַבִּים יְהֹוָה, רַחֲמֶיךָ רַבִּים מְאֹד, רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת וְעַל הָאוֹתִיּוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הַמְפֻזָּרִים וּמְפֹרָדִים בֵּין הַגּוֹיִם וְהַקְּלִפּוֹת.
Since You know that we cannot extract and raise these sparks ourselves, have compassion on us and on the holy sparks associated with us, which are holy letters, now scattered and alienated among the various nations and “husks.”
וְעָזְרֵנוּ לָשׁוּב בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת. וּתְמַהֵר וְתָחִישׁ לְבָרֵר וּלְלַקֵּט וְלִגְאֹל אֶת כָּל הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת מִן הַגָּלוּת, וּתְשִׁיבֵם לִמְקוֹמָם בְּשָׁלוֹם. וְתַחֲזֹר וְתַשְׁלִים פְּגָם כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת כֻּלָּם, וְכָל הַשֵּׁמוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁפָּגַמְנוּ בַּעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ,
Return us to You fully by swiftly extracting, gathering and redeeming all of these holy sparks from their exile and bringing them back to their proper place. In this way, You will restore all of the worlds and all of the holy names that were blemished as a result of our sins.
וְיָשִׁיב הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת נִדָּחָיו, וְתַחֲזֹר וּתְקַבְּצֵם בִּקְדֻשָּׁה שֵׁנִית. וִיקֻיַּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְשָׁב יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ וְרִחֲמֶךָ וְשָׁב וְקִבֶּצְךָ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר הֱפִיצְךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ שָׁמָּה. אִם יִהְיֶה נִדַּחֲךָ בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמָיִם מִשָּׁם יְקַבֶּצְךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ וּמִשָּׁם יִקָּחֶךָ.
Our King, restore, return and gather into holiness all those who were separated from You. As the verse states, “HaShem your God will bring back your exiles and have compassion on you. He will once again gather you from all of the nations to which HaShem your God scattered you. If your exiles will be at the end of the heavens, from there HaShem your God will gather you and He will take you from there.”
וְתַעֲלֶה אֶת הַשְּׁכִינָה מִגָּלוּתָהּ וּתְקִימָהּ מֵעֲפָרָהּ.
Raise Your Divine Presence from its exile and lift it from its dust.
וְתַשְׁלִים אֶת הַדַּעַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ, וְתַמְשִׁיךְ דַּעַת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה וְרַחֲמִים גְּדוֹלִים בָּעוֹלָם, וּתְבַטֵּל כַּעַס וְאַכְזָרִיּוּת מִן הָעוֹלָם, וִיקֻיַּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, לֹא יָרֵעוּ וְלֹא יַשְׁחִיתוּ בְּכָל הַר קָדְשִׁי, כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה אֶת יְהֹוָה כַּמַּיִם לַיָּם מְכַסִּים.
Bring our holy consciousness to perfection. Imbue the world with that consciousness and with great compassion. Eradicate anger and cruelty. Then, at last, “no one will cause damage or destruction on Your entire holy mountain,” because “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of HaShem as water covers the seabed.”
וּבְרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים תְּרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְתִתְפַּלֵּל בְּעַצְמְךָ עָלֵינוּ, וּתְעוֹרֵר בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הַפְּשׁוּטִים אֶת רַחֲמֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים, רַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, וִיקֻיַּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וּבְרַחֲמִים גְּדוֹלִים אֲקַבְּצֵךְ,
God’s Compassion on Our Behalf
You Yourself pray on our behalf, meaning that Your Simple Compassion arouses Your Great Compassion. And then, as the verse states, “With great compassion I will gather you.”
כִּי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, כִּי אֵין מִי שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד בַּעֲדֵנוּ שֶׁיּוּכַל לְעוֹרֵר רַחֲמִים עָלֵינוּ בָּעֵת הַזֹּאת, אֲשֶׁר נִתְרַחַקְנוּ מִמְּךָ מְאֹד כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְרַחַקְנוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ, וְאֵין מִי שֶׁיֵּדַע עַכְשָׁיו לְעוֹרֵר רַחֲמִים עָלֵינוּ כִּי אִם אַתָּה לְבַד. אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ,
HaShem, You know that no one at this time is capable of standing up on our behalf to arouse that compassion. We have been so alienated from You that only You, our Father and King, can arouse compassion on our behalf.
הִתְפַּלֵּל נָא בַּעֲדֵנוּ, וְנִחְיֶה וְלֹא נָמוּת וְהָאֲדָמָה לֹא תֵשָׁם. וִיקֻיַּם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְיִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעֲדוֹ תָמִיד כָּל הַיּוֹם יְבָרֲכֶנְהוּ.
Therefore, please pray on our behalf so that “we will live and not die, and the earth will not be desolate.” As the verse states, “He prays on his behalf always; all the days, He blesses him.”
וּתְעוֹרֵר בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הַפְּשׁוּטִים אֶת רַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, רַחֲמֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים, רַחֲמִים גְּדוֹלִים וַעֲצוּמִים כָּל־כָּךְ, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם כֹּחַ לְרַחֵם וּלְקַרֵב אֲפִלּוּ אוֹתִי אֵלֶיךָ, רַחֲמִים שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם שׁוּם אֲחִיזַת דִּין כְּלָל,
With Your Simple Compassion, arouse Your vast, Great Compassion — a compassion so intense that it has the power to draw us close to You, a compassion that does not contain the slightest trace of judgment.
כִּי אֵין לָנוּ עַל מִי לְהִשָּׁעֵן כִּי אִם עַל אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם. חוּס וְחָנֵּנוּ וְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ מְהֵרָה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ.
We have no one on whom to rely but You, our Father in Heaven. Have mercy on us and save us quickly, for the sake of Your Name.
רַחֲמֶיךָ רַבִּים יְהֹוָה כְּמִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ חַיֵּנִי. רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן יְהֹוָה אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חָסֶד. טוֹב יְהֹוָה לַכֹּל וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו.
“Your compassion is abundant, HaShem. Give me life in accordance with Your way.” “HaShem is compassionate and gracious, longsuffering and exceedingly kind.” “HaShem is good to all, and His compassion rests upon all of His works.”
כְּחַסְדְּךָ חַיֵּנִי וְאֶשְׁמְרָה עֵדוּת פִּיךָ. חַסְדְּךָ יְהֹוָה מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ חֻקֶּיךָ לַמְּדֵנִי.
“In accordance with Your kindness, give me life, and I will keep the testimony of Your mouth.” “HaShem, Your kindness fills the earth; teach me Your rules.”
וְקַיֵּם לָנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וַהֲבִיאוֹתִים אֶל הַר קָדְשִׁי וְשִׂמַּחְתִּים בְּבֵית תְּפִלָּתִי עוֹלוֹתֵיהֶם וְזִבְחֵיהֶם לְרָצוֹן עַל מִזְבְּחִי, כִּי בֵיתִי בֵּית תְּפִלָּה יִקָּרֵא לְכָל הָעַמִּים.
And then at last, “I will bring them to My holy mountain and give them joy in My House of Prayer. Their burnt-offerings and sacrifices will be accepted upon My Altar, for My House shall be called a House of Prayer for all nations.”
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרִי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי:
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, HaShem, my Rock and my Redeemer.”