Prayer works a fourfold process of upbuilding which is in essence one. First, it builds up him who prays; secondly, it builds up this world; there comes, third, the upbuilding of the upper world with all the heavenly hosts; the fourth process of upbuilding is wrought on the Divine Name, so that all the upper and lower regions are embraced in one edifying process, in the manner appropriate.
First, as to man himself, it is incumbent on everyone to edify himself by means of meritorious action and holiness and sacrifices and burnt offerings. The upbuilding of this world is then effected when we recite the works of creation, praising the Almighty for each separate work through our reading of the Hallelukah Psalms, such as “Praise him, all ye stars of light, praise him, ye heavens of heavens”, etc. (Ps. 148, 3-4). This is for the sustaining of this world.
The third process is wrought on the upper world with all its hosts upon hosts and legions upon legions. We thus recite: “Creator of ministering spirits… And the Ophanim and the holy Hayoth….” Finally comes the fourth process, wrought, as it were, on the Divine Name, which, by means of our prayer, becomes perfected. Happy is your portion’, concluded R. Simeon, ‘in this world and in the world to come. This is truly the effect of those precepts which you carry out by means of prayer.’
צְלוֹתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ, כְּמָה דְּאָמַרְתּוּן אַתּוּן קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיכוֹן, דְּהָא בִּצְלוֹתָא מִתַתְּקָּן גּוּפֵיהּ וְנַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, וְאִתְעָבִיד שְׁלִים. צְלוֹתָא אִיהִי תִּקּוּנִין מְתַקְּנָן דְּמִתְתַּקְּנָן כַּחֲדָא, וְאִינּוּן אַרְבַּע. תִּקּוּנָא קַדְמָאָה, תִּקּוּנָא דְּגַרְמֵיהּ, לְאִשְׁתַּלְּמָא. תִּקּוּנָא תִּנְיָינָא, תִּקּוּנָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא. תִּקּוּנָא תְּלִיתָאָה, תִּקּוּנָא דְּעָלְמָא לְעֵילָּא, בְּכָל אִינּוּן חֵילֵי שְׁמַיָא. תִּקּוּנָא רְבִיעָאָה, תִּקּוּנָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, בְּרָזָא דִּרְתִּיכִין קַדִּישִׁין, וּבְרָזָא דְּעָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ, עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא בְּתִקּוּנָא (דרזין דשמא קדישא) כְּדְקָא יָאוּת.
Prayer works a fourfold process of upbuilding which is in essence one. First, it builds up him who prays; secondly, it builds up this world; there comes, third, the upbuilding of the upper world with all the heavenly hosts; the fourth process of upbuilding is wrought on the Divine Name, so that all the upper and lower regions are embraced in one edifying process, in the manner appropriate.
תִּקּוּנָא קַדְמָאָה תִּקּוּנָא דְּגַרְמֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַתְקְנָא גַּרְמֵיהּ, בְּמִּצְוָה וּקְדוּשָּׁה, וּלְאִתְּתַקְנָא בְּקָרְבְּנִין וְעִלָּוָון לְאִתְדַכָּאָה. תִּקּוּנָא תִּנְיָינָא, בְּתִקּוּנָא דְּקִיּוּמָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא, בְּעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית, לְבָרְכָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַל כָּל עוֹבָדָא וְעוֹבָדָא, בְּאִינּוּן הַלְלוּיָהּ, (תהילים קמ״ח:ג׳-ד׳) הַלְלוּהוּ כָּל כֹּכְבֵי אוֹר הַלְלוּהוּ שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ' לְקַיְּימָא קִיוּמָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא. וְעַל דָּא בְּבָרוּך שֶׁאָמַר, בָּרוּךְ, בָּרוּךְ עַל כֹּלָּא.
First, as to man himself, it is incumbent on everyone to edify himself by means of meritorious action and holiness and sacrifices and burnt offerings. The upbuilding of this world is then effected when we recite the works of creation, praising the Almighty for each separate work through our reading of the Hallelukah Psalms, such as “Praise him, all ye stars of light, praise him, ye heavens of heavens”, etc. (Ps. 148, 3-4). This is for the sustaining of this world.
תִּקּוּנָא תְּלִיתָאָה, דְּאִיהוּ תִּקּוּנָא לְעָלְמָא לְעֵילָּא, בְּכָל אִינּוּן חַיָּילֵי חַיָּילִין וּמַשִׁרְיָין. יוֹצֵר מְשָׁרְתִים וַאֲשֶׁר מְשָׁרְתָיו וְגוֹ', וְהָאוֹפַנִּים וְחַיּוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ. תִּקּוּנָא רְבִיעָאָה, תִּקּוּנָא דִּצְלוֹתָא, בְּתִקּוּנָא דְּרָזָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא כַּדְקָא אָמַרְתּוּן, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיכוֹן. וְהָכָא רָזָא דְּתִקוּנָא דִּשְׁמָא שְׁלִים. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי עִמְּכוֹן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
The third process is wrought on the upper world with all its hosts upon hosts and legions upon legions. We thus recite: “Creator of ministering spirits… And the Ophanim and the holy Hayoth….” Finally comes the fourth process, wrought, as it were, on the Divine Name, which, by means of our prayer, becomes perfected. Happy is your portion’, concluded R. Simeon, ‘in this world and in the world to come. This is truly the effect of those precepts which you carry out by means of prayer.’