Jack Saad and Evan Rosenfeld
Sephardic
אֱלֹהַי נְצוֹר לְשׁוֹנִי מֵרָע וּשְׂפָתַי מִדַּבֵּר מִרְמָה וְלִמְקַלְ֒לַי נַפְשִׁי תִדּוֹם וְנַפְשִׁי כֶּעָפָר לַכֹּל תִּהְיֶה פְּתַח לִבִּי בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ וּבְמִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ תִּרְדּוֹף נַפְשִׁי וְכָל הַקָמִים וְהַחוֹשְׁ֒בִים עָלַי רָעָה מְהֵרָה הָפֵר עֲצָתָם וְקַלְקֵל מַחֲשַׁבְתָּם: (יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁלֹּא תַעֲלֶה קִנְאַת אָדָם עָלַי וְלֹא קִנְאָתִי עַל אֲחֵרִים וְשֶׁלֹּא אֶכְעֺס הַיּוֹם וְשֶׁלֹּא אַכְעִיסֶֽךָ וְתַצִּילֵנִי מִיֵּֽצֶר הָרָע וְתֵן בְּלִבִּי הַכְנָעָה וַעֲנָוָה. מַלְכֵּֽנוּ וֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ יַחֵד שִׁמְךָ בְּעוֹלָמֶֽךָ, בְּנֵה עִירְ֒ךָ, יַסֵּד בֵּיתֶֽךָ, וְשַׁכְלֵל הֵיכָלֶֽךָ. וְקַבֵּץ קִבּוּץ גָּלֻיּוֹת, וּפְדֵה צֺאנֶֽךָ וְשַׂמַּח עֲדָתֶֽךָ.) עֲשֵׂה לְמַֽעַן שְׁמֶֽךָ, עֲשֵׂה לְמַֽעַן יְמִינֶֽךָ, עֲשֵׂה לְמַֽעַן תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ, עֲשֵׂה לְמַֽעַן קְדֻשָּׁתֶֽךָ. לְמַֽעַן יֵחָלְ֒צוּן יְדִידֶֽיךָ הוֹשִֽׁיעָה יְמִינְ֒ךָ וַעֲנֵֽנִי: יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶֽיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי:
My God, guard my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceitfully. To those who curse me, may my soul be unresponsive; and let my soul be like dust to all. Open my heart to Your Torah and let my soul pursue Your commandments. And all who plan evil against me, quickly annul their counsel and frustrate their intention. (May it be Your will Adonoy, my God and God of my fathers, that no person be envious of me and that I not be envious of others, that I not be brought to anger this day, and that I not cause Your anger; and save me from the evil inclination, and help me be humble and any modest. Our King and our Father, unify Your Name in Your world, rebuild Your city, establish Your house and perfect your sanctuary. Gather our exiles, redeem Your people, rejoice Your congregation). Act for the sake of Your Name. Act for the sake of Your right hand. Act for the sake of Your Torah. Act for the sake of Your holiness. In order that Your loved ones be released, deliver [with] Your right hand and answer me. May they be acceptable the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart, before You Adonoy, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Ashkenaz
אֱלֹהַי נְצוֹר לְשׁוֹנִי מֵרָע וּשְׂפָתַי מִדַּבֵּר מִרְמָה. וְלִמְקַלְ֒לַי נַפְשִׁי תִדּוֹם וְנַפְשִׁי כֶּעָפָר לַכֹּל תִּהְיֶה. פְּתַח לִבִּי בְּתוֹרָתֶֽךָ וּבְמִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ תִּרְדֹּף נַפְשִׁי. וְכֹל הַחוֹשְׁ֒בִים עָלַי רָעָה מְהֵרָה הָפֵר עֲצָתָם וְקַלְקֵל מַחֲשַׁבְתָּם: עֲשֵׂה לְמַֽעַן שְׁמֶֽךָ עֲשֵׂה לְמַֽעַן יְמִינֶֽךָ עֲשֵׂה לְמַֽעַן קְדֻשָּׁתֶֽךָ עֲשֵׂה לְמַֽעַן תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ. לְמַֽעַן יֵחָלְ֒צוּן יְדִידֶֽיךָ הוֹשִֽׁיעָה יְמִינְ֒ךָ וַעֲנֵֽנִי: יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶֽיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי:
My God, guard my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceitfully. May my soul be unresponsive to those who curse me; and let my soul be like dust to all. Open my heart to Your Torah and let my soul pursue Your commandments. And all who plan evil against me, quickly annul their counsel and frustrate their intention. Act for the sake of Your right hand. Act for the sake of Your holiness. Act for the sake of Your Torah. In order that Your loved ones be released, deliver [with] Your right hand and answer me. May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be acceptable before You Adonoy, my Rock and my Redeemer.
The Gemara describes how after Rabbi Elazar concluded his prayer, he said the following additional prayer:
May it be Your will, Lord our God,
to cause to dwell in our lot love and brotherhood, peace and friendship.
And may You make our borders rich in disciples
and cause us to ultimately succeed, that we will have a good end and hope.
And may You set our portion in the Garden of Eden,
and may You establish for us a good companion and a good inclination in Your world.
And may we rise early and find the aspiration of our hearts to fear Your name,
and may the satisfaction of our souls come before You, i.e., may You hear our prayers that we may have spiritual contentment in this world for the best.
Similarly, after Rabbi Zeira concluded his prayers he said the following additional prayer:
May it be Your will, Lord our God,
that we not sin or shame ourselves,
and that we not disgrace ourselves before our forefathers,
in the sense that our actions should not disgrace the actions of our forefathers.
After Rabbi Ḥiyya prayed he said the following:
May it be Your will, Lord our God,
that Your Torah should be our vocation,
and may our heart not become faint nor our eyes dim.
After his prayer, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said the following:
May it be Your will, Lord our God, and God of our forefathers,
that You save us from the arrogant and from arrogance in general,
from a bad man, from a bad mishap,
from an evil instinct, from a bad companion,
from a bad neighbor, from the destructive Satan,
from a harsh trial and from a harsh opponent,
whether he is a member of the covenant, a Jew,
or whether he is not a member of the covenant.
(א) זֶ֣ה סֵ֔פֶר תּוֹלְדֹ֖ת אָדָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם בְּרֹ֤א אֱלֹהִים֙ אָדָ֔ם בִּדְמ֥וּת אֱלֹהִ֖ים עָשָׂ֥ה אֹתֽוֹ (ספורנו)׃
(1) This is the record of Adam’s line.—When God created man, He made him in the likeness of God (Sforno);
בדמות אלהים עשה אותו בעל בחירה לפיכך כשהכעיסו דורותיו לפני האל ית' נענשו:
בדמות אלוקים עשה אותו, a reference to man’s free will. It is in this respect that man is like G’d. This is why when different generations of man angered G’d they were punished, [i.e. they had not been programmed to do evil. Ed.]
וְכִ֧י תִזְבְּח֛וּ זֶ֥בַח שְׁלָמִ֖ים לַיהֹוָ֑ה לִֽרְצֹנְכֶ֖ם תִּזְבָּחֻֽהוּ׃
If you offer a peace-offering to the Eternal, offer it of your own free will, not because of compulsion.
(אונקלוס, רשב"ם, רמב"ן.)
וְאָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: הַכֹּל בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, חוּץ מִיִּרְאַת שָׁמַיִם. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְעַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל מָה ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ שׁוֹאֵל מֵעִמָּךְ כִּי אִם לְיִרְאָה״.
Tangentially, the Gemara cites an additional statement by Rabbi Ḥanina concerning principles of faith. And Rabbi Ḥanina said: Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven. Man has free will to serve God or not, as it is stated: “And now Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you other than to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all of His ways, to love Him and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 10:12). The Lord asks man to perform these matters because ultimately, the choice is in his hands.
(יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁלֹּא תַעֲלֶה קִנְאַת אָדָם עָלַי וְלֹא קִנְאָתִי עַל אֲחֵרִים וְשֶׁלֹּא אֶכְעֺס הַיּוֹם וְשֶׁלֹּא אַכְעִיסֶֽךָ וְתַצִּילֵנִי מִיֵּֽצֶר הָרָע וְתֵן בְּלִבִּי הַכְנָעָה וַעֲנָוָה. מַלְכֵּֽנוּ וֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ יַחֵד שִׁמְךָ בְּעוֹלָמֶֽךָ, בְּנֵה עִירְ֒ךָ, יַסֵּד בֵּיתֶֽךָ, וְשַׁכְלֵל הֵיכָלֶֽךָ. וְקַבֵּץ קִבּוּץ גָּלֻיּוֹת, וּפְדֵה צֺאנֶֽךָ וְשַׂמַּח עֲדָתֶֽךָ.)
(May it it be Your will Adonoy, my God and God of my fathers, that no person be envious of me and that I not be envious of others, that I not be brought to anger this day, and that I not cause Your anger; and save me from the evil inclination, and help me be humble and any modest. Our King and our Father, unify Your Name in Your world, rebuild Your city, establish Your house and perfect your sanctuary. Gather our exiles, redeem Your people, rejoice Your congregation)
ואמר ריש לקיש מאי דכתיב (קהלת י, יא) אם ישוך הנחש בלא לחש ואין יתרון לבעל הלשון לעתיד לבא מתקבצות כל החיות ובאות אצל נחש ואומרות ארי דורס ואוכל זאב טורף ואוכל אתה מה הנאה יש לך אומר להם וכי מה יתרון לבעל הלשון
And Reish Lakish says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then what advantage is there to the master of the tongue” (Ecclesiastes 10:11). What is the connection between the serpent and the master of the tongue? In the future, all the animals will gather and come to the serpent and will say to it: A lion tramples with its paws to kill its prey and eats; a wolf tears with its teeth to kill its prey and eats. But you, what benefit do you have when you bite, as you cannot eat every animal that you kill? The serpent will say to them: And what is the benefit to the master of the tongue that speaks malicious speech?
The Chofetz Chaim offers three powerful reasons why this is so.
1. Hashem judges us midah k’neged midah, measure for measure. The reaction in Heaven when we speak lashon hara on this world is a powerful example of this. As long as we speak only good of one another, the Satan (Accusing Angel) cannot accuse the Jewish People in Heaven. However, when Jews speak evil of each other, this gives the Satan the ability to speak evil of the Jewish people before Hashem. The result, says the Zohar, is death and destruction in this world.
Our Sages teach that the sin of lashon hara “reaches the Heavenly Throne.” We now understand why. It is like a chain reaction. When we speak evil on this earth, we should picture the Satan before Hashem’s throne indicting the Jewish people by enumerating their sins. Do we want to be the cause of this?
2. Imagine a funnel that was just used to pour brake fluid into one’s car. Would anyone think of using the same funnel to pour wine into a wine bottle? Would anyone in his right mind drink such wine?
The human mouth is a precious “funnel.” It was given to us for avodas Hashem, so that we can study Torah, pray, speak kind words to others and express ourselves in other positive ways.
When we speak lashon hara, falsehood, or other improper speech, we contaminate our mouths spiritually, in a very real sense. The Torah and tefillah that emanate from the mouth of a baal lashon hara, one who speaks lashon hara regularly, has little, if any, power in Heaven.
What would a baal lashon hara do if a loved one was ill, G-d forbid? Most probably, he would respond like any other Jew — by reciting Tehillim, or learning Torah as a source of merit for the person. How horrible he would feel were he able to see that his words of Torah and prayer never reached the Heavens, because his loose tongue had ruined them, destroying their power.
3. We talk all the time, thousands upon thousands of words each day. Says the Chofetz Chaim: A person who disregards the sin of lashon hara will sin many, many times each day. Over the course of a year, he might accumulate tens of thousands of sins — a frightening thought for anyone who understands the seriousness of this sin.
This, says the Chofetz Chaim, is another reason why the sin of lashon hara is so terribly destructive.
Cited Source:
https://cchf.global/what-is-so-terrible-about-lashon-hara-article/
(כז) וַיַּ֥עַן אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הִנֵּה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃
(27) Abraham spoke up, saying, “Here I venture to speak to my Lord, I who am but dust and ashes:
וְיֵשׁ דֵּעוֹת שֶׁאָסוּר לוֹ לָאָדָם לִנְהֹג בָּהֶן בְּבֵינוֹנִית אֶלָּא יִתְרַחֵק מִן הַקָּצֶה הָאֶחָד עַד הַקָּצֶה הָאַחֵר. וְהוּא גֹּבַהּ לֵב. שֶׁאֵין דֶּרֶךְ הַטּוֹבָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אָדָם עָנָו בִּלְבַד אֶלָּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שְׁפַל רוּחַ וְתִהְיֶה רוּחוֹ נְמוּכָה לִמְאֹד. וּלְפִיכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בְּמשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ (במדבר יב ג) "עָנָו מְאֹד" וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר עָנָו בִּלְבַד. וּלְפִיכָךְ צִוּוּ חֲכָמִים מְאֹד מְאֹד הֱוֵי שְׁפַל רוּחַ. וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ שֶׁכָּל הַמַּגְבִּיהַּ לִבּוֹ כָּפַר בָּעִקָּר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ח יד) "וְרָם לְבָבֶךָ וְשָׁכַחְתָּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ". וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ בְּשַׁמָּתָא מַאן דְּאִית בֵּיהּ גַּסּוּת הָרוּחַ וַאֲפִלּוּ מִקְצָתָהּ...
And, yet, there are certain tendencies which man is forbidden to follow in the middle-way, but must distance himself from extreme to extreme. The good way is not merely that man be meek, but that he should be humble-spirited, then his spirit will be extremely lowly. This is the reason why it is said of Moses that he was very meek (Num. 12.3) and not merely meek. This is also the reason why the sages commanded saying: "Be exceedingly humble of spirit" (Pir. Ab. 4.4). They, moreover, said: "He who is of a haughty heart denies the head principle" (Sotah, 4b), even as it is said: "Thine heart be then lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God" (Deut. 8.14); and they also said: "Isolated be he in whom there is a haughty spirit, even a little thereof" (Sotah. 5a)...
"Imagine a funnel that was just used to pour brake fluid into one’s car. Would anyone think of using the same funnel to pour wine into a wine bottle? Would anyone in his right mind drink such wine?
The human mouth is a precious “funnel.” It was given to us for avodas Hashem, so that we can study Torah, pray, speak kind words to others and express ourselves in other positive ways.
When we speak lashon hara, falsehood, or other improper speech, we contaminate our mouths spiritually, in a very real sense. The Torah and tefillah that emanate from the mouth of a baal lashon hara, one who speaks lashon hara regularly, has little, if any, power in Heaven.
What would a baal lashon hara do if a loved one was ill, G-d forbid? Most probably, he would respond like any other Jew — by reciting Tehillim, or learning Torah as a source of merit for the person. How horrible he would feel were he able to see that his words of Torah and prayer never reached the Heavens, because his loose tongue had ruined them, destroying their power." Chofetz Chaim (See Source Above)