בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסוק בְּדִבְרֵי תורָה:
Blessing for Torah Study
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh Ha'Olam Asher Kideshanu Bemitzvotav Vetzivanu La'asok Bedivrei Torah
Blessed are you Adonai, our God, Sovereign of Eternity, who has made us holy through Your sacred obligations and obligated us to immerse ourselves in the words of Torah.
(א) וּנְתַנֶּה תֹּקֶף קְדֻשַּׁת הַיּוֹם כִּי הוּא נוֹרָא וְאָיֹם וּבוֹ תִּנָּשֵׂא מַלְכוּתֶךָ וְיִכּוֹן בְּחֶסֶד כִּסְאֶךָ וְתֵשֵׁב עָלָיו בְּאֱמֶת
(ב) אֱמֶת כִּי אַתָּה הוּא דַּיָּן וּמוֹכִיחַ וְיוֹדֵעַ וָעֵד וְכוֹתֵב וְחוֹתֵם וְסוֹפֵר וּמוֹנֶה וְתִזְכֹּר כָּל הַנִּשְׁכָּחוֹת וְתִפְתַּח אֶת סֵפֶר הַזִּכְרוֹנוֹת וּמֵאֵלָיו יִקָּרֵא וְחוֹתָם יַד כָּל אָדָם בּוֹ
(ג) וּבְשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל יִתָּקַע וְקוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה יִשָׁמַע וּמַלְאָכִים יֵחָפֵזוּן וְחִיל וּרְעָדָה יֹאחֵזוּן וְיֹאמְרוּ הִנֵּה יוֹם הַדִּין לִפְקֹד עַל צְבָא מָרוֹם בַּדִּין כִּי לֹא יִזְכּוּ בְּעֵינֶיךָ בַּדִּין וְכָל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם יַעַבְרוּן לְפָנֶיךָ כִּבְנֵי מָרוֹן כְּבַקָּרַת רוֹעֶה עֶדְרוֹ מַעֲבִיר צֹאנוֹ תַּחַת שִׁבְטוֹ כֵּן תַּעֲבִיר וְתִסְפֹּר וְתִמְנֶה וְתִפְקֹד נֶפֶשׁ כָּל חָי וְתַחְתֹּךְ קִצְבָה לְכָל בְּרִיָּה וְתִכְתֹּב אֶת גְּזַר דִּינָם
(ד) בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה יִכָּתֵבוּן, וּבְיוֹם צוֹם כִּפּוּר יֵחָתֵמוּן. כַּמָּה יַעַבְרוּן, וְכַמָּה יִבָּרֵאוּן, מִי יִחְיֶה, וּמִי יָמוּת, מִי בְקִצּוֹ, וּמִי לֹא בְּקִצּוֹ, מִי בַמַּיִם, וּמִי בָאֵשׁ, מִי בַחֶרֶב, וּמִי בַחַיָּה, מִי בָרָעָב, וּמִי בַצָּמָא, מִי בָרַעַשׁ, וּמִי בַמַּגֵּפָה, מִי בַחֲנִיקָה, וּמִי בַסְּקִילָה, מִי יָנוּחַ, וּמִי יָנוּעַ, מִי יִשָּׁקֵט, וּמִי יְטֹּרֵף, מִי יִשָּׁלֵו, וּמִי יִתְיַסָּר, מִי יַעֲנִי, וּמִי יַעֲשִׁיר, מִי יֻשְׁפַּל, וּמִי יָרוּם. וּתְשׁוּבָה וּתְפִלָּה וּצְדָקָה מַעֲבִירִין אֶת רֹעַ הַגְּזֵרָה.
(ה) כִּי כְּשִׁמְךָ כֵּן תְּהִלָּתֶךָ, קָשֶׁה לִכְעוֹס וְנוֹחַ לִרְצוֹת, כִּי לֹא תַחְפֹּץ בְּמוֹת הַמֵּת, כִּי אִם בְּשׁוּבוֹ מִדַּרְכּוֹ וְחָיָה, וְעַד יוֹם מוֹתוֹ תְּחַכֶּה לוֹ, אִם יָשׁוּב מִיַּד תְּקַבְּלוֹ. (אֱמֶת) כִּי אַתָּה הוּא יוֹצְרָם וְיוֹדֵעַ יִצְרָם, כִּי הֵם בָּשָׂר וָדָם.
(ו) אָדָם יְסוֹדוֹ מֵעָפָר וְסוֹפוֹ לֶעָפָר. בְּנַפְשׁוֹ יָבִיא לַחְמוֹ. מָשׁוּל כְּחֶרֶס הַנִּשְׁבָּר, כְּחָצִיר יָבֵשׁ, וּכְצִיץ נוֹבֵל, כְּצֵל עוֹבֵר, וּכְעָנָן כָּלָה, וּכְרוּחַ נוֹשָׁבֶת, וּכְאָבָק פּוֹרֵחַ, וְכַחֲלוֹם יָעוּף. וְאַתָּה הוּא מֶלֶךְ אֵל חַי וְקַיָּם.
(1) We lend power to the holiness of this day. For it is tremendous and awe filled, and on it your kingship will be exalted, your throne will be established in loving-kindness, and you will sit on that throne in truth.
(2) It is true that you are the one who judges, and reproves, who knows all, and bears witness, who inscribes, and seals, who reckons and enumerates. You remember all that is forgotten. You open the book of records, and from it, all shall be read. In it lies each person's insignia.
(3) And with a great shofar it is sounded, and a thin silent voice shall be heard. And the angels shall be alarmed, and dread and fear shall seize them as they proclaim: behold! the Day of Judgment on which the hosts of heaven shall be judged, for they too shall not be judged blameless by you, and all creatures shall parade before you as a herd of sheep. As a shepherd herds his flock, directing his sheep to pass under his staff, so do you shall pass, count, and record the souls of all living, and decree a limit to each persons days, and inscribe their final judgment.
(4) On Rosh Hashanah it is inscribed, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed - how many shall pass away and how many shall be born, who shall live and who shall die, who in good time, and who by an untimely death, who by water and who by fire, who by sword and who by wild beast, who by famine and who by thirst, who by earthquake and who by plague, who by strangulation and who by lapidation, who shall have rest and who wander, who shall be at peace and who pursued, who shall be serene and who tormented, who shall become impoverished and who wealthy, who shall be debased, and who exalted. But repentance, prayer and righteousness avert the severity of the decree.
(5) For your praise is just as your name. You are slow to anger and quick to be appeased. For you do not desire the death of the condemned, rather, that they turn from their path and live and you wait for them until the day of their death, and if they repent, you receive them immediately. (It is true -) [For] you are their Creator and You understand their inclination, for they are but flesh and blood.
(6) We come from dust, and return to dust. We labour by our lives for bread, we are like broken shards, like dry grass, and like a withered flower; like a passing shadow and a vanishing cloud, like a breeze that passes, like dust that scatters, like a fleeting dream. But You are the king who lives eternal.
†Pi. mediate, judge: Pf. 3 ms. consec., arbitrate, sf. וּפִלְלוֹ 1 S 2:25 (but read prob. 3 pl. וּפִלְלוּ We Dr al., word-play with יִתְפ׳ foll.); 2 fs. פִּלַּלְתְּ Ez 16:52 mediate for (ל pers.) viz., through thine own sins; 1 s. פִּלָּ֑לְתִּי Gn 48:11 (E; poss. denom. from פליל) I did not judge (have the opinion, expect) to see, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. וַיְפַלֵּל ψ 106:30 (abs.) he interposed (by slaying offender).
Hithp.80 Pf. 3 ms. הִתְפַּלֵּל 1 K 8:42; 1 s. הִתְפַּלָּ֑לְתִּי 1 S 1:27, etc.; Impf. יִתְפַּלֵּל ψ 32:6 +; יִתְפַּלֶּל־ 1 S 2:25; 1 s. אֶתְפַּלָּ֑ל ψ 5:3, etc.; ei. הִתְפַּלֵּל Nu 21:7 +, etc.; Inf. cstr. הִתְפַּלֵּל Ez 10:1 +, etc.; Pt. מִתְפַּלֵּל Je 42:4 +, etc.;— 1. specif. intercede (with י׳), c. בעד, on behalf of Gn 20:7 Nu 21:7 (E) Dt 9:20; 1 S 12:23 + 6 times; c. לְ, 1 S 2:25; אֶל־יהוה Nu 11:2; 21:7 (JE) Dt 9:26; c. בעד + אל־יהוה 1 S 7:5; Je 29:7 + 4 times; אל־האלהים Gn 20:17 (E); c. על for pers. 2 Ch 30:18 Jb 42:8. 2. gen. pray, c. אֶל, unto idol Is 44:17; 45:20; unto Israel v 14; בוֹא אל־מקדשׁ להתפ׳ 16:12. 3. pray (to י׳), abs. 1 K 8:33; 2 K 6:17; Ezr 10:1; Dn 9:20; 2 Ch 6:24; 7:1, 14, c. אֶל־י׳ 1 S 1:26; 8:6; 2 K 4:33; 6:18; 20:2 = Is 38:2 = 2 Ch 32:24, + 10 times; הִתְפ׳ תפלה אֶל־י׳ 2 S 7:27;s 1 K 8:54; על יהוה 1 S 1:10 (read אֶל); לִפְנֵי 1 S 1:12; 1 K 8:28 + 5 times; c. לְ Dn 9:4; c. אֶל of thing prayed for 1 S 1:27; c. אֶל against 2 K 19:20 = Is 37:21 (read עַל); עַל־זֹאת because of this 2 Ch 32:20 ψ 32:6; c. אֶל loc.: אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם 1 K 8:29, 30, 35 = 2 Ch 6:20, 21, 26; אֶל־הַבַּית 1 K 8:42 = 2 Ch 6:32; c. acc. דֶּרֶךְ הָעִיר 1 K 8:44 = 2 Ch 6:34; דֶּרֶךְ אַרְצָם 1 K 8:48 = 2 Ch 6:38. 4. of poetical, liturgical prayer, abs. 1 S 2:1, c. אֶל Jon 2:2.
The Hebrew word for prayer is tefillah, which comes from the root palal. Palal ironically means something like 'to divide' or 'to intervene.' But in context, I think palal means 'to break down the barrier between what is within and what is beyond' — a barrier that is illusory at best. Tefilah means to intercede to facilitate a connection between,what is within and what is beyond.
Deprived of the power of devotion to what is more important than our individual fate, steeped in passionate anxiety to survive, we lose sight of what fate is, of what living is. Rushing through the ecstasies of ambition, we only awake when plunged into dread or grief. In darkness, then, we grope for solace, for meaning, for prayer.
But there is a wider voluntary entrance to prayer than sorrow and despair—the opening of our thoughts to God. We cannot make Him visible to us, but we can make ourselves visible to Him. So we open our thoughts to Him—feeble our tongues, but sensitive our hearts. We see more than we can say. The trees stand like guards of the Everlasting; the flowers like signposts of His goodness—only we have failed to be testimonies to His presence, tokens of His trust. How could we have lived in the shadow of greatness and defied it?
Mindfulness of God rises slowly, a thought at a time. Suddenly we are there. Or is He here, at the margin of our soul? When we begin to feel a qualm of diffidence lest we hurt what is holy, lest we break what is whole, then we discover that He is not austere. He answers with love our trembling awe. Repentant of forgetting Him even for a while, we become sharers of gentle joy; we would like to dedicate ourselves forever to the enfoldment of His final order.
To pray is to take notice of the wonder, to regain a sense of the mystery that animates all beings, the divine margin in all attainments. Prayer is our humble answer to the inconceivable surprise of living.
As in Judaism generally, the scope and details of prayer life give expression to the essential realization that no area of human existence is irrelevant before God and no earthly pain or productivity is separable from divine reality. The cultivation of a personal consciousness focused upon the quotidian—the food that is eaten or needed; the distress that is present or relieved; the search that is spiritual or disturbed—as well as a diffused transpersonal realization of one's origin and end in eternity are, then, the dialectical poles and goals of Jewish prayer. In the daily and festival services, the person concentrates upon all the yearnings and joys and even the many resentments and responsibilities of human existence and gives them verbal expression before God; and more than this, too, since in Jewish prayer the Jewish person evokes the memories and hopes of past and present Jewish communities as part of a living prayer quorum. The set order of the services is thus a historical—and so transtemporal—order linking the mortal generations to immortal divinity. The occasional eruption of a personal voice in this set communal service is, therefore, noticeably minimalized or regulated... Spontaneous individual prayer, on the other hand, has no fixed time of season, and no fixed language or place; it can be the voiced or voiceless longing of the heart, the cry for God's Presence of the mystic or the diffuse groan of the hungry, the scrawled note of the unlettered or the crafted work of the God-intoxicated artist—it is the language of the solitary self before God. The forms and formulas of Jewish communal prayer, on the other hand, give the individual a mortal solidarity and an ageless voice before the terrors of historical existence. "Because the mind is unstable," suggested Bahya ibn Paquda, "our sages...composed the Order of Prayers"
Religion is the container of the life of the spirit. It is the gravity that anchors spirit to earth, translating the vision of the soul into the responsibility of the individual. In the best of all possible worlds, spirituality and religion are partners. The souls most
profound experiences with a presence greater than the self are given form and articulation through liturgy, ritual and moral law. Religious forms, in turn, remain constantly open to the renewal of sacred moments. If spirituality at its best lifts us up,
religion at its best keeps us rooted. Religion can test spiritual vision in the crucible of community and history. Spirituality can keep religion from forgetting the experience that formed the story. Religion keeps spirituality from selfishness; it reminds us of our obligations. Spirituality keeps religion from absolutism; it reminds us that the breath of God blows through each and every human soul.
(א) בָּרֵךְ עָלֵֽינוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ אֶת־הַשָּׁנָה הַזֹּאת וְאֶת־כָּל־מִינֵי תְבוּאָתָהּ לְטוֹבָה, וְתֵן
בְּרָכָה עַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה וְשַׂבְּ֒עֵֽנוּ מִטּוּבֶֽךָ וּבָרֵךְ שְׁנָתֵֽנוּ כַּשָּׁנִים הַטּוֹבוֹת: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה מְבָרֵךְ הַשָּׁנִים:
(1) Bless for us, Adonoy our God, this year and all the varieties of its produce for good; and bestow blessing upon the face of the earth; satisfy us from Your bounty and bless our year, like the good years. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Blesser of the years.
(א) מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכָל יוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כג כה) ״וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֵת ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם״. מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ שֶׁעֲבוֹדָה זוֹ הִיא תְּפִלָּה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יא יג) ״וּלְעָבְדוֹ בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶם״ אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים אֵי זוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבַּלֵּב זוֹ תְּפִלָּה.
וְאֵין מִנְיַן הַתְּפִלּוֹת מִן הַתּוֹרָה. וְאֵין מִשְׁנֶה הַתְּפִלָּה הַזֹּאת מִן הַתּוֹרָה. וְאֵין לַתְּפִלָּה זְמַן קָבוּעַ מִן הַתּוֹרָה:
(ב) ... אֶלָּא חִיּוּב מִצְוָה זוֹ כָּךְ הוּא שֶׁיְּהֵא אָדָם מִתְחַנֵּן וּמִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכָל יוֹם וּמַגִּיד שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאַחַר כָּךְ שׁוֹאֵל צְרָכָיו שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לָהֶם בְּבַקָּשָׁה וּבִתְחִנָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ נוֹתֵן שֶׁבַח וְהוֹדָיָה לַה׳ עַל הַטּוֹבָה שֶׁהִשְׁפִּיעַ לוֹ כָּל אֶחָד לְפִי כֹּחוֹ:
(ג) אִם הָיָה רָגִיל מַרְבֶּה בִּתְחִנָּה וּבַקָּשָׁה וְאִם הָיָה עֲרַל שְׂפָתַיִם מְדַבֵּר כְּפִי יְכָלְתּוֹ וּבְכָל עֵת שֶׁיִּרְצֶה. וְכֵן מִנְיַן הַתְּפִלּוֹת כָּל אֶחָד כְּפִי יְכָלְתּוֹ. יֵשׁ מִתְפַּלֵּל פַּעַם אַחַת בְּיוֹם. וְיֵשׁ מִתְפַּלְּלִין פְּעָמִים הַרְבֵּה. וְהַכּל יִהְיוּ מִתְפַּלְּלִין נֹכַח הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה. וְכֵן הָיָה הַדָּבָר תָּמִיד מִמּשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ וְעַד עֶזְרָא:
(1) It is a positive Torah commandment to pray every day, as [Exodus 23:25] states: "You shall serve God, your Lord." Tradition teaches us that this service is prayer, as [Deuteronomy 11:13] states: "And serve Him with all your heart" and our Sages said: Which is the service of the heart? This is prayer.The number of prayers is not prescribed in the Torah, nor does it prescribe a specific formula for prayer. Also, according to Torah law, there are no fixed times for prayers.
(2) Rather, this commandment obligates each person to offer supplication and prayer every day and utter praises of the Holy One, blessed be He; then petition for all his needs with requests and supplications; and finally, give praise and thanks to God for the goodness that He has bestowed upon him; each one according to his own ability.
(3) A person who was eloquent would offer many prayers and requests. [Conversely,] a person who was inarticulate would speak as well as he could and whenever he desired.Similarly, the number of prayers was dependent on each person's ability. Some would pray once daily; others, several times.Everyone would pray facing the Holy Temple, wherever he might be. This was the ongoing practice from [the time of] Moshe Rabbenu until Ezra.
"Rosh Hashana will soon be upon us," said the Baal Shem Tov to his disciple, R' Ze'ev Wolf, "and I want you to prepare the 'kavanot' - the specific prayers that one must concentrate upon - for the blowing of the shofar."
R' Ze'ev studied the various meanings and hidden connotations that lay in the arrangement of the shofar sounds, writing these all down for reference on Rosh Hashana. He placed his list in a coat pocket and considered himself prepared. But this form of preparation did not satisfy the Baal Shem Tov so he caused the list to disappear.
When R' Ze'ev approached the platform to perform his duties on Rosh Hashana he suddenly discovered his loss. His mind was now a blank as to which thoughts he must concentrate upon and his heart was broken within him. Breaking into bitter sobs, he was forced to perform his task unprepared.
After the services the Baal Shem Tov called him over and said: "In the king's palace there are many doors and portals, each one with a key of its own. There is, however, one tool which can open all of them, that is an ax. The kavanot, the proper concentrations, are the keys which open the gates of heaven, each gate having its own particular kavana. But a broken heart is a tool which can penetrate all the gates and palaces of heaven." (Sipurim Amitiyim)
(א) הַהִתְבּוֹדְדוּת הוּא מַעֲלָה עֶלְיוֹנָה וּגְדוֹלָה מִן הַכֹּל, דְּהַיְנוּ לִקְבֹּעַ לוֹ עַל־כָּל־פָּנִים שָׁעָה אוֹ יוֹתֵר לְהִתְבּוֹדֵד לְבַדּוֹ בְּאֵיזֶה חֶדֶר אוֹ בַּשָּׂדֶה, וּלְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתוֹ בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין קוֹנוֹ בִּטְעָנוֹת וַאֲמַתְלָאוֹת, בְּדִבְרֵי חֵן וְרִצּוּי וּפִיּוּס, לְבַקֵּשׁ וּלְהִתְחַנֵּן מִלְּפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁיְּקָרְבוֹ אֵלָיו לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת.
(ב) וּתְפִלָּה וְשִׂיחָה זוֹ יִהְיֶה בַּלָּשׁוֹן שֶׁמְּדַבְּרִים בּוֹ, דְּהַיְנוּ בִּלְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכְּנַז (בִּמְדִינָתֵנוּ), כִּי בִּלְשׁוֹן־הַקֹּדֶשׁ קָשֶׁה לוֹ לְפָרֵשׁ כָּל שִׂיחָתוֹ, וְגַם אֵין הַלֵּב נִמְשָׁךְ אַחֲרֵי הַדִּבּוּרִים, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֻרְגָּל כָּל־כָּךְ בְּהַלָּשׁוֹן, כִּי אֵין דַּרְכֵּנוּ לְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן־הַקֹּדֶשׁ. אֲבָל בִּלְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכְּנַז, שֶׁמְּסַפְּרִים וּמְדַבְּרִים בּוֹ, קַל וְקָרוֹב יוֹתֵר לְשַׁבֵּר לִבּוֹ, כִּי הַלֵּב נִמְשָׁךְ וְקָרוֹב יוֹתֵר אֶל לְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכְּנַז, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהוּא מֻרְגָּל בּוֹ.
(ג) וּבִלְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכְּנַז יָכוֹל לְפָרֵשׁ כָּל שִׂיחָתוֹ. וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עִם לְבָבוֹ יָשִׂיחַ וִיסַפֵּר לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, הֵן חֲרָטָה וּתְשׁוּבָה עַל הֶעָבָר, וְהֵן בַּקָּשַׁת תַחֲנוּנִים לִזְכּוֹת לְהִתְקָרֵב אֵלָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ מֵהַיּוֹם וְהָלְאָה בֶּאֱמֶת, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה כָּל חַד לְפוּם דַּרְגֵּהּ.
(ד) וְיִזָּהֵר מְאֹד לְהַרְגִּיל עַצְמוֹ לְהַתְמִיד בָּזֶה מִדֵּי יוֹם בְּיוֹם שָׁעָה מְיֻחֶדֶת כַּנַּ"ל, וּשְׁאָר הַיּוֹם יִהְיֶה בְּשִׂמְחָה כַּנַּ"ל.
(ה) וְהַנְהָגָה זוֹ הִיא גְּדוֹלָה בְּמַעֲלָה מְאֹד מְאֹד, וְהוּא דֶּרֶךְ וְעֵצָה טוֹבָה מְאֹד לְהִתְקָרֵב אֵלָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּי זֹאת הִיא עֵצָה כְּלָלִיוּת, שֶׁכּוֹלֵל הַכֹּל.
(ו) כִּי עַל כָּל מַה שֶּׁיֶּחְסַר לוֹ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, אוֹ אִם הוּא רָחוֹק לְגַמְרֵי מִכֹּל וָכֹל מֵעֲבוֹדָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ – עַל הַכֹּל יְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתוֹ וִיבַקֵּשׁ מֵאִתּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ כַּנַּ"ל.
(ז) וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם לִפְעָמִים נִסְתַּתְּמִין דְּבָרָיו, וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִפְתֹּחַ פִּיו לְדַבֵּר לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ כְּלָל, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן זֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ טוֹב מְאֹד, דְּהַיְנוּ הַהֲכָנָה שֶׁהוּא מוּכָן וְעוֹמֵד לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְחָפֵץ וּמִשְׁתּוֹקֵק לְדַבֵּר, אַךְ שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל, זֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ גַם־כֵּן טוֹב מְאֹד,
(ח) וְגַם יוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ שִׂיחָה וּתְפִלָּה מִזֶּה בְּעַצְמוֹ. וְעַל זֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ יִצְעֹק וְיִתְחַנֵּן לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁנִּתְרַחֵק כָּל־כָּךְ, עַד שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ לְדַבֵּר. וִיבַקֵּשׁ מֵאִתּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ רַחֲמִים וְתַחֲנוּנִים, שֶׁיַּחֲמֹל עָלָיו וְיִפְתַּח פִּיו, שֶׁיּוּכַל לְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתוֹ לְפָנָיו.
(ט) וְדַע, שֶׁכַּמָּה וְכַמָּה צַדִּיקִים גְּדוֹלִים מְפֻרְסָמִים סִפְּרוּ, שֶׁלֹּא בָּאוּ לְמַדְרֵגָתָם, רַק עַל־יְדֵי הַנְהָגָה זוֹ. וְהַמַּשְׂכִּיל יָבִין מֵעַצְמוֹ גֹּדֶל מַעֲלַת הַנְהָגָה זוֹ, הָעוֹלָה לְמַעְלָה לְמַעְלָה, וְהוּא דָּבָר הַשָּׁוֶה לְכָל נֶפֶשׁ מִקָּטֹן וְעַד גָּדוֹל, כִּי כֻּלָּם יְכוֹלִים לִנְהֹג הַנְהָגָה זוֹ, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה יָבוֹאוּ לְמַעְלָה גְּדוֹלָה. אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיֹּאחַז בָּזֶה:
(1) Hitbodedut is the highest asset and greater than everything. That is, to set aside for oneself at least an hour or more for secluding oneself in some room or a field, and, using pleas and excuses, speak one’s piece with one’s Maker; using words that evoke favor, placate and conciliate in order to entreat and plead with God that He bring one closer to Him—to genuine Divine worship.
(2) This prayer and conversation should be in the language one normally uses, one’s native tongue, because it is difficult for a person to say everything he wants to say in the Holy Tongue. Also, being unfamiliar with that language, one’s heart is not moved by the words, as we are not accustomed to speaking Hebrew. But in our native tongue, in which we normally speak and converse, it is much easier and so more likely for one to feel contrition. This is because the heart is drawn to a person’s native tongue and closer to it, on account of his familiarity with it.
(3) And in one’s native tongue one can express oneself fully. Everything that is in his heart he should express and tell to God: be it remorse and repentance for the past, or pleas to genuinely merit drawing closer to God from this day forward, or the like; each individual according to his level.
(4) One should be very careful to make this a daily practice, at a scheduled time. But the rest of the day one should be happy, as mentioned above.
(5) The benefit of this practice is extraordinarily great. It is an extremely good path and guideline for drawing closer to God, because it is a universal guideline that encompasses everything.
(6) No matter what a person is lacking in worshiping God—even if he is totally and absolutely distant from God’s service—he should speak about it all and ask it of God, as mentioned above.
(7) Even if occasionally a person’s words are sealed and he cannot open his mouth to say anything at all to God, this itself is nonetheless very good. That is, his readiness and his presence before God, and his yearning and longing to speak despite his inability to do so—this in itself is also very good.
(8) Moreover, it is possible to make a conversation and prayer out of this itself. A person should cry out and plead to God about this very thing, that he has become so distant he is unable to even speak. He should beg God for compassion and grace, that He take pity on him and open his mouth so that he will be able to express himself before Him.
(9) And know! many, many renowned tzaddikim have related that they attained their high spiritual level only through this practice. The perceptive individual will understand by himself the great benefit of this practice, which rises higher and higher. Furthermore, it is a practice that is accessible to all people, from the least to the greatest. For anyone can make use of this practice and thereby come to a high level. Fortunate is the one who grabs holds of it.
(ב) אָמַר: שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ אִם עוֹבְרִים יָמִים וְשָׁנִים הַרְבֵּה, וְנִדְמֶה לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא פָּעַל עֲדַיִן בְּשִׂיחָתוֹ וְדִבּוּרָיו כְּלוּם, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אַל יִפֹּל מִזֶּה כְּלָל! כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת בְּוַדַּאי עוֹשִׂים הַדִּבּוּרִים רֹשֶׁם.
(ג) וְהֵבִיא מָשָׁל כְּמוֹ מַיִם הַיּוֹרְדִים עַל הָאֶבֶן, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לָנוּ שֶׁאֵין לְהַמַּיִם כֹּחַ כְּנֶגֶד הָאֶבֶן הַקָּשֶׁה וְאֵין נִכָּר רֹשֶׁם הַמַּיִם בָּאֶבֶן, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן כְּשֶׁהַמַּיִם יוֹרְדִים עַל הָאֶבֶן כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה זְמַנִּים רְצוּפִים הֵם עוֹשִׂים נֶקֶב בְּהָאֶבֶן כַּנִּרְאֶה בְּחוּשׁ.
(ד) כְּמוֹ כֵן, אֲפִלּוּ אִם לִבּוֹ לֵב הָאֶבֶן וְאֵין נִכָּר בּוֹ רֹשֶׁם דִּבּוּרָיו וּתְפִלָּתוֹ אַף עַל פִּי כֵן בִּרְבוֹת הַיָּמִים וְהַשָּׁנִים יִנְקֹב לִבּוֹ הָאֶבֶן עַל יְדֵי שִׂיחָתוֹ כְּמוֹ (אִיּוֹב יד): "אֲבָנִים שָׁחֲקוּ מַיִם" כַּנַּ"ל.
(2) He said, “Even if many days and years pass and it seems that you have accomplished nothing with your words, do not abandon it. Every word makes an impression.
(3) “It is written, ‘Water wears away stone’ (Job 14:19). It may seem that water dripping on a stone cannot make any impression. Still, after many years, it can actually make a hole in the stone. We actually see this.
(4) “Your heart may be like stone. It may seem that your words of prayer make no impression on it at all. Still, as the days and years pass, your heart of stone will also be penetrated.”
Prayer will never truly be part of our lives until we address our real concerns. And yet asking for what we truly need is the hardest part of prayer. We throw up all sorts of obstacles. To Whom am I praying? Who am I to ask for anything? Will it help?
To Whom am I praying? I am praying to God, however I understand and experience that word right here and right now. I may not be praying to the God that is All, but simply sharing my pain, my worries with the face of God with which I am most intimate. Perhaps I am praying to whatever it is that listens in the universe. I don't need anything more than that.
Who am I to ask for anything? I am a creation and a manifestation of godliness. I am a wave in the ocean and a world unto myself. The infinite potential for creativity and love in the universe manifests in me and through me, as it does in every other creature.
And will it help? We know some parents pray with all their hearts for a child to be cured of a life-threatening disease and yet the little one dies. We pray daily for peace, yet we are still at war. Prayer is not a switch with which we can control the universe. But I do believe that we can, with our prayers, reach dimensions of existence that we do not otherwise have access to and that the openings in those higher worlds bring blessings down to us. And don't forget the more immediate benefits at home. Prayer waters thirsty souls like rain on flowers. Prayer may not bring world peace, but it gives my heart peace. Prayer may not cure the sick, but it helps us find healing. Prayer may not guarantee me a job, but it helps me rise up with renewed energy and purpose to address the obstacles before me. A prayer truly prayed is the beginning of its own answer. So yes, prayer helps.