Segment 2
כו נִיסָן גְּדוֹלִים מַעֲשֵׂי יְהֹוָה דְּרוּשִׁים לְכָל חֶפְצֵיהֶם. מָה רַבּוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יְהֹוָה כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ קִנְיָנֶךָ. מַה גָּדְלוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יְהֹוָה מְאֹד עָמְקוּ מַחְשְׁבוֹתֶיךָ. רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אַתָּה הָאֵל עֹשֵׂה פֶלֶא וְאַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה נִפְלָאוֹת בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר עַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁבְּכָל דּוֹר, כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבוֹתֵינוּ סִפְּרוּ לָנוּ אֶת כָּל הַגְּדוֹלוֹת וְהַנִּפְלָאוֹת וְהַנִּסִּים הַגְּדוֹלִים וְהַמּוֹפְתִים הַנּוֹרָאִים, אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר עַל־יְדֵי צַדִּיקֶיךָ הָאֲמִתִּיִּים מִימוֹת עוֹלָם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, וְגַם בַּדּוֹר הַזֶּה בְּוַדַּאי נִמְצָאִים צַדִּיקִים בַּעֲלֵי מוֹפְתִים אֲמִתִּיִּים. וּבְכֵן זַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, וְעָזְרֵנִי וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי וְחַזְּקֵנִי וְאַמְּצֵנִי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְסַפֵּר סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת מִצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים, מִכָּל מַה שֶּׁעָבַר עֲלֵיהֶם בִּימֵיהֶם, הֵן מַה שֶּׁעָבַר עֲלֵיהֶם בְּעַצְמָם, וְהֵן מַה שֶּׁעָבַר עַל בְּנֵיהֶם וְעַל כָּל הַנִּלְוִים אֲלֵיהֶם, וְכָל הָאוֹתוֹת וְהַמּוֹפְתִים הַגְּדוֹלִים וְהַנּוֹרָאִים שֶׁעָשׂוּ בָּעוֹלָם בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא וּבְאִתְכַּסְּיָא, וְכָל הַדְּרָכִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים וְהִתְגַּלּוּת אֱלָהוּת שֶׁהִמְשִׁיכוּ בָּעוֹלָם, הַכֹּל אֶזְכֶּה לִשְׁמֹעַ הֵיטֵב בְּאָזְנַי וּבְלִבִּי וְלָשׂוּחַ וּלְסַפֵּר בָּהֶם תָּמִיד, יִמָּלֵא פִי תְהִלָּתָם כָּל הַיּוֹם תִּפְאַרְתָּם, כִּי תְהִלָּתָם הִיא תְהִלָּתֶךָ וְתִפְאַרְתָּם הִיא תִפְאַרְתֶּךָ. זַכֵּנִי לַעֲסֹק בָּזֶה בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם לְסַפֵּר סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת מִצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה שֶׁיֻּמְשַׁךְ עָלַי קְדֻשָּׁתָם הָעֲצוּמָה. וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֶזְכֶּה לְטַהֵר מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי מִכָּל הַבִּלְבּוּלִים וְעִרְבּוּב הַדַּעַת, וּמִכָּל מִינֵי מַחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת וְחִיצוֹנִיּוֹת, וּמִכָּל מִינֵי הִרְהוּרִים רָעִים, וּמִכָּל מִינֵי בִּלְבּוּל הַדַּעַת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הַנִּמְשָׁכִין מִמּוֹחִין דְּקַטְנוּת, וְאֶזְכֶּה לָצֵאת מִמּוֹחִין דְּקַטְנוּת לְמוֹחִין דְּגַדְלוּת, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תַּצִּילֵנִי וְתִפְדֵּנִי מִכָּל הַצָּרוֹת וּמִכָּל הַיִּסוּרִים וּמִכָּל מִינֵי דִינִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁכֻּלָּם נִמְשָׁכִין מִבִּלְבּוּל הַדַּעַת מִמּוֹחִין דְּקַטְנוּת, וְאַתָּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, תִפְדֵּנִי וְתַצִּילֵנִי מִכֻּלָּם עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁתְּזַכֵּנִי וּתְסַיְּעֵנִי תָמִיד לַעֲסֹק בְּסִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת מִצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינוֹת מוֹחִין דְּגַדְלוּת:
Please Hashem — merciful One full of mercy; kind One full of lovingkindnesses; Who devises thoughts so that no castaway be cast off from Him; Whose thoughts of His heart endure to every generation. Have mercy upon us through his great power and merit; and through the power of all the true tzadikim who are in the aspect of Moshe — who also engage in this: to sweeten the judgment of all twenty-four Courts; and to nullify all the decrees in all the worlds; and to nullify all the heresies; and to make converts; and to draw down great faith in the world. Have mercy upon us for their sake and for Your sake; and have pity upon us in this great time of distress — wherein heresy and unbelief spread throughout the world, G‑d forbid, very greatly; so that there is no way to turn right or left; and almost every single day several souls are ensnared in the net of the deniers — those who educate youths in their evil education that has now spread: to study external wisdoms and languages etc. We have no one to lean upon except our Father in Heaven; and upon the power of Moshe our master and all the great true tzadikim — who know how to draw down the time of favor and to sweeten all the judgments of the world and to transform apostasy to favor. Have mercy and pity and compassion upon us for Your sake and for their sake; and teach us and guide us how to arouse all these tzadikim that they engage in our repair and in the repair of all the world; and let them not be silent and let them not be still in the bitter and strange time of distress that is in our generations — the like of which has never occurred since the beginning of time. O Heaven — intercede on our behalf! O Heaven — awake to the troubles of Israel! For through our many iniquities in these difficult times there is no one who feels the bitterness of the pain of this great trouble in his heart properly. And even the one who feels a little of the bitterness of this trouble — does not know how to pray and to sweeten the judgment and to nullify it. Whom can we lean upon? Upon our Father in Heaven; and upon the power and merit of our fathers and our masters the holy righteous ones who still stand and pray for us — without whose prayer we would not be able to survive, G‑d forbid, even for a single moment. Have mercy upon us and teach us how to arouse them and to awaken them; and to add to them strength and valor from below; in such a manner that they can speedily effect their entreaty: to sweeten all the judgments and decrees of all twenty-four Courts; and to transform all the heresies from apostasy to favor; and may the holy faith spread throughout the world; and may converts and penitents multiply greatly in the world. Full of mercy — great in counsel and mighty in deed [ Jeremiah 32:19 ]; Master of wonders: do as Your wonders; and give power to Your great and awesome tzadikim — that they effect both actions together through their awesome and wondrous redemptions [ pidyonos ] and prayers: that they merit to nullify all the judgments and decrees of all twenty-four Courts — in material and spiritual matters; in body and soul and money; and may they also merit to sweeten the fierce wrath and to nullify idolatry and heresy from the world; and to transform apostasy to favor; and to make many converts and penitents in the world. For You can do all things and no plan is withheld from You; and You do great wonders alone; and through Your immense mercies You can save me with all the salvations together in Your wondrous ways. Master of the Universe — Master of the Universe: give us complete faith; nullify from upon us all manner of heresies and confusions of faith; nullify from upon us all harsh decrees. Have mercy upon us with abundant mercies — with simple mercies [ rachamim peshutim ] in which there is no admixture of judgment at all; in such a manner that we merit speedily speedily to return in complete repentance before You in truth. Have mercy, have mercy — have pity, have pity — in this time of distress; for it is very evil and very bitter; very evil and very bitter; very evil and very bitter; very evil and very bitter; for it has reached to the very soul. And not only do we suffer the bitterness of our souls — as each person knows within himself the wounds of his heart and his pains; so that the strength of the burden-bearer has given out — but also we see from afar the troubles of Israel beyond measure. And the main troubles are those of the souls of Israel — that the wicked accursed philosophers and deniers seek to spread, G‑d forbid; as is revealed before You. And added to this is the immensity of the trouble from the great multitude of dispute among Your upright people Israel — which has greatly multiplied; for there has increased contention among scholars and those associated with them; and for those who come and go there is no peace.
Segment 3
וְעָזְרֵנִי וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי לִכְסֹף וּלְהִשְׁתּוֹקֵק וּלְהִתְגַּעְגֵּעַ תָּמִיד לָבֹא לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֶזְכֶּה לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עָלַי קְדֻשַּׁת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל תָּמִיד, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֶזְכֶּה לֶאֱמוּנָה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, לְהַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתְךָ תָמִיד. וְתוֹצִיאֵנִי מִטִּבְעִיּוּת לְגַמְרֵי, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לֵידַע וּלְהַאֲמִין שֶׁאֵין שׁוּם דֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע בָּעוֹלָם כְּלָל, רַק הַכֹּל בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתְךָ לְבַד, כִּי גַם הַטֶּבַע בְּעַצְמָהּ מִתְנַהֶגֶת בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתְךָ תָמִיד, וְאַתָּה מְשַׁנֶּה הַטֶּבַע בְּכָל־עֵת עַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁבְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר שֶׁעוֹשִׂין חֲדָשׁוֹת וְנִפְלָאוֹת בְּכָל דּוֹר כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְנוּ מֵאֲבוֹתֵינוּ:
Master of the Universe — You alone know that through the power of the sweetening and the redemption stated in this Torah teaching — which sweetens the judgment of all twenty-four Courts; which the great true tzadikim know this wondrous redemption thoroughly and exceedingly — through this power we still have hope to await salvation and all good; and even to draw souls close to You Blessed be You — to bring them into the holy faith; even now and in this very moment. Therefore I still stand and pray before You and supplicate and fling myself before Your mercies and lovingkindnesses; and await Your salvation at every time and moment — like a servant to his master; and like a son to his father; until Hashem looks down and sees from Heaven [ Lamentations 3:50 ]; and He has pity and mercy upon me and upon all who depend upon me; and upon my sons and those who issue from my loins; and upon all of Israel. And may He speedily save us; and sweeten and nullify from upon us all the judgments of the world; and redeem and rescue us from all the troubles and from all the sufferings of the world; and nullify all the heresies and all the confusions of faith from upon us and from all of Israel and from all the entire world; and may He strengthen us and revive us and sustain us in His holy faith always. And may He bring about circumstances for good; in such a manner that we merit to return to Him Blessed be You — in truth and with a whole heart; quickly and swiftly; and not deviate from His will right or left. And may the verse be fulfilled in me: He redeemed his soul from passing into the pit — and his life shall see the light [ Job 33:28 ]. Redeem me from the oppression of man — and I shall observe Your commandments [ Psalms 119:134 ]. Into Your hand I entrust my spirit; You have redeemed me — Hashem G‑d of truth [ Psalms 31:6 ]. And I — in my integrity shall I walk; redeem me and be gracious to me [ Psalms 26:11 ]. Draw near to my soul and redeem it — because of my enemies redeem me [ Psalms 69:19 ]. For with Hashem is lovingkindness — and abundant with Him is redemption [ Psalms 130:7 ]. And He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities [ Psalms 130:8 ]. Arise as a help to us and redeem us for the sake of Your lovingkindness [ Psalms 44:27 ]. Redeem Israel O G‑d from all its troubles [ Psalms 25:22 ]. And I — my prayer is to You Hashem at an acceptable time; O G‑d — in the abundance of Your lovingkindness — answer me in the truth of Your salvation [ Psalms 69:14 ]. Great are the works of Hashem — sought out by all who desire them [ Psalms 111:2 ]. How manifold are Your works, Hashem ; You have made them all with wisdom; the earth is full of Your creations [ Psalms 104:24 ]. How great are Your works, Hashem ; very deep are Your thoughts [ Psalms 92:6 ]. Master of the Universe — You are the G‑d Who does wonders; and You do wonders in every generation through the true tzadikim of every generation; as our fathers told us of all the great and wondrous deeds and great signs and awesome portents that You performed in every generation through Your true tzadikim from times of old until this very day. And even in this generation certainly there are to be found true miracle-working tzadikim . And so grant me merit through Your abundant mercies — and help me and save me and strengthen me and embolden me — that I merit to tell the tales of stories of true tzadikim ; from all that befell them in their days: both what befell them themselves; and what befell their sons and all those associated with them; and all the great and awesome signs and portents that they performed in the world — overtly and covertly; and all the holy ways and the manifestation of G‑dliness that they drew in the world. All of it may I merit to hear well with my ears and with my heart; and to converse about it and to tell of it always. My mouth shall be filled with Your praise — all day long with Your glory [ Psalms 71:8 ]; for their praise is Your praise and their glory is Your glory. Grant me merit to engage in this every day and every day — to tell the tales of stories of true tzadikim ; in such a manner that I merit that their immense holiness be drawn upon me. And through this may I merit to purify my thought from all confusions and turbidity of the mind; and from all manner of alien and external thoughts; and from all manner of evil imaginings; and from all manner of turbidity and confusion of the mind of the world — that are drawn from the minds of smallness [ mochin di'katnusa ]. And may I merit to go out from the minds of smallness to the minds of greatness [ mochin di'gadlusa ]; and through this may You save me and redeem me from all troubles and from all sufferings and from all manner of judgments of the world — which all derive from turbidity of the mind from the minds of smallness. And You through Your abundant mercies shall redeem me and save me from all of them — by granting me merit and assisting me always to engage in the tales of stories of true tzadikim which are the aspects of the minds of greatness.
Segment 4
וְרַחֵם עָלַי וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, וְעָזְרֵנוּ וְזַכֵּנוּ לְהִתְדַּמוֹת אֵלֶיךָ תִּתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ, עַד שֶׁנֵּדַע בֶּאֱמֶת לְהַבְחִין וּלְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים וּבֵין סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים, וְגַם לֵידַע וּלְהַבְחִין מִמִּי לְסַפֵּר וְאֵיךְ לְסַפֵּר, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְסַפֵּר מִצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים הַגְּדוֹלִים בְּמַעֲלָה, אֲשֶׁר הַסִּפּוּר וְהַדִּבּוּר מֵהֶם יִהְיֶה לוֹ כֹחַ לְטַהֵר מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי. כִּי אַתָּה הוֹדַעְתָּנוּ שֶׁכְּנֶגֶד כָּל מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים יֵשׁ כְּנֶגְדּוֹ מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים וְשַׁקְרָנִים, וּמַעֲשִׂיּוֹת מְעֻרְבָּבִים שֶׁל הָעוֹשִׂים דְּבָרִים הַנִּרְאִים כְּמוֹפֵת עַל־יְדֵי כַּמָּה תַּחְבּוּלוֹת, עַל־יְדֵי כִּשּׁוּף אוֹ עַל־יְדֵי דָבָר אַחֵר, וְאִי אֶפְשַׁר לְהַבְחִין וּלְהַבְדִּיל בֵּינֵיהֶם, כִּי אִם מִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ, כַּאֲשֶׁר הוֹדַעְתָּנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים. וּבְעֹצֶם חֲלִישׁוּתֵנוּ אֲשֶׁר נִתְרַחַקְנוּ מִמְּךָ מְאֹד, בְּוַדַּאי אֵין בְּיָדֵינוּ לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ. עַל כֵּן רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְעָזְרֵנוּ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה עַל כָּל פָּנִים לֶאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, וְתִהְיֶה אֱמוּנָתֵנוּ חֲזָקָה כָּל כָּךְ כְּאִלּוּ אָנוּ רוֹאִין בְּעֵינֵינוּ מַמָּשׁ מַה שֶּׁאָנוּ מַאֲמִינִים בּוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת. וְנִזְכֶּה לְהַאֲמִין בְּךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, שֶׁאַתָּה מַשְׁגִּיחַ בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה פְּרָטִיִּית בְּכָל־עֵת, וְאַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה חֲדָשׁוֹת וְנִפְלָאוֹת בְּכָל־עֵת, בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר, עַל־יְדֵי צַדִּיקֶיךָ הָאֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁבְּכָל דּוֹר. וְאֶזְכֶּה לְהַאֲמִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ הֶבְדֵּל וְהֶפְרֵשׁ גָּדוֹל בֵּין הַמּוֹפְתִים וְהַחִדּוּשִׁים הַנַּעֲשִׂים עַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים, וּבֵין הַמַּעֲשִׂיּוֹת הַנִּדְמִים לְמּוֹפְתִים הַנַּעֲשִׂים עַל־יְדֵי הָרְשָׁעִים, אוֹ עַל־יְדֵי הַמְעֹרָבִים מִטּוֹב וָרָע, אֲשֶׁר עֲדַיִן אֵינָם רְאוּיִם לָזֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת מוֹפְתִים בָּעוֹלָם, וּמִתְלַבְּשִׁים בְּטַלִּית שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלָּהֶם, אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ הֶבְדֵּל וְהֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ, לְמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וּמוֹפְתֵיהֶם שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים, כְּמוֹ בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה תָמִיד לְסַפֵּר סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת מִצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם כֹּחַ לְטַהֵר אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי:
And help me and save me to yearn and to long and to desire always to come to the Land of Israel; and may I merit to draw upon myself the holiness of the Land of Israel always. And through this may I merit to complete faith — to believe with complete faith in Your particular providence always. And may You take me entirely out of the grip of nature; that I merit to know and to believe that there is no way of nature in the world at all — but rather everything is through Your providence alone; for even nature itself is managed through Your providence always; and You change nature at every time through the true tzadikim of every generation — who do new and wondrous things in every generation as we have heard from our fathers. And have mercy upon me and upon all of Israel for the sake of Your Name; and help us and grant us merit to become like You Blessed be You — that we merit to distinguish between the light and the darkness; until we truly know how to discern and to distinguish between tales of stories of true tzadikim and tales of stories of the wicked. And to know and to discern also from whom to tell stories and how to tell them; in such a manner that I merit to tell of true great tzadikim of high degree — of whom the story and the speech about them shall have power to purify my thought. For You have made known to us that corresponding to every deed of the tzadikim there are opposing stories of the wicked and the deceitful; and mixed stories of those who do things that appear like a portent through various stratagems — through sorcery or through something else; and it is impossible to discern and to distinguish between them except for one who knows how to distinguish between the light and the darkness; as You have made known to us through Your abundant mercies. And because of the immensity of our weakness — in that we have grown very distant from You — certainly we have no power to distinguish between the light and the darkness. Therefore have mercy upon us and help us and save us that we merit in any case to complete faith; and may our faith be so strong — as if we actually see with our own eyes what we believe in truth. And may we merit to believe in You Hashem our G‑d — that You watch with particular providence at every time; and You do new and wondrous things at every time; in every generation and every generation — through Your true tzadikim of every generation. And may I merit to believe that there is a great difference between the wondrous deeds and innovations performed through the true tzadikim — and the stories that resemble portents performed by the wicked; or through those who are mixed of good and evil — who are not yet fit to perform portents in the world; and who clothe themselves in a garment that is not theirs. And there is a difference between the deeds of the latter and the deeds and portents of the true tzadikim — as between light and darkness; in such a manner that I merit always to tell the tales of stories of true tzadikim who have the power to purify my thought. Master of the Universe — full of mercy: You know how far I am from purity of thought — for I have blemished my thought very very greatly beyond measure and number; and I have sinned and done wrong and transgressed greatly; and what is evil in Your eyes I have done and multiplied transgression against You greatly. And in particular — what I have blemished in the holy Bris [covenant] and in the drops of the brain greatly greatly; and all of it through the blemish of thought — in that I was not careful with my thought at all; so as to hold my thought back from going outside, G‑d forbid. On the contrary — I added sin upon transgression; and entered with my thought into alien thoughts and imaginings and confused confusions and evil imaginings; until I came to what I came to and spoiled what I spoiled — all through the blemish of thought. What shall I say and what shall I speak — and before You everything is revealed; O Examiner of hearts and minds. And now — now; after all that I have done and all that has befallen me from my beginning until this very day — my eyes still fail from waiting for complete salvation in truth from You alone; through the power and merit of the prayer of the true tzadikim . Have mercy upon me — Master of mercies; save me please — Master of salvations; pity and be gracious to me and have compassion upon me — Master of pity and grace; incline Your ear and hear the voice of my crying out; the voice of my pleading; the voice of my petitioning; the voice of my prayer. And grant me merit through Your abundant mercies — that the holiness of the Land of Israel shall be drawn upon me: which is the totality of holiness; the totality of all the ten holinesses; in such a manner that I merit through the holiness of the Land of Israel to complete faith in Your particular providence — for You watch with particularity at every time and moment over all the entire world; and You do with me and with the entire world at every time and moment great and awesome wonders beyond searching and beyond number; as it is said: Who alone does great wonders — for His lovingkindness endures forever [ Psalms 136:4 ]. And all of it through the power and merit of the great true tzadikim — for all the true signs and portents are always performed through them. Assist me and embolden me and strengthen me in Your holy faith always — that is drawn through the holiness of the Land of Israel; in such a manner that I merit to know from whom to tell stories and how to tell the tales of stories of true tzadikim ; in such a manner that my thought shall be purified through this. And may I merit from now to go out from all manner of turbidity of the mind; and from all manner of confusion of the mind; and from all manner of evil imaginings and blemished ideas and alien thoughts — to purify my thought from all of them; and to merit to holy, clear and correct thoughts. And assist me and help me that I merit at every time to ascend to the world of holy thought — to think holy thoughts in Torah and service; and in the greatness of the Creator Blessed be His Name; and in the greatness of the true tzadikim ; and to renew true novellae in Your holy Torah. And let not my ideas confuse me; and let there be no power for any alien or external thought in the world to confuse my mind and my thought at all. And may I merit to be completely silent at the time when I need to ascend to the world of thought — to plow and to be completely silent; to not speak even a holy utterance then; for that too confuses the thought. And may You rebuke all the adversaries and accusers who seek to prevent me, G‑d forbid, from ascending to holy thoughts; and give me power to banish all the confusions from me; in such a manner that I merit to cleave to You and to Your holy Torah always — with holy and pure and clear and radiant thoughts as Your good will desires. And save me and redeem me from all troubles and from all manner of sufferings of the world; and sweeten and nullify all the judgments from upon us and from upon all Your people the House of Israel (and in particular from so-and-so son of so-and-so etc.). Have mercy upon us and fill our entreaties for good with mercies; and speedily take me out from the minds of smallness to the minds of greatness. And grant me merit to engage greatly in the tales of stories of true tzadikim ; in such a manner that I merit to purify my thought in ultimate purity; and may my thought be holy and pure always. Have mercy upon me for Your Name's sake — for my needs are very very many beyond measure and value; and my mind is too short to explain and to specify even a fraction of a thousandth and a ten-thousandth part of them. And with everything I begin to speak — all the words in the world would not suffice to specify how very far I am from every single aspect of this; and how very much I need to prostrate myself and to entreat and supplicate for this. Therefore may it please You as if I had specified all my needs before You as is fitting. And may You be filled with mercy upon me; and speedily save me with all the salvations; in such a manner that I merit in any case from now to return to You and to be as Your good will desires in truth from now and forever. And may the verse be fulfilled in us: And it shall be before they call and I shall answer; while they are yet speaking — I shall hear [ Isaiah 65:24 ]. For You are Hashem Who answers in the time of distress — Who redeems and rescues at every time of distress and anguish. Blessed is He Who answers His people Israel in the time of distress . May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You — Hashem , my Rock and my Redeemer [ Psalms 19:15 ].
Segment 6
כז נִיסָן רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ כַּמָּה אֲנִי רָחוֹק מִטָּהֳרַת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה, כִּי פָּגַמְתִּי מְאֹד מְאֹד בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי בְּלִי שִׁעוּר וּמִסְפָּר, וְחָטָאתִי עָוִיתִי וּפָשַׁעְתִּי הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד, וְהָרַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ עָשִׂיתִי וְהִרְבֵּיתִי לִפְשֹׁעַ נֶגְדְּךָ מְאֹד, וּבִפְרָט מַה שֶּׁפָּגַמְתִּי בִּבְרִית קֹדֶשׁ וּבְטִפֵּי הַמֹּחַ הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד, וְהַכֹּל עַל־יְדֵי פְּגָם הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה, אֲשֶׁר לֹא נִזְהַרְתִּי בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי כְּלָל, לִתְפֹּס אֶת מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי לְבַל תֵּצֵא לַחוּץ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אַדְרַבָּא הוֹסַפְתִּי חֵטְא עַל פֶּשַׁע, וְנִכְנַסְתִּי בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי לְתוֹךְ מַחְשְׁבוֹת חוּץ וְרַעְיוֹנִים וּבִלְבּוּלִים מְעֻרְבָּבִים וּלְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים, עַד שֶׁבָּאתִי לְמַה שֶּׁבָּאתִי וְקִלְקַלְתִּי מַה שֶּׁקִּלְקַלְתִּי, הַכֹּל עַל־יְדֵי פְּגָם הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה. מָה אוֹמַר וּמָה אֲדַבֵּר, וּלְפָנֶיךָ נִגְלָה הַכֹּל, בּוֹחֵן לִבּוֹת וּכְלָיוֹת. וְעַתָּה עַתָּה, אַחֲרֵי כָּל מַה שֶּׁעָשִׂיתִי וּמַה שֶּׁנַּעֲשָׂה עִמִּי מֵעוֹדִי עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, עוֹדֶנָּה תִּכְלֶינָה עֵינַי לִישׁוּעָה שְׁלֵמָה בֶּאֱמֶת מֵאִתְּךָ לְבַד, בְּכֹחַ וּזְכוּת תְּפִלַּת הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים. רַחֵם עָלַי בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים, הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי נָּא בַּעַל הַיְשׁוּעוֹת, חוּס וְחָנֵּנִי וַחֲמֹל עָלַי בַּעַל הַחֶמְלָה וְהַחֲנִינָה, הַט אָזְנְךָ וּשְׁמַע קוֹל צַעֲקָתִי קוֹל שַׁוְעָתִי קוֹל פְּגִיעָתִי קוֹל תְּפִלָּתִי. וְזַכֵּנִי בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, שֶׁיֻּמְשַׁךְ עָלַי קְדֻשַּׁת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהִיא כְּלָלִיּוּת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, כְּלָלִיּוּת כָּל הָעֶשֶׂר קְדֻשּׁוֹת, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי קְדֻשַּׁת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֶאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתְךָ הַפְּרָטִיִּית, אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה מַשְׁגִּיחַ בִּפְרָטִיּוּת בְּכָל־עֵת וָרֶגַע בְּכָל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ, וְאַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה עִמִּי וְעִם כָּל הָעוֹלָם בְּכָל־עֵת וָרֶגַע נִפְלָאוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת וְנוֹרָאוֹת עַד אֵין חֵקֶר וְאֵין מִסְפָּר, כָּאָמוּר, לְעֹשֵׂה נִפְלָאוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת לְבַדּוֹ כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ, וְהַכֹּל בְּכֹחַ וּזְכוּת הַצַּדִּיקִים הַגְּדוֹלִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים, אֲשֶׁר כָּל הָאוֹתוֹת וְהַמּוֹפְתִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים נַעֲשִׂים עַל־יְדֵיהֶם תָּמִיד. סַיְּעֵנִי וְאַמְּצֵנִי וְחַזְּקֵנִי בֶּאֱמוּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה תָמִיד הַנִּמְשֶׁכֶת עַל־יְדֵי קְדֻשַּׁת אֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לֵידַע מִמִּי לְסַפֵּר וְאֵיךְ לְסַפֵּר סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת מִצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁתִּטָּהֵר מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה. וְאֶזְכֶּה לָצֵאת מֵעַתָּה מִכָּל מִינֵי בִּלְבּוּל הַדַּעַת, וּמִכָּל מִינֵי עִרְבּוּב הַדַּעַת, וּמִכָּל מִינֵי הִרְהוּרִים רָעִים וְרַעְיוֹנִים פְּגוּמִים וּמַחְשְׁבוֹת חוּץ, לְטַהֵר מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי מִכֻּלָּם, וְלִזְכּוֹת לְמַחֲשָׁבוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת זַכּוֹת וּנְכוֹנוֹת. וּתְסַיְּעֵנִי וְתַעַזְרֵנִי שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה בְּכָל־עֵת לַעֲלוֹת לְעוֹלָם הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה דִקְדֻשָּׁה, לַחְשֹׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת בְּתוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדָה, וּבִגְדֻלַּת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ, וּבִגְדֻלַּת הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים, וּלְחַדֵּשׁ חִדּוּשִׁין אֲמִתִּיִּים בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, וְאַל יְבַהֲלוּנִי רַעְיוֹנַי, וְלֹא יִהְיֶה כֹחַ לְשׁוּם מַחֲשָׁבָה זָרָה וְחִיצוֹנָה שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם לְבַלְבֵּל אֶת דַּעְתִּי וּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי כְּלָל, וְאֶזְכֶּה לִשְׁתֹּק אָז לְגַמְרֵי בָּעֵת שֶׁאֲנִי צָרִיךְ לַעֲלוֹת לְעוֹלָם הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה, לַחֲרֹשׁ וְלִשְׁתֹּק לְגַמְרֵי לִבְלִי לְדַבֵּר אָז אֲפִלּוּ דִבּוּר דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, כִּי הוּא גַם כֵּן מְבַלְבֵּל אֶת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה. וְתִגְעוֹר בְּכָל הַמַּסְטִינִים וְהַמְּקַטְרֵגִים הַחֲפֵצִים לִמְנֹעַ אוֹתִי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, מִלַּעֲלוֹת לְמַחֲשָׁבוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת, וְתִתֶּן בִּי כֹחַ לְגָרֵשׁ כָּל הַבִּלְבּוּלִים מִמֶּנִּי, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהִתְדַּבֵּק בְּךָ וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה תָמִיד, בְּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת וּטְהוֹרוֹת זַכּוֹת וְצַחוֹת כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב. וְתַצִּילֵנִי וְתִפְדֵּנִי מִכָּל הַצָּרוֹת וּמִכָּל מִינֵי יִסּוּרִין שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, וְתַמְתִּיק וּתְבַטֵּל כָּל הַדִּינִים מֵעָלֵינוּ וּמֵעַל כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל (וּבִפְרָט מִפְלוֹנִי בֶּן פְּלוֹנִית וְכוּ'). רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וּמַלֵּא מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה בְּרַחֲמִים, וְהוֹצִיאֵנִי מְהֵרָה מִמֹּחִין דְּקַטְנוּת לְמֹחִין דְּגַדְלוּת. וְזַכֵּנִי לַעֲסֹק הַרְבֵּה בְּסִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת מִצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְטַהֵר מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי בְּתַכְלִית הַטָּהֳרָה, וְתִהְיֶה מַחֲשַׁבְתִּי קְדוֹשָׁה וּטְהוֹרָה תָמִיד. רַחֵם עָלַי לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, כִּי צְרָכַי מְרֻבִּים מְאֹד מְאֹד בְּלִי שִׁעוּר וָעֵרֶךְ, וְדַעְתִּי קְצָרָה מְאֹד לְבָאֵר וּלְפָרֵט חֵלֶק אֶלֶף וּרְבָבָה מֵהֶם, וּבְכָל מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי מַתְחִיל לְדַבֵּר לֹא יַסְפִּיקוּ כָּל הַדִּבּוּרִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם לְפָרֵט כַּמָּה אֲנִי רָחוֹק מִכָּל בְּחִינָה וּבְחִינָה מִזֶּה, וְכַמָּה אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לִפֹּל עַל פָּנַי לְבַקֵּשׁ וּלְהִתְחַנֵּן עַל זֶה, עַל כֵּן יִהְיוּ נָא בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּאִלּוּ הָיִיתִי פּוֹרֵט כָּל צְרָכַי לְפָנֶיךָ כָּרָאוּי. וְאַתָּה תִּמָּלֵא רַחֲמִים עָלַי, וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי מְהֵרָה בְּכָל הַיְשׁוּעוֹת, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה עַל כָּל פָּנִים מֵעַתָּה לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ וְלִהְיוֹת כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב בֶּאֱמֶת מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם, וּתְקַיֵּם בָּנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב, וְהָיָה טֶרֶם יִקְרָאוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה, עוֹד הֵם מְדַבְּרִים וַאֲנִי אֶשְׁמָע. כִּי אַתָּה יְהֹוָה הָעוֹנֶה בְּעֵת צָרָה, פּוֹדֶה וּמַצִּיל בְכָל־עֵת צָרָה וְצוּקָה, בָּרוּךְ הָעוֹנֶה לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֵת צָרָה. יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי־פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי:
Full of mercy — have pity upon me and grant me merit to come to all this; that the thought not confuse me at all from one day to the next in any matter of the world; in such a manner that I merit to enter into Your holiness and to draw close to You in truth; and to be renewed every day for good; and to add every day and at every time and at every hour additional holiness and purity and fear of Hashem and His service in truth. And I shall not deceive myself and not defer the service from one day to the next at all; rather may I think every day as if I have in my world nothing except that very day and that very hour alone; and I shall strive and strengthen myself with all my might every day to fulfill the duty of the day — on that very day; by whatever my hand finds to do in my power on that very day and that very hour; and I shall not exempt myself from one day to the next at all; so that I not be put to shame and not be disgraced forever and ever. Help me for Your Name's sake; save me every day with a new and wondrous salvation; in such a manner that I merit to draw close to You every day with a greater and greater drawing near in truth in ultimate perfection as Your good will desires. And may the verse be fulfilled: Sing to Hashem all the earth — announce from day to day His salvation [ I Chronicles 16:23 ]. And it is said: Sing to Hashem ; bless His Name — announce from day to day His salvation [ Psalms 96:2 ]. Grant me merit to truly revive my days from now in any case; have pity upon the few days I have left to linger in this passing world: To number our days thus make known — and we shall bring a heart of wisdom [ Psalms 90:12 ]. Return, Hashem — until when? And relent concerning Your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness — and we shall sing out and rejoice in all our days. Gladden us according to the days You have afflicted us — the years we have seen evil [ Psalms 90:13–15 ]. Return us, Hashem , to You and we shall return; renew our days as of old [ Lamentations 5:21 ]. May Your lovingkindness, Hashem , be upon us — as we have hoped in You [ Psalms 33:22 ]. May Hashem our G‑d be with us as He was with our fathers — may He not abandon us and not forsake us. To incline our hearts to Him — to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments that He commanded our fathers. And may these words of mine which I have supplicated before Hashem be near to Hashem our G‑d day and night — to perform the judgment of His servant and the judgment of His people Israel — day by day. So that all the peoples of the earth may know that Hashem — He is G‑d; there is none else [ I Kings 8:57–60 ]. My G‑d — guard my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceit; and to those who curse me let my soul be silent; and let my soul be as dust to all [ Talmudic prayer at end of Amidah ]. Master of the Universe — Master of peace: grant me merit to be a man of peace in truth; that I merit to be a lover of peace and a pursuer of peace always in truth and with a whole heart; and not to hold on to dispute at all forever. And even against those who dispute and rise up against me and undermine me, G‑d forbid; and do to me what they do — may the Merciful One protect me: grant me merit and help me that I not stand against them to do to them in return as they do to me; rather on the contrary — may I merit to judge them favorably and to do them all manner of good; and to truly fulfill: And let my soul be as dust to all ; as it is written: Do not say — as he did to me so shall I do to him; I shall repay the man according to his deed [ Proverbs 24:29 ]. And it is written: Do not say — I shall requite evil; hope to Hashem and He shall save you [ Proverbs 20:22 ]. And may I merit to be literally like dust — which all trample upon it and yet it gives them all good; and through this may I merit to foil and to thwart the thoughts of my enemies and my foes; and they shall achieve no success. And may there be fulfilled in them: He who digs a pit shall fall into it; and he who rolls a stone — it shall return to him [ Proverbs 26:27 ]. And all who rise up against me for evil — swiftly foil their counsel and spoil their thought. And open my eyes and my heart and my mind — that I merit to know and to discern between the dispute of the wicked and the dispute of the tzadikim . And may I merit to truly believe that the dispute of the tzadikim is a great good for the one against whom they dispute — for they elevate and raise him through it and sweeten judgments from upon him. And may You not allow me to err, G‑d forbid, in the dispute of the tzadikim — as if it were an outright dispute, G‑d forbid — so as not to give a hold to the dispute of the sitra achra through this holy dispute of the tzadikim . And may the verse be fulfilled in me: And my eye looked upon my enemies; and my ears heard of the evil-doers who rose up against me [ Psalms 92:12 ]. The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree; like a cedar in Lebanon shall he grow tall [ Psalms 92:13 ].
Segment 8
כח נִיסָן וּתְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים, בְּכָל־עֵת שֶׁתָּקִים עָלֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מֶלֶךְ שֶׁל חֶסֶד, שֶׁיְּרַחֵם עַל עַמְּךָ בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיָקֵל מֵעֲלֵיהֶם עֹל הַנְּתִינוּת, וִיבַטֵּל כָּל הַגְּזֵרוֹת שֶׁאֵינָם טוֹבוֹת מֵעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁלֹּא יְחַדֵּשׁ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם גְּזֵרוֹת חֲדָשׁוֹת עַל עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, לְמַעַן רַחֲמֶיךָ, כִּי אֵין לָנוּ עַל מִי לְהִשָּׁעֵן כִּי אִם עָלֶיךָ לְבַד, כִּי אֵין מִי יַעֲמֹד בַּעֲדֵנוּ, שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל יַעֲמֹד לָנוּ בְּעֵת צָרָה, חֲמֹל עַל עֲנִיֵּי הַצֹּאן וְהַטֵּה לֵב הַמְּלָכִים וְהַשָּׂרִים עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב, פַּלְגֵּי מַיִם לֶב מֶלֶךְ בְּיַד יְהֹוָה, עַל כָּל אֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ יַטֶּנּוּ. וּכְתִיב לֵב מֶלֶךְ וְשָׂרִים בְּיַד יְהֹוָה, אֶל כָּל אֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ יַטֶּנּוּ. חֲמֹל עַל עַמֶּךָ רַחֵם עַל נַחֲלָתֶךָ, מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, מְהַעְדֵּה מַלְכִין וּמְהָקֵים מַלְכִין. הַשְׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן קָדְשְׁךָ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהַטֵּה לֵב כָּל הַמְּלָכִים וְהַיּוֹעֲצִים וְהַשָּׂרִים עָלֵינוּ לְטוֹבָה, וְתָבִיא לָנוּ אֶת מְשִׁיחַ צִדְקֵנוּ בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ, אָמֵן:
And grant me merit through Your abundant mercies to receive the Shabbasos as is fitting — from within abundant joy and from within wealth and honor and from within diminishment of sins. And may I merit to greatly multiply the Shabbos meals; and let there be no resentment in me over the expenses of Shabbos and Yom Tov. Rather may I strengthen and embolden myself with all my might to greatly multiply all manner of delicacies and foods and good drinks in honor of the holy Shabbos; and to eat greatly on the holy Shabbos — as You have commanded us in Your holy Torah: as it is written: Eat it today [ Exodus 16:25 ]. And as Your holy sages greatly warned us to delight the Shabbos with all our might — for the eating of Shabbos is entirely G‑dliness; entirely holiness; and it ascends to an entirely different place from the eating of a weekday. And may I merit through the eating of the holy Shabbos to repair the blemish of desecration of Shabbos [ pegam chillul Shabbos ] — for You know that it is very difficult for flesh and blood to be careful and guarded in perfection from desecration of Shabbos. Rather may You alone guard me and save me from all manner of desecration of Shabbos that is in the world; and grant me merit to greatly multiply the eating of Shabbos — until I merit through this to repair all the blemish of desecration of Shabbos that I have blemished from my beginning. And have mercy upon us and guard us and all of Israel; and save us from the punishment of a widower [ onesh alman ], G‑d forbid. And may our first wives live and not die; rather may we and all Your people Israel merit to lengthen our days and years together with our first wives in holiness and purity in truth. For You know the bitterness of the trouble of one whose first wife has died, G‑d forbid — that his steps grow short and his world darkens before him; and it is as if the Holy Temple were destroyed in his days etc. — G‑d forbid; G‑d save us. And grant us merit through the holiness of the eating of the holy Shabbos — and in particular through the eating of the Shabbos of the great true tzadikim — that we merit through this to broaden and to expand the holy ways that the true tzadikim have revealed in the world. Master of all the worlds — G‑d of all the true tzadikim : You alone know all that the great tzadikim have effected and done in the world; all the holy and awesome and wondrous ways that they labored and dug and drew into the world; and how many toils they toiled and how many efforts they exerted beyond measure and value and number; and how many afflictions and sufferings they endured with self-sacrifice at every time; until they labored and found straight and wondrous paths in the wilderness and desolation — in places where there was never a path; in places that no man had passed through. And they went with self-sacrifice and traversed many times hither and thither in order to make in them a well-trodden path for the multitude. However — through our many iniquities; because of the immensity of the turbidity of the materialism of the world and its evil desires; and because of the multitude of disputes and mockery and jealousy and desire and honor: through this the holy ways are still hidden from most of the world. And even the small minority that seek Hashem and His tzadikim — and want to walk in their awesome ways — their path is hidden from them in many concealments. Yet You know — for already they have revealed many counsels and ways beyond measure; until every person — whoever he may be — can find a path and counsel in whatever place he is; for there is no place and no person and no hour wherein one cannot find a well-trodden path to draw close to You — according to the paths of their counsels and their conversations and their Torah teachings and their hints; that they have revealed to us in their holy and awesome books that have spread in our generations. How great are Your works, Hashem ; very deep are Your thoughts [ Psalms 92:6 ] — for You have granted us merit in these generations to the light of these holy books that the tzadikim who went before us revealed to us. However You have already revealed to us through them that for one who has free will [ ba'al bechirah ] it is very difficult to help. Therefore all their ways and their awesome counsels are still in concealment and hiddenness from us; and their broad and awesome and wondrous paths are still very narrow and thin in proportion to our materialism and the confusion of our mind and the foolishness of our intellect — because of our evil deeds. Therefore I have come before You — Master of mercies; Teacher of the path for those who return: that You help me and grant me merit to receive the Shabbos with great holiness and very great and immense joy as is fitting; and to greatly multiply the Shabbos meal — until I merit through the eating of the holy Shabbos to broaden and to expand all the holy and true paths that we need to walk in to draw close to You in truth. And may we merit through the holiness of Shabbos to elevate the legs [ raglin ] to holiness; as it is written: If you restore from the Shabbos your foot [ Isaiah 58:13 ]. And all the commandments that we perform in all the six weekdays — may their legs ascend from the klippah and the sitra achra that drew sustenance from them on the weekdays; in such a manner that every commandment can go and ascend before You. And You through Your abundant mercies and Your great love with which You love Your people Israel — shall receive all the commandments and good deeds of ours — even the commandments of one of little worth such as I today — performed in complete smallness and without any perfection at all. You through Your mercies and Your love shall receive them all with love and great compassion; and cherish them and glorify Yourself and delight in them with very great delight; and as a father to a son — be pleased with us; and cherish and expand and broaden our few good deeds — small in substance and quantity and quality; until through the abundance of love and delight You expand and broaden the holy path made through our commandments. And may the verse be fulfilled: Righteousness shall walk before him and shall make a path for his footsteps [ Psalms 85:14 ] — that You broaden and make a broad and well-trodden path from the footsteps of the legs of our commandments and good deeds. And in particular the holy and awesome and wondrous paths that the great true tzadikim have made in the world — may You have mercy upon them through the merit of the holiness of the eating of Shabbos; and broaden them and expand them and reveal them to us and to all Your people the House of Israel; in such a manner that we merit to walk in their holy paths in truth; and to return to You in complete repentance from all the evil places and paths in which we have strayed. Have mercy upon us and do not destroy us; pity and have compassion upon us and lead us and guide us at every time in Your holy ways that You have revealed through Your awesome tzadikim — for You alone know the wonders of the truth of their wondrous ways. Guide me in the path of Your commandments — for it I desire [ Psalms 119:35 ]. Guide me in Your truth and teach me — for You are G‑d my salvation; for You I hope all the day [ Psalms 25:5 ]. Teach me, Hashem , the way of Your statutes — and I shall keep it to the end [ Psalms 119:33 ]. Teach me, Hashem , Your way; and I shall walk in Your truth — unify my heart to fear Your Name [ Psalms 86:11 ]. Help me — Master of salvations; save me in all that I need to be saved — for my needs are very very great and my mind is too short to explain and to specify even a fraction of them. Save me from quarrel and dispute; grant me merit to true peace in truth in all its aspects; grant me merit to love of friends in truth and to its very truth. Grant me merit to walk in the paths of the true tzadikim — until I merit to be as Your will and the will of those who fear You in truth from now and forever. And may You set our portion with them; and forever may I not be put to shame — for I have trusted in You and truly leaned upon Your great lovingkindness. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You — Hashem , my Rock and my Redeemer [ Psalms 19:15 ]. He Who makes peace in His heights — may He in His mercies make peace upon us and upon all of Israel; and say: Amen.