ערך תפלה

For in truth the essential repair of Torah study is through the aspect of Tzadik. And one who separates the aspect of lamdan from the aspect of Tzadik — he is the aspect of Acher [the one who went astray] — who cut down the shoots [katzatz b'neti'os]. For the purpose of Torah is repentance and good deeds — as our Sages of blessed memory said. And when the scholar bows himself before the Tzadik — then he merits to form the letters of the Torah for good through the power of the Tzadik who is the true master — as explained in the inner teachings. But when he is not subject to him — and certainly when he disputes him, G-d forbid — then: "if he has not merited — it becomes for him a deadly poison." For he forms the letters of the Torah in the reverse — [the reverse] — G-d forbid. Through separating between the aspect of lamdan and the aspect of Tzadik. For the essential forming of the letters of the Torah for good — that they be in the aspect of a life-giving remedy [sam chayyim] — is only through the true Tzadik who has merited the guarding of the bris to the ultimate perfection. And even one who does not merit that he himself should be in the aspect of Tzadik in perfection — even so, if he humbles himself at least before the Tzadik — like a servant before his master — then all his Torah and study and all his deeds receive repair through the true Tzadik, who forms everything for good. And then it is said of him also: "If he has merited — it becomes for him a life-giving remedy" — through the power of the Tzadik. Rising at midnight [chatzos] — or at the very least before dawn — to engage in Torah: through this one merits to know with complete knowledge that "the whole earth is full of His glory" [Isaiah 6:3]. And through this one merits to pray with great intention. For when one knows that G-d stands over him and hears and listens and attends to every single word that comes out of his mouth — certainly his heart will be greatly inflamed in his prayer, and he will take great care to direct his words. And one merits this knowledge through rising at midnight, as mentioned above. (The following is from the translator, not from the original text.) This installment covers the largest single section in the work — Moadim (Festivals) with 19 entries — as well as eight complete sections and the opening of Tefilah. The key themes:

It is a very severe prohibition to eat and drink before prayer — as explained in the holy Zohar. (Not as is common now, in our many sins, where people are lenient in this, especially regarding drinking coffee before prayer.) And many Tzaddikim were careful not to drink even water before prayer — even though it is technically permitted according to strict law. And through not eating before prayer — through this one draws the aspect of the repair drawn through a fast [ta'anis]. For this is also the aspect of a fast of hours [ta'anis sha'os]. And through this the speech is perfected — and one brings it out from the narrow passage of the throat. And one merits to speak complete words before G-d in his prayer. And through this the faith is completed — which is itself the aspect of prayer, as is known. Also through this one merits to begin each morning anew in the service of G-d — in the aspect of: "They are renewed each morning" [Lamentations 3:23].

Through sins, one causes, G-d forbid, the spirit of a person [ru'ach ho'odom] to become mingled with and exchanged for the spirit of an animal [ru'ach habeheimah]. This is the aspect of the exchange — that the prince's son was exchanged with the servant's son. And this is the secret of all the sacrifices [korbanos] — to extract the human spirit from the animal spirit. And each person — commensurate with how much he has mingled the human spirit with the animal spirit through his sins — when he does not merit to repair this during his lifetime, G-d forbid — then he must receive his punishment to be cast about within the hollow of a sling [kaf hakela] and to seek the sparks and the human spirit that he lost and cast into the animal spirit — until he receives his full punishment. And then he will be repaired. For the punishment is — [is] — for the sake of repair. And through reciting the Torah portion of the sacrifices and the chapter Eizehu Mekoman, etc. — it is considered as if he offered sacrifices in those places. And through this he merits to extract the entire aspect of the human spirit from the animal spirit from all the places where they fell — [fell] — there. And to repair and elevate them from there. And this is the aspect of Pesukei d'Zimrah [the verses of song recited after this] — for the essential extraction of the human spirit from the animal spirit is through melody. Which is the aspect of the priests in their service and the Levites on their platform.

The entire matter of the prince's son who was exchanged with the servant's son — explained in the story-tales — encompasses the entire Torah entirely. And all that has passed from the beginning of the sin of Adam the first — who was expelled from the Garden of Eden, etc. — until the end: when our righteous Mashiach will come and the kingship will return to the true prince's son. And all the essential service of a person in this world is only in this matter — as explained in the inner teachings. And this is what the secret of the morning blessings and the sacrifices and Pesukei d'Zimrah and the Kriyas Shma and the Shemoneh Esreh — and the Shemoneh Esreh — revolves around, as explained in the inner teachings.

The essential joy of Israel is through faith — in the aspect of: "I will rejoice in G-d" [Habakkuk 3:18]. And this is the aspect of the Kriyas Shma — which is the foundation of faith. And since joy is a complete stature [komah sheleimah] with 248 limbs — therefore, after Shema Yisroel one reads the three Torah portions, etc. — which contain 248 words in the Kriyas Shma, as our Sages of blessed memory said. And through joy one merits redemption — in the aspect of: "For in joy you shall go forth" [Isaiah 55:12]. And this is the aspect of the blessing of redemption [bircas ge'ulah] recited after the Kriyas Shma. And one must juxtapose the redemption to the prayer. For the essential perfection of the service of prayer is when it is in joy — in the aspect of: "Serve G-d in joy" [Psalms 100:2]. And prayer is the aspect of attachment [devekus] to G-d, as is known — and this is the ultimate purpose of joy: to rejoice in Him, blessed be He, and to cling to Him in wondrous and extraordinary attachment. And the essential construction of joy is through the ten types of melody. And therefore the essential prayer is with a quorum of ten [minyan]. And therefore our Sages of blessed memory said: "Any prayer that does not include among its worshipers [even] the sinners of Israel [is lacking], etc." [Kerisus 6b]. For this is the essential perfection of joy — to transform all kinds of sorrow and sighing into joy — so that they become a vehicle for holiness. And this is the aspect of the chelbenah [galbanum] in the incense [ketores]. For the incense is also the aspect of joy — in the aspect of: "incense gladdens the heart" [Proverbs 27:9]. And the chelbenah is the aspect of sorrow and sighing — which is also transformed into joy. And therefore every person must be careful to pray specifically with a congregation [tzibur] — so that even if he has some grip of sorrow and sighing — it too will be transformed into joy through the holiness of the large congregation. And therefore prayer is a healing for everything — for all healings come through joy.

All the alien thoughts and all the confusions — all of them — are the aspects of: arlas lev [foreskin of the heart], cherpos lev [shame of the heart], sheviras lev [breaking of the heart] — for they shame and disgrace and break a person's heart. And this is the essential service of prayer — to purify and cleanse the heart from all evil loves and from all desires and confusions — which are the aspect of cherpos lev, arlas lev as above — through the speech of prayer. Which is the aspect of tzadik moshel [the Tzadik who rules] — which is the aspect of the holy point where the light of holy love dwells. And therefore at the time of prayer all the confusions and all the alien thoughts intensify — as is the way of those fighting one another: when one side comes to nullify the other — the other wishes to overpower against it. Therefore in truth at the time of prayer it is a great battle. And one must be very careful to bind the speech of prayer — which is the aspect of the point aforementioned — to the heart. In order to nullify the cherpos lev aforementioned.

At the time of Minchah [the afternoon prayer] — then takfa d'dinah shalta [the force of strict judgment rules]. From which come all the obstacles from the service of G-d. And therefore our Sages of blessed memory warned especially not to delay the Minchah prayer — as is explained in the Mishnah: "A person should not sit before a barber, etc." Because the obstacles are most common then — since that is the time when most of the world is preoccupied with commerce and their livelihood. From which come all the obstacles from the service of G-d. And then a person must overpower himself more greatly with strong wills and great longings for G-d — in order to remember G-d within the commerce, within the intensity of the obstacles. And this is the essential [meaning]. And this is the aspect of the Minchah prayer. For prayer is the service of the heart — the aspect of ratzon [will]. But the essential intensification of the will is needed specifically at the time of Minchah. And therefore our Sages of blessed memory warned about it especially. For through the Minchah prayer one merits to draw the sweetening of the Minchah of Shabbos [minchah shel Shabbos] — when the essential illumination of the will — ra'ava d'ra'avin [the will of all wills] — shines, as is known. And because the holy will is the aspect of the minchas ani [offering of the poor] — therefore our Sages of blessed memory called this prayer by the name Minchah.

All day a person is preoccupied with his affairs and commerce — which is the aspect of sleep [shenah]. The Minchah prayer is where he remembers G-d and awakens from his sleep — which is the aspect of the commerce. And he pauses to pray Minchah. And therefore the Minchah prayer is the aspect of Rosh Hashanah — which is the aspect of the awakening of the year [his'orrus hashanah]. For Yitzchak established the Minchah prayer — which is the aspect of Rosh Hashanah, the fear of Yitzchak [pachad Yitzchok]. And therefore at that time the judgment is loosened [dina sharya]. And since the essential nourishment of the outer forces comes from the aspect of judgments — therefore they decreed that one should not begin to eat or work [at that time] — so as not to forget to pray. And our Sages of blessed memory said: "A person must always be diligent in the Minchah prayer" — for then extra vigilance is needed for the reason mentioned above.

The Minchah prayer with intention is a segula [-propitious means] for faith. And therefore Eliyahu merited to reveal the holy faith in the world at that time [minchah time].

Sometimes a person is in such smallness [katnus] that he cannot raise his voice at all. Even so, he must not despair of himself from prayer and supplication — and let him fulfill: "And you will be brought low from the earth you will speak… and from the dust your utterance will be chirped" [Isaiah 29:4]. Which is the aspect of: "From the depths I call You, G-d" [Psalms 130:1] — from depths of depths — the innermost of the heart — the aspect of: "Their heart cried out to G-d" [Lamentations 2:18]. Which is the aspect of the silent prayer [tefilah b'lochash] — which our Sages of blessed memory ordained for the smallest of the small. And also for the greatest of the great. For the very smallest — all their prayer is in the aspect of silent prayer as above. And their entire repair is through the great Tzaddikim — who also pray in a whisper [b'lochash]. For they ascend in their prayer to the aspect of Atikah [the Ancient One] — where the aspect of the whisper resides. The aspect of: "wise of hidden things and understanding of the whisper" [Isaiah 3:3]. For there is the aspect of: "a fence for wisdom is silence." And this is the aspect of: "Why do you cry out to Me?" [Exodus 14:15] — at Atikah the matter depends, as is explained in the holy Zohar. That is, for there at Atikah there is no crying out — only silence and a whisper. And this is the aspect of: "G-d will fight for you and you shall be silent" [Exodus 14:14]. For there in the time of katnus — one must cry out to G-d greatly. But in any case — for one must also strengthen himself even then in prayer and supplication — to pray in a whisper at least, from the depths of the heart — as mentioned above. And afterwards one merits to pray with a loud voice. Which is the aspect of the silent prayer — and afterwards the prayer leader [shali'ach tzibur] prays aloud.

Yaakov our Father, peace be upon him, through the greatness of his holiness, merited to lower himself to the very depth of the falls of all of Israel — in the general and the particular — and of every generation until the very footsteps of the Mashiach. And therefore he established the evening prayer [arvis] — which is at the time of complete darkness. For he illuminates the heart of Israel: that even in the utmost complete darkness one must also strengthen himself to engage in prayer. For lais re'usa tava d'is'avad [no good intention is ever lost]. And this he established at the time he merited to encounter the place — which is the place of the Temple. And there he merited to fully attain the very essence of the virtue of the awakening from below [is'arusa d'lisata]: that even any small awakening whatsoever — from whatever aspect and level it is — is never lost forever. For the true Tzadik — in the aspect of Yaakov — watches over this and gathers and collects everything and builds from it wondrous edifices. As all of this is explained in the inner teachings. And therefore he established the evening prayer — that even in the darkness of the night and actual gloom a person should awaken to pray and cry out to Him, blessed be He — in the aspect of: "From the belly of She'ol I cried out" [Jonah 2:3]. For even a cry from the lowest depths is never lost forever.

In truth — all that G-d does with a person is all for his benefit. As our Sages of blessed memory said: a person must say: "All that is done from Heaven — is done for good" [Berochois 60b]. If so, seemingly it is difficult: why did G-d command us to pray regarding the affliction, G-d protect us? For all the sufferings and afflictions, G-d forbid, are truly great goodnesses — to cause him to merit through them the life of eternity. But in truth — certainly all that G-d does with a person is all for the good. And even so, a person must pray and beseech G-d to emerge from the affliction to spaciousness. For the essential creation of the world was for the sake of the human being who has free will — that everything be delivered into the hands of the person. That is, the person specifically should make vessels and channels to draw down His bounty and kindness, blessed be He, below. And without the repair of the vessels — made by the person — the flow of kindness cannot descend below. For if the kindness were to descend before the repair of the vessels — it would be in the aspect of: "an abundance of oil causes the lamp to be extinguished." And then the kindness would be transformed into severe judgment, G-d forbid. And the essential repair of the vessels is through Torah and prayer. And primarily through prayer. And therefore before a person prays — certainly everything that comes upon him is a great goodness, even sufferings, G-d forbid. For everything is for his benefit. For according to his deeds — no flow and vitality can descend to him except through this. And even this comes in great kindness. For if only kindness without any judgment at all were to flow to him — it would be, G-d forbid, in the aspect of an abundance of light that damages more. Therefore the essential repair is through prayer. For through prayer one sweetens the judgments and repairs vessels — in a manner that one can receive the flow of His blessed kindness without sufferings. Only through the repairs of the vessels that he repaired through prayer. And therefore the essential repair of prayer is through gazing at the purpose [tachlis] and including all the prayer in the One — where it is entirely good. As explained in the inner teachings. For without this — one cannot pray at all because of the aforementioned difficulty. As our Sages of blessed memory posed: "But does one give a child whatever he wants?" For since G-d knows the truth — that these sufferings from deficiency of livelihood and the like are for his eternal benefit — how will G-d hear his prayer to give him what he asks and thereby cause him eternal harm, G-d forbid? As in what is written: "There is wealth kept for its owner to his detriment" [Ecclesiastes 5:12]. And as is brought in the holy Zohar: "they prayed for wealth in this world — and afterwards it killed them", G-d forbid. And therefore in truth the essential repair of prayer is through gazing at the true purpose in truth — and knowing and believing that everything is for the good. And then specifically one can pray afterwards for all that he needs. For then he can draw repairs from the light of the impression of the nullification toward the purpose — through which vessels will be made to draw through them His blessed abundant bounty and kindness in perfection with no lack of anything: livelihood and wealth and health — and health — children, life, and sustenance [banei, chayai, mezonai]. And even so — no harm and loss whatsoever will come to him through this, G-d forbid, in any direction — neither in this world nor in the World to Come. Rather, everything will be for eternal good as well. Since he has already repaired the vessels properly to receive through them the flow of kindness. And therefore in truth no person knows how to pray in perfection — except the truly righteous Tzaddikim. As our Sages of blessed memory said: "One who has a sick person in his house — let him go to a sage and ask him to pray for mercy." And other people must bind their prayer to the Tzaddikim aforementioned — and they will elevate their prayer as is proper — to draw for them the flow of what they need: children, life, and sustenance, etc. In a manner that it will not harm them eternally, G-d forbid. Rather, on the contrary — through the flow specifically they will be repaired and return to G-d. And therefore in truth there are many wonders and hidden matters in this matter of prayer. And therefore in truth it is forbidden to be stubborn and to press oneself about anything in one's prayer — as is explained elsewhere. For perhaps in truth it is impossible to fulfill one's request even through prayer — as it may harm him more, G-d forbid, if his request is fulfilled. And if he presses and is very stubborn in his prayer — it could be that he will accomplish with G-d the fulfillment of his request. For a person has great power to accomplish through his prayer. But it will not be for his benefit, G-d forbid. For he has not yet merited through his prayer to repair the vessel in perfection that is needed for receiving the flow that he wants. It is thus found: that as long as he is not praying for his needs — all the lacks he has are a great goodness for him. But through prayer he repairs vessels properly — through which he can — [can] — receive the flow of kindness to fill all the lacks — and it will not — [not] — harm him at all eternally either. And all of this — through gazing in truth at the purpose — which is entirely good as above. And therefore in truth the essential prayer must truly be for one's eternal purpose. And this is the aspect of what is brought in the sacred books: that the essential prayer must be for the sake of completing the lack of the Shechinah, as it were. And therefore even the prayer one prays for one's physical needs — one should pray that G-d give him all his needs in a manner that will bring him eternal success. And this is the aspect of the order of the Shemoneh Esreh [Amidah] that our Sages of blessed memory arranged for us. And we begin first with the praise of the Omnipresent — in the first three blessings. And in the first blessing we mention how He, blessed be He, bestows good kindnesses — and all that He does is entirely for the good. And He is the King, helper, savior, and shield. And afterwards in the blessing of mechayeh hamaisim [Who revives the dead] — one includes also all other salvations and sustenance and healing. And one includes them many times together with the matter of the revival of the dead. That is, we praise and give thanks to G-d that all that He does with us is for our eternal benefit — which is the aspect of the revival of the dead. And only for this does He cause wondrous salvations to sprout for us at all times also in the physical: in matters of sustenance and healing and the like. All in a manner that will bring eternal success — also after the Revival. And thus it is understood that also what sometimes delays the flow, G-d forbid — all of it is for our eternal benefit after the Revival. For since G-d is so good and so beneficent and so all-powerful — and does kindness with the entire world at all times — sustains the living, etc. — if so, from where does it come that sometimes the flow is delayed? Certainly one must believe that it is only for eternal benefit. And therefore there the blessing mentions the matter of the Revival of the Dead many times in close proximity to the matter of sustenance. For in the matter of sustenance, a person's heart is most vexed — and it is hardest for him every time on account of the delay in livelihood. And therefore one must especially be reminded in this matter — that all the sustenance and provision that G-d provides for a person — all of it is for his eternal benefit after the Revival of the Dead. And for this very same reason the sustenance is sometimes delayed — for his eternal benefit afterwards. And afterwards one says Kedushah and the blessing Atah Kadosh [You are holy] — which is the aspect of the very essence of the purpose: that all of Israel should merit after the Revival to sanctify His Name together with all the holy ones who will praise Him forever. And after having arranged the praise of the Omnipresent and proclaimed that all that G-d does is entirely for the good — then one prays for his needs. And even this one begins with the most essential: for knowledge and repentance and forgiveness of sin. And then one prays for the needs of the body. But all our intention even in this is only for the eternal purpose. For we know and acknowledge that G-d is all-powerful — and all that He does with us is entirely for the good. Only even so it is His blessed will that we pray before Him for our needs — in order to make vessels to receive the flow in perfection. And the essential thing — only for the sake of the eternal purpose. And therefore we recite the Kriyas Shma before the prayer. For through the Kriyas Shma we are encompassed in the One. And then specifically one can pray — as mentioned above.

One must strengthen oneself greatly in complete faith — to believe in himself that he has the power to accomplish anything through his prayer. For there are many types of weakness of mind in a person's heart in this matter — as every person knows within himself. And the majority of people imagine that they have no power for this. And therefore they do not strengthen themselves in prayer. And therefore one must toil with very great toil and service to strengthen himself to pray with intention. And the essential toil is at the beginning — that is, at the time he begins to strengthen himself to pray with intention — in the aspect of: "all beginnings are difficult." For at that time he has not yet seen any action from his prayer. But when he merits to overpower himself with all his strength to pray with intention — until he merits to accomplish some thing through his prayer — such as he prayed about some matter and was answered — then he is strengthened in this to believe even in himself that he has the power to accomplish through his prayer. Since he sees that G-d has already heard his prayer too and he was answered. And then a complete vessel is formed for him to receive the flow through the words of prayer. For the essential formation of the vessel is through faith — that is, through believing even in himself that G-d hears his prayer.

There are two kinds of kelipos [husks] that confuse a person's mind from strengthening himself in prayer. They are the husks of Eisav and Yishmo'el — which are the husks of the orlah [foreskin] and the peri'ah [secondary membrane]. The husk of Eisav-Amalek is the aspect of the outright orlah — for he denies the very foundation and does not acknowledge prayer at all. And he misleads a person's heart to say that prayer accomplishes nothing, G-d forbid — since the exile drags on for so long and every day one cries out and is not saved. And through the commandment of circumcision [bris milah] — which cuts the orlah that covers the bris — through this his evil husk is nullified and the aspect of the repair of the bris is drawn. Through which one merits to always strengthen himself in prayer. For the essential repair of prayer is through the repair of the bris. But there is still another husk — the husk of the skin of peri'ah — which is the aspect of the husk of Yishmo'el. From which a different error is drawn in a person's heart — to become lax in prayer, G-d forbid. Because it seems to him that G-d has certainly already heard his prayer. Especially when he sees some sprouting of a ray of salvation — then it seems to him that his prayer has already been received. And he becomes lax about praying further. And this is drawn from the aspect of the husk of Yishmo'el — who is named thus from: "For G-d has heard your affliction" [Genesis 16:11] — and its Targum: "for G-d has received your prayer." But in truth — even when one has not yet seen any salvation — one must believe that no prayer is in vain, G-d forbid. And to strengthen oneself in prayer even more. And likewise the reverse — even when one sees some salvation — it is forbidden to nullify and become lax in one's prayer because of this. Rather, one must rejoice in the salvation and give thanks for the past — and cry out for the future. For we still need many, very many salvations all the days of our lives — until we merit to come to what we need to come to — for which purpose we came into this world. And if one becomes lax in prayer because it seems to him that he has already accomplished much through his prayer — which is drawn from the aspect of the husk of Yishmo'el, the husk of peri'ah — through this, G-d forbid, the completion of his salvation is delayed and his exile is prolonged, G-d forbid. And then the husk of Eisav-Amalek — which is the husk of orlah — returns and arouses — and darkens his heart entirely from strengthening himself in his prayer through this very thing: that he sees that he has been crying out for so long and still is not answered with complete salvation. And this is the aspect of: "one who was circumcised but did not perform peri'ah — it is as if he was not circumcised." And this is the aspect of: "And Mordechai returned" [Esther 6:12] — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded: he returned to his sackcloth and his fast [Megillah 16a]. For even though he had already seen such a wondrous salvation — that they had made him ride upon the king's horse and proclaimed before him, etc. — even so, he did not become lax through this in his prayer and his crying out. And likewise regarding Esther it is written: "And Esther spoke further before the king, etc. — and she wept and implored him to remove the evil of Haman, etc." [Esther 8:3]. And this alludes to all of Kneses Yisroel [the Congregation of Israel] — who are the aspect of Esther. That even when they see great salvations and wondrous miracles — that the sitra achra in the aspect of Haman-Amalek has already fallen greatly, and they have hung him and his sons — [and his sons] — on the tree — even so they are not satisfied with this and still stand and pray and weep and implore before Him, blessed be He — like a child who wheedles before his father — to remove the evil of Haman who is the sitra achra entirely. So that they merit to be purified and sanctified entirely. For even though certainly one must give much thanks for the salvations that have already been done for him — even so, we still need to greatly multiply prayer. For we still need many salvations all the days of our lives. Therefore one must strengthen oneself to always greatly multiply prayer.

📜 Translator's Summary — Sections 25–35 (Mem through Tav, first entries)