Showing posts with label Prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prayer. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Tikkun Haklali

Tikkun Haklali English Translation
The Ten Psalms English Translation

Prayer before reciting the Psalms
Our God and God of our fathers
Who chooses King David and his descendants;
Who chooses songs and praises.
Please turn to me in mercy and accept the psalms I am about to say as if King David himself were saying them, and let his merit protect us.
There is merit in every verse of the psalms and in every word, every letter, vowel and musical note, and in all the holy names spelled out by the first and last letters of each Hebrew word.
Let this merit stand in our favor to atone for our sins and transgressions, cut down our enemies and accusers on High, and destroy all the thorns and thistles surrounding the Supernal Rose. Send down blessing from Your exalted place to all the levels of our soul and spirit, to purify us from our sins, forgive our transgressions and atone for our rebellion, just as You forgave King David who recited these Psalms before You. "And God will cause your sin to pass away and you will not die" ( II Samuel 12:13 ) .
Do not take us from this world before our time.
Give us a full life throughout our span of seventy years so that we may make amends for all the wrong we have done.
May the merit of King David protect us . Be patient with us until we return to You in perfect repentance.Grant us blessing from Your treasury of open-handed generosity, as it is written: "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy" (Exodus 33:19) .
Just as we sing before You in this world, grant us the privilege of singing before You, God, in the world to come. Through our recital of the Psalms , let pleasant song break forth with rejoicing and exultation. Let glory be given to Israel , and splendor and beauty shall be in the House of God. Bring it speedily in our days. Amen.
Before reciting the Tikkun HaKlali , it is good to say the following:
In saying these Ten Psalms I bind myself to all the true Tzaddikim in this generation and all the true Tzaddikim who have departed, "the holy ones who are in the earth," and especially our holy Rebbe, Tzaddik, foundation of the world, the "flowing brook, source of wisdom," Rabbi Nachman the son of Feige, may his merit protect us, who revealed this remedy.Come let us sing to God, let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us sing to Him joyously in song. For God is a great God and a great King over all gods (Psalms 95:1-3) .Before beginning the Psalms , say:I prepare my mouth to give thanks and praise to my Creator, to unify the Holy One , blessed be He , and His Indwelling Presence in awe and love, through the Hidden and Concealed One, in the name of all Israel .
Psalm 16
1. A sweet song of David, a crown for his head. Protect me, God, for I take refuge in You.2. Community of Israel , say to God: You are my Lord. The goodness that You show me is not my due from You, it is because of Your love.3. Because of the holy ones who rest in the earth and those who were firm in their fear of God. All my desires are fulfilled through their merit. 4. But as for those who hurry after other gods, their afflictions will be multiplied. I will not pour out libations of blood like theirs, I will not bear the names of their gods upon my lips.5. God, my lot and my portion, cup of my abundance, You have guided me to choose a goodly portion: faith in God.6. My lot has fallen in places of pleasantness, mine is an inheritance of grace and beauty.7. As for me, I will bless God, for He guides me to cho o se life and follow His ways. Even in the night-time, my reins give me counsel in the fear and love of God.8. I have placed God before me always. He is always at my right hand: I will not stumble.9. Therefore my heart is joyous, my soul, glory of my being, exults. My very flesh will dwell secure.10. For You will not cast my soul into hell, You will not allow Your devoted one to see destruction.11. You will teach me the path of life and grant me the ultimate contentment and joy, the joy of Your countenance, the eternal bliss at Your right hand.
Psalm 32
1. A song of David to teach wisdom.Happy is he whose sin is forgiven and his transgression covered over.2. Happy is the man whose wrong-doing God will not hold against him, because he has truly repented and he has no intention of deceiving either God or man.3. As long as I kept silent and did not confess my sins before You, I became worn down in my very essence, groaning all the day in fear of punishment.4. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me, my vitality turned as dry as the parchedness of summer. Selah.5. Therefore I will acknowledge my transgression; I do not hide my wrongdoing. I said I will acknowledge my sins before God: And You have forgiven my sin and transgression. Selah.6. Let everyone who is devoted to You offer this prayer at the moment You are to be found:That when punishments are sent to scour him, at least they should not come upon him like a swelling flood of water.7. You are my refuge; You guard me from the enemy terror. You surround me with the joys of deliverance. Selah.8. You have said: I will teach you wisdom and light up the path that you should travel. With gestures of My eye will I give you counsel.9. Don't be like a horse or a stubborn mule which do not understand, which do not distinguish between one who wants to help them and one who wants to harm them.Even when you groom and adorn them, you must curb them with bridle and halter so they will not come close and injure you.10. The wicked man, who like them, chaffs at suffering, has many troubles. But one who trusts in God, knowing that all the suffering God sends is intended to cleanse and refine him, will be surrounded with love.11. Take joy in God, the source of this love. Exult, you righteous, and shout for joy all who are upright in their heart.
Psalm 41
1. For the leader of the singers. A song of David.2. Happy is he who cares for the poor and the sick. On the day of evil God will rescue him.3. God will guard him and give him life. Throughout the world he will be considered happy. You will not subject him to the desire of his enemies.4. God will sustain him when he is on his sickbed. Even when he is ill, You attend him and turn him from one side to the other.5. But as for me, whom no- one comes to visit, I have said: God, have pity. Heal my soul for I have sinned against You .6. My enemies speak evil against me: "When will he die and his name be destroyed?"7. Even if my enemy comes to visit , his protestations of concern are false. As he sits there, his heart collects malicious thoughts which he will then go out and spread.8. All those who hate me whisper together against me and plot evil against me.9. They say how "All his evil has now come back to haunt him in the form of his illness, and now that he has succumbed, he will never get up again."10. Even the man with whom I was at peace, whom I trusted and to whom I gave my bread, has also surrounded me with a great ambush. 11. But You, O God, take pity on me and raise me up and I shall repay them.12. By the fact of Your healing me I will know that You have accepted me, if my enemy will not triumph over me.13. As for me, it is in my purity that You have supported me and established me before You for ever.14. When I am healed I will praise You : Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel, from eternity to eternity. Amen. Amen.
Psalm 42
1. For the leader of the singers. A song of the sons of Korach. To teach wisdom.2. As a deer pants for streams of water, so my soul cries out for You, O God.3. My soul thirsts for God, the living God: when will I come and appear in the presence of God?4. My tears have been my bread day and night as my enemies taunt me all day long asking "Where is your God?"5. This I remember and I pour out my soul within me: how I would go to Jerusalem with the throngs for the festivals, how I would walk in the procession to the House of God with shouts of joy and thanks to God amidst the festival crowds.6. Why are you downcast, my soul? Why do you groan within me? Have hope in God. There will come a time when I will give thanks for the salvation which will come from His radiant presence.7. My God, my soul is downcast in this exile, as I remember Your miracles in the land of the Jordan where the River Jordan became dry land, at the peaks of Mount Hermon where You passed over our wrongdoing, and at the lowly mountain Sinai where You forgave us the sin of the golden calf.8. Yet in our present exile, deep water cries out to deep water , one sorrow cries out after another, with the cry from the channels through which You send punishments, which are poured out like water. All Your breakers and waves have swept over me.9. With the light of day let God command His kindness to be revealed. Even in the night of exile, may His presence rest with me. This is my prayer to the God of my life.10. I say to God, my Rock, why have You forgotten me ? Why must I go about in dark gloom under the oppression of the enemy?11. I feel it like murder and the pain of death in my bones when my oppressors taunt me and say to me all day, "Where is your God?"12. Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why do you groan within me? Have hope in God, for I will yet have cause to acknowledge Him, my salvation, the light of my face and my God.
Psalm 59
1. For the leader of the singers. A precious song of David. "Do not destroy." A prayer composed when Saul sent messengers to wait at the house in order to kill him.2. Rescue me from my enemies, O my God, give me strength against them that rise up against me.3. Rescue me from those who act treacherously. Save me from bloodthirsty men.4. For they are lying in wait for my very soul. Brazen men are gathered against me – and not because of any sin or transgression of mine, O God, You know.5. Without my having wronged them they come running against me and have readied themselves to kill me. Awaken, come towards me and see!6. And You, Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awaken and deal with them just as You deal with all the nations. Show no favor to all who deal treacherously and falsely. Selah.7. They oppress me in the day; then they are back in the evening. They howl like dogs and go about the city to prevent me escaping.8. All through the day they pour forth slander from their mouths, words sharp as swords are on their lips, for they say, "Who can hear us?"9. But You, O God, laugh at them, as You scorn all the nations.10. In the face of the enemy power, I wait for You. For God is my fortress.11. God, Who always shows me love, will send me help in time. He will let me see what I want to happen to those who lie in wait for me.12. Do not kill them, lest their being dead puts them out of mind, and my people will forget. Put them to flight with Your power and put their fortunes into decline, God our Shield, my Master.13. The sin of their mouth is the word of their lips. They will be trapped through their pride and men will tell of the curse and the weakness that befell them, and people will learn.14. Destroy them in Your wrath, destroy them and they will be no more, and all will know that God rules over the people of Jacob, God rules to the ends of the earth. Selah.15. The wicked return in the evening, they howl like dogs and roam the city.16. They wander round in search of food. Until they are satiated they will not go to sleep. My enemies are like dogs in their search for my harm.17. But when You save me I will sing in praise of Your strength, and I will exult in the morning over Your love. For You have been a tower of strength and a refuge for me on my day of trouble.18. You are my strength, to You I will sing, for God is my tower of strength and a God of love to me.
Psalm 77
1. For the leader of the singers. On the sufferings of Israel : A song of Asaph.2. I lift my voice to God and cry out to Him, I lift my voice to God and He will turn His ears to hear me.3. On my day of suffering, Master, I have sought for You . In the night of my exile, my hand – the suffering dealt me – is long drawn out, it does not subside. My soul refuses to be comforted.4. I remember God; I remember the love He showed me in my time of favor, and I sigh. I reflect on those former kindnesses and my soul languishes. Selah.5. You have gripped the lids of my eyes. I have no rest from my sorrows. I feel smitten and broken and I cannot speak.6. I have considered the good You did in the days of old, the years of the ages past.7. In this night of exile, I remember my song – the song I sang in the Sanctuary. I ponder in my heart and my spirit searches out the ways of God, and I ask­:8. How can it be that God will cast off for ever and not show favor once again as He did in the past?9. Has His mercy disappeared for ever? Has He made a final decree for all the generations to come that He will not return from His anger?10. Has God forgotten how to show graciousness? Has He shut off His love because of His wrath?11. But I say, it is to inspire us with awe and bring us to repent that the right hand of the Supreme God has changed from bestowing good.12. I remember the works of God, I remember Your wonders to us in former times.13. I reflect on Your actions and I meditate on Your deeds.14. God, Your way is to sanctify Your Name by executing justice among the nations. Which of their gods is as great as God?15. You are the God that works wonders. You have made known Your strength among the nations.16. With an outstretched arm You redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.17. The waters of the Red Sea saw You, God, the waters saw You and were afraid. The deeps were thrown into turmoil.18. The clouds poured forth water, the heavens emitted a cry, and Your arrows flew in the camp of the Egyptians to destroy them.19. The sound of Your thundering was like a whirlwind. Flashes of lightening lit up the world. The earth trembled and quaked.20. Your path was in the sea, Your way was in abundant waters, and Your steps were not visible, because the waters rolled back at once to drown the Egyptians.21. You led Your people as a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Psalm 90
1. A prayer of Moses, man of God. Lord, You have been a refuge for us in every generation.2. Before the mountains were born and before You formed the earth and the world, from eternity and for ever You are God.3. You subdue a man ' s confidence and strength to the point where he is ground down and contrite, and You say: "Return to Me, children of man."4. For a thousand years are in Your eyes like yesterday when it is past and like a watch in the night.5. The stream of men's lives is a mere sleep. In the morning he sprouts forth like grass.6. In the morning he flourishes and sprouts forth. But in the evening he is cut down and withers.7. For in Your wrath we are destroyed. We are confounded by Your anger.8. You place our sins before You and our hidden deeds in the light of Your countenance.9. For all our days are passed and gone under the glare of Your anger. We have used up our years and they have passed like a fleeting sound.10. The days of our years are seventy years, if we have exceptional strength perhaps eighty years, and all their pride and grandeur is mere toil and iniquity, it is gone quickly and we fly away.11. In such a life, who can acquire any understanding of the strength of Your anger in order to feel the awe which You command – and according to the awe which You command, so is the power of Your wrath against sinners.12. According to the number of our days, short as they are, teach us while they are with us, and then we will acquire a heart of wisdom.13. Return from the heat of Your anger – how long will You be angry? Take pity on Your servants.14. Satisfy us with Your love on the morning of our redemption, and we will exult and rejoice all our days, even over the troubles we have endured.15. Give us joy according to the number of days You afflicted us and the years we have seen evil.16. Let Your work be revealed to Your servants and let the splendor of Your glory be revealed to their children.17. Let the pleasantness of the presence of the Lord our God rest upon us, and establish the work of our hands – the Temple . Establish the work of our hands – our labor – for good and for blessing.
Psalm 105
1. Give thanks to God, call upon His name. Make known His acts among the nations.2. Sing to Him, play instruments for Him. Tell of all His miracles.3. Take pride in His holy Name . Take pride that you have such a God. The heart of those who seek for God will rejoice.4. Search for God and for the revelation of His might. Seek out His face always.5. Remember the miracles which He wrought, His wonders and the judgments which He executed upon the nations through the utterance of His mouth.6. Remember this, you who are the seed of Abraham His servant, the children of Jacob, you, His chosen ones.7. He is the Lord our God , Whose judgments hold sway throughout the earth.8. God has remembered the eternal covenant of love He made with His children, the word He commanded to endure to the thousandth generation.9. This covenant He struck with Abraham; it was His oath to Isaac.10. He established it as a statute for Jacob, an eternal covenant with Israel ;11. Saying: "To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance."12. The covenant was made when our ancestors were small in number, they had scarcely dwelled in the land.13. They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.14. He did not let any man oppress them, even kings He rebuked for their sake.15. "Do not touch My anointed ones, and do not harm My prophets."16. In order to fulfill His word and exile His people to Egypt , He decreed a famine in the land, and the staff on which the people depended – their bread – He broke completely.17. Before them He sent a man – Joseph, who was sold as a slave.18. The Egyptians made him suffer by putting his legs in fetters. His very soul was in chains.19. Until the time that God's decree came to pass that the Children of Israel should go down to Egypt , God's command was that Joseph should be refined through the tests he endured in Egypt .20. Pharaoh the king sent to loosen his fetters, a ruler over nations it was who released him.21. He appointed him master over his house and gave him power over all his possessions,22. To bind his ministers to Joseph's soul with ties of love, and he taught wisdom to Pharaoh's wise men.23. Israel came to Egypt : Jacob dwelled in the land of the descendants of Ham.24. God caused His nation to be abundantly fruitful, and He made them stronger than their oppressors.25. He turned their hearts to hate His people and to conspire against His servants.26. He sent His servant Moses, and Aaron, His chosen one.27. They performed among them the words of God's signs, miracles in the land of Ham .28. God sent darkness, and it became dark: the signs God sent were faithful in their mission, they did not rebel against His word.29. He turned their waters to blood and caused their fish to die.30. Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the chambers of their kings.31. He spoke, and wild animals came. There were lice throughout their borders.32. He turned their rains into hail, and a flaming fire descended over their land.33. The hail smote their vines and their fig-trees and broke the trees within their borders.34. God spoke, and the locusts came, different kinds and without number.35. They ate up all the plants in their country and ate up the fruit of their land.36. He smote every first-born in their land, the flower of all their strength.37. And he brought out the Children of Israel with silver and gold. In all their tribes no- one stumbled through sin.38. Egypt rejoiced at their going out, because the fear of Israel had fallen upon them.39. He spread out a cloud for protection, and sent a pillar of fire to light up the night.40. The people asked and he brought quails; He satisfied them with the bread of Heaven, the Manna.41. He opened a rock and water flowed forth, in the parched desert it ran like a river.42. For He remembered His holy word that He had spoken to Abraham His servant.43. He brought out His people in gladness, His chosen ones in joy.44. He gave them the lands of the nations and they inherited the fruit of the labor of the peoples.45. All this in order that they should keep His statutes and guard His teachings. Halleluyah .
Psalm 137
1. By the waters of Babylon , there we sat and wept as we remembered Zion .2. On willows there in her midst we hung up our harps.3. For there our captors asked us to sing, those that scorned us asked us to be happy, saying "Sing us some of the songs of Zion ."4. How can we sing the song of God on foreign soil?5. If I forget you, Jerusalem , let my right hand forget its skills.6. Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not place Jerusalem above my chief joy.7. Remember, O God, what the children of Edom did on the day of the destruction of Jerusalem , saying "Raze it, raze it completely to its foundation."8. Pride of Babylon , you are destined to be destroyed. Happy is he that will repay you for the way you treated us.9. Happy is the man who will sieze your little ones and dash them against the rock.Psalm
150
1. Praise God. Praise God in His holy sanctuary. Praise Him in the firmament of His power.2. Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him and tell of His abundant greatness.3. Praise Him with the blast of the horn. Praise Him with the harp and the lyre.4. Praise Him on the drums and with dance. Praise Him with stringed instruments and with the flute.5. Praise Him with the clear-sounding cymbals. Praise Him with the loud-toned cymbals.6. Let everything that has breath praise God! Halleluyah!After finishing the Psalms say:If only the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion , when God will return the captivity of His people! Jacob will rejoice; Israel will exult.The salvation of the righteous is from God, Who will help them and rescue them. He will rescue them from the wicked and save them, for they trusted in Him.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Iggeres HaRamban - The Ramban's Letter

Hear, my son, the instruction of your father and don't forsake the teaching of your mother (Mishlei 1:8). Get into the habit of always speaking calmly to everyone. This will prevent you from anger, a serious character flaw which causes people to sin. As our Rabbis said (Nedarim 22a):Whoever flares up in anger is subject to the discipline of Gehinnom as it is says in (Koheles 12:10), "Cast out anger from your heart, and [by doing this] remove evil from your flesh." "Evil" here means Gehinnom, as we read (Mishlei 16:4): "...and the wicked are destined for the day of evil." Once you have distanced yourself from anger, the quality of humility will enter your heart.This radiant quality is the finest of all admirable traits (see Avodah Zarah 20b), because (Mishlei 22:4), "Following humility comes the fear of Hashem."

Through humility you will also come to fear Hashem. It will cause you to always think about (see Avos 3:1) where you came from and where you are going, and that while alive you are only like a maggot and a worm, and the same after death. It will also remind you before Whom you will be judged, the King of Glory, as it is stated (I Melachim 8:27; Mishlei 15:11), "Even the heaven and the heavens of heaven can't contain You" -- "How much less the hearts of people!" It is also written (Yirmeyahu 23:24), "Do I not fill heaven and earth? says Hashem."

When you think about all these things, you will come to fear Hashem who created you, and you will protect yourself from sinning and therefore be happy with whatever happens to you. Also, when you act humbly and modestly before everyone, and are afraid of Hashem and of sin, the radiance of His glory and the spirit of the Shechina will rest upon you, and you will live the life of the World-to-Come!

And now, my son, understand and observe that whoever feels that he is greater than others is rebelling against the Kingship of Hashem, because he is adorning himself with His garments, as it is written (Tehillim 93:1), "Hashem reigns, He wears clothes of pride." Why should one feel proud? Is it because of wealth? Hashem makes one poor or rich (I Shmuel 2:7). Is it because of honor? It belongs to Hashem, as we read (I Divrei Hayamim 29:12), "Wealth and honor come from You." So how could one adorn himself with Hashem's honor? And one who is proud of his wisdom surely knows that Hashem "takes away the speech of assured men and reasoning from the sages" (Iyov 12:20)!? So we see that everyone is the same before Hashem, since with His anger He lowers the proud and when He wishes He raises the low. So lower yourself and Hashem will lift you up!

Therefore, I will now explain to you how to always behave humbly. Speak gently at all times, with your head bowed, your eyes looking down to the ground and your heart focusing on Hashem. Don't look at the face of the person to whom you are speaking. Consider everyone as greater than yourself. If he is wise or rich, you should give him respect. If he is poor and you are richer -- or wiser -- than he, consider yourself to be more guilty than he, and that he is more worthy than you, since when he sins it is through error, while yours is deliberate and you should know better!

In all your actions, words and thoughts, always regard yourself as standing before Hashem, with His Shechinah above you, for His glory fills the whole world. Speak with fear and awe, as a slave standing before his master. Act with restraint in front of everyone. When someone calls you, don't answer loudly, but gently and softly, as one who stands before his master.

Torah should always be learned diligently, so you will be able to fulfill it's commands. When you arise from your learning reflect carefully on what you have studied, in order to see what in it that you can be put into practice. Examine your actions every morning and evening, and in this way every one of your days will be spent in teshuvah (repentance).

Concentrate on your prayers by removing all worldly concerns from your heart. Prepare your heart before Hashem, purify your thoughts and think about what you are going to say. If you follow this in all your daily actions, you will not come to sin. This way everything you do will be proper, and your prayer will be pure, clear, clean, devout and acceptable to Hashem, as it is written (Tehillim 10:17), "When their heart is directed to You, listen to them."

Read this letter at least once a week and neglect none of it. Fulfill it, and in so doing, walk with it forever in the ways of Hashem, may he be blessed,so that you will succeed in all your ways. Thus you will succeed and merit the World to Come which lies hidden away for the righteous. Every day that you shall read this letter, heaven shall answer your heart's desires. Amen, Sela!

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Prayer for Anger and Breaking Anger

Prayer for Anger and Breaking Anger
AngerMy Father, merciful Father, have compassion on me for You are good and do good to all. Help me and save me so that I merit very soon to break and nullify the attribute of anger from myself. Save me from anger, from cruelty, and from strictness. Let me never be angry or irritated by anything or strict with anyone in the world. Rather, in Your mercy, let me merit to be good and do good to everyone. By this, in Your bountiful mercy, save me from all sorts of haters and accusers so that they have no strength to denunciate or accuse me at all. Master of the World, have pity o me. Have pity on my very wretched and very tired soul. You know how many haters, enemies, and accusers stand against us at all times. Behold, I myself admit that I am guilty. I caused all this to my soul. I aroused these forces against me by my bad deeds, by my immense sins, iniquities, and willful transgressions. Not only this, I also added one sin upon another for I was not careful and did not guard myself from the evil fire of anger such that this fire of anger has burned inside me many many times. By this great sin of anger I aroused the great accuser and hater who is Esav, a hairy man, through whom many many accusers, denouncers, and haters and enemies have been aroused against us, until the number of haters and enemies has become very great and I do not know what to do at all. I don’t know where to run to escape from them.... Master of the World, You know my heart. What can I say before You who rest in the Heavens, what can I tell before You who dwell in the skies? All the hidden things and revealed things You know. You know the secrets of the world, the mysteries of the hidden things of all living things. You search out all the chambers of the gut, and examine the kidneys and heart. Nothing is obscured from You and nothing is hidden from Your eyes. Good One, who does good to all, satisfy me from Your good and let me merit to be good to everyone. Atone, pardon, and forgive me for all my sins, iniquities, and willful transgressions, for all the blemishes and spoiling that I caused by the iniquity of anger. Have mercy on me from now on. In Your great forgiveness, pardon me and find favor in me, out of Your real goodness. Always be with me and, from now on, save me from anger and strictness so that I never become angry, strict, or irritated about any person or anything in the world, even in my heart. Let me never come to anger or irritation. Shine upon me with the light of Your Countenance. In Your compassion, command that my brain of holiness, which departed from me because of the iniquity of anger, be returned to me. Draw upon me the image of G*d, the light of Countenance of the Living G*d. Grant me, from Yourself, an undeserving gift. Bestow upon me the bounty of holy wisdom, understanding and perception such that I merit to the radiance of the Countenance of Holiness. Let me merit always to eat in great holiness, in the aspect of the delight of Sabbath, such that the Other Side will have no hold over my eating. Let me merit to subdue the liver to the brain and let the brain and mind of holiness overcome the anger of the liver. Let there be no rule or control at all by the liver; rather, let all the control be by my brain until I merit to have the image of G*d shine in my face and I become definable as a holy person.Breaking angerHaShem, my G-d and G-d of my fathers! Good and loving G-d: Help me! Guard and protect me from all anger, temper and resentment. Even if I do start to become angry at times, have pity on me and keep me from doing anything vicious out of anger. Help me break my anger, and instead show love ankindness. Help me control my impulses and break my temper, and turn anger into love. Let me make a point of acting kindly where I might have wanted to show anger. Don't let me have a strange god inside me, and don't let me worship idols because this injunction applies to someone who becomes angry: he is considered as if he worshipped idols.Master of the Universe: You know how hard it is to break this evil trait of anger and resentment. Once my anger starts to bum, I'm just not in my right mind. It is so hard to put out the fire of anger and suppress it. Take pity on me for Your Name's sake, and You help me! Guard me and protect me at all times. Help me break this trait and totally remove all anger and resentirnent from within me. Let me never ever become angry or resentful. Let me always be good to everyone, from now on and for ever.And through this, let me arouse Your true kindness and tender love for our poor nation, destitute as we are today. We have been so despised and pushed around. We are scattered on all the mountains like a dispersed flock without a shepherd and with no-one to gather us in. Stop being angry with us. Set aside Your burning fury, and replace it with sweetness. Let Your compassion take the upper hand, and show us favor. Have mercy on us and send us true Tzaddikim, holy leaders, who will lovingly guide us and put into our hearts and minds an understanding of our true goal and purpose in life. With their help, let us spend all our days in pursuit of the true goal, throwing all our worldly appetites behind our back. Let our whole aim, desire, effort and struggle be only for the true, ultimate purpose, in accordance with Your will.

Thursday, January 4, 2007

Healing Prayers

Healing Prayers
Healing PrayersPrayer is an essential tool for healing. New pages were added because we truly believe that people who are ill should also pray themselves, whether at a synagogue or at home. We think that the most effective healing prayers come from those who pray for the sick as well as the sick praying for themselves. We offer a collection of individual prayers, in addition to a modified form of Jewish prayers that are traditionally said three times a day. When you become aware of a member of your community who is ill, share this page of healing prayers with them. It’s never too late to learn how to davven (Yiddish for prayer) effectively. Prayer is our greatest opportunity to connect with spiritual energy, but unfortunately it’s seldom properly taught so that most of us go through life finding prayer unsatisfying.The "Learn more about prayer" link can make prayer more meaningful to you. Many books have been written about Jewish prayer; many synagogues offer adult ed courses on prayer. They generally all emphasize the details of the prayer service—which occasions should certain prayers be recited, which prayers are to be included at appointed times and the biblical sources for a particular prayer. The “how-to” is rarely ever mentioned. Individual Prayers for HealingLearn more about prayerThe Morning PrayerThe Afternoon PrayerThe Evening PrayerA prayer for healingGod, hear my prayer,And let my cry come to You.Do not hide from me in the day of my distressTurn to me and speedily answer my prayer.Eternal God, Source of healing,Out of my distress I call upon You.Help me sense Your presenceAt this difficult time.Grant me patience when the hours are heavy;In hurt or disappointment give me courage.Keep me trustful in Your love.Give me strength for today, and hope for tomorrow.To your loving hands I commit my spiritWhen asleep and when awake. You are with me; I shall not fear.A MeditationEl na refa na lah.Please God, bring healing.A BlessingMi-sheberakh avoteinu v’imoteinu, Avraham v’Sarah, Yitzhak v’Rivkah, Ya’akov, Rachel v’Leah hu y’varekh et (insert names here) v’yavi aleihem refuat hanefesh u’refuat haguf yachad im kol cholei amo Yisrael. Barukh atah Hashem, rofeh ha’cholim.May the One who was a source of blessing for our ancestors, bring blessings of healing upon (insert names here), a healing of body and a healing of spirit. May those in whose care they are entrusted be gifted with wisdom and skill, and those who surround them be gifted with love and trust, openness and support in their care. And may they be healed along with all those who are in need. Blessed are You, Source of healing.A PrayerMi sheberakh avoteinu mekor habrakha l’imoteinuMay the Source of strengthWho blessed the ones before usHelp us find the courageTo make our lives a blessing,And let us say: Amen.Mi sheberakh imoteinu mekor habrakha l’avoteinuBless those in need of healing With refuah shleima:The renewal of body,The renewal of spirit,And let us say: AmenHealing Prayer Every person must be responsible for his fellow man. That burden extends to every facet of life including illness. The Torah obligates us to collectively care for the needy, the orphan, the stranger, the aged and the sick; in other words for all those who cannot provide for themselves. This set of prayers is ideal for private at-home prayer or at a havurah or synagogue healing service.A sick person generally needs the assistance of caregivers, doctors, nurses and family to get well again. They are also in need of spiritual support from the community. We can fulfill this obligation with prayer. We urge that as many people as possible join us daily and pray for a refuah shleimah, a complete recovery for all that are sick and ailing.Imagine all of the people who are sick that could receive God’s healing blessings through your prayer. There is no limit to how often one can pray for himself or for someone else. The purpose of healing prayer is to stand before God who is the ultimate healer, a fact that all healers acknowledge. Searching for meaning or solace in a time of sickness or pain? Here we offer Jewish insights and rituals, both traditional and contemporary, for those in need of healing.Introductory prayer I gratefully thank You, O living and eternal King, for You have returned my soul within me with compassion—abundant is Your faithfulness! Modeh ani l’fanecha, melech chai v’kayam. She’hechezarta bi nishmati b’chemla—raba emunatechaPrayer for the body Blessed are You, our Eternal God, Creator of the Universe, who has made our bodies in wisdom, creating openings, arteries, glands, and organs marvelous in structure, intricate in design. Should but one of them, by being blocked or opened, fail to function, it would be difficult to stand before You. Wondrous Fashioner and Sustainer of life, Source of our health and our strength, we give you thanks and praise.Prayer for the soul My God, the soul which You have placed within me is pure. You have created it, You will one day take it from me and restore it to me in time to come. So long as my soul is within me, I make acknowledgment before You, my God and God of all generations. Blessed are you, God who restores my soul each day that I may once again awaken.A Prayer You are mighty, Lord, who brings healing to the sick, You are great in granting salvation, providing the living with sustenance, with lovingkindness, caring for the sick with great mercies, supporting the fallen, healing the sick, releasing the captive, and keeping faith with those who are lost among the living, Who is like you, Master of mighty acts, and who compares to you, King who restores health, and causes salvation to sprout, You who are faithful, comforting the ill among us, Blessed are You, Lord who heals the sick.Prayer for healing Hear my prayer, O Lord, heed my plea for mercy. In time of trouble I call You, for You will answer me. When pain and illness are my companions, let there be room in my heart for strength. When the days and nights are filled with darkness, let the light of courage find its place. Help me endure the suffering and dissolve the fear; renew within me the calm spirit of trust and peace. Boruch Atah Adonai, Ro-fei HaCholim We praise you, O God, Healer of the SickMi Sheberach May the One who blessed our ancestors, Sarah and Abraham, Rebecca and Isaac, Leah, Rachel and Jacob bless (insert name here) along with all of the ill among us. Grant insight to those who bring healing, courage and faith to those who are sick, love and strength to us and to all who love them. God, let your spirit rest upon all who are ill and comfort them. May they and we soon know a time of complete healing, a healing of the body and a healing of the spirit and let us say: Amen.Concluding prayer May the one who creates harmony above make peace for us and for all Israel, And for all who dwell on earth. And say: Amen.Suggestion: Print this page for your daily healing prayers. New prayers will be added each month.

Monday, August 14, 2006

One of my prayers

One of my prayers on Shabbat caught me a little off guard. I did my usual...my family...distant relatives...be more observant....Make aliyah...but what caught me off guard was to keep my mouth shut.I begged Hashem to keep me from saying any unkind words.I was tested today. For work I carry a lot of money on which is from the petty cash. Today was only 150 dollars. Well don't you know it disappeared. You come to a point in your life that you get tired of asking why. To my surprise I was looked up to heaven and said OK Hashem OK. I f you want to give it back that's ok and if I need to pay it back out of my own money that's ok too. WOW!!!! I was starting to worry but there it rang in my head DO NOT DESPAIR! It is so hard when you lose money especially money that isn't yours. So OK Hashem OK... I looked everywhere and then decided to just leave it. When I came home for lunch don't you know there it sat in the middle of the living room floor. No Way!!!Mind you it had 20 dollars missing and then I was getting upset because I wondered how could someone steal from me. SMACK!!!! How dare I. I just said OK Hashem and now I find it and instead of being thankful I am upset that someone took 20 dollars from it. How arrogant. I was humbled quick in the back of mind I just heard myself say Leah keep your mouth shut. What would I gain from confrontation, strife, anger?Spend it well. And if you need a couple of dollars let me know. And that I say with sincereity.

Monday, August 7, 2006

Rebbe Nachman's Prayer for Peace

Rebbe Nachman's Prayer for Peace
Lord of Peace, Divine Ruler, to whom peace belongs! Master of Peace, Creator of all things!May it be thy will to put an end to war and bloodshed on earth, and to spread a great and wonderful peace over the whole world, so that nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.Help us and save us all, and let us cling tightly to the virtue of peace.
Let there be a truly great peace between every person and their fellow, and between husband and wife, and let there be no discord between people even in their hearts.Let us never shame any person on earth, great or small. May it be granted unto us to fulfill Thy Commandment to "Love thy neighbor as thyself," with all our hearts and souls and bodies and possessions.And let it come to pass in our time as it is written, "And I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down and none shall make you afraid. I will drive the wild beasts from the land, and neither shall the sword go through your land.God who is peace, bless us with peace !!!(Attributed to Rabbi Nachman ben Feiga of Breslov, 1773-1810)
Rebbe Nachman also recommended reciting the following Psalms as a General Remedy for all kinds of problems, grief, and needs:16--32--41--42--59--77--90--105--137--150They are traditionally recited as one long prayer service without interruptions. This is known as the Tikkun K'lali (General Remedy) and is used by many Breslover Hasidim and others. Non-Jews may use it too, since the Psalms are open to everyone. The General Remedy may be recited anywhere, i.e., at home, in synagogue, at a gravesite, on the road, etc. for any reason that needs prayer.
Please Pray for Yerushalayim and do Teshuva today!

Monday, March 13, 2006

Pray

It has been a bad day. I ask Hashem to hear my prayer as I cry over my dirty laundry in the bathtub. I hand wash everything for not everyone is fortunate to have a washing machine. But, every now and again I have the disappointment of looking down into my tub and notice that something blue bled all over my clothing and there I sit in complete sadness as to why?
I sat and cried and asked Hashem why am I who is so poor have to ruin the only few shirts that I have . Could He not have ruined the ones I didn't care for? Could he have not ruined something old that I no longer cared to wear? But.... There I sat crying. Over a few silly shirts and clothing of my children. Why?
There I cried and thought to myself Hashem can you not please take it a little easy on me.
Hashem in his wonderful kindness reminded me to be with Simcha. Be happy!
BE HAPPY? Are you serious? Your kidding right?
How can I be happy when I am unemployed?
How can I be happy when I barely have money to make ends meet?
How can I be happy when my children's father is nowhere around me and leaving me to raise these children alone?
How can I be happy when I can't even get 10 minutes to pray?
It was at that moment when I realized that I could be happy.
Hashem chose that exact moment to open the door for me to cry out to Him. I finally had a moment alone with Him to complain and then finally give thanks that if it wasn't for the clothes that I had ruined I wouldn't have came to Him.
So now I cry of Simcha. He wanted to hear from me. Hashem wanted my tears of desperation and tears of sadness to turn them into tears of joy.

"There can be no peace in the world until there is joy in the world."
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
One's belief in God must come through faith and not because of miracles. "Rebbe Nachman of Breslov"