Prayer for Overcoming Obsessions Distracting us From Experiencing Prayerful Divine Encounters

Parashat Vayera

Prayer for Overcoming Obsessions Distracting us
From Experiencing Prayerful Divine Encounters

 
Hashem when will You please reveal Yourself to me?
My soul has been yearning for a spiritual vision to see.

 
My spirit is thirsting for Your sacred perk,
to help me slow down from all the hard work.

 
If only I could ignore every message, what’s app and email,
and all the heaps of worldly chores that my mindfulness derail.

 
Then my prayerful Divine encounter wouldn’t have to fail.
Why am I still so afraid that my messages will grow stale?

 
Is it an obsessive compulsion that prompts me to keep my inbox clean,
preventing me from a meditative experience that would feel so serene?

 
Help me open my heart to hear the messages directly from You!
I know deep down that only these missives are perpetually true.

 
Don’t allow the hardships of life harden my heart,
detaching me from my soul and tearing me apart!

 
Spare me from becoming like Pharaoh, from whom you removed free choice,
or like the Hebrews, who due to shortness of breath, couldn’t hear Your voice!

 
Though the Israelites in the forty-nine impure gates were disgraced,
You enveloped them with Your compassion and let them be embraced.

 
I too ask for a chance to rectify and begin cultivating mindful ways,
dedicated more to prayerful living, meditation, and to Your praise.

 
Help me let go of the need to take charge, arrange and control!
Remind me how organization isn’t worth selling my soul!

 
Hashem help me to overcome any ambitious addictive drives!
Strengthen my resolve to recall the ultimate purpose of our lives!

 
Allow me to tear myself away from my repetitive life routine! 
I desire to expect Your miracles and pack my new tambourine.

 
We are created to reveal Your presence here on the earth.
Help me start over, allow me to experience a rebirth!

Based on the Book of Shemot Chapter 6-8

ספר שמות פרק ו פסוק ג וָאֵרָא אֶל אַבְרָהָם אֶל יִצְחָק וְאֶל יַעֲקֹב בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי וּשְׁמִי הָשֵׁם לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם:

“I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya’acov with [the name] Almighty G-d, but [with] My name Y-H-V-H, I did not become known to them” (Shemot 6:3).

 

ספר שמות פרק ו פסוק ט וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֶל משֶׁה מִקֹּצֶר רוּחַ וּמֵעֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה:

“Moshe spoke thus to the children of Israel, but they did not listen to Moshe because of [their] shortness of breath and because of [their] hard labor” (Shemot 6:9). 

ספר שמות פרק ז פסוק ג וַאֲנִי אַקְשֶׁה אֶת לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶת אֹתֹתַי וְאֶת מוֹפְתַי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:

“But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and I will increase My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt (Shemot 7:3). 

ספר שמות פרק ח פסוק יא וַיַּרְא פַּרְעֹה כִּי הָיְתָה הָרְוָחָה וְהַכְבֵּד אֶת לִבּוֹ וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֲלֵהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר הָשֵׁם:

“When Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart, and he did not hearken to them, as Hashem had spoken” (Shemot 8:11). 

We can apply the psychological make‑up of Pharaoh, to the mechanism of our own yetzer hara. It is not only Pharaoh who hardened his heart, but our own yetzer hara works on us every day to make us harden our hearts as well.  Shakespeare writes: “Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.” (Macbeth Act 3, 2, 55). It is within the power of our free will to choose a good beginning. Chazal teach that G‑d opens the door for whoever intends to do evil, yet He also helps him who is looking to purify himself (Otzar Hamidrashim 407). 

תלמוד בבלי מסכת שבת דף קד/א בָּא לִיטַמֵּא פּוֹתְחִין לוֹ בָּא לִטָּהֵר מְסַיְּעִים אוֹתוֹ:

One who comes to become impure, they, [Heaven] provide him with an opening [to do so, and he is not prevented from sinning. If he comes to become purified, [not only is he allowed to do so, but] they, in Heaven, assist him (Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 104a). 

The active help of heaven for going in the right direction is much greater than the passive help, which does not prevent a person from choosing evil. 

Nechama Leibowitz: It is the person who chooses. We are the ones who open or harden our hearts. G-d helps us according to His will. The active help which we get from heaven for choosing the good path is different from the passive help that doesn’t prevent us from choosing evil.

            An example of this is when we sometimes wake up full of energy to daven, to feel connected to Hashem through Torah learning and perfor­mance of Mitzvot. It is up to us to choose whether we are going to act upon or ignore this awareness. If we chose repeatedly to ignore it, even if a great miracle should happen to us, it would not arouse us to repent, since we already conditioned ourselves not to be aware of G‑d. We must beware not to let our yetzer hara act like Pharaoh, who said, “Who is Hashem that I should listen to him?” He had made his heart so hard that it had become desensi­tized from recognizing G‑d. This is the real meaning of “And the Eternal hardened Pharaoh’s heart” (Shemot 9:12). 

ספר שמות פרק ט פסוק יב וַיְחַזֵּק הָשֵׁם אֶת לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֲלֵהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר הָשֵׁם אֶל משֶׁה:

“But Hashem strengthened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, as Hashem spoke to Moshe (Shemot 9:12).

תלמוד בבלי מסכת סוטה דף ג/א

ריש לקיש אמר אין אדם עובר עבירה אלא אם כן נכנס בו רוח שטות שנא' איש איש כי תשטה אשתו תשטה:

Reish Lakish said, “A person doesn’t sin unless a spirit of insanity enters him…” (Babylonian Talmud Sotah 3a). 

It is within the power of our free will not to let in this spirit of insanity (ruach stut). Once a person lets the ruach stut in, he gets trapped, and it is very difficult to repent. We can learn from Pharaoh that once we start in the wrong way, it is extremely difficult to change. Everyone knows how hard it is to say no to that second piece of cake. 

The Talmud teaches us that when a person repeats the same sin over and over, he starts to feel that what he is not sinning at all:

תלמוד בבלי מסכת יומא דף פו/ב

דאמר רב הונא כיון שעבר אדם עבירה ושנה בה הותרה לו הותרה לו סלקא דעתך אלא אימא נעשית לו כהיתר...

Rav Huna said: When a person commits a transgression and repeats it, it is permitted to him. Can it enter your mind that it is permitted to him Rather, say it becomes to him as if [it were] permitted (Babylonian Talmud, Yoma 86b). 

This is an additional way of explaining the mechanism of hardening our own heart. By accustoming ourselves to bad habits, the yetzer hara makes us believe that it is o.k. When we don’t recognize our own wrongdoing, how can we ever do teshuva? We learn from Pharaoh, how important it is not to begin to sin, to avoid being trapped in evil habits which lock the gate of repentance. 

Prayer for Seeing the Good in Ourselves and Others, So We Can Give Birth and Foster Renewed Life

 Parashat Shemot

Prayer for Seeing the Good in Ourselves and Others,

so we Can Give Birth and Foster Renewed Life

New life is so pure and precious yet fragile.

Hashem, please help all midwives to be agile.

 

Like the midwives let us not dread any mortal king!

May we fear no one but You and continue to sing!

 

All of us can be both a midwife and a mother.

Help us give birth to ourselves and each other!

 

Like Yocheved who saw that her son was good,

we all need our good hearts to be understood.

 

Help me see the good points in everyone,

so that all their bad can become undone!

 

Let me see the sun behind the cloud,

giving everyone the benefit of the doubt!

After seeing the good in us all and thereby giving birth,

let me continue to encourage, foster nurture and nurse.

Help me accept that there are some, who may break away,

while still praying that they won’t go completely astray.  

Help me to receive negativity criticism and blame, 

without being tempted to play that same old game!

Hashem, You are the only One Who can truly know.

Help me take refuge in You, so I can continue to grow. 

Only when we stand together can we become strong 

to defeat the enemy, who wants to prove us wrong.

Let us not allow the power of darkness to take us apart!

Isn’t it our Divine challenge to mend our broken shards? 

Please help us continue to trust in the power of love and care,

while strengthening our faith in You, and our courage to dare! 

Spare us from the worship of cruelty, darkness and death.

Help us survive evil schemes so we can live breath by breath.

Based on the Book of Shemot Chapter 1 verse 17-21 and Chapter 2 verse 2. 

ספר שמות פרק א

(יז) וַתִּירֶאןָ הַמְיַלְּדֹת אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים וְלֹא עָשׂוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֲלֵיהֶן מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם וַתְּחַיֶּיןָ אֶת הַיְלָדִים:

(יח) וַיִּקְרָא מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לַמְיַלְּדֹת וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶן מַדּוּעַ עֲשִׂיתֶן הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וַתְּחַיֶּיןָ אֶת הַיְלָדִים:

(יט) וַתֹּאמַרְןָ הַמְיַלְּדֹת אֶל פַּרְעֹה כִּי לֹא כַנָּשִׁים הַמִּצְרִיֹּת הָעִבְרִיֹּת כִּי חָיוֹת הֵנָּה בְּטֶרֶם תָּבוֹא אֲלֵהֶן הַמְיַלֶּדֶת וְיָלָדוּ:

(כ) וַיֵּיטֶב אֱלֹהִים לַמְיַלְּדֹת וַיִּרֶב הָעָם וַיַּעַצְמוּ מְאֹד:

(כא) וַיְהִי כִּי יָרְאוּ הַמְיַלְּדֹת אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם בָּתִּים:

“The midwives, however, feared G-d; so they did not do as the king of Egypt had spoken to them, but they enabled the boys to live. So, the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, ‘Why have you done this thing, that you have enabled the boys to live?’ Then the midwives said to Pharaoh, ‘Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are skilled as midwives; when the midwife has not yet come to them, they have [already] given birth.’ G-d benefited the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very strong. Now it took place when the midwives feared G-d, that He made houses for them” (Shemot 1:17-21).

 

ספר שמות פרק ב פסוק ב וַתַּהַר הָאִשָּׁה וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתֵּרֶא אֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא...

“The woman conceived and bore a son, and she saw him that he was good…” (Shemot 2:2). 

Every one of us is in a sense, a midwife! We are always opening gates for others, or ‘chas v’shalom’ closing them. Through looking at the ‘nekudot tovot’ – the good points in others as well as in ourselves we can give birth to their and our higher selves. When we focus on the good points, then we are placing others in a good space, from which they can grow. To enable birthing and positive growth, we need to see ourselves and others as being beautiful. We need to sing to them and with them, and we need to be sung to. It is this combination of Shifra, seeing the good points and making one beautiful, and Puah, singing and arousing the soul with beautiful voice and sound, which are the keys to spiritual midwifery (Based on R. Avraham Greenbaum, The Midwives - Spiritual Midwifery, based on Likutei Moharan teaching #282).

Prayer for the End of Life that our Offspring Continue to Walk the Torah Path

Parashat Vayechi

Prayer for the End of Life
that our Offspring Continue to Walk the Torah Path

 
Life on earth is only temporary and short.
In the end, the children will our soul escort.

 
Let us not leave this world before confessing,
and imparting the children with our blessing.

 
May we merit organizing all that we possess,
avoiding leaving behind a burdensome mess.

 
Hashem help us impart love of G-d to our dependents!
What could be a greater value for all our descendants?

 
Help the children feel that they to the family belong.
Make peace between them, so they will always get along.

 
May they and their children learn history, English and math.
Yet, let their main effort be to excel on the Torah path! 

 
May they be balanced, modest, and kind,
slow to anger, soft-spoken, and refined! 

 
Let them be devoted to pursuing the truth of the Torah,
igniting and shining their light like the candles of the menorah!

 
May they find suitable, compatible spouses,
with whom to settle in comfortable houses! 

 
Help ensure that our children’s basic needs are perpetually met!
May they preserve everything that we have built with our blood and sweat!

 
Please G-d that they will tend to every tree that we have planted,
and keep taking care of the garden that they will be granted!

 
Let them find their garden lush and enchanting, 
continuing their own building and planting!

 
Please help our children succeed in their endeavors.
May their descendants keep the Torah forever!

 
Guide them to interact with the world as Your shaliach!
May they merit living to greet the light of Mashiach!

Based on the Book of Bereishit Chapter 48 and 49

Prayer for Reconciliation, Unity and Peace Within the Family

Parashat Vayigash

Prayer for Reconciliation, Unity, and Peace Within the Family 

So many beautiful families are sadly split apart.

Sentiments of love and peace I yearn to impart.

 

Why do our vital relationships have to be so askew?

Hashem, please help us to heal, so we can start anew!

Truth is to see the whole picture from A to Z

For that, we need to be moving from ‘me’ to ‘we.’

 

Hashem, help open our perception beyond the narrow lies,

so we can relate and regard each other with refreshed eyes.

 

Guide us to become good daughters, wives, sisters, and mothers,   

to relate seamlessly and get along with our sisters and brothers.

 

Hashem, help us repair our essential family bond,

so we can show love to every one of whom we are fond.

 

On our path to healing our relationship’s hurtful breach,

help us stir away from satiric, insensitive speech.

Rectified communication is such a vital art.

Teach us to speak clearly, directly from our heart.

 

Purify our ears from anything we may have misheard.

Let us realize that the ‘offence’ may never have occurred. 

 

May we resolve misunderstandings and clean out old pain,

so that our arduous efforts to reconcile won’t be in vain!

 

Help us realize that painful interaction comes to release

old festering wounds, so that the soreness can finally cease.

 

Who has appointed us to become prosecutor and judge?

Let us remove the slightest tinge of resentment and grudge!

 

Why must we carry the burden of aversion and spite,

when letting it go clears away the obstacles to unite.

 

Refine our hearts from every negative emotion and lack of love,

Remember we are only human, and we need help from the One Above.   

Based on the Book of Bereishit Chapter 45 verse 3-7

 

ספר בראשית פרק מה פסוק ג

וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו אֲנִי יוֹסֵף הַעוֹד אָבִי חָי וְלֹא יָכְלוּ אֶחָיו לַעֲנוֹת אֹתוֹ כִּי נִבְהֲלוּ מִפָּנָיו:

(ד) וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו גְּשׁוּ נָא אֵלַי וַיִּגָּשׁוּ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי יוֹסֵף אֲחִיכֶם אֲשֶׁר מְכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי מִצְרָיְמָה:

(ה) וְעַתָּה אַל תֵּעָצְבוּ וְאַל יִחַר בְּעֵינֵיכֶם כִּי מְכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי הֵנָּה כִּי לְמִחְיָה שְׁלָחַנִי אֱלֹהִים לִפְנֵיכֶם:... (ז) וַיִּשְׁלָחֵנִי אֱלֹהִים לִפְנֵיכֶם לָשׂוּם לָכֶם שְׁאֵרִית בָּאָרֶץ וּלְהַחֲיוֹת לָכֶם לִפְלֵיטָה גְּדֹלָה

“Then Yosef said to his brothers, ‘I am Yosef. Is my father still alive?’ but his brothers could not answer him because they were startled by his presence. Then Yosef said to his brothers, ‘Please come closer to me,’ and they drew closer. And he said, ‘I am your brother Yosef, whom you sold into Egypt. But now do not be grieved, nor angry with yourselves that you sold me here; for it was to preserve life that G-d sent me before you G-d sent me before you to make for you a remnant in the land, and to preserve you alive for a great deliverance” (Bereishit 45:5,7).

PARSHAT VAYIGASH from TAL CHERMON

By Rav Shlomo Aviner, translated by Bracha Slae

 

ספר בראשית פרק מה פסוק יד וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוְּארֵי בִנְיָמִן אָחִיו וַיֵּבְךְּ וּבִנְיָמִן בָּכָה עַל צַוָּארָיו:

(טו) וַיְנַשֵּׁק לְכָל אֶחָיו וַיֵּבְךְּ עֲלֵהֶם וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן דִּבְּרוּ אֶחָיו אִתּוֹ:

“He fell on his brother Binyamin’s neck, and he wept, and Binyamin wept on his neck” (Bereishit 45:14). “And he wept - over the two Temples which would be built on Binyamin’s portion, and would be destroyed, and Binyamin wept over the Mishkan of Shiloh which would be built on Yosef’s land and would ultimately be destroyed” (Rashi, ibid.).

Why are the brothers crying now, at the time of their great joy, over the future destruction? And why is each one crying over the misfortune of the other and not over his own? We know that the Temples were destroyed because of baseless hatred (Yoma 9:2). Now when Binyamin and Yosef were reunited, they realized that the separation they had suffered was caused by baseless hatred, and they immediately foresaw the future Destruction, another result of baseless hatred. That is why they cried. That same baseless hatred that had caused them so much suffering would also be the source of future calamities.

 

The cure for baseless hatred is to promote the growth of mutual love until his friend’s pain hurts him more than his own does. Therefore, each brother wept over the others misfortune, teaching us that what was most important to each one was what happened to the other. This was despite the fact that the Temple of Binyamin could not have been built until the Mishkan of Yosef had been destroyed. Nevertheless, Binyamin would have preferred that his Mikdash not even be built if it entailed the destruction of his brother’s. 

Love is the cure for baseless hatred. 

1997 Ateret Cohanim | The Jerusalem Reclamation Project | All Rights Reserved

Prayer for Peaceful Sleep and Sweet Dreams

Parashat Mikeitz

Prayer for Peaceful Sleep and Sweet Dreams

 
The sun has set, and the stars are shining bright.
Now is the time to pray for sleeping well tonight.
 
Hashem will You please remain my faithful shield,  
to free me from effects of the electromagnetic field.
 
Help me to turn off my computer along with my phone,
and their enticing, addictive powers to disown.
 
Support me to get ready for bed at the perfect time,
to sleep enough without the need for an alarm or chime.
 
Free me from restless, worried, distracting thoughts.
Calm me from anything that makes me feel distraught.  
 
Help remove annoying insects and mosquitoes that fly around,
So, our sleep won’t be disturbed by their buzzing and wining sound.
 
Let my family and I easily fall soundly asleep!
 Facilitate everyone’s sleep to be restful and deep!
 
You know how much we all need this peaceful rest,
so, we will awake with energy to serve You best.
 
Allow us to sleep soundly the entire night,
so, we can awake before the morning light.
 
Help me truly forgive anyone who may have hurt me,
Remind me how they serve as a mirror for me to see.  
 
Protect me from nightmares and from disturbing dreams!
Grant me safe and clear visions of delightful streams!
 
Let all my dreams be so sweet, so pure and so clean!
Help me remember them, so I their lessons can glean!
 
Let not Your subtle loving messages be misunderstood!
Strengthen my ability to interpret all dreams for good!
 
Like Yosef, Your revelations I yearn to receive.
In Your ways of holiness, I desire to cleave.

Based on Bereishit Chapter 41 which describes Pharaoh’s dreams and Yosef’s interpretations.