Prayer for Attaining Holiness Through Interpersonal Perfection

Parashat Kedoshim

Prayer for Attaining Holiness Through Interpersonal Perfection

 
Help me, Hashem, to become holy like You,
in my thoughts, my heart and everything I do!
 
Strengthen me to practice self-control,
and act righteously with every single soul!
 
Let me treat everyone properly showing utmost understanding,
without favoring the poor or respecting a person of high standing!
 
Guide me to be fair to everyone with whom I deal.
to seek truth, act honestly, and never rob or steal!
 
Help me remember to pay my hired workers right away,
in keeping with the law to render their wages on the same day!
  
May I attain holiness and become refined,
never placing a stumbling block before the blind!
 
Let me avoid causing others pain or hurt!
Grant me compassion and love for the convert!
 
Teach me to never judge others without
always first giving the benefit of the doubt!
 
Let no word of gossip from my tongue slip!
Even to the deaf may no curse leave my lip!
 
May I not be overcome by stress,
so I won’t other people oppress!
 
Let me let go of hard feelings and bearing any grudge!
Why do I need to hold on to this emotional sludge?
 
Help me to genuinely forgive,
so, a pure, holy life I can live!
 
Please Hashem may I not hate anyone in my heart!
Rather let me kind, gentle words of rebuke impart!
 
The mitzvah to love others as yourself is the hardest to fulfill.
Nevertheless, I will keep it the best I can with all my goodwill.

Based on Vayikra Chapter 19:

 

ספר ויקרא פרק יט פסוק ב דַּבֵּר אֶל כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם קְדשִׁים תִּהְיוּ כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיכֶם: (ג) אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ וְאֶת שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ אֲנִי הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:

“Speak to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them, "You shall be holy, for I, Hashem, Your G-d, am holy Every man shall fear his mother and his father, and you shall observe My Shabbats. I am Hashem, Your G-d.” (Vayikra 19:2-3).

 

ספר ויקרא פרק יט פסוק יא לֹא תִּגְנֹבוּ וְלֹא תְכַחֲשׁוּ וְלֹא תְשַׁקְּרוּ אִישׁ בַּעֲמִיתוֹ:

“You shall not steal. You shall not deny falsely. You shall not lie, one man to his fellow” (Vayikra 19:11).

 

ספר ויקרא פרק יט פסוק יג לֹא תַעֲשֹׁק אֶת רֵעֲךָ וְלֹא תִגְזֹל לֹא תָלִין פְּעֻלַּת שָׂכִיר אִתְּךָ עַד בֹּקֶר:

(יד) לֹא תְקַלֵּל חֵרֵשׁ וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹא תִתֵּן מִכְשֹׁל וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲנִי הָשֵׁם:

(טו) לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט לֹא תִשָּׂא פְנֵי דָל וְלֹא תֶהְדַּר פְּנֵי גָדוֹל בְּצֶדֶק תִּשְׁפֹּט עֲמִיתֶךָ: ספר ויקרא פרק יט:

(טז) לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּיךָ לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ אֲנִי הָשֵׁם:

(יז) לֹא תִשְׂנָא אֶת אָחִיךָ בִּלְבָבֶךָ הוֹכֵחַ תּוֹכִיחַ אֶת עֲמִיתֶךָ וְלֹא תִשָּׂא עָלָיו חֵטְא:

(יח) לֹא תִקֹּם וְלֹא תִטֹּר אֶת בְּנֵי עַמֶּךָ וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ אֲנִי הָשֵׁם:

“You shall not oppress your fellow. You shall not rob. The hired worker’s wage shall not remain with

 you overnight until morning. You shall not curse a deaf person. You shall not place a stumbling block before a blind person, and you shall fear your G-d. I am Hashem. You shall commit no injustice in judgment; you shall not favor a poor person or respect a great man; you shall judge your fellow with righteousness. You shall not go around as a gossipmonger amidst your people. You shall not stand by [the shedding of] your fellow’s blood. I am Hashem. You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your fellow, but you shall not bear a sin on his account. You shall neither take revenge from nor bear a grudge against the members of your people; you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Hashem” (Vayikra 19:13-18).

 

ספר ויקרא פרק יט פסוק לג וְכִי יָגוּר אִתְּךָ גֵּר בְּאַרְצְכֶם לֹא תוֹנוּ אֹתוֹ:

(לד) כְּאֶזְרָח מִכֶּם יִהְיֶה לָכֶם הַגֵּר הַגָּר אִתְּכֶם וְאָהַבְתָּ לוֹ כָּמוֹךָ כִּי גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם אֲנִי הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:

“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not taunt him. The stranger who sojourns with you shall be as a native from among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am Hashem, your G-d” (Vayikra 19:33-34).