Prayer for Continual Attachment to Hashem, Overcoming Hardships by Following His Lead

Parashat Beha’alotcha

Prayer for Continual Attachment to Hashem,

Overcoming Hardships by Following His Lead

 

Raise me Hashem like the menorah flame,

to reach my highest potential is my aim!

 

To the whole world let me proclaim,

“You too can rise and do the same!”

 

Although our lives may at times be obscure,

I ask You, Hashem, let my light endure!

 

Preserve my strength as I mature,

even if I may become impure.

 

If I failed, will You give me a second chance?

Please empower my ability to sing and dance!

 

Let me enter Your sanctuary in Holy Trance!

For Your sake, I will not fear taking a stance!

 

May I not go astray to follow the crowd!

Lead my way with Your glorious, holy cloud!

 

To You alone do I let my head be bowed.

Let me praise Your name clear and loud!

 

Even when I am in pain,

help me never to complain!

Let me constantly remain,

stable, sensible and sane!

 

I pray that Your closeness I will always desire,

even when many worldly things I must acquire.

 

Don’t forsake me when I lay down to retire!

At night, please warm me with Your Holy fire!

Based on Bamidbar Chapter 8-11:

ספר במדבר פרק ח פסוק ב דַּבֵּר אֶל אַהֲרֹן וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ אֶת הַנֵּרֹת אֶל מוּל פְּנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה יָאִירוּ שִׁבְעַת הַנֵּרוֹת:

“Speak to Aharon and say to him: When you ignite the candles, the seven candles shall cast their light toward the face of the menorah” (Bamidbar 8:2).     

 

רש”י על במדבר פרק ח פסוק ב תרגום אונקלוס על במדבר פרק ח פסוק ב בהעלתך - על שם שהלהב עולה כתוב בהדלקתן לשון עליה שצריך להדליק עד שתהא שלהבת עולה מאליה:

WHEN YOU IGNITE - Hebבְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ, /beha’alotcha lit., when you cause to ascend. Since the flame rises, Scripture describes kindling in terms of ascending. He is required to kindle the candle until the flame rises by itself (Shab. 21a); (Rashi, Bamidbar 8:2).     

ספר במדבר פרק ט פסוק י דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה טָמֵא לָנֶפֶשׁ אוֹ בְדֶרֶךְ רְחֹקָה לָכֶם אוֹ לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם וְעָשָׂה פֶסַח לַהָשֵׁם: (יא) בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם יַעֲשׂוּ אֹתוֹ עַל מַצּוֹת וּמְרֹרִים יֹאכְלֻהוּ:

“Speak to the children of Israel saying, any person who becomes impure from [contact with] the dead, or is on a distant journey, whether among you or in future generations, he shall make a Pesach sacrifice for Hashem. In the second month, on the fourteenth day, in the afternoon, they shall make it; they shall eat it with matzot and bitter herbs” (Bamidbar 9:10-11).

 ספר במדבר פרק ט

(טו) וּבְיוֹם הָקִים אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן כִּסָּה הֶעָנָן אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן לְאֹהֶל הָעֵדֻת וּבָעֶרֶב יִהְיֶה עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּמַרְאֵה אֵשׁ עַד בֹּקֶר:

(טז) כֵּן יִהְיֶה תָמִיד הֶעָנָן יְכַסֶּנּוּ וּמַרְאֵה אֵשׁ לָיְלָה:

(יז) וּלְפִי הֵעָלוֹת הֶעָנָן מֵעַל הָאֹהֶל וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יִסְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבִמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכָּן שָׁם הֶעָנָן שָׁם יַחֲנוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:

(יח) עַל פִּי הָשֵׁם יִסְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל פִּי הָשֵׁם יַחֲנוּ כָּל יְמֵי אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכֹּן הֶעָנָן עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן יַחֲנוּ:

“On the day the Mishkan was erected, the cloud covered the Mishkan, which was a tent for the Testimony, and at evening, there was over the Mishkan like an appearance of fire, [which remained] until morning. So it was always, the cloud covered it and there was an appearance of fire at night. According to the cloud’s departure from over the Tent, and afterward, the children of Israel would travel, and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would encamp. At the bidding of Hashem, the children of Israel traveled, and at the bidding of Hashem, they encamped. As long as the cloud hovered above the Mishkan, they encamped” (Bamidbar 9:15-18).

ספר במדבר פרק יא

(א) וַיְהִי הָעָם כְּמִתְאֹנֲנִים רַע בְּאָזְנֵי הָשֵׁם וַיִּשְׁמַע הָשֵׁם וַיִּחַר אַפּוֹ וַתִּבְעַר בָּם אֵשׁ הָשֵׁם וַתֹּאכַל בִּקְצֵה הַמַּחֲנֶה:

(ב) וַיִּצְעַק הָעָם אֶל משֶׁה וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל משֶׁה אֶל הָשֵׁם וַתִּשְׁקַע הָאֵשׁ:

(ג) וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא תַּבְעֵרָה כִּי בָעֲרָה בָם אֵשׁ הָשֵׁם:

(ד) וְהָאסַפְסֻף אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבּוֹ הִתְאַוּוּ תַּאֲוָה וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיִּבְכּוּ גַּם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמְרוּ מִי יַאֲכִלֵנוּ בָּשָׂר:

“The people were looking to complain, and it was evil in the ears of Hashem. Hashem heard and His anger flared, and a fire of Hashem burned among them, consuming the extremes of the camp. The people cried out to Moshe; Moshe prayed to Hashem, and the fire died down. He named that place Tav’erah, for the fire of Hashem burned among them there. But the multitude among them began to have strong cravings. Then even the children of Israel once again began to cry, and they said, “Who will feed us meat?” (Bamidbar 11:1-4).