משנה: רִבִּי נְחוֹנְיָא בֶּן הַקָּנָה הָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל בִּכְנִיסָתוֹ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וּבִיצִיאָתוֹ תְפִילָּה קְצָרָה. אָֽמְרוּ לוֹ מַה טִיבָהּ שֶׁל תְּפִילָּה זוּ. אָמַר לָהֶן בִּכְנִיסָתִי אֲנִי מִתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁלֹּא תֶאֱרַע תַּקָלָה עַל יָדִי וּבִיצִיאָתִי אֲנִי נוֹתֵן הוֹדָיָה עַל חֶלְקִי. MISHNAH: Rebbi Neḥoniah ben Haqqanah125A Tanna of the second generation, teacher of Rebbi Ismael. In Medieval mysticism he is credited with authorship of Sefer Habahir and many mystical teachings. used to recite a short prayer when he entered and when he left the house of study. They asked him, what kind of prayer is this? He told them: When I enter, I pray that no mishap should come through me and when I leave I give thanks for my lot.
הלכה: בִּכְנִיסָתוֹ מַהוּ אוֹמֵר יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יי֨ אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁלֹּא אַקְפִּיד כְּנֶגֶד חֲבֵרַי וְלֹא חֲבֵרַי יַקְפִּידוּ כְנֶגְדִּי. שֶׁלֹּא נְטַמֵּא אֶת הַטָּהוֹר וְלֹא נְטָהֵר אֶת הַטָּמֵא. שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱסוֹר אֶת הַמּוּתָּר וְלֹא נַתִּיר אֶת הָאָסוּר. וְנִמְצֵאתִי מִתְבַּיֵּיש לְעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּלְעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וּבִיצִיאָתוֹ מַהוּ אוֹמֵר מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ יי֨ אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁנָּתַתָּ חֶלְקִי מִיּוֹשְׁבֵי בֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וּבָתֵּי כְנֵיסִיּוֹת וְלֹא נָתַתָּ חֶלְקִי בְּבָתֵּי תֶּרַטִּיּוֹת וּבְבָתֵּי קִרְקֻסִּיּוֹת שֶׁאֲנִי עָמֵל וְהֵן עֲמֵלִין. אֲנִי שׁוֹקֵד וְהֵן שׁוֹקְדִין. אֲנִי עָמֵל לִירֵשׁ גַּן עֵדֶן. וְהֵן עֲמֵלִין לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי לֹא תַעֲזוֹב נַפְשִׁי לִשְׁאוֹל לֹא תִתֵּן חֲסִידֶךָ לִרְאוֹת שָׁחַת. HALAKHAH: What does he say when he enters126The text in the Babli (28b) is similar in content but different in formulation. The manuscripts of the Babli and the quotes in Medieval authors differ widely in language.? May it be Your pleasure, o Eternal, my God and God of my fathers, that I should not be offended by my colleagues and my colleagues should not be offended by me; that we should not declare impure that which is pure, nor declare pure what is impure; that we should not forbid that which is permitted, nor permit what is forbidden and I would be ashamed in this world and the world to come. What does he say when he leaves? I thank You, o Eternal, my God and God of my fathers, that You ordained my lot with those who sit in the house of study and in synagogues and You did not ordain my lot in theaters and circuses127This does not imply that Rebbi Neḥonia accepted the doctrine of predestination as conjectured by L. Finkelstein (מבוא לפרקי אבות ואבות דרבי נתן, ניו יורק תשי״א, נספח ב).. For I toil and they toil, I am diligent and they are diligent. I toil to inherit the Garden of Eden, but they toil for the pit of destruction as it is said (Ps. 16:10): “Certainly, You will not abandon my soul to the pit, You will not let Your pious ones see destruction.”
רִבִּי פְּדָת בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אִידִי רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל שָׁלֹשׁ תְּפִילּוֹת. לְאַחַר תְּפִילָּתוֹ מַהוּ אוֹמֵר. יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יי֨ אֱלֹהַי וְאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁלֹּא תַעֲלֶה שִׂנְאָתֵינוּ עַל לֵב אָדָם וְלֹא שִׂנְאַת אָדָם תַעֲלֶה עַל לִבֵּינוּ. וְלֹא תַעֲלֶה קִנְאָתֵינוּ עַל לֵב אָדָם וְלֹא קִנְאַת אָדָם תַעֲלֶה עַל לִבֵּינוּ. וּתְהֵא תוֹרָתָךְ מְלַאכְתֵּינוּ כָּל־יְמֵי חַיֵּינוּ וְיִהְיוּ דְּבָרֵינוּ תַחֲנוּנִים לְפָנֶיךָ. רִבִּי חִייָא בַּר אַבָּא מוֹסִיף וּתְיַיחֵד לְבָבֵינוּ לְיִרְאָה אֶת שְׁמָךְ וּתְרַחֲקֵינוּ מִכָּל־מַה שֶׁשָּׂנֵאתָ וּתְקָֽרְבֵינוּ לְכָל מַה שֶׁאָהַבְתָּ וְתַעֲשֶׂה עִמָּנוּ צְדָקָה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ. Rebbi Pedat in the name of Rebbi Jacob bar Idi128A list of similar prayers after the Amidah is given in the Babli, 16b–17a, where a different text appears in the name of Rebbi Eleazar. It is remarkable that Rebbi Pedat, son of Rebbi Eleazar (ben Pedat), gives his father’s text in the name of Rebbi Jacob bar Idi, student of Rebbi Yoḥanan and colleague of Rebbi Eleazar, rather than from his own knowledge of his father’s practices. He also emphasizes that his father prayed three times, including evening prayers, as noted in the previous Halakhah.: Rebbi Eleazar used to recite three prayers. What did he say after his prayer? May it please You, o Eternal, my God and God of my fathers, that nobody should come to hate us in his heart nor should we hate anybody in our hearts, that nobody should be envious of us nor we envious of anybody. May Your Torah be our occupation all the days of our life and may our words be supplications before You. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba added: Make our hearts singleminded in the fear of Your name, remove us from all You hate and bring us close to all You love, and deal with us in charity for Your name’s sake.
דְּבֵית רִבִּי יַנַּאי אָֽמְרִין הַנּוֹעֵר מִשְּׁנָתוֹ צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי֨ מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים. רִבּוֹנִי חָטָאתִי לָךְ יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יי֨ אֱלֹהַי שֶׁתִּתֵּן לִי לֵב טוֹב חֵלֶק טוֹב יֵצֶר טוֹב סֵבֶר טוֹב שֵׁם טוֹב עַיִן טוֹבָה וְנֶפֶשׁ טוֹב וְנֶפֶשׁ שְׁפֵלָה וְרוּחַ נְמוּכָה. אַל יִתְחַלֵּל שִׁמְךָ בָנוּ וְאַל תַּעֲשֵׂינוּ שִׂיחָה בְּפִי כָל הַבִּרְיוֹת וְאַל תְּהִי אַחֲרִיתֵינוּ לְהַכְרִית וְלֹא תִקְוָותֵינוּ לְמַפַּח נֶפֶשׁ. וְאַל תַּצְרִיכֵינוּ לִידֵי מַתְּנוֹת בָּשָׂר וְדָם וְאַל תִּמְסוֹר מְזוֹנוֹתֵינוּ בִידֵי בָשָׂר וְדָם שֶׁמַּתְּנָתָם מְעוּטָה וְחֶרְפָּתָם מְרוּבָּה. וְתֵן חֶלְקֵינוּ בְתוֹרָתָךְ עִם עוֹשֵׂי רְצוֹנָךְ. בְּנֵה בֵיתָךְ הֵיכָלָךְ עִירָךְ וּמִקְדְּשָׁךְ בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ. In the house of Rebbi Yannai they say: He who awakes from his sleep must say “Praised are You, o Eternal, Who resurrects the dead. My Lord, I sinned before You. May it please You, o Eternal, my God, that You might give me a good heart, good part, good inclinations, good hope, good repute, benevolent eye, good soul, meek soul and meek spirit. Your Name should not be desecrated by us; do not make us a byword in the mouths of all creatures; our future should not end in destruction, nor our hope in sorrow. Do not let us need the gifts of flesh and blood, do not deliver our subsistence into the hands of flesh and blood, for their gifts are small but the shame is big. Give our part in Your Torah with those who do Your will, build Your house, Your Temple, Your city, Your Sanctuary quickly, in our days129This paragraph appears among the morning benedictions in the Siddur of Rav Amram Gaon. In modern prayer rites, the corresponding Babylonian prayer (Babli 60b) is universally accepted..
רִבִּי חִייָא בַּר ווָא מַצְלִי יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יי֨ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵינוּ שֶׁתִּתֵּן בְּלִבֵּינוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵימָה לְפָנֶיךְ שֶׁלֹּא̇ נֵבוֹשׁ מֵאֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְעוֹלָם הַבָּא. רִבִּי יוּדָן בֵּי רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעְאֵל קָבַע לָהּ לַאֲמוֹרֵיהּ דְּיֵימָר בָּתָר פְּרִשָׁתֵיהּ כֵּן. Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba prayed130This is Rebbi Ḥiyyȧ bar Abba’s personal prayer. The previous text mentioned in his name was his version of Rebbi Eleazar’s prayer.: May it please You, o Eternal, our God and God of our fathers, that You may put into our hearts to do complete repentance before You so that we should not be ashamed before our forefathers in the World to Come. Rebbi Yudan ben Rebbi Ismael131Galilean Amora of the third generation who was known for his great piety and assiduous study. made it permanent that his Amora should say this after his explanations.
רִבִּי תַּנְחוּם בַּר אֵיסְכוֹלַסְטִיקָא מַצְלִי יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יי֨ אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁתִּשְׁבּוֹר וְתַשְׁבִּית עוּלּוֹ שֶׁל יֵצֶר הָרָע מִלִּבֵּינוּ שֶׁכַּךְ בְּרָאתָנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנָךְ וְאָנוּ חַייָבִים לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנָךְ אַתְּ חָפֵץ וְאָנוּ חֲפֵיצִים וּמִי מְעַכֵּב שְׂאוֹר שֶׁבְּעִיסָּה גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לְפָנֶיךְ שֶׁאֵין בָּנוּ כֹחַ לַעֲמוֹד בּוֹ. אֶלָּא יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יי֨ אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁתַּשְבִיתֵהוּ מֵעָלֵינוּ וְתַכְנִיעֵהוּ וְנַעֲשֵׂה רְצוֹנָךְ כִּרְצוֹנֵינוּ בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם. Rebbi Tanḥum the scholar132A title, σχολαστικός “scholar”, also found in ancient synagogue inscriptions. The prayer, with minor variations, is reported in the Babli (17a) in the name of Rebbi Alexandri.בר may mean “son of”; it also may mean “endowed with the quality of”. prayed: May it please You, o Eternal, my God and God of my fathers, that You may break and remove the yoke of evil inclinations from our hearts since so You created us to do Your will, and we are required to do Your will. You desire it and we desire it, who obstructs? The sour matter in the dough! It is obvious and known that we have no power to resist. But may it be Your pleasure, o Eternal, my God and God of my fathers, that You may remove it from us, subdue it, so that we may do Your will as our own with a willing heart.
רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן הֲוָה מַצְלִי יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יי֨ אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁתַּשְׁכֵּן בְּפוּרְיֵינוּ אַהֲבָה וְאַחֲוָה שָׁלוֹם וְרֵעוּת וְתַצְלִיחַ סוֹפֵינוּ אַחֲרִית וְתִקְוָה וְתַרְבֵּה גְּבוּלֵינוּ בְּתַלְמִידִים וְנָשִׂישׂ בְּחֶלְקֵינוּ בְגַן עֵדֶן וְתַקְּנֵינוּ לֵב טוֹב וְחָבֵר טוֹב וְנַשְׁכִּים וְנִמְצָא יִיחוּל לְבָבֵינוּ וְתָבוֹא לְפָנֶיךְ קוֹרַת נַפְשֵׁינוּ לְטוֹבָה. Rebbi Yoḥanan prayed133The prayer of Rebbi Yoḥanan in the Babli (16b) is completely different. The first prayer uses the wording of the last benediction at a wedding; the meaning seems to be that he prays for a marriage that always retains the feelings of the wedding day. “Future and hope” means “existence in the Future World.”: May it please You, o Eternal, my God and God of my fathers, that You may make dwell in our marriage couches love and understanding, peace and friendship. Let our end suceed in future and hope, increase the students in our boundaries. May we enjoy our part in paradise; grant us a good heart and a good colleague; may we get up and find134Find the solutions of all problems that remained unsolved the previous evening., and may the quiet of our minds come before You in kindness.
וּבִיצִיאָתִי אֲנִי נוֹתֵן הוֹדָיָיה עַל חֶלְקִי. אָמַר רִבִּי אָבוּן לָאֵל שֶׁחָלַק לִי דֵּיעָה וּמַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב. “When I leave I give thanks for my lot135Quote of the last clause in the Mishnah. Rebbi Abun seems to free the mindless from responsibility if they do not live a religious life..” Rebbi Abun said, to God Who alotted me knowledge and good works.