[עַל־פִּי תּוֹרָה מ"ד - הָאֱמוּנָה תּוֹלָה בְּפֶה שֶׁל אָדָם]
תְּהִלַּת יְהֹוָה יְדַבֵּר פִּי וִיבָרֵךְ כָּל בָּשָׂר שֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. יִמָּלֵא פִי תְּהִלָּתֶךָ כָּל הַיּוֹם תִּפְאַרְתֶּךָ. חַסְדֵּי יְהֹוָה עוֹלָם אָשִׁירָה, לְדוֹר וָדוֹר אוֹדִיעַ אֱמוּנָתְךָ בְּפִי. When a Person Speaks Words of Faith, that Increases His Faith / One Should Not Repeat the Words of Heretics, Even if He Means to Mock Them / One Should Not Learn Philosophy, Even of Great Jews, for that Damages Faith / A Person Should be Simple in Serving God / No One is Expected to Perfectly Fulfill His Obligations in Serving God / God Does Not Want a Person’s Thoughts, but His Heart
A person’s faith depends on the declarations of his mouth. When a person declares his faith, that itself is faith and it leads to greater faith. Conversely, a person must be careful not to speak any heretical words, even if he does not believe them and in fact means to mock them.
One should not read the works of heretics. In addition, he should not even read philosophical works written by great Jews, for doing so damages faith. It is enough that we have the faith that we received from our holy forefathers. And the foundation of faith is to serve God simply and uprightly.
A person must distance himself from overthinking in his service of God. The thoughts of those who are beginning to serve God are not wisdom but fantasy, foolishness and confusion. For instance, a person may be focusing on whether he is fulfilling his obligations — but that will cast him down from serving God, because the fact is that no creature of flesh and blood can fulfill his obligations. As the sages tell us, God does not demand the impossible and the Torah was not given to the angels.
All of those people who are inordinately strict in their religious practice have no life and are always depressed, because they are always worried that they are not fulfilling their obligations.
Even if a person is genuinely intelligent, he must cast that away and serve God with absolute simplicity. That is the greatest wisdom of all. There is no wisdom or understanding before God. God wants the heart.
We Declare Our Faith
“May my mouth speak the praise of HaShem, and all flesh bless His holy Name forever and ever.” “May my mouth be filled with Your praise, the entire day with Your glory.” “I will sing the kindness of HaShem forever; for all generations, I will make Your faithfulness known with my mouth.”
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, רַחֵם עָלַי וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְזַכֵּנִי לְהַאֲמִין בְּךָ בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה תָּמִיד, וְלֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל לִבִּי שׁוּם כְּפִירָה וְסָפֵק וּבִלְבּוּל בֶּאֱמוּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה. Master of the world, have compassion on me and on the entire Jewish people. Help me believe in You always with complete faith. May no heresy, doubt or confusion regarding Your holy faith arise in my heart.
וְאֶהְיֶה רָגִיל תָּמִיד לוֹמַר הָאֱמוּנָה בְּפִי בְּפֵרוּשׁ, לְדַבֵּר בְּכָל עֵת בְּפֶה מָלֵא שֶׁאֲנִי מַאֲמִין בְּךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁאַתָּה הוּא יָחִיד קַדְמוֹן בְּלִי רֵאשִׁית בְּלִי תַכְלִית, וּבִרְצוֹנְךָ בָּרָאתָ עוֹלָמְךָ יֵשׁ מֵאַיִן הַמֻּחְלָט אַחַר הֶעְדֵּר הַגָּמוּר, May I always be accustomed to express my faith explicitly with my mouth, to declare unabashedly at all times that I believe in You, HaShem our God. You are the Primal One, without beginning and without end. With Your will, You created Your world completely ex nihilo after total nothingness.
וְאַתָּה מוֹשֵׁל בַּכֹּל וּמַנְהִיג וּמַשְׁגִּיחַ בְּעוֹלָמְךָ כִּרְצוֹנֶךָ, וְאַתָּה עָתִיד לְחַדֵּשׁ אֶת עוֹלָמֶךָ, You rule over all, and guide and supervise Your world in accordance with Your will. And in the future, You will renew Your world.
וְאַתָּה נָתַתָּ לָנוּ תוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה בִּכְתָב וּבְעַל־פֶּה עַל־יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה נְבִיאֶךָ נֶאֱמַן בֵּיתֶךָ, וְעַל־יָדוֹ בָּחַרְתָּ בָּנוּ מִכָּל הָאֻמּוֹת וְקִדַּשְׁתָּנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֶיךָ, You gave us Your holy Torah — both the Written Torah and the Oral Torah — through Moses Your prophet, the faithful one of Your house, and through him, You chose us from all of the nations and sanctified us with Your commandments.
וְנָתַתָּ לָנוּ נְבִיאִים וְצַדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים וְתַנָּאִים וַאֲמוֹרָאִים וְכָל חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁהָיוּ בְּכָל הַדּוֹרוֹת עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה. You gave us prophets, true Tzaddikim, Tannaim, Amoraim, and all of the holy, true sages of Israel who lived in all of the generations until this day.
רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, וְחַזְּקֵנוּ וְאַמְּצֵנוּ בֶּאֱמוּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה תָמִיד, כִּי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ שֶׁכָּל חַיּוּתֵנוּ וּמְגַמָּתֵנוּ הוּא רַק הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה שֶׁהִיא יְסוֹד כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: כָּל מִצְוֹתֶיךָ אֱמוּנָה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וְצַדִּיק בֶּאֱמוּנָתוֹ יִחְיֶה, וְהוּא יְסוֹד כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְכָל מַעֲשֵׂהוּ בֶּאֱמוּנָה, Have compassion on us for the sake of Your Name. Strengthen and support us in Your holy faith always. You know that our entire life force and purpose is solely our holy faith, which is the foundation of the entire Torah. As the verses state, “All of Your commandments are faithful,” and, “The Tzaddik lives by his faith.” This is a foundation of all of the worlds, as the verse states, “All of His deeds are with faith.”
וּבִפְרַט אָנֹכִי הַפָּגוּם אֲשֶׁר בַּעֲוֹנוֹתַי הָרַבִּים קִלְקַלְתִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁקִּלְקַלְתִּי, וְכָל חַיּוּתִי וְתִקְוָתִי הוּא רַק הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה: In particular, I am blemished due to the damage that I caused with my many sins. All of my life force and hope are entirely holy faith.
רַחֵם רַחֵם מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, רַחֵם רַחֵם חוֹשֵׁב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת לְבַל יִדַּח מִמְּךָ נִדָּח. חוּס וַחֲמֹל עָלַי וְזַכֵּנִי לֶאֱמוּנָה חֲזָקָה כָּזֹאת בְּכָל עֵת וָרֶגַע, עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי הָאֱמוּנָה לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם, You Who are filled with compassion, have compassion on me. You Who think thoughts so that none will remain cast away from You, have compassion on me. Have pity and mercy on me, and bring me to possess such strong faith at every hour and minute that I will truly return to You with all my heart.
כִּי אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ גֹּדֶל כֹּחַ אֲמִתַּת אֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ כֹּחַ לְהוֹצִיא גַם אוֹתִי מִכָּל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת וְהָעִנְיָנִים שֶׁיָּרַדְתִּי לְשָׁם עַל־יְדֵי מַעֲשַׂי הָרָעִים. You know the magnitude of the true power of holy faith. It has the power to bring even me out of all of the places and problems into which I fell because of my evil deeds.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, הֲלֹא אַתָּה תָּשׁוּב תְּחַיֵּינוּ וְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂמְחוּ בָךְ, תֶּן לִי עֵצָה שְׁלֵמָה עַתָּה בִּמְקוֹמִי בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהַתְחִיל לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת, וְלֹא אָשׁוּב עוֹד לְכִסְלָה. Master of the world, “will You not return and revive us, so that Your nation will rejoice in You?” Give me perfect counsel now, in the place where I am now, so that I will begin to truly return to You, and I will no longer return to foolishness.
זַכֵּנִי לְהַחֲיוֹת אֶת עַצְמִי עַל־יְדֵי הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה בֶּאֱמֶת, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְהִתְדַבֵּק בְּךָ בְּכָל עֵת, וְלִהְיוֹת סָמוּךְ וְקָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ תָמִיד בְּכָל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת וְהַדַּרְגּוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, Reviving Ourselves by Means of Holy Faith
Help me truly revive myself by means of holy faith, so that I will cling to You at every moment, relying on You and coming close to You always, in every place and on every level.
כִּי מְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדֶךָ וּבְכָל מְקוֹמוֹת מֶמְשַׁלְתֶּךָ, וְאַתָּה מְחַיֶּה אֶת כֻּלָּם, וְאַתָּה מְמַלֵּא כָל עָלְמִין וְסוֹבֵב כָּל עָלְמִין וְלֵית אֲתַר פָּנוּי מִמְּךָ, אֵל אֱמוּנָה וְאֵין עָוֶל צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הוּא: The whole world is filled with Your glory. Your governance exists everywhere. You revive all beings. You fill and surround all worlds, and no place is empty of You. “A faithful God without injustice, He is righteous and upright.”
אָיוֹם וְנוֹרָא, תֶּן לִי אֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, תֶּן לִי אֱמוּנָה חֲזָקָה וּנְכוֹנָה בֶּאֱמֶת, תֶּן לִי אֱמוּנָה כָּזֹאת שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהּ כֹּחַ לְהַחֲיוֹת אוֹתִי בְּכָל עֵת בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁעוֹבֵר עָלַי, You Who are fearsome and awesome, give me complete faith. Give me truly strong and proper faith. Give me a faith that will have the power to revive me at every moment in all that I undergo.
בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה תָּמִיד לְהִתְקָרֵב אֵלֶיךָ וּלְהִתְדַבֵּק בְּךָ תָמִיד בְּכָל (מִכָּל) הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, May I always come close to You and cling to You from every place in the world.
עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה חִישׁ קַל מְהֵרָה לִתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה בֶּאֱמֶת, וּלְתַקֵּן כָּל מַה שֶּׁקִּלְקַלְתִּי, וְלָא אֵיעוּל בְּכִסּוּפָא קַמָּךְ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵאִתְּךָ בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים זֶה כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. In accordance with everything that I have asked of You so many times, Master of compassion, may I quickly, swiftly, speedily, truly and completely repent and rectify all that I spoiled, so that I will not enter before You in shame.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲדוֹנִי מַלְכִּי וֵאלֹהָי, אָבִי גוֹאֲלִי וּפוֹדִי, צוּר לְבָבִי וְחֶלְקִי, הֲלֹא אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ בְּעַצְמְךָ עֹצֶם רַחֲמֶיךָ וְאַהֲבָתְךָ אֵלַי, וְכַמָּה נִפְלָאוֹת וְנִסִּים וְטוֹבוֹת בְּלִי שִׁעוּר עָשִׂיתָ עִמָּדִי, Master of the world, my Lord, my King, my God, my Father, my Redeemer, my Deliverer, Rock of my heart, my Portion — You know how intense is Your compassion and love for me, and how many wonders, miracles and favors without measure You have done for me.
וְאֵיךְ תּוּכַל לְהִתְאַפֵּק כָּל־כָּךְ מִלַּעֲזוֹר וּמִלְּהוֹשִׁיעַ לִי יְשׁוּעָה שְׁלֵמָה לְגָאֳלֵנִי גְאֻלָּה שְׁלֵמָה שֶׁאֵין אַחֲרֶיהָ גָלוּת, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת בִּבְחִינַת תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁל שַׁבָּת, הֲלֹא אֵין דָּבָר נִמְנַע מִמֶּךָּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: הֲיִפָּלֵא מֵיהֹוָה דָּבָר. How can You restrain Yourself from helping and saving me with complete salvation, from redeeming me with a complete redemption that is not followed by exile, so that I will truly return to You on the level of the repentance of the Shabbat? Nothing is impossible for You. As the verse states, “Is any matter too wondrous for HaShem?”
רַחֵם עָלַי מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, וְאַל תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי מִן הָאֱמוּנָה לְעוֹלָם, וְאַל תַּעֲשֶׂה עִמִּי כַּחֲטָאַי וְאַל תִּגְמְלֵנִי כְּמִפְעָלַי, You Who are filled with compassion, have compassion on me. Never cast me away from faith. Do not treat me in accordance with my transgressions. Do not recompense me in accordance with my deeds.
רַק תְּחָנֵּנוּ בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וּבַחֲסָדֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים וּתְחַזְּקֵנִי וּתְאַמְּצֵנִי בֶּאֱמוּנָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה תָמִיד, וְאֶזְכֶּה בְּכָל עֵת לְדַבֵּר וּלְהוֹדִיעַ הָאֱמוּנָה בְּפִי, Instead, be gracious to me in Your vast compassion and great kindness. Strengthen me and bolster me in Your holy faith always. At all times may I speak and publicize faith in You with my mouth.
עַד שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְתַכְלִית שְׁלֵמוּת הָאֱמוּנָה בֶּאֱמֶת בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לָשׁוּב עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה כִּרְצוֹנְךָ וְכִרְצוֹן צַדִּיקֶיךָ הָאֲמִתִּיִּים. May I truly attain the ultimate perfection of faith, so that I will truly return to You in complete repentance, in accordance with Your will and the will of Your true Tzaddikim.
וְזַכֵּנִי לֵילֵךְ וּלְהִתְנַהֵג בִּתְמִימוּת וּבִפְשִׁיטוּת בְּלִי שׁוּם חָכְמוֹת שֶׁל הָעוֹלָם כְּלָל, וְלֹא אֲדַקְדֵּק יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי בְּחוּמְרוֹת יְתֵרוֹת (שֶׁקּוֹרִין: אִיבֶּר טְרַאכְטִין). שֶׁאֵינָם כִּרְצוֹנְךָ, וְלֹא אֶחְשׁוֹב מַחֲשָׁבוֹת יְתֵרוֹת. Help me act wholeheartedly and simply, without any worldly cleverness at all. May I not be overcautious with unnecessary stringencies (ruminating) that are not in accordance with Your will, and may I not think into matters inordinately.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, שִׁטַּחְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ כַּפָּי, עֲזוֹר עֲזוֹר, הוֹשִׁיעָה הוֹשִׁיעָה, הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי עַל־כָּל־פָּנִים מֵעַתָּה אַחֲרֵי שֶׁלֹּא זָכִיתִי לְהִוָּשַׁע בֶּאֱמֶת (בִּשְׁלֵמוּת) עַד הֵנָּה, Master of the world, Master of the world, I spread my hands out to You. Help me! Help me! Save me! Save me! Save me — from now on, at any rate — since I have not merited to be truly [and completely] saved until now.
רַחֵם עָלַי מֵעַתָּה בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים בַּעַל הַיְשׁוּעוֹת. אַל תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי מִלְּפָנֶיךָ וְרוּחַ קָדְשֶׁךָ אַל תִּקַּח מִמֶּנִּי, אַל תַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי לְעֵת זִקְנָה כִּכְלוֹת כֹּחִי אַל תַּעַזְבֵנִי. Have compassion on me from now on, Master of compassion, Master of salvation. “Do not cast me aside from You; do not take Your holy spirit away from me.” “Do not cast me away in a time of old age. When my strength is worn away, do not abandon me.”
עָזְרֵנִי לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי לְמַעַן רַחֲמֶיךָ לְמַעַן חֲסָדֶיךָ הָעֲצוּמִים שֶׁאֵינָם תַּמִּים וְאֵינָם כָּלִים לְעוֹלָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: חַסְדֵּי יְהֹוָה כִּי לֹא תָמְנוּ כִּי לֹא כָלוּ רַחֲמָיו. Help me for the sake of Your Name. Save me for the sake of Your compassion, for the sake of Your mighty kindness that never ends and never ceases. As the verse states, “The kindness of HaShem has not ceased, for His compassion has not been exhausted.”
כִּי שָׁחָה לֶעָפָר נַפְשֵׁנוּ דָּבְקָה לָאָרֶץ בִּטְנֵנוּ. קוּמָה עֶזְרָתָה לָנוּ וּפְדֵנוּ לְמַעַן חַסְדֶּךָ. “Our soul is cast down to the dust, our belly clings to the earth. Arise to help us, and redeem us for the sake of Your kindness.”
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי־פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing before You, HaShem, my Rock and my Redeemer.”