Today, Sunday, the 3rd of Elul, the 5784 school year opens. Below is a collection of prayers from Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a in honor of the opening of the school year.

To merit success as the new school year begins—and always to learn Torah in holiness and purity, to illuminate the light of truth in the world, and to succeed in studies and exams

Master of the world, Almighty, grant me—by the merit of the month of Elul, which is the gateway to the new year, the “mazal of Virgo,” which hints to being born anew and being formed anew—grant me success in all my learning. Help me know the entire Shas, straight and reversed, with breadth and depth: word by word, letter by letter. May I never be missing, Heaven forbid, even a single letter of Shas; nor any part of Ketzos HaChoshen, nor Nesivos HaMishpat, nor Urim VeTumim, nor Takfo Kohen; nor the holy Rambam; nor the Shulchan Aruch; nor the Tur, the Rosh, and the Rif; the Rashba, the Ramban, the Ritva, the Meiri, and all the commentators in the world. And may I merit to learn everything in truth, for the sake of Heaven—for the sake of the holy and pure Torah; for the sake of revealing the light of truth in the world and the light of the Tzaddik in the world. And by the merit of learning the holy Torah, and by the merit that I succeed in every exam in the world, and that I learn Torah by day and by night = 177—24 hours without even a moment’s or second’s interruption—may I enter Gan Eden with my body, = 177 like Serach bas Asher = 1411. Through this, may I merit to subdue all eleven chiefs of Esav, and may I have no self-importance at all. And through this, may it be fulfilled: “And it was turned around, that501 the Jews35580 they50 ruled over their enemies” 414 = 1411. And by the merit of learning the holy Torah 24 hours without even a second’s interruption, may I merit to ride and gallop upon 1464 lions, like the soul790 of Daniel95, a man311 of precious desires464 = 1659—the secret of: “And those who were lost9 in the land of Assyria and those who were cast away in the land of Egypt shall come and bow to Hashem—One—= 1 in Jerusalem.” And by this merit, may the spirit of Moshiach ben David rest upon me, as it is said: “And the spirit of Hashem shall rest upon him—the spirit of wisdom73 and understanding73, the spirit of counsel165 and might222, the spirit of knowledge474 and awe of Hashem617” 26 = 1659.

To merit that my children learn well, listen, and fulfill all their responsibilities in their studies—and that they be calm and righteous, with serenity, focus, and settledness of mind

Master of the world, grant my son the merit that the verse be fulfilled in him: “The Eternity of Israel will not lie and will not relent” (I Samuel 15:29). May he merit to learn well, to read well, to write well, to listen well, and to concentrate well. May writing come easily to him, with settledness of mind and calm. And may the verse be fulfilled in me and in my husband {and in my wife} and in my sons and in my daughters: “And I will make you fruitful711 and I will multiply you633” 461 = 2266. May he be a true Tzaddik, and may the soul790 of Rebbe Nachman268—the holy415 and awe-inspiring268—be impregnated within him. May he merit to be beautiful95 of soul430 = 2266, and always calm and tranquil, until he merits to be one13 of the greatest Tzaddikim259 of the generation. And may the souls of Moshiach359 ben52 Yosef156 and Moshiach359 ben52 David14 ﬩ 2 = 2266 be impregnated within him.

A Prayer for a Daughter of Israel

Master of the world, Almighty—before Whom no plan is impossible—grant us, the daughters of Israel, the merit to be holy and pure like the holy Matriarchs: Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel, and Leah. May we merit to be holy prophetesses, like Miriam, Devorah, Chuldah, Avigayil, and Queen Esther. May we merit all our days to conduct ourselves with tznius and to dress with tznius; not to raise our voices, and not to be seen outside, Heaven forbid, as it is written: “All the honor of the king’s daughter is within.” And all our lives, may we merit to pray always with kavanah and to say Tehillim with kavanah. Hear the voice of our prayers, our supplications, our roars, and our cries. And by the merit of our prayers and our cries, save all Your people, the House of Israel—collectively and individually—from every kind of tragedy and illness, Heaven forbid. May there no longer be any trouble, sorrow, or sighing in any Jewish home, Heaven forbid. May we merit to pray always with a pure, clear, and radiant prayer—until, by the merit of our prayers, You bring Melech HaMoshiach and the complete Geulah, and the Beis HaMikdash will be built speedily in our days, in the blink of an eye—Amen, forever and ever.

To Be the Most Righteous and Wisest Child in the World

Master of the world, Almighty, grant me the merit to be the most righteous and wisest child in the world—such a child has never existed from the creation of the world until now, and not even until after the resurrection of the dead. May I merit to be like Yotam456 son52 of Uziyahu104 = 612, clean of every sin and of every evil thought. Through this, may I merit to guard the holy bris612, and to dwell always in Jerusalem, as it is said: “Upon her, pure as the sun73, beautiful as the moon107, awesome as bannered hosts” 513 = 693. “For30 holy410 am I61 Hashem26 your God” 66. “And for everything, we thank100 = 693 You and bless You.” May I merit to be like Daniel95 who rode upon 1464 lions. Please, God46 of all50 flesh502 = 693, grant me the merit of the verse: “And Hashem appeared to him in the plains of Mamre” = 670—the secret of Midrash Peliah = 670. Grant me the merit to know by heart the entire treasury297 of the poskim301. And through the treasury of the poskim, to subdue the klipah of Haman95 = 693. May I merit to reveal the holiness of Mordechai the Tzaddik: “For You406 are our Father65, great in power and good23, forgiving104, and abundant in kindness to all who call upon You”—by the merit of Mordechai the Jew40, and the People of Israel—who sang at the shore of the sea55 this song to Hashem = 693. For Jerusalem is the city280 of the Shechinah390 = 670, emanated from the pure soul440230 = 670. Through this, may we merit peace376 from the depths257 of the heart37 = 670. And through this, may we merit Hashem One1—the light213 of330 the son52 of David14. And through this, may I merit to be the greatest gaon60 of the generation = 670.

The Shuvu Banim website blesses parents, children, and all of Am Yisrael who begin the school year today, with a blessing for a fruitful and successful school year!

Prayers for download:

[embeddoc url="https://www.shuvubanimint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/תפילות-לפתיחת-הלימודים.pdf" download="all" viewer="google"]