Prayer - Publisher's Foreword

We have divided the book according to regions in Eretz Yisrael:

1 Upper Galilee

2 Lower Galilee

3 Center

4 South

Or a division like this:

1 Upper Galilee

2 Lower Galilee

3 Shomron (Samaria)

4 Center

5 Jerusalem and Surroundings / Judean Mountains

6 Hebron and the South of the Land

Questions and Deliberations

Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian - Rechasim

Upper Galilee

Avnit ֎ Biriya ֎ Banias ֎ Bar'am ֎ Gush Chalav ֎ Dalton ֎ Mount Dov ֎ Chatzor ֎ Yirka ֎ Kfar Yasif ֎ Kerem Ben Zimra ֎ Meron ֎ Manara ֎ Nevuriya ֎ Sasa ֎ Ein Zeitim ֎ Achbara ֎ Alma ֎ Amuka ֎ Peki'in ֎ Parod ֎ Tzomet Yesha ֎ Safed (Tzfat) ֎ Kadita ֎ Kadarim ֎ Kedesh Naftali ֎ Katzion

AVNIT

ABAYE AND RAVA

Master of the Universe, grant me the merit to reach the spiritual level of Abaye and Rava, as it is written in the Gemara that Abaye would receive greetings of "Shalom" every Erev Shabbat from Heaven, and they would say to him, "Peace be upon you, Abaye." And Rava, at the very least on Erev Yom Kippur, they would say to him, "Peace be upon you, Rava" (Taanit 21a). May I merit to see Hashem face to face like Abaye and Rava, as it is stated in the Gemara (Berachot 48a): Abaye and Rava were sitting before Rabbah. Rabbah said to them, "To whom do we bless?" They said to him, "To the Merciful One." "And where does the Merciful One sit?" Rava pointed to the roof beams. Abaye went outside and pointed toward the heavens. Rabbah said to them, "Both of you will become Rabbis." This is what people say: "A gourd is known by its stalk" (meaning a person's greatness is evident from their youth).

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, grant me the merit to reach the level of Abaye and Rava. May I merit that my soul be included in their souls, and may I merit some spark of their souls. May I also merit, like Rava, that the halachah (Jewish law) will follow my rulings everywhere. May the acronym of Abaye be fulfilled in me: "Asher Becha Yerucham Yatom" (In You the orphan finds mercy), and have mercy on me like an orphan, "For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but Hashem will gather me in." In this merit, may You lengthen the days of my father and mother until one hundred and twenty years in great happiness, wealth, and satisfaction (nachat). May my father and mother merit to be great in Torah and to know the entire Torah. Together, may we merit to see the coming of the King Mashiach and the building of the Holy Temple, speedily in our days, in the blink of an eye. Amen, Netzach, Selah, V'ed.

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Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, grant me the merit to be like Abaye and Rava who merited to hear a Heavenly Voice (Bat Kol) from on high. They merited that the holy Gemara is named after them, "Havayot d'Abaye v'Rava" (The Discussions of Abaye and Rava), because the entire holy Gemara is nothing but holy names.

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, grant me the merit to swallow the letters of the Gemara, and may they be in my mouth as sweet honey. For the gematria (numerical value) of "Dvash" (honey, 306) and "Chem'ah" (butter, 54) equals "Shas" (the Talmud, 360). May I know faithfully that every word in the Gemara is a holy name, for Abaye (23) and Rava (209) equal 232, which represents the four holy and awesome Names of Hashem: Yod-Hei-Vav-Hei spelled out with Yods (Name of A"V, 72), spelled out with Alephs and Yods (Name of Sa"G, 63), spelled out with Alephs (Name of Ma"H, 45), and spelled out with Heis (Name of Ba"N, 52). Together they equal 232 (RaL"B), plus 1 for the inclusive value (kolel) equals "Regel" (foot, 233). Through this, may I merit to rectify all my "feet" (spiritual foundations) and all my blemishes of the holy covenant (p'gam ha-brit), until I merit the fulfillment of the verse, "His feet will stand on that day on the Mount of Olives," which hints at the rectification of the covenant and the rectification of the feet. Through this, may I never again blemish my covenant forever.

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Master of the Universe, as I prostrate myself upon the holy gravesites (tziyunim) of Abaye and Rava, the masters of the holy Gemara, may I merit in their merit to subdue Haman Amalek, which with the 4 letters equals "Gemara" (244). Through the study of Shas (360), whose primary masters are Abaye and Rava, may I merit that "All the horns (360) of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted." Through this, may I merit to be included in Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man, 245) through the study of the holy Gemara (244 + 1 = 245). For the entire holy Gemara is a combination of holy names composed of the Name of A"V, Sa"G, Ma"H, and Ba"N, which equal 232, the exact gematria of the discussions of Abaye (23) and Rava (209) = 232.

Through the soul of Abaye, may I merit to emerge from all the terrible orphanhood in which I find myself, "For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but Hashem will gather me in." For Abaye is the acronym of "Asher Becha Yerucham Yatom" (In You the orphan finds mercy). Through the soul of Abaye, may the soul of Rabbi Yeiva Sava also impregnate me, and may I merit to be like Abaye who merited to receive greetings of "Shalom" every Erev Shabbat from the Heavenly Academy, and at the very least like Rava who heard that Heavenly Voice of peace on Erev Yom Kippur.

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, in the merit of Abaye and Rava, and in the merit of the study of Shas and the holy Gemara—the secret of the Shechinah (Divine Presence) [Shin (360), Chaf (100), Yod (20), Nun (106), Hei (15) = 601 + the three holy Patriarchs who are the root of the Gemara and Shas = 604; the secret of Shas (360) + Gemara (244) = 604]—grant me the merit that through the study of Shas and the Gemara, whose primary masters are Abaye and Rava, the Shechinah and the three Patriarchs will rest upon me. May the Shechinah speak from my throat. Through the study of the holy Gemara (244 + 1 = 245), may I merit the secret of "The blossoms (Nitzanim = 245) appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove (Tor) is heard in our land"—the word "Tor" sharing the letters of the holy "Torah". May I merit throughout my holy study to always have in mind the four holy Names (A"V, Sa"G, Ma"H, Ba"N), whose gematria equals Abaye and Rava. Through this, may I merit to study Torah Lishmah (for its own sake) until the holy Shechinah rests upon me and upon all of Israel. Amen.

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Rav Dimi of Nehardea

Rabbi Yehudah Nesia and his Beit Din

The sons of Rav Papa

BIRIYA

ABBA SHAUL

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, grant me the merit as I stand here beside the holy and awesome gravesite of Abba Shaul. He merited to be the tallest in his generation (Niddah 24b), and he merited to be a burier of the dead and to "bury" the evil eye. He never harbored any jealousy or any evil eye in the world. He merited to subdue the evil eye of Avshalom, who wanted to kill his father David, and the evil eye of Og, who wanted Avraham Avinu (peace be upon him) to be killed. He never had any jealousy toward any person; rather, he was endlessly and infinitely patient, for his soul was hewn from Arich Anpin (the Divine Countenance of Infinite Patience), and therefore he was the tallest in his generation. He merited to be elevated and uplifted to Arich Anpin (Midrash Pinchas), where there is no anger and no wrath toward anyone. He merited to sweeten all the wrath in the world and all the anger in the world. So too, grant me the merit in the merit of Abba Shaul, to never again be strict (makpid) with anyone in the world at all, and to never again be angry with anyone in the world at all. In the merit of Abba Shaul, may I no longer have any jealousy toward any person in the world at all. May I rejoice in anyone who succeeds, defeats me, and rises above me, as it is written, "To the Chief Musician (LaMenatzeach), a Psalm of David"—sing to the one who is defeated and rejoices (Pesachim 119a). So too, gladden me with all kinds of joy, and may I never fall into sadness, Heaven forbid. Rather, may I merit in the merit of Abba Shaul to be like Abba Shaul, always happy without a single drop of sadness, and to perfectly fulfill "You shall be only happy." May I only be happy with my lot and not desire anything belonging to others. In the merit of Abba Shaul, may I merit to completely nullify my lust for money, and may I not stumble, Heaven forbid, in the severe prohibition of "You shall not covet," from now until eternity. Amen, Netzach, Selah, V'ed.

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Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, grant me the merit to be like Abba Shaul who was the tallest in his generation (Niddah 24b), and who had no jealousy toward any person in the world. Grant me the merit to be a burier of the dead like Abba Shaul, who used to bury the evil eye and jealousy. He merited to bury the evil eye of Avshalom, who could not tolerate the success of his own father, let alone the success of other people. He merited to bury the evil eye of Og, King of Bashan, who plotted schemes on how to kill Avraham Avinu (peace be upon him), let alone other people whom he envied. Therefore, Abba Shaul merited to be the tallest in his generation, as Rabbi Pinchas of Koritz writes in the book "Midrash Pinchas," that he merited the level of Arich Anpin and ascended to Arich Anpin. He never became angry and never envied any person in the world, even if they succeeded more than him, and certainly he did not envy people who were more important, more righteous, and greater Torah scholars. So too, grant me the merit from now until eternity to be like Abba Shaul, and to never again envy any person in the world, and not to yearn for money at all. May I hate money with an absolute hatred, more than terrorists and Nazis, may their names be erased. May I merit to fulfill what is written in the Tale of the Master of Prayer, to feel the foul odor that emanates from money, until I cast away every coin from myself in haste and in the blink of an eye, and I will not want to possess any money at all, from now until eternity.

BENAIAH BEN JEHOIADA

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, grant me the merit to be like Benaiah ben Jehoiada, who merited to be "a worm and not a man." In this merit, he merited to discover the Shamir worm (555), which shares the gematria of "HaNesher" (the eagle, 555). He merited to soar like an eagle and to discover and defeat Ashmedai, the head of the demons. Through this, he merited to discover the hoopoe (Duchifat), which merited to bend itself twice (Du-chifat), as it is written, "Be very, very humble of spirit." The Rambam says that more than humility, which is the middle path, one must "be very, very humble of spirit," which is the level of Moshe, the Faithful Shepherd: "And the man Moshe was very humble, more than any man on the face of the earth." Through this, he merited the level of the Fiftieth Gate, the gematria of "HaAdam" (The Man).

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, Omnipotent One, Mighty over all the mighty, just as You revealed the soul of Benaiah ben Jehoiada to Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and to Rabbi Abba—which is the secret of the Resurrection of the Dead—so too, reveal to me the soul of Benaiah ben Jehoiada. May I merit true humility and lowliness, the secret of the Resurrection of the Dead. Just as You impregnated this wondrous soul into the Ben Ish Chai, in whose merit he wrote his books, so too, impregnate this wondrous soul within me. In its merit, pour upon me an endless and infinite flow of Torah novelties (chidushim), out of true humility and lowliness. And so too, impregnate in all my children and descendants this wondrous soul that struck the two Ariel of Moab, and left none like it neither in the First Temple nor in the Second Temple, and in whose merit the two Holy Temples stood. So too, grant me the merit, Victor over all victors, and to my entire generation, that in the merit of that wondrous soul we will defeat all our enemies, and the Third Holy Temple will be built right now.

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, Mighty over all the mighty, impregnate within me the unique soul that merited the level of Yechidah (the highest soul level). This is the soul that struck the lion on the snowy day, and in whose merit a lion of fire was drawn down upon the altar, which is the angel Uriel. Please, Merciful and Gracious One, grant me the merit in the merit of this soul to fulfill, "She does not fear for her household from the snow, for all her household is clothed in scarlet." From now on, I will study Torah day and night without a moment's interruption, and I will not "give sleep to my eyes, nor slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for Hashem, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Yaakov."

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Master of the Universe, in fear and trembling, dread and awe, with all my bones shaking from fear, I stand before the holy and awesome gravesite of Benaiah ben Jehoiada, who left none like him neither in the First Temple nor in the Second Temple, as it is written, "He struck the two Ariel of Moab." He merited to study Torah in the snow and frost day and night. In the merit of being "a worm and not a man, a reproach of men and despised by the people," he merited to discover the Shamir worm, through which King Shlomo built the Holy Temple. Because he merited to split the heart of stone, he merited the worm that split the giant stones of the Holy Temple's building, and the stones of the Urim and Tummim that illuminated the eyes of Israel.

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, illuminate my eyes with the letters of the holy Gemara, which are the Urim and Tummim of our days. May I study Torah and Gemara with immense desire, as it is written regarding Benaiah ben Jehoiada, "And he went down and struck the lion inside the pit on a snowy day." May I merit to study even in the ice and snow, in the cold and frost, in the heat and scorching weather, and even in the desert and blazing heat, until I merit the level of Yechidah that Benaiah ben Jehoiada merited. Through this, may I defeat Ashmedai the king of demons, and the Prince of the Sea, the Prince of Ishmael, Rahav, who was appointed over the Shamir worm. Because Benaiah transformed into "a worm and not a man," he merited to defeat all the terrible husks (kelipot) of Rahav and Ashmedai. Through this, may I too merit to emerge from all the terrible husks that surround me.

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Master of the Universe, as I stand before the holy and awesome gravesite of Benaiah ben Jehoiada, who "struck the two Ariel of Moab" and left none like him neither in the First Temple nor in the Second Temple. He merited to be revealed in the secret of Yechidah to Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Abba, the disciples of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, in the secret of the Resurrection of the Dead. He merited to be a soul that encompasses all the generations entirely, and he merited to bring the Shamir worm for the building of the Holy Temple, because he merited to be "a worm and not a man," and his entire essence was a worm. He even merited to strike the lion inside the pit on a day of snow (Shele"G), which represents three Alephs, the gematria of Aleph, Aleph, Aleph, which are the root of the Name Ekye"h. For he merited to be the root of the Name Ekye"h, the secret of the Aleph, and the secret of a veil (Masveh = Aleph = 111), for his face illuminated and shone from one end of the world to the other.

Therefore, please, Merciful and Gracious One, just as You granted the Ben Ish Chai the merit, when he prostrated himself upon this holy and awesome gravesite, that the soul of this holy and awesome tzaddik impregnated him, so too, grant me the merit to be worthy that this wondrous soul will impregnate me. Through this, may I merit to always be "a worm and not a man," "For I am more boorish than any man, and I do not have the understanding of a man," "And I was boorish and did not know; I was like a beast before You. Yet I am always with You; You have grasped my right hand." Grant me the merit to subdue the hoopoe (Duchifat), the secret of terrible pride (Hodo Kafut), through the rooster, which is the angel Gavriel who blows the north wind drawn from Binah at midnight (Chatzot). Through this, may the hidden depths of my heart and the mysteries of my heart be revealed to study Torah day and night. May I merit to be like Benaiah ben Jehoiada who finished the entire Torat Kohanim (Book of Vayikra) in one night of frost and snow. Through this, may I merit to be sanctified with the holiness of the High Priest, and never again blemish my covenant forever, and never again look at any woman in the world at all. Until, in the merit of guarding the holy covenant and guarding the 224 lights, I will merit that You reveal my true soulmate in inner light and surrounding light, for twice "Isha" (woman) equals "Brit" (covenant). Through this, may I merit, like Benaiah ben Jehoiada, to subdue Ashmedai the king of demons, to destroy all the demons in the world, and to eradicate the mother of demons, who is Lilith the wife of S"M. All this I will merit through guarding the covenant, for "Brit" in gematria equals S"M + Lilith + 1. And likewise through studying Torah day and night, for "Torah" in gematria equals S"M and Lilith, that I may merit to subdue them completely from now until eternity.

Banias

Iddo the Prophet

Shebuel ben Gershom

BAR'AM

ISAIAH THE PROPHET

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, as I stand here beside the holy and awesome gravesite of Isaiah the Prophet, in trembling and shaking, in awe, in shuddering, in dread, and in fear. Grant me the merit that my entire body be exchanged for a holy body from the Garden of Eden, and that the prophecy be fulfilled in me: "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of Hashem has shone upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the nations, but Hashem will shine upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall walk to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and see: they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the side. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of Hashem. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall come up with acceptance on My altar, and I will beautify My beautiful house. Who are these that fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows? For the coastlands shall hope for Me, the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your children from afar, their silver and gold with them, for the Name of Hashem your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because He has made you beautiful. Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in My wrath I struck you, but in My favor I have had mercy on you. Your gates shall be open continually; day and night they shall not be shut, that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations, with their kings led in procession. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste. The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the plane, and the pine, to beautify the place of My sanctuary, and I will make the place of My feet glorious. The sons of those who afflicted you shall come bending low to you, and all who despised you shall bow down at your feet; they shall call you the City of Hashem, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, with no one passing through, I will make you majestic forever, a joy from age to age. You shall suck the milk of nations, you shall nurse at the breast of kings; and you shall know that I, Hashem, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Yaakov. Violence shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but Hashem will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for Hashem will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended. Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I might be glorified. The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation; I am Hashem; in its time I will hasten it." And it is written (in Tanna D'Vei Eliyahu, end of chapter 16): Rabbi asked [Eliyahu the Prophet], "In how many years did Isaiah prophesy all those good things and consolations that he prophesied for Israel?" I [Eliyahu the Prophet] said to him, "My son, if Israel had done teshuvah (repentance) out of love, the Holy One, blessed be He, would have built the Final Temple for them immediately at that very moment. How much more so that the Holy One, blessed be He, would hug them, kiss them, and seat them in His lap forever and ever."

GUSH CHALAV

JOEL THE PROPHET

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, as I stand here beside the holy and awesome gravesite of Joel the Prophet, in trembling and shuddering, in shaking, in dread, and in awe. Grant me the merit, as I stand here in trembling and shaking, with my whole body shuddering within me and my knees knocking against each other, as I bring to heart the promise that Joel the Prophet promised: "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also upon the menservants and upon the maidservants in those days will I pour out My spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke" (Joel 3:1-3).

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, as I stand here upon the holy and awesome gravesite of Joel the Prophet, who was the son of Shmuel the Prophet who was equal to Moshe and Aharon. Rest upon me and emanate upon me from the awesome spirit of Joel the Prophet. May I merit that some spark of Joel the Prophet will impregnate me, and through this, may I merit the spirit of prophecy. May I strip my impure body of the "skin of the serpent" (mishcha d'chivya), and merit a holy body from the Garden of Eden. May I merit to emerge from all the bitter and terrible lusts, and from all forbidden sights and evil thoughts that consume the entire body, soul, and spirit. May I merit to enter the Garden of Eden with the body, like Chanoch, Eliyahu the Prophet, and Yehoshua ben Levi, and the rest of the tzaddikim who merited to enter the Garden of Eden with their bodies.

YOCHAI

Master of the Universe, as I stand here beside the holy and awesome gravesite of Yochai, the father of Rashbi (Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai), about whom Rebbe Nachman of Breslov said, "For it will not be forgotten from the mouth of his offspring" (Devarim 31:21)—the offspring of Yochai. For Hashem promised Yochai, the father of Rabbi Shimon, that from his offspring would come such an awesome tzaddik through whom the Torah will never be forgotten. Please, Hashem, grant me the merit to strip my body completely, and to attain the awesome holiness of Yochai, the father of Rabbi Shimon, who merited from his immense, awesome holiness to beget a son about whom it was said, "Let us make man." For he was the peak of human perfection, and he ascended above the level of Adam HaRishon (the First Man), and upon him depend all the perfections of all mortals.

Please, Hashem, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, grant me the merit here, as I stand beside the holy and awesome gravesite in fear and trembling, dread and awe, shaking and shuddering, to receive some spark from the holy and awesome soul of Yochai, the father of Rabbi Shimon. So that I too, within the collective of Israel, may merit to draw down holy and awesome souls like that of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who will only yearn for You all twenty-four hours a day, and will not divert their attention from You even for a brief moment. May they also merit, like Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a holy body from the Garden of Eden, and merit to completely strip their leprous body of the "skin of the serpent." May I too merit, within the collective of Israel, to spend all the days of my life in a pit of dust and sand, without moving all twenty-four hours even one cubit outside of the time of prayer. May I merit to be like Rabbi Shimon, the son of Yochai, holy and pure in the ultimate holiness and purity above which there is nothing higher. May I too merit, like Yochai the father of Rabbi Shimon, to draw down to the world souls on the level of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, until the entire world is filled with souls whose level will be like Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and even greater, until they merit to draw down the souls of Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David, who will bring the complete Geulah (Redemption) and build the Holy Temple, speedily in our days, in the blink of an eye. Amen, Netzach, Selah, V'ed.

SHEMAYA AND AVTALYON

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, grant me the merit here as I stand beside the holy and awesome gravesite of Shemaya and Avtalyon, about whom it is stated in the Gemara (Yoma 71b): The Sages taught: An incident occurred with a certain High Priest who exited the Holy Temple, and all the Children of Israel followed him after he exited in peace from the Holy of Holies following the Yom Kippur service, having merited to enter four times in peace. All the people of Jerusalem and the Children of Israel went after him to honor him. Suddenly, they saw Shemaya and Avtalyon, and immediately they left the High Priest, even though he had merited to be in the Holy of Holies, and the entire nation turned to escort Shemaya and Avtalyon to their home. Thus, all the Children of Israel showed us that Shemaya and Avtalyon are greater than the High Priest who merited to enter the innermost sanctum (Lifnai V'Lifnim), because their service in holiness is beyond all comprehension, and no thought can grasp it at all.

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, now as I stand here beside their holy and awesome gravesite, and I prostrate myself upon their gravesite in fear and trembling, grant me the merit to receive a fraction of their awesome holiness. May a spark of their souls impregnate me, for they merited to be all year round and all the days of their lives in the state of "Lifnai V'Lifnim" (the innermost sanctum). They merited to cleave to Hashem, blessed be He, in a single knot that is never severed. So too, grant me the merit from this second onward to cleave, in their merit, to the Life of the Worlds without any distraction (hessech hada'at) at all. May I merit like them to know the entire Torah without any distraction at all. May I merit in their merit to study the entire Shas, Rambam, Tur, Shulchan Aruch, Rif, Rosh, and all their commentaries; Ramban, Rashba, Ritva, Meiri, and all the Rishonim and Acharonim; along with the Zohar and Tikkunei Zohar, Zohar Chadash and Midrash HaNe'elam and all the Midrashim; and Etz Chaim and Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar HaKavanot and the Eight Gates, and all the writings of the Ari and their commentaries up to our days; and all the writings of the Rashash and Rabbi Chaim de la Rosa; and all the books of Rabbeinu the Holy (Rebbe Nachman) and his disciples and the disciples of his disciples.

DALTON

RABBI YOSEI HAGLILI

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, You are able, as I stand here beside the holy and awesome gravesite of Rabbi Yosei HaGlili, to impregnate within me some holy spark from his holy and pure soul. For immediately upon his first arrival among the Sages in the great Beit Midrash in the vineyard of Yavneh, he merited immediately to reveal the halachah that a firstborn animal is eaten for two days and one night, just like peace offerings (Shelamim) which are eaten for two days and one night (Zevachim, Eizehu Mekoman 57a).

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, my knees knock against each other as I stand here beside the holy and awesome gravesite of Rabbi Yosei HaGlili, who merited that all the fifty plagues that the Egyptians received at the Red Sea were revealed to him. His name in gematria is David (14) ben (52) Yishai (320) = 386 = Rabbi Yosei HaGlili (212 + 86 + 88 = 386). He merited that the soul of King David, peace be upon him, impregnated him, as Rabbeinu the Holy, Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropol, revealed to us (in his introduction to the Passover Haggadah). So too, grant me the merit as I stand here beside the holy gravesite of Rabbi Yosei HaGlili, who merited that the soul of Mashiach ben David impregnated him, that within me too, right now, some spark from the soul of Mashiach ben Yishai will impregnate me, who will bring the complete Geulah (Redemption) and build the Holy Temple speedily in our days, in the blink of an eye. Amen, Netzach, Selah, V'ed.

6

Please, Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, in terrible shame, in fear and trembling, dread and awe, trembling of the knees, and shuddering in all my loins, as I bring to heart the awesome greatness of the Godly Tanna Rabbi Yosei HaGlili. Immediately when he first came to the Beit Midrash (Zevachim 57a), he already asked, "From where do we know that peace offerings are eaten for two days and one night?" And upon him were said the awesome verses in Daniel: "I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; and no beasts could stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself"—this is Rabbi Akiva. And regarding Rabbi Yosei HaGlili it is said: "And as I was considering, behold, a he-goat came from the west over the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground; and the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. And he came to the ram that had the two horns, which I saw standing before the stream, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and broke his two horns" [—this is Rabbi Akiva and Shimon ben Nannas] "and there was no power in the ram to stand before him; but he cast him down to the ground, and trampled upon him" [—this is Rabbi Akiva] "and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand" [—these are the thirty-two elders in Lod] "And the he-goat magnified himself exceedingly" [—this is Rabbi Yosei HaGlili] (Tosefta Mikvaot, end of chapter 8). Grant me the merit to receive a spark from his awesome holiness and his infinite greatness. May I merit here upon his holy and awesome gravesite to pour out my heart like water before You, until I merit to reach the level of the Godly Tanna Rabbi Yosei HaGlili, as it is written: A person is obligated to say, "When will my actions reach the actions of my forefathers."

CHATZOR

CHONI HAME'AGEL

Master of the Universe, as I stand here beside the holy and awesome gravesite of Choni HaMe'agel in awe, in fear, in trembling, in shaking, grant me the merit to be like Choni HaMe'agel. Whatever he asked of You, You did his will and desire and fulfilled all the requests of his heart, and whatever he asked for the people of Israel was always answered. As the Godly Tanna Rabbi Shimon ben Shetach said about him: "Were you not Choni... But what shall I do to you, for you act like a spoiled child before the Omnipresent and He does your will, like a son who acts like a spoiled child before his father and he does his will, and says to him, 'Father, take me to bathe in hot water, rinse me in cold water, give me nuts, almonds, peaches, and pomegranates,' and he gives them to him. Concerning you the verse says, 'Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her who bore you rejoice'... 'You will decree a matter and it will be established for you, and light will shine upon your ways.' 'You will decree a matter'—you decreed from below and the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfills your word from above. 'And light will shine upon your ways'—a generation that was dark, you illuminated with your prayer. 'When they are cast down, you shall say, There is lifting up'—a generation that was brought low, you lifted up with your prayer. 'And the humble person He saves'—a generation that was brought low by its iniquity, you saved with your prayer. 'He will deliver him that is not innocent'—a generation that was not innocent, you delivered with your prayer. 'And he shall be delivered through the cleanness of your hands'—you delivered it through your pure actions" (Taanit 23a).

Master of the Universe, just as Choni HaMe'agel merited the awesome level where "The Holy One, blessed be He, decrees and the tzaddik nullifies; the tzaddik decrees and the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfills," so too, hear all my prayers that I pray here in this holy and awesome place, in this place upon the holy and awesome gravesite. And so too, hear all my prayers, requests, and supplications wherever I pray for myself, for my household, and for the collective of Israel. May I too merit, in the merit of the tzaddik and Godly Tanna Choni HaMe'agel, the level of "the tzaddik decrees and the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfills; the Holy One, blessed be He, decrees and the tzaddik nullifies." May You always hear all my prayers that I pray for myself, for my household, and for all of Israel. May You always fulfill all my requests and supplications, and always hear my prayer in the aspect of "A prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed, and pours out his complaint before Hashem." May my prayers always be with a broken heart and supplications, until I merit that in the merit of my prayers, You will bring salvation to all of Israel.

Mount Hermon

Covenant Between the Parts

Yirka

Hushai the Archite

Kfar Yasif

Ramchal

Rabbi Shlomo Molcho

The Ancient Cemetery

Kerem Ben Zimra

Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra

MERON

RABBI ELAZAR BEN RABBI SHIMON BAR YOCHAI

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One, as I stand here beside the holy and awesome gravesite of Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, around whom fire blazed whenever he studied Torah, and whose voice was a voice hewing flames of fire. He merited to hear the words of the Living God, as at the Giving of the Torah, from his father Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. For eighteen to twenty-two years he lay in the attic of his house and spoke with every person, answering and asking, saying yes for yes and no for no, "You are innocent" and "You are guilty." No person died before their time, and no woman miscarried her fetus in the entire Land of Israel during his days. He took upon himself all kinds of terrible sufferings all the days of his life, every single night, until sixty garments beneath him were filled with blood and pus, and sixty bowls under his bed were filled with blood and pus. He sweetened judgments from the collective of Israel and from the entire world, so that whoever comes to his holy and awesome gravesite and prays from the depths of his heart, and takes upon himself a true resolution not to return to his folly, and not to blemish his eyes and his thoughts, neither in speech nor in action, and makes a true resolution for the future with deep and wholehearted regret, he is guaranteed that in the merit of the awesome Godly Tanna Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, he will be able to sweeten judgments from himself, from all his household, and from the collective of Israel in the entire world. He will be able to bring about salvations and healings for all who pray for him upon this holy and awesome gravesite. And even though I am not worthy and I am not deserving, for "In a place of sparks of fire and burning flames, who can enter but a blacksmith?" (Bava Metzia 85b), nevertheless, accept this prayer of mine, which is small in quantity and quality, and make it into wondrous vessels in the merit of the Godly Tanna Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Through it, bring about all the salvations and all the healings, for me, for all my household, for all of Israel, and for the entire world, so that they may know "that Hashem is God; there is none else."

HILLEL HAZAKEN

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, grant me the merit here inside the Cave of Hillel, to pour out my heart like water before You, for I have distanced myself from You in the ultimate distance because of my terrible pride, about which it is said, "Every haughty heart is an abomination to Hashem." I have distanced myself from the good character traits of Hillel in the ultimate distance, as far as the heavens are from the earth. Over this, every heart aches and all who suffer are in agony. Now I have come to the Cave of Hillel to pour out my heart like water before You, for every heart melts and my spirit is broken within me. When will I merit to reach the exalted levels of Hillel? On Erev Shabbat Kodesh, they came to mock him, to laugh at him, and to bother him in the middle of bathing. Nevertheless, he wrapped himself and went out to answer the question, "Why are the heads of the Babylonians oval?" And afterward, he called out again, "Hillel, Hillel!" in a derogatory manner, and he went out to him wrapped in his tallit, and said, "Ask, my son, ask." And he asked, "Why are the eyes of the Palmyreans bleary?" And again Hillel entered the bathhouse, and again he heard calls of contempt and mockery, "Who here is Hillel? Who here is Hillel?" And he wrapped himself and went out to face the question, "Why are the feet of the Africans wide?" And to every single question he said, "You have asked a great question." Until that mocker finally said to him, "I have many questions to ask, but I am afraid lest you become angry." He wrapped himself and sat before him, and said to him, "Ask all the questions you have to ask." He said to him, "Are you Hillel? Know that I have lost four hundred zuz because of you." Hillel said to him, "Be careful with your spirit," and do not try to anger me anymore, for I will never become angry and I will never be strict. So too, grant me the merit from this moment that I have come to the Cave of Hillel, to never again become angry and to never be strict (makpid) forever. Even if they inflict upon me all the sufferings in the world, and insult me with all the insults in the world, and take everything I have, I will never be strict. May I merit to fulfill what is stated in Likutey Halachot (Orach Chaim, Tefillin 5:17): "As Rabbeinu (Rebbe Nachman) said about himself, that he merited this aspect in Eretz Yisrael, that he would have such long-suffering (arichat apayim) that there would not be in his heart any aspect of anger or strictness even against his greatest enemy who causes him all the sufferings." So too, may I merit in the merit of Hillel and Rabbeinu the Holy and Awesome, to never again become angry, and not to be strict with any person, even if he subjects me to all the humiliations and all the sufferings. May I not stumble in "You shall not take revenge" and "You shall not bear a grudge," but rather I will do him all the favors, as it is stated: The Sages taught: Those who are insulted but do not insult, hear their disgrace but do not reply, act out of love and rejoice in sufferings (Shabbat 88b).

RAV HAMNUNA SAVA

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One, as I stand upon the awesome and terrible gravesite of Rav Hamnuna Sava, before whom Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Rabbi Elazar, and Rabbi Abba all trembled. He would swallow all the waters in the world along with all the fish of the sea in one gulp, and the sea would not return to its strength for seventy years. He merited to attain Yechidah (the highest soul level) in the ultimate, highest degree, to know that there is none besides You and nothing other than You, and all the nations are as nothing before You, as it is stated, "Behold, the nations are as a drop from a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the scales; behold, He takes up the isles as a very little thing."

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, please have mercy on "a worm and not a man" like me, "a reproach of men and despised by the people" like me, "All who see me mock me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head." May I merit, as I stand now upon the holy, awesome, and terrible gravesite of Rav Hamnuna Sava, that the soul of Rav Hamnuna Sava will impregnate me. Through this, may I too merit to attain Yechidah in the ultimate, highest degree, Yechidah d'Yechidah, to know that "Hashem is God; there is none else," and besides You "no man shall lift up his hand or his foot" in all the earth, for You know all thoughts and actions. Grant me the merit to also reach the wisdom of Rav Hamnuna Sava, until I too merit to swallow all the waters of wisdom of seventy years in one gulp. And so may I merit to ascend from level to level infinitely and endlessly, until I merit to reach the level of "exactly like me" (Kamonu Mamash) while still alive, speedily in our days, in the blink of an eye. Amen.

RABBI YOCHANAN HASANDLAR

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, as I stand here upon the holy and awesome gravesite of Rabbi Yochanan HaSandlar, who was an awesome and holy Tanna in the ultimate holiness and purity. All his days he cleaved to You without any distraction, and the Name of Havayah never left his eyes even for a brief moment. So too, grant me the merit to cleave to You all twenty-four hours a day, whether asleep, awake, or in a dream, and may the Name of Havayah never leave my eyes even for a brief moment. Just as Rabbi Yochanan HaSandlar merited that You revealed Yourself to him in Your great mercy, and he merited to dwell in glory beside the Godly Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who chose his place beside Achiya HaShiloni, the teacher of Eliyahu the Prophet. So too, grant me the merit to sanctify my body completely like Eliyahu the Prophet, and may my body reach the level of a soul like Eliyahu the Prophet, and like Rabbi Yochanan HaSandlar and all the holy and pure Tannaim.

SHAMMAI HAZAKEN

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, as I arrive now, after terrible and exhausting wanderings, to the Cave of Shammai and his disciples, grant me the merit to fulfill the statement of Shammai: "Make your Torah study a fixed habit; say little and do much; and receive every person with a cheerful face" (Avot 1:15).

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, in the merit of Shammai the Elder and his disciples, who were the sharpest and greatest scholars in Israel, grant me the merit to study Torah day and night with immense desire and immense diligence, without any fatigue and without any weariness at all. May I minimize my eating, and fulfill the words of Shammai, who would set aside any beautiful animal for Shabbat and would not taste from it during the weekdays (Beitzah 16a). May I study the entire Torah with immense desire and immense speed. In the merit of Shammai, may all the channels of my mind be opened, and may I understand everything perfectly in the blink of an eye, without any delays at all and without any introductions at all. Until I merit to ascend to Adam Kadmon, to the world where no thought can grasp at all, to the Unknowable Head (Reisha d'Lo Ityada). May I know the entire Torah—Pshat, Remez, Drush, Sod (literal, allegorical, homiletical, and mystical meanings). May I know the entire Shas and the entire Rambam, Maggid Mishneh, Kesef Mishneh, Lechem Mishneh, Migdal Oz, Rabbeinu Manoach, Hagahot Maimoniyot, Hagahot HaRamach, HaRadbaz, HaRidbaz, and the Vilna Gaon and all his novelties, and Rabbi Akiva Eiger and all his novelties. And the entire Tur with the Beit Yosef and the Bach, Prisha, Drisha, and Darchei Moshe. And the Shulchan Aruch with the Taz and the Magen Avraham, Shach, Sma, Chelkat Mechokek, and Beit Shmuel. May I merit to minimize my speech, to say little and do much. Every promise I make, I will fulfill, and I will not be accustomed to making vows. Any vow I do make, I will always fulfill and not annul, until I merit the level of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, who, in the merit of never annulling any vow, merited to enter the Garden of Eden with his body. So too, may I merit in the merit of the true tzaddikim to strip my body completely, and to merit a holy body from the Garden of Eden, clean of all jealousy and hatred. May I merit to be like Rabbi Achai bar Yoshiya, who, in the merit of not being jealous, merited a whole body even after his passing, and merited to speak with Rav Nachman (Shabbat 152b), explaining to him that only one who has jealousy has his bones rot, as it is written, "Rot of the bones is jealousy" (Proverbs 14:30). May I always fulfill the statement of Shammai: "Receive every person with a cheerful face." And may I fulfill the statement: The Sages taught: Those who are insulted but do not insult, hear their disgrace but do not reply, act out of love and rejoice in sufferings, concerning them the verse says, "And those who love Him are like the sun going forth in its might" (Shabbat 88b).

RABBI SHIMON BAR YOCHAI

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, grant me the merit to be included in the soul of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who is the lion of lions, about whom it is said, "The lion has roared, who will not fear?" He merited that the soul of Moshe Rabbeinu was included in him, until he said, "Moshe did not know, but I know." Please, Merciful and Gracious One, Omnipotent One, grant me the merit that the soul of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai will impregnate me too, until I know the entire Zohar and the Etz Chaim and all their commentaries and supercommentaries perfectly.

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, Victor over all victors, grant me the merit to attain the holiness of the covenant in truth, and never again blemish my covenant forever. May I never again look at any woman in the world, until I merit the holiness of Rabbeinu (Rebbe Nachman) literally, as he promised, "exactly like me" (Kamonu Mamash). Grant me the merit to be completely included in the soul of Moshe, who merited to impregnate Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, for Moshe = "B'Lev Ish" (in the heart of a man) = 345. May I merit that Moshe Rabbeinu, the Faithful Shepherd, will literally impregnate my heart in the merit of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, until I merit, in the merit of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, to enter the innermost sanctum (Lifnai V'Lifnim). For Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is the High Priest who atones for the sins of Israel every single year. May I merit, in the merit of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, to remove the flaming (Lahat = 44) sword (Cherev = 215) and another ten crowns of impurity, which in gematria + 1 equals Ra (Evil). To transform it to E"r (Awake), as it is written regarding Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, "A watcher (I'r) and a holy one (Kaddish) came down (Nachit) from heaven (Min Shmaya)." May I merit to always be awake (E"r) for His service, blessed be He, and to minimize sleep, and to study Torah day and night without pause and without any interruption at all. May I merit the surrounding lights and the inner lights that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai merited to draw down. By the power of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, may I merit to ascend from Zeir Anpin to Abba and Imma, and from there to Arich and Atika Kadisha, until I merit to be included in the skull (Karkafta) of Adam Kadmon, the aspect of Yechidah to Yechidah, and I will know that there is none besides You. Until I merit, in the merit of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, to be included in the Tree of Life, and to be like Eliyahu the Prophet who merited to live forever, and he is the guardian of the Cave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Thus, may I merit to be completely included in Eliyahu the Prophet, remembered for good. Through this, may I merit to rule over my evil inclination like Eliyahu the Prophet, remembered for good, who is Pinchas who killed Zimri, and who merited to see but not be seen. So too, grant me the merit to see but not be seen, and do not give permission to the evil inclination to even peek at me. Distance it from me and from my borders. Through this, grant me the merit that "My heart be perfect in Your statutes, so that I will not be put to shame" (Psalms 119:80).

6

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, as I stand here beside the holy and awesome gravesite of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, in awe, in fear, in trembling, and in shaking. He who is omnipotent, and can bring about all the salvations in the world, whether in spirituality or in physicality. Please, Merciful and Gracious One, grant me the merit to be included in the wondrous and awesome soul of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, for whose sake it was said, "Let us make man," and who merited seventy precious tikkunim that are more valuable than pearls. Grant me the merit, Merciful and Gracious One, to have even a fraction of understanding of his holy and awesome words, both in his statements in the Mishnah and in the Gemara, that I may deeply understand all his methods in all the thirteen attributes by which the Torah is expounded. May I merit the rectification of the mind and its building through his holy and pure statements in the Mishnah and Gemara. May I merit to see the holy Tanna Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai standing before me when I am studying his holy and awesome statements. Furthermore, give me wisdom, understanding, and knowledge to understand all the statements of the Zohar, Zohar Chadash, Tikkunei Zohar, with all their commentaries and explanations. May I merit in this awesome hour, as I prostrate myself now upon his holy and awesome gravesite, that some spark from the soul of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai will impregnate me, until I merit the awesome level he attained by being in the cave for thirteen years. Through this, he perfectly drew down to the world the thirteen attributes of mercy, along with the thirteen attributes by which the Torah is expounded, which are all the homiletic interpretations of the holy Torah. Please, Merciful and Gracious One, full of mercy, grant me the merit that the statement of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai be fulfilled in me: "All of Israel are children of kings." May I merit to truly conduct myself like a prince and not like the son of a maidservant, and I will not follow the stubbornness of my heart, Heaven forbid. I will no longer wander after my heart and after my eyes, Heaven forbid. Just as Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai merited that the soul of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, impregnated him, so too may I merit, in the merit of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, that a spark from the soul of Moshe, the Faithful Shepherd, will also impregnate me. He who merited to redeem the people of Israel and to bring them out of subjugation to redemption, from the subjugation of the four elements which encompass all lusts, up to the level of the Resurrection of the Dead where their impurity ceased. And they merited the level of Atika, the splitting of the Red Sea, the Song of the Sea, and all the levels in the world, until they merited to see You face to face and to hear the Ten Commandments. So too, may I merit, in the merit of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, to hear the Ten Commandments in every moment and second.

MANARA

MAR BAR RAV ASHI

Master of the Universe, as I stand here beside the holy and awesome gravesite of Mar bar Rav Ashi, my knees knock against each other, and I am entirely gripped by fear and trembling, dread, awe and reverence, shaking and shuddering, before the majesty of his holiness. He merited to be with his father when they arranged and compiled the entire Shas, and a pillar of fire did not cease from them during the entire compilation of the Shas, until they merited to see Hashem face to face, and the entire Heavenly Host, and the entire Divine Chariot with all the 220,000 angels that surround it. Participating with them during the arrangement of the Shas were Michael and all his camps, Gavriel and all his camps, Nuriel and all his camps, Refael and all his camps. They merited that during the compilation of the holy Gemara (G'M'R'A)—which is the acronym for Gavriel, Michael, Refael, Auriel (Uriel)—from every single letter they compiled and wrote, entirely new angels were created. And so too in every generation, every single day, and every single hour, whenever we say the words and letters of the holy Gemara, new angels are immediately created who join the camps of Uriel, Gavriel, Michael, and Refael, from whom all healings and all salvations are drawn. Therefore, grant me the merit, Master of the Universe, in the merit of standing here beside the holy and awesome gravesite of Mar bar Rav Ashi, that I too may merit, every time, every day, and every hour that I study the holy Gemara, to create holy angels who will join the camps of Gavriel, Michael, Uriel, and Refael. May they bring all the salvations to the people of Israel, defeat all our enemies, and destroy all our foes, just like the angels that Yaakov sent to Esav who subdued him, frightened him, and caused his four hundred mighty men to flee. So too, may the angels that I merit to create every day through the holy Gemara bring the Geulah (Redemption) to the people of Israel.

NEVURIYA

Rabbi Elazar HaModa'i

Rabbi Yaakov of Kfar Nevuriya

Yonatan ben Harkinas

Rabbi Yitzchak ben Elyashiv

Sasa

Rabbi Levi bar Sisi

Rabbi Yosei bar Sisi

EIN ZEITIM

RABBI YEHUDAH BAR ILAI

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, as I stand here beside the holy and awesome gravesite of Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai, the chief speaker in every place, I am shaken and terrified, all my bones tremble, and my knees knock against each other. He merited that the Gemara said about him: Between Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehudah, the halachah follows Rabbi Yehudah; between Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Yehudah, the halachah follows Rabbi Yehudah (Eruvin 46b). All his words were like coals of fire, and he merited to be a spark of Yehudah ben Yaakov, and therefore he said, "The removal of chametz is only by burning." Grant me the merit to remove the chametz from my heart, to completely burn the "leaven in the dough" (the evil inclination), and to nullify from myself all leaven and sourdough with absolute nullification. May I merit that right now a spark from his awesome soul will impregnate me, so that by the power of this spark I will merit to serve You day and night without a moment's or second's pause, with supreme and exceedingly immense devotion (devekut). May I merit to study the words of the Mishnayot and Braitot with exceedingly immense yearning, for every single utterance from the words of Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai pierces the heavens and penetrates to the Great Deep, from the heights of the firmament reaching even the souls sunk in the Great Abyss, bringing them out from darkness to light, from subjugation to redemption. Grant me the merit in his merit, from this moment on, to cast away all my despicable thoughts, and to purify my heart until it is a completely pure heart, as it is written, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." May there be fulfilled in me, in the merit of Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai, "The secret of Hashem is for those who fear Him, and His covenant to make them know it." May I merit from now on to be a true and perfect guardian of the covenant. In this merit, may all the secrets of the Torah be revealed to me from now on, in Pshat, Remez, Drush, and Sod. May I be truly proficient in all four parts of the Torah in truth. May I know, in the merit of Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai, the entire Shas, forwards and backwards, with proficiency and in-depth analysis. And likewise all the books of the Rambam, Tur, Shulchan Aruch, with all their commentaries and supercommentaries. Until I merit, in the merit of Rabbi Yehudah bar Ilai, to complete all the parts of my soul—Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah, Chayah, Yechidah—and I will not enter before You in shame.

ACHBARA

AKAVYA BEN MAHALALEL

Master of the Universe, as I prostrate myself here upon the holy and awesome gravesite of Akavya ben Mahalalel, shuddering has seized me, fear and trembling grip me, and my knees knock against each other, as I remember the awesome statements: "It is better for me to be called a fool all my days than to become a wicked person for one hour before the Omnipresent" (Eduyot 5:6).

Please, Master of the Universe, grant me the merit to fulfill the awesome statement: "Akavya ben Mahalalel says: Reflect upon three things and you will not come to the hands of transgression. Know from where you came, to where you are going, and before Whom you are destined to give a strict account... before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He" (Avot 3:1). May no word of prayer leave me without intention (kavanah), and no letter without intention, Heaven forbid. When I say "Baruch" (Blessed), may I feel how the letter "Bet" embraces me and hugs me, and speaks to me not to leave it. Rather, may I feel how every single letter speaks to me and reveals to me the secrets of the Torah, for every single letter in prayer is higher than prophecy. May I always know that an Eye sees, and may I feel how You watch over me twenty-four hours a day, and see me in every moment and second. May I never again look at any strange girl, Heaven forbid, nor any strange woman, Heaven forbid. Forgive me, in the merit of Akavya ben Mahalalel, for all the forbidden sights I have stumbled in until now. May I merit teshuvah (repentance) out of love like Akavya ben Mahalalel, for the courtyard doors were not closed upon any man in Israel in wisdom and in fear of sin like Akavya ben Mahalalel (Pesachim 64b). May I merit the fear of sin of Akavya ben Mahalalel, to never again look at any strange woman in the world, Heaven forbid. Not to envy any friend, and not to speak against any friend. May the statement be fulfilled in me: "Those who are insulted but do not insult, hear their disgrace but do not reply... concerning them the verse says, 'And those who love Him are like the sun going forth in its might.'" May I merit like Devorah the Prophetess, who merited this verse because she was among those who are insulted but do not insult, and through this, they merited to see torches above her tent during her prophecy.

ALMA

RABBI ELAZAR BEN AZARYA

Master of the Universe, as I arrive to prostrate myself here upon the holy and awesome gravesite of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, about whom the Gemara says in Berachot (28a): Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya said, "Behold, I am like a man of seventy years." For he merited that eighteen rows of white hair appeared in his beard, and he gained the wisdom of a seventy-year-old at the age of eighteen. All the wellsprings of wisdom were opened to him like to Shmuel the Prophet, for he was the reincarnation of Shmuel the Prophet, who came to complete the eighteen years to reach seventy.

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, as we come to the awesome gravesite of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, grant us too that all the wellsprings of wisdom be opened to us. May we be proficient in Shas, Gemara, Talmud, Rambam, Tur, Shulchan Aruch, and all their commentaries: Beit Yosef, Bach, Magen Avraham, Taz, Shach, Sma, Beit Shmuel, Chelkat Mechokek. Open for us all the gates of the Rishonim and Acharonim: Ramban, Rashba, Ritva, Meiri, Shitah Mekubetzet, and all the commentators; the Vilna Gaon, HaRav HaGaon Chaim of Brisk, HaRav HaGaon Naftali Trop, and all the Geonim who were in all generations and who will be, so that we do not miss or lose any commentator. May we merit, in the merit of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, to study Torah day and night without pause and without a second's interruption. May we merit, like Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya, to have Torah and greatness in one place.

RABBI ELAZAR BEN ARACH

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, as I arrive to prostrate myself here upon the holy and awesome gravesite of the Godly Tanna Elazar ben Arach, around whom fire blazed. As the Gemara says in Chagigah (14b): The Sages taught: An incident occurred with Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai who was riding on a donkey and traveling on the road, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arach was driving the donkey behind him. He said to him, "My teacher, teach me one chapter in the Work of the Chariot (Ma'aseh Merkavah)." He said to him, "Have I not taught you thus: Nor the Chariot in the presence of one, unless he is a sage who understands of his own knowledge?" He said to him, "My teacher, permit me to say before you one thing that you have taught me." He said to him, "Speak." Immediately, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai dismounted from the donkey, wrapped himself, and sat on the stone under the olive tree. He said to him, "My teacher, why did you dismount from the donkey?" He said, "Is it possible that you are expounding on the Work of the Chariot, and the Shechinah is with us, and the ministering angels are accompanying us, and I should ride on the donkey?" Immediately, Rabbi Elazar ben Arach began expounding on the Work of the Chariot, and fire came down from heaven and surrounded all the trees in the field. They all opened and sang a song. What song did they sing? "Praise Hashem from the earth, sea monsters and all depths, fruitful trees and all cedars, Halleluyah." An angel answered from the fire and said, "Indeed, this is the Work of the Chariot." Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai stood up, kissed him on his head, and said, "Blessed is Hashem, God of Israel, Who gave a son to Avraham Avinu who knows how to understand, investigate, and expound on the Work of the Chariot. There is one who expounds well but does not fulfill well; there is one who fulfills well but does not expound well. You expound well and fulfill well. Fortunate are you, Avraham Avinu, that Elazar ben Arach emerged from your loins."

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, Omnipotent One, just as You helped Your holy and awesome son Rabbi Elazar ben Arach to expound on the Work of the Chariot, and fire came down from heaven and blazed around him, so too, grant merit to all of us—all those who come now to prostrate themselves upon the holy and awesome gravesite of Rabbi Elazar ben Arach, and to Your entire nation, the House of Israel, whether those present here or those not present here. Grant us all the merit to know Shas and Poskim, Rambam, Tur, Shulchan Aruch, and all their commentaries: Beit Yosef, Bach, Magen Avraham, Taz, Shach, Sma, Beit Shmuel, and Chelkat Mechokek, and all the commentaries on the Arba'ah Turim; Ramban, Rashba, Ritva, Meiri, Shitah Mekubetzet. May it all ascend before You for favor, as a pleasing aroma, an offering by fire to Hashem. May we never again blemish our covenant forever. All the terrible fire burning within us from our generations, from all the reincarnations, and from the sin of the Tree of Knowledge—which all comes from the blemish of the moon and its diminishment—all the seventy fires that burn within us day and night, please transform them in Your great mercy into a holy fire of flame, forever and ever towards You, blessed be He. May we only burn towards You in flames of fire, and study with a voice that hews flames of fire. May we shed rivers of tears like water, as it is written, "My drink I mingled with weeping," for all the tractates (Masechtot) were compiled only through rivers of tears, in the secret of "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept" (Likutey Moharan 264). In this merit, may we study with a blazing fire, and may all the fire within us turn into the fire of Torah. May we study with the flames of love, and elevate all fallen loves to a holy, blazing fire towards You, as it is written: "Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave; its flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, he would utterly be despised." And may the verse be fulfilled in us: "And the house of Yaakov shall be a fire, and the house of Yosef a flame, and the house of Esav for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esav; for Hashem has spoken" (Ovadiah 1:18).

AMUKA

YONATAN BEN UZIEL

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One, as I stand before the holy and awesome gravesite of the awesome and terrible Tanna Yonatan ben Uziel, who was the greatest among the disciples of Hillel the Elder. He was worthy that the Shechinah should rest upon him like Moshe Rabbeinu, and he was worthy to stop the sun and the moon.

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, grant me the merit to stop the sun and the moon like Moshe and Yehoshua, and to merit in his merit the unification of the sun and the moon, which is the unification of Chochmah and Binah (Wisdom and Understanding). Through this, may I merit Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah, Chayah, and Yechidah. Forgive me for all my sins and blemishes of the covenant. I will never again blemish my covenant forever—not in thought, not in sight, not in speech, and not in action. May I merit, in the merit of the Godly Tanna who dwells here, before whose holy gravesite I stand in terrible awe and fear, to shed tears like water, as it is written, "Streams of water run down my eyes, because they do not keep Your Torah." May I merit to hear the roars of the Holy One, blessed be He, over the doe that has distanced herself from Him, as it is written, "He will roar mightily over His dwelling." And how He kicks the 390 firmaments, and sheds tears boiling like fire into the Great Sea. By the power of these tears, the Prince of the Sea, who is called Rahav, stands and exists. He was appointed over the Shamir worm, and handed it over to the Duchifat (hoopoe, 520), the secret of ten times Eliyahu the Prophet, remembered for good, who will be revealed speedily in our days. Amen.

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Master of the Universe, in fear and trembling, dread and awe, all my bones shaking from fear, and my knees knocking against each other: How can a worm and a maggot like me come before the Godly Tanna, the head of the disciples of Hillel, who is equal to Moshe Rabbeinu, and who can stop the sun and the moon? And I, with the multitude of my evil thoughts and despicable actions, dare to stand before the majesty of his holiness. But I have leaned upon His infinite mercy, and I know that there is no end to His mercy, especially upon a sinner and transgressor like me, for there is no greater transgressor than me in the entire world and in all generations. Just as he merited that every bird that flew over him was burned, so too, grant me the merit that all my evil thoughts will be burned and disappear completely, and all my evil and despicable actions will be transformed into merits. In the merit of accepting upon myself right now, upon his holy gravesite, a true thought of teshuvah (repentance), not to sin anymore from now until eternity, and to guard my eyes and my thoughts with the utmost vigilance.

Peki'in

Rabbi Oshaya Rabbah

Rabbi Oshaya of Tirya

Rabbi Yosei of Peki'in

Cave of Rashba (Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar)

Parod

Rabbi Yishmael, Master of the Braitot

Rabbi Nechemiah HaAmsoni

Tzomet Yesha

Rabbi Yosei of Milchaya

SAFED (TZFAT)

THE HOLY ARI

Master of the Universe, as I stand before the holy, awesome, and terrible gravesite, beyond all limit and comprehension, of Rabbeinu the Holy Ari, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria. The hidden and concealed tzaddik, beyond all intellect and understanding, who would speak with Eliyahu the Prophet, remembered for good, face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He revealed to him all the secrets of Adam Kadmon, the secret of the skull (Gulgalta) of Adam Kadmon, which is the Name of A"V (72) of Adam Kadmon. And the secret of the Ear, Nose, and Mouth (Ozen, Chotem, Peh) of Adam Kadmon, which are the secret of the awesome and terrible Name Yod-Hei-Vav-Hei. And how the light of the awesome Name Yod-Hei-Vav-Hei ascended and went up to Adam Kadmon, and then Hashem created the partition (Parsa) within Adam Kadmon. Then the upper part of Adam Kadmon was filled with wondrous lights from the unification of the Name A"V (Yod-Hei-Vav-Hei) with the Name A"V of Sa"G, and the light multiplied infinitely and endlessly, until the light broke through the Parsa. A portion came out from the eyes, and this is the secret of the World of Points (Nekudim). And a portion broke through the Parsa and went downwards, continuing to split the body of Adam Kadmon from the navel (Tabur) and below, and came out surrounding Adam Kadmon, uniting with the lights of Nekudim that came out from the eyes, where the breaking of the vessels (Shevirah) occurred.

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, Omnipotent One, after the terrible breaking that occurred in the lights that came out from the eyes, grant me the merit from this day forward, in the merit of the holy, awesome, and terrible tzaddik who dwells here, to guard my eyes with the utmost vigilance. I will never again look at any strange woman at all, so that I do not blemish, Heaven forbid, the holy Shechinah and the holy Emunah (Faith) that is in the three worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, which cascade down from the Malchut of Atzilut where the holy Emunah illuminates, in the secret of the kosher and holy woman (Isha), which is three times Emunah (102 * 3 = 306 = Isha).

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, from Whom nothing is hidden, You can make it happen in the blink of an eye that I merit to return all the lights to their root in the eyes of Adam Kadmon, by guarding my eyes in the ultimate holiness and purity. Until I merit to be perfectly included in all the wondrous lights emerging from Adam Kadmon, just as Moshe the Faithful Shepherd merited, who was drawn from the hair of His head like pure wool (Amar Neka), which hints at Amram the father of Moshe, through whom the soul of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, cascaded down. And so may I merit like Calev ben Yefuneh, who merited to be included in the lights of the navel (Tabur) of Adam Kadmon. And so may I merit like Yehoshua bin Nun, who merited to stop the sun and the moon because he merited to be included in the lights of the foundation (Yesod) of Adam Kadmon.

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Master of the Universe, as I stand here beside the holy and awesome gravesite of the Holy Ari, my knees knock against each other, and I am entirely gripped by awe and fear, trembling and shuddering, shaking and quaking, before the holiness of the Holy Ari. He reached in his holiness above the angels and seraphim on high, and angels and seraphim wanted to do his bidding. He ruled over the demons and spirits, and they all submitted beneath him. He saw from the beginning of the world's creation until its end, and no secret was hidden from him. All the secrets of the Torah, of the upper realms and the lower realms, were revealed to him. He saw everything happening in all seven firmaments, which are Vilon, Rakia, Shechakim, Zevul, Maon, Machon, and Aravot. He saw the Throne of Glory with all four angels carrying it, which are Gavriel, Michael, Nuriel, and Refael. He merited to practice hisbodedus (secluded prayer) all his days, and he did not divert his attention from the holy Shechinah from the day he reached maturity. He merited to see a pillar of fire upon the bed of the Ramak, and he announced where to bury his holy and pure body. He saw no impurity all the days of his life, and he never opened his eyes outside of his four cubits. He saw the Name of Havayah before him constantly, whether awake or in a dream. In his sleep on Shabbat, he would grasp what a veteran disciple could not grasp in eighty years. When he went to sleep, the angel Suriel would come and elevate his soul to whichever heavenly hall he desired, whether the hall of Rabbi Akiva, the hall of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, or other halls. All his days he heard Torah from the mouth of the Almighty. Please, Merciful and Gracious One, grant me the merit of some spark from his holy and pure soul, until I too merit some aspect of his infinite, holy level.

RABBI CHUTZPIT HAMETURGEMAN

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One, grant me the merit to picture before my eyes the image of Rabbi Chutzpit HaMeturgeman, before whose holy gravesite I now stand, in shaking and trembling, fear and dread, with all my bones gripped by shuddering. As I bring to heart all his terrible sufferings, how animals in the form of men abused him, and his pure tongue, which never ceased from speaking the holy Torah, and without pause only recounted Your wonders and kindnesses in an exalted and awesome light, was dragged in the dust to atone for the sins of an awesome nation. From the days of Yosef HaTzaddik, who brought a bad report about his brothers, until the end of generations, to atone for every speech and error.

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, Omnipotent One from Whom nothing is hidden, please forgive me for all my terrible speech, in which I have stumbled from the day of my creation until now, from all reincarnations until the generation of today. From the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, when I believed the words of the serpent, and likewise in every generation I stumble anew and believe all words of falsehood, lies, and deceit. I never investigate, and I do not warn my soul, even though I have seen that all kinds of evil words I have heard are founded on lies.

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, may the sufferings of Yosef HaTzaddik and Rabbi Chutzpit HaMeturgeman atone for me and for all of Your people Israel. For I must shed oceans of tears over all the forbidden words in which I frequently err. From now on, I will withdraw and detach myself from the vanities of this world and its lusts, and I will place all my focus, desire, wish, will, and hope only to be included in You and to do Your will. From now on, I will guard my mouth and my tongue from any trace and word of blame. I will not falsely accuse any person in the world of any trace of blame, and I will not seek out the faults of people, and I will not find any trace of blame in them. I will never again arouse any judgment or accusation against any Jew. For You hate and despise with ultimate disgust and hatred anyone who speaks and accuses Your children, Your chosen ones, whom You love with infinite love. For Your love for every Jew is an eternal love, because they were all formed and emanated from Your very essence, from Your Throne of Glory, and they are all Your essence, Your people, and Your heritage. Anyone who tries to arouse judgment and blame against them, You hate with all kinds of wrath and hatred. Even Yosef HaTzaddik did not escape the terror of Your judgment, and it was decreed upon him to be in a land of decree for twelve years, under twelve brothers whose souls are also included in him. For it is not Your will that we search for any flaw in any Jew, because then we arouse all anger and wrath upon ourselves, upon Your entire enlightened nation. Until it was decreed upon Rabbi Chutzpit HaMeturgeman to atone for the sins of the generations, and the sins of Yosef, which we have no comprehension of. May we merit from now on only words of holiness, and day and night we will speak only words of Torah. May we merit that only words of holiness, ethics, and purity emerge from our mouths. We will only use our mouths to praise, laud, and glorify Your great and awesome Name. For it is our duty to jump into the fire for the sake of Your awesome Name, and to truly sacrifice our lives for every single Jew and pure soul. "What is mine is yours, what is yours is yours"—this will be our trait from now until eternity. We will give everything for the sake of every single creation; we will only help, support, gladden, and strengthen every creation. In this merit, may we no longer know any sorrow or pain, and may we draw down, in the merit of the Ten Martyrs, life and joy to every soul, spirit, and creation in the world. May we fulfill our destiny that You destined for us in life, to gladden every aching soul, and to draw down joy and life to everyone. May we merit to be like those gladdeners, who would revive every suffering soul, and in this merit, they merited eternal life in the World to Come, and they also granted their generation eternal life forever.

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Please, Merciful and Gracious One, guard our mouths and our tongues from all forbidden speech. May we never again stumble, neither in evil speech (lashon hara) nor in spreading slander. For Rabbi Chutzpit HaMeturgeman came to atone for the sins of all generations, and his pure and clear tongue, which always opened only with words of Torah, was dragged in the dust to atone for all the sins of the generations, from Yosef HaTzaddik until the end of generations.

Please, Victor over all victors, grant us the merit to win the war of inclinations, and save us from all forbidden speech. May we see only the good in all of Israel, and avert our eyes from seeing vanity. It is better for us to die than to stumble even in a light word. May we too merit to sacrifice our lives for every single mitzvah. In the merit of Rabbi Chutzpit HaMeturgeman, protect us, and hasten our redemption and salvation.

RABBI SHIMON, THE ATTENDANT OF RABBEINU

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, grant me the merit to pour out my heart like water before You, and to serve You day and night in earnestness and simplicity. Grant us the merit, in Your abundant kindnesses, to attain the perfection of holy knowledge, and to perform good and proper deeds in Your eyes. Open for us the light of the intellect in truth, in such a way that we merit that the light of the true tzaddikim is revealed to us clearly and truly. Just as You opened the eyes of Rabbi Shimon, the attendant of Rabbeinu the Holy and Awesome, who merited to serve him in this world and in the World to Come, and merited to see the light of Rabbeinu the Holy and Awesome that illuminates all the worlds, and certainly in this world. Through this, may we merit perfect awe and love, and unify our hearts to love and fear Your Name in truth, in ultimate perfection, from now until eternity. May I merit, like Rabbi Shimon, to truly draw close to Rabbeinu the Holy and Awesome, and to serve him in every kind of service, and to truly see the glory of Rabbeinu the Holy and Awesome in this world and in the World to Come. May You always reveal to me Your true will in every moment and second. Through this, grant me the merit that perfect awe and love be drawn down upon us, just as Rabbi Shimon, the attendant of Rabbeinu the Holy and Awesome, merited this. In this merit, may we merit to love You truly with all our hearts and with all our souls. Please, Hearer of prayer, Hearer of crying, Hearer of screaming, Hearer of sighing, hear the voice of our prayers in mercy, and fulfill our request for Your sake and not for ours. May we merit, in the merit of truly nullifying ourselves to Rabbeinu the Holy and Awesome, to pray with supreme self-sacrifice every word and every letter. May we feel how every single letter in prayer embraces us and hugs us. May we merit, in the merit of reaching the level of Rabbi Shimon, the attendant of Rabbeinu the Holy, to truly serve Rabbeinu. Through this, may we merit to say many songs, praises, prayers, and supplications before You, until we merit to be included in all Your holy and awesome Names. Through this, may the promise of Rabbeinu the Holy and Awesome be fulfilled in us, and may we merit the level of Rabbeinu the Holy and Awesome who promised "exactly like me" (Kamonu Mamash), and may we merit to perform miracles, wonders, and marvels in the world.

KADITA

ELKANAH

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One, grant me the merit to reach the level of Elkanah, about whom it is said: "And there came a man of God to Eli, and said to him, Thus says Hashem: Did I plainly reveal Myself to the house of your father, when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh's house? And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before Me? And did I give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire? Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering, which I have commanded in My habitation; and honor your sons above Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people? Therefore Hashem, the God of Israel, says: I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before Me forever; but now Hashem says: Be it far from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed" (1 Samuel 2:27-30).

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, grant me the merit that all the days of my life these words of Elkanah will be a lamp to my feet. May I always be careful with the honor of Hashem, and never cause a desecration of Hashem's Name (Chillul Hashem), for "It is better for me to be called a fool all my days than to become a wicked person for one hour before the Omnipresent" (Eduyot 5:6). May I merit to accept all the humiliations in the world for the sanctification of Your Name. I will not envy any person in the world, and certainly not people more important than me; I will not seek their harm, I will not blemish their honor, and I will not falsely accuse them of anything. Rather, may I merit to accept all the humiliations in the world with love, as it is stated: Those who are insulted but do not insult, hear their disgrace but do not reply, act out of love and rejoice in sufferings, concerning them the verse says, "And those who love Him are like the sun going forth in its might" (Shabbat 88b). And may I merit what is stated, that they dug in the ground of Rav Nachman, and Rav Achai bar Yoshiya found him alive and existing, and his bones had not rotted, in the merit that he never envied any person in the world during his life (Shabbat 152b).

RABBI TARFON

Master of the Universe, Omnipotent One from Whom no purpose can be withheld, as I stand here upon the holy and awesome gravesite of Rabbi Tarfon, in fear and trembling, dread and terror and shaking, awe and shuddering, and all my bones shaking from fear. As I prostrate myself here upon the holy and awesome gravesite of one of those who still merited to stand and ascend the platform (Duchan) during the time of the Holy Temple, and later merited to be counted among the Ten Martyrs of the Kingdom. He sacrificed his life for the sanctification of Hashem's Name (Kiddush Hashem), and suffered all the sufferings in the world for the sake of the entire collective of Israel in the coming generations, for these generations of ours, and for all generations until Mashiach and after Mashiach. Therefore, I have come here before You, great and awesome God, in the infinite merit of Rabbi Tarfon, to plead for myself, for all my household, and for Your entire nation, the House of Israel. Grace me to walk in Your ways and to engage in Your Torah day and night without pause. To study Gemara, Shas, Rambam, Tur, Shulchan Aruch, Rif, Rosh, and all their commentaries, without any weariness and without any fatigue. Nothing will prevent me from studying Your holy Torah. I will never become angry, and I will not be strict with any person in the world. I will never slander anyone, and I will not speak lashon hara (evil speech) about anyone. I will guard my eyes with the utmost vigilance not to see anything forbidden, Heaven forbid, and I will always walk in the streets of the city with closed eyes. I will do true teshuvah (repentance) for everything I have stumbled in from my youth until now, in this reincarnation and in other reincarnations, in the merit of Rabbi Tarfon, the holy and awesome tzaddik, who already took upon himself all the sufferings until the end of all generations.

KEDESH NAFTALI

Barak ben Avinoam and Devorah the Prophetess

[This article was partially translated. Read the full article in Hebrew at: https://ravberland.co.il/blog/prayer-46febc5e8f27]