The meditation of prayer

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon reiterates much of the information in previous sections to do with the consignment of the soul at night and the requirement to give praise to God in the morning. He speaks about entering the synagogue and donning the Tefilin and the Tzitzit and giving offerings and saying the prescribed prayers in the proper order. But he adds that although the prayers depend on speech, everything is primarily dependent first upon action. He says that a person must not say a prayer until he first observes the act of conforming to the prayer. If his physical act of cleansing himself or donning the Tefilin, for example, is flawed, the prayer will also be flawed and so will the person become flawed below and above. If he does make his prayers correctly then the upper and lower grades are blessed through him. At the end of the prayers he should imagine himself as if he were dying since he gave his soul as a pledge. Rabbi Shimon says that there are some sins that do not get atoned for until a person dies. He tells us about the importance of doing the ceremony of prayer with a full attention of the heart and how one must not approach God with any false intention.

David Face Meditation Praise Soul, The

66. ר' שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח לְדָוִד אֵלֶיךָ יְיָ' נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא אֱלֹהַי בְּךָ בָטַחְתִּי וְגוֹ,' מַאי קָא חָמָא דָּוִד לְסַדְּרָא הַאי שְׁבָחָא הָכִי. וְכֻלְּהוּ שְׁבָחֵי דְּאִינּוּן בְּאַלְפָא בֵּיתָא כֻּלְּהוּ שְׁלֵמִין, וְהַאי חַסְרָא דְּלָא אִית בֵּיהּ ו.' וַאֲמַאי סִדּוּרָא דָּא לְמִנְפַּל עַל אַנְפִּין.

Death Death and the Afterlife Judgment Morning Praise Soul, The Tree

67. HE ANSWERS: It is because it is a supreme mystery concealed among the friends. During the time night falls, the lower tree on which death depends, WHICH IS MALCHUT FROM THE JUDGMENT ASPECT, spreads its branches and covers everything. Therefore, it becomes dark, and all the inhabitants of the world a taste of death. And man hastens to give the deposit of his soul, and deposit it as a pledge in its hand FOR THE NIGHT TIME, SO IT WOULD BE RETURNED AT DAYBREAK. And since IT took the soul as a deposit, the deposit returns to its owner when morning comes. When morning arrives and the pledge is returned to him, he is required to bless the Holy One, blessed be He, who is the highest trustee.

67. אֶלָּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה הוּא, גָּנִיז בֵּין חַבְרַיָּיא. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּלֵילְיָא עָאל, אִילָנָא תַּתָּאָה דְּתַלְיָיא בֵּיהּ מוֹתָא פָּרִישׁ עַנְפּוֹי וּמְכַסְּיָא לְכֹלָּא. וע"ד אִתְחֲשָׁךְ. וְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא טַעֲמִין טַעֲמָא דְּמוֹתָא, וְאַקְדִּים בַּר נָשׁ וְיָהִיב לֵיהּ פִּקְדוֹנָא דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ, וְאַפְקְדֵיהּ בִּידֵיהּ בְּפִקְדוֹנָא. וּבְגִין דְּנָטִיל לוֹן בְּפִקְדוֹנָא, תָּב פִּקְדוֹנָא לְמָארֵיהּ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאָתֵי צַפְרָא. כַּד אָתֵי צַפְרָא וְתָב לְגַבֵּיהּ פִּקְדוֹנֵיהּ, בָּעֵי לְבָרְכָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּאִיהוּ מְהֵימָנָא עִלָּאָה.

David Prayer Tfilin Tzitzit Zeir Anpin

68. After waking FROM HIS SLEEP, he enters the synagogue, decorates himself with his Tefilin, covers himself with Tzitzit, enters, and cleanses himself, first with the offerings. After that, he accepts upon himself the yoke of Malchut in the order of David's praises, which are the arranging of the yoke of the Kingdom. And in this order of praises he steeps himself in that yoke. Following that is the order of prayer while seated, WHICH IS PARALLEL TO MALCHUT, and the order of prayer while standing, WHICH IS PARALLEL TO ZEIR ANPIN, to connect them, ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, together.

68. לְבָתַר דְּקָם, עָאל לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, מִעְטַּר בְּטוֹטְפֵי. אִתְכְּסֵּי בְּכִיסוּי דְּצִיצִית. עָאל וּמַדְכֵּי גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּקוּרְבְּנִין בְּקַדְמֵיתָא. לְבָתַר קַבִּיל עָלֵיהּ עוֹל מַלְכוּתָא בְּסִדּוּרָא דִּשְׁבָחֵי דְּדָוִד, דְּאִינּוּן סִדּוּרָא דְּעוֹל מַלְכוּתָא. וּבְסִדּוּרָא דִּשְׁבָחָא דָּא, אַשְׁרָא עָלֵיהּ הַהוּא עוֹל. לְבָתַר סִדּוּרָא דִּצְלוֹתָא דִּמְיוּשָׁב, וּצְלוֹתָא דִּמְעוּמָד, לְקַשְּׁרָא לוֹן כַּחֲדָא.

Deeds Prayer

69. ת"ח רָזָא דְּמִלָּה אע"ג דִּצְלוֹתָא תַּלְיָיא בְּמִלּוּלָא וְדִבּוּרָא דְּפוּמָא, כֹּלָּא תַּלְיָיא בְּעִקָרָא דְּעוֹבָדָא בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וּלְבָתַר בְּדִבּוּרָא וּבְמִלּוּלָא דְּפוּמָא. מַאן עוֹבָדָא, אֶלָּא הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְּעָבֵיד בַּר נָשׁ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּצְלוֹתָא הוּא, וְלָא יִצְלֵי בַּר נָשׁ צְלוֹתָא, עַד דְּיִתְחֲזֵי עוֹבָדָא בְּקַדְמֵיתָא כְּגַוְונָא דִּצְלוֹתָא.

Hands Head Heart Purification Tfilin Unity

70. The first activity is when a person gets up FROM HIS SLEEP. He must cleanse himself first, MEANING RELIEVE HIMSELF. Following that, he must accept the yoke upon himself, to cover his head with the passages of the commandments. Afterwards, he shall tie the knot of unification - these are the Tefilin, one on the head and ONE TEFILIN on the hand - and fix them into a knot on the left hand and on the heart, as we explained concerning, "His left hand is under my head" (Shir Hashirim 2:6), and: "Set Me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm" (Shir Hashirim 8:6), A REFERENCE TO THE HAND TEFILIN, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT, THAT IS PUT ON THE ARM AGAINST THE HEART. And we already explained that this is the action THAT ONE MUST PERFORM at first.

70. עוֹבָדָא דְקַדְמֵיתָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ קָאֵים, בָּעֵי לְדַכְּאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא. וּלְבָתַר יְקַבֵּל עָלֵיהּ הַאי עוֹל, לְפָרְשָׂא עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ פְּרִישׂוּ דְּמִצְוָה. לְבָתַר יִתְקְשַׁר קִשּׁוּרָא דְּיִחוּדָא דְּאִינּוּן תְּפִלִּין, תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל רֹאשׁ, וְשֶׁל יַד. וּלְאַתְקְנָא לוֹן בְּקִשּׁוּרָא חֲדָא בִּשְׂמָאלָא, וְעַל לִבָּא, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי וְגוֹ.' וּכְתִיב שִׂימֵנִי כַחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ כַּחוֹתָם עַל זְרוֹעֶךָ. וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא. וְדָא הוּא עוֹבָדָא בְּקַדְמֵיתָא.

David Deeds Hands Head Prayer Tfilin Tzitzit Zeir Anpin

71. Following this, when a person enters the synagogue, he should first purify himself with offerings, by means of speech - THAT IS, BY RECITING THE PASSAGES OF THE OFFERINGS. Then, one should accept the yoke of Malchut to spread over his head with the praises of King David, with the same action as of one who spreads on his head the passages of the commandments, WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THE ACTION OF WEARING THE TZITZIT. Following this is the seated prayer, which corresponds to THE TYING ON OF the hand Tefilin, DENOTING MALCHUT. Then is the standing prayer, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN, which parallels THE DONNING OF the head Tefilin. And one corresponds to the other; the deed MUST CONFORM to speech, since certainly prayer depends on both speech and the deed.

71. לְבָתַר בְּשַׁעֲתָא דב"נ עָאל לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, יִדְכֵּי גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, בְּקָרְבְּנִין, בְּמִלּוּלָא דְּפוּמָא. לְבָתַר יְקַבֵּל עָלֵיהּ הַאי עוֹל מַלְכוּת, לְפָרְשָׂא עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ בְּשִׁבְחֵי דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא. כְּגַוְונָא דְּעוֹבָדָא דְּפָרִישׂ עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ פְּרִישׂוּ דְּמִצְוָה. וּלְבָתַר צְלוֹתָא דִּמְיוּשָׁב, לָקֳבֵל תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד. לְבָתַר צְלוֹתָא דִּמְעוּמָד, דְּהִיא לָקֳבֵל תְּפִלָּה דְּרֵישָׁא. וְדָא כְּגַוְונָא דְּדָא. עוֹבָדָא כְּגַוְונָא דְּדִבּוּרָא. וַדַּאי בְּעוֹבָדָא וּמִלּוּלָא תַּלְיָיא צְלוֹתָא.

Deeds Prayer

72. If his deed is flawed, SPEECH does not find a place upon which to dwell, and this is not considered a prayer. And that person becomes flawed above and below, since it is necessary to demonstrate a deed and say the proper speech about it, and then it is considered a perfect prayer. Woe unto the person who flaws his prayer, the service of his Master! About him it is written: "When you come to appear before Me...even when you make many prayers, I will not hear" (Yeshayah 1:12-15), because this depends upon both deed and speech.

72. וְאִי פָּגִים עוֹבָדָא, מִלּוּלָא לָא אַשְׁכַּח אֲתָר דְּשַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ, וְלָאו אִיהוּ צְלוֹתָא, וְאִתְפְּגִים הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא. דְּבָעֵינָן לְאַחֲזָאָה עוֹבָדָא, וּלְמַלְּלָא מִלּוּלָא עָלֵיהּ, וְדָא הוּא צְלוֹתָא שְׁלִים. וַוי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ דְּפָגִים צְלוֹתֵיהּ, פּוּלְחָנָא דְּמָארֵיהּ. עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, כִּי תָבוֹאוּ לֵרָאוֹת פָּנָי וְגוֹ.' גַּם כִּי תַרְבּוּ תְפִלָּה אֵינֶנִּי שׁוֹמֵעַ, דְּהָא בְּעוֹבָדָא וּבְמִלּוּלָא תַּלְיָא מִלְּתָא.

Amidah (Standing Prayer) Death Death and the Afterlife Deeds Face Morning Prayer Sin Soul, The Standing Prayer (Amidah) Tree Tree of Life Zeir Anpin

73. Come and behold: if a person makes his prayer in this manner, with deeds and speech consistent, and ties the knot of unification, the result is that upper and lower beings are blessed through him. Then, after he concludes his Amidah prayer, the person must exhibit himself as if he departed from this world. This is because he took leave from the Tree of Life, THAT IS, ZEIR ANPIN, THE SECRET OF AMIDAH PRAYER, and gathered his feet to that Tree of Death, that returned his pledge, GIVING HIM BACK HIS SOUL IN THE MORNING, as it says, "he gathered up his feet into the bed" (Beresheet 49:33). Since he has already confessed his sins and prayed for forgiveness, now he must necessarily be gathered to that Tree of Death and fall ON HIS FACE, and say to Him, "To You, O Hashem, do I lift up my soul" (Tehilim 25:1). In the beginning WHEN I WENT TO SLEEP, I gave You MY SOUL in pledge. Now that I have tied the unification, fulfilled my deed and speech properly, and confessed my sins, certainly I entrust You with my soul - MEANING THAT HE ACCEPTS UPON HIMSELF TO SACRIFICE HIS LIFE (SOUL).

73. ת"ח, כֵּיוָן דְּבַר נָשׁ עָבֵיד צְלוֹתָא כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, בְּעוֹבָדָא וּבְמִלּוּלָא, וְקָשִׁיר קִשּׁוּרָא דְּיִיחוּדָא, אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּעַל יְדֵיהּ מִתְבָּרְכָן עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין. כְּדֵין בָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאַחֲזָאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ, בָּתַר דְּסִיֵּים צְלוֹתָא דַּעֲמִידָה, כְּאִלּוּ אִתְפְּטַר מִן עָלְמָא, דְּהָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִן אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, וְכָנִישׁ רַגְלוֹי לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא, דְּאָהֲדָר לֵיהּ פִּקְדוֹנֵיהּ. כד"א וַיֶּאֱסוֹף רַגְלָיו אֶל הַמִּטָּה. דְּהָא אוֹדֵי חֶטְאוֹי, וְצַלֵּי עָלַיְיהוּ. הַשְׁתָּא בָּעֵי לְאִתְכַּנְּשָׁא לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא, וּלְמִנְפַּל, וְלֵימָא לְגַבֵּיהּ אֵלֶיךָ יְיָ' נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא. בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, יָהִיבְנָא לָךְ בְּפִקְדוֹנָא, הַשְׁתָּא דְּקַשִׁירְנָא יִיחוּדָא, וְעָבֵידְנָא עוֹבָדָא וּמִלּוּלָא כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, וְאוֹדֵינָא עַל חֲטָאַי, הָא נַפְשִׁי מָסִירְנָא לָךְ וַדַּאי.

Death Death and the Afterlife Prayer Sin Soul, The Tree Tree of Life Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH) Zeir Anpin

74. And a person should imagine himself as if he departed from this world, since he gave his soul to that place of death. That is the reason there is no Vav IN THE ALPHABETICAL ORDER OF THE PRAYER BEGINNING WITH THE VERSE, "TO YOU, O HASHEM, DO I LIFT UP MY SOUL." For Vav is the Tree of Life, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF VAV OF YUD HEI VAV HEI. And the one, THAT HE ENTRUSTED WITH HIS SOUL, is the Tree of Death, MEANING MALCHUT. And that teaches us that the mystery of it is that there are sins that are not atoned for until a person departs from this world. That is what is written: "surely this iniquity shall not be forgiven you till you die" (Yeshayah 22:14). AND THEREFORE, this person most certainly gives himself to death and sacrifices his soul to this place, TO MALCHUT, not for a pledge as that at night, but rather as one departs the world, most certainly.

74. וְיֶחֶזֵי בַּר נָשׁ גַּרְמֵיהּ כְּאִילּוּ פָּטִיר מִן עָלְמָא, דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ מָסִיר לְהַאי אֲתָר דְּמוֹתָא, בְּגִין כַּךְ לָא אִית בֵּיהּ וָא"ו, דְּוָא"ו אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי הוּא, וְהַאי אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא הוּא. וְהָא קמ"ל, דְּרָזָא דְּמִלָּה, דְּאִית חוֹבִין דְּלָא מִתְכַּפְּרָן, עַד דְּאִתְפְּטַר בַּר נָשׁ מֵעָלְמָא, הה"ד אִם יְכוּפַּר הֶעָוֹן הַזֶּה לָכֶם עַד תְּמוּתוּן, וְהַאי יָהִיב גַּרְמֵיהּ וַדַּאי לְמוֹתָא, וּמָסִיר נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְהַאי אֲתָר. לָאו בְּפִקְדוֹנָא כְּמָה בְּלֵילְיָא, אֶלָּא כְּמַאן דְּאִתְפְּטָר מִן עָלְמָא וַדַּאי.

Heart Judgment Mercy Sin Soul, The Tree

75. And this Correction (formation) must be with the meditation of the heart, and then the Holy One, blessed be He, has mercy on him and forgives his sins. Happy is the person who knows to entice and serve his Master willingly and with his heart's devotion. Woe unto him who comes to tempt his Creator with a distant heart, unwillingly. It says, "Nevertheless they did flatter Him with their mouths, and they lied to Him with their tongues. For their heart was not steadfast with Him" (Tehilim 78:36-37). He says, "to You, O Hashem, do I lift up my soul," yet all his talk is with a distant heart. And this causes him to depart from the world before his time, during a period when this tree is awakened in this world to exact punishment.

75. וְתִקּוּנָא דָּא בָּעֵי בְּכַוָּונָא דְּלִבָּא וּכְדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְרַחֵם עֲלוֹי, וּמְכַפֵּר לֵיהּ לְחוֹבֵיהּ. זַכָּאָה הוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּיָדַע לְמִפְּתֵּי לֵיהּ, וּלְמִפְלַח לְמָארֵיהּ, בִּרְעוּתָא וּבְכַוָּונָא דְּלִבָּא. וַוי לֵיהּ לְמַאן דְּאָתֵי לְמִפְתֵּי לְמָארֵיהּ, בְּלִבָּא רְחִיקָא, וְלָא בִּרְעוּתָא. כד"א וַיְפַתּוּהוּ בְּפִיהֶם וּבִלְשׁוֹנָם יְכַזְּבוּ לוֹ וְלִבָּם לֹא נָכוֹן עִמּוֹ. הוּא אוֹמֵר אֵלֶיךָ יְיָ' נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא, וְלָאו כָּל מִלּוֹי אֶלָּא בְּלִבָּא רְחִיקָא, הָא גָּרַם עָלֵיהּ לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מֵעָלְמָא, עַד לָא מָטוּן יוֹמוֹי, בְּזִמְנָא דְּהָא אִילָנָא אִתְּעַר בְּעָלְמָא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא.

Correction Face Heart Holy Name Soul, The

76. And therefore, a person must devote his soul and will to his Master, and not approach Him with a false intention, because, "he that tells lies shall not remain in My sight" (Tehilim 101:7). What is the meaning of "remain?" AND HE REPLIES: It is when one readies himself for that, FOR THE DEVOTION OF HIS SOUL, WHEN HE FALLS ON HIS FACE, and his heart is far from the Holy One, blessed be He. A voice calls out, '"He...shall not remain in My sight." This person wants to make amends for himself, but "he shall not remain," I do not wish to have him corrected.' Most certainly, this is so if he comes to unify the Holy Name, but does not bring about unison properly.

76. וְעַל דָּא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאַדְבְּקָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ בְּמָארֵיהּ, וְלָא יֵיתֵי לְגַבֵּיהּ בִּרְעוּתָא כְּדִיבָא, בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב דּוֹבֵר שְׁקָרִים לֹא יִכּוֹן לְנֶגֶד עֵינָי. מַאי לֹא יִכּוֹן. אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּהוּא אַתְקִין גַּרְמֵיהּ לְהַאי, וְלִבֵּיהּ רְחִיקָא מְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, קָלָא נָפִיק וְאָמַר, לֹא יִכּוֹן לְנֶגֶד עֵינָי. הַאי בָּעֵי לְאַתְקְנָא גַּרְמֵיהּ, לֹא יִכּוֹן, לָא בָּעֵינָא דְּיִתְתָּקַּן. כ"ש אִי אָתֵי לְיַחֲדָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְלָא מְיָחֵד לֵיהּ כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת.

Amen Hands Israel Righteous World to Come, The

77. Praiseworthy is the portion of the righteous in this world and the World to Come. About them it is written, "And they shall come, and see My Glory..." (Yeshayah 66:18), and: "surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your Name..." (Tehilim 140:14). Rabbi Elazar approached and kissed his hands. He told him: If I had come to this world only to listen to these words, it would have been enough. Rabbi Yehuda said: Happy is our lot and happy is the lot of Yisrael, who cling to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it says, "But you that did cleave..." (Devarim 4:4), and, "Your people also shall be all righteous" (Yeshayah 60:21).

77. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב וּבָאוּ וְרָאוּ אֶת כְבוֹדִי וְגוֹ.' וּכְתִיב, אַךְ צַדִּיקִים יוֹדוּ לִשְׁמֶךָ וְגוֹ.' אָתָא ר' אֶלְעָזָר וְנָשִׁיק יְדוֹי. אָמַר, אִלְמָלֵא לָא אֲתֵינָא לְעָלְמָא אֶלָּא לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין אִלֵּין דַּיָי. אָמַר ר' יְהוּדָה, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא, וְזַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִינּוּן מִתְדַּבְּקִין בְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּכְתִּיב וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים וְגוֹ.' וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים וְגוֹ.'