The four corrections of prayer

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon says that in a prayer, man's body and Nefesh are corrected and become whole. Prayer consists of four kinds of rectifications. The first is of the self, for a man should mend himself with precepts and holiness and sacrifices and offerings that will purify him. The second is of this world, to bless God for each deed in creation; this sustains the world. The third is the rectification of the higher world together with all its armies and camps. The fourth rectification is that of the prayer of Amidah, fixing the secret of the Holy Name or the wholly perfected name.

409. The prayer of man is as you described it, exalted saints, happy is your portion. Through prayer, man's body and Nefesh are mended and become whole. Prayer consists of corrections carried out together, four CORRRECTIONS in all. The first correction is mending oneself so one may become whole. The second is correcting this world. The third is to correct the heavenly armies. The fourth is the correction of the Holy Name by means of the holy Chariots and of all the worlds, properly corrected above and below.

409. צְלוֹתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ, כְּמָה דְּאָמַרְתּוּן אַתּוּן קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיכוֹן, דְּהָא בִּצְלוֹתָא מִתַתְּקָּן גּוּפֵיהּ וְנַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, וְאִתְעָבֵיד שְׁלִים. צְלוֹתָא אִיהִי תִּקּוּנִין מְתַקְּנָן דְּמִתְתַּקְּנָן כַּחֲדָא, וְאִינּוּן אַרְבַּע. תִּקּוּנָא קַדְמָאָה, תִּקּוּנָא דְּגַרְמֵיהּ, לְאִשְׁתַּלְּמָא. תִּקּוּנָא תִּנְיָינָא, תִּקּוּנָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא. תִּקּוּנָא תְּלִיתָאָה, תִּקּוּנָא דְּעָלְמָא לְעֵילָּא, בְּכָל אִינּוּן חֵילֵי שְׁמַיָא. תִּקּוּנָא רְבִיעָאָה, תִּקּוּנָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, בְּרָזָא דִּרְתִּיכִין קַדִּישִׁין, וּבְרָזָא דְּעָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ, עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא בְּתִקּוּנָא כַּדְקָא יָאוּת.

410. HE EXPOUNDED UPON WHAT HE SAID, the first work I MENTIONED IS the correction of the self, for a man should correct himself with precepts and holiness, and with sacrifices and burnt offerings that will purify him. THE FRINGES (HEB. TZITZIT) ARE WHAT IS MEANT BY PRECEPT, AND TEFILIN ARE WHAT IS MEANT BY HOLINESS; BY SAYING THE PRAYER OF SACRIFICES AND BURNT OFFERINGS HE IS CORRECTED AS IF HE OFFERED THEM. The second correction is of this world, NAMELY, regarding the work of Creation to bless the Holy One, blessed be He, for every action, by saying "praise Him, all you stars of light, praise Him, heavens of heavens..." (Tehilim 148:3-4). IT IS SAID to sustain this world. Therefore we say 'Blessed be He who said', for 'blessed' MEANS blessed for everything.

410. תִּקּוּנָא קַדְמָאָה תִּקּוּנָא דְּגַרְמֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַתְקְנָא גַּרְמֵיהּ, בְּמִּצְוָה וּקְדוּשָּׁה, וּלְאִתְּתַקְנָא בְּקָרְבְּנִין וְעִלָּוָון לְאִתְדַכָּאָה. תִּקּוּנָא תִּנְיָינָא, בְּתִקּוּנָא דְּקִיּוּמָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא, בְּעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית, לְבָרְכָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַל כָּל עוֹבָדָא וְעוֹבָדָא, בְּאִינּוּן הַלְלוּיָהּ, הַלְלוּהוּ כָּל כֹּכְבֵי אוֹר הַלְלוּהוּ שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ' לְקַיְּימָא קִיוּמָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא. וְעַל דָּא בְּבָרוּך שֶׁאָמַר, בָּרוּךְ, בָּרוּךְ עַל כֹּלָּא.

411. תִּקּוּנָא תְּלִיתָאָה, דְּאִיהוּ תִּקּוּנָא לְעָלְמָא לְעֵילָּא, בְּכָל אִינּוּן חַיָּילֵי חַיָּילִין וּמַשִׁרְיָין. יוֹצֵר מְשָׁרְתִים וַאֲשֶׁר מְשָׁרְתָיו וְגוֹ', וְהָאוֹפַנִּים וְחַיּוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ. תִּקּוּנָא רְבִיעָאָה, תִּקּוּנָא דִּצְלוֹתָא, בְּתִקּוּנָא דְּרָזָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא כַּדְקָא אָמַרְתּוּן, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיכוֹן. וְהָכָא רָזָא דְּתִקוּנָא דִּשְׁמָא שְׁלִים. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי עִמְּכוֹן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.