The “Yodati” Prayer—a Segula for Parnassah

The “Yodati” Prayer—a Segula for Parnassah

It is said in the name of “Tiferet Shlomo”—Rabbi Shlomo of Radomsk (of blessed memory) that it is praiseworthy to recite a special prayer for Parnassah composed by “Or La-Shamayim”—“Yodati”. He recited it every evening and morning and said that it is a powerful segula for sustaining and succeeding in Parnassah. We are all familiar with it from the popular song “Yodati”, performed by Avraham Fried.   רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים יָדַעְתִּי כִּי הִנְנִי בְּיָדְךָ לְבַד כַּחֹמֶר בְּיַד הַיּוֹצֵר. וְאִם גַּם אֶתְאַמֵּץ בְּעֵצוֹת וְתַחְבּוּלוֹת וְכָל יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל יַעַמְדוּ לִימִינִי לְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי וְלִתְמֹךְ נַפְשִׁי, מִבַּלְעֲדֵי עֻזְּךָ וְעֶזְרָתְךָ אֵין עֶזְרָה וִישׁוּעָה. וְאִם חָלִילָה יַחְפְּצוּ כֻּלָּם לְהָרַע אָז אַתָּה בְּחֶמְלָתְךָ תָּשִׂים עֵינֶיךָ עָלַי וְתַשְׁקִיף עָלַי לְטוֹבָה מִמְּעוֹן קָדְשְׁךָ. הִנֵּה חֲבָלִים נָפְלוּ לִי בַּנְּעִימִים, וִישׁוּעָתִי בָּאָה, וְעֶזְרָתִי תִגָּלֶה. לָכֵן עָזְרֵנִי רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים לִהְיוֹת עֵינַי פְּתוּחוֹת לִרְאוֹת תָּמִיד אֲמִתּוּת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, וִיהִי תָּקוּעַ וְקָבוּעַ אֱמוּנָתְךָ בְּלִבִּי בְּכָל עֵת לְבַל אָסוּר לֹא בְדִבּוּר וְלֹא בְמַעֲשֶׂה וְלֹא בְמַחְשָׁבָה לַעֲבֹד זוּלָתְךָ חָלִילָה, כִּי אִם תִּרְדֹּף נַפְשִׁי רְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב בֶּאֱמֶת. גַּם עָזְרֵנִי לְבַל יָמוּשׁ מֵרַעְיוֹנַי וּמִלִּבִּי גְּדֻלָּתְךָ וּגְבוּרוֹתֶיךָ וְהוֹפָעַת חִיוּתְךָ בְּכָל רֶגַע, וְקֹטֶן עֶרְכִּי בֵּין מַעֲשֶׂיךָ, וּמַה נֶּחְשָׁב אֲנִי בֵּין יְצוּרֶיךָ, וּכְאַיִן אֲנִי נֶגֶד בְּרוּאֶיךָ אִם גַּם הָיִיתִי נָקִי מִכָּל חֵטְא, וּמַה גַּם כִּי עֲוֹנוֹתַי רָבוּ לְמַעְלָה רֹאשׁ נְקַלֹּתִי מִכָּל בְּרוּאֶיךָ כִּי הֵם עוֹשִׂים רְצוֹנְךָ אֲשֶׁר לְכָךְ נוֹצְרוּ וַאֲנִי בְּגֹבַהּ לִבִּי מְתֹעָב בְּעֵינֶךָ. וְעָזְרֵנִי לִהְיוֹת מִדַּת הַכְנָעָה וְשִׁפְלוּת רוּחַ דָּבוּק בְּלִבִּי וּבְרַעְיוֹנַי בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל רֶגַע, וְתִהְיֶה יִרְאָתְךָ עַל פָּנַי לְבִלְתִּי אֶחֱטָא, וְיִשְׂמַח לִבִּי תָמִיד בְּךָ אֲשֶׁר בְּרָאתַנִי לִכְבוֹדְךָ, וְאַהֲבָתְךָ תִּבְעַר בְּקִרְבִּי, וּמֵחָכְמָתְךָ תַּאֲצִיל עָלַי לִהְיוֹת נֶגֶד עֵינַי גְּדֻלָּתְךָ וּגְבוּרָתֶךָ וּמִעוּט עֶרְכִּי וְחֶסְרוֹן בִּינָתִי, וְלֹא יִגְבַּהּ לִבִּי, וְלֹא אֶרְדּוֹף אַחַר הַכָּבוֹד וּגְדֻלָּה וְעֹשֶׁר כִּי אִם תִּכְסֹף נַפְשִׁי לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנְךָ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֶיךָ, וְאֶהְיֶה מוּכָן בְּכָל רֶגַע לִמְסֹר נַפְשִׁי רוּחִי וְנִשְׁמָתִי וְגוּפִי וּמְאֹדִי עַל קְדֻשַּׁת שְׁמֶךָ, וְהָסֵר כָּל הַמָּסָכִים הַמַּבְדִּילִים בֵּינִי לְבֵינְךָ, וְהַחְזִירֵנִי בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ. וְיֻנְעַם לִי כָּל אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה עִמָּדִי וְלֹא יְבַלְבְּלֵנִי שׁוּם עִנְיָן מֵעֲבוֹדָתְךָ הָאֲמִתִּית, וְלֹא תַעֲלֶה קִנְאַת אָדָם עָלַי וְלֹא קִנְאָתִי עַל אֲחֵרִים, וְלֹא אֶתְאַוֶּה לְשׁוּם דָּבָר זוּלַת רְצוֹנְךָ, וְהוֹרֵינוּ דֶּרֶךְ חֻקֶּיךָ לְעָבְדְּךָ בְּלֵב נָבָר וְזָךְ וּבְשִׂמְחָה וְרוּחַ נְמוּכָה וּבְאַהֲבַת עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיִתְקַדֵּשׁ שִׁמְךָ עַל יָדִי וְעַל יְדֵי זַרְעִי וְזֶרַע זַרְעִי עַד סוֹף כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת וְלֹא יִמָּצֵא פְּסוּל בָּנוּ חָלִילָה, וְנִנָּצֵל מֵחִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם, וְנִזְכֶּה לַעֲסֹק בְּתוֹרָתְךָ לִשְׁמָהּ בִּתְמִידוּת מִתּוֹךְ הַרְחָבָה, בִּתְשׁוּבָה וּבְדַעַת וּבְשִׂמְחָה וְלֵב טָהוֹר, וְנִשָּׁמֵר מִכָּל חֵטְא וּמִכָּל עָוֹן, וְנִשְׂמַח בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ וּבְמִצְוֹתֶיךָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, וְנִזְכֶּה לְתַקֵּן אֵת אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱוִינוּ וְלֹא נֵבוֹשׁ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְלֹא נִכָּלֵם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:   Transliteration “Ribono ha-olamim, yadati ki hineni beyadecha levad, ka-chomer beyad ha-yotzer. Ve-im gam et' ametz be-etzot u-vetachbulot, ve-chol yoshvei tevel ya'amdu limini lehoshi'eni ve-litmoch nafshi, mibaltecha ve-ezratecha ein ezrah vi-shu'ah. Ve-im chalilah yachpetzu kulam lehara, az Atah be-chemlatecha tasim einecha alai ve-tashkif alai letovah mi-me'on kodshecha. Hineh chavalim naflu li ba-ne'imim, vi-shu'ati ba'ah ve-ezrati tigale. Lachen azreni, Ribono ha-olamim, lihyot einai petuchot lirot tamid amitut ha-davar ha-zeh, vi-yehi taku'a ve-kavu'a emunatecha be-libi be-chol et, leval asur lo ve-dibur, ve-lo ve-ma'aseh, ve-lo ve-machshavah la'avod zulatecha chalilah, ki im tirdof nafshi retzonecha ha-tov be-emet. Gam azreni leval yamush me-ra'yonai u-mi-libi gedulatecha u-gevurotecha ve-hofa'at chiyutecha be-chol rega, ve-koten erki bein ma'asecha, u-ma nechshav ani bein yetzurecha, u-che-ayin ani neged beru'echa—im gam hayiti naki mi-kol chet, u-ma gam avonotai rabu le-ma'alah rosh, nekaloti mi-kol beru'echa? Ki hem osim retzonecha asher lechach notzaru, va-ani be-govah libi meto'av be-einecha. Azreni lihyot midat hachna'ah ve-shiflut ruach davuk be-libi u-ve-ra'yonai be-chol et u-ve-chol rega, ve-tihye yir'atecha al panai le-vilti echeta, ve-yismach libi tamid Becha asher beratani lichvodecha, ve-ahavatecha tiv'ar be-kirbi be-chol et, u-me-chochmatecha ta'atzil alai lihyot neged einai gedulatecha u-gevuratecha, u-mi'ut erki ve-chesron binati. Ve-lo yigbah libi, ve-lo erdof achar ha-kavod u-gedulah va-osher, ki im tichsof nafshi la'asot retzonecha ha-yashar be-einecha. Ve-ehye muchan be-chol rega limsor nafshi, ruchi ve-nishmati ve-gufi u-me'odi al kedushat Shemecha, ve-haser kol ha-masachim ha-mavdilim beini le-veinecha, ve-hachzireni bi-teshuvah shelemah le-fanecha. Ve-yun'am li kol asher ta'aseh imadi, ve-lo yevalbeleni shum inyan me-avodatecha ha-amитit, ve-lo ta'ale kin'at adam alai, ve-lo kin'ati al acherim, ve-lo et'aveh le-shum davar zulat retzonecha. Ve-horenu derech chukecha le-ovdecha be-lev navar ve-zach u-ve-simchah ve-ruach nemuchah u-ve-ahavat amcha Yisrael. Ve-yitkadesh Shimcha al yadi ve-al yedei zar'i ve-zera zar'i ad sof ha-dorot, ve-lo yimatzeh פסול banu, chalilah, ve-ninatzel me-chilul Ha-Shem, ve-nizkeh la'asok be-Toratecha lishmah bi-tmidut mi-toch harchavah, bi-teshuvah u-ve-da'at u-ve-simchah ve-lev tahor, ve-nishamer mi-kol chet u-mi-kol avon, ve-nisme'ach be-divrei Toratecha u-ve-mitzvotecha le-olam va-ed, ve-nizkeh letaken et asher he'evinu, ve-lo nevosh ba-olam ha-zeh ve-lo nikalem la-olam ha-ba. Amen, ken yehi ratzon!”   Translation: “Master of the Universe, I know (yodati) that I am entirely in Your ‘hand,’ like clay in the hand of the potter. Even if I exert myself with advice and stratagems, and all the inhabitants of the world stand at my right hand to save me and support my soul, without Your strength and help there is no assistance or salvation. And if, G-d forbid, they should all seek to harm me, then You, in Your compassion, will turn Your eyes toward me and look upon me favorably from Your holy abode: ‘Behold, my bonds have fallen away; my salvation has come, and my help will be revealed.’ Therefore, help me, Master of the Universe, to keep my eyes open so that I may always see the truth of this matter. May faith in You be firmly rooted and established in my heart at all times, so that I may never transgress—in speech, deed, or thought—by serving anyone but You, G-d forbid. May my soul pursue only Your true and righteous will. Also help me never to lose from my thoughts and heart awareness of Your greatness and might, the manifestation of Your life-giving power at every moment, my own insignificance among Your works, and how little I am among Your creatures—indeed, as nothing before those whom You created, even had I been free of all sin. And how much more so now, when my iniquities have grown beyond my head! I am more insignificant than all Your creatures, for they fulfill Your will, for which they were created, while I, in my pride, am abhorrent in Your eyes. Help me to keep humility and lowliness of spirit attached to my heart and thoughts at every moment. May fear of You be ever before me so that I do not sin, and may my heart always rejoice in You, Who created me for Your glory. May love for You burn within me. Bestow upon me from Your wisdom, so that Your greatness and might, my own insignificance, and the deficiency of my understanding may always be before my eyes. May my heart not become haughty, and may I not pursue honor, greatness, or wealth; rather, may my soul yearn only to fulfill Your will, which is righteous in Your eyes. May I always be ready to surrender my soul, spirit, and body, and all that I possess, for the sanctification of Your Name. Remove all the barriers that separate me from You, and return me to You in complete repentance. May everything You do with me be pleasant to me, and may no matter distract me from Your true service. May I not suffer from the envy of others, nor envy others myself, and may I desire nothing except Your will. Teach us the way of Your statutes, to serve You with a clear and pure heart, with joy, humility, and love for Your people Israel. May Your Name be sanctified through me, through my children, and through my children's children, until the end of all generations. May no disqualification be found among us, G-d forbid. May we be spared the desecration of the Divine Name, and may we merit studying Your Torah for its own sake, consistently and with a sense of expansiveness, with repentance, knowledge, joy, and a pure heart. May we be protected from every sin and iniquity, rejoice in the words of Your Torah and in Your mitzvot forever and ever, merit rectifying what we have corrupted, and not be shamed in this world or disgraced in the World to Come. Amen; may it be Your will!” Link to the song “Yodati,” performed by Avraham Fried, written to the words of a prayer by Rabbi Meir of Apta: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1g-xIP7tG0   (Translation and transliteration—Zoe Chai Tigai)