A Prayer from Sefer Daniel – “Al Tira, Daniel”
The Book of Daniel in the Tanakh describes how the prophet Daniel stands and prays so that the king of Persia will be unable to stop the construction of the Temple. Then the angel Michael appears to him and says: “Know that when you prayed here below, I was able to battle the spiritual guardian (prince) of the king of Persia in the higher worlds.” The Mekubalim teach that when we pray here below, the power to battle the guardian of that nation appears in the higher worlds. This weakens him, and then that nation falls and grows weaker here in our world. This is an important sign for us all: two years after the wicked Haman was hanged, two years after the Purim story, the Temple was built. This is a sign that redemption is near.וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי דָּנִיֵּאל אִישׁ-חֲמֻדוֹת הָבֵן בַּדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי דֹבֵר אֵלֶיךָ, וַעֲמֹד עַל-עָמְדֶךָ--כִּי עַתָּה, שֻׁלַּחְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ; וּבְדַבְּרוֹ עִמִּי אֶת-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, עָמַדְתִּי מַרְעִיד. יב וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי, אַל-תִּירָא דָנִיֵּאל--כִּי מִן-הַיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ אֶת-לִבְּךָ לְהָבִין וּלְהִתְעַנּוֹת לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהֶיךָ, נִשְׁמְעוּ דְבָרֶיךָ; וַאֲנִי-בָאתִי, בִּדְבָרֶיךָ. יג וְשַׂר מַלְכוּת פָּרַס, עֹמֵד לְנֶגְדִּי עֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד יוֹם, וְהִנֵּה מִיכָאֵל אַחַד הַשָּׂרִים הָרִאשֹׁנִים, בָּא לְעָזְרֵנִי; וַאֲנִי נוֹתַרְתִּי שָׁם, אֵצֶל מַלְכֵי פָרָס. יד וּבָאתִי, לַהֲבִינְךָ, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-יִקְרָה לְעַמְּךָ, בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים: כִּי-עוֹד חָזוֹן, לַיָּמִים. טו וּבְדַבְּרוֹ עִמִּי, כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה--נָתַתִּי פָנַי אַרְצָה, וְנֶאֱלָמְתִּי. טזוְהִנֵּה, כִּדְמוּת בְּנֵי אָדָם, נֹגֵעַ, עַל-שְׂפָתָי; וָאֶפְתַּח-פִּי, וָאֲדַבְּרָה וָאֹמְרָה אֶל-הָעֹמֵד לְנֶגְדִּי, אֲדֹנִי בַּמַּרְאָה נֶהֶפְכוּ צִירַי עָלַי, וְלֹא עָצַרְתִּי כֹּחַ. יז וְהֵיךְ יוּכַל, עֶבֶד אֲדֹנִי זֶה, לְדַבֵּר, עִם-אֲדֹנִי זֶה; וַאֲנִי מֵעַתָּה לֹא-יַעֲמָד-בִּי כֹחַ, וּנְשָׁמָה לֹא נִשְׁאֲרָה-בִי. יח וַיֹּסֶף וַיִּגַּע-בִּי כְּמַרְאֵה אָדָם, וַיְחַזְּקֵנִי. יט וַיֹּאמֶר אַל-תִּירָא אִישׁ-חֲמֻדוֹת, שָׁלוֹם לָךְ--חֲזַק וַחֲזָק; וּכְדַבְּרוֹ עִמִּי הִתְחַזַּקְתִּי, וָאֹמְרָה יְדַבֵּר אֲדֹנִי כִּי חִזַּקְתָּנִי. כ וַיֹּאמֶר, הֲיָדַעְתָּ לָמָּה-בָּאתִי אֵלֶיךָ, וְעַתָּה אָשׁוּב, לְהִלָּחֵם עִם-שַׂר פָּרָס; וַאֲנִי יוֹצֵא, וְהִנֵּה שַׂר-יָוָן בָּא. כא אֲבָל אַגִּיד לְךָ, אֶת-הָרָשׁוּם בִּכְתָב אֱמֶת; וְאֵין אֶחָד מִתְחַזֵּק עִמִּי, עַל-אֵלֶּה, כִּי אִם-מִיכָאֵל, שַׂרְכֶם.
Transliteration
11. Va-yomer elai Daniel ish chamudot, havén ba-devarim asher anochi dover elecha, va-amod al omdecha, ki atah shulachti elecha; u-ve-dabro imi et ha-davar ha-zeh, amadeti mar'id. 12. Va-yomer elai: al tira Daniel, ki min ha-yom ha-rishon asher natata et libcha lehavin u-lehit'anot lifnei Elohecha, nishme'u devarecha, va-ani bati bi-devarecha. 13. Ve-sar malchut Paras omed le-negdi esrim ve-echad yom, ve-hineh Michael, echad ha-sarim ha-rishonim, ba le-ozreni, va-ani notarti sham, etzel malchei Paras. 14. U-vati lehavinecha et asher yikra le-amcha be-acharit ha-yamim, ki od chazon la-yamim. 15. U-ve-dabro imi ka-devarim ha-eleh, natati fanai artzah, ve-ne'elamti. 16. Ve-hineh ki-dmut bnei adam, nogea al sfatai, va-eftach pi, va-adaberah, va-omrah el ha-omed le-negdi: Adoni, ba-mar'eh nehefchu tzirai alai, ve-lo atzarti koach. 17. Ve-heich yuchal eved adoni zeh ledaber im adoni zeh; va-ani me-atah lo ya'amod bi koach, u-neshamah lo nish'arah bi. 18. Va-yosef va-yiga bi ke-mar'eh adam, va-yechazkeni. 19. Va-yomer: al tira ish chamudot, shalom lach, chazak va-chazak; u-ke-dabro imi hit'chazakti, va-omrah: yedaber adoni, ki chizaktani. 20. Va-yomer: ha-yadata lamah bati elecha, ve-atah ashuv lehilachem im sar Paras, va-ani yotze, ve-hineh sar Yavan ba. 21. Aval agid lecha et ha-rashum bi-chtav emet, ve-ein echad mitchazek imi al eleh, ki im Michael, sarchem.Translation
11) He said to me: “Daniel, greatly beloved man! Understand the words that I am speaking to you, and stand where you were standing, for I have now been sent to you.”
As he spoke these words to me, I stood trembling.
12) He said to me: “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to fast before your G-d, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.
13) But the prince (guardian angel) of the kingdom of Paras stood against me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the foremost princes (guardian angels), came to help me, while I remained there with the kings of Paras.
14) I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the distant future, for the vision concerns the days to come.
15) While he spoke these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was rendered speechless.
16) Then someone resembling a human being touched my lips. I opened my mouth, spoke, and said to the one standing opposite me: “My lord, because of this vision my limbs have turned within me, and I have no strength.
17) How can this servant of my lord speak with this lord of mine? I have no strength left in me, and no breath remains in me.”
18) Again, someone resembling a human being touched me and strengthened me,
19) and said: “Do not fear, greatly beloved man. Peace be with you; be strong and courageous.” As he spoke with me, I was strengthened, and I said: “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”
20) He said: “Do you know why I have come to you? I will now return to battle the prince of Paras. When I leave, the prince of Yavan will come.
21) Nevertheless, I will tell you what is recorded in the writing of truth. No one supports me against these forces except Michael, your prince.”
(At the recommendation of the Chief Rabbi of Safed, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, son of the Rishon LeZion, the Mekubal Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu)
