The Prayer of King Hezekiah
It is known from the Torah (Kings II 20) that King Hezekiah was the first person to ask HaShem for healing when he fell ill, and that through teshuvah—“he turned his face to the wall” (hitbodedut), “he wept” (repented)—he was healed. When the king recovered, he recited Tehillim (118:17): “Lo amut ki echyeh va'asaper ma'asei Yah”—“I shall not die, but live, and recount the deeds of G-d.” (Rav Y. D. Soloveitchik) Therefore, Chazal established, based on Likutei Tzvi (p. 22), that whenever someone is ill or facing any kind of crisis—emotional, physical, or financial—they should say with tears the prayer that King Hezekiah recited when he was ill and which brought about his healing. The Mekubalim maintain that the text of this prayer was sent to Isaiah from Heaven. The Prayer of Hezekiah HaMelech when he arose from his illness מִכְתָּב לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה בַּחֲלֹתוֹ וַיְחִי מֵחָלְיוֹ אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי בִּדְמִי יָמַי אֵלֵכָה בְּשַׁעֲרֵי שְׁאוֹל פֻּקַּדְתִּי יֶתֶר שְׁנוֹתָי אָמַרְתִּי לֹא אֶרְאֶה יָהּ יָהּ בְּאֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים לֹא אַבִּיט אָדָם עוֹד עִם יוֹשְׁבֵי חָדֶל דּוֹרִי נִסַּע וְנִגְלָה מִנִּי כְּאֹהֶל רֹעִי קִפַּדְתִּי כָאֹרֵג חַיַּי מִדַּלָּה יְבַצְּעֵנִי מִיּוֹם עַד לַיְלָה תַּשְׁלִימֵנִי שִׁוִּיתִי עַד בֹּקֶר כָּאֲרִי כֵּן יְשַׁבֵּר כָּל עַצְמוֹתָי מִיּוֹם עַד לַיְלָה תַּשְׁלִימֵנִי כְּסוּס עָגוּר כֵּן אֲצַפְצֵף אֶהְגֶּה כַּיּוֹנָה דַּלּוּ עֵינַי לַמָּרוֹם אֲדֹנָ׳ עָשְׁקָה לִּי עָרְבֵנִי מָה אֲדַבֵּר וְאָמַר לִי וְהוּא עָשָׂה אֶדַּדֶּה כָל שְׁנוֹתַי עַל מַר נַפְשִׁי אֲדֹנָ׳ עֲלֵיהֶם יִחְיוּ וּלְכָל בָּהֶן חַיֵּי רוּחִי וְתַחֲלִימֵנִי וְהַחֲיֵנִי הִנֵּה לְשָׁלוֹם מַר לִי מָר וְאַתָּה חָשַׁקְתָּ נַפְשִׁי מִשַּׁחַת בְּלִי כִּי הִשְׁלַכְתָּ אַחֲרֵי גֵוְךָ כָּל חֲטָאָי כִּי לֹא שְׁאוֹל תּוֹדֶךָּ מָוֶת יְהַלְלֶךָּ לֹא יְשַׂבְּרוּ יוֹרְדֵי בוֹר אֶל אֲמִתֶּךָ חַי חַי הוּא יוֹדֶךָ כָּמוֹנִי הַיּוֹם אָב לְבָנִים יוֹדִיעַ אֶל אֲמִתֶּךָ יה לְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי וּנְגִנוֹתַי נְנַגֵּן כָּל יְמֵי חַיֵּינוּ עַל בֵּית יה: “Mikhtav le-Chizkiyahu Melech Yehudah ba-chaloto va-yechi me-cholyo Ani amarti bi-dmi yamai elechah be-sha'arei Sheol pukadti yeter shnotai Amarti lo ereh Yah Yah be-eretz ha-chayim lo abit adam od im yoshvei chadel Dori nisa ve-niglah mini ke-ohel ro'i kipadti ha-oreg chayai mi-dalah yevatze'eni mi-yom ad lailah tashlimeni Shiviti ad boker ka-ari ken yeshaber kol atzmotai mi-yom ad lailah tashlimeni Ke-sus agur ken atzaftzef ehgeh ka-yonah dalu einai la-marom Adonai asheqah li arv'eni Mah adaber ve-amar li ve-hu asah edaddeh kol shnotai al mar nafshi Adonai aleihem yichyu u-lechol ba-hem chayei ruchi ve-tachalimeini ve-hachayeini hinei le-shalom mar li mar ve-Atah chashaqta nafshi mi-shachat beli ki hishlachta acharei gev'cha kol chatotai Ki lo Sheol todeka mavet yehalelka lo yesabru yordei vor el amitecha Chai chai hu yodecha kamoni ha-yom av le-vanim yodia el amitecha Yah le-hoshi'eini u-neginotai nenagen kol yemei chayeinu al Beit Adonai”. Translation The writing of Hezekiah, king of Judah, when he was ill and recovered from his illness. I said: In the midst of my days I shall go through the gates of the grave; I am deprived of the remainder of my years. I said: I shall not see G-d, G-d, in the land of the living; I shall no longer behold man among the inhabitants of the world. My dwelling is removed and carried away from me like a shepherd’s tent; like a weaver, I have rolled up my life; He cuts me off like the threads from the loom; from day to night You bring me to an end. I composed myself until morning; like a lion, He breaks all my bones; from day to night You bring me to an end. I chirped like a swallow, I moaned like a dove; my eyes were lifted to Heaven: G-d, I am oppressed—be my surety. What shall I say? He spoke to me, and He Himself has done it. I shall quietly pass all my years in the bitterness of my soul. G-d, by these things people live, and in all of them is the life of my spirit; You will heal me and restore me to life. Behold, it was for my welfare that I had such great bitterness, and You lovingly embraced my soul, saving it from the pit of destruction, for You have cast all my sins behind You. For the grave cannot thank You; death cannot praise You; those who descend into the pit cannot hope in Your truth. The living, the living—he shall praise You, as I do today; a father shall make Your truth known to his children. G-d is my salvation, and we shall play my songs all the days of our lives in the House of G-d.
The Story of the World's First Prayer
The Prayer of King Hezekiah—the World's First Prayer for Healing
(transmitted from Yeshivat “Kise Rachamim” by Rabbi Meir Mazuz; the text is based on a lesson by Rav Yanuka)
