A Special Prayer for the Shovavim Period

A Special Prayer for the Shovavim Period

A special prayer for the Shovavim period, which has the power to restore the covenant, recommended by Rabbeinu Chida (may his merit protect us). רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם. בּוֹשְׁתִּי מְאֹד בְּחֶרְפָּה וּכְלִימָה עַל כָּל חַטֹּאתַי עֲוֹנוֹתַי וּפְשָׁעַי, וּבִפְרַט עַל אֲשֶׁר פָּגַמְתִּי בְּאוֹת בְּרִית קוֹדֶשׁ בְּהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים, עַד אֲשֶׁר הֵן בְּעָוֹן חוֹלָלְתִּי וּבְחֵטְא יֶחֱמַתְנִי הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא, נִקְרֹא נִקְרֵאתִי כַּמָה פְעָמִים, אוֹי לִי, אֲהָהּ עָלַי. וּבְרוֹב רַחֲמֶיךָ הוֹדַעְתַּנִי עַל יְדֵי עֲבָדֶיךָ לְתַקֵּן נַפְשֵׁינוּ עַל צוֹ"ם מָה, בְּמִסְפַּר וּמִפְקַד שֵׁמוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר פָּגַמְנוּ בָהֶם, לְהִתְעַנּוֹת אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה כְּמִסְפַּר אַרְבָּעָה יוּדִין דְּשֵׁם ע"ב (יכוון במחשבה: יוד הי ויו הי). וְגָלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לְפָנֶיךָ כִּי חָפֵץ הָיִיתִי לַעֲשֹוֹת תִּיקוּן זֶה בְּכָל לֵב, אַךְ אֵין בִּי כֹחַ וְכָשַׁל כֹּחִי לְהִתְעַנּוֹת תַּעֲנִיּוֹת אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם רְצוּפִים. וְלָכֵן אֲנִי מַפְרִישׁ הַיּוֹם אַרְבָּעָה פְרוּטוֹת כֶּסֶף לִצְדָקָה, כִּי כֵן יָסְדוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ לִפְדּוֹת בְּכֶסֶף כָּל תַּעֲנִית. וּבְכֵן יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלוֹהֵינוּ וֵאלוֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁתַּעֲלֶה עָלַי כְּאִלּוּ הִתְעַנֵּיתִי הַיּוֹם, וְתִהְיֶה חֲשׁוּבָה הַצְּדָקָה שֶׁאֲנִי נוֹתֵן בַּעֲבוּר הַתַּעֲנִית, כְּאִלּוּ הִתְעַנֵּיתִי, וּמִיעוּט מָמוֹנִי יִהְיֶה בִּמְקוֹם מִיעוּט חֶלְבִּי. וְאַתָּה בְּטוּבְךָ תְמַלֵּא כָּל הַשֵּׁמוֹת שֶׁפָּגַמְתִּי בָּהֶם בְּזֶרַע לְבַטָּלָה אוֹ בְּקֶרִי, וְתוֹצִיא לָאוֹר כָּל נִיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדוּשָׁה אֲשֶׁר נִתְפַּזְּרוּ עַל יָדִי בֵּין הַקְּלִיפּוֹת, חַיִל בָּלַע וַיְקִיאֶנּוּ (יכוון במחשבה: חבו) מִבִּטְנוֹ יוֹרִישֶׁנוּ אֵל. וְתַחֲזִיר כָּל נִיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדוּשָׁה לְמָקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ לְמַעַן רַחֲמֶיךָ. עֲשֵה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, עֲשֵה לְמַעַן יְמִינֶךָ, עֲשֵה לְמַעַן תּוֹרָתֶךָ, עֲשֵה לְמַעַן קְדוּשָׁתֶךָ. יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי. Prayer Ribono shel Olam! I am deeply ashamed and humiliated by all my sins, iniquities, and transgressions, particularly for having blemished the sign of the holy covenant through evil thoughts, to the point that I was formed in iniquity and the sitra achra seduced me through sin. I was called and summoned many times. Woe is me; alas for me. In Your abundant mercy, You made known to me through Your servants that we can rectify our souls through a fast of 45, corresponding to the number and count of the holy Names that we have blemished, by fasting for forty days during this period, corresponding to the four yudin of the Name ע"ב (with the intention: Yud Hei Vav Hei). It is revealed and known before You that I wished to perform this rectification with all my heart, but I have no strength, and my strength has failed me, to fast for forty consecutive days. Therefore, today I set aside four silver prutot for charity, for so Your servants instituted: to redeem every fast with money. May it therefore be Your will, Adonai, our G-d and G-d of our fathers, that it be accounted to me as though I had fasted today, and that the charity I give for the fast be considered as though I had fasted, and that the small amount of my money take the place of the small amount of my flesh. In Your goodness, fill all the Names that I have blemished through wasted seed or nocturnal emission, and bring forth into the light all the sparks of holiness that were scattered by me among the kelipot: “He has swallowed wealth and will vomit it out” (with the mental intention: Havu), “from his belly El will drive it out.” And return all the sparks of holiness to a holy place, for the sake of Your mercy. Act for the sake of Your Name; act for the sake of Your right hand; act for the sake of Your Torah; act for the sake of Your holiness. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, Adonai, my Rock and my Redeemer. Translation Master of the Universe! I am deeply ashamed and humiliated by all my mistakes, sins, and transgressions, including having violated the holy Covenant through evil thoughts, which led me to sin, while the evil inclination confused me. Several times I was called and summoned; woe is me. In Your great mercy, You informed me through Your servants that we can rectify our souls through a fast of 45, corresponding to the number of the Holy Names that we have harmed, by fasting for 40 days, corresponding to the four letters “yud” of the Name ע"ב (and meditating on the Name “Yud Hei Vav Hei”). It is revealed and known before You that I wished to perform this rectification with all my heart, but I do not have the strength to fast for 40 consecutive days. Therefore, today I set aside four silver coins for charity, because Your servants instituted replacing a fast with a charitable donation. May it be Your will, G-d, our G-d and G-d of our fathers, that this be accounted to me as though I had fasted today. May the charity I give be accepted in place of the fast, as though I had fasted. May my insignificant wealth take the place of my insignificant flesh. And You, in Your great mercy, restore all the Names that I have damaged through wasted seed. Gather all the sparks of holiness that were scattered because of me among the kelipot: “He has swallowed wealth and will vomit it out” (with the mental intention: Havu). May El drive it out from his belly. Return all the sparks of holiness to their place, for the sake of Your mercy. Act for the sake of Your Name; act for the sake of Your right hand; act for the sake of Your Torah; act for the sake of Your holiness. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You, G-d, my Rock and my Redeemer!  (Transliteration and translation by Zoya Haya Tigay, https://www.tehillim-center.co.il/tefila/1324)