Prayer Before the Prayer of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk
On the yahrzeit of the tzadik Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, it is customary to recite the “Prayer Before the Prayer” by a lit candle Le-khvod Rabbi Elimelech ben Mirosh ve-Eliezer. The Story Behind the Prayer: The Saba Kadisha of Radoshitz wrote a remarkable story about Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk’s “Prayer Before the Prayer” in his book Niflaot (vol. 1, pp. 21–22). When the Saba Kadisha was a child, he often visited Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk. One day, while he was speaking with the Rebbe’s close circle of chasidim, several exceptionally tall men approached the Rebbe’s home and hurried inside. When they reached the doorway, they had to stoop to enter because they were so tall. The holy Rebbe closed the door behind them before the chasidim could see their faces. They waited outside until the visitors left, eager to discover what kind of guests had come to see their Rebbe. Once again, the chasidim were astonished when the men hurried out of the Rebbe’s home—the chasidim did not have time to make out their faces and saw only their backs—as they retreated so quickly that they nearly disappeared. The chasidim realized that something unusual had happened and decided to find out what it was. Meanwhile, the elder chasidim approached the Rebbe and asked him to explain the strange incident. This is what Rebbe Elimelech told them: “When I realized that most people cannot properly concentrate on their prayers because of the enormous burden of earning a livelihood, and that they lack the time and understanding necessary to concentrate fully, I decided to rewrite the standard wording of the prayers. I would compose a new, brief version that would be equally clear to everyone. But the holy members of the Great Assembly, the Anshei Knesset HaGedolah (the authors of the standard prayers from the time of the Talmud), understood what I intended to do. They came here to ask me not to alter any of the prayers they had established. I consulted with them and discussed the matter. They advised me to create a ‘Prayer’ to be recited before the formal prayer service. This would help anyone who lacks the concentration and proper kavanah required for all the formal prayers.” The “Prayer Before the Prayer” is the prayer beginning Yehi Ratzon, printed in many siddurim in the name of Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk. It is a segulah to recite Rabbi Elimelech’s words before prayer: “Whenever you perform any deed—whether you study Torah, recite a prayer, or fulfill a positive mitzvah—you should familiarize yourself with the following words, make them a habit, and recite them: – “Hareini oseh zot le-Shem yichud Kudsha Berich Hu u-Shechintei la’asot nachat ruach la-Borei yitbarach Shemo” — (I am doing this in order to unite the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah, and to bring pleasure to the blessed Creator). This segulah is a means of receiving help from Heaven. The Melitzer Rebbe (shlita), a direct descendant of Noam Elimelech, stated that Rebbe Yisrael of Ruzhin said that for 500 years before Rebbe Elimelech was born, the world received abundance in his merit. Now, after his passing, all the more so! It is said that Rabbi Elimelech promised everyone who visits his grave that they would not leave this world without doing teshuvah. תפילה קודם התפילה מהרב אלקי המפורסם רבי אלימלך מליז'נסק זי"ע יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹל שַׁוְעַת עֲתִירָה, וּמַאֲזִין לְקוֹל תְּפִלַּת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרַחֲמָיו. שֶׁתָּכִין לִבֵּנוּ וּתְכוֹנֵן מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵינוּ וּתְשַׁגֵּר תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ בְּפִינוּ. וְתַקְשִׁיב אָזְנְךָ לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל תְּפִלַּת עֲבָדֶיךָ הַמִּתְחַנְּנִים אֵלֶיךָ בְּקוֹל שַׁוְעָה וְרוּחַ נִשְׁבָּרָה. וְאַתָּה אֵל רַחוּם בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים וּבַחֲסָדֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים, תִּמְחוֹל וְתִסְלַח וּתְכַפֶּר לָנוּ וּלְכָל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֶת כָּל מַה שֶּׁחָטָאנוּ וְהֶעֱוִינוּ וְהִרְשַׁעְנוּ וּפָשַׁעְנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ, כִּי גָלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לְפָנֶיךָ כִּי לֹא בְמֶרֶד וּבְמַעַל חָלִילָה וְחָלִילָה מָרִינוּ אֶת פִּיךָ וְדִבְרֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ וּמִצְוֹתֶיךָ, כִּי אִם מֵרֹב הַיֵּצֶר הַבּוֹעֵר בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ תָּמִיד. לֹא יָנוּחַ וְלֹא יִשְׁקֹט עַד אֲשֶׁר מְבִיאֵנוּ אֶל תַּאֲוַת הָעוֹלָם הַשָּׁפָל הַזֶּה וְאֶל הֲבָלָיו, וּמְבַלְבֵּל אֶת מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵינוּ תָּמִיד, אֲפִלּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ עוֹמְדִים לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ וּלְבַקֵּשׁ עַל נַפְשֵׁנוּ. הוּא מְבַלְבֵּל אֶת תְּפִלָתֵנוּ וְאֶת מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵינוּ תָּמִיד בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו, וְאֵין אָנוּ יְכוֹלִים לַעֲמֹד נֶגְדּוֹ. כִּי נֶחֱלַשׁ שִׂכְלֵנוּ וּמֹחֵנוּ וְלִבֵּנוּ עַד מְאֹד. וְכָשַׁל כֹּחַ הַסַּבָּל מֵרֹב הַצָּרוֹת וְהַתְּלָאוֹת וְטִרְדַּת הַזְּמַן: לָכֵן אַתָּה אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן. עֲשֵׂה עִמָּנוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִבְטַחְתָּנוּ עַל יְדֵי נֶאֱמַן בֵּיתְךָ. וְחַנֹּתִי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אָחֹן וְרִחַמְתִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אֲרַחֵם, וְאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ הָגוּן וְאֵינוֹ כְדַאי, כִּי כֵן דַּרְכֶּךָ לְהֵיטִיב לָרָעִים וְלַטּוֹבִים, כִּי גָלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לְפָנֶיךָ אֶנְקָתֵנוּ וְצַעֲרֵנוּ וְשִׂיחֵנוּ עַל אֲשֶׁר אֵין אָנוּ יְכוֹלִים לְקָרֵב עַצְמֵנוּ לַעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ. וּלְדַבֵּק לִבֵּנוּ בְּךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְתָמִים, אֲהָהּ עַל נַפְשֵׁנוּ, אוֹי עָלֵינוּ מְאֹד, אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם: וְעַתָּה תְּעוֹרֵר נָא עָלֵינוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ הַגְּדוֹלִים וְהַמְרֻבִּים לְגָרֵשׁ וּלְבַעֵר אֶת יִצְרֵנוּ הָרָע מִקִּרְבֵּנוּ, וְתִגְעַר בּוֹ שֶׁיָּסוּר וְיֵלֵךְ מֵאִתָּנוּ, וְאַל יָסִית אוֹתָנוּ לְהַדִּיחֵנוּ מֵעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ חָלִילָה. וְאַל יַעֲלֶה בְּלִבֵּנוּ שׁוּם מַחֲשָׁבָה רָעָה חָלִילָה הֵן בְּהָקִיץ הֵן בַּחֲלוֹם. בִּפְרַט בְּעֵת שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ עוֹמְדִים בִּתְפִלָּה לְפָנֶיךָ, אוֹ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ לוֹמְדִים תּוֹרָתֶךָ. וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ עוֹסְקִים בְּמִצְוֹתֶיךָ, תְּהֵא מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵינוּ זַכָּה צְלוּלָה וּבְרוּרָה וַחֲזָקָה, בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵבָב שָׁלֵם כִּרְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב עִמָּנוּ: וּתְעוֹרֵר לְבָבֵנוּ וּלְבַב כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמְּךָ, וּלְבַב כָּל הַנִלְוִים אֵלֵינוּ, וּלְבַב כָּל הַחֲפֵצִים בְחֶבְרָתֵנוּ, לְיַחֶדְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְאַהֲבָה. לְעָבְדְךָ עֲבוֹדָה הַיְשָׁרָה, הַמְקֻבֶּלֶת לִפְנֵי כִסֵּא כְבוֹדֶךָ. וְתִקְבַּע אֱמוּנָתְךָ בְּלִבֵּנוּ תָמִיד בְּלִי הֶפְסֵק, וּתְהֵא אֱמוּנָתְךָ קְשׁוּרָה בְּלִבֵּנוּ כְּיָתֵד שֶׁלֹּא תִמּוֹט, וְתַעֲבִיר מֵעָלֵינוּ כָּל הַמְּסָכִים הַמַּבְדִּילִים בֵּינֵינוּ לְבֵינֶךָ אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם. וְתַצִּילֵנוּ מִכָּל מִּכְשׁוֹל וְטָעוּת, אַל תַּעַזְבֵנוּ וְאַל תִּטְּשֵׁנוּ וְאַל תַּכְלִימֵנוּ, וּתְהֵא עִם פִּינוּ בְּעֵת הַטִּיפֵנוּ, וְעִם יָדֵינוּ בְּעֵת מַעֲבָדֵינוּ, וְעִם לִבֵּנוּ בְּעֵת מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵינוּ: וּתְזַכֵּנוּ אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם אֵל מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, שֶׁנְּיַחֵד אֶת לְבָבֵנוּ וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתֵינוּ וְדִבּוּרֵנוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂינוּ וְכָל תְּנוּעוֹתֵינוּ וְהַרְגָּשׁוֹתֵינוּ, הַיְדוּעוֹת לָנוּ וְשֶׁאֵינָן יְדוּעוֹת לָנוּ, הַנִּגְלוֹת וְהַנִּסְתָּרוֹת, שֶׁיְּהֵא הַכֹּל מְיוּחָד אֵלֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְתָמִים בְּלִי שׁוּם מַחֲשֶׁבֶת פְּסוּל חָלִילָה, וְטַהֵר לִבֵּנוּ וְקַדְּשֵׁנוּ, וּזְרֹק עָלֵינוּ מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וְטַהֲרֵנוּ בְּאַהֲבָתְךָ וּבְחֶמְלָתְךָ, וְתִטַּע אַהֲבָתְךָ וְיִרְאָתְךָ בְּלִבֵּנוּ תָּמִיד בְּלִי הֶפְסֵק, בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל זְמַן וּבְכָל מָקוֹם, בְּלֶכְתֵּנוּ וּבְשִׁבְתֵּנוּ וּבְשָׁכְבֵּנוּ וּבְקוּמֵנוּ תִּבְעַר תָּמִיד רוּחַ קָדְשְׁךָ בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ. וְנִשְׁעָנִים תָּמִיד בְּךָ וּבִגְדֻלָּתְךָ וּבְאַהֲבָתְךָ וּבְיִרְאָתְךָ. וּבְתוֹרָתְךָ שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְשֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה הַנִּגְלֶה וְהַנִּסְתָּר וּבְמִצְוֹתֶיךָ, הַכֹּל לְיַחֵד שִׁמְךָ הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא: וְתִשְׁמְרֵנוּ מִן הַפְּנִיּוֹת וְהַגֵּאוּת וּמִן הַכַּעַס וְהַקַּפְּדָנוּת וְהָעַצְבוּת וְהָרְכִילוּת וּשְׁאָר מִדּוֹת רָעוֹת, וּמִכָּל דָּבָר הַמַּפְסִיד עֲבוֹדָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה וְהַטְּהוֹרָה הַחֲבִיבָה עָלֵינוּ, וְתַשְׁפִּיעַ רוּחַ קָדְשְׁךָ עָלֵינוּ שֶׁנִּהְיֶה דְבֵקִים בָּךְ. וְשֶׁנִּשְׁתּוֹקֵק תָּמִיד אֵלֶיךָ יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר, וּמִמַּדְרֵגָה לְמַדְרֵגָה תַּעֲלֵנוּ, שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לָבוֹא לְמַעֲלַת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, וּזְכוּתָם יַעֲמֹד לָנוּ שֶׁתִּשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ שֶׁנִּהְיֶה תָּמִיד נענִים בְּעֵת שֶׁנִּתְפַּלֵּל אֵלֶיךָ עָלֵינוּ אוֹ עַל שׁוּם אֶחָד מֵעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַל יָחִיד אוֹ עַל רַבִּים, וְתִשְׂמַח וְתִתְפָּאֵר בָּנוּ, וְנַעֲשֶׂה פְּרִי לְמַעְלָה וְשֹׁרֶשׁ לְמַטָּה: וְאַל תִּזְכָּר לָנוּ חַטֹּאתֵינוּ וּבִפְרָט חַטֹּאת נְעוּרֵינוּ, כְּמַאֲמַר דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם חַטֹּאת נְעוּרַי וּפְשָׁעַי אַל תִּזְכֹּר, וְתַהֲפֹךְ עֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ וּפְשָׁעֵינוּ לִזְכוּת, וְתַשְׁפִּיעַ עָלֵינוּ מֵעוֹלָם הַתְּשׁוּבָה תָּמִיד הִרְהוּר לָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם. וּלְתַקֵּן אֶת אֲשֶׁר פָּגַמְנוּ בִּשְׁמוֹתֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים וְהַטְּהוֹרִים: וְתַצִּילֵנוּ מִקִּנְאַת אִישׁ מֵרֵעֵהוּ וְלֹא יַעֲלֶה קִנְאַת אָדָם עַל לִבֵּנוּ וְלֹא קִנְאָתֵנוּ עַל אֲחֵרִים, אַדְּרַבָּה, תֵּן בְּלִבֵּנוּ שֶׁנִּרְאֶה כָּל אֶחָד מַעֲלַת חֲבֵרֵינוּ וְלֹא חֶסְרוֹנָם, וְשֶׁנְּדַבֵּר כָּל אֶחָד אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַיָּשָׁר וְהָרָצוּי לְפָנֶיךָ, וְאַל יַעֲלֶה שׁוּם שִׂנְאָה מֵאֶחָד עַל חֲבֵרוֹ חָלִילָה: וּתְחַזֵּק הִתְקַשְּׁרוּתֵנוּ בְּאַהֲבָה אֵלֶיךָ, כַּאֲשֶׁר גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לְפָנֶיךָ. שֶׁיְּהֵא הַכֹּל נַחַת רוּחַ אֵלֶיךָ, וְזֶה עִקַּר כַּוָּנָתֵנוּ. וְאִם אֵין לָנוּ שֵׂכֶל לְכַוֵּן אֶת לְבָבֵנוּ אֵלֶיךָ, אַתָּה תְלַמְּדֵנוּ אֲשֶׁר נֵדַע בֶּאֱמֶת כַּוָּנַת רְצוֹנְךָ הַטּוֹב: וְעַל כָּל זֹאת מִתְחַנְּנִים אֲנַחְנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ אֵל מָלֵא רַחֲמִים שֶׁתְּקַבֵּל אֶת תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ בְּרַחֲמִים וּבְרָצוֹן, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן: Prayer Before the Prayer May it be Your will, O L-rd, our G-d and G-d of our fathers, Who hears the voice of our supplication and mercifully hearkens to the prayer of His people Israel, that You prepare our hearts, set our thoughts in order, and cause our prayer to flow from our mouths. May You incline Your ear to hear the prayer of Your servants who beseech You with a cry and a broken spirit. You are a merciful G-d; in Your abundant mercy and great kindness, forgive, pardon, and atone for us, for all our loved ones, and for all Your people, the House of Israel, for everything in which we have sinned and transgressed before You. For it is revealed and known before Your Throne of Glory that we did not rebel against Your word and the words of Your Torah and mitzvot intentionally, G-d forbid, but only because of the overwhelming inclination that constantly burns within us. It never rests or grows quiet until it brings us to the desires and vanities of this lowly world, and it constantly confuses our thoughts, even when we stand before You in prayer and ask on behalf of our souls. It confuses our prayers and thoughts with its schemes, and we have no strength to stand against it, because our understanding, minds, and hearts have grown exceedingly weak. Our strength has failed from the many troubles, ordeals, and pressures of the times. Therefore, compassionate and gracious G-d, deal with us as You promised us through the faithful one of Your House: “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.” Our Sages, of blessed memory, said that this applies even to one who is unworthy and undeserving, for it is Your way to do good to both the wicked and the righteous. You know our sighs, sorrow, and anguish that we are unable to draw close to Your service and truly and wholeheartedly cleave our hearts to You. Alas for our souls; woe to us indeed, our Father in Heaven. Now, please awaken Your great and abundant mercy and kindness toward us, to drive out and eradicate our evil inclination from within us. Rebuke it so that it withdraws and leaves us, and does not, G-d forbid, entice us to stray from Your service. Let no evil thought enter our hearts, G-d forbid, whether awake or asleep, especially when we stand in prayer before You or study Your Torah, and when we engage in Your mitzvot. May our thoughts be pure, clear, lucid, and strong, in truth and with a wholehearted heart, in accordance with Your good will toward us. Awaken our hearts, the hearts of all Israel Your people, the hearts of all who join us, and the hearts of all who desire our fellowship, so that we may unite with You in truth and love, and serve You with the upright service accepted before Your Throne of Glory. Establish Your faith in our hearts always, without interruption, and let our faith be bound within our hearts like a peg that cannot be moved. Remove from us all the barriers that separate us from You, our Father in Heaven. Save us from every stumbling block and error; do not abandon us, forsake us, or put us to shame. Be with our mouths when we speak, with our hands when we act, and with our hearts when we think. Grant us, our Father in Heaven, G-d full of mercy, that we may unite our hearts, thoughts, words, deeds, every movement, and every feeling—those known to us and those unknown to us, the revealed and the concealed—so that everything may be truly and wholeheartedly devoted to You, without any improper thought, G-d forbid. Purify our hearts and sanctify us. Sprinkle pure waters upon us and purify us with Your love and compassion. Plant Your love and awe in our hearts always, without interruption, at every time, in every place, as we walk, sit, lie down, and rise. May the spirit of Your holiness always burn within us. May we always rely upon You, Your greatness, Your love, and Your awe; upon Your written and Oral Torah, the revealed and the concealed; and upon Your mitzvot—all to unite Your mighty and awesome Name. Guard us from flattery, arrogance, anger, irritability, sadness, gossip, and all other evil traits, and from everything that impairs Your holy, pure, and precious service, which is dear to us. Pour Your holy spirit upon us so that we may cleave to You and always yearn for You more and more. Raise us from one level to the next, so that we may merit reaching the level of our holy forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. May their merit stand for us, that You hear the voice of our prayer and that we always be answered when we pray to You for ourselves or for any member of Your people Israel, whether for one person or for many. Rejoice and take pride in us, and may we become fruit above and root below. Do not remember our sins, especially the sins of our youth, as King David, peace be upon him, said: “Do not remember the sins of my youth and my transgressions.” Turn our iniquities and transgressions into merits, and continually send us thoughts of repentance from the World of Teshuvah, so that we may return to You with a wholehearted heart and repair everything we have damaged in Your holy and pure Names. Save us from jealousy of one another. Let no person’s envy enter our hearts, nor our envy be directed toward others. Instead, place in our hearts the desire that each of us see the virtues of our fellows and not their shortcomings, and that each of us speak to the other in the upright and desirable way before You. Let no hatred, G-d forbid, arise between one person and another. Strengthen our bond of love for You, as is revealed and known before You. May everything bring You pleasure, for this is the essence of our intention. If we lack the understanding to direct our hearts toward You, teach us so that we may truly know the intention of Your good will. For all this we beseech You, G-d full of mercy: accept our prayer with compassion and favor. Amen; may it be Your will. (Translation by Rav Tal Moshe Zwecker, torahdownloads.com, based on the book by Rav Yaakov Doctor, Brothers)
Prayer Before the Prayer of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk
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Tags: Prayer, Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, Prayer Before Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk’s Prayer, The Prayer of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk
