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Sefer HaMiddot, Prayer, Part II

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א. בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֵין מְבַקְשִׁין רַחֲמִים עַל חֲבֵרוֹ, עַל יְדֵי זֶה נוֹפֵל לִתְפִיסָה, וְתִקּוּן לִתְפִיסָה שֶׁיְּפַרְנֵס אֵיזֶהוּ בַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Not pleading for mercy for a fellow Jew causes a person to fall into captivity. He can make amends by providing food for some living creature.

ב. הַתְּפִילָּה מְעֻלָּה [מוֹעִילָה], כְּשֶׁפָּנָיו כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Prayer is most effective when one faces heavenward.

ג. מִי שֶׁמְּבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עַל בְּנֵי דוֹרוֹ, זוֹכֶה לְגִלּוּי שְׁכִינָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A person who requests compassion for his generation is rewarded with a revelation of the Divine Presence.

ד. עַל יְדֵי שִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת מַמְשִׁיכִין שְׁכִינָתוֹ לְמַטָּה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Reciting the hymns and praises of God draws His Divine Presence below.

ה. תְּפִילַּת שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר יֵשׁ בָּהּ בְּחִינַת מִלְחָמָה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

The prayer leader’s supplication contains an aspect of warfare.

ו. מִי שֶׁמְּקַיֵּם "יְהִי מָמוֹן חֲבֵרְךָ חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁלָּךְ", עַל יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכֶה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכַוָּנַת הַלֵּב.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

When one fulfills “Your neighbor’s money should be as precious to you as your own” (Avot 2:12), he merits praying with an attentive heart.

ז. אֲמִירַת תְּהִלִּים סְגֻלָּה לְהוֹרִיד גְּשָׁמִים. "תְּהִלִּם" לִ'מְטַר הַ'שָּׁמַיִם תִּ'שְׁתֶּה מָ'יִם.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Reciting Psalms is a segulah for bringing rain. [We learn this from the Hebrew word for Psalms], TeHiLiM, which is an acronym for “Limtar Hashamayim Tishteh Mayim ([the Land of Israel] drinks water from the rain of heaven)” (Deuteronomy 11:11).

ח. כָּל הַמֵּצֵר בְּצָרוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם, אַף עַל פִּי שְׁמֵּטִיחַ דְּבָרִים כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה אֵינוֹ נֶעֱנָשׁ.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

When a person feels the suffering of other Jews and prays for them, even if he directs his words against Heaven, he will not be punished.

ט. יֵשׁ תְּפִילּוֹת שֶׁאֵינָם נִתְקַבְּלִים לְמַעְלָה. אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁנּוֹתְנִים כָּל כָּךְ מָעוֹת לִצְדָקָה כְּפִי מִסְּפַּר הָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁל הַתְּפִילָּה הַשַּׁיָּךְ לְזֶה הַדָּבָר. לְמָשָׁל, כְּשֶׁמִּתְפַּלֵּל אֵלּוּ הַתֵּבוֹת: "תֵּן לִי בָּנִים", צָרִיךְ לִתֵּן צְדָקָה כְּמִסְפַּר אוֹתִיּוֹת "תֵּן לִי בָּנִים".

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Certain prayers are accepted on high only after sufficient money, equivalent to the number of letters in the relevant prayer, is given to charity. For example, when a person prays, “Give me children,” he must contribute the sum equal to the letters of these very words.

י. עַל יְדֵי תְּפִילָּה יָכוֹל לְשַׁנּוֹת זִוּוּגוֹ הַנִּכְרָז בַּשָּׁמַיִם.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

Through prayer a person can exchange the marriage partner decreed for him in heaven.

יא. הַתְּפִילָּה שֶׁל רַבִּים נִשְׁמַעַת יוֹתֵר כְּשֶׁהֵם בִּכְנוּפְיָא מִמַּה שֶּׁהֵם מְפרָדִים.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

When the masses pray together, their prayers are more effective than when they pray in separate places.

יב. לִפְעָמִים אֵינָהּ בָּאָה הַיְשׁוּעָה אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ כַּמָּה בְּנֵי אָדָם, וְלא דַּי בִּתְפִילַּת יָחִיד.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

There are times when salvation will come only when many people pray for it; an individual’s prayers are not enough.

יג. מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שוֹנְאִים, קָשֶׁה לוֹ לְכַוֵּן דַּעְתֵּהּ בִּתְפִילָּה.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

A person with enemies finds it difficult to concentrate while praying.

יד. צָרִיךְ אָדָם לְהִזָּהֵר, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמַּזְכִּיר אֶת הַשֵּׁם, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה, הַיְנוּ שֶׁיְּקַדֵּשׁ רוּחַ פִּיו כָּל כָּךְ שֶׁיְּהֵא בִּבְחִינַת רוּחַ נְבוּאָה, וְאָז הָרוּחַ הַזֶּה הוֹלֵךְ וּמַפִּיל אוֹתָם, הַבּוֹטְחִים בְּשָׁוְא וּבְהֶבֶל, וְזֶהוּ: בְּ'שֵׁם י'הוה אֱ'לקֵינוּ נַ'זְכִּיר הֵמָּה כָּרְעוּ וְנָפְלוּ.

The aleph bet book, translated by Moshe Mykoff. New York: Breslov Research Institute, 1986

One should be careful to utter God’s Name in holiness and purity. That is, he should sanctify his speech to such a degree that it becomes an aspect of the spirit of prophecy. This spirit will go out and defeat those who put their trust in emptiness and vanity. Thus the verse “B’sheim YHVH Eloheinu Nazkir (we will utter the Name of God, our Lord)” (Psalms 20:8) [the first letters of which spell NAVY, the Hebrew word for prophet,] is followed by “they were subdued and defeated” (ibid. 20:9; see Glossary, “B”).