And I Shall Merit to Study Torah with Immense and Wondrous Desire • Prayers for

In honor of the holiday of Matan Torah (the Giving of the Torah), we present to you a collection of prayers for Torah study written by the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a covering all parts of the Torah. The prayers are courtesy of the 'Tefillah L'Ani' Institute:

The Five Books of the Torah (Chumash)

Master of the World, Almighty, as I reach the age of 5, merit me to be included in the Five Books of the Torah: "Bereishis, Shemos, Vayikra, Bamidbar, Devarim," and through this, may my soul be completed in all its five aspects: Nefesh (soul), Ruach (spirit), Neshamah (breath), Chayah (living), and Yechidah (singular). Through this, may I merit to reach the level of Yechidah d'Yechidah (the highest point of the soul), which is the most perfect level a mortal being can attain.

Chumash with Rashi

Please Hashem, merit me to finish every week the Chumash (Five Books of Moses) with Rashi, as our Rebbe said that Rashi is the "brother of the Torah." For Rashi ascended to the Keter (Crown) of Adam Kadmon (the Primordial Man), the secret of "Amar Neka" (pure wool/white hair), the secret of Amram, who, if he had not divorced Yocheved, would have illuminated all the Egyptians, including Pharaoh, and they would have performed teshuvah (repentance) and would not have drowned in the sea. They would have said the complete Hallel (prayer of praise), for [Hashem said], "The work of My hands is drowning in the sea, and you are saying a song?" For Amaziah threw ten thousand Edomites from the top of a cliff, and Hashem said, "I said to kill them by the sword, and you give them a strange death?" For they writhed for several days in terrible hellish suffering. Therefore, because Sarah expelled Hagar in disgrace, the Ba'al HaTurim and the Ramban say that this is why all kinds of afflictions and terrible death marches were decreed upon Israel, where not one remained alive and everyone froze to death, and were murdered by the Germans and the Ukrainians on the roads in strange and terrible deaths. For the people of Israel must give an account for every drop of cruelty we performed against the nations of the world, like Amaziah and Sarah. For Rashi says that they did not need weapons, and only needed to walk in simplicity (Sotah 36a), and then everyone was defeated, and no memory of them remained.

Shnayim Mikra (Two Scripture)

Master of the World, Almighty, merit me every single week to read Shnayim Mikra v'Echad Targum (reading the weekly portion twice in Hebrew and once in the Aramaic translation), for upon this depends our entire Geulah (Redemption) and the Pidyon Nefesh (Redemption of our soul), as it is said in Parashat Devarim (1:29): "And I said to you, 'Do not be broken and do not fear them. Hashem your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all that He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the desert where you saw that Hashem your God carried you as a man carries his son in all the way that you went.'" All of this is merited through reading 'Shnayim Mikra v'Echad Targum,' and then one merits to ascend to the Keter (Crown) of the Keter of Leah, in the secret of "And from the top of the ancient mountains, and from the sweetness of the eternal hills, and from the sweetness of the earth and its fullness, and the will of Him who dwelt in the bush shall come upon the head of Joseph and upon the crown of the head of the one separated from his brothers." And then, when one merits Shnayim Mikra v'Echad Targum, the blessing is fulfilled: "His firstborn ox is his glory, and the horns of a Re'em (wild ox) are his horns; with them he shall gore nations together to the ends of the earth, and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim and they are the thousands of Menashe." For Joseph merited the Hidden Light of the seven days, and therefore "Moses took the bones of Joseph with him," for Moses is in the aspect of Mikra (Scripture), and Joseph is in the aspect of Targum (Translation) = 649, the secret of Tardemah (deep sleep) = 649. For by reading 'Shnayim Mikra v'Echad Targum' one merits the aspects of "See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me," for Joseph merited the aspect of "From the top of the ancient mountains." The secret of the Kodkod (crown of the head) of Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man), like the tribe of Gad: "And he tore the arm, even the crown of the head." For Joseph merited the aspect of Kodkod-Keter (Crown), and Benjamin merited the aspect of his shoulders, the secret of the shoulders of the Da'at (Knowledge) of Adam Kadmon, his hair from the Five Chasadim (Kindnesses) and the Five Gevuros (Severities). For from the Five Chasadim, Abba (Father), the secret of Chokhmah (Wisdom), was created, and from the Five Gevuros, Imma (Mother), the secret of Binah (Understanding), was created, the secret of "And God built the rib," through Tardemah (deep sleep) = Targum = 649, Nachman Natan + 1 = 649 + 1 = 650. The secret of Malchus (Kingship) thirty = 30 levels, the secret of Keter (Crown) 620 = 650. And then, through Shnayim Mikra v'Echad Targum, one merits "The horns of a Re'em are his horns; with them he shall gore nations," the secret of a ray of light, the secret of the ox that Adam HaRishon (the first man) sacrificed with one horn in its forehead, as it is said, "And it shall please Hashem more than a horned and hooved ox-bull." And then one merits the ten thousands of Ephraim, in the aspect of "Saul struck his thousands and David his ten thousands," the secret of "the ten thousands of Ephraim," the secret of "He guided his hands wisely, for Menashe was the firstborn," for although Menashe was the firstborn, Jacob guided his hands wisely for the sake of the one who studied Torah. But in the future to come, "Gilead is mine and Menashe is mine." And Menashe precedes Ephraim, from whom came the five daughters of Zelophehad: 'Mahlah' who is always dancing (mecholeles) and singing, and from there comes all the forgiveness (mechilah) of sins. And 'Noa' who is always in motion (tenua). And 'Hoglah' who always has a festival (chag-lah). And 'Milkah' who rules (moleches) over the Evil Inclination and the 248 limbs in perfection. And finally 'Tirzah' who always searches only for how to do the Will (Ratzon) of Hashem.

Musar (Ethics)

Master of the World, Almighty, from whom no thought is withheld, merit me to pour out my heart like water before You, and merit me to study Mesillat 530 Yesharim 560 = 1090 every single day, and may all my focus be only on the Shas 362 (the six orders of the Talmud), in Gemara 246, in Talmud 482 = 1090. In this merit, may I deserve the revelation of Eliyahu HaNavi (Elijah the Prophet) of blessed memory, as it is written: "Behold 60 I 81 send 344 to you 90 [the] 401 Eliyah 46 the Prophet" 68 = 1090 of blessed memory, and through this may the verse be fulfilled in me: "For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills 527 I behold him" 563 = 1090.

Master of the World, Almighty, Hero over all heroes, Victor over all victors, merit me to win the terrible war for which I came into this world, and may I never see any woman in the world at all, and may I merit to fulfill the verse "And you shall not wander after your hearts and after your eyes" in perfection. In the merit of fulfilling the mitzvah (commandment) of "And you shall not wander after your hearts and after your eyes," may I merit to study Torah with immense and wondrous desire for at least eight hours a day. And may I merit to study Shas (the Talmud), and Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, and Mishnah Berurah and Mishnayos, and Mesillat Yesharim, Sha'arei Teshuvah, Orchot Tzaddikim, and all the holy books. May I merit to place all my focus only on the holy Torah day and night, and may nothing in the world interest me at all, from now and forever, Amen Sela.

Kabbalah

Master of the World, Almighty, from whom no thought is withheld, merit me through the study of the holy Zohar every single day, to reach Reisha D'lo Ityada (The Unknown Head), to the Adam Kadmon of Adam Kadmon (the highest level of the Primordial Man). For with every single word of the holy and awesome Zohar, it is possible to revive the dead and to heal all the sick in the world, for in every single letter of the holy and awesome Zohar, all the worlds and all the Sefiros (Divine emanations) are included, for they are all included in every letter. Through this, we shall merit the complete Geulah (Redemption), the building of the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple), and the resurrection of the dead in the blink of an eye, Amen Netzach Sela Va'ed. And this is what is said: "On that day, living waters shall go out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea," from the Keter (Crown) of Adam Kadmon to the Malchus (Kingship) of Adam Kadmon, for through the letters of the holy and awesome Zohar, everyone will be included in one another and with one another, all the worlds entirely.

Otzrot Yehudim (Jewish Treasures)

Master of the World, Almighty, merit me every single week to finish all of "Otzrot HaYehudim," and may I not miss any word or any letter. May I merit to finish the Shas (the entire Talmud) every single year, and through this, may I merit the Mind 350 of our holy 415 and awesome 268 Rebbe 268, Rebbe 268 Nachman 148 son of 52 Simcha 353 son of 52 Feiga 94, and to see Eliyahu 52 the Prophet 68 of blessed 233 memory 47 = 2598 face to face, every moment and second. May we merit in this merit the verse: "And in all 86 the mighty 125 hand 19 and in all 86 the great 48 terror 252 which 501 Moses 345 performed 375 before the eyes 170 of all 50 Israel" 541 = 2598. And may I merit to heal all the sick.

Sifrei Rabbeinu (The Books of our Rebbe)

Master of the World, full of mercy, awaken me from my sleep and my slumber, and please wake me up, please arouse me so that I do not sleep away my days and years. Rather, let me strengthen myself day and night in the study of the Torah, and let me not need to sleep at all. May I feel such vitality that I will not want to fall asleep at all, but only speak words of Torah and prayers all day without ceasing. Every moment that I am unable to study, I will immediately do an hour of Hisbodedus (secluded prayer), and I will say Tehillim (Psalms), Likutey Tefillos (Collected Prayers), and prayers from Sha'arei Zion. I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids even for a moment, but only feel immense vitality in every word of Torah, and in all the words of our Rebbe, especially in Likutey Halachos (Collected Laws).

Likutey Moharan

Master of the World, Almighty, in the merit that I study the daily page in "Likutey Moharan," merit me that You perform for me great and hidden things which no man knows, and may the verses (Jeremiah 23:3-8) be fulfilled in me: "And I will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. And I will set up shepherds over them who shall feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be missing, says Hashem. Behold, the days are coming, says Hashem, that I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called, Hashem our Righteousness. Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says Hashem, that they shall no more say, 'As Hashem lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt'; but, 'As Hashem lives, who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries where I had driven them'; and they shall dwell in their own land."

Poskim (Halakhic Decisors)

Master of the World, Almighty, from whom no thought is withheld, merit me to be Holy of Holies. Merit me to reach the level of our holy Rebbe who said to everyone, "Exactly like me." Merit me to be as pure as the sun and may my soul be clear as the moon, and may I merit from now on to ascend from level to level, to go every day from level to level, to know all of Basar b'Chalav (meat and milk laws), all mixtures, every prohibition and permission. Master of the World, full of mercy, merit me to study sixteen hours a day without ceasing, and to eat and sleep during eight hours, and may not a single moment go to waste, from now and forever.

Rambam (Maimonides)

Please Hashem, merit us every single year to make a Siyum (completion ceremony) on the holy and awesome Rambam, 'for from Moses to Moses, there arose none like Moses.' Please Hashem, merit me to study every single day, for he was unique in all generations until the coming of Mashiach from the destruction of the Second Temple. May we study three chapters of Rambam every single day, and through this, may we merit to make a Siyum on the Rambam every single year on his Hillula (anniversary of passing - 20th of Tevet). May we make a Siyum every single year all the days of our lives, all the hundred and twenty years, and through this, may we be included in the Adam Kadmon of Adam Kadmon, in the Keter (Crown) of the world of Atzilus (Emanation).

Ketzot HaChoshen

Master of the World, Almighty, merit me to study Ketzot HaChoshen every single day and every single hour. Through this, may I merit to ascend to the Olam HaMalbush (World of the Garment), to Reisha D'lo Ityada (The Unknown Head), and to be included in the Chotma d'Atik (The Nose of the Ancient One), where from the right side blows the wind of the resurrection of the dead, which draws illumination from the right heel of Leah, and from the left side blows the wind of Mashiach, which is drawn from the left heel of Leah. Concerning this it is said: "And the spirit of Hashem shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Hashem," as it is said, "In the way of wisdom I have taught you," for first one must pass through the sufferings of pregnancy and birth, until we merit the aspect of "The pregnant woman and the one giving birth together." For through the Ketzot HaChoshen, one can merit a thing that has not yet come into the world, and to sanctify a thing that has not yet come into the world. Then one merits the aspect of "His eyes are like doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set," "My beloved is white and ruddy, pre-eminent among ten thousand," and then we subdue the 98 (Tzach) curses in Mishneh Torah (Deuteronomy) that are read before Rosh Hashanah.

Mishnayos

Please, Merciful and Gracious One, Almighty, from whom no thought is withheld, please "God 46 of the world 146 Hashem 26 Creator 209 of the ends 596 of the earth 291 does not 31 faint 170 and is not 37 weary 93 there is 61 no searching 308 of His understanding" 894 = 2908. Please, Merciful and Gracious One, merit me to study Mishnayos, and to be attached to the Mishnayos 808 day and night. Fulfill in me the prayer 'Preparing 700 a lamp 250 for the son 82 of Jesse 320 Your Mashiach 378 quickly 252 in our days' 118 = 2908. Through the study of Mishnayos, may I merit to see the revelation of Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David, who shall build the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple) quickly in our days, in the blink of an eye, Amen Netzach Sela Va'ed.

Gemara and Poskim

Master of the World, Almighty, from whom no thought is withheld, merit me from today, Good Father 4, to study Torah 611 Lishmah (for its own sake) 375, Shas, Gemara, Talmud, Rambam, Shulchan Aruch, Tur, and all the Poskim (Halakhic decisors), and to be included in the Foundation 715 Stone 53 (Even HaShetiyah) = 1758. May I never again see any strange woman, Heaven forbid, nor any strange girl, Heaven forbid. May I know Etz Chayim (Tree of Life), Zohar, Sha'ar HaGilgulim (Gate of Reincarnations), and through this may the verse be fulfilled in me: "They shall not 31 hunger 288 nor 37 thirst 147 neither 37 shall the heat 502 or sun 646 smite 70 them" = 1758. Please Father = 4 Good, Merciful and Gracious, merit me to Shimush 646 Chachamim 118 (serving the Sages), and through this may I merit to see the revelation of Mashiach 358 ben 52 Yosef 156 and Mashiach 358 ben 52 David 14 = 1758, who shall build the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple) quickly in our days, in the blink of an eye, Amen Netzach Sela Va'ed.

Gemara, Rashi, and Tosafot

Master of the World, Almighty, from whom no thought is withheld, fulfill in me the verse: "And He will satisfy 393 your soul 450 in drought 604 and make strong 148 your bones 642 and you shall be 431 like a watered 211 garden 73 = 2952 and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." May I never again see any girl in the world, Heaven forbid, and may I merit to study eight hours every day Gemara, Rashi, and Tosafot 952. Through this, may I merit to intend in every thought, word, and deed to unify the Name 341 of the Holy One 415 Blessed 232 be He 12, and through this, may You bless me every moment and second with all the seven 372 blessings 628 = 2952.

Gemara

Master of the World, full of mercy, please help me to study Gemara day and night, until I merit that the Hidden Light is revealed to me, which is the Hidden Torah and the Hidden Tzaddikim. Act with me beyond the letter of the law, even though I have blemished all the days of my life intentionally and with a rebellious soul, willfully and with treachery. Help me, Merciful and Gracious One, that I may study Torah and Gemara without ceasing during all hours of the day and night. Arouse Your true mercy and kindness upon us, and help us with Your great goodness and grace, that we may merit that Your many mercies reveal to us the Hidden Tzaddikim and the Hidden Torah. For You know, Hashem our God, that we have no support or hope except through the study of the holy Gemara. For through the study of Gemara, we subdue Amalek + 4 = 244, and likewise, through the study of Shas = 365, we subdue the Kelipah (husk) of Pharaoh = 365, and likewise, Talmud subdues Lilith = 480. Please, Merciful and Gracious One, merit me to study the holy Gemara, which is drawn from the North Light, from the Hidden Light, which is the Hidden Light concealed within the letters of the holy Gemara. May I believe with complete faith that from every single letter, the four holy angels 'Gabriel, Michael, Uriel, Raphael' (the acronym of Gemara) are created anew. Through this, may I merit "A Tzaddik rules over the fear of God" through the study of Gemara, to rule over my inclinations and for the guarding of my eyes, and may I never open my eyes again, and may I see nothing in the street, and may I never see anything else forever. May I merit to be like the Blind Beggar, who never saw the world at all, even for the blink of an eye. May I merit to increase in conversation between me and my Creator, and I will ask for holiness and purity, especially after the wedding. May I know that what mainly helps is only the study of the holy Gemara, for this is the main thing that gives strength to the mind against this terrible lust. For the main partitions of the intellect are made through the holy Gemara, and it is almost the only thing that can push away every evil thought in the world. May I know that this entire Gemara is the soul of Moses our Teacher, and this is hinted at in the word HaSefer (The Book) 345 = Moshe (Moses) = 345. Please, Merciful and Gracious One, Almighty, from whom no thought is withheld, You can turn me from one extreme to the other, and turn all my 248 limbs and 365 sinews into 613 (Taryag) holy and pure Sefiros, until all my limbs cry out the 613 mitzvot, and every limb cries out the mitzvah belonging to it. My eyes will cry out: do not open us, "A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know evil," "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me," "Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity; and let me not eat of their dainties." Please, Merciful and Gracious One, close my eyes and ears from the sight of this world, and let me know nothing, and let me think of nothing, only of the study of the holy Gemara, until I know the entire Shas, as Rav Chaikel asked for his grandchildren, that they merit to study the entire Shas. For the Image of God does not rest upon a person until after he merits to complete the entire Shas. May I merit to innovate Torah insights twofold, in the secret of Lechem Mishneh (double bread). May I understand everything to its depth and truth, and study with deep understanding and deep analysis. As our Rebbe writes in Torah 101, it is only through the study of Gemara that one subdues all abominations and all evil thoughts. Please, Merciful and Gracious One, help the holy point burning in my heart like a torch of fire to illuminate, and may this point flare up and burn in all my 248 limbs and 365 sinews until all my 248 limbs burn with a flaming fire toward You, for 248 (Ramach) = twice Lappid (torch) = 124. May I merit to invest all my strengths in the study of the holy Gemara, in knowing the Shas with breadth and depth, until I merit to emerge from all blemishes of the Covenant (Bereshit) completely, in ultimate perfection after which there is no further perfection, until I merit to emerge from this completely, and be holy with the holiness of our holy Rebbe. May I merit to link my heart to my mind, and may my entire heart be in my control, so that I do not think any foreign thought in the world at all, until I merit the love that is in the Da'at (Knowledge), and merit true love for You with heart and soul in all my 248 limbs and 365 sinews. May I merit that the study of the holy Gemara purifies all my senses and my thoughts. May I know and believe with complete faith that besides the study of the holy Gemara, nothing else exists in the world at all. Concerning the study of Gemara it is said: "If My covenant be not day and night, I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth." May I know that for every single letter of the holy Gemara, heaven and earth stand and are created, and through the study of the holy Gemara, all the worlds are renewed, until I merit through the study of Gemara to taste the flavor of the Hidden Light, which is the light of the love in the Da'at, until all the Torah innovations and the hidden secrets of the Torah are revealed to me, upon which the complete Geulah (Redemption) depends.

Siyum Masechet (Completion of a Tractate)

Master of the World, full of mercy, 'Who revives the dead with great mercy,' just as You helped me to reach the end of this tractate, so merit me to finish all the tractates, and to fulfill 'Happy is he who comes here with his learning in his hand.' Give me counsel and strength to study every day and to finish every day a complete tractate, until I am able in one day to finish the entire Shas, until the entire Shas is settled in all my bones, and my lips shall move in the grave. Let there be no difference for me between life and death, for all day my lips will move only with words of Torah, until even in the grave I will continue to speak only words of Torah and nothing else. "You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore," Amen Amen.