Tefila L'Ani -- Prayer to Reveal the Light of the Tzaddikim by Rabbi Eliezer Berland Shlit"a

To Reveal the Light of the Tzaddikim

From "Tefilah L'Ani - Leket Tefilot U'Vakashot"

Have mercy on me for the sake of Your Name, and let me merit to constantly yearn and long to draw near to true Tzaddikim and God-fearing people, until I merit, through overwhelming desire and will, to truly break through every type of obstacle in the world, and to endure every kind of effort, trouble, toil, and suffering in order to draw close to true Tzaddikim, until I merit drawing close to them and cleaving to them in truth, and drawing down and receiving from them complete fear of Hashem in truth, in such a way that I merit being truly according to Your good will at all times, forever and ever. And may I merit through the obstacles, toil, and efforts that I endure in order to draw close to the true Tzaddikim – that through this, a holy and pure vessel will be made for receiving an abundance of goodness, blessing, and all that is good, for us and for all the House of Israel. Who will stand for us if not Your great light that is now poured upon us, drawn from the Lamed-Vav (36) hidden Tzaddikim in every generation, who give over their souls for the sanctification of Your Name at every single moment, that they are the aspect of Matityahu and his sons, who sacrificed their souls for the sanctification of Hashem’s Name. If only I would find them! If I only I could take refuge in their shadow! I would walk on my hands and feet across the entire world – perhaps I should merit to bask in their holy light; perhaps I should merit to breathe the pure breath of their mouths even for one minute before my death, in order to merit to the complete tikkun (soul rectification), to draw down the holy and pure air to the entire world, until all the nations of the world return in teshuva (repentance). For the gentiles tend to believe anything, and would easily merit to believe in the true truth were it not for the concealment within a concealment that I have drawn to the world through my many sins; were it not for the darkness with which I have darkened the world with doubled and redoubled darkness; were it not for the plague of darkness that I have brought upon the world, in the aspect of “He sent darkness and it became dark” (Tehilim 105:28). For I have turned light into darkness, until the letters for “pele (wonder)” have been transformed into “ofel (darkness),” and instead of seeing miracles and wonders (nifla’ot) – a letter has fallen (nafal ot), and the worlds and letters have fallen, because I have used the holy letters for idle and vain words. For if I had intended even one letter as is fitting, saying it with fear and love, all the wisdoms of the world would have melted away, and all the wars would have been cancelled, and the entire world would have shouted: “Hashem, He is the God, there is no other.” Ribbono Shel Olam, shine the light of the Tzaddikim onto us, for we have already fallen from the heights to the deepest depths, and we have no one to raise and uplift us except the Lamed-Vav hidden Tzaddkim, who correspond to thirty-six radiant lights . Please, let us merit to search for them and seek them, for even in our days they exist in their glory. If only we would merit to find them even in our generation. Please, Merciful One, please have mercy upon us, that we should merit to be their attendants (shamashim) – to serve them and cause their light to shine forth, and through this, to be included in their radiance. And even though we are poor and empty, let us merit to be attached to Tzaddikim. Let us be gathered into their shadow so that they conceal us from all evil, and may two portions of their spirit be upon us, like the shamash raised up high [on a nes – banner/miracle], even though it has no part in the miracle (nes) . By being the faithful shamash who gives us the merit to learn by their light, he too merits to be exalted among them and to increase their beauty, for everyone who desires to walk in their ways, and to awaken and rouse the slumbering – everyone who stumbles and is weary, exhausted, and despairing – to awaken in him hope and desire like a flaming fire.

Artwork by R' Yehoshua Wiseman