1999
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Prayer And Meditation On The Visions Of The Eternal One
Let us enter with glad rejoicing (samah), into the house of spiritual songs (beth tephillah); There we shall sing and testify (anah), lifting up our voices and hands (nasal), to proclaim out loud (qara), with our strength and might (gevurah):
yehi ha-malekh, ribbono shel olam!
Hail to the King, Master of the Universe!
We respectfully fear (yare), and yet rejoice (hadah), in the pleasant delight (haphetz), of thy holy presence; We bow down our heads, and bend our knees to bow down (kara), consciously prostrating ourselves in worship (havah); For we have come to approach and sacrifice all that we may give (qarab); Bringing our sacrificial gift as an offering of responsibility (qorban); Thus we come to worship and offer a sacrifice (qirbah), with an adornment of holiness (hadarah ha qoddesh); A crown that covers the head (mitsnepheth), even a crown of holy separation and pure dedication (nezer); We behold upon thy composure, O Lord, divine light (uwriym) and utmost perfection (tummiyn); We witness thy heavenly fire that engulfs, consumes, and burns all things (akal); Cleansing all impurities from those who have come to serve and follow thee (abad), and wait upon thy coming to worship thee (sarat); O Beloved One, we love thee for loving us like a friend, and for bestowing upon us thy outpouring sense of love (ahab); Kindly abide with us and grace our lives with thy divine presence that we may proclaim thy holy name:
Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Ekhad. Barukh (ha)shem kavod malkhuto l'olam vaed
Hear O Israel the Lord our God the Lord is One! Blessed be the name whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever!
Almighty God, we shall hear the invocation of thy holy name (shema); for the harmonization of work and worship (avodah), and the purification of consciously directed thought of prayer (kavanah); for thy creative act of unification (yikhudim), and thy corrective act of restitution (tikkunim); and for thy presence in our common life (hayyim), and thy guidance in its continual turnings (gilgulim).
For thou art the Lord our God (yhvh elohim), and the all powerful Lord of hosts (yhvh zabaoth); Thou art the Lord our creator (yhvh hoseenu), and the highly exalted Lord the king (yhvh ha malekh); Thou art the mighty Lord of the place (yhvh ha makom), and the all sovereign Lord of the land (yhvh qone eretz); Thou art the Lord our divine banner (yhvh nissi), and the Lord of truth and righteousness (yhvh zidkenu); Thou art the Lord who takes thy revenge (yhvh gmolah), and the Lord who strikes down all the enemies (yhvh makkeh); Thou art the Lord standing there for us (yhvh shammah), and the kindly Lord who is always here always with us (yhvh shammal); Thou art the Lord who fulfils all our needs (yhvh jireh), and the merciful Lord who restores our lives (yhvh rophe); Thou art the Lord our gentle shepherd (yhvh rohi), and the Lord who graciously gives us peace (yhvh shalom); Thou art the Lord who sanctifies all things (yhvh m'qoddesh), from whom we have received our divine covenant of life (berit hayyim); Thou art God, the living one (el hay), and God, the eternally enduring one (el eloah); Thou art God, the God of Israel (el elohe yisrael), and God of all the universe (el olam); Thou art God, who has come to see us (el roi), and God, who has taken a binding oath of faithfulness (el alah); Thou art God, the most high (el elyon), and God, the Almighty One (el shaddai); Thy name is exalted forever in the house of God (bethel), and is magnified eternally in our house(s) of life (beth hayyim).
For thine is the divine name revered (yhvh), the unnamed and unnameable reality, which is the reality beyond naming; Thou art all being (yesh), and all emptiness (ayin), and therefore all completeness (shlemut); Thou art the one who generates all being out of nothingness (yesh me ayin); For thou art the Lord of life (yah), in whom there is life (hay), which continually acts to live (hayah); Thou art the one that is (el al), the Lord our master (adonai), who mercifully protects like a father (abba), and lovingly cares like a mother (aima).
Thou art the absolute all, who is endlessly without end (ayin sof); Thou hast filled all the realms of the universe with thy endless light divine (ayin sof aur); Thou hast caused a contraction (zimzum), of thy eternal presence, to create an empty realm of unmanifest existence; By the three hidden splendours (zahzahot), thou hast commanded with thy divine will (razon), and acted to allow an event to happen, as well as to place a restriction that contains that event; Thou hast come into the empty realm of existence with thy creative beam of divine light (kav); Thou hast become the source and substance of all being and all becoming, for thou hast said … I am that I am (eheieh asher eheieh); Thou art the power that continually creates, from the beginning to the end, throughout all the great cycle of existence (shemittah)
Thou hast spoken the ten divine utterances to empower the ten creative lights, attributes, and vessels of thy divine emanation (sephirot); Therefore, thine is the ruling crown (kether), with its magnificently shining diadem (atarah); Thine is the source of wisdom (hokhmah), and the application of understanding (binah); Thine is the greatness of love (hesed ha gedullah), and the strength of judgement (din ha gevurah); Thine is the all encompassing beauty (tipheret), and a great divine adornment, with an indwelling presence of compassion (rakhamim); Thine is the lasting endurance that measures all eternity (netzah), and the ever expanding reverberation of majesty (hod); Thine is the foundation (yesod), of the whole world (ha olam), and of righteousness (ha zaddiq); And thine is the royal kingdom (malkhut), with its divine immanent presence (shekhinah).
It is written of thee that in the beginning the God of many names, and attributes, created the heaven and the earth (berashit bara elohim et ha shemayim va et ha eretz); When the earth was without form and void (ve-eretz hayeta tohu wa vohu), and the spirit of God (ve ruakh elohim) hovered over the face of the waters, thou hast spoken, O Lord, to give thy command: Let there be light ..., and there was light; Then all things came through thy continuing realms of emanation (atziluth), creation (beriah), formation (yetzirah), and action (assiyah); For it is written of thee that God has created man (vayivra elohim et ha adam), and yet also that the Lord God formed man (yhvh elohim vayitzer et ha adam); So that having been born innocent, mankind may experience all aspects of thy divinity, in order to perceive in itself, as well as in the universe, thy divine image and likeness, as it continues on towards the great day of redemption (teshuvah), at the end of time.
Therefore, kindly bless the human soul, O Lord, who has consciously embraced thee (devequt), and guide it through the spiritual path of dedicated initiation (hanokh), that it may undertake its journey through the seven realms of divine glory:
Coming to thee n a state of pious devotion (hasid), may the soul go through the veil of heaven (vilon), to find the highest manifestation of its spiritual self … Coming to thee in a state of purity (tahor), may the soul go through the firmament (rakiyah), to find the key to the self and its purpose of existence … Coming to thee in a state of sincerity (yashar), may the soul go through the skies (shehakim), to offer deep spiritual prayers and receive instructions of divine mysteries … Coming to thee in a state of wholeness (tamim), may the soul go through the habitation (zebul), to meet the spiritual and heavenly counsellors of mankind … Coming to thee in a state of rejoicing (simhat), may the soul go through the dwelling (maon), to offer joyful praises and receive divine blessings … Coming to thee in a state of harmony (yahid), may the soul go through the place (maqom), to visit the palace of merciful justice ... And coming to thee in a state of fearful awe (yirah), may the soul go through the plain (arabot), to experience goodness, beauty, and mercy, and receive thy divine dew of resurrection, as it is lifted up to behold the King of Glory himself (malekh ha kavod).
And coming from thee, with a divine mission of life, may the soul act to unify the kingdom of heaven (malkhut ha shemayim), with the kingdom of the earth (malkhut ha eretz); Bringing thus to the world of mankind, the divine blessings of the sabbath day (berakhot ha shabbat):
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu, Malekh ha-Olam, asher kid' shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadleek nair shel shabbat
Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, by whose power I sanctify life with the lighting of the sabbath candles.
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu, Malekh ha-Olam, ha-rakhaman wa ha-rakhamim
Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, the Merciful and the Compassionate One.
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu, Malekh ha-Olam, yotzi u'bori atah
Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, thou art my maker and creator.
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu, Malekh ha-Olam, ha-motzi lekhem min ha-eretz
Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu, Malekh ha-Olam, borai pri ha-gaphen
Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates fruit from the vine
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu, Malekh ha-Olam, borai pri ha-adamah
Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates (vegetable) fruit from the earth
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu, Malekh ha-Olam, borai pri ha-etz
Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates fruit from the tree
Almighty God, in obedience to thy great command of life, we have received thy chosen image of the messiah (zelem ha mashiakh), by the divine power of thy holy spirit (ruakh ha qoddesh) … Therefore, forever shall we praise and magnify thy holy name, saying always with great rejoicing:
Atah gibor leolam Adonai. Barukh hashem Adonai, Amen.
Thou art strong forever for the world, O Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Amen
Prayer And Meditation On The Blessings Of The Almighty One
Therefore, let us now sing in exaltation (selal), and magnify the Lord with praise (gadal); Let us resound (avar), with a string music (neginah), and play the stringed instrument (nagan), in honour of the Lord ; Sing (shiv), a song (zamir), from the psalms (mizmor), to glorify and praise the Lord (shavah); Let every heart boasts of the Lord and glorifies his name (paar); Shout for joy (zahal), and cry aloud (zavah), shout with joy (ranan), and shout in triumph (rua); Hear the heavenly shout of joy (rinnah), and leap (pazaz), and dance (mahol); Show the world a happy dance (meholah), a dance of play (sahaq), and a dance of quick movement (raqad); Let the song (zimrah), and the thunderous clapping of the hands (toga), accompany the dance (karar); Hear the mighty shout of joy (renanah), and clap the hands with an over-flowing sense of gladness (makha); Exalt the name of the Lord and extol his greatness (rum); Proclaim his mighty acts and recount all his blessings (saphar); Rise up in exultation (alaz), and proclaim the name of the Lord (shama); Rejoice (alatz), and shout in a circle of joy (gil), with a glorious dance (hul), for the great celebration of thanksgiving (hilhul); Let the feeling of rejoicing (sus), springs forth immediately to flower (parakh); We shall always praise (mahalal), the name of the Lord, with a praise of remembrance and acknowledgement (zakar); Giving and ascribing (yahav), all the glory and honour (kaved), which belong only to God; Thus proclaiming, as we strike and give (natan), for he alone has all the power and dominion over our lives.
We magnify thy name, Holy One, God of our covenant, for thou hast spoken from the midst of fire, high upon the mountain, to give us thy commandments, by which we may lead a blessed way of life; We praise also the blessed name of the Exalted One, who stands forever between the Lord of the mountain and the people of the plain, to declare the Word of the Living God, and to offer the great prayer of intercession; We shall continuously praise thy divine name, O Lord, the Almighty God, for thou hast brought us from the land of ignorance, out of the house of bondage … By thy command we shall have no other gods beside thee, for thou art the only truth and reality for our lives, while all others are merely images, dreams, and fantasies of our imperfect minds … By thy command we shall not bow down to any graven image, in worship or devotion, for no human imagination could ever capture thy infinite expression of glory, and therefore only through the emptying of the self could we ever be awakened to the wonders of thy divine presence … By thy command we shall not take thy name in vain, either through misuse or out of disrespect, for we recognize the sign of power and authority in the holiness of thy name, which inspires in us a deepening sense of spiritual humility … By thy command we shall remember the sabbath day and keep it holy, in remembrance of the covenant, and of our deliverance from oppression, as well as in order to learn of our mistakes, and reaffirm our commitment to a just and compassionate path of life … By thy command we shall honour our father and mother, through whom thou hast granted us life with all of its wonderful possibilities, and from whom we have received love, care, and sacrifice … By thy command we shall not murder, or condone any senseless act of murder, either directly or indirectly, both in our thinking and our way of life, that through the extension of its principle we may also protect the well-being of all living things, and struggle in the spirit of righteousness to uphold the human dignity of all men … By thy command we shall not commit adultery, and therefore to cultivate sexual responsibility, which will require the presence of love, compassion, and commitment in any dignified relationship, and thus consequently oppose any misuse, degradation, and abuse of sexual love … By thy command we shall not steal, either individually or collectively, through any act of exploitation, social injustice, theft, and oppression, as well as through our denial of the rights of others, that we may work wisely for the common use of all our natural resources … By thy command we shall not bear false witness against others, either privately or publicly, or cause any suffering through unkind speech and shallow listening, or malicious gossip and wrongful accusation, as well as through critical talk and discordant speech, that we may always cultivate joyful reconciliation between all men in all sincerity and truthfulness … By thy command we shall not covet the property of others, either through evil greed or unethical desire, which may generate an unfair disregard to the rights of others to possession, thus in consequence we shall work for wealth honestly gained, with our own productivity of labour and certainty of prudence … Almighty God, Lord of the fiery mountain, allow us to stand in the assembly of the righteous ones, that thy commandments may be inscribed forever upon the living tablets of our submissive hearts (Deuteronomy 5:1- 22).
We hear and proclaim that the Lord our God is one, from whom the one and all universal life has come into existence … Guide us to love thee with all of our being, and therefore to obey thee without any sense of fear, that we may teach our children of thy loving-kindness, through every activity, all the days of our lives; Therefore, graciously bind together our families, and our dwelling places, through and with thy commandments for living, that we may receive our divine fulfilment of life; Kindly, thus, empower our hands for working, our heads for thinking, and our hearts for praying, that we may glorify thy name always (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).
We love thee with all of our hearts, O Lord, and follow the commandments thou hast given us; Songs of praise will continually rise from the depths of our being in honour of thy holy name; Therefore, the rain will come from the heavens, at all the appointed seasons, to restore the fertility of the land; Grain for the bread of understanding, wine for the sign of overflowing, and oil for the act of anointing will be bountifully produced through thy everlasting grace; We shall be truly blessed with our continually multiplying live-stock; Merciful Lord, shield us from thy wrathful anger and forgive us for our disobedience; Kindly remind us always of our divine covenant with the sign of faith that thou hast placed in our hearts and our souls, as well as upon our hands and our foreheads; Help us to remember, at all times, thy divine glory, as we sit in the house or walk by the way, and as we lie down or rise up to be with our children; Inspire us to invoke thy holy name, by the gates and the door-posts of our homes, that thy blessings may be upon us and upon our children; For this land of labour is a gift of the covenant, where we may grow and multiply, for as long as the sky reigns over and above this blessed earth of mankind (Deuteronomy 11:13-21).
Thou hast liberated us from the slavery of our own ignorance; Clothe us therefore with thy divine rays of glory, that nothing may ever lead us astray from the blessed path of life eternal; We dare not aspire unto holiness, except that thou givest us the strength to become as thou desirest; Therefore, kindly keep us, O Lord, from our own rebellious path of destruction (Numbers 15:37-41).
This is the day, of all the days we have known, that the Lord has made for us to commemorate the divine covenant of life … Thou hast spoken in our hearts to establish thy divine ways, statutes, commandments, and judgements for our lives; Therefore, restore unto us O Lord, the place, the name, and the honour that thou hast given to those who believe in the blessed path of righteousness (Deuteronomy 26:16-19).
It is only through a life of diligence, and sincere obedience, that those who have loved the Lord our God may rise above others, in order to give a faithful and humble testimony of his loving-kindness; Truly manifold are thy blessings, O God, that thou hast given us in every moment of our lives; As it is written in the gracious words of the great covenant of life …: We shall be blessed in the city and in the country … We shall be blessed with the fruit of the body, the produce of the ground, the increase of the herds and cattle, and the off-spring of the flocks … We shall be blessed with a full basket of food and a full bowl of kneading … We shall be blessed with victory over the opposition of those who are against us, when their fragile sense of unity breaks apart … We shall be blessed with abundantly full store-houses and with every effort of labour, both in the land and in the market-places … We shall be blessed from being close to the divine heart of our all embracing God … We shall be blessed with respect and authority in the eyes of all nations … We shall be blessed with fertility, productivity, and multiplicity in our lives … We shall be blessed with the heavenly rain of grace, continually and periodically, that the work of our hands may always produce good results … And we shall be blessed beyond our expectations that we always lend rather than borrow, and become the head rather than the tail, and be above rather than beneath … Therefore, strengthen us in our resolution, O Lord, that we may always keep thy divine commandments dearly in our hearts, and forever reject the failing gods of our own distorted imagination (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).
Almighty God, give us today and forever, the blessing of thy divine presence, and keep us always within thy divine protection of life … Kindly make thy divine face to shine upon our whole being, and compassionately impart thy divine grace into our lives … Be merciful unto us, O Lord, and lift up thy divine countenance upon us, that we may experience thy divine everlasting peace, in a measure which passes all understanding (Numbers 6:24-26).
Almighty God, we pray also that we may all be worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honour, glory, and blessing in our lives (Revelation 5:12); For all are thine, and thine alone, and all are thine to give to whomsoever thou hast chosen in thy divine infinite knowledge; Therefore, seven times a day shall we praise thy holy name, because of thy righteous ordinances (Psalms 119:164); Bending our knees (berek), and singing our praises to thy heavenly throne of glory:
We give our praise (hallel), in the power of the Lord, boasting aloud of the One, for whom we shall celebrate with a song of magnification, and in whom we shall dare even to act clamorously foolish in the name of love … We give our praise (barak), in the wealth of the Lord, kneeling before the One, for whom we shall give our salutation of blessing, and in whom we shall declare the origin of power for all success, prosperity, and fertility … We give our praise (yadah), in the wisdom of the Lord, throwing out our hands in thanksgiving to the One, for whom we shall sing a prayerful song of exaltation, and in whom we shall worship with extended hands … We give our praise (tehillah), in the strength of the Lord, singing a hymn of glorification to the One, for whom we shall laud joyfully with wonderful singing, and in whom we shall magnify all of his praise-worthy acts ... We give our praise (zamar), in the honour of the Lord, singing a song of heavenly praise to the One, for whom we shall compose new psalms and spiritual songs of praise, and in whom we shall pluck the blessed strings of our sanctified harps … We give our praise (todah), in the glory of the Lord, giving our continuous thanksgiving to the One, for whom we shall extend our hands in a sacrifice of praise, and in whom we shall be thankful for all that we have received in life … We give our praise (shabakh), in the blessing of the Lord, shouting a joyful cry of praise to the One, for whom we shall openly address our grateful commendation, and in whom we shall forever generate a spiritual heart of praise.
And as we behold the majestic mountain of God (har elohim), we dedicate ourselves to the Lord:
Ha-qadosh barukh hu!
The Holy One blessed be he!
We shall henceforth give the acknowledgement of a believer by saying:
Shivitti hashem l'negdi tamid!
I place the divine name before me always!
For the Lord will go before us by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give us light (Exodus 13:21); His divine presence will go with us, and will give us rest, so that he may bring us up from here (Exodus 33:14 -15); Surely, our lord and master will be with us always, even to the end of age (Matthew 28:20).
Prayer And Meditation On The Gateways Of The Conscious One
Almighty God, maker of heaven and earth, thou hast called us out with thy own name when we were created, and formed, and even made with thy own life (Isaiah 43:7); We praise thee, and worship thee, for thou hast given us the covenant of life that we may become a blessing unto the world; Therefore by the love that thou hast shown us, guide us also to come to thy throne of glory with an overflowing sense of love (ahavah); Kindly grant unto us the bright vision of thy fiery chariot (merkava), and impart unto us an understanding from the book of the teachers (sepher ha maggidim); As we lay our heads down upon the sleeping stone of Jacob, allow us to see, through our dreams, the angelic ladder that links heaven and earth; So that by this sacred tree of life (etz hayyim), which contains the creative attributes of thy divine emanation (sephirot), we may behold the glorious manifestation of thy heavenly image and likeness (adam kadmon); Guide us, therefore, O Lord, that we may enter into thy holy garden (pardes), where we may gain understanding from what is textually written (peshat), homiletically understood (remesh), contextually applied (derash), and spiritually revealed (sod).
Kindly lead us, O Lord, through the seven gateways of understanding, by which we may hear thy divine voice resounding in the depths of our hearts, proclaiming to all mankind the ten sayings or utterances (aseret ha deberot); For by thy commandments all things came to be, at the beginning of time (Genesis 1:1-2:3), and the people of the plain entered into the Covenant of Life (Exodus 20:1- 17).
Therefore, we thank thee, O Lord, for the account of creation that thou hast given us, and the inspiration that thou has planted in our hearts, by which we may give our response to thee:
On the first day thou hast spoken thy first command for the creation of light, so that we may not walk and live in the utter darkness of our spiritual ignorance … On the second day thou hast spoken thy second command for the creation of the firmament, so that we may stand in confidence upon this earth, and yet be free to rise up in faith to behold thy heavens … On the third day thou hast spoken thy third command for the creation of the green grass, the herbs, and all the fruit trees, so that we may always be fulfilled when we live within thy beautiful garden of heavenly delight … On the fourth day thou hast spoken thy fourth command for the creation of the sun, the moon, and all the stars, so that we may mark all the seasons and cycles of time, and therefore comprehend the infinite sense of divine eternity … On the fifth day thou hast spoken thy fifth command for the creation of all the fish of the waters and all the birds of the air, so that we may always be reminded to be immersed within thy all-embracing love, and yet also to soar high towards thy all glorious throne … On the sixth day thou hast spoken thy sixth command for the creation of all the living creatures of the earth, so that we may always rise-up over and above those who live instinctively, without any consciousness of thy divine presence … Thou hast also spoken thy seventh command, for the creation of man, whom thou hast made in thy divine image and likeness, so that we may always be reminded of our divine origin … And by thy eight command thou hast spoken for man to multiply and grow in numbers, so that we may always learn to live together, in our community, with a sense of right and responsibility … And, finally, by thy ninth command, thou hast spoken for man to rule over the earth, so that we may also undertake our stewardship over life and sanctify it all to the glory thy name … On the seventh day thou hast spoken thy tenth command, without words and wholly in silence, for man to enter into thy resting day of perfect accomplishment, so that we may come to thee in worship, for all the good things that thou hast done for us.
We also magnify thy name, O Lord, for the seven gateways of understanding, where thy divine commandments of life are forever inscribed, that we may become a living testament to the world:
By the first gateway, thy first commandment has instructed us to behold that thou alone art God, and therefore not to regard any other powers, natural or unnatural, seen or unseen, and within or without our own existence, to be of any equality with thee … By the second gateway, thy second and third commandments have instructed us to let go of our own imaginings, with regards to thy manifestation, and to honour thy divine name with our thoughts, words, and deeds … By the third gateway, thy fourth and fifth commandments have instructed us to renew our devotion to thee, by keeping the day of the covenant separate, and to respect our mother and father, through whom thou hast given us life and shown thy divine love … By the fourth gateway, thy sixth commandment has instructed us not to kill the self, physically, mentally, and spiritually, and therefore also not to suppress its desire for spiritual growth … By the fifth gateway, thy seventh and eight commandments have instructed us not to adulterate our spiritual life, through any motivation for power or pleasure, and not to misuse any acquired knowledge to steal unfair advantage over others … By the sixth gateway, thy ninth commandment has instructed us not to delude ourselves, or others for that matter, through any desire of our own ego, since it is heavily characterized by many wrong assumptions and false conceptions … By the seventh gateway, thy tenth commandment has instructed us not to covet possession of anything in the universe, for everyone will be given in sufficient measure, according to their needs, and personal measure of responsibility.
Almighty God, from whom we have received the law of life, grant unto us the divine light of thy holy sabbath that it may shine through the seven gateways of understanding; Thereby turning every human experience into a potentially conscious act of perfecting the world (tikkun ha-olam); Kindly guide us to follow the seven devotional practices of the sabbath, by which we may prepare for the journey through the seven gateways of understanding.
Therefore, guide us in our devotion, and meditation, that may lead to self-annihilation (avodah be-bittul), or an obliteration of the soul (kalta nafshi), by which we may overcome the human ego through an annihilation beyond reason or knowledge (bittul she-me ever le-ta'am va daat), or through an ending of all thought … Guide us in our repetition (gerushin), or a continuous repetition of sacred words (hagah), by which we may gradually enter into a deeper state of mind, through a series of repetition (hagayon) … Guide us in our inspirational reading (musar), in order to fill our minds with sacred spiritual thoughts, by which we may gradually develop a spiritual sense of comprehension … Guide us in our attention (kavanah), through an enhancement of our sense of awareness, by which we may offer a consciously directed thought of prayer … Guide us in our act of generosity (zedakah), in order to honour the noble principle of justice (zedek), by which we may learn to give willingly in the spirit of human fairness … Guide us in our bestowal of loving-kindness (gemilut khesed), in order to instil a sense of mercy in our hearts, by which we may conduct various acts of loving-kindness, such as refraining from hurtful speech (lashon harah), visiting the sick (bikkur kholim), and extending hospitality (hakhnasat orkhim) … And finally guide us in our effort of self-perfection (teshuvah), or act of turning (shuv), in repentance of our sins, by which we may admit past wrong-doing, feel genuine remorse, refrain from similar action, and channel all of our energies into doing good.
Therefore strengthen us, O Lord, that we may abide by thy commandments, all the days of our lives, especially when we say our prayers of devotion by the seven gateways; For we believe, in all confidence, that as thou hast spoken towards us, from the summit of thy holy mountain, we may also rise in spirit, from the plain below, towards the eternal realm of thy divine glory; Consider now, O Lord, our meditation (hitbodedut), and hear our consciously directed thought of prayer (kavanah).
By the first gateway we shall make a diligent effort to maintain our spiritual obedience, so as to instil within us a sense of submission, since no one may climb up the spiritual heights of experience, without humility of the heart … By the second gateway we shall follow a righteous conduct, in all of our affairs, and in our daily activities, in order to generate a resolute spirit within our inner selves, so that we may become certain of our purpose and motivation … By the third gateway we shall conduct the simultaneous practice of sitting calmly and breathing gently, in order to still the mind, from its perpetual state of agitation … By the fourth gateway we shall deliberately let go of all the thoughts that enter into our minds, and consequently release any forms of desire, which may hinder the progress of our inner journey … By the fifth gateway we shall attempt the simultaneous achievement of sensitive awareness and concentrated attention, in order to focus our minds towards the spiritual source of divine revelation … By the sixth gateway we shall begin to enter into the simultaneous state of mindful contemplation and prayerful meditation, in order to experience the interior prayer of silence, while patiently waiting for the Lord to act … By the seventh gateway, and with the grace of God, we shall finally experience divine enlightenment, in which our human consciousness becomes attached to divine consciousness eternal, thus enabling us to have a glimpse of divine infinity.
Truly marvellous are thy ways, O Lord, that no human understanding may fully comprehend all the wonderful mysteries, that thou hast allowed those who love thee to witness; Thou hast wisely related a human life to the continuous movement of change, in the great cycle of life; Thou hast also meaningfully placed human life in a network of events, that we may experience all aspects of the One Life; We have been made a part of the great wheel of life, and yet a full reflection of its whole activity; By the seven centres of life within the body, we may form a bridge to link our finite life and the infinite life of the cosmos; Thereby expanding our measure of consciousness, since our sense of living continuity may now grow out to reach thy divine sense of eternity; In the same way that we have become conscious of our physical selves, we may also become conscious of thy divine presence, O Lord; For the seven centres of life, and therefore the seven wheels of movement, which thou hast formed within us, constitute an axis of consciousness, that goes beyond our physical sense of awareness.
It is only by thy divine grace that the body, mind, and spirit of man are blessed, and strengthened, for the threefold activity of human life; Being multi-dimensional in function, all is regulated by a nervous system, which is found within the spine, or back-bone, of the human body; There we behold thy three hidden splendours (zahzahot), within the three meridian lines of our nervous system, with their respective states of moving, non-moving, and balancing; While each line is, furthermore, also consisting of three functional layers, with their respective sense of living continuously, knowing consciously, and happening consistently; We sense the seven centres of the body connecting to form a line of unity; Thus integrating the processing of life-energy with the regulating of the whole body; For this is the life-energy which permeates every living cell, and therefore every human organ; The life-energy for living, which is derived from the natural life of our universe, and ultimately from thy divine source of life; By the seven centres of life-energy, thou hast created within us, we may obtain well functioning glands, organs, and systems of the body; Therefore we may experience growth, and development, as well as rejuvenation and replacement in our living bodies; By which we may hope for a healthy body and mind, in order to support our physical, mental, and spiritual activities; Thus restoring the original state of man, which thou hast created good, healthy, and wholesome, at the beginning of time.
We shall honour and enhance thy gift of life, O Lord, that we may testify of thy wonderful design and intent for man, whom thou hast lovingly created and mercifully protected; For thou art the Living God, who hast always been faithful to thy own creation.
Therefore we praise and magnify thy holy name, as we receive thy healing power, that thou hast bestowed upon us, in order to make us whole and happy; We reverently bow down to thee, Almighty God, with a deep sense of thanksgiving, for thou alone art the Lord, and forever we are thine. Amen!
Prayer And Meditation On The Guidelines Of The Excellent One
Almighty God, we praise and glorify thy name as we approach thy blessed house of prayer ; We are walking under the gracious banner of thy divine salvation (yeshua), for we are of the blessed tribe of praise (yehudah), from the house of the upright one (yeshurun); All of whom are faithfully marching in procession after our lord, priest, and king, whom thou hast anointed to be the messiah of the world; Therefore, we pay homage to our great high priest and intercessor, whom thou hast appointed according to the ancient order of Melchizedec (malekh ha zaddiq), eternal priest of God the most high (el elyon), and king of the city of peace (salem); We pray in thy holy temple, O God, with him and in his name, both for ourselves and for the world; Hear our prayers, O Lord, and all the supplications of our hearts.
Almighty God, by the blood of life, we smell the living earth with a growing sense of awareness; Here we pray with a sense of knowing, about our distant past, in order to regain strength from that knowledge, as well as a sense of living continuity; Therefore, we shall stand solid upon this blessed earth, being thus strengthened to adapt ourselves to all natural circumstances; For thou hast given us a strong confidence in our direction of life, with a deep sense of belonging, and a responsible ownership of life; We consciously experience, in our root-centre of life, O Lord, the power to continue hunting, fighting, and struggling for survival; Almighty God, keep us healthy and wholesome that we may behold thy divine glory in life; Heal us always of any bodily sickness that we may release and dispose, in order to enjoy all things in moderation; Release us from any continuing sense of sadness, prolonged bout of depression, loss of inner vision, and deep-seated uncertainty; Mercifully keep us from an uncontrolled sense of greed and gluttony, as well as an excessive desire for wealth, position, power, control, and self-adulation; Kindly allow us to see with our own hearts that we may escape from a narrow vision of life; For it is our desire to see the unity of the One Life, through the diversity of its constituent parts; Since whatever has been divided, through human repulsion, may also be united, through divine attraction; Therefore, guide us to experience, O Lord, thy glorious power of divine incarnation.
Almighty God, by the water of life, we taste the morning dew with a growing sense of fulfilment; Here we pray with a sense of calm, and control of inner desire, in order to generate sharpness of the mind and clarity of thought; Therefore, we shall fill the emptiness and find our opportunity, as well as fulfill our thirst; For thou hast given us a strong sense of self confidence, enthusiasm, sensitivity, creativity, imagination, and conjugal desire; We consciously experience, in our sacral-centre of life, O Lord, the power to continue feeling for enjoyment, with all the excitement of life; Almighty God, keep us healthy and wholesome that we may behold thy divine glory in life; Heal us always of any bodily sickness that we may love and procreate, in order to enjoy all things in moderation; Release us from an uncontrolled sense of passion, excessive fantasy, and blindness of the mind; Mercifully keep us from a weakening sense of the body, a conjugal sense of frustration, a loss of creativity, and a lack of inner enthusiasm; Kindly remind us how we have grown, through the age of puberty, and experienced a growing sense of attraction, with a burning passionate sense of desire; We have developed, through the partnership of love, an intimate relationship, so we may adapt our individual differences, resolve our personality conflicts, achieve our sexual equality, and buil our community; We have experienced the arousal of our physical and emotional attraction, and fused our personal differences through a harmonious act of love; Thus achieving a unified sense of human consciousness that lifted us up to a new height of spiritual experience; Wanting neither to waste nor to restrain this excellent gift of life, we shall now transform this energy of desire through an inner calm inside, and a strong endeavour outside, for the refinement of our human feelings; Therefore, guide us to experience,
O Lord, thy glorious power of divine harmonization.
Almighty God, by the light of life, we see the shining sun with a growing sense of joyfulness; Here we pray with a sense of personal growth, and a warm opening of the self, in order to obtain a deep emotional feeling of satisfaction; Therefore, we shall overcome our spiritual darkness, with an inner light divine, that will explain any situation with perfect clarity; For thou hast given us a strength of personality, intelligence of the mind, enduring will-power, self-determination, certainty of direction, and courage in the midst of difficulties; We consciously experience, in our solar-centre of life,O Lord, the power to continue living happily, and being righteously angry, with an authoritative sense of action ; Almighty God, keep us healthy and wholesome that we may behold thy divine glory in life; Heal us always of any bodily sickness that we may eat and drink, in order to enjoy all things in moderation; Release us from any sense of arrogance, pomposity, selfishness, uncaring, and callousness; Mercifully keep us from any sense of disappointment, panic, anxiety, and dissatisfaction; And free us from having to live with unnecessary conflicts and undesirable acts of revenge; Kindly remind us of our natural life-energy, which runs through the body, with its bright and warm light; Show us the way to control, enlarge, lessen, direct, and move this energy from one part of the body to another; Remind us also to maintain this living energy with healthy food and drink, perfectly good and clean air, as well as beautiful scenery of nature; By which we may obtain the enhancement of the body, speech, sound, and breath; Giving us thus an upward sense of movement, sensitivity and clarity, a view of the inner body, and even a growing power of healing; Since these will be a source of inner satisfaction that will make us pleasant and kind in manners; Therefore, guide us to experience, O Lord, thy glorious power of divine purification.
Almighty God, by the bread of life, we touch the precious food with a growing sense of thanksgiving; Here we pray with an ever deepening sense of compassion and mercy, in order to begin a pleasing act of movement; An ordinary human act that may bring an impact like the gentle blowing of a refreshing wind; Therefore, we shall touch the feelings of others, form pleasant relationships, find common similarities, and work for our mutual sense of happiness; For thou hast given us an ability to cool and calm others, as well as ourselves, with a manner that is kind and pleasing; We consciously experience, in our heart-centre of life, O Lord, the power to continue giving and receiving, as well as loving and embracing; Almighty God, keep us healthy and wholesome that we may behold thy divine glory in life; Heal us always of any bodily sickness that we may cycle and breathe, in order to enjoy all things in moderation; Release us from any sense of loneliness, isolation, alienation, and emptiness; Mercifully keep us from a difficulty to love, or a refusal to be loved, or even a continual absence of love; Kindly help us to empty the self that it might be filled with thy divine love; Strengthen our resolve, O Lord, to set aside any misguided desire or falseness of the self, that we may regard spiritual life over and above our material life; Guide us to use thy healing power, with the power of love, which flows from the heart and reaches down to the palms of the hands; A divine power that always reacts with every sense of sympathy, and sensitivity, to the sufferings of others; Fill us, O Lord, with thy merciful love that our prayers may always be answered, since they are also offered for the welfare and happiness of others; Wonderful and magnificent is thy love, O God, our divine healer, since by its power we may break the causal chains of sins and sufferings; Therefore, guide us to experience, O Lord, thy glorious power of divine resurrection.
Almighty God, by the fragrance of life, we hear the silent song with a growing sense of adoration; Here we pray with a respectful silence of the mind, and a deep quietness of the heart, in order to hear thy unspoken word; Therefore, we shall enter into the quiet serenity of our inner selves, before we say the word, and state the truth; For thou hast given us a growing ability to form relationship through speech, and orderly mobilization of thoughts; We consciously experience, in our throat-centre of life, O Lord, the power to continue listening, with a whole attention, as well as giving voice, with a kind consideration; Almighty God, keep us healthy and wholesome that we may behold thy divine glory in life; Heal us always of any bodily sickness that we may breathe and speak, in order to enjoy all things in moderation; Release us from a failure to understand completely as well as a difficulty to explain clearly; Mercifully keep us from an aimless direction of thoughts, a difficulty to differentiate and make a choice, an anxiety of the heart, a sense of clamouring noise, and a state of being anxiously troubled; Kindly give us the power to voice an idea or opinion through the clear arrangement of words; An ability to speak the truth with correct intonation and kind meaningful words; Even an ability to differentiate between a confused mixture of voices, or opinions; Thus giving proper weight in all of our speeches, by the employment of wise speaking and mindful thinking; In order to clarify whatever is not immediately clear with a voice vibration that directs our chain of thoughts; We also pray for greater spiritual openness that we may receive divine revelation, with a growing sensitivity to differentiate between the voices of our human selves, our surrounding circle, and our divine source of truth; For we seek the gift of sacred knowledge, a comprehension of all things, and a higher degree of consciousness in the realm of thy divine wisdom; Therefore, guide us to experience,
O Lord, thy glorious power of divine sanctification.
Almighty God, by the ark of life, we sense the sacred space with a growing sense of happiness; Here we pray with a sense of devotional perfection and spiritual enlightenment, by which we may comprehend the deep mystery of cosmic creation; Therefore, we shall commune with a perfect sense of spiritual clarity, in order to gain a meaningful revelation of our cosmic existence; For thou hast given us an ability to direct the self in all of its human aspects, which will enable us to have a whole and perfect measure of comprehension; We consciously experience, in our brow-centre of life, O Lord, the power to continue seeing wholly, and understanding perfectly; Almighty God, keep us healthy and wholesome that we may behold thy divine glory in life; Heal us always of any bodily sickness that we may see and be aware of life, in order to enjoy all things in moderation; Release us from any sense of futility and waste, a feeling of emptiness and meaninglessness, and a sense of being wholly powerless; Mercifully keep us from any spiritual degeneration, moral degradation, and mental disintegration; Kindly give us thy commandment of life in our eternal sense of human consciousness; And grant unto us the spiritual vision of all things, near and far, as well as seen and unseen, in order to give us a whole sense of understanding; By the guiding power of thy eternal light allow us to behold the realm of unlimited time and space, where the bright heavenly light shines outwardly and inwardly; A vision of divine wisdom that fills the whole universe, by which the past, the present, and the future may be understood in one single moment of experience; Thus our human souls may be liberated from the causality of our destructive sins and sufferings; We may all be restored, and perfected, while our human consciousness is expanded to every direction; Give us wisdom through thy eternal grace that we may understand life in all of its complexities; Kindly fill our minds with thy heavenly thoughts that we may receive divine initiation; Guide our thoughts, and build them with our inner desires, that they may become a reality in our lives; We are one with our divine lord and master, and therefore also one with thee, O God, through the divine power of thy holy spirit; Therefore, guide us to experience, O Lord, thy glorious power of divine transformation.
Almighty God, by the seat of life we bless the One Life with a growing sense of unity; Here we pray with a sense of being present at the beginning of an event, as well as in the back-ground of all that happens; Therefore, we shall enter into the mysterious state of all emptiness, all beingness, and thus all completeness; For thou hast given us a growing ability to maintain our height of spiritual consciousness that may bring a perfect sense of satisfaction; We consciously experience, in our crown-centre of life, O Lord, the power to continue living in a blessed state of wholeness; Almighty God, keep us healthy and wholesome that we may behold thy divine glory in life; Heal us always of any bodily sickness that we may organize and co-ordinate life, in order to enjoy all things in moderation; Release us from any sense of alienation, isolation, loneliness, and separateness; Mercifully keep us from an excessive sense of self-sufficiency, a reluctance to form relationships, and a lack of need for others ; Since being alone is only a pre-condition for being with others, in the same way that an absolute reality is merely a back-ground of all relativity; Kindly allow us to behold thy eternal divine abode as the true basis of reality, origin of creation, perfection of wholeness, and destination of all things; A spiritual realm that directs every physical realm of existence, since it is the source of movement, as well as measure of unity, for all things; There is a happy reunion and a holy marriage for all, since all are hereby unified, integrated, and harmonized in love; Being thus purified, and transformed, may every human thought become attached to thy divine wisdom; Surely, eternity is the background and summation of all things, in which no one may differentiate between happiness and unhappiness, perfection and imperfection, or even becoming and unbecoming; Since all things are in thee, with thee, and for thee, while thou art in all things, with all things, and for all things; Therefore thou art God, and the reality of all things; Magnificent indeed are thy manifold visions of glory, O God, and excellent are thy mysterious ways for mankind; Guide us, O Merciful One, to know more of thy divine patterns of creativity, in all diligence, patience, and humility, through the experiences of our daily life; Kindly grant unto us thy divine blessings, from the sacred invisibility that stands between the angelic wings of adoration; All the divine blessings that arise from health of the body, strength of the mind, and power of the spirit ; Including all the wonderful patterns of increasing ability, expanding creativity, and growing possibility; By which we shall pray that divine enlightenment may liberate the mind, cultivate unity, empower healing, resurrect the spirit, restore the soul, and establish happiness, for everyone and for the world; Therefore, guide us to experience, O Lord, thy glorious power of divine unification.
Almighty God, Lord of all mankind, prayers of faith arise from the inner depths of our hearts; A spiritually humble prayer that cries for salvation (hoshanah), and a magnificently joyful prayer that sings of praise (hallelluyah); For thou art always merciful to us, who are nothing and shall be good for nothing, without thy guiding spirit of life; Graciously keep us, O Lord, within thy wonderful plans of divine universal salvation; So that we may always glorify thy name, and experience the comforting presence of thy holy spirit, through the intercession of our divine lord and master; He is our most excellent messiah, for whom we sing our praise of exaltation; Therefore, in the fullness of faith (iman), we extend to the world our greetings of peace (salam), and reverently state the closing word of prayer (amin) ... Amen! Amen! Amen!
Sources & References
Celebrate The Feasts, Martha Zimmerman, Bethany Fellowship, Inc., Minnnesota, 1981
YESHUA - The Jewish Way To Say Jesus, Moishe Rosen, Moody Press, Chicago, 1982
Kabbalah - Tradition Of Hidden Knowledge, Zev Ben Shimon Halevi, Thames and Hudson, 1988
A Kabbalistic Universe, Zev Ben Shimon Halevi, Gateway Books, Bath 1988
Minyan - Ten Principles For Living A Life Of Integrity, Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro, Bell Tower, New York, 1997
The Hallelujah Factor (Book missing)
[Ben Poetica] - [Karya Carita]
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