Likutei Tefilot, Volume II 40/ליקוטי תפילות·חלק ב מ׳

1When a Person’s Joy in Serving God Reaches All the Way to His Feet, He Dances / The Joy of Torah and Mitzvot Elevates All of the Lower LevelsWhen a person’s joy in learning Torah or in performing mitzvot reaches all the way down to his feet, he dances. The feet correspond to the sefirot of Netzach and Hod, representing the prophets. The joy in the heart lifts the feet up to the heart.Then all of the supporters of Torah, the supporters of truth, are elevated.Then the joy of Torah and mitzvot elevates all things associated with the foot — namely, all of the lower levels. A person lifts these up and connects them to the realm of righteousness, associated with the letter heh, which is the source of seed.Faith is also called a “foot,” and everything that is called “foot” is elevated.Teach Us How to be Spiritually AwareYou are the Master of joy and contentment. Might and gladness are in Your place, and there is no sadness in Your Presence at all. In Your vast compassion, help me and save me so that I will constantly gladden myself.

2Teach me how to be spiritually aware. Give me advice that will help me always overcome and surmount grief, mourning and sadness, removing them from me and my environment, and not allowing them in to grasp or touch me at all, Heaven forbid.

3May I grow so absolutely strong so that I will constantly draw joy and gladness to myself. May I rejoice and exult in You, in Your great salvation, in Your many profound wonders, and in the kindnesses that You have performed and that You will perform on my behalf.

4In Your wondrous kindness, You made me a child of Israel, Your holy nation. You gave us a Torah of truth, and You planted eternal life in our midst. “Portions have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, the inheritance pleases me.”

5In Your vast compassion, help me constantly grow stronger and strengthen myself, always drawing this great and wondrous joy onto myself.

6May I strengthen myself with so much joy that the happiness will reach my feet, and I will dance out of joy.

7In particular, on the Shabbat and festivals of HaShem — the “holy convocations” — and on Chanukah, Purim and other such joyful occasions, help me always gladden myself with all my might so I will dance exuberantly out of joy.

8May I learn Torah and perform all of the mitzvot with so much joy that the happiness will reach my feet and I will lift them up.

9A Blessing for Those Who Support TorahAs a result of my dancing, compassionately elevate and maintain all those who financially support people who learn Torah, all those supporters of truth who sponsor people who learn Torah, giving them the good gifts of their hands.

10HaShem, please help them by showering them with everything good: wealth, honor, life, children and grandchildren. May their offspring be as many as the sand of the sea. Bless all the work of their hands, and may they succeed in everything that they do (and, in particular, [Hebrew name], the son/daughter of [father’s Hebrew name]).

11Help them and constantly raise them higher and higher. Strengthen their hearts so they will always generously sustain those who truly learn Torah.

12Fill their hands with the blessing of HaShem so they will be able to thoroughly support those who learn Torah, fulfilling all of their needs and giving them everything they lack, so that they will learn Torah and engage in the service of God for its own sake always, with ease, without any discomfiture or distraction related to income whatsoever.

13Gaining JoyYou Who are filled with compassion, help me and save me so that I will always be joyful. Teach me the ways of Your true counsel at all times. Make me aware, strengthen me and bolster me at every moment so that I will be inspired to rejoice.

14May I always be aware of the awesome and elevated goodness that You perform with every Jew — and, in particular, with me, at every moment, evening, morning and afternoon, from my beginning until this day.

15May I appreciate Your limitless wonders and goodness that I know about, whether close or far away, and Your wonders and goodness that are hidden and concealed from me.

16At every moment You alone perform awesome wonders, miracles and eternal favors on my behalf in order to give me life and sustain me with the holiness of Israel forever.

17There is no greater goodness and joy than this: that every Jew — even the least of the least, such as myself — can attain a number of good points every day, keeping the mitzvot of the Creator which are our life and the length of our days forever and ever.

18How fortunate are we! How good is our portion, how pleasant our destiny and how lovely our inheritance!

19Help us recognize and believe in Your unceasing kindnesses, wonders and great goodness. May I always gladden myself in this way.

20Open my heart and my awareness, illumine my mind’s eye, direct me and teach me at every moment all of the ways and pieces of advice with which I can gladden myself so that I will always be joyful.

21May I dance a great deal out of joy at all times, raising all of the levels that are called “feet” to the level of the “heart of wisdom,” so that “we will acquire a heart of wisdom.”

22As a result, may all judgments regarding us and the entire Jewish people be sweetened.

23Joy and DancingBy means of joy and dancing, may I rectify the blemish of evil speech with which I caused damage before You from my beginning until this day.

24In particular, by means of joy and dancing, may I raise and rectify the blemish of evil words of gossip and slander.

25Guard me and rescue me from now on from speaking any evil words — in particular, gossip and slander. May I sanctify my words greatly, with ultimate perfection.

26Guard me and rescue me from any blemish in my faith. Help me raise and rectify all blemishes of faith by means of holy joy and dancing. From now on may I truly attain complete, proper faith, with ultimate perfection, in accordance with Your good will.

27Elevate me in regard to money and wealth as well. Pour a great deal of money and wealth of holiness onto me, so that I will engage in learning Your Torah and serve You without any trouble or disruptions. May I give charity generously and support those who truly learn Torah and serve You.

28Master of the world, You know our present scarcity of income, when “the strength of the porter has collapsed.”

29Have compassion on us for the sake of Your Name. Compassionately fulfill our requests for the good. Help us always be joyful, until we will dance in holiness and raise all of the levels of the “feet” up to supernal holiness.

30May we draw abundance, a good income and great wealth with holiness and purity onto ourselves, our offspring, and Your entire nation, the House of Israel — and, in particular, onto all those who support the ones who learn Torah.

31Help all of those who have no living children to serve You and fear You (and, in particular, [Hebrew name], the son/daughter of [father’s Hebrew name]). Draw blessing and a good life onto all of our children and offspring.

32Raising Our ChildrenRescue us, all of our generations, and the entire Jewish people from the difficulties of raising children. May we raise all of our children without any pain or difficulty.

33Help us raise our children with ease, peace, tranquility and quiet, so that they will learn Torah, get married and engage in good deeds. May they serve You, learn Your Torah and fear You for length of good days and years.

34May their tendrils go forth and may their glory be like the olive tree. May none of our offspring, male or female, be infertile. May our offspring and the offspring of Your nation, the House of Israel, be as many as the stars of the sky and the sand of the sea for all generations, forever.

35May all of them learn Torah for its own sake day and night, and truly do Your will. May they not turn aside from any of the words of the Torah, right or left, even a hairsbreadth, all of their days, forever.

36May they all truly recognize You. From their smallest to their greatest, may they all know You.

37Master of the world, compassionately fulfill our requests for the good and help us achieve all that we have requested of You. Help us experience great joy. “I will exult and rejoice in Your kindness, for You have seen my affliction. You have known the troubles of my soul.”

38“I will rejoice and delight in You; I will sing to Your supernal Name.” “Give joy to the soul of Your servant — because, HaShem, I lift my soul to You!”

39“Satiate us with Your goodness, gladden us with Your salvation, and purify our hearts to truly serve You.” “Cause me to hear joy and gladness; may the bones that You crushed, exult.” “Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and may a generous spirit support me.”

40“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing before You, HaShem, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Amen and amen.