A Fascinating Prayer of Thanksgiving
Joseph Shulam Copyright 2024
If you know Hebrew, read and pray this prayer in Hebrew. If you don't, read this prayer in English. Praying this prayer sincerely and from the heart will change your life if you pray and take every word sincerely.
I want to say a few words about Rabbi Nachman from Breslov.
Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (1772-1811), a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov (the founder of Hasidism), started the Breslov movement of Hasidic Judaism. Rav Nachman invigorated the Hasidic movement with teachings that combined elements of mysticism with Torah writings. Today, the uniquely enthusiastic and spiritual movement he started is popular and thriving globally.
Your question should be: Why is Joseph Shulam bringing us this prayer from a Rabbi who lived in Ukraine in the 18th century? The answer is simple. There are rumors that Rabbi Nachman was a secret disciple of Yeshua, the Messiah. I have highlighted in color the hints and special use of words that are not usual in the language of the Rabbis in Europe of the 18th century. Not of Christianity that he was well familiar with, but the person of Yeshua. Many Jews were disciples of Yeshua, the Messiah, but would not touch any form or denomination of Christianity, even with a 20-foot-long stick. It is my opinion that there were other great Jewish Rabbis who looked on Yeshua with favor. For these Orthodox Jews, some also exist today; the person and life and teaching of Yeshua are all kosher and have literally nothing to do with Christianity. Christianity recognizes Yeshua but does not believe in Yeshua or anything that he instructed, demanded or commanded us. Some Christians believe in Yeshua, like the Greeks and the pagans believed in their idols. They were devoted to the figures of the idols, but the idols did not demand anything from them: just worship, support the temples, and go about their lives until they needed something from your marble or wood or stone or clay idol.
תפילת תודה לבורא עולם
מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים, הקב"ה אָדוֹן עוֹלָם, רִיבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם תּוֹדָה...
תּוֹדָה שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹמֵד כָּאן וּמוֹדה לְךָ, וְכֹל מַה שֶׁאֹמַר יִהְיֶה כְאֵין וּכְאֶפֶס
לְעָמַת כַּמָּה שֶׁאֲנִי באמת צָרִיך לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ, וְהַרֵי עַל הַכֹּל אֲנִי
צָרִיך לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ, כִּי הַכֹּל מִמְךָ. תּוֹדָה עַל כֹּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם.
תּוֹדָה עַל רָב רִיבֵי רְבָבוֹת פְּעָמִים שֶׁעָזַרְתָּ לִי, תָּמַכְתָּ בִּי, הוֹשַׁעְתָּ
אוֹתִי, הִצַּלְתָּ אוֹתִי שְׂמַחְתָּ אוֹתִי, רְפָּאתָּ אוֹתִי, שָׁמַרְתָּ עָלַי, עוֹדַדְתָּ
אוֹתִי... תּוֹדָה שֶׁאַתָּה תָּמִיד אִיתִי, תּוֹדָה שֶׁאַתָּה נוֹתֵן לִי כֹּחַ לַעֲשׂוֹת
מִצְווֹת, כֹּחַ לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, כֹּחַ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, תּוֹדָה עַל כֹּל
הַפְּעָמִים שֶׁעָזַרְתָּ לִי וְלֹא יָדַעְתִּי לְהַגִּיד תּוֹדָה, תּוֹדָה עַל הַחֲסָדִים
שֶׁאַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה עִמִּי בְּכֹל רֶגַע וְרָגַע, תּוֹדָה עַל כֹּל נְשִׁימָה וּנְשִׁימָה
שֶׁאֲנִי נוֹשֵׁם וְתוֹדָה לְךָ מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְלָכִים גַּם עַל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאֵין
לִי, תּוֹדָה לְךָ שֶׁקָשֶׁה לִי לִפְעָמִים. תּוֹדָה שֶׁקְצָת עָצוּב לִי לִפְעָמִים,
כִּי הַכֹּל לְטוֹבָתִי, וְאֲפִילוּ שֶׁלֹא תָּמִיד רָאִיתִי שֶׁזֶה לְטוֹבָתִי עָמֹק
בַּלֵּב אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהכֹּל מַגִּיעַ מִמְּךָ בְּחֵן בְּחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים רַבִּים
והוּא הַדָּבָר הַטוֹב בְּיוֹתֵר עֲבוּרִי, וְהוּא נַעֲשָׂה בִּמְיְחָד בִּשְׁבִילִי,
בְּהַשְׁנָחָה פְּרָטִית מְדְיָקֶת וּמִשְׁלֶמֶת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁרַק מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְלָכִים
יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת. תּוֹדָה שֶׁלִפְעָמִים קָשֶׁה לִי, כִּי רַק כָּכָה אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ
לְהַעֲרִיךְ אֶת הַטוֹב, רַק אַחֲרֵי שֶׁנִמְצָאִים בַּחֹשֶׁךְ, אֶפְשָׁר לְהַעֲרִיךְ
אֶת הָאוֹר, תּוֹדָה עַל הַחַיִּים הַנִפְלָאִים שֶׁנָּתַתָּ לִי. תּוֹדָה עַל כֹּל
דָבָר הֲכִי קָטָן שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי, כִּי אֶת הַכֹּל אַתָּה נָתַתָּ לִי, וְלֹא אַף אֶחָד
אַחֵר. תּוֹדָה שֶׁאַתָּה תָּמִיד שׁוֹמֵעַ אֶת הַתְּפִילוֹת שֶׁלִי בּוֹרֵא עוֹלָם
אֲנִי מְבַקֵשׁ סְלִיחָה מְעַמְקֵי לִבִּי אִם הָיוּ פְּעָמִים שֶׁלֹא הֶעֶרַכְתִּי
אֶת מַה שֶׁנָתַתָּ לִי, וּבִמְקוֹם לוֹמַר לְךָ תּוֹדָה רַק הִתְלוֹנַנְתִּי.
אֲנִי עָפָר וְאֵפֶר וְאַתָּה כֹּל הָעוֹלָם, אָנָא אַל תִּרְחַק מִמֶּנִּי לְעוֹלָם.
התפילה נכתבה לגידול ופרסום ה' יתברך
מצווה גדולה להפיץ ולפרסם את התפילה.
In the Name of the Almighty!
A Prayer of Gratitude to the Creator of the World!
King of Kings, the Blessed One, Master of the Universe, Ruler of the World, I offer my thanks to you!…
Thank you for allowing me to stand here and express my gratitude to You. Whatever I say is as nothing and void compared to how much I truly need to thank You. Indeed, for all, I must thank You, for everything comes from You. Thank you for all the things in the world.
Thank you for the countless times You have assisted me, supported me, rescued me, saved me, brought me joy, healed me, watched over me, and encouraged me… Thank you that You are always with me; thank you for granting me the strength to perform commandments, the power to do good deeds, and the ability to pray. Thank you for all the times You have helped me, even when I did not know how to express my gratitude. Thank you for the kindnesses You perform for me every moment and instant. Thank You for every breath I take, and thank You, O King of Kings, for the things I do not possess; thank You for the times when things are difficult for me.
Thank you for the times I feel a little sad, for all is for my good. Even though I do not always see that it is for my benefit, deep in my heart, I know that everything comes from You with grace, kindness, and great mercy. This is the best thing on my behalf. It is uniquely crafted just for me, with precise and meticulous care, as only a King of Kings can provide.
Thank you for the times when it is hard for me, for it is only in such moments that I learn to appreciate the good; only after darkness can one truly cherish the light. Thank you for the wonderful life You have granted me. Thank you for everything, even the smallest things, for all that I have You have given to me, and no one else.
Thank you that You always hear my prayers, Creator of the Universe. I seek forgiveness from the depths of my heart if there were times, I did not appreciate what You have given me, and instead of thanking You, I merely complained. I am dust and ashes, and You are the entirety of the world; please do not ever distance Yourself from me.
This prayer was written for the growth and promotion of the Blessed One.
It is a great mitzvah to disseminate and publicize this prayer.
This Rabbi named Nachman of Breslov composed this prayer of thanksgiving and commanded his disciples to pray this prayer and spread it, disseminate it far and wide. Upon his death, Rabbi Nachman commanded his disciples to burn his home with everything in it and not go inside. The reason is not clearly known. There is speculation he was a secret believer in Yeshua, the Messiah, and had literature like the New Testament.
I am very interested in Rabbi Nachman's core teaching because it is so different from that of any other orthodox Jewish rabbi.
Here are some of the core teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.
1. Personal Faith and Trust in God (Bitachon): Rabbi Nachman taught the importance of complete trust in God, encouraging his followers to rely on divine providence even in challenging circumstances.
2. Joy (Simcha): He believed joy is fundamental to spiritual life. He emphasized that maintaining a joyful spirit is essential for serving God, as joy elevates one's religious practice.
3. Hitbodedut (Personal Prayer): Rabbi Nachman advocated for personal, spontaneous, and private prayer to connect with God. He encouraged his disciples to speak to God in their own words, fostering intimacy and a genuine relationship. The Rabbi practiced going alone into the woods or private place and praying and worshiping privately between the Almighty and yourself. This unique teaching is generally opposed to the normal practice and education that we should pray and worship in a community. The Rabbi didn't oppose worshiping in the synagogue but considered it much more meaningful to worship God alone in seclusion. I believe this because of his acquaintance and relationship with the Messiah.
4. Study and Reflection: He stressed the importance of deep study and contemplation of religious texts, encouraging his disciples to engage with Torah learning as a means of spiritual growth. The unusual thing about this instruction of the Rabbi is that he stressed the study of the Torah itself and did not look only at the Rabbinical commentaries and interpretation of medieval rabbis who wrote commentaries of the Hebrew Bible. Typically, Orthodox Jews put their brain in neutral and relied on and trusted the Jewish commentators from the 13th to the 18th centuries. This attitude is unique and important.
5. Simplicity and Humility: Rabbi Nachman often spoke about the value of humility and simplicity in one's life and relationship with God, highlighting that even the simplest prayer can be profoundly effective.
6. Tikkun (Rectification): He emphasized the concept of Tikkun, or spiritual rectification, teaching that one's actions can repair or improve the world and one's soul. This is one of the important and unique teachings on the map of Orthodox Judaism. Not only religious practices repair or improve a person's life but his actions—not speaking of worship and religious actions but human and social actions and activities.
7. The Importance of Community: Rabbi Nachman valued communal life and the support of a Rebbe and the community in one's spiritual journey. He taught that fellowship and connection with others are vital for growth. This teaching of Rabbi Nachman is exciting. Choosing for yourself a teacher, a Rebbe, is an essential principle in Judaism, as we can see also in the New Testament – people flocked to Yeshua, and some followed him.
8. Faith in the Future Redemption: He encouraged hope and belief in the eventual redemption of the Jewish people and the world, promoting an optimistic outlook on life. This principle of Rabbi Nachman is also of great and unique importance. Deep faith in the fulfillment of God's promises of redemption and salvation of the world is not stressed enough in normative orthodox Jewish circles.
9. Empowerment of Individuality: Rabbi Nachman encouraged each person to find their unique path in serving God, allowing for personal expression in religious practice. I would say that this teaching and even the command of Rabbi Nachman are the key points that are, for me, the most significant. Don't only honor and follow other humans and receive instructions from them. You are the only person who charts the course of your life and relationship with the Almighty God of Israel, and you need to have a personal relationship, private, alone communication with the creator.
These teachings continue to influence Breslov Hasidism and resonate with many seeking a deeper connection to faith and spirituality. If you wish for further elaboration on any specific command or recommendation of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, feel free to ask!
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