Dvar Torah for Shavuot

Based on Likutey MoHaran I, Lesson 37:4

God said to the Jews, "I want to give you the Torah, but who will guarantee that you will obey its instruction?"
The Jews replied, "The Patriarchs will be our guarantors."
"Not good enough," said God. "They themselves owe Me...."
"The prophets will be our guarantors."
Again God responded, "Not good enough. They themselves owe Me...."
"Our children will be the guarantor."
"This is good guarantor!"
( Midrash Tehilim/Shocher Tov 8)

"The world exists because of the breath of the schoolchildren who study Torah."
(Shabbat 119b)

This being the case, one must find out if his child's teacher is a proper, God-fearing Jew. One must pray to God a lot about this, in order that the teacher not ruin the child's untainted breath.

We are just over a week away from the chag (holiday) of Shavuot, when the Torah was given. As is quite apparent from the above citations, the importance of Torah education for Jewish children is inestimable. Every one of us must make some contribution towards this endeavor. Those who meet the bill as "proper, God-fearing Jew" - and know how to teach children! - should be actively engaged in teaching. Those who don't have the qualifications to teach in a classroom can contribute financially or organizationally to allow a Torah school to operate smoothly. Each person can model proper Jewish behavior, in the synagogue, in the supermarket and especially in the home.

In light of the above, and because Sivan eve (see below) is this week, we are presenting the following. (Actually Sivan eve is on Shabbat, but the various customs associated with the eve of Rosh Chodesh [the new moon/month] are observed on Thursday.)

Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz (rabbi of Prague who moved to Jerusalem in 5382/1542 and is buried in Tiberias) is better known as The Shelah HaKodesh (the holy Shelah). SHeLaH is the acronym of the title of his major work "SHnei Luchos Habris" ("The Two Tablets of the Covenant"). He writes:

"We are obligated to pray to God for all our needs because everything comes from Him. Therefore, one should always have a short prayer on his tongue...Most of all, one needs to pray for his children and descendants, that they be kosher Jews. [emphasis mine - Ed.] Along with that, he should pray for all their needs, including their spouses, that each match be made in Heaven.

"My heart tells me that the most auspicious for such a prayer is Sivan eve. For in the month of Sivan we were given the Torah and were thereby called 'God's children' (Deuteronomy 14:1).

"It is also a good time for husband and wife to consider what improvements they could make to upgrade the kashrus of their home."

The Shelah HaKodesh writes further:

"Father and mother should regularly say this prayer [see below], that their children may be fine people, scholars and tzaddikim. Any mention of children in the regular liturgy should be said with extra intensity. For example, in the blessing recited on the mitzvah of Torah study, in the blessing immediately preceding the saying of Shema and near the end of the prayer "U'va l'Tzion Goel" (When the Redeemer comes to Zion)."

This is the prayer of the Shelah HaKodesh, rendered into English, and only slightly abridged.

"You were God before you created the universe and You are God after you created the universe. For all eternity You are God!

You created Your world in order that man should know You, by means of the holy Torah. "Be-Reishis" ("In the beginning") - for the sake of those two whose name is Reishis, namely the Torah and the Jews, for they are Your chosen people to whom You gave the holy Torah.

"To preserve and maintain the world You gave us two mitzvot: 'Be fruitful and multiply' and 'Teach your children to speak of [Torah].' The purpose of these mitzvot is one: That the world be populated with people who honor You, that we and our children and every Jewish child, will know Your name and study Your Torah.

"Therefore I approach You, God, King of, all Kings, to present my request. My eyes are to You, that You accept my prayer and favor me. Send me sons and daughters - and may they too have children and grandchildren until the last generation - so that each of us may all learn and teach it, live by its words and uphold it, out of love. Make our eyes light up from the mere mention of Torah, our hearts cling to Your mitzvot, so that we may love and revere You.

"Father, merciful Father, grant each of us a long and blessed life. Grant us eternal life as You did Ishmael when our Patriarch Abraham prayed for him: 'Would that he live in Your presence.' I also ask and beg of You: May my children and children's until the end of time be kosher Jews. May no fault be found in the or in me. Instead, let us be filled with peace and truth, goodness and harmony, in the eyes of God and in the eyes of man.

"May they be thoroughly proficient in Torah; masters of Scripture, of mishnah, of Talmud, and of Kabbalah. May they be masters of mitzvot, of kindness and exemplary behavior. May they serve You with love and inner fear, not external fear.

"Give each body what it needs, in a reputable manner. Give each of them health, respectability and strength. May each of them be tall and handsome, graceful and charismatic. May my descendants be a peaceful, loving family. May each one's mate be from a family of pious scholars. And may their mates be blessed with everything I've asked for them, because one prayer may be said on behalf of many.

"You are the Knower-of-all-Secrets. You know what is hidden in my heart. My intention is for Your great and holy Name and for Your holy Torah. So please answer my prayer! In the merit of the holy Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, answer my prayer and save the children! May the branches be like their root! In their merit and in the merit of Your servant King David, the fourth leg of Your throne.

"A song of ascents. Praiseworthy is each person who fears God, who walks in His ways. When you eat the labor of your hands you are praiseworthy; it will be well with you. Your wife will be as a fruitful vine in the inner rooms of your home. Your children will be like olive shoots, around your table. Behold! So is blessed the man who fears God. May God bless you from Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem, all the days of your life. And may you see your children's children - peace for Israel."(Psalm 128)

"Please, God, Who hears all prayers, may the verse be fulfilled: "I make this pact with them," say God. "My spirit that rests upon you, and My word that I have placed in your mouth, shall never depart from your mouth, the mouth of your children or the mouth of your children's children," says God, "from now and forever!"

"May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to You, God, my rock an my redeemer."

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!

Please feel free to print and distribute this prayer. Please acknowledge that it comes from Breslov Research Institute < www.breslov.org>. If, before Shabbat, we can scan in and upload the Hebrew text, we will.