Prayer of the HaShelah for the sons – The full text and explanation
Say at any time and especially on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Sivan
אַתָּהּ הוּא יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָּרָאתָ הָעוֹלָם, וְאַתָּהּ הוּא אֱלֹהֵינוּ מִשֶּׁבָּרָאתָ הָעוֹלָם, וּמֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם אַתָּה אַל. וּבָרָאתָ עוֹלָמְךָ בְּגִין לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע אֱלָהוּתָךְ בְּאֶמְצָעוּת תּוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה. “בְּרֵאשִׁית”, בִּשְׁבִיל תּוֹרָה וּבִשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי הֵם עַמְּךָ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתָּ בָּהֶם מִכָּל הָאֻמּוֹת, וְנָתַתָּ לָהֶם תּוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, וְקֵרַבְתָּם לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל. וְעַל קִיּוּם הָעוֹלָם וְעַל קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה בָּא לָנוּ מִמְּךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ שְׁנֵי צִוּוּיִים. כָּתַבְתָּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ “פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ”, וְכָתַבְתָּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ “וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אוֹתָם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם”, וְהַכַּוָּנָה בִּשְׁתֵּיהֶן אֶחָת, כִּי לֹא לְתֹהוּ בָרָאתָ כִּי אִם לָשֶׁבֶת, וְלִכְבוֹדְךָ בָּרָאתָ, יָצַרְתָּ אַף עָשִׂיתָ, כְּדֵי שֶׁנִּהְיֶה אֲנַחְנוּ וְצֶאֱצָאֵינוּ וְצֶאֶצָאֵי כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹדְעֵי שְׁמֶךָ וְלוֹמְדֵי תּוֹרָתֶךָ.וּבְכֵן אָבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ יְיָ מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים, וְאַפִּיל תְּחִנָּתִי, וְעֵינַי לְךָ תְּלוּיוֹת עַד שֶׁתְּחָנֵּנִי וְתִשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי: לְהַזְמִין לִי בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת, וְגַם הֵם יִפְרוּ וְיִרְבּוּ הֵם וּבְנֵיהֶם וּבְנֵי בְּנֵיהֶם עַד סוֹף כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת לְתַכְלִית שֶׁהֵם וַאֲנִי וַאֲנַחְנוּ כֻּלָּנוּ יַעַסְקוּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה
Explanation for HaShelah prayer
| אַתָּהּ הוּא יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָּרָאתָ הָעוֹלָם |
You were always Hashem, even before you created the world. (past)
|
| וְאַתָּהּ הוּא אֱלֹהֵינוּ מִשֶּׁבָּרָאתָ הָעוֹלָם | And you are Hashem even now after you created the world. (present)
|
| וּמֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם אַתָּה אַל | And you are the eternal without ceasing, in this world and in the next world. (future) |
| וּבָרָאתָ עוֹלָמְךָ בְּגִין לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע אֱלָהוּתָךְ בְּאֶמְצָעוּת תּוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה
|
And the reason you created your world, is to inform the reality of your divinity |
| כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה. “בְּרֵאשִׁית”, בִּשְׁבִיל תּוֹרָה וּבִשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל
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As Hazal said “In the beginning”, for the sake of the Torah and for the sake of Israel |
| כִּי הֵם עַמְּךָ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתָּ בָּהֶם מִכָּל הָאֻמּוֹת
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For they are your people and your inheritance, which you have chosen out of all the nations |
| וְנָתַתָּ לָהֶם תּוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, וְקֵרַבְתָּם לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל
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And you gave them your holy Torah, and brought them closer to your great name |
| וְעַל קִיּוּם הָעוֹלָם
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And for the existence of the world |
| וְעַל קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה | Fulfillment of the Mitzvot |
| בָּא לָנוּ מִמְּךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ שְׁנֵי צִוּוּיִים
כָּתַבְתָּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ
|
We have two Mitzvot from you Hashem, You wrote in your Torah |
| “פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ”
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Continuity – The Mitzvah to have children |
| וְכָתַבְתָּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ “וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אוֹתָם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם”
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And you wrote in your Torah “And you taught them to your children” |
| וְהַכַּוָּנָה בִּשְׁתֵּיהֶן אֶחָת
|
And the meaning in both is the same |
| כִּי לֹא לְתֹהוּ בָרָאתָ כִּי אִם לָשֶׁבֶת
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The world was created with the purpose of being a place for Beni Israel to be |
| וְלִכְבוֹדְךָ בָּרָאתָ, יָצַרְתָּ אַף עָשִׂיתָ
|
So that Beni Israel can learn Torah and keep your Mitzvot |
| כְּדֵי שֶׁנִּהְיֶה אֲנַחְנוּ וְצֶאֱצָאֵינוּ וְצֶאֶצָאֵי כָּל עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹדְעֵי שְׁמֶךָ וְלוֹמְדֵי תּוֹרָתֶךָ
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So that we and our offspring and the offspring of all your people, Beni Israel, may know your name and learn your Torah |
| וּבְכֵן אָבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ יְיָ מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים וְאַפִּיל תְּחִנָּתִי
|
And yes, I will come to you, king of kings of kings |
| וְעֵינַי לְךָ תְּלוּיוֹת עַד שֶׁתְּחָנֵּנִי וְתִשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי
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And my eyes are on you until you plead with me and hear my prayer |
| לְהַזְמִין לִי בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת
|
To give me Sons and Daughters |
| וְגַם הֵם יִפְרוּ וְיִרְבּוּ הֵם וּבְנֵיהֶם וּבְנֵי בְּנֵיהֶם עַד סוֹף כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת
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And they too will be fruitful and multiply, they and their children and their children’s children until the end of all generations |
| לְתַכְלִית שֶׁהֵם וַאֲנִי וַאֲנַחְנוּ כֻּלָּנוּ יַעַסְקוּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה
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For the purpose that they and I and all of us will learn with your holy Torah |
| וּלְלַמֵּד לִשְׁמֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת וּלְקַיֵּם אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָתְךָ בְּאַהֲבָה
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And learn to keep and do all the words of the Talmud and your Torah with love |
| וְהָאֵר עֵינֵינוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ
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And enlighten our eyes with your Torah |
| וְדַבֵּק לִבֵּנוּ בְּמִצְווֹתֶיךָ לְאַהֲבָה וּלְיִרְאָה אֶת שְׁמֶךָ
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And put our hearts with your Mitzvot to love and to see your name |
| אָבִינוּ אָב הָרַחֲמָן, תֵּן לְכֻלָּנוּ חַיִּים אֲרֻכִּים וּבְרוּכִים
|
Our Father, the Merciful Father, grant us all long and blessed lives |
| מִי כָמוֹךָ אָב הָרַחֲמִים זוֹכֵר יְצוּרָיו לְחַיִּים בְּרַחֲמִים
זָכְרֵנוּ לְחַיִּים נִצְחִיִּים
|
Who is like you, the Father of mercies, who remembers his creatures to live in mercy Remember us for eternal life |
| כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ “לוּ יִחְיֶה לְפָנֶיךָ”
|
As our father Abraham prayed, May he live before you”” |
| וּפֵרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, “בְּיִרְאָתֶךָ”
|
And Hazal explained “In your kindness” |
| כִּי עַל כֵּן, בָּאתִי לְבַקֵּשׁ וּלְחַנֵּן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ
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Because therefore, I have come to ask and beg from you |
| שֶׁיְּהֵא זַרְעִי וְזֶרַע זַרְעִי עַד עוֹלָם זֶרַע כָּשֵׁר
|
May it be my offspring forever be kosher |
| וְאַל יִמָּצֵא בִי וּבְזַרְעִי וּבְזֶרַע זַרְעִי עַד עוֹלָם שׁוּם פְּסוּל וָשֶׁמֶץ
|
And in me and in my offspring will never be found any iniquity |
| אַךְ שָׁלוֹם וֶאֱמֶת וְטוֹב וְיָשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי אֱלֹהִים וּבְעֵינֵי אָדָם
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Peace and truth and good and upright in the eyes of God and in the eyes of man |
| וְיִהְיוּ בַּעֲלֵי תוֹרָה
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And they will have Torah |
| מָארֵי מִקְרָא
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Know the scriptures in the Mikrah |
| מָארֵי מִשְׁנָה
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Know the scriptures in the Mishanah |
| מָארֵי תַלְמוּד
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Know the scriptures in the Talmud |
| מָארֵי רָזָא | Know the secrets of the Torah |
| מָארֵי מִצְוָה
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Fulfilling the Mitzvot |
| מָארֵי גוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים
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They have a great kindness inside their hearts |
| מָארֵי מִדּוֹת תְּרוּמִיּוֹת
|
They are very generous |
| וְיַעַבְדוּךָ בְּאַהֲבָה וּבְיִרְאָה פְּנִימִית
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And they will serve you with love and inner respect |
| וְלֹא יִרְאָה חִיצוֹנִית
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And he will not see outwardly |
| וְתֵן לְכָל גְּוִיָּה וּגְוִיָּה מֵהֶם דֵּי מַחְסוֹרָהּ בְּכָבוֹד
|
and give each and every tribe of them a dearth of honor |
| תֵן לָהֶם בְּרִיאוּת וְכָבוֹד וְכֹחַ
|
Give them health and honor and strength |
| וְתֵן לָהֶם קוֹמָה וְיֹופִי וְחֵן וָחֶסֶד
|
and give them height and beauty and grace |
| יִהְיֶה אַהֲבָה וְאַחֲוָה וְשָׁלוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶם
וְתַזְמִין לָהֶם זִוּוּגִים הֲגוּנִים
|
there will be love and brotherhood and peace between them
And arrange for them decent pairings |
| מִזֶּרַע תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים מִזֶּרַע צַדִּיקִים
|
From offspring of Talmidi Hahamim |
| גַם הֵם זִוּוּגָם יִהְיוּ כְּמוֹתָם כְּכָל אֲשֶׁר הִתְפַּלַּלְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם
|
Their parings may be like them, as i prayed |
| כִּי זִכָּרוֹן אֶחָד עוֹלֶה לְכָאן וּלְכָאן
|
Because one memory comes up here and there |
| אַתָּה יְיָ יוֹדֵעַ כָּל תַּעֲלוּמוֹת
|
You know all mysteries |
| וּלְפָנֶיךָ נִגְלוּ מַצְפּוּנֵי לִבִּי
|
And before you the conscience of my heart was revealed |
| כִּי כַווָנָתִי בְּכָל אֵלֶּה
|
Because I meant all of these |
| [גם] לְמַעַן שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ
|
[also] For the sake of your great and holy name |
| וּלְמַעַן תּוֹרָתְךָ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה
|
And for the sake of your holy Torah |
| עַל כֵּן עֲנֵנִי יְיָ עֲנֵנִי
|
Therefore answer me, answer me |
| בַּעֲבוּר הָאָבוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב
|
Through the Avot Hakdoshim (holy ancestors) Abraham, Isaac and Jacob |
| וּבִגְלָלָם תּוֹשִׁיעַ בָּנִים לִהְיוֹת הָעֲנָפִים דּוֹמִים לְשָׁרְשָׁם
|
And because of them you will save sons the branches to be like the root |
| וּבַעֲבוּר דָּוִד עַבְדֶּךָ רֶגֶל רְבִיעִי בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה
|
And for the sake of David your servant was a fourth leg in the Merkava |
| הַמְּשׁוֹרֵר בְּרוּחַ קָדְשֶׁךָ
|
The poet in your holy spirit |
| שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת אַשְׁרֵי כָּל יְרֵא יְיָ הַהֹלֵךְ בִּדְרָכָיו
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A song of ascents. Praiseworthy is every man who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways |
| יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹּאכֵל אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ
|
If you eat the toil of your hands, you are praiseworthy, and it is good for you |
| אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵּיתֶךָ
|
Your wife will be as a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house |
| בָּנֶיךָ כִּשְׁתִילֵי זֵיתִים סָבִיב לְשֻׁלְחָנֶךָ
|
your sons will be like olive shoots around your table |
| הִנֵּה כִי כֵן יְבֹרַךְ גָּבֶר יְרֵא יְיָ
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Behold that so will a man who fears the Lord be blessed |
| יְבָרֶכְךָ יְיָ מִצִּיּוֹן וּרְאֵה בְּטוּב יְרוּשָׁלַיִם כָּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ
|
May the Lord bless you from Zion, and see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life |
| וּרְאֶה בָנִים לְבָנֶיךָ שָׁלוֹם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל
|
And may you see children [born] to your children, [and see] peace upon Israel |
| אָנָּא יְיָ שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה, יְקֻיַּם בָּנוּ הַפָּסוּק
|
Please Hashem, who hears all prayers, please fulfill in us the (נט)said verse in Isaiah |
| ואֲנִי זֹאת בְּרִיתִי
|
And I am my covenant |
| אוֹתָם אָמַר יְיָ רוּחִי אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיךָ
|
Hashem said them |
| וּדְבָרַי אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בְּפִיךָ לֹא יָמוּשׁוּ מִפִּיךָ וּמִפִּי זַרְעֲךָ וּמִפִּי זֶרַע זַרְעֲךָ
|
And my words that I have put in your mouth shall not will be forgotten |
| אָמַר יְיָ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם”
|
Said Hashem, “From now and forever
“ |
| יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי
|
Please be willing to pray what I said with my mouth |
| וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי
|
And what I asked in my heart without saying with my mouth |
| לְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי
|
Before you, Hashem, who is my support and my savior |
HaShelah pray in the eve of Rosh Chodesh Sivan, which falls on Shabbat:
Even when the eve of Rosh Chodesh Sivan falls on Shabbat, it is permissible to say the HaShelah prayer
according to the instruction of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Zatzuk’l, and as the head of the institutions Shalita clarified in the answer he wrote on this matter
Frequently asked questions about the HaShelah prayer
What is the HaShelah prayer?
The HaShelah prayer is a prayer published in the book of Luchot Habrit , that the fathers will pray for their children, that they may learn the Torah and Mitzvot. The prayer is like a reminder of the necessity for the sons to learn Torah for the purpose of creation, and from this a request that it be so
Who composed the HaShelah prayer?
Although this prayer was published by Rabbi Avraham Halevi Horowitz in his book Luchot Habrit, Is not the author of the prayer. Some attribute the prayer to Admor Rabbi Shabbati Sofer of Permishlan, because this prayer appears in his Siddur
When do you say the HaShelah prayer?
It is good to say it all year round, but the late HaShelah Hakadosh wrote that his heart says that the most suitable day for saying it is the eve of Rosh Chodesh Sivan
