Question: There is a Jewish prayer for travelers that is read when moving from city to city, leaving the settlement.

May it be Your will, G‑d, our G‑d and the G‑d of our fathers, that You should lead us in peace and direct our steps in peace, and guide us in peace, and support us in peace, and cause us to reach our destination in life, joy, and peace. Save us from every enemy and ambush, from robbers and wild beasts on the trip, and from all kinds of punishments that rage and come to the world. May You confer blessing upon the work of our hands and grant me grace, kindness, and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us, and bestow upon us abundant kindness and hearken to the voice of our prayer, for You hear the prayers of all. Blessed are You G‑d, who hearkens to prayer.

What does it mean by “in peace”?

Answer: We leave the place where we think we live, to some other place, to some other way.

It is unknown how long we will be on the road and when will we reach our destination. Maybe we think it will be just a couple of minutes, and suddenly it drags on for years if there is an end to this path at all.

Question: Could it even be the road of life?

Answer: Of course! A road is a road.

Question: And what does “lead us in peace” mean?

Answer: So that we do not hurt anyone.

Question: That is, the vector from me outward?

Answer: From me, absolutely. It is a prayer after all.

Question: So “leading us in peace” means I do not harm anyone?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Then it goes like this: “direct our steps in peace.” What is meant by the words “direct our steps in peace”?

Answer: So that it will be peaceful for you and for everyone else you meet on the way.

Question: Is it like an addition, a continuation?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: Further: “and cause us to reach our destination in life, joy, and peace.”

My Response: So that in the end, everything I do today on the way would be good for the whole world, for everyone.

Question: When you just said on the way, what did you imply in here? What is the way of man?

Answer: That is what it is called, Tfilat HaDerech. The prayer of the path.

Question: When you say “path,” are you saying a segment of life or what is it?

Answer: Everything! Absolutely everything! Where nothing ends. Moreover, this is called the Prayer of the Way, Tfilat HaDerech. Not on the way or something. This is the prayer of your direction, existence. Meaning, this is how your life should be.

Question: And further: “Save us from every enemy and ambush, from robbers and wild beasts on the trip, and from all kinds of punishments that rage and come to the world.” What does that mean?

Answer: A person looks at his movement from one state to another, not from one village to another,
for him to advance peacefully so that he does not have to get involved in any problems with anyone and so that he reaches his destination safely. The next place is when he would be connected to other people with even greater bonds of kindness.

This is called a path. Otherwise, why does he leave the house?

Question: So he goes out to a bigger and bigger connection all the time, is that how he advances?

Answer: Yes.

Question: And the robbers in this case, who are they? All sorts of punishments, what is on the path?

Answer: It is those who are sent to him; you can say, either the Creator Himself or the evil inclination of man. That is, the obstacles that are being sent.

Question: Are there obstacles in order to come to a good state? Are these all our mistakes, sins, all of this?

Answer: Yes, but do not think about it as if all this comes to me for whatever happened in the past. In Kabbalah it is not accepted “what was.” This is for what the Creator sends me so that I can be even more connected with Him and thus get to the true destination.

Question: You are saying that all the obstacles are being sent to us so that I get stronger on the way?

Answer: So that I would be more connected with the Creator.

Question: And if they weaken me, if I become weaker, what then?

Answer: The Creator does this. It is all done by Him anyway.

Question: Do I need to pray that the path is smoother or not?

Answer: We pray not for a smooth path, but for the path to bring us closer to the Creator.

Question: So, as a result, as you said, becoming closer with others is becoming closer with the Creator?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: Then there is a continuation: “May You confer blessing upon the work of our hands and grant me grace, kindness, and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us,...” 

My Response: This is for us to treat the world and everything that comes our way as best as possible, trying to justify everything and not disconnecting from the fact that everything comes from the Creator, and therefore be benevolent conduits of good. This is “May You confer blessing upon the work of our hands.”

Question: Can there be a blessing only if I strive for greater closeness? And if I do not strive, then is there no blessing for this?

Answer: Then how can you ask?

Question: That is right. And it ends: “and bestow upon us abundant kindness and hearken to the voice of our prayer, for You hear the prayers of all. Blessed are You G‑d, who hearkens to prayer.”

Does the prayer always end with this?

Answer: Yes, we thank Him for hearing the prayer.

Question: Does He hear our prayer?

Answer: He does not just hear. After all, the Creator is the force that is in us. And therefore, everything that we think and say, we say practically with His desire, with His mouth, if I may say so, and in general, He does it all Himself. The Creator puts prayer in my mouth.

Question: Then the last question. You say He is in us, and we are in Him. Is it possible to understand this dualism?

Answer: I cannot explain it. It is the one that exists in everything.

Comment: It seems to be a prayer for traveling, a simple prayer, one can say.

My Response: It is not for the road, it is for the path of life.

Question: It turns out that it is for the path of life. Can we say that almost all prayers are written like this, for the road of life?

Answer: Yes. Everything that is implied in the Torah, in prayers, it all means a person’s exit into life. This is the path.

Question: And the last question. I just said a prayer. And what if I pronounce it inside through the heart?

Answer: That is how it should be.

Question: That is, I can go out on the road just like this, with his prayer from the heart, and is it more important than a written prayer?

Answer: Of course, it is more important. After all, it comes from your heart, and it influences the Creator.
[313976]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 5/22/23

Related Material:
Which Prayer Is Answered?
A Prayer Book Is The Saga Of Spiritual Life
I Ask To Change Me, Not The Creator

Filed under: News, Prayer and Intention | Add Comment →