Noam Elimelech · Tzetel Katan · Maamar ד From the Torah ofRebbe Elimelech of Lizhenskרבי אלימלך מליז'נסקProfile ›

Leshem Yichud: Before Every Deed

Torah, prayer and mitzvos are already done for Hashem. Yet R' Elimelech asks that every one of them open with a set sentence, in fixed words, trained into the heart over time. What do those words add, and what does he promise the one who keeps saying them?

4In everything he does, whether Torah, prayer or the mitzvos done in deed, he should accustom himself to say these words: “I am doing this leshem yichud Kudsha Brich Hu uShechintei, for the sake of the unification of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah, to give satisfaction to the Creator, may His Name be blessed.” He should train himself to say it from the inner depths of the heart, and in time he will feel a great light in saying it.

ד. בְּכָל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, הֵן בַּתּוֹרָה הֵן בִּתְפִילָּה הֵן בְּמִצְווֹת מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת, יַרְגִּיל אֶת עַצְמוֹ לוֹמַר בְּזֶה הַלָּשׁוֹן: "הֲרֵינִי עוֹשֶׂה זֹאת לְשֵׁם יִחוּד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ לַעֲשׂוֹת נַחַת רוּחַ לְהַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרֵךְ שְׁמוֹ". וְיַרְגִּיל אֶת עַצְמוֹ לוֹמַר זֹאת בְּתוֹכִיּוּת וּפְנִימִיּוּת הַלֵּב, וּבְהֶמְשֵׁךְ הַזְּמַן יַרְגִּישׁ הֶאָרָה גְּדוֹלָה בַּאֲמִירָה זוֹ:

In shortEvery act of Torah, prayer or mitzvah should open with “leshem yichud,” said from the heart, and in time those words bring a great light.

The maamar as a whole

The fourth practice is a sentence for every deed: before Torah, prayer or any mitzvah done in deed, a person says, “I am doing this for the sake of the unification of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah, to give satisfaction to the Creator.” R' Elimelech asks for more than the habit of the words. They must come from the inner depths of the heart, and he speaks of training oneself to say them that way. Then he gives his promise: in time the person will feel a great light in saying them. The practice turns every deed toward its purpose, the unification above and Hashem's satisfaction.

Takeaway

Before you learn, pray or do a mitzvah, say “leshem yichud” from the heart and keep saying it, for R' Elimelech promises that in time you will feel a great light in those words.

Learn this in the merit of Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk. His yahrzeit and life ›

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