Blessings and Meals The Wayfarer’s Prayer

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Blessings and Meals

The Wayfarer’s Prayer

One who journeys between cities recites the Wayfarer’s Prayer [Tefillat HaDerekh] to request protection against the dangers of the road. Some add additional verses tied to the theme of protection.

In earlier generations, people would often journey from city to city on foot. The Sages established that one who walks a distance of about 4 km or more should say the Wayfarer’s Prayer.

Nowadays, when intercity trips are generally undertaken in motorized vehicles, some still say the Wayfarer’s Prayer on every journey between cities that is at least 4 km long. Others follow the practice that for short trips one recites the Wayfarer’s Prayer without saying the name of God at its conclusion. According to this view, only when the trip lasts as long as the amount of time it takes to hike about 4 km, i.e., a ride of at least 72 minutes, does one recite the Wayfarer’s Prayer with the name of God.

One should recite the Wayfarer’s Prayer upon leaving the city, preferably as soon as he exits the inhabited areas. If one forgets to say it then, he can say it later on the journey.

One recites the Wayfarer’s Prayer only once per day, even if he stops several times within one or more cities over the course of the journey. When one leaves a city and expects to return to that city on the same day, he adds the phrase “and return us in peace” to the text of the Wayfarer’s Prayer. But if one will return only the next day, he does not add this clause; instead, he recites the entire Wayfarer’s Prayer again on the following day.

For Ashkenazim:

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁתּוֹלִיכֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם וְתַצְעִידֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם, וְתִסְמְכֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם, וְתַנְחֵנוּ אֶל מְחוֹז חֶפְצֵנוּ לְחַיִּים וּלְשִׂמְחָה וּלְשָׁלוֹם. (וְתַחֲזִירֵנוּ לְבֵיתֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם). וְתַצִּילֵנוּ מִכַּף כָּל אוֹיֵב וְאוֹרֵב בַּדֶּרֶךְ וּמִכָּל מִינֵי פֻּרְעָנֻיּוֹת הַמִּתְרַגְּשׁוֹת לָבוֹא לָעוֹלָם, וְתִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ. (לרבים יחד:) וְתִתְּנֵנוּ/(ביחיד:) וְתִתְּנֵנִי (ויש אומרים תמיד: וְתִתְּנֵנִי) לְחֵן וּלְחֶסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ וּבְעֵינֵי כָל רוֹאֵינוּ, וְתִשְׁמַע קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנֵינוּ. כִּי אֵל שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה וְתַחֲנוּן אַתָּה. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה.

Yehi ratzon milefanekha, Adonai Eloheinu velohei avoteinu, shetolikhenu leshalom vetatzidenu leshalom vetismekhenu leshalom vetanĥenu el meĥoz ĥeftzenu leĥayim lesimĥa ulshalom (if planning to return on the same day: vetaĥazirenu leveitenu leshalom). Vetatzilenu mikaf kol oyev ve’orev baderekh umikol minei puranuyot hamitragshot lavo la’olam. Vetishlaĥ berakha bema’aseh yadeinu, vetitenenu (some rule that an individual substitutes: vetiteneni) leĥen ulĥesed ulraĥamim be’einekha uveinei khol ro’einu, vetishma kol taĥanuneinu, ki El shome’a tefila vetaĥanun ata. Barukh ata Adonai, shome’a tefila.

“May it be Your will, Lord, our God and the God of our forefathers, that You lead us toward peace, guide our steps toward peace, and support us in peace, and make us reach our desired destination in life, gladness, and peace (if planning to return on the same day add: and return us in peace). May You rescue us from the hand of every enemy and ambush along the way, and from all manner of punishments that assemble to come to earth. May You send blessing to our handiwork, and grant us (some say an individual says: grant me) grace, kindness, and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us. May You hear the sound of our supplication, because You are God who hears prayer and supplication. Blessed are You, Lord, who hears prayer.”

For Sephardim:

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵנוּ, שֶׁתּוֹלִיכֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם וְתַצִּילֵנוּ מִכַּף כָּל אוֹיֵב וְאוֹרֵב בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וּמִכָּל מִקְרֶה וּפֶגַע רָע. וְתַגִּיעֵנוּ לִמְחוֹז חֶפְצֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם. וְתִתְּנֵנוּ לְחֵן וּלְחֶסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ וּבְעֵינֵי כָל רוֹאֵינוּ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה.

Yehi ratzon milefanekha, Adonai Eloheinu velohei avoteinu, shetolikhenu leshalom, vetatzilenu mikaf kol oyev ve’orev baderekh, umikol mikreh ufega ra, vetagi’enu limĥoz ĥeftzenu leshalom. Vetitenenu leĥen ulĥesed ulraĥamim be’einekha uveinei khol ro’einu. Barukh ata Adonai, shome’a tefila.

וְיַעֲקֹב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ וַיִּפְגְּעוּ בוֹ מַלאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים, וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָם, מַחֲנֵה אֱלֹהִים זֶה. וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא מַחֲנָיִם.

VeYa’akov halakh ledarko, vayifge’u vo malakhei Elohim. Vayyomer Ya’akov ka’asher ra’am: Maĥaneh Elohim zeh. Vayyikra shem hammakom hahu Maĥanayim.

שִׁיר לַמַּעֲלוֹת, אֶשָּׂא עֵינַי אֶל הֶהָרִים, מֵאַיִן יָבֹא עֶזְרִי: עֶזְרִי מֵעִם אֲדֹנָי, עֹשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ: אַל יִתֵּן לַמּוֹט רַגְלֶךָ, אַל יָנוּם שֹׁמְרֶךָ: הִנֵּה לֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן, שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲדֹנָי שֹׁמְרֶךָ, אֲדֹנָי צִלְּךָ עַל יַד יְמִינֶךָ: יוֹמָם הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לֹא יַכֶּכָּה וְיָרֵחַ בַּלָּיְלָה: אֲדֹנָי יִשְׁמָרְךָ מִכָּל רָע, יִשְׁמֹר אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ: אֲדֹנָי יִשְׁמָר צֵאתְךָ וּבוֹאֶךָ, מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם:

Shir lamma’alot: Essa einai el heharim, me’ayin yavo ezri. Ezri me’im Adonai, oseh shamayim va’aretz. Al yitten lammot raglekha, al yanum shomerekha. Hineh lo yanum velo yishan, shomer Yisrael. Adonai shomerekha, Adonai tzillekha al yad yeminekha. Yomam, hashemesh lo yakkekka, veyare’aĥ ballayla. Adonai yishmorkha mikkol ra, yishmor et nefshekha. Adonai yishmor tzetekha uvo’ekha me’atta ve’ad olam.

“May it be Your will, Lord, our God and the God of our forefathers, that You lead us toward peace, and rescue us from the hand of every enemy and ambush along the way, and from any evil occurrence or mishap and make us reach our desired destination in peace. And grant us grace, kindness, and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us. Blessed are You, Lord, who hears prayer.”

Repeat three times: “And Jacob went on his way and angels of God met him. When he saw them, Jacob said, ‘This is God’s camp,’ and he named the place Mahanayim.”

“A song of ascents. I lift my eyes up to the hills; from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot stumble; He who guards you does not slumber. See: the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. The Lord is your Guardian; the Lord is your Shade at your right hand. The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will guard you from all harm; He will guard your life. The Lord will guard your going and coming, now and for evermore.”

Many have the practice to say various other verses following the Wayfarer’s Prayer.

Further reading: The full content of the passages of a mezuza can be found in A Concise Guide to the Torah, pp. 451, 462; for insights of the Sages on these sections, see A Concise Guide to the Sages, pp. 231, 236.