What is Likutey Tefilot?

Likutey Tefilot is a collection of personal prayers composed by Reb Noson of Breslov (1780-1844), leading pupil of the outstanding Chassidic luminary, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810). The Hebrew original of Likutey Tefilot consists of two parts containing 152 and 58 prayers respectively a total of 210.

Rebbe Nachman taught that as well as reciting the mandatory daily prayer services contained in the Siddur, we should supplement them with our own individual prayers. In Likutey Tefilot Reb Noson made his personal prayers available to us to use at our discretion in the course of our own sessions of private prayer. Likutey Tefilot is not a book to read through for information. The prayers were written to be said rather than read. This is an inspirational text for use when we wish to reach out to G-d and express our personal needs and spiritual yearnings, whether at home, in the synagogue, in the office, in a quiet park or out in the countryside, etc.

Each of Reb Noson’s prayers in Likutey Tefilot is based on one of Rebbe Nachman’s lessons in the main collection of his teachings, Likutey Moharan. The prayer is a request for G-d’s help in achieving the spiritual ideals explained in the lesson. However, it is not necessary to study the relevant lesson before reciting the prayer. Nevertheless, it is helpful to realize that the structure of each prayer and the way its themes are developed are governed by Rebbe Nachma’s treatment in the corresponding lesson.

You are perfectly free to choose sections of a prayer according to your personal needs and preferences, time constraints, etc. Nevertheless, each of Reb Noson’s prayers is an organic whole and there is a benefit in reciting it in its entirety. It is perfectly in order to improvise and add your own personal prayers and requests at any point during recital of these prayers.

Please share your experiences with the Likutey Tefilot in the comment section. Which of the prayers do you return to time-and-time again. Do you use them to prepare for formal davening?

Compiled by Chaim Oliver
© Copyright 2009 Breslov Research Institute