Sefer HaTikunim: The Book of Corrections

[Republished from 2008]

Note to readers:  If you are searching for " ספר תיקונים " - The Book of Corrections, you may find a link to a non-kosher site, proclaiming to have written this book. Please be advised that the book named ספר תיקונים written by יהונתן וואקסמאן (Jonathan Waxman) is not derived from kosher Jewish sources.

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Rabbi Yosef Dayan, the author of "Sefer HaTikunim", who departed from this world on 9 Tamuz 5745 (1985), was an Israeli Sefardi Tzaddik of Syrian background.

Rabbi Dayan was unusual in a number of ways. Firstly, after the Jewish people were returned to the Land of Israel, he spent a great deal of time discovering and uncovering the tombs of ancient tzaddikim throughout the Land. We are unsure exactly how he did this, but he did! He spent long periods of time at many of these holy sites, sometimes surrounded by hostile Arabs (although he was fearless through his attachment to G-d).

Secondly, he remained un-married, very unusual for a tzaddik.

Thirdly, he taught that prayer should be repeated. He often quoted the Talmud, that if your prayer is not answered, pray more, continue to pray and to beseech G-d. This was Rabbi Dayan's approach. He did not make do with a short prayer offered once. He taught regularity and consistency in prayer, according to Rabbi Hanina's teaching in Berachot 32a: "Everyone who prays long, his prayer does not return empty."

Rabbi Dayan explained the need to pray much and not to tire, until our request is received in Heaven. Because of our little worth and deficient deeds, we do not have the power to make prayer effective immediately. We need to persist in the avodah (service) of prayer, until we succeed in splitting the barrier that separates us from G-d.

He also said that, when you pray for something, you should pray using the same words each time (this explains the efficacy of a mantra**). Any change in the wording, he said, causes difficulties in the prayer being accepted. He also said it is desirable to focus on one request, not many, because according to the Sages, if you grab too much, you grab nothing.

Rabbi Dayan taught that it is helpful to offer tzedaka (charity) when praying and to pray at a holy site.

(From Od Yosef Hai)

** The mantras used in the eastern religions are the "shem tuma" (impure names) which Avraham sent to the east as gifts to the children of his pilagshim. Mentioned in passing in this post, it should be noted that they are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN to a Jew because they bring tuma (impurity) on a person, r"l, and give strength to the sitra achra. A Jew should not say these "mantras", nor should he allow them to be said in his home. (Comment from Yaakov Nathan)

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Stories about the Holy Tzadik HaRav Yosef Dayan, author of Sefer HaTikkunim

1. Rav Yosef Dayan would always see the name of Hashem in front of him at all times. Once while talking to his student H'Rav Yosef accidentally said "I always see the holy fearsome Shem Havayah engraved in my mind's eye intertwined with the Shem Adnus."

2. Rav Yosef Dayan was on such a high level that he was able to walk in the streets and the Pritzut in front of him would not even register in his mind, since his thoughts were constantly bound to the supernatural lights.

3. Immediately after finishing Shacharis at Netz, H'Rav Yosef Dayan would enter the Beis Medrash. Then while still fasting he would learn straight for hours with great fervor and no interruptions. He would not take a break for a minute, even when people would knock on the door he would not interrupt his learning. This would continue until Mincha time when he would get up and once again and go to the Beis Medrash to pray.

4. Every Motzai Shabbat he would pray Maariv in the Beit Knesset "Shoson". Due to his prolonged prayer he would miss the Kedusha of "V'atah Kadosh." H'Rav Yosef Dayan would therefore go to a second Minyan in Bais Knesset "Ohel Rochel" which had started later. He would arrive there just as the chazan would start with "V'atah Kadosh."The gabby of that Minyan thought Rav Yosef to be a simple and ignorant man. When he saw him come late week after week and start in middle of the prayers, the Gabby would begin yelling at him and publicly denouncing him for missing the first part of the prayer. H'Rav Yosef would remain silent and accept the embarrassment so as not to reveal that he had already prayed and was just coming to hear the Kedushah. These rebukes happened weekly both from the Gabaim and from the members of the minyan.

A student of Rav Yosef who saw what was going on was not able to hold himself back and finally asked Rav Yosef why he simply did not state that he had already completed the first part of the prayers. H'Rav Yosef answered him "Shhh don't reveal that, I am very happy with embarrassments I receive."

5. One year, there was a lack of rain in Eretz Yisroel. The drought continued through Kislev, Teves and even Adar. All over the country mass prayer sessions were organized to plead to our Father in Heaven to send rain. As usual H'Rav Dayan and his students would gather in Kever Shmuel Hanavi to pray and do Tikkunim for the nation of Yisroel.

The students noticed that H'Rav Yosef was not actually addressing the lack of rain. A number of students kept on bringing up the issue but H'Rav Dayan remained silent. One student pleaded with him to pray and do Kavanot for the rain, reminding him of the severe situation the country was facing. Finally H'Rav Dayan replied with a short and definite answer "If there will be no impurity and Pritzut in the world, the rains will not be held back." He then continued praying as usual.

6. There was a long period of time that H'Rav Yosef Dayan was accustomed to light candles every day in the merit of Rebbe Meir Baal Haneis and the Rashbi, may their merit protect us. H'Rav Yosef would light the candles in a certain local Bait Knesset. Before lighting the candles he would recite many prayers in great trepidation, he would then do mighty meditations and Yichudim. At the time of the lighting he would say Leshem Yichud.....I am lighting this candle to raise the Shechinah from exile and to raise the soul of the holy Tzakik in whose merit the candle is being lit. These candles would burn for twenty four hours straight. H'Rav Yosef would prepare special wicks and the right amounts of oil in advance.In the neighborhood there lived two men who were greatly upset by H'Rav Dayan's daily candle lighting ritual. They would steal his wicks and hide his oil in an effort to prevent it from happening. When H'Rav Yosef saw this he was greatly pained. He finally said "These people that are trying to prevent the candle lighting do not know with whom they are dealing with, they are not dealing with me but rather with Rebbe Meir Baal Haneis and the Rashbi, I do not envy their future." That same week the two men were struck by the hand of G-d. The first man broke his leg and had to lay in a body cast for a number of months, the second man became paralyzed in half his body.

7. The Mekubal H'Rav Yitzchak Kaduri would say that he knew for a fact that H'Rav Yosef Dayan was one of the thirty six hidden Tzakikkim. H'Rav Mordechai Sharabi likewise gave testimony that H'Rav Yosef Dayan was one of the thirty six hidden Tzadikim.

8. Once a student of H'Rav Dayan approached him and told him that he was having a lot of problems avoiding being drafted to the Israeli army. H'Rav Yosef Dayan simply handed him his hat and told him to wear it on his next visit to the army office. The student took the hat of the Tzadik and wore it on his next interview. When the general saw the hat, without saying a word he signed his release papers and told him to leave.