Tefillah LeMotzaei Shabbat — The Prayer for the Close of Shabbat
This prayer is recited at Motzaei Shabbat — the close of the Sabbath, when three stars appear in the night sky and the holy day gently departs. It is attributed to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev (1740–1809), one of the great masters of Chassidic tradition, beloved for his passionate advocacy on behalf of the Jewish people before God. The prayer asks that the coming week, month, and year bring faith, blessing, health, and sustenance. Whoever you are and wherever you come from, you are welcome to read and pray these words.
God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob,
Watch over and deliver Your people Israel, whom You love, from all evil — and may Your praise be upon them —
As the beloved holy Shabbat departs,
May this week, this month, and this year
Bring us to complete faith,
To trust in the sages,
To love of friends,
To closeness with the Creator, blessed be He,
To belief in Your Thirteen Principles,
And in the redemption that is near, swiftly in our days,
And in the resurrection of the dead,
And in the prophecy of Moses our teacher, peace be upon him.
Master of the universe, You are the One who gives strength to the weary —
Give also to the children of Israel, whom You love, the strength
To give thanks to You,
And to serve You alone,
And no other, God forbid.
May this week, this month, and this year bring us to health
And to good fortune, and to blessing and success,
And to lovingkindness,
And to children, long life, and ample livelihood,
And to heavenly assistance for us and for all Israel,
And let us say: Amen.
Elohai Avraham, Elohai Yitzchak, v'Elohai Yaakov,
Shmor v'hatzeil et amcha Yisrael ahuvecha mikol ra b'tehilatecha,
Kaasher haShabbat kodesh ha'ahuvah overet,
SheHashavua, haChodesh v'haShana,
Yavo lanu le'emunah shleimah,
Le'emunat chachamim,
L'ahavat chaverim,
Lidevekut haBoreh baruch Hu,
Lehe'amin bishloshah asar ikkarim shelach,
Uvig'ulah kerovah bimheirah b'yameinu,
Uvtechiyat hameitim,
Uvinvuat Moshe Rabbeinu alav hashalom.
Ribono shel olam, atah hanoten laye'ef ko'ach,
Ten gam livnei Yisrael ahuvecha ko'ach,
Lehodot lach,
V'rak itcha la'avod,
V'lo le'acher chalilah.
V'sheHashavua, haChodesh v'haShana yavo lanu livri'ut
Ulmazal tov ulivrachah v'lehatzlachah,
Ulechesed,
Ulivnei, chayei arichei umezone revichei,
V'siyata dishmaya lanu ulchol Yisrael,
V'nomar Amen.
Common Questions
It is said at Motzaei Shabbat — literally 'the going out of Shabbat' — the period after nightfall on Saturday when Shabbat has ended. According to the tradition recorded with this prayer, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak encouraged men, women, and children to recite it three times at this moment each week. It is typically said after the Havdalah ceremony, which formally marks the separation between the holy Shabbat and the ordinary weekdays.
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev (1740–1809) was one of the most celebrated figures of early Chassidic Judaism, a student of the tradition founded by the Baal Shem Tov. He was renowned for his extraordinary love of the Jewish people and his bold, intimate way of addressing God — sometimes pleading, sometimes even arguing — always on behalf of his people. He is associated with many prayers and melodies that express deep longing for redemption and closeness with the Divine.
The Hebrew word segulah (סגולה) refers to a spiritual remedy, charm, or practice believed to bring divine protection or blessing. In traditional Jewish literature, certain prayers, Torah portions, or deeds are described as segulot — spiritual aids that are especially effective for particular needs. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak specifically describes this prayer as a 'great segulah for success,' promising that those who recite it faithfully will be blessed in children, life, and livelihood — the three foundational categories of material blessing in Jewish thought.
The Thirteen Principles (Shloshah Asar Ikkarim) are the foundational articles of Jewish faith formulated by Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon — Maimonides — in the twelfth century. They include beliefs such as God's unity and incorporeality, the truth of the Torah, the coming of the Messiah, and the resurrection of the dead. By asking to believe in these principles, the prayer expresses a desire not merely for intellectual assent but for living faith — emunah — that is felt deeply and held steadily through the week ahead.
The prayer weaves together spiritual and material requests in a characteristically Chassidic way, refusing to separate the two. Spiritually, it asks for complete faith, trust in the sages, love of friends, closeness to God, and belief in the coming redemption and resurrection. Materially, it asks for health, good fortune, blessing, success, kindness, children, long life, and ample livelihood — summarized in the Aramaic phrase 'benei, chayei arichei umezone revichei,' which has deep roots in Jewish liturgical tradition.