יָדוּעַ וּמְקוּבָּל בְּעִנְיַן הַכַּוָּנוֹת שֶׁבִּתְפִלָּה, אֲשֶׁר אֵלּוּ שֶׁאֵין דַּעְתָּם יָפָה לְכַוֵּן, מִפְּנֵי הֶעְדֵּר הַיְדִיעָה אוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין בְּכֹחָם לִזְכּוֹר כַּוָּנוֹת הַפְּרָטִיּוֹת בְּעֵת הַתְּפִלָּה, מַסְפִּיק שֶׁיְּכַוְּנוּ כַּוָּנָה כְּלָלִית: לִהְיוֹת תְּפִלָּתוֹ נִשְׁמַעַת לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ עִם כָּל הַכַּוָּנוֹת הַמְבוֹאָרוֹת בְּסִפְרֵי קַבָּלָה.

There is a well-known tradition concerning individuals who do not have the mental ability to concentrate on the kavanos, the mystical concepts to be meditated upon in the course of the prayers, either because they are not familiar with them, or because they cannot recall the specific concepts at the appropriate points in the course of the prayers: It is sufficient that they have in mind a comprehensive kavanah — that their prayers should be heard by G‑d as if [they were recited] with all the kavanos that are set out in the Kabbalistictexts.1

A Pearl to Cherish

In the letter from which this passage is taken, the Rebbe Rayatz continues (in Yiddish): “When a Jew starts to pray, and thinks in his heart, ‘Master of the Universe, may my prayer be considered as if I had in mind all of the mystical concepts of the Kabbalah,’that is certainly enough, for G‑d hears everyone’s prayers.”2