Suggested Kavenah for Saying Prior to Prayer

This Kavenah is recommended by the ARI - Rabbi Issac Luria to be said prior to our morning prayer or any prayer. It may be said prior to any prayer yet it is sufficient to say only once per 24 hour period.

This is not actually an admonition not a prayer. The Kabbalah teaches that the purpose of all Mitzvot is to cleanse ourselves so that we elevate our consicousness to the level of Vayahavta LeRayaCha Camocha which is Love Your Neighbor As Yourself. That is what is said in this admonition. We are asking for help in acheiving this level of consciousness.

Here is the Hebrew

הריני מקבל עלי מצות עשה של ואהבת לרעך כמוך

Transliteration

Haraini MiKaBel AhLai Mitzvat AhSay Shel VeAhHaVTa LeRayAhCha KaMoCha.

Translation

I accept upon myself the active Mitzvah of Loving My Neighbor As Myself.

Kavenah

By making this statement i have the intention to grow my consciousness to this level with the Help of HaShem.

VeAhAVTa which connects to the emotion of love, has a gematria of 414. 414 is 2 times 207. 207 is the gematria of the Hebrew word Ohr meaning Light

Here is another Admonition - Hebrew Verse to say

והריני אוהב את כל אחד מכני ישראל כנפשי ומאודי

Transliteration

VeHaRaiNi OhHaiV Eht KoL EhChaD MiBNai YiSRaEhL KeNaFShi UMOhDi

Translation

I declare that i love each and every one of the souls of Israel with all of my soul and with all of my strength.

Kavenah

Here is a statement to do the Mitzvah of Prayer

והריני מזמן פה שלי להתפלל לפני מלך מלכי המלכים הקדוש ברוך הוא

Transliteration

VeHaRaiNi MeZaMaiN Peh SheLi LeHeTPaLeL LiFNai MeLeCh MaLChai HaMaLaKiM HaKaDoSh BaRuCh Hu

Translation

My Mouth is Preparing to Pray Before the King of All Kings, The Holy Blessed One

Kavenah

The purpose of declaring these statements as admonitions is to set my consciousness to perform these MItzvot. The Admonition sets my intention and direction which is the essence of Kavenah.