Ana Bekoach
A mystical kabbalistic prayer of seven verses, invoking divine power to untangle the knots of the soul and restore harmony.
Original
Transliteration
Ana b'khoach, g'dulat y'mincha, tatir tz'rurah.
Translation
We beg You, with the great strength of Your right hand, release the bound one.
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Quick answer
Ana Bekoach is a mystical Jewish prayer of seven verses containing the sacred 42-letter Name of God. It is recited to release blockages, invite healing, and draw down divine light.
- Tradition
- Jewish Chants
- Language
- Hebrew
- Repetitions
- Once with deep intention, or seven times — one for each verse and divine attribute.
- Best time
- Friday afternoon before Shabbat, and during the daily morning prayers.
- Best for
- Removing spiritual and energetic blockages, Deep healing and inner cleansing, Protection from harm
Line by line
Ana b'khoach
We beg You — a humble opening cry of the soul.
G'dulat y'mincha
With the greatness of Your right hand — Your infinite mercy and power.
Tatir tz'rurah
Release what is bound — untangle the knots of our souls, our lives, our world.
Meaning
Literal
A plea for God to use divine strength to release, heal, and restore what has become bound, tangled, or broken.
Spiritual interpretation
Ana Bekoach is considered one of the most powerful prayers in the Jewish mystical tradition. Attributed to the 1st-century sage Rabbi Nechunya ben HaKanah, it encodes the sacred 42-letter Name of God within its seven verses, each verse corresponding to a day of the week and a divine attribute (chesed, gevurah, tiferet, netzach, hod, yesod, malchut). Reciting it is said to open channels of blessing, dissolve obstacles, and restore the flow of light into the soul.
What this mantra is used for
How to chant
Recite slowly and with kavanah (intention). Kabbalists meditate on the first letter of each of the seven verses — spelling out the sacred 42-letter Name — while visualizing divine light untangling the knots within body, mind, and soul.
When to chant
Friday afternoon before Shabbat, and during the daily morning prayers.
Traditional count: Once with deep intention, or seven times — one for each verse and divine attribute.
Origin & context
Attributed to the 1st-century Talmudic sage Rabbi Nechunya ben HaKanah. Elevated to central importance in the Kabbalistic tradition, especially by the 16th-century mystics of Safed, and included in daily Jewish liturgy.
Related mantras
Shema Yisrael
The central Jewish declaration of faith — a sacred proclamation of God's oneness recited twice daily for over three thousand years.
Shalom Aleichem
The traditional Shabbat evening song welcoming the ministering angels of peace into the home.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 42-letter Name of God?+
The first letter of each of the seven verses of Ana Bekoach, taken together, spell one of the most sacred names of God in Kabbalah — a name of divine mercy and creative power.
When should I recite Ana Bekoach?+
Traditionally it is recited daily in the morning prayers and on Friday afternoon as Shabbat approaches. Mystics recite it whenever they feel bound by fear, illness, or spiritual heaviness.