Our God and God of our fathers,

remember us favorably before You

and be mindful of us for

deliverance and compassion

from the eternal high heavens.

Remember in our behalf, Adonoy, our God:

the love of our ancestors,

Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yisrael, Your servants;

the covenant, the kindness,

and the oath which You swore

to our father Avraham on Mount Moriah,

and the binding

of Yitzchak, his son

on the altar,

as it is written in Your Torah.³⁷

footnotes: ³⁷ Bereishis 22:1-19:

After these events,³⁸

footnotes: ³⁸ These events refer to the previous nine tests by which Hashem tested Avraham. This was to be the tenth and the most difficult test of all.—Ha’amek Dovor

God tested Avraham

and said to him, “Avraham!”

and he [Avraham] said, “Here I am.”

He said, “Please, take your son,

your only one,³⁹

footnotes: ³⁹ Yitzchak was Avraham’s only son by Sarah.

whom you love—Yitzchak—

and go to the land of Moriah,

and bring him up as a burnt-offering

on one of the mountains

which I will designate to you.

Avraham awoke early in the morning,

saddled his donkey,

and took his two attendants⁴⁰ with him,

footnotes: ⁴⁰ Yishmael and Eliezer.—Rashi

and also his son Yitzchak.

He split the wood of the burnt-offering,

and rose up, and went to the place

that God had designated to him.

On the third day,

Avraham lifted his eyes

and saw the place from afar.

Avraham said to his attendants,

“You stay here with the donkey,

and I and the boy will go to that place.

We will prostrate ourselves [in worship]

and return⁴¹ to you.”

footnotes: ⁴¹ Avraham prophesied that both of them would return.—Rashi

And Avraham took

the wood of the burnt-offering

and placed it on his son Yitzchak.

In his hand he took

the fire and the knife,⁴²

footnotes: ⁴² The Hebrew word is “maacheles” (root: אכל = to eat) which means that it renders meat fit for eating through slaughtering the animal. Another interpretation is: his knife is called maacheles because we still enjoy (eat) the reward of Avraham’s virtue when he agreed to use it to slaughter his son.—Rashi

and they both went together.

Yitzchak spoke to Avraham his father

and said, “Father,”

and he said, “Here I am my son.”

He said, “Here are the fire and the wood,

but where is the lamb for the burnt-offering?”

Avraham said,

“God Himself will show the lamb

for a burnt offering, my son.”

And the two of them went together.⁴³

footnotes: ⁴³ Although Yitzchak understood that he was going to be slaughtered, “They went together”— with like hearts.—Rashi

They came to the place

that God had designated to him,

and Avraham built the⁴⁴ altar there,

footnotes: ⁴⁴ The Torah says that he built “the” altar not just “an” altar, to indicate that Avraham rebuilt the same altar which was originally built by Adam and used by Kayin, Hevel and by No’ach.—Targum Yonoson ben Uziel

and arranged the wood,

and bound his son Yitzchak,

and placed him on the altar,

on top of the wood.

Avraham reached out his hand

and took the knife

to slaughter his son.

An angel of Adonoy called to him

from heaven

and said, “Avraham! Avraham!”

and he said, “Here I am.”

He [God] said,

“Do not harm the boy,

nor do anything to him;

for now I know

that you are one who fears God

and have not withheld your son,

your only one, from Me.”

Avraham raised his eyes

and beheld a ram⁴⁵

footnotes: ⁴⁵ Tradition tells us that this ram was prepared for this purpose from the time of creation. Rashi (from Maseches Avos 5:6)

after it had been caught in the thicket

by its horns;

and Avraham went and took the ram,

and brought it up as a burnt-offering

instead of his son.

Avraham called

the name of that place,

“Adonoy will see”;⁴⁶

footnotes: ⁴⁶ The Midrash interprets the following: “Hashem will see the binding of Yitzchak and through its merit He will pardon Yisrael every year and rescue them from trouble. It will thus be said, “On this day,” by all generations that the ashes of Yitzchak are seen by Hashem and serve as our atonement.—Rashi

as it is said [to] this day

“On Adonoy’s mountain, He will be seen.”

An angel of Adonoy called to Avraham

a second time from heaven, and said,

“‘I have sworn by Myself,’ declares Adonoy,

‘that because you performed

this deed,

and did not withhold

your only son,

I will greatly bless you

and make your descendants as numerous⁴⁷

footnotes: ⁴⁷ If these blessings were intended to increase the population of Avraham’s descendants, it was superfluous, since Hashem had previously blessed him for that purpose. Hashem here blessed the descendants of Avraham with the nobility of spirit and courage to fulfill the command to sanctify Hashem even when self-sacrifice is required. Only the nation of Yisrael, Avraham’s children, were commanded to fulfill this mitzvoh, because of the legacy we inherited from him.—Ha’amek Dovor.

as the stars of the sky

and like the sand on the seashore,

and your descendants will inherit

the gate of their enemies.

Through your children, will be blessed

all the nations of the world,

because you heeded My voice.’”

Avraham returned to his attendants,

and they rose and went together

to Beer Sheva,

and Avraham dwelt in Beer Sheva.

Master of the Universe!

May it be Your will

Adonoy, our God and God of our fathers,

to recall for our sake

the covenant of our fathers.

Just as our father, Avraham suppressed

his compassion for his only son

and would have slaughtered him

to do Your will,

so may Your compassion suppress

Your anger against us;

and may Your compassion prevail

over Your [other] attributes,⁴⁸

footnotes: ⁴⁸ This refers to Hashem’s attribute of stern justice.

to deal with us

more leniently than the letter of Your law.

Deal with us, Adonoy, our God,

kindly and with compassion.

In Your great goodness,

turn Your fierce anger away

from Your people, and from Your city,

from Your land,

and from Your territorial heritage.

Fulfill for us, Adonoy, our God,

the promise You made,

through Your servant Moshe, as was said,⁴⁹

footnotes: ⁴⁹ Vayikra 26:42.

“I will recall My covenant with Yaakov,

also My covenant with Yitzchak,

and also My covenant with Avraham

will I recall;

and I will recall the land.”

A person should always be in fear of God,

privately as well as openly,⁵⁰

footnotes: ⁵⁰ Some people conduct themselves in a God-fearing manner in the presence of others (in public), but in the privacy of their homes, do whatever they please. There are others who do just the opposite. In private they are governed by fear of Hashem, but in the presence of others they are too embarrassed or intimidated to be God-fearing. A Jew must always fear Hashem, in private as well as in public.—Si’ach Yitzchak

[he should] admit the truth,⁵¹

footnotes: ⁵¹ Acknowledging the truth is fundamental to serving Hashem, and to all human behavior. One who is concerned merely with “winning the argument” will go to any extreme to come out on top. This attitude caused the downfall of the 250 leaders who joined Korach, rather than acknowledge the truth of Moshe’ declaration (Bamidbar 16:2-35).—Si’ach Yitzchak

and speak truth in his heart,⁵²

footnotes: ⁵² It is not sufficient to merely acknowledge the truth verbally but one must speak truth in his heart as well. Rashi on the Talmud (Maseches Makos 24a) cites the following incident as an example of how one should speak truth in his heart: A buyer once offered to purchase an article from Rav Safra while he was reciting the Shema. Because he could not indicate his acceptance, the anxious purchaser increased his offer. Rav Safra refused the increment because in his heart he had already accepted the original offer.

and rise early and proclaim:

Master of all the worlds!

Not on account of our righteousness

do we offer our supplications before You,

but on account of Your abundant mercy.

What are we? What is our life?

What are our acts of kindness?

What is our righteousness?

What is our deliverance?⁵³

footnotes: ⁵³ Of ourselves or others.

What is our strength? What is our might?

What can we say before You,

Adonoy, our God and God of our fathers?

Are not all the mighty men

as nothing before You?

Famous men as though they had never been?

The wise as if they were without knowledge?

And men of understanding,

as if they were devoid of intelligence?

For most of their actions are a waste,⁵⁴

footnotes: ⁵⁴ In terms of achievement.—Dover Sholom

and the days of their life

are trivial⁵⁵ in Your presence.

footnotes: ⁵⁵ In terms of time.—Dover Sholom

The superiority of man over the beast

is nil,

for all is futile.

However, we are Your people,

children of Your covenant,

children of Avraham, Your beloved,⁵⁶

footnotes: ⁵⁶ Others translate, “Children of Avraham who loved You.” See commentaries on Yeshaya 41:8.

to whom You swore on Mount Moriah;

the seed of Yitzchak, his only son,

who was bound on top of the altar;

the community of Yaakov, Your firstborn,

[whom]—because of Your love for him

and Your joyous delight in him—

You named him Yisrael⁵⁷

footnotes: ⁵⁷ The name Yisrael symbolizes Yaakov’s wandering through history proclaiming the sovereignty of Hashem, while the name Yeshurun indicates his task to fulfill Hashem’s will as revealed to him, and to devote his life to the execution of that which is right in the eyes of Hashem.—S.R. Hirsch

and Yeshurun.⁵⁸

footnotes: ⁵⁸ Devarim 33:5.

Therefore, we are obligated

to thank You,

to praise You, and to glorify You;

to bless, to sanctify,

and to offer praise and thanks to Your Name.

We are fortunate! How good is our portion!

How pleasant is our destiny!

How beautiful is our heritage!

We are fortunate

that we rise early and stay late

evening and morning,

and say twice each day:

“Hear Yisrael, Adonoy is our God,

Adonoy is One.”

Blessed [is His] Name,

Whose glorious kingdom

is forever and ever.

You existed

before the world was created.

You exist [in the same way]

now that the world has been created.

You exist in this world,

and You will exist in the World-to-Come.

Sanctify Your Name

through those who sanctifyYour Name

and sanctify Your Name in Your world.

And through Your deliverance

You will be exalted

and You will uplift our power.

Blessed are You, Adonoy,

the Sanctifier of Your Name

among the multitudes.

You are Adonoy, our God,

in heaven and on earth,

and in the highest heavens.

In truth, You are First,⁵⁹

footnotes: ⁵⁹ We refer to Hashem as “First” to preclude the notion that anything existed before Him, but not to assert that He has a beginning.—Kuzari

and You are Last.⁶⁰

footnotes: ⁶⁰ Similarly, “Last” is used only to repudiate the idea that there is an end to His existence, not to fix a term for Him.—Kuzari

And besides You there is no God.

Gather those who hope in You

from the four corners of the earth.

Let all mankind recognize and know

that You alone are the God⁶¹

footnotes: ⁶¹ Elohim is a descriptive term which signifies Hashem as ruler or judge.—Kuzari

over all the kingdoms of the earth.

You made the heavens,

the earth,

the sea, and all that is in them.

Who is there among all Your handiwork,

among the heavenly or earthly creatures,

that can say to You, “What are You doing?”

Our father in Heaven,

deal kindly with us

for the sake of Your great Name

which is called upon us⁶²

footnotes: ⁶² The Jewish people are called “Hashem’s People” and the name ישר-אל—officers of Hashem “Yisrael,” by which they are called, includes Hashem’s Name.

and fulfill for us, Adonoy, our God

that which is written:

“‘At that time, I will bring you in

and at that time, I will gather you:

for I will make you

renowned and praised

among all the peoples of the earth,

when I bring back your captivity

before your eyes,’ said Adonoy.”⁶³

footnotes: ⁶³ Zephaniah 3:20.