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 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 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, 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.” 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 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 They came to the place that God had designated to him, and Avraham built the⁴⁴ altar there, 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 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 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 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.

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 ³⁹ Yitzchak was Avraham’s only son by Sarah. ⁴⁰ Yishmael and Eliezer.—Rashi ⁴¹ Avraham prophesied that both of them would return.—Rashi 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 ⁴³ Although Yitzchak understood that he was going to be slaughtered, “They went together”— with like hearts.—Rashi 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 ⁴⁵ Tradition tells us that this ram was prepared for this purpose from the time of creation. Rashi (from Maseches Avos 5:6) 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 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.

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 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 “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.”

footnotes: ⁴⁸ This refers to Hashem’s attribute of stern justice. ⁴⁹ Vayikra 26:42.

A person should always be in fear of God, privately as well as openly,⁵⁰ [he should] admit the truth,⁵¹ and speak truth in his heart,⁵² and rise early and proclaim:

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 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 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.

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 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 and the days of their life are trivial⁵⁵ in Your presence. The superiority of man over the beast is nil, for all is futile.

footnotes: ⁵³ Of ourselves or others. ⁵⁴ In terms of achievement.—Dover Sholom ⁵⁵ In terms of time.—Dover Sholom

However, we are Your people, children of Your covenant, children of Avraham, Your beloved,⁵⁶ 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 and Yeshurun.⁵⁸

footnotes: ⁵⁶ Others translate, “Children of Avraham who loved You.” See commentaries on Yeshaya 41:8. 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 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 and You are Last.⁶⁰ 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 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 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: 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 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 ⁶¹ Elohim is a descriptive term which signifies Hashem as ruler or judge.—Kuzari 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. ⁶³ Zephaniah 3:20.