This prayer is based on the Midrash of the ten martyrs who were killed by the Romans. It was written by Rav Yoel ben Yitzchok HaLevi.

Your “friends”¹ are dear, Master, Creator I shall wait for God and hope [for His help] [that You take vengeance] from the enemy that maltreats My nation. For this shall one pray. Let every pious person pray and let him don sackcloths² to free the legs of those who are tied in chains. As of now Your servants are still smitten. “These are flogged.”¹

footnotes: ¹ “Friends,” the righteous are considered God’s “friends.” ² As a sign of suffering. ¹ “These are flogged.” Each verse ends with a punishment meted out by the בֵּית דִין—the Jewish court.

We have sinned to You, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

They smite and strike with whips [the people known as] My one nation.³ My drink was blended with tears. From the deepest pits I called Your Name: Where [and when will I find] my hope? My hope was for peace. [But within our] homes there is fear. I did not hide from disgrace.⁴ Beloved Israel is slaughtered upon the hills and mountains. “These are the sin-offerings.”¹

footnotes: ³ I.e. Israel. ⁴ For I was accustomed to it. ¹ “These are flogged.” Each verse ends with a punishment meted out by the בֵּית דִין—the Jewish court.

We have sinned to You, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

The sins have overpowered and they [therefore] torture Your inheritance.⁵ And we are considered as sheep for slaughter. The best of us are trapped for our sins.⁶ We are truly at fault for [that which happens to] our brothers. Our brothers, the unfortunate Jews, all their blood is spilled as waste, and their flesh is beaten with thorns and bramble. “These are those who are stoned.”¹

footnotes: ⁵ I.e. Israel is tortured by the nations. ⁶ I.e. the righteous are punished for the sins of the rest. ¹ “These are flogged.” Each verse ends with a punishment meted out by the בֵּית דִין—the Jewish court.

We have sinned to You, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

Your young are stoned before Your eyes on [sanctifying Your Name⁷ by] death, and the enemy has prepared for him instruments of death, and has said: “Truly the bitterness of death has reached you.”⁸ We hoped for light, but, He turned it to darkness of death. In the place of deep darkness, their voice [still] chirps.⁹ And from the [great] sound of the crier my limbs tremble and turn weak. They withstood tests and were found to be purified. “These are those who are burned.”¹

footnotes: ⁷ “Sanctify Your name’—קִדוּשׁ הַשֵׁם—the act of giving one’s life for God. ⁸ I.e. your end has come. ⁹ ‘In … chirps,” i.e. despite great despair we don’t cease to pray. ¹ “These are flogged.” Each verse ends with a punishment meted out by the בֵּית דִין—the Jewish court.

We have sinned to You, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

They¹⁰ were burned [together] with their books, they were burned together on the pyre and they sanctified the Holy of Jacob Who is the only One. The entire nation answered as one that He is One. At [the word] One their souls departed [they who were] gentle and tender, and for this day their souls thirsted.¹¹ They gave themselves up to destroyers and murderers. “These are those who die by the sword.”¹

footnotes: ¹⁰ The children who studied Torah. ¹¹ They always desired to give their lives for God. ¹ “These are flogged.” Each verse ends with a punishment meted out by the בֵּית דִין—the Jewish court.

We have sinned to You, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

The killed have become many the student with his master. They were bitten by the snake, poisonous serpent, and scorpion and their blood mixed on the barren rock when many [of Israel] fell. Old and young and righteous people that are beloved to one another in their lifetime and not separated in their death; they accept Your yoke [then] are killed by strangulation. “These are those who are strangled.”¹

footnotes: ¹ “These are flogged.” Each verse ends with a punishment meted out by the בֵּית דִין—the Jewish court.

We have sinned to You, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

The strangled went for their reward and to their dwelling they come to rest.¹² [Yet], the enemy insults and abuses Your Name. And [from] the wounds of] my flesh they were not satisfied and they [continue] to wound us, “And also the dead do they divide.”¹³ They slice chunks of flesh from the circumcised¹⁴ naked, they scattered them and rolled them in [their] blood; and ridiculed them and there was none to embarrass them.¹⁵ “These are those who are exiled.”¹

footnotes: ¹² I.e. they come to their share in the World to Come. ¹³ Even after having murdered, they ruthlessly defile the body. ¹⁴ I.e. the nation that is circumcised—Israel. ¹⁵ I.e. the murderous nations. ¹ “These are flogged.” Each verse ends with a punishment meted out by the בֵּית דִין—the Jewish court.

We have sinned to You, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

Those who are exiled, their enemies conspire against them to [coerce them] to consult the dead¹⁶ [something] which is a perversion in My eyes. [When they saw that their efforts were fruitless], they said: “Remove the curser [of idols],” remove him from my presence.”¹⁷ Oh! would that we died at the hands of God.¹⁸ God, in Your hands are the dead in piles and bundles. And they [the enemies] arranged pyres to do evil to the throngs. Let their blood be gathered before You!¹⁹ “These are the public sin-offerings.”¹

footnotes: ¹⁶ ‘Consult the dead’—a pagan practice. ¹⁷ To be put to death. ¹⁸ Rather than at the hands of our enemies. ¹⁹ I.e., avenge their blood. ¹ “These are flogged.” Each verse ends with a punishment meted out by the בֵּית דִין—the Jewish court.

We have sinned to You, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

The congregation,²⁰ set themselves afire to be tested,²¹ and the youngsters did not procrastinate from sanctifying [His Name] by questioning [God’s motives]. They were removed from the Chamber of Sheep²² without examination,²³ for there they sacrificed righteous sacrifices. Wrap Yourself in righteousness and justice, to avenge me, for they have devastated the inheritor²⁴ and [thus] extinguished my ember. Why is my pain constant, my wound so serious? And were it only that we were sold to slavery I would have remained silent.

footnotes: ²⁰ Of Israel. ²¹ To test their own commitment to God. ²² ‘They removed … sheep’—they offered even their young as sacrifices. ²³ I.e. without the necessary inspection of the sacrifices; meant here to express the lack of hesitation in sanctifying His Holy Name. ²⁴ The righteous of Israel who inherit and pass down the ways of Israel to future generations.

We have sinned to You, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

I remained silent as a deaf-mute while the enemy abused and disgraced [You]. They ceased fearing You and followed emptiness.²⁵ He (the enemy) refused gratuity or to accept ransom²⁶ for [his goal is] to destroy the soul. The destroyer sliced her²⁷ pregnant ones, to destroy his offspring and they kneeled [expelling] their children through the fissures. And [they destroyer] said: “Where is his God, that can save him from me? And woe to the one [nation] that falls without anyone to raise him.”

footnotes: ²⁵ I.e. idol worship. ²⁶ He refused to be bribed and give up his ruthless desire for murder. ²⁷ I.e. Israel’s.

We have sinned to You, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

[God] rise up to raise her.²⁸ How long will they [continue to] disgrace me; that whoever finds me slaughters me? Therefore, I cry with bitter tears, [thus], do not rush to console me, [for] I have soiled my radiance with dirt. My strength was cut down by pitfalls that strangers dug, and they buried them alive in the perforation of the rocks. The earth covered them [where] they died amongst the murdered. “These are those that are buried.”¹

footnotes: ²⁸ I.e. Israel. ¹ “These are flogged.” Each verse ends with a punishment meted out by the בֵּית דִין—the Jewish court.

We have sinned to You, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

The buried and the slaughtered, may they rise [to You] as perfect incense to give us life, a remnant, and redemption;²⁹ and let the stone be removed from the wells of the suffering.³⁰ Let the righteous one rejoice when he sees the day of vengeance. Let Him pay vengeance to His enemies, Edom and Ishmael, for they profaned my holy one³¹ and his associate Rabbon Simon b. Gamliel. Be not silent over their [spilt] blood and do not rest, O God. Avenge the vengeance of the Israelites!

footnotes: ²⁹ ‘The buried … redemption’ i.e. let the merit of those who gave their life to sanctify Your Name serve to keep alive and bring redemption to those of us who are left. ³⁰ ‘And let … suffering’—a play on the story when Jacob (בני יעקן) removed the stone from the well where he met Rachel. ‘יעקן‘ is derived from ‘עָקָא‘ i.e.—suffering. ³¹ A reference to R’ Ishmael the High Priest.

We have sinned to You, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator.

Remember to us the covenant of the Patriarchs, as You promised, “And I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember,” and the land I will remember.