This prayer was composed by Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (the Light of the Exile).

Our God and God of our fathers!

Where are all Your wonders— the great and awesome [wonders] of which our fathers told us, Adonoy of Hosts? When Israel went down to Egypt to slavery and toil, with cords of humanity, You drew them—¹ not with chains.

footnotes: ¹ Jacob and his sons were drawn to Egypt to see Joseph.

Even those who enslaved them with hard labor, who decreed their males be cast in the river, You judged them measure for measure; You brought out the bannered hosts with a wealth of all desired gifts.

The sea and its waves were divided by Your strength, You dried up the Jordan and they crossed it on foot, You sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing; kingdoms and nations were put into their hands.

They rejected the good ways and they were pursued by their oppressors, they cried to You and You heard them, and You appointed deliverers for them. When they lived in the land, they enjoyed all good things, they sinned and were exiled [to Babylon], You remembered to redeem after seventy years.

They joined themselves to falsehood and were left to be trampled, they were forced into exile by men of violence [the Romans], they were forced out of their land, and the time of their return is concealed; they live among the nations as bondsmen.

Strengthen the remnant that escaped, she [Israel] is weakened by the heavy and bitter catastrophe; still feeling the pain of the first calamity² she was quickly struck a second below.³

footnotes: ² The destruction of the First Temple. ³ The destruction of the Second Temple.

From day to day my trouble increases, each new day is worse than yesterday. I am weary of bearing the yoke of the oppressor who says: “Count out and bring heavy taxes.”

Your treasured people are hard pressed by the cruel enemy, she [the enemy] anticipated that they would exchange their faith in God for a faith in man. How long, Adonoy, shall I call [upon You] in distress? Answer me with Divine enlargement, for Your hand is not lacking.

If the gravity of our transgressions have created a barrier between You and us, if the curtain has shut out [our] prayer; Mighty God, beneath Your throne of glory, hollow out a passage, that our cry come before You, that it be accepted before Your glory.

Proclaim a year of favor to relieve me from grief, gather my scattered ones, and go before me, defend me Adonoy against those that strive against my soul; please save me, my holy God.

Break the teeth of the wicked with gravel, may they be childless, their wives widows, destroy them; [and] let their blood be spilled on the ground, let it be poured out; release those who are prepared to die⁴ and betroth them in faithfulness.

footnotes: ⁴ For Your sake.

Repair the breach of the tabernacle of David which is fallen, raise up the city which is lowered to the dust. Comfort her in captivity with double measure, brighten her light and lighten her darkness.

Build Your city as in the days of old, restore Your Altar, Temple, and Entrance Hall, then will Judah and Israel worship You there, —all of them, and Your Name will be magnified forever.

Almighty! King! Who sits on the throne of mercy, governs with kindness forgives the iniquities of His people. He removes their sins one by one, increasing forgiveness to sinners, and pardon to transgressors. Acting righteously with all who are of flesh and spirit; not according to their wickedness does He repay them. Almighty! You instructed us to recite the thirteen Divine attributes; remember unto us this day the covenant of thirteen Divine attributes, as You made them known to the humble Moses of old, as it is written, “And Adonoy descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the Name, Adonoy.

Congregation and Chazzan:

And Adonoy passed before him [Moses]; and proclaimed:

Adonoy, Adonoy, Almighty, Merciful, Gracious, Slow to Anger, and Abundant in Kindness, and Truth. Keeper of kindness for thousands of generations, Endurer of iniquity, and transgression, and sin; and Acquitter of those who repent.” “And pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Your inheritance.”

Pardon us our Father, for we have sinned, forgive us our King, for we have transgressed. “For You, my Master, are good and forgiving, and abounding in kindness to all who call upon You.”