The following prayer was composed by Rabbi Meir ben Isaac.

Receive our prayer, accept our supplication

in place of the fragrance

of the continual morning offering.¹

footnotes: ¹ After the destruction of the Temple, prayers replaced the daily offerings. See Mesechet Berachos 26b.

Consider those who rise to praise Your Name,

as though they had been privileged

to remove the ashes from the Altar.²

footnotes: ² The removal of the ashes from the Altar was the first function of the sacrificial order.

Accept their worship [prayers]

in the sanctuary [synagogues] of their exile

as if it were the “Chavittin” in the Temple.³

footnotes: ³ These were daily meal offerings brought by the Kohen Gadol.

Listen to our reading [of the Sh’ma]

and the order of our Amidah prayers,

as the burning of the limbs and fat pieces.⁴

footnotes: ⁴ If these were not consumed on the Altar at night, they were placed at the sides of the Altar in the morning. See Mesechet Tamid 2:1.

Consider the spreading of our hands [in prayer]

towards heaven,

as the bringing up of the ashes to the heap.⁵

footnotes: ⁵ The sacrificial ashes were heaped on the Altar.

Consider our facing eastward [in prayer]

as the wood on the Altar that faced eastward.⁶

footnotes: ⁶ See Mesechet Tamid 2:4.

May it be pleasant before You

how they place their feet together at prayer,⁷

footnotes: ⁷ During the Amidah prayers.

as the service of the [proper] kohain

when he arranged the two wood piles.⁸

footnotes: ⁸ One on the sacrificial Altar and one on the incense Altar.

Count the steps

of those who approach You in worship,

as those of the kohanim in the Sanctuary

who rushed to draw lots [to serve You].⁹

footnotes: ⁹ The priests drew lots each day for the privilege of performing various services in the Temple.

May our rising early to pray at dawn,

as the stars go up in song, be considered

as those who announced the dawn,

evoking the merit of Hebron.¹⁰

footnotes: ¹⁰ Before the daily morning sacrifice was offered, they would go up on the roof to see if the daylight had reached Hebron, where the Patriarchs are buried.

The presiding kohain ordered

that a lamb be brought

from the chamber [pen] of lambs,

which was carefully examined [for blemishes].

From a golden vessel

it was given to drink,¹¹

footnotes: ¹¹ This was done to facilitate the skinning which was done later.

and was examined again by torchlight.

The kohain who won the privilege

of offering the daily sacrifice—

and who allotted twelve of his brethren

[the privilege of assisting him]—brought the lamb to the slaughter house.

He delayed the slaughtering

until the large gate was opened.

He maneuvered his hand, up to his elbow,

into the opening of the gate [to open one lock]

two keys were needed for opening the gate.

When the door turned on its hinges,

it would give out a creaking sound

that was heard in the plain of Jericho.

The diligent [kohanim]

carefully bound [the lamb],

binding the fore and hind legs

as Isaac was bound on Mount Moriah.

The second ring merited

that it be used for slaughtering,¹²

footnotes: ¹² This ring was used to hold the head of the lamb when it was slaughtered.

both the morning and afternoon sacrifices

were performed facing the sun.¹³

footnotes: ¹³ In the morning it was offered in the northwest corner and in the evening in the northeast so as to face the sun.

The blood was sprinkled twice

against the four sides of the Altar—

once on the northeast corner

and once on the southwest corner.

The remaining blood was poured out

at the southern base of the Altar;

and the lamb had to be skinned,

and totally consumed by fire

as an offering to the Most High.

The operation of the dissection [of the lamb]

is too lengthy to describe,

silence is better than to weary the congregation.

Nine kohanim performed the offering

joined by three others who were privileged

to perform the pan-offering,

the fine flour offering and the wine libation.

Then, on the western side of the ramp,

the pieces were salted;

and then they went into the Stone Chamber

to read the [morning] Sh’ma.

At the signal they recited one blessing;¹⁴

footnotes: ¹⁴ After receiving a signal from the presiding kohain, they recited the blessing of “אַהֲבָה רַבָּה,” the blessing before the Sh’ma.

they also recited the “Ten Commandments,”

and an additional blessing on the Sabbath.

They recited True and firm and the Avodah,¹⁵

footnotes: ¹⁵ The seventeenth blessing of the Amidah.

and the “Priestly Blessing” [in which]

they blessed the people a benificent blessing

New kohanim were selected by lot

for the privilege of offering the incense,

and he who was chosen once, could not repeat

because it enriched the one who performed it.

At the fourth lot, all kohanim participated,

for the privilege of carrying the pieces

to the square [Altar].¹⁶

footnotes: ¹⁶ The Altar was a square.

Then they sounded the “Magrephah”

which produced many sounds,¹⁷

footnotes: ¹⁷ The Magrephah had ten holes each of which was capable of producing ten different sounds. See Mesechet Arachin 10b.

and its sound was heard in Jericho.¹⁸

footnotes: ¹⁸ Jericho was known as the city of psalms.

Levites and kohanim were trained at its sound

to be ready

for song and worshipful kneeling.

They quickly ran up the steps of the Vestibule,

the kohanim who had to remove the ashes

from the inner Altar

took the basket of ashes and withdrew.

Another cleaned the “Menorah”;

rekindled the extinguished lamps,

and took the vessel with the Menorah’s ashes

and hurriedly went on his way.

Another kohain spread¹⁹

footnotes: ¹⁹ This kohain had the privilege of bringing burning coals from the outer-altar to the golden altar.

the burning coals with the back of the censer;

he bowed and withdrew.

Another heaped the incense on the coals

from the center of the Altar outwards;²⁰

footnotes: ²⁰ Towards himself.

they taught him to spread them in this manner

so that his arms should not be burned.

Trembling, they quickly withdrew

during the burning of the incense,²¹

footnotes: ²¹ They were not permitted to have benefit from the holy aroma.

this was done secretly to atone

for slander [which is done in secret].

Fixed according to the breaches²²

footnotes: ²² The Greeks made thirteen breaches in the wall by which they entered into Jerusalem.

were the number of prostrations [they made]

to appease the living Almighty.

Those who were girded with swords²³

footnotes: ²³ Kohanim were composed to soldiers who knew their duties in battle.

pronounced the Divine Name as it is written,

and not with its appellations

when they recited one Priestly Blessing,²⁴

footnotes: ²⁴ Outside the temple, however, the Priestly Blessings were divided into three blessings as we have it today.

lifting their hands over their heads.

Whenever the Kohain Gadol desired

he could take part in the sacrificial order;

the Vice Kohain Gadol would be at his right

as they walked up the ramp [to the Altar].

The other kohanim came near him

and handed him the pieces

upon which he laid his hands

and threw them into the fire.

And then into the special openings

he poured the [wine] libations.

The Vice Kohain Gadol stood

and waved a cloth.²⁵

footnotes: ²⁵ This was a signal that the libations were completed.

The trumpeteers²⁶ came

footnotes: ²⁶ These were kohanim.

and stood next to Ben Arza²⁷

footnotes: ²⁷ A member of the only family who knew how to make these sounds.

who with his thumb and middle finger

caused the tsaltsal²⁸ was a musical instrument that could be heard at a distance. to be heard.

footnotes: ²⁸ The tsaltsal

When the Levites heard the sound,

they chanted songs of praise;

at the conclusion of each psalm,

they sounded trumpets

and prostrated themselves.

This was the order of the daily service

in the House of our God—

may it be speedily restored.

May the daily morning offering

be fulfilled through our recounting of it,

and serve as atonement for Jeshurun [Israel].

The same order of the morning sacrifice,

and for the meal and wine offerings,

was used for the evening sacrifice.

Eleven kohanim were privileged to offer it,²⁹

footnotes: ²⁹ Two more than the morning sacrifice.

two of whom held the two wooden logs.³⁰

footnotes: ³⁰ Which were used to maintain the fires on the Altar.

The lamb offerings subdued

and washed away iniquities;

and the innocence of a year old child

was brought upon the treasured [people].

These sacrifices were like a mighty advocate

making it possible for righteousness to abide

in the city of our God,

may God [soon] restore it.

Be not silent [you Angels]

appointed as guardians [of Jerusalem]

say: “And You shall rise and be merciful.”

May the Jerusalem built in heaven

be established and be renowned on earth.

And may the great angel [Michael] rise

to plead for his people

that evil be removed from them.

May their cry³¹ adorn You as a crown,

footnotes: ³¹ Their cry of supplication.

and ascend the heavenly Altar

as a burnt-offering.

And you, the awesome angel [Gabriel],

who stands behind the veil of separation,³²

footnotes: ³² Pargod refers to the separation between the sky and the Shechina. See Mesechet Berachos 18b.

recommend our righteousness

and bind our merits together,

as you once interceded favorably for Daniel,

and thereby regained your original high rank.³³

footnotes: ³³ See Mesechet Yoma 77a for explanation of this incident.

On behalf of Israel, plead for justice,

stand before the Master, Adonoy.³⁴

footnotes: ³⁴ This is addressed to Michael and Gabriel.

Let righteousness arouse His mercy as myrrh,

and appear before Him

with the attribute of mercy.