Hear, Israel

Adonoy is our God, Adonoy is one!

In truth, the openings to repentance

are emphasized throughout the Torah.

I focus on it constantly.

To specify [sin] is right for it,

with broken heart subdued

—yieldingly, unwearied—

to Him Who dons pride.

Hear Israel!

Adonoy is our God,

Adonoy is one!

Dressed in pride and vengeance

to save the oppressed people,

He will heal your sadness

by giving what is sweeter than honey.¹

footnotes: ¹ The Torah.

Honey and milk on your tongue

when you recite Shema Yisroel.

With pleasing voice pray;

honor Adonoy with your gift.²

footnotes: ² Your talents.

Hear Israel!

Adonoy is our God,

Adonoy is One!

Gifts from your wealth³ liberate you,

footnotes: ³ For charity.

let you repose before the great.

Love Him who Redeems you from mud,⁴

footnotes: ⁴ From affliction.

with all your heart and all your soul.

Your soul is guarded from evil

when you bow to Your Rock in service.

If your body is kept from evil,

you merit worthy offspring.

Hear Israel!

Adonoy is our God,

Adonoy is One!

Holy offspring, likened to fish,⁵

footnotes: ⁵ That will increase and multiply like fish.

are always slaughtered like lambs;

sheltered under the King’s wings,

those who cling to the living God.

Life and the sword are intertwined.

So study the oral and the written⁶

footnotes: ⁶ The Oral Torah and the Written Torah.

to be spared being sliced by blades.

Adonoy, grant good to the good.

The guardian⁷ of communities gathered,

footnotes: ⁷ The Almighty.

circumscribed His presence to grant it,⁸

footnotes: ⁸ The Torah.

to illuminate darkness to light.

To the upright, praise is appropriate.

Praise and power to our Redeemer,

the One Who shelters and protects us.

Show favor to us;

may Your kindliness, Adonoy, be upon us.

Do unto us as You promised,

“And yet for all that,

when they are in the land of their enemies,

I will not reject them

and I will not abhor them, to destroy them,

to annul My covenant with them;

for I am Adonoy, their God.”

Be accessible to us when we seek You,

as it is written:

“And from there

you will seek Adonoy, your God,

and you will find Him;

if you search after Him

with all your heart

and with all your soul.”

Open our hearts

to love Your Name,

as it is written in Your Torah:

“And Adonoy, your God will open your heart,

and the heart of your descendants,

to love Adonoy, your God,

with all your heart,

and with all your soul,

that you may live.”

Sprinkle clean water upon us,

and cleanse us, as it is written:

“And I will sprinkle clean water upon you,

and you will be clean;

from all your defilements,

and from all your idols,

I will cleanse you.”

Sweep aside our transgressions

as a thick cloud and as a mist,

as You have promised:

“I have swept away like a thick cloud

your transgressions,

and like a mist, your sins;

return to Me, for I have redeemed You.”

Blot out our transgressions for Your sake,

as You promised:

“I, I [alone] am He

Who blots out your transgressions

for My own sake;

and your sins, I will not recall.”

Make our sins as white as snow or wool,

as it is written:

“Come now, let us reason together,

says Adonoy,

though your sins be as scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they be red as crimson,

they shall become [white] as wool.”

Have compassion on us and do not destroy us,

as it is written:

“For an Almighty of mercy is Adonoy,

your God;

He will not abandon you or destroy you,

and He will not forget

the covenant of your fathers

which He swore to them.”

Gather our dispersed ones, as it is written:

“If your dispersed

are in the farthermost part of heaven,

from there Adonoy, your God will gather you,

and from there He will take you.”

Bring back our captivity

and have compassion on us,

as it is written:

“And Adonoy, your God will return

your captivity and have compassion on you;

and He will again gather you

from [among] all the peoples,

where Adonoy, your God has scattered you.”

Bring us to Your holy mountain,

and make us joyful in Your House of Prayer,

as it is written:

“And I will bring them to My holy mountain,

and make them joyful in My House of Prayer;

their burnt-offerings and sacrifices

will be accepted with favor on My Altar,

for My House,

will be called a House of Prayer

for all peoples.”