This prayer was composed by Benjamin ben Zarach

Our God, and God of our fathers!

How can we open our mouths before You,

O’ One Who dwells in the heavens;

in what manner

can we pour out our words of prayer?

We have rejected

Your upright and honest ways,

[instead] we cling to abominations,

and acts of corruption.

We have adhered

to false and misleading concepts,

we have been stubborn and brazen;

You were angered at us,

[the Temple,] our secure abode,

You destroyed

and the pleasing aroma of sacrifices ceased.

Banished and uprooted

are the priests, the anointed ones,

who knew how to arrange burnt-offerings

and other sacrifices [on the Altar];

You warned us many times

through the prophets, Your messengers;

we did not take heed or listen

to those who admonished us.

From then and even till now

we have been scattered [among the nations,]

we have been killed,

slaughtered and butchered.

We are a bare remnant [among the nations]

who tear at us like painful thorns;

our eyes fail with disappointment

for we have found no relief.

Those who enslave Your people,

who bow down to false gods—

why do they succeed morning till night?

They rise against You saying with scorn:

“Shattered ones [Israel,]

in whom do you trust?”

You Who live eternally, holy One!

See the humiliation of those who groan,

they rely on You, and to You they cleave.

With the awesome might of Your right hand,

deliver them for eternity—

for in Your abundant mercy,

we trust.

This prayer was composed by Rav Sadyah Gaon 892–942

For in Your abundant mercy

we trust,

and on Your righteousness, we rely,

and for Your pardon, we hope,

and for Your deliverance, we yearn.

You are a King

Who loves righteousness from of old,

Who passes over the iniquities of His people,

and removes the sins of those who fear Him.

You made a covenant with the Patriarchs,

and will keep [Your] oath

with their descendants.

You are He Who descended

in the cloud of Your glory, on Mount Sinai,

and disclosed the ways of Your goodness

to Moses, Your servant.

The ways of Your kindliness,

You revealed to him;

and You made known to him

that You are Almighty, Merciful, Gracious,

Slow to anger, Abounding in kindness,

and full of beneficence,

guiding the entire world

with the quality of mercy.

And so it is written:

“And He said:

‘I will cause to pass

all My goodness before you,

and I will proclaim the Name, Adonoy

in your presence;

I will be gracious

to whom I will be gracious,

and I will be compassionate

to whom I will be compassionate.’”

You are Almighty, Slow to Anger,

Lord of Mercy, You are called,

and the way of repentance, You have taught us.

The greatness of Your mercy and kindliness,

remember this day and every day

for the descendants of Your loved ones.

Turn to us with compassion

for You are the Lord of Mercy.

With supplication and prayer

we approach Your Presence,

as You made known

to [Moses,] the modest one of old.

From Your fierce anger turn,

as it is written in Your Torah.

In the shadow of Your wings,

may we be sheltered and lodged,

as on the day [of which it is said:]

“When Adonoy descended in the cloud.”¹

footnotes: ¹ Exodus 34:6.

Remove [our] transgression,

and blot out [our] iniquity,

as on the day [of which it is said:]

“And He stood with him there.”¹

footnotes: ¹ Exodus 34:6.

Give ear to our cry

and listen to our speech,

as on the day [of which it is said:]

“And He proclaimed the Name, Adonoy”¹

footnotes: ¹ Exodus 34:6.

And there it is said:

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.”²

footnotes: ² Exodus 34:7.

“And pardon our iniquity and our sin,

and take us for Your inheritance.”³

footnotes: ³ Exodus 34:9.

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.

The pious have disappeared from the earth,

and uprightness in man no longer exists.

No one calls with Your Name in righteousness,

inspired to be steadfast with You.

Deliver us Adonoy

for the devoted man has ceased,

for the faithful have disappeared

from among the sons of man.

For with You is the source of life,

in Your light shall we see light.

For with Adonoy there is loving-kindness,

and with Him there is much redemption.

And He will redeem Israel

from all its iniquities.

As a father has compassion on his children

so do You have compassion on us, Adonoy.

Deliverance is Adonoy’s;

upon Your people is Your blessing. Selah!

Adonoy of Hosts is with us,

a stronghold for us is the God of Jacob. Selah!

Adonoy of Hosts!

fortunate is the man who trusts in You.

Adonoy, deliver us!

the King will answer us on the day we call.

The Chazzan repeats after the congregation:

“Please pardon the sins of this nation

in accordance with the greatness

of Your lovingkindness;

and as You forgave this people

from when it left Egypt until now.”

And there it is said:

The Congregation says:

“And Adonoy said,

I have pardoned [them] as you have asked.”

Incline Your ear, my God, and hear,

open Your eyes and behold our desolate places,

and the city which is called by Your Name;

for it is not on account of our righteousness

that we let fall our supplication before You,

but because of Your great mercy.

My Master, hear! My Master, pardon!

My Master, listen and take action,

do not delay!

For Your sake, my God,

because Your Name is proclaimed

over Your city and over Your people.