This prayer was composed by Rabbenu Gershom, the “Light of the Exile.”

Our God and God of our fathers!

Truly we have sinned

and caused others to sin,

we have surely betrayed You, our Father;

we were exiled because we lacked perception,¹

footnotes: ¹ To follow Your paths.

and we have suffered;

though we have been dispersed and oppressed,

we hope for Your deliverance.

Remove, O Master, the iniquity of Your servant,

and do not turn away in anger

the children of Your loved one [the Patriarchs];

remember Your mercies, Adonoy

and Your kindnesses,

[grant them] kindness and truth

as You swore to Your loved ones.

[They were punished with] exile and torture

because of their way of transgression,

and were afflicted

with the ninety eight curses²

footnotes: ² See Deuteronomy 28:15–68.

upon which You made a covenant

to admonish transgressors;

do not accuse Your people

who will be delivered through You.

Acquit Your children of great transgression,

they are humble in their repentance

and entreat You with supplications;

cleanse the stain of their guilt

with Your Divine cleansers,

conceal their iniquities

and cast them into the depths

of Your raging waters.

“Open their eyes,” release Your bound ones,³

footnotes: ³ See Isaiah 61:1. This is a plea for redemption.

remove the stench of our iniquity,

as with nitre,

tear up our records [of guilt],

and waive our liabilities;

remember to show us compassion

even though Your Presence is concealed.

Remember the oath and covenant of long ago,

be gracious in the merit of the Patriarchs,

who are listed backwards.⁴

footnotes: ⁴ See Leviticus 26:42. Jacob is written before Isaac and Isaac before Abraham.

The platform upon which the Levites sang,

the blue-print of the Temple—

may it be Your will to return them to us,

with Your love of old.

Take my revenge

from those who oppressed me,

they refused to free us,

and they held us with force;

the oppressed children of Judah of Israel—

God, bring back their exiles

like springs in the desert.⁵

footnotes: ⁵ Revive them as springs can revive an arid desert.

Look from the heavens,

from Your palace on high,

and let be revealed

the abundance of Your pity and compassion;

say: “Enough!” punishment for Your beloved,

do good, as You see fit

to Your city and Your people.

Drown our sins in the depths of the sea,

Your Holy Palace [the Temple]

raise it above the high mountains,

[Israel] Your possession,

may they go with joyous hearts [to Jerusalem]

accompanied with flutes;

then You will desire their righteous offerings,

burnt-offerings and priest’s meal offerings.⁶

footnotes: ⁶ Which were totally consumed on the Altar.

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.”

God!

Nations have entered into Your inheritance;

they have defiled

the Sanctuary of Your holiness,

they have made Jerusalem into heaps of ruins.

Pour out Your wrath upon them,

and let Your fierce anger overtake them.

Arise Judge of the earth,

repay the arrogant their just reward.

Give them according to their deeds,

and their evil deceptions;

according to their actions, grant them,

repay them their just reward.

Do good, as You see fit, to Zion

may You rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

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.

“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:

“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.