Our God and God of our fathers!

Abraham taught the knowledge of God

before it was known to all the world.

He expounded Your Name to all mankind,

and revealed what was hidden and unknown.

He abhorred and broke the idols,

the misinformed, he attached to Your Name,

he chose the upright way [of life],

Torah and Mitzvos he kept without tarrying.

You rescued him from the fire of the Chaldeans,

You protected him in the valley of Siddim,¹

footnotes: ¹ When he battled the four kings in order to rescue Lot.

You promised him:

“Your reward will be very great,”

and You distinguished him

with great wealth and honor.

And when he replied, crying:

“What will You give me?

when I have neither root nor branch.”²

footnotes: ² Abraham had not yet been blessed with a child.

You strengthened him in a vision,

telling him, “this one³ shall not be your heir.”

footnotes: ³ Eliezer. See Genesis 15:4.

With his first fruit [Isaac]

You endowed him in his hundredth year,

and when You desired him⁴ as an offering

footnotes: ⁴ Isaac.

both of them rejoiced with all their hearts,

and hastened to do Your will.

As Abraham suppressed his compassion

to do Your will,

so may Your compassion suppress

Your anger from Your flock.

Their hearts and souls were ready,

so too, may our prayers before You

be accepted as an incense-offering.

He hastened and took the knife,

therefore save their seed

from childless death;

the one son was bound

like a lamb for slaughter,

therefore favor our prayers

like a burnt-offering and sacrifice.

He arranged the wood and kindled the fire,

therefore as we stand praying this day

let us not be put to shame.

You answered him from the highest heavens,

and You swore to him

twice by Your Name.⁵

footnotes: ⁵ That You would remember his seed for good.

You redeemed him [Isaac] with a ram

caught in a thicket,

therefore,

do not disgrace our petition and affliction.⁶

footnotes: ⁶ Our fasting on Yom Kippur.

Hear our cry and hearken to our entreaty,

in the merit of the Patriarch [Jacob]

who traveled to Succos.⁷

footnotes: ⁷ See Genesis 33:17.

Let the voice of him who brings tidings⁸

footnotes: ⁸ Moshiach will bring tidings of our redemption.

be heard in the world,

to redeem the people [who are]

the offspring of the everlasting hills.⁹

footnotes: ⁹ The Matriarchs were so called.

Have mercy on the congregation

adorned [with Torah and Mitzvos],

the plant of the Twelve Tribes.

Let Your Divine Presence dwell among us,

lead us to the borders of our land,

turn to us with compassion,

for You are called

[God] full of compassion.

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.”