Af-Bri¹ is the designated name

footnotes: ¹ According to Mateh Levi, the angel of rain is called Af-Bri because rain is sometimes an expression of Divine anger (af) and at other times it is a blessing which contributes to the health of mankind (Bri).

of the rain angel,

who² overcasts [the sky], and makes clouds,

footnotes: ² One task of the rain angel is to form the clouds which cause rainfall.

to empty them and cause rain to fall.

Water with currents

with which to adorn the valley;³

footnotes: ³ See Psalms 65:12.

let it not be withheld

because of [our] unpaid debts.⁴

footnotes: ⁴ Others translate נִשְׁיוֹן שְׁטַר as forgotten debts. The “debts” are our sins.

Let [the merit of] the faithful⁵

footnotes: ⁵ There is a version that replaces אֱמוּנִים , faithful, with אֲמוּצִים , strong. Both refer to our patriarchs who were strong in their belief of God and faithful in carrying out His commands.

shield those who pray for rain.

Blessed are You, Adonoy,

Shield of Abraham.

You are mighty forever, my Master;

You are the Resurrector of the dead,

the Powerful One, to deliver [us].

He will impose [upon Af-Bri] to divert

rain from streams of water;

to soften the surface of the earth

with sparkling, gem-like drops.

Water [symbolizes] Your might,

as You labeled it in Scripture.⁶

footnotes: ⁶ See Psalms 93:4, “The mighty breakers of the sea proclaim ‘Adonoy is mighty on high.’”

It reassures, with its drops,

those in whom was blown the breath [of life],⁷

footnotes: ⁷ See Genesis 2:7. The final touch of Adam’s creation is described with the words, “And [God] breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.”

to keep alive

those who mention⁸ the powers of rain.

footnotes: ⁸ Others translate “Those who pray for rain” referring to the Mishna, Maseches Taanis (1:1).

Our God and God of our fathers!

Remember the patriarch

who was drawn to You like water.⁹

footnotes: ⁹ Abraham went every place that God commanded him.

You blessed him like a tree

planted beside streams of water.

You protected him,¹⁰

footnotes: ¹⁰ See Genesis 15:1, “Fear not Abram, I am your shield.”

You rescued him from fire11 and from water;¹²

footnotes: ¹² This refers to the water that threatened Abraham on his way to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice Isaac. See Midrash Tanchuma to Genesis 32.

You sought him out¹³

footnotes: ¹³ You sought him out to show him Your love. Others translate דְּרַשְׁתּוֹ , You tested him, referring to the ten tests to which God subjected him.

when he sowed beside all waters.¹⁴

footnotes: ¹⁴ See Isaiah 32:20. “Fortunate are you that sows beside all waters.” Rabbi Yochonon says this verse refers to those who do righteous deeds (Maseches Baba Kama 17a). Abraham was loved by God because of his righteousness.

Congregation:

For his sake, do not withhold water.

Remember the one whose birth was foretold

[when Abraham said:] “Let a little water be brought.”¹⁵

footnotes: ¹⁵ See Genesis 18:4. The birth of Isaac was foretold when Abraham offered the three angels “a little water.”

You told his father to sacrifice him,

to spill his blood like water.¹⁶

footnotes: ¹⁶ Others interpret that Isaac told his father to go through with his sacrifice, and spill his blood like water.

He too [Isaac] was dutiful

to spill his blood like water.

He dug and found wells of water.¹⁷

footnotes: ¹⁷ See Genesis 26:18, 19, 21, 22.

Congregation:

In [the merit of] his righteousness

grant us abundant water.

Remember the one who, carrying his staff,

crossed the Jordan's water.¹⁸

footnotes: ¹⁸ See Genesis 32:11, Jacob said, “For with my staff, I passed over this Jordan.”

He [Jacob] was single-hearted,¹⁹

footnotes: ¹⁹ He was single-hearted and undivided in his love and trust in God.

and rolled the stone

off the mouth of the well of water.²⁰

footnotes: ²⁰ See Genesis 29:10.

When he was attacked by an angel²¹

footnotes: ²¹ See Genesis 32:25.

comprised of fire and water,²²

footnotes: ²² All angels are created from fire and water.

You promised to be with him

through fire and through water.²³

footnotes: ²³ See Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through waters, I will be with you, when you walk through fire, you will not be burned.”

Congregation:

For his sake, do not withhold water.

Remember

the one [Moses] who was drawn out,

in a reed basket, from the water.²⁴

footnotes: ²⁴ See Exodus 20:5.

[About whom] they said,

“He drew water

and watered the sheep.”²⁵

footnotes: ²⁵ See Exodus 2:19, “And they [the daughters of Jethro] said, ‘An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds and also drew water for us, and watered the sheep.’”

When Your treasured ones, thirsted for water,

he struck the rock and water gushed out.²⁶

footnotes: ²⁶ See Numbers 20:11.

Congregation:

In [the merit of] his righteousness

grant us abundant water.

Remember the Holy Temple appointee,²⁷

footnotes: ²⁷ Some commentaries explain the phrase זְכוֹר פָּקִיד שָׁתוֹת as referring to Aaron, the Kohein Gadol, but it is difficult to relate the rest of the verse to Aaron. This prayer refers to the Kohein Gadol, the High Priest and the word שָׁתוֹת is a synonym for the Holy Temple. See Psalms 11:3.

who immersed himself five times in water.²⁸

footnotes: ²⁸ The Kohein Gadol immersed himself five times during the Day of Atonement. Each time he changed the priestly vestments to perform a service, he immersed himself in a mikveh.

He cleansed and washed his hands²⁹

footnotes: ²⁹ His right hand was held above his right foot, the left hand above the left foot and all were washed simultaneously.

to sanctify them with water.

He read,³⁰

footnotes: ³⁰ The Mishna (Maseches Yoma 1:3) relates, “They provided him with Sages who read to him the service of the day.” According to Rashi and Bartenura, they read the portion of the Torah (Leviticus 16) dealing with the service of Yom Kippur and elaborated upon its particulars.

and was sprinkled with purifying water.³¹

footnotes: ³¹ According to the Mishna, (Maseches Parah 3:1), the Kohein Gadol was sprinkled with the purifying water of the Red Heifer during the days before Yom Kippur, in case he had inadvertently come in contact with the dead. The ashes of the Red Heifer, mixed with “living waters,” provided the only means of purification for one who came in contact with the dead.

He was separated from the people³²

footnotes: ³² See Mishna Maseches Yoma 1:1, “Seven days before Yom Kippur they separated the Kohein Gadol from his house and he moved to the official chambers of the Kohein Gadol.”

[who were described as] “turbulent as water”³³

footnotes: ³³ See Genesis 49:4.

Congregation:

For his sake, do not withhold water.

Remember the twelve tribes,

whom You brought through

the divided waters;³⁴

footnotes: ³⁴ See Psalms 136:13, 14, “He Who parted the Sea of Reeds into parts—.” “He Who brought Israel through it—.”

for whom You sweetened

the bitterness of water.³⁵

footnotes: ³⁵ See Exodus 15:25, “And he (Moses) cast the tree into the waters and the waters became sweet.”

Their descendants,

their blood was spilled for Your sake

like water.³⁶

footnotes: ³⁶ See Psalms 79:3. The Jew has always been prepared to sacrifice his life to sanctify God’s Name.

Turn [to us],

for our soul is engulfed [with woes] like water.

Congregation:

In [the merit of] their righteousness

grant us abundant water.

Chazzan:

For You Adonoy, our God,

are Causer of the wind to blow

and of the rain to fall—

Congregation and Chazzan:

For blessing and not for curse

Amein

For life and not for death

Amein

For plenty and not for scarcity

Amein