For the conductor of music. Of the sons of Koraḥ. A sacred song. Sound your hands together, all peoples, make a voice of joy resound to God, for the Lord is most high, awesome, great King over all the earth. It is He who subjugates peoples under us, nations beneath our feet. He chooses our legacy for us: the pride of this Jacob He loves, Selah! God is raised up in sound, raised, the Lord, in the voice of the shofar. Sing out to God, sing! Sing out to our King, sing! For God is King over all the earth – Sing out: a psalm. God reigns over nations; God takes His place on the throne of His holiness. The noble men of peoples have gathered, the people of Abraham’s God. For all the earth’s defenses are of God, and He is raised high above.

PRAYER FOR THE TOKE’A (SHOFAR BLOWER)

Master of all worlds, Your children, the children of Your beloved ones, have turned their faces toward You, placing their trust in Your vast loving-kindness, and have appointed me their emissary to blow the shofar before You, as You commanded us in Your Torah. Remember for their sake the merit of our forefather Abraham, who walked before You in innocence, and the merit of our forefather Isaac, and his binding upon the altar, and the merit of our forefather Jacob, an innocent man, dwelling in tents, and the merit of Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon, and all the righteous people of the world. Stand up from Your throne of judgment and sit upon Your throne of compassion, as it is said, “God has been raised up in sound, raised, the LORD, in the voice of the shofar.” I know of myself that I am not worthy to ask anything of You, even for myself, to say nothing of other people, and certainly that I do not have the understanding or wisdom to hold the correct intentions, with the right holy names, while blowing the shofar – but I place my trust in Your compassion, and know that You will not turn me away empty-handed from Your presence. In Your goodness, awaken Your compassion, and may the pleasantness of the LORD our God be upon us. Establish for us the work of our hands, O establish the work of our hands. And connect our good intentions to actual deeds, as if we had blown the shofar with all the correct intentions. May our shofar notes rise up to awaken Your compassion; show compassion for Your children, and turn judgment to kindness and compassion for them through these sounds, and step beyond the rule of law for their sake. Shut and seal the mouth of the Adversary, and do not let him accuse us. And when recriminations against us come before You, do not wipe our names out of Your book, and write for a good life, all the children of Your covenant. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart find favor before You, LORD, my Rock and Redeemer. Amen.

May it be Your will, LORD my God, the God of judgment, that now may be a time of favor before You. Please, in Your great compassion and vast loving-kindness, tear away all the partitions that separate You from Your people Israel on this day, and send away all adversaries and accusers of Your people Israel. Close the mouth of the Adversary, and do not let him accuse us, for our eyes are turned toward You. I will exalt You, my God, King, the God of judgment, who listens to the prayers and shofar notes of Your people Israel today, with compassion. Amen.

מִן־הַמֵּצַר In my distress I called on the Lord. The Lord answered me and set me free. You have heard my voice, do not close Your ear to my need, from my pleading. Your first word is truth; and each of Your righteous laws is eternal. Be Your slave’s guarantor for good; do not let the arrogant oppress me. I revel in Your words as if discovering great spoils. Teach me goodness of sense and insight, for I have faith in Your commands. Desire the offerings of my mouth, please, Lord, and teach me Your laws.

עָלָה God has been raised up in sound, raised, the Lord, in the voice of the shofar.

בָּרוּךְ Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has made us holy through His commandments, and has commanded us to listen to the sound of the shofar.

בָּרוּךְ Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this time.

TEKIA SHEVARIM TERUA TEKIA TEKIA SHEVARIM TERUA TEKIA TEKIA SHEVARIM TERUA TEKIA

May it be Your will, LORD my God and God of my ancestors, that the sound of TaSHRaT [tekia-shevarim-terua-tekia] that we sound may be made into a crown for You by the angel (שרשי״ה) who is assigned to this role, and may rise up and rest upon Your head, my God; and make us a sign of good favor, and be filled with compassion for us. Blessed are You, Master of compassion.

TEKIA SHEVARIM TEKIA TEKIA SHEVARIM TEKIA TEKIA SHEVARIM TEKIA

May it be Your will, LORD my God and God of my ancestors, that the sound of TaSHaT [tekia-shevarim-tekia] that we sound today be stitched across the curtain before You by the angel (טרטיא״ל) who is assigned to this role, and be accepted by Elijah of blessed memory and (ישעיה״ה) the minister of the Face, the ministering angel (מטטרו״ן); and be filled with compassion for us. Blessed are You, Master of compassion.

TEKIA TERUA TEKIA TEKIA TERUA TEKIA TEKIA TERUA TEKIA GEDOLA

And so may it be Your will, LORD our God and God of our ancestors, that all the angels responsible for the shofar and for the tekia and for the shevarim and for the terua may rise up before the throne of Your glory, and may advocate for us before You, to atone for all our sins.

אַשְׁרֵי Happy is the people who know this sound. Lord, they shall walk by the light of Your face. All day long they will rejoice in Your name, and be raised up in Your righteousness. For You are the splendor of their strength, and our power is raised through Your desire.

אַשְׁרֵי Happy are those who dwell in Your House; they shall continue to praise You, Selah! Happy are the people for whom this is so; happy are the people whose God is the Lord.

A song of praise by David. I will exalt You, my God, the King, and bless Your name for ever and all time. Every day I will bless You, and praise Your name for ever and all time. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unfathomable. One generation will praise Your works to the next, and tell of Your mighty deeds. On the glorious splendor of Your majesty I will meditate, and on the acts of Your wonders. They shall talk of the power of Your awesome deeds, and I will tell of Your greatness. They shall recite the record of Your great goodness, and sing with joy of Your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in loving-kindness. The Lord is good to all, and His compassion extends to all His works. All Your works shall thank You, Lord, and Your devoted ones shall bless You. They shall talk of the glory of Your kingship, and speak of Your might. To make known to mankind His mighty deeds and the glorious majesty of His kingship. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your reign is for all generations. The Lord supports all who fall, and raises all who are bowed down. All raise their eyes to You in hope, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand, and satisfy every living thing with favor. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all He does. The Lord is close to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the will of those who revere Him; He hears their cry and saves them. The Lord guards all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and all creatures shall bless His holy name for ever and all time.

We will bless the Lord now and for ever. Halleluya! first day