CONFESSION

אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ Our God and God of our fathers, let our prayer come before You, and do not hide Yourself from our plea, for we are not so arrogant or obstinate as to say before You, LORD, our God and God of our fathers, we are righteous and have not sinned, for in truth, we and our fathers have sinned.

אָשַֽׁמְנוּ We have been guilty, we have acted treacherously, we have robbed, we have spoken slander. We have acted perversely, we have acted wickedly, we have acted presumptuously, we have been violent, we have framed lies. We have given bad advice, we have deceived, we have scorned, we have rebelled, we have provoked, we have turned away, we have committed iniquity, we have transgressed, we have persecuted, we have been obstinate. We have acted wickedly, we have corrupted, we have acted abominably, we have strayed, we have led others astray.

סַֽרְנוּ We have turned away from Your commandments, and good laws, to no avail, for You are just in all that has befallen us, for You have acted faithfully while we have done wickedly.

הִרְשַֽׁעְנוּ We have been wicked and we have done wrong, and so we have not been saved. Place it in our hearts to abandon the way of wickedness, and hasten our salvation, as is written by Your prophet, “Let each wicked person abandon his ways, each man of iniquity his thoughts, and let him come back to the LORD and He will have compassion for him; back to our God for He will forgive abundantly.”

מְשִֽׁיחַ Your righteous anointed one said to You, “Who can discern his own mistakes? Cleanse me of my hidden faults.” Cleanse us, LORD our God, of all our sins, and purify us of all our impurities and throw clear waters over us to purify us, as was written by Your prophet, “I shall throw clear waters over you and you shall be pure. I shall purify you of all your impurities and of all your idolatry.” Your people, Your inheritance, famished of Your good, thirsting for Your loving-kindness, craving Your salvation – they shall recognize and know that compassion and forgiveness belong to the LORD our God.

אֵל רַחוּם Compassionate God is Your name; Gracious God is Your name. We are called by Your name; LORD, act for the sake of Your name. Act for the sake of Your truth. Act for the sake of Your covenant. Act for the sake of Your greatness and glory. Act for the sake of Your Law. Act for the sake of Your majesty. Act for the sake of Your promise. Act for the sake of Your remembrance. Act for the sake of Your loving-kindness. Act for the sake of Your goodness. Act for the sake of Your oneness. Act for the sake of Your honor. Act for the sake of Your wisdom. Act for the sake of Your kingship. Act for the sake of Your eternity. Act for the sake of Your mystery. Act for the sake of Your might. Act for the sake of Your splendor. Act for the sake of Your righteousness. Act for the sake of Your holiness. Act for the sake of Your great compassion. Act for the sake of Your Presence. Act for the sake of Your praise. Act for the sake of those who loved You, who now dwell in the dust. Act for the sake of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Act for the sake of Moses and Aaron. Act for the sake of David and Solomon. Act for the sake of Jerusalem, Your holy city. Act for the sake of Zion, the dwelling place of Your glory. Act for the sake of the desolate site of Your Temple. Act for the sake of the ruins of Your altar. Act for the sake of those killed in sanctification of Your name. Act for the sake of those slaughtered over Your unity. Act for the sake of those who have gone through fire and water in sanctification of Your name. Act for the sake of suckling infants who have not sinned. Act for the sake of little ones just weaned who have done no wrong. Act for the sake of schoolchildren. Act for Your own sake if not for ours. Act for Your own sake, and save us.

עֲנֵֽנוּ Answer us, LORD, answer us. Answer us, our God, answer us. Answer us, our Father, answer us. Answer us, our Creator, answer us. Answer us, our Redeemer, answer us. Answer us, You who seek us, answer us. Answer us, God who is faithful, answer us. Answer us, You who are ancient and kind, answer us. Answer us, You who are pure and upright, answer us. Answer us, You who are alive and remain, answer us. Answer us, You who are good and do good, answer us. Answer us, You who know our impulses, answer us. Answer us, You who conquer rage, answer us. Answer us, You who clothe Yourself in righteousness, answer us. Answer us, Supreme King of kings, answer us. Answer us, You who are awesome and elevated, answer us. Answer us, You who forgive and pardon, answer us. Answer us, You who answer in times of trouble, answer us. Answer us, You who redeem and save, answer us. Answer us, You who are righteous and straightforward, answer us. Answer us, You who are close to those who call, answer us. Answer us, You who are compassionate and gracious, answer us. Answer us, You who listen to the destitute, answer us. Answer us, You who support the innocent, answer us. Answer us, God of our fathers, answer us. Answer us, God of Abraham, answer us. Answer us, Terror of Isaac, answer us. Answer us, Champion of Jacob, answer us. Answer us, Help of the tribes, answer us. Answer us, Stronghold of the mothers, answer us. Answer us, You who are slow to anger, answer us. Answer us, You who are lightly appeased, answer us. Answer us, You who answer at times of favor, answer us. Answer us, Father of orphans, answer us. Answer us, Justice of widows, answer us.

מִי שֶׁעָנָה The One who answered Abraham our father on Mount Moriah – answer us. The One who answered Isaac his son, when he was bound upon the altar – answer us. The One who answered Jacob in Beth-El – answer us. The One who answered Joseph in prison – answer us. The One who answered our fathers at the Reed Sea – answer us. The One who answered Moses at Horeb – answer us. The One who answered Aaron over his firepan – answer us. The One who answered Pinehas when he stood up from among the congregation – answer us. The One who answered Joshua at Gilgal – answer us. The One who answered Samuel at Mitzpah – answer us. The One who answered David and Solomon his son in Jerusalem – answer us. The One who answered Elijah on Mount Carmel – answer us. The One who answered Elisha at Jericho – answer us. The One who answered Jonah in the belly of the fish – answer us. The One who answered Hezekiah the king of Judah in his illness –answer us. The One who answered Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah in the furnace of fire – answer us. The One who answered Daniel in the lions’ den – answer us. The One who answered Mordekhai and Esther in Shushan the capital city – answer us. The One who answered Ezra in his exile – answer us. The One who answered so many righteous, devoted, innocent and upright people – answer us.

רַחֲמָנָא Loving God, who answers the oppressed: answer us. Loving God, who answers the broken hearted: answer us. Loving God, who answers those of humbled spirit: answer us. Loving God, answer us. Loving God, spare; Loving God, release; Loving God, save us. Loving God, have compassion for us now, swiftly, at a time soon coming.