אֵֽלֶּה אֶזְכְּרָה These I remember, and I pour out my soul within me, for evil ones have swallowed us, like a cake not yet turned – when during the Caesar’s rule there was no deliverance for the ten martyrs of that empire.

Whilst the ruler studied our holy book from [sages] likened to heaps of grain, considering and discerning our written tradition, he happened to open at “These are the statutes,” and devised an evil plan as he read, “One who steals a man and sells him, and is found out – shall surely be put to death.”

We have sinned, our Rock; forgive us, our Creator.

The heart of this wicked idol worshiper grew haughty; he ordered that his palace be filled with shoes, and summoned ten great sages with profound understanding of the law and its reasoning.

He declared: “Judge this case with precision – do not pervert it by making false statements, but bring true justice to light: what is the verdict if a man is found kidnapping one of his brothers from the children of Israel, treating him as a slave and selling him?”

We have sinned, our Rock; forgive us, our Creator.

When they answered: “That kidnapper shall be put to death,” he said: “Then what of your ancestors, who sold their brother, trading him with a traveling company of Ishmaelites, handing him over for the mere price of shoes?

“As for you – submit to the judgment of Heaven, for since the days of those ancestors, there have been none like you; if they were still alive, I would judge them instead, but now, you shall bear their sins.”

We have sinned, our Rock; forgive us, our Creator.

They replied: “Give us three days, that we may ascertain whether this has been ordained from on high, and if we are indeed liable and guilty, we will endure the decree of the All-Merciful One.”

They all shook, shuddered, trembled, turning their eyes to Rabbi Yishmael, the High Priest, that he should invoke the holy name and rise up to the Master above to discover whether the decree had been issued by their God.

We have sinned, our Rock; forgive us, our Creator.

Rabbi Yishmael purified himself, invoking the holy name with trepidation, and rising up to the heavens, he asked [the angel Gabriel,] the man clothed in linen, who said to him: “You must accept this, my righteous, beloved ones – for I have heard behind the heavenly screen that you have been ensnared.”

He descended and relayed the word of God to his companions, and the wicked one commanded that they be slain with force and brutality, and the first two to be taken out were the great scholars of Israel, Rabbi Yishmael the High Priest and Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, Prince of Israel.

We have sinned, our Rock; forgive us, our Creator.

[Rabbi Yishmael] begged profusely of him to be beheaded first, saying: “Kill me first, let me not see the death of this devoted servant of the One who dwells in His earthly abode!” The cruel viper ordered that lots be drawn, and the lot fell upon Rabban Shimon.

They hastened to spill his blood like a bullock offered up, and when his head was severed, [Rabbi Yishmael] seized it and wailed over him bitterly, in a voice like a shofar: “What has become of the tongue which so diligently taught fine words? How, through our sins, is it now licking the dust?”

We have sinned, our Rock; forgive us, our Creator.

He cried over him profusely, trembling; the wicked one’s daughter rose at the sound of his weeping – she longed in her heart for his beautiful countenance, and asked of her father to let him live.

The evil one refused to allow this to be done so she asked of him that his skin be flayed from his face and he did so without delay – when they reached the place the tefillin are laid, [Rabbi Yishmael] screamed out bitterly to the Creator of his soul.

We have sinned, our Rock; forgive us, our Creator.

The angels of heaven cried out bitterly: “Is this the Torah and this its reward – O God who dons light as His garment? The enemy spurns Your great, awesome name, and casts reproach and blasphemy upon the words of the Torah!”

A divine voice called out from the heavens: “If I hear another sound, I shall turn the world back into water, making unformed and void [the earth,] God’s footstool; this is My decree – accept it, you who delight in the Law that preceded creation by two thousand years.”

We have sinned, our Rock; forgive us, our Creator.

Leaders who would sit until late in the houses of prayer were slain, those filled with merit like a pomegranate’s seeds, or blood in the altar’s corners; and they [the Romans] took out Rabbi Akiva who would interpret the very crowns of the Torah’s letters, and combed his flesh with double-edged combs.

The ruler commanded that Rabbi Ḥananya ben Teradyon be taken out from his house of study, and they burned his body with bundles of twigs, putting moistened pads of wool on his heart to prolong his agony – and when they had been consumed, he was burned with his Torah scroll.

We have sinned, our Rock; forgive us, our Creator.

Lament, holy nation, never widowed of its God, for they were murdered and their blood spilt for meager cause, to sanctify the name of God in heaven, they gave their souls – as when they murdered Rabbi Ḥutzpit the Interpreter.

A tremor shall seize all who hear of this, and every eye shall pour with tears – all delight was turned to mourning when they murdered Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua.

We have sinned, our Rock; forgive us, our Creator.

My enemies and my persecutors destroyed me and filled their bellies with my delicacies; they made me drink poisoned water and wormwood – when they murdered Rabbi Ḥanina ben Ḥakhinai.

They pressed upon us to transgress the commandments and refused expiation or ransom, insisting upon taking the lives of those who spoke fine words of Torah – such as Rabbi Yeshevav the Scribe.

We have sinned, our Rock; forgive us, our Creator.

They fall on us, those profligate, empty descendants [of Edom]; they have done more evil to us than any kingdom on earth, killing so many among us – as when they murdered Rabbi Yehuda ben Dama.

You said that the house of Jacob shall be like a fire and the house of Joseph a flame, but instead [Esau, likened to] straw has extinguished that flame! O Living God, lay our enemies low that day [when Your flame shall come to consume all evil], for they have conspired to kill ten righteous men – with Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava among them.

We have sinned, our Rock; forgive us, our Creator.

All this befell us – we have told it, repeatedly, pouring out our crushed, mournful hearts; listen to our supplications from heaven above, Lord, O Lord, compassionate and gracious God.

O Gracious One, look down from Your heights, see the spilled blood of the righteous, their vital essence, from Your concealed place behold this and remove the stains of sin, God, King, who sits upon a throne of compassion.

We have sinned, our Rock; forgive us, our Creator.

זְכָר Remember the covenant of our fathers, as You have said, “I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham I will remember, and the land I will remember.”

Remember the covenant of the early ones, as You have said, “I shall remember for them the covenant of the early ones, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt before the eyes of the nations, in order to be their God: I am the LORD.”

Deal kindly with us as You have promised, “Even so, when they are in the land of their enemies I shall not reject them and shall not detest them to the point of destruction, to the point of breaking My covenant with them, for I am the LORD their God.”

Have compassion for us and do not destroy us, as it is written: “For the LORD your God is a compassionate God; He will not forsake you, He will not destroy you, and He will not forget the covenant of your fathers, that He pledged to them.”

Circumcise our hearts to love Your name, as it is written: “And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you shall live.”

Restore our fortunes and have compassion for us, as it is written: “And the LORD your God shall restore your fortunes and have compassion for you, and shall return and gather you in from all the nations among whom the LORD your God has scattered you.”

Gather those of us who have been distanced, as is written, “If your distanced ones are at the very ends of the heavens, from there shall the LORD your God gather you; from there shall He bring you.”

Let us find You when we seek You, as it is written: “And if from there you seek the LORD your God, you shall find Him, when you seek Him out with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Wipe out our transgressions for Your sake, as You have said: “I, I am the One who shall wipe out your transgressions for My sake, and I shall not recall your sins.”

Wipe out our transgressions as if they were a cloud, as if they were a haze, as is written, “I have wiped out your transgressions like a cloud, and as a haze your sins; come back to Me for I have redeemed you.”

Whiten our sins as snow and as wool, as is written, “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: If your sins are like scarlet, they shall be whitened like snow; should they be as red as crimson, they shall become like wool.”

Throw over us pure waters and purify us, as is written, “I shall throw pure waters over you and you shall be pure. I shall purify you of all your impurities and of all your idolatry.”

Atone our sins on this day and purify us, as it is written, “For on this day you will be atoned and made pure; of all your sins before the LORD you shall be purified.”

Bring us to Your holy mountain, and let us rejoice in Your House of prayer, as is written, “I shall bring them to My holy mountain, and I shall make them rejoice in My House of prayer; their offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted, desired on My altar, for My House will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

שְׁמַע קוֹלֵֽנוּ Listen to our voice, LORD our God. Spare us and have compassion on us, and in compassion and favor accept our prayer.

Turn us back, O LORD, to You, and we will return. Renew our days as of old.

Do not cast us away from You, and do not take Your holy spirit from us.

Do not cast us away in our old age; when our strength is gone do not desert us.

Do not desert us, LORD; our God, do not be distant from us. Give us a sign of good things, and those who hate us shall see it and be ashamed, for You, LORD, will help us and console us. Hear our speech, LORD, consider our thoughts.

May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts find favor before You, LORD, our Rock and Redeemer. For it is You, LORD, that we have longed for; You shall answer us, LORD our God.

אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ Our God and God of our ancestors, do not abandon us and do not desert us, do not shame us and do not abandon Your covenant with us; bring us close to Your Torah, teach us Your commandments, show us Your ways, and turn our hearts toward the awe of Your name. Circumcise our hearts to love You, so that we return to You in truth, wholeheartedly. For the sake of Your great name, pardon and forgive our iniquities, as it is written in Your holy Writings: “For the sake of Your name, LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.”

Our God and God of our ancestors, forgive us, pardon us, grant us atonement.

כִּי אָֽנוּ For we are Your people and You are our God; we are Your children and You are our Father; we are Your servants and You are our Master; we are Your gathering and You are our Place; we are Your legacy and You are our Land; we are Your flock and You are our Shepherd; we are Your vineyard and You are our Keeper; we are Your work and You are our Maker; we are Your bride and You are our Lover; we are Your treasure and You are our God; we are Your people and You are our King; we give You our word and You give us Yours.

We are brazen and You are compassionate, gracious. We are stubborn and You are long forbearing. We are as full of iniquity as You are full of compassion. Our days are like a fleeting shadow. But You are here, and Your years will not end.