אַמִּיץ כֹּֽחַ Unshakable of strength, almighty and powerful, / [God] whose mighty deeds could be done by none other, / who built unshakable chambers over the cold waters, / and founded all the world upon nothingness. / When all the world was darkness, deep shadows and gloom, / You shone the morning light with the sweep of Your robe. / You split rebellious [waters] apart with the awesome sky, like ice in between, / and gathered the lower waters to the depths, never to engulf the earth. / You uncovered the face of the land, and the buds of harvest appeared. / You planted a garden in the east, to delight those who would praise You. / You placed great lights in Your mighty skies, / and commanded alongside them an army of stars. / With Your palm You shaped the creatures that swim and that glide, / and the serpent [Leviathan] to become the feast of the faithful who sit in Your gardens. / The clumping clods of earth brought forth insects and mammals, / and the [Behemoth] of reed and swamp that is the meal of those You shall invite to it. / Food and drink You made, with none to eat it; / and then You formed a shape of clay in the imprint of Your seal. / From above, You breathed a pure spirit into its form; / then he slept and from his own rib You destined him an ally. / You commanded him never to eat of the Tree of Knowledge, / but, tempted by the deception of a creeping beast, he broke Your word. / Man was punished with the sweat of toil to eat his share, / the foolish woman with birth pains, and the cunning beast to make dust its bread. / You set the seed of that couple’s meeting, inside a yearning womb, / and the woman sowed and gave birth to a farmer and a shepherd. / They offered a sacrifice and tribute before You, together, / and You raged at the older, but accepted the younger brother’s gift. / [Cain] destroyed his own compassion and slew his brother; / but he beseeched You, and You laid Your sign on him. / Three generations later, [men] began to call idols by Your name, / You called on an army of waters to sweep them away and they were gone. / Arrogant people strayed away and said to You, “Away from us!” / but they were tossed in the hot waters; they were scalded clean away. / But [Noah] who was charged with building the gopher-wood ark, was saved as You closed him inside, / and You made his children fruitful, until they covered the face of dry land. / A people, united, counseled together to ascend as far as the sky – / but they were trapped and scattered in storm wind and tempest. / The beloved [Abraham] who came from beyond the river made Your name known in the world. / He offered You the child of his old age as a complete sacrifice. / Like a flawless lamb, an innocent man [Jacob] was chosen, / as he longed for the life of the tent, and was drawn after You. / Worthy, lovely offspring You brought forth from his loins, / all children of truth without flaw. / You desired Levi, devoted to You, to serve You, / and set one of his line apart, sanctified as the holy of holies. / To bind the sacred headplate and don the Urim, / to abide within the Sanctuary’s glory for seven days: / One week before the tenth [of Tishrei], those who uphold the law, / separate the Head Priest in line with the ancient law of induction. / They sprinkled on him the water of sin-offerings to purify him, / and he offered incense, tended the lights and threw [the blood] to accustom himself to the service.

As is written in Your Torah: As has been done on this day, so has the LORD commanded to do, to make atonement for you.

נִלְוִים Wise men, the elders at the gate accompany him, / saying to him, “Read with your own mouth.” / As the brightness of the ninth [of Tishrei] began to shine, they stood him at the eastern gate, / and passed the lovely offerings of the day before him. / Close to the setting of the sun they had him eat little, / lest in sleep a white defilement happen to him. / The old men of his tribe brought him to teach him how to take [incense] handfuls; / they would make him swear to set the [incense] spices afire within [the Holy of Holies]. / His flesh would stand on end, he would weep to have been suspect, / and they too would turn aside and shed their tears. / Interpretation in their mouths, and the written word read out, / around him they would chant to keep him awake until midnight. / The priests went joyfully to the first lot, before the clearing of the ashes. / They would draw lots again, for the inner clearing and the lamp. / After the burning of incense, new priests approached for the third drawing, / and the fourth decided who would lay out the offered meat. / The spark of morning rose, as the watchman said, / and a screen of linen was drawn across to conceal the High Priest. / He took off his clothes and immersed and dressed all in gold; / stood and consecrated and made the first cut in the regular morning offering. / He appointed one to complete the slaughter and he received [its blood] and threw, / went apart and lit the incense, tended the lights and made the offering and the libation. / All the service he fulfilled, and did in its right order, / and they spread a white sheet out again as before. / There, in the Parva chamber in the Sanctuary, he consecrated himself and undressed, / stepped to the ritual bath, immersed, then donned white clothes and consecrated, / Pelusium clothes laid out, valued at eighteen hundred dinars / splendid garments, for him to serve the King of Glory. / His bull was stood between the antechamber and the altar, / its face to the west and its head bent towards the south. / He came to it and pressed down his hands on its head; / he confessed all his sins and hid nothing in his heart.

וְכָךְ And this is what he would say:

Please, LORD, / I have sinned, I have done wrong, I have rebelled before You – I and my family. Please, by Your name, / grant atonement, please, for the sins and for the wrongs and the rebellions that I have sinned, and done wrong, and rebelled before You – I and my family. As it is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant, at the word of Your glory: For on this day you will be atoned and made pure of all your sins before the LORD –

וְהַכֹּהֲנִים And the priests and all the people who were standing in the courtyard, when they heard the glorious and awesome name spoken out expressly by the High Priest in holiness and purity, would bend their knees and bow down and give thanks and fall upon their faces and say –

“Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and all time.”

וְאַף And the High Priest too would take care to finish saying the name together with those who blessed it, and would say to them: “Become pure.”

And You, in Your great benevolence, awaken Your compassion and forgive this man, Your devoted one.

צָעַד לֵילֵךְ He stepped away to walk to the east of the courtyard, / where a pair of goats waited, purchased with the public’s funds, / paired, kindred, equal in appearance and height, / standing there to bring atonement for the wayward daughter’s sin. / He shook the golden lots and brought up one from the box; / put it down and destined one for the Lofty One, one for the precipice. / He called out in a loud voice: “A sin-offering to the LORD!” / And those who heard him answered and blessed the name. / He tied a scarlet colored ribbon to the head of the one to be sent away / and stood it outside the place from which it would be sent. / This done as it should be, he went to the bull again, / and his sin and that of his clan he confessed before his Rock.

וְכָךְ And this is what he would say:

Please, LORD, / I have sinned, I have done wrong, I have rebelled before You – I and my family and the children of Aaron, Your holy people. Please, by Your name, / grant atonement, please, for the sins and for the wrongs and the rebellions that I have sinned, and done wrong, and rebelled before You – I and my family and the children of Aaron, Your holy people. As it is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant, at the word of Your glory: For on this day you will be atoned and made pure of all your sins before the LORD –

וְהַכֹּהֲנִים And the priests and all the people who were standing in the courtyard, when they heard the glorious and awesome name spoken out expressly by the High Priest in holiness and purity,

would bend their knees and bow down and give thanks and fall upon their faces and say –

“Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and all time.”

וְאַף And the High Priest too would take care to finish saying the name together with those who blessed it, and would say to them: “Become pure.” And You, in Your great benevolence, awaken Your compassion and forgive the tribe that serves You.

קָח מַאֲכֶֽלֶת He would take a sharp knife and slaughter the goat as should be done, / receive its blood in a bowl and give it to the one who would stir it / to keep it from clotting until the time it would be sprinkled, / lest it should harden and forgiveness elude them. / The taking of smoldering coals, he shoveled into a golden pan, / which was light, with a thin surface, and a long handle. / He would heap into it three kabs of coals, / and they would bring him an empty spoon, and one overflowing with fine incense. / He would gather up incense in his palm, and place it in the spoon, / take the pan in his right hand and the spoon in his left. / His footsteps sounded as he approached the curtains and entered in between the poles, / placed incense in between them and set it to burn and left. / He took the blood from the youth who kept it stirring; / once again he went inside and stood between the Ark’s poles. / Into the [blood] sprinklings of favor he would dip his fingers, counting, / sending the blood upward once, and then seven times downward.

וְכָךְ And this is how he would count:

One. One and one. One and two. One and three. One and four. One and five. One and six. One and seven.

רָץ He would run and lay the bowl down on the base intended for it, and slaughter a goat, and bring favor, receiving its blood into a consecrated bowl. He went and stood in the place of the Ark of Meeting, and brought favor through sprinkling blood, as with that of the bull.

וְכָךְ And this is how he would count:

One. One and one. One and two. One and three. One and four. One and five. One and six. One and seven.

רָהַט He would run again and lay it down and take up the blood of the bull, / hasten his feet and stand outside the curtain. / He would sprinkle the embroidered curtain as he had with the curtain within, / stir up the blood again and sprinkle with the blood of the goat. / He would return and combine the bloods and sprinkle upon the plated altar, / seven times on its surface and four times on its corners. / Then diligently he came to the living goat, / to confess the involuntary and the deliberate sins of the people to God.

וְכָךְ And this is what he would say:

Please, LORD, / Your people, the house of Israel, have sinned, have done wrong, have rebelled before You. Please, by Your name, / grant atonement, please, for the sins and for the wrongs and the rebellions that they have sinned, and done wrong, and rebelled before You – Your people, the house of Israel. As it is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant, at the word of Your glory: For on this day you will be atoned and made pure of all your sins before the LORD –

וְהַכֹּהֲנִים And the priests and all the people who were standing in the courtyard, when they heard the glorious and awesome name spoken out expressly by the High Priest in holiness and purity, would bend their knees and bow down and give thanks and fall upon their faces and say –

“Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and all time.”

וְאַף And the High Priest too would take care to finish saying the name together with those who blessed it, and would say to them: “Become pure.”

And You, in Your great benevolence, awaken Your compassion and forgive the congregation of Yeshurun.

שִׁגְּרוֹ בְּיַד He sent it in the charge of an appointed man to the mighty wilderness, / to carry the stain of that congregation to a desolate land. / He pushed it from the edge of the cliff and it rolled down and fell / and its bones were broken like the shattering of a potter’s vessel. The High Priest gripped the sharpened knife and rent the bull and goat, / pulled out their intestines and skewered their bodies for burning. / He read aloud the order of the day and consecrated himself and undressed, / and for a third time he immersed, robed himself in gold and consecrated. / He immediately offered his ram and the ram of the people, / offering the fat of the sin-offering and additional offering, according to their rule. / With clear intention he consecrated and undressed and immersed and consecrated, / donned a robe of linen and entered the innermost chamber. / He took out the vessel of incense and consecrated himself, / took off the garments he wore, and hid them away forever. / He bowed and immersed and put on golden garments and consecrated himself, / put the regular offering in its order and lit up the incense and the lamps. / When the worship was complete, he consecrated hand and foot, / thus completing the requisite five immersions and ten consecrations. / The look upon his face was that of the sun coming out in all its might, / and he hastened, ran and put on his own clothes. / The innocent nation walked this faithful delegate to his house, / rejoicing in the news of the scarlet dye turned snow white. / She [the nation] adorns herself with salvation, she puts on a robe of righteousness. / She rejoices, she speaks out her rapture and delight. / High places dripped the abundance of their dew, / and the furrows of my meadows were quenched to give their bounty. / Those who gather their seed in peace gave thanks, / and those who in joy carry away their sheaves gave praise. / The lowest parts of the Land of Desire resounded with song, / and those walking its paths of gravel gave voice to His righteousness. / The hope of those who sent that faithful delegate was not dashed; / the one they pinned their longings on was like the cool of snow in the harvest heat. / From their filth they were washed, from the repulsion of their sins they were purified;/ complete, innocent, their palms as if scrubbed with soap, / to declare that the One who purified them is the Source of living waters, / the Mikveh of Israel, cleansing them with unfailing waters. / They will be cleansed and made immaculate in purity, / renewed as are the angels every morning, polished clean of every stain. / Their mouths will voice the greatness of God; / joy at their tongues, a new song in their mouths, / they will rejoice in trembling, worship in awe / the Holy One of Israel, who makes holy the holy nation. / Speaking, singing, drumming, ringing cymbals, / singing songs of praise in a pleasant melody. / Embraced in the strength of God’s right hand lifted high, / supported, all together, in the palm filled with righteousness, / drawing us into His gates in gladness, / joy and happiness theirs forever, / reveling, rejoicing in His name all of the day, / rejoicing with happiness to stand before Him. / The brightness of their light will break forth like sunrise, / their voices rising and singing of the majesty of the Rock of all ages. / Happy are the people for whom this is so; / happy are the people whose God is the LORD.

וְיוֹם טוֹב And the High Priest would make a celebration for all his friends, when he entered the Sanctuary in peace and left it in peace, without harm. And this was the prayer of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement, as he left the Holy of Holies in peace, without harm:

יְהִי רָצוֹן May it be Your will, LORD our God and God of our ancestors, that this year that is beginning for us and for all Your people, the house of Israel, may be

שְׁנַת A year in which You will open Your good store for us, a year of plenty, / a year of blessing, / a year of good decrees before You, a year of grain, wine and oil, / a year of abundance and success, a year of meeting in Your Temple, / a year of low prices, a year of good life before You, a year of dew, rainy even if hot, / a year sweet with the harvest of choicest fruits, a year of atonement for all our sins, a year in which You will bless our bread and water, a year of our earning and spending, a year when we shall come to our Temple, a year of fullness, / a year of enjoyment, a year in which You will bless the fruit of our wombs and the fruit of our land, a year in which You will bless our goings out and comings in, a year in which You will save our community, a year in which Your compassion will be awakened toward us, a year of peace and tranquility, a year in which no woman will miscarry the fruit of her womb, a year in which You will bring us upright to our land, a year when Your people Israel need not depend on one another or on any other people, for You will bring blessing to the work of their hands. And of the people of the Sharon he would say, May it be Your will, LORD our God and God of our ancestors, that their houses do not become their graves.

אֱמֶת Truly how splendid was the High Priest, as he came out of the Holy of Holies in peace, without harm.

Like the heavenly canopy stretched out over the angels was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like the lightning flashing from the Ḥayyot’s radiance was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like the fringes edging the four corners of his clothes was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like the image of a rainbow appearing in the midst of cloud was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like the splendor with which the Rock clothed those He had made was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like a rose in the heart of a lovely garden was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like the crown that rests on a king’s own brow was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like love that appears on a bridegroom’s countenance was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like the purity granted by an immaculate miter was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like that of [Moses] abiding in concealment to plead before the King was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like the Venus star on the eastern horizon was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like one dressed in the mantle and armor of righteousness was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like the angel standing at the end of the path was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like a lamp flickering between the window slats was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like the commanders leading the holy nation was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like the strength with which the Pure One wrapped the one made pure was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like the golden bells at his mantle’s hem was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like the form of the House, and the curtain of the Ark was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like a room hung with sky blue and royal purple was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like those watching the sun rise over the land was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like a garden lily penetrating the thorn-weeds was the appearance of the [High] Priest. Like the appearance of Orion and Pleiades, seen in the south was the appearance of the [High] Priest.

כָּל אֵֽלֶּה All this was while the Sanctuary stood on its foundations, and the holy Temple on its base; when the High Priest stood and served, and all his generation looked on and were joyful.

אַשְׁרֵי עַֽיִן How fortunate was the eye that beheld all this; when our ears hear of it, our souls languish indeed. How fortunate was the eye that witnessed our Tent, as our congregation rejoiced therein; when our ears hear of it, our souls languish indeed. How fortunate was the eye that witnessed our joy, the delight of our joyful shouts; when our ears hear of it, our souls languish indeed. How fortunate was the eye that beheld the Temple singers and all their various songs; when our ears hear of it, our souls languish indeed. How fortunate was the eye that witnessed the Temple as it stood, where the Living One dwelt; when our ears hear of it, our souls languish indeed. How fortunate was the eye that beheld the palaces like beautiful carvings, and the twenty-four thousand young priests; when our ears hear of it our souls languish indeed. How fortunate was the eye that beheld the glory of the Menora in its uniqueness, and the ten basins; when our ears hear of it, our souls languish indeed. How fortunate was the eye that beheld the altar where the incense was offered, / with a rim of gold around it like a crown; when our ears hear of it, our souls languish indeed. How fortunate was the eye that beheld the Celebration of the Water Drawing, / a nation drawing divine inspiration and beneficent spirit; when our ears hear of it, our souls languish indeed. How fortunate was the eye that beheld the High Priest expressly pronouncing the holy name, / crying out, “I beg of You, LORD!” – when our ears hear of it, our souls languish indeed. How fortunate was the eye that beheld the congregation of holy ones, gathering before the Holy of Holies; when our ears hear of it, our souls languish indeed. How fortunate was the eye that witnessed the whitening of the crimson thread / from the sacrificial goat; when our ears hear of it, our souls languish indeed. How fortunate was the eye that witnessed the constant sacrifices being offered / at the gate where multitudes once gathered; when our ear hears of it, our souls languish indeed.

עֲוֹנוֹת אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ The iniquities of our ancestors brought about the Temple’s destruction, and our sins have prolonged its desolate condition; but the remembrance of the worship therein shall be our forgiveness, and the affliction of our souls shall serve as our atonement. And so, in Your great compassion, You have given us this Day of Atonement, this day for pardon of iniquity, to forgive iniquity and atone transgression. A day on which eating is forbidden, a day on which drinking is forbidden, a day on which washing is forbidden, a day on which anointing with oils is forbidden, a day on which marital relations are forbidden, a day on which the wearing of leather shoes is forbidden, a day which brings about love and companionship, a day on which we cast aside all jealousies and rivalries, a day on which You shall pardon all our sins. And at this time and season, it is revealed and known before the throne of Your glory, that we are lacking what we had in days of old. We do not have a High Priest to offer sacrifices, nor an altar to raise up burnt or whole offerings.

וּמֵרֹב עֲוֹנֵֽינוּ And in the abundance of our sins, we have none of these things:

No burnt-offerings nor guilt-offerings, no staves nor mixed-meal cakes, no lots nor fiery coals, no Sanctuary nor fine incense, no Temple nor blood sprinkling, no confession nor gatherings, no peace-offerings nor blood casting, no sin-offerings nor sacrificial fats, no ritual immersion nor purification, no Jerusalem nor holy Temple, no laver nor its base, no frankincense nor showbread, no altar nor meal-offering, no pleasing offerings nor wine libations, no meal-flour nor incense, no arranged altars nor burnt-offerings, no curtain nor bulls for sin-offerings, no Zion nor priestly golden crown, no incense nor sacrifices, no compounded spices nor pleasantly scented offerings, no voluntary-offerings nor peace-offerings, no thanksgiving-offerings or daily sacrifices.

כִּי בַּעֲוֹנוֹתֵֽינוּ On account of our sins and the sins of our ancestors, we are lacking all of these things. And ever since we are lacking all of these things,

תָּכְפו Troubles have come upon us in rapid succession, travails have overwhelmed us. We had hoped for salvation, but there was none; and for peace, but instead, terror has come. Our attackers have increased; they have risen up and lifted up their heads. We have tired of bearing the yoke of those triumphant foes; their burden of tyranny has become heavy upon us. Our beautiful land has been defiled on our account; it has sprouted, but is devoid of abundant blessing. We had hoped for abundance, but received little; deep sorrow pervades our storehouses. Our olive trees have cheated us of their oils even as their fruit grew, and their yield was insufficient. Though vineyards may produce grape-blossoms aplenty, the wine they yield does not suffice to fill a single vat. The fruit of the fields has been cursed, delicacies have been taken away. Within the sheepfolds, flocks have dwindled away; they cannot produce enough wool, milk or offspring. We have become like the tail, instead of the head; we are indebted, instead of being lenders. Our strength is spent in vain and dismay, with no hope for profit. The hand that once toiled skillfully has collapsed, and there is no one to support it. They have been thrown from sea to sea with no one to provide their sustenance. The wage-earner’s eye was darkened, as his hope for payment was frustrated. Lender and debtor rage at each other, distancing themselves from one another. Those who extend their hands to the poor have grown weary, for the rich fail to act graciously with the destitute. Alas, the earth has fallen into the hands of the evil, its inhabitants have not found respite. The Temple, House of our God, is desolate; our undertakings have been denied success. The joy of the Temple has ceased – how then shall we allow happiness to enter our hearts? When there is no constant sacrificial meal for our Father, the bellies of the sons shall also lack sustenance. The Master of the House has become like a guest at an inn – where shall we find rest?

And ever since our holy Temple was destroyed,

תַּנּוֹת We cannot relate the extent of our troubles, each day brings brokenness and groaning. Anguish has increased among us, our dignity has descended to the dust. The avaricious have gained power, those who employ falsehood have attained wealth. Those who act righteously go unnoticed, those who detest unjust gains do not endure. We are as an empty vessel, / stripped of every dignity. There is neither prophet nor vision among us; like the blind, we feel as we go. Each day we wonder what will become of us; we have declared: “Death is better than life!” Our lives dangle in doubt before us; strangers have become the head, and we, the tail. What can be done? Our sins have caused all this. It is as if we no longer exist. We are weak, despised, and lowly, repulsive, loathsome and despicable. Strangers rule over us; we have declared: “We are cut off, we are lost.” Master, ease our burden / and send salvation to redeem us.

Our God and God of our ancestors,

אַל תַּֽעַשׂ Do not bring us to an end; may Your hand hold back harsh judgment. Should our blame come before You, do not erase our names from Your book of life. As You approach to sign the decree committing us to affliction, may Your compassion come forward, pushing aside Your ire. As You behold the scarcity of good deeds among us, deal with us righteously. Teach us what we might cry out before You; send our salvation as we pray. Return the captivity of Jacob’s tents; please, behold its folds, for they are so desolate. Remember what You promised, / that Your Torah would never leave the mouths of their descendants. Open the seal of Your Torah; place Your counsel within Your devoted students. May Your beautiful nation / never lack fine scholars. Grant knowledge to those who know You, bring down the nations that fail to acknowledge You. As You bring back to the stronghold the taken captives, prisoners of hope.

Alas, we are now

כְּתוֹעִים As wanderers with none to seek them; as captives, with none to redeem them. As starving ones with none to feed them; as purchased slaves, with none to acquire them. As the parched with none to give them drink; as fools with none to teach them. As the fainting, with none to revive them; as detested ones, with none to love them. As rejected ones, with none to draw them close; as ostracized ones, with none to release them. As captives without a master; / as bent ones, with none to raise them up. As orphans with no father; / as defiled ones, with none to purify them. As empty ones, with none to fill their needs; as forgotten ones, with none to remember them. As turbulent souls with no rest; as impoverished ones, with none to show them grace. As strangers with none to welcome them; as debased ones, with none to show them honor. As mourners with none to comfort them, as overpowered ones, with no escape.

Our God and God of our ancestors,

אִם תָּעִֽינוּ If we have strayed from the path, do not let us go astray. If we have erred, do not mislead us into error. If we have distanced ourselves from You, bring us near. If we have drawn near, do not distance Yourself from us. If we cry out to You, do not ignore. If we have transgressed, do not punish. If we have sinned, do not hide Your face. If we have turned away from You, do not turn away. If we have been vengeful, do not hold it against us. If we have rebelled, do not repay us as rebels. If we have mocked, do not make war against us. If we have deceived, do not destroy. If we have declined, do not let us sink down. If we have made mistakes, do not sweep us away. If we have caused injury, do not injure. If we have acted maliciously, do not recall it. If we have been contentious, do not rebuke. If we have done evil, do not drive us away. If we knock at Your doors, do not push us away. If we have acted abominably, do not abhor. If we come before You, do not despise. If we have sinned, do not destroy.

And due to the abundance of our sins,

תַּאֲוַת לֵב We have not attained the desire of our hearts; we had hoped for tranquility, but instead, tumult came. Our dignity was lofty, but has now become low; it had seemed that salvation was near, but it has become distant. We had looked forward to good, but it escaped us; deep sorrow pervades our storehouses. Sadness affects our livelihood, / joy has passed away from our land. Its blessed crops have been cursed; / we harvest but few of many. The land gives bread enough for famine, not satiation; it no longer yields its strength. The hands of its laborers have faltered; they cannot find their sustenance in it. The fat of the land goes to strangers; its fine branches go to foreigners. The earth has fallen into the hands of evil; but they have not found gains in it. We are silenced, and cannot find a helping hand; reward for all creatures has gone away. God’s Holy Temple is destroyed; kindness has been taken from all of mankind.

Our God and God of our ancestors,

תֹּאמַר Declare that our sins be erased; / come, renew our days. Proclaim a time of retribution for our sake; lift a banner, exalting our name. Drive our attackers from the land; appear from heaven, raising us high. Recall Your love for us and show us compassion; hasten the comforter [Messiah] to comfort us. Purify our defiled bodies; make it known that You are our God. Atone for our malicious iniquities; / raise our heads, revive us. Forgive our stubborn, rebellious ways; speak out to increase our fruits. Listen to us pouring out our hearts to You in prayer; respond to our spoken supplications. Turn to us, reestablish our altar; accept righteously the words our lips form. Bring near the time of our Messiah; accept our pleasantly scented offerings. Return our dispersed ones from the ends of the earth; hold us steady and, like a girdle, let us cleave to You.

Our God and God of our ancestors,

אוֹרְךָ Let Your light shine [upon Your nation] in the darkness; return to them with compassion. Bring about the day of vengeance that was in Your heart; send Your word and heal us. Let the light of Your countenance be upon us, and do not forget us forever. Recall the merits of our ancestors, those mountains of old; do not remember the sins of our youth. Remove the impurity that is upon us; do not forget the people Your soul loves. Recall the love of our betrothal, / how we followed You in the desert. Draw us near and we shall run behind You; guide us and bring us to Your inner chambers. Support us and strengthen us, and we shall live; now is the time to let us hear Your voice. Draw us out of the roaring waves; let deep waters be dried by Your wrath. Rise up with Your ire upon the haughty; be exalted through Your strength and raise up those laid low. Shatter the mighty arm of the kingdom of evil; reign alone over those who call out Your name. In the presence of all nations let it be known that there is no God but You, as You bring us up to Your holy mountain, and gladden us in Your House of prayer.

Our God and God of our ancestors,

אֹֽפֶל Light up the dimness of the widowed [ Jerusalem]; brighten the darkness of that weeping city. Provide joy to that lonely one; / stop the streaming of her tears. Glorify Your desolate mountain; return and show Your presence upon it. Let the glow of Your Temple shine; renew the chamber of Your nuptials. Purify the filth of Jerusalem’s impurity; reestablish her as a beautiful, precious cornerstone. Secure the radiance of her honor; / let nations be guided by her light. O King, fill her with Your glory; / raise her banner forever and ever. Satiate her with abundant joy; crown her with a cloud of incense smoke. Adorn the corners of her doors; let the righteousness of the humble nation blossom. Spit out the enemies of her gathered congregations; let the many feet of Your throng run to You. Return Your forgotten tribes; call them forth, shout, sound Your horn. Bring them to Your holy mountain, and gladden them in Your House of prayer.

Our God and God of our ancestors,

תִּתֵּן Give Your nation hope; / restore the Temple to us. Raise up the loftiest of mountains, Zion; rebuild Israel’s razed dignity. Light up the darkness of Your desired Temple; glorify the city that now sits desolate. There, You alone shall be robed in majesty; You will remove shame from Your city. Shake the wicked out of Your Temple; show righteousness to Your congregation. Draw Your beloved to You, / make a new covenant with her. Let her life be precious in Your eyes, purify her with cleansing waters. Settle in the city where David encamped; raise up the stature of Your palm tree, Israel. Make Your love for us known to all, / walk amid our camps. Prescribe our redemption from exile; reveal the time when You will finally take us as Your own. Come quickly to comfort us; declare us as Your own, and we shall declare You as ours.

And in the abundance of our sins,

תָּעִֽינוּ We have strayed from Your path; we have erred away from Your commandments. We have grown distant from the source of our life; we have spoiled the path to eternal life. We have failed to stride on a straight path; we have sinned brazenly against Your holy name. We have left Your Torah; we have strayed from Your word. We have angered You with our actions; we have rebelled and revolted against You. We did not heed the words of Your prophets; we angered You and did not seek You. We let fear of You be forgotten from our hearts; we have acted to defile all that You made pure. We have sinned against You, Lord our God; we have angered You with the abundance of our sins. We have hardened our hearts; we have stiffened our necks. We have cast Your words behind us; we have failed to tell of Your greatness. Your House was destroyed by our iniquity; Your Temple was smashed by our sins.

מַה נְּדַבֵּר What can we say before the One who speaks truth? And how can we respond to the Source of response? How can we justify ourselves before the One clothed in justice? You have bestowed us with goodness, and we have repaid You in wickedness; and what right remains with us, to cry out before the King?

זְכֹר Remember, LORD, Your compassion and loving-kindness, for they are everlasting. Do not hold against us the sins of those who came before us. May Your mercies meet us swiftly, for we have been brought very low. Remember us, LORD, in favoring Your people; redeem us with Your salvation.

זְכֹר Remember Your congregation, the one that You acquired long ago, the tribe of Your inheritance that You redeemed, this Mount Zion that You have dwelt in.

זְכֹר Remember, LORD, the fondness of Jerusalem; do not forever forget the love of Zion. You shall rise up and have compassion for Zion, for now it is right to be gracious, for the time has come.

זְכֹר Remember, LORD, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. They said, “Tear it down, tear it down to its very foundations!”

זְכֹר Remember Abraham, Isaac and Yisrael, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own Self, when You said to them, “I shall make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I shall give all this land that I spoke of to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.”

זְכֹר Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; do not attend to the stubbornness of this people, to their wickedness or sinfulness.

אַל־נָא Please, do not hold against us the sin that we committed so foolishly, that we have sinned.

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