ליום חמישי דעשי"ת 7

צא. ע"פ א"ב. לרבנו מאיר בן יצחק:

אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ

Our God and God of our fathers!

אֹמֶץ יוֹסִיף טְהָר־יָדַיִם

The pure-handed One will increase His force,

וכֹחוֹ יִגְדַּל וְיִישַׁר.

His power will grow and wax.

בְּמִקְרָא אִלְמָלֵא כָתוּב

Were it not in Scripture

לְאָמְרוֹ אִי־אֶפְשָׁר.

one could not say it:

גֵּאֶה נִתְעַטֵּף כִּשְׁלִיחַ־צִבּוּר

The proud One wrapped Himself like a chazan

וּשְׁלֹשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּוֹת הִכְשִׁיר.

and declared the thirteen attributes.

דִּבְרַת יְקָרוֹ הֶעֱבִיר

He caused the words of His glory to pass

וְהֶרְאָה לְמֹשֶׁה קֶשֶׁר הַמְקֻשָּׁר:

and showed Moshe the tied knot [of His T’filin].

הִזְהִירוֹ וְאָמַר־לוֹ

He prepared him and told him,

כָּל־זְמַן שֶׁחוֹטְאִין בָּנַי.

“So long as My sons sin,

וְכַסֵּדֶר הַזֶּה יִהְיוּ עוֹשִׂין לְפָנַי.

let them perform this order before Me—

זוֹ־הִיא הַמִּדָּה לִסְלֹחַ

it is My attribute to forgive—

אֲנִי יְהֹוָה יְהֹוָה.

I am Adonoy, Adonoy,

חַנּוּן קֹדֶם שֶׁיֶּחֱטָא

gracious before you sin

וְאַחַר שֶׁיֶּחֱטָא וְיָשׁוּב

and gracious after you sin and repent.

אֵלּוּ דְּרָכַי וְעִנְיָנָי:

These are My ways and methods.”

טוֹב וְסַלָּח וְרַב־חֶסֶד

Good and forgiving, Master of kindliness,

כְּלַפֵּי חֶסֶד מַגְבִּיר.

Who tips¹The scales of justice are seen as two pans, one of strict justice and one of kindliness. the scale toward kindliness,

יָשׁוּב יְרַחֵם

again have mercy,

כּוֹבֵשׁ וְנוֹשֵׂא וּפָנִים מַסְבִּיר.

Withholder, Bearer, and Favorer.

כָּךְ הִיא הַמִּדָּה

It is Your policy

רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן מַעֲבִיר.

to eliminate sins one by one;²The first several sins are eliminated.

לִמְחֹל וְלִסְלֹחַ

to forgive and pardon,

רַחֲמָיו וַחֲסָדָיו לְהַגְבִּיר:

increasing Your mercy and kindliness.

כָּמוֹךָ מִי־מוֹרֶה תַחְבֹּשֶׁת

Who like You teaches that penitence heals,

חָסִיד וְרוֹפֵא אֻמָּן.

kindly One and master healer;

לְפִי הַמַּכָּה גְדוֹלָה

matching the size of the wound

מְלוּגְמָתְךָ תְּזֻמָּן.

is Your ready bandange,

מוּעָטִים דָּמִים

though he has little money prepared—³The sinner is described as a sick patient with few merits.

חוֹלֶה הַבָּא אֶצְלְךָ לְיָדוֹ אִמָּן.

the patient coming to you.

נִשְׁתַּיֵּר מִשֶּׁלָּךְ חִנָּם חָנֵּנוּ

The balance grant us free,

רַחֲמָן וְנֶאֱמָן:

Merciful, dependable One.

סַמְּךָ

Your cure [the Torah]

סַם חַיִּים מֻפְלָאָה

is the wonderful elixir of life

לְמַלָּנִית.

for the dark one;⁴The Jewish People (Song of Songs).

עִקָּרֵי כוֹסְךָ יָפִים

the ingredients You blend are perfect

וְקִלּוּרֵי מַטְלָנִית.

as is the lotion on the bandage.

פָּתוֹחַ בְּיָדְךָ כֵּיוָן

Open swiftly, with Your hand,

נַרְתֵּק הָאִסְפְּלָנִית.

the medicine kit

צֳרִי לְהַתְעִיל

to provide balm

מַחַץ חִבַּת חוֹלָנִית:

for the wounds of the lovesick one [Israel].

פּוֹעֵל עִם בַּעַל־הַבַּיִת

When a laborer works for an employer,

וּבֶאֱמוּנָה נוֹהֵג־בּוֹ.

in good faith, [though the employer]

צוֹפֶה לִתֵּן שְׂכָרוֹ

expects to pay his wage,

מַה־שְּׁבָחוֹ וּמַה טּוּבוֹ.

that is not praiseworthy.

קִלְקֵל וְנִתְעַצֵּל בִּמְלַאכְתּוֹ

If he does damage or works lazily,

שֶׁבַח רַבּוֹ אִם־קֵרְבוֹ.

the master is praised if he’s generous.

לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ

Adonoy, our God,

הָרַחֲמִים וְהַסְּלִיחוֹת

is merciful and forgiving

כִּי מָרַדְנוּ בוֹ:

though we rebelled against Him.

קֹשֶׁט מִדּוֹתֶיךָ

Your veracious attributes

תְּרוּמוֹת וַהֲגוּנוֹת.

are supreme, most proper

רְאִיַּת דּוּגְמָתְךָ

as seen

לְמַסְפִּיק לְמוֹרְדָיו מְזוֹנוֹת.

from Your supplying food to the rebellious.

שְׁאֵרִית יוֹסֵף

The remnant of Joseph⁵Jewry is metaphorically called Joseph.

מְקַוֶּה מְצֹא סְלִיחָה לַעֲווֹנוֹת.

hopes to find forgiveness from sin.

תִּגְמֹל הַטּוֹב

Grant good

כְּיוֹסֵף לְאֶחָיו

like Joseph to his brothers,

צִדְקוֹתֶיךָ נֶצַח לְתַנּוֹת:

forever to relate Your righteousness.

אֵל מֶֽלֶךְ.

Almighty! King!

יוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רַחֲמִים.

Who sits on the throne of mercy,

מִתְנַהֵג בַּחֲסִידוּת.

governs with kindness

מוֹחֵל עֲו‍ֹנוֹת עַמּוֹ.

forgives the iniquities of His people.

מַעֲבִיר רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן.

He removes their sins one by one,

מַרְבֶּה מְחִילָה לְחַטָּאִים

increasing forgiveness to sinners,

וּסְלִיחָה לְפוֹשְׁעִים.

and pardon to transgressors.

עוֹשֶׂה צְדָקוֹת

Acting righteously

עִם כָּל בָּשָׂר וָרֽוּחַ.

with all who are of flesh and spirit;

לֹא כְרָעָתָם

not according to their wickedness

תִּגְמוֹל:

does He repay them.

אֵל

Almighty!

הוֹרֵיתָ לָנוּ לוֹמַר

You instructed us to recite

שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה.

the thirteen Divine attributes;

וּזְכָר לָֽנוּ הַיּוֹם

remember unto us this day

בְּרִית שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה.

the covenant of thirteen Divine attributes,

כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוֹדַֽעְתָּ

as You made them known

לֶעָנָו מִקֶּֽדֶם.

to the humble Moses of old,

כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב

as it is written,

וַיֵּרֶד יְהֹוָה בֶּֽעָנָן

“And Adonoy descended in the cloud,

וַיִּתְיַצֵּב עִמּוֹ שָׁם

and stood with him there,

וַיִּקְרָא בְשֵׁם יְהֹוָה:

and proclaimed the Name, Adonoy.

קהל וחזן:

Congregation and Chazzan:

וַיַּֽעֲבֹר יְהֹוָה עַל פָּנָיו

And Adonoy passed before him [Moses],

וַיִּקְרָא:

and proclaimed:

יְהֹוָה יְהֹוָה

Adonoy, Adonoy,

אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן

Almighty, Merciful, Gracious,

אֶֽרֶךְ אַפַּֽיִם

Slow to Anger,

וְרַב חֶֽסֶד וֶֽאֱמֶת:

and Abundant in Kindness, and Truth.

נֹצֵר חֶֽסֶד

Keeper of kindness

לָאֲלָפִים

for thousands of generations,

נֹשֵׂא עָו‍ֹן וָפֶֽשַׁע

Endurer of iniquity, and transgression,

וְחַטָּאָה

and sin;

וְנַקֵּה:

and Acquitter of those who repent.

וְסָלַחְתָּ לַעֲו‍ֹנֵֽנוּ וּלְחַטָּאתֵֽנוּ

“And pardon our iniquity and our sin,

וּנְחַלְתָּֽנוּ:

and take us for Your inheritance.”

סְלַח לָֽנוּ אָבִֽינוּ כִּי חָטָֽאנוּ.

Pardon us our Father, for we have sinned,

מְחַל לָֽנוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ כִּי פָשָֽׁעְנוּ:

forgive us our King, for we have transgressed.

כִּי אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי

“For You, my Master,

טוֹב וְסַלָּח

are good and forgiving,

וְרַב חֶֽסֶד

and abounding in kindness

לְכָל קֹרְאֶֽיךָ:

to all who call upon You.”

אָז תַּחְפֹּץ

Then will You desire

זִבְחֵי־צֶדֶק

the offerings of the righteous,

עוֹלָה וְכָלִיל

the burnt-offering—burnt meal-offering;

אָז יַעֲלוּ עַל־מִזְבַּחֲךָ

then upon Your altar will be brought up

פָרִים:

[offerings of] bullocks.

תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב

You will grant truth to Jacob

חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם

kindliness to Abraham,

אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ

as You have sworn to our fathers,

מִימֵי קֶדֶם:

from the days of old.

וְחֶסֶד יְהוָה

And the kindness of Adonoy

מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם

is forever and ever

עַל יְרֵאָיו,

upon those who fear Him

וְצִדְקָתוֹ

and His righteousness

לִבְנֵי בָנִים:

upon children’s children.

כְּרַחֵם אָב עַל בָּנִים

As a father has compassion on his children

כֵּן תְּרַחֵם יְהֹוָה עָלֵֽינוּ:

so do You have compassion on us, Adonoy.

לַיהֹוָה הַיְשׁוּעָה,

Deliverance is Adonoy’s;

עַל עַמְּךָ בִרְכָתֶֽךָ סֶּֽלָה:

upon Your people is Your blessing. Selah!

יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת עִמָּֽנוּ

Adonoy of Hosts is with us,

מִשְׂגָּב לָֽנוּ, אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב סֶֽלָה:

a stronghold for us is the God of Jacob. Selah!

יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת,

Adonoy of Hosts!

אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם בֹּֽטֵֽחַ בָּךְ:

fortunate is the man who trusts in You.

יְהֹוָה הוֹשִֽׁיעָה,

Adonoy, deliver us;

הַמֶּֽלֶךְ יַעֲנֵֽנוּ בְיוֹם קָרְאֵנוּ:

the King will answer us on the day we call.

סְלַח נָא לַעֲו‍ֹן הָעָם הַזֶּה,

“Please pardon the sins of this nation

כְּגֹֽדֶל

in accordance with the greatness

חַסְדֶּֽךָ.

of Your lovingkindness;

וְכַאֲשֶׁר נָשָֽׂאתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה.

and as You forgave this people

מִמִּצְרַֽיִם וְעַד הֵֽנָּה.

from when it left Egypt until now.”

וְשָׁם נֶאֱמַר:

And there it is said:

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה

“And Adonoy said,

סָלַֽחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ:

I have pardoned [them] as you have asked.”

הַטֵּה אֱלֹהַי אָזְנְךָ וּשְׁמָע,

Incline Your ear, my God, and hear,

פְּקַח עֵינֶֽיךָ וּרְאֵה שֹׁמְמֹתֵֽינוּ,

open Your eyes and behold our desolate places,

וְהָעִיר אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שִׁמְךָ עָלֶֽיהָ

and the city which is called by Your Name;

כִּי לֹא עַל צִדְקֹתֵֽינוּ,

for it is not on account of our righteousness

אֲנַֽחְנוּ מַפִּילִים תַּחֲנוּנֵֽינוּ לְפָנֶֽיךָ,

that we let fall our supplication before You,

כִּי עַל רַחֲמֶֽיךָ הָרַבִּים:

but because of Your great mercy.

אֲדֹנָי שְׁמָֽעָה, אֲדֹנָי סְלָֽחָה,

My Master, hear! My Master, pardon!

אֲדֹנָי הַקְשִֽׁיבָה וַעֲשֵׂה,

My Master, listen and take action,

אַל תְּאַחַר.

do not delay!

לְמַעַנְךָ אֱלֹהַי,

For Your sake, my God,

כִּי שִׁמְךָ נִקְרָא

because Your Name is proclaimed

עַל עִירְךָ וְעַל עַמֶּֽךָ:

over Your city and over Your people.