לערב ראש השנה 4

כד. על פי א"ב. חתום אליה בר שמעיה חזק:

אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ

Our God and God of our fathers!

אֵיכָכָה אֶפְצֶה פֶה

How can I open my mouth,

וְאֵיךְ אֶשָּא עַיִן.

and how can I lift my eyes,

בִּי אֵין מַעַשֹ

when in me there are no good deeds

וּבְיָדִי זְכוּת אַיִן.

and in my hand there is no merit?

גָעִיתִי הָיִיתִי כְּשִׁכּוֹר

I shout, I am like a drunkard,

וּכְגֶבֶר עֲבָרוֹ יַיִן.

and like one overcome with wine.

דָּמִיתִי לְגִבּוֹר

I am like a warrior

שֶׁאֵין בְּיָדוֹ כְּלֵי זַיִן:

without weapons:

הָחֳרַד לֵב דַּל,

The humble heart trembles,

וְחָדַל

for gone is [the righteous one]

הַהוּקַם סַרְסוּר.

appointed to intercede on our behalf;

וּמַה יִּפְעַר

and who is left to open his mouth—

נִבְעַר מִדַּעַת וּבִין חָסוּר.

the fool, and one who lacks perception.

זְדוֹנוֹ בְּחֻבּוֹ טָמוּן

His transgression is concealed in him,

וְאָוֶן בְּקִרְבּוֹ אָסוּר.

and his iniquity is imprisoned within him,

חוֹטֵא וְרַב מֶרִי,

he is a sinner and full of rebelliousness,

בְּיַד מְנֻוָּל מָסוּר:

a captive of the despicable [evil inclination].

טֹרַד לֵב נִבְזֶה הֲלָזֶה

Filled with distraction is this humiliated heart

הַבָּא לְבַקֵּשׁ.

of him who comes to entreat You,

יָשָׁר הֶעֱוָה,

the straight path he has distorted,

תּוֹכָחוֹת קָץ,

[and] he despises admonition,

פְּתַלְתּוֹל וְעִקֵּשׁ.

[for] he has become twisted and crooked.

כֹּשֶׁל בִּרְכָּיו אַשְׁמָתוֹ

His knee is weak because of his guilt,

וְצַחֲנָתוֹ לוֹ לְמוֹקֵשׁ.

and the filth of his sin is his obstacle;

לִבּוֹ אָוֶן חוֹרֵשׁ,

in his heart he thinks of iniquity,

בְּפֹעַל כַּפָּיו נוֹקֵשׁ:

and his deeds cause him to stumble.

מַעַן טַעַן בְּפִיצָה לְהָשִׁיב

Rebuttals and excuses to offer—

מָה אֶמְצָא.

what can I find?

נִתְעַבְתִּי וְנֶאֱלַחְתִּי

I have become repulsive and polluted

כִּי מָלֵאתִי דֹּפִי וְשִׁמְצָה.

for I am filled with disgrace and derision.

סֵפֶק מֵימַי לֹא נֶאֱמָנוּ

The abundance of my tears has not endured,

כְּאַכְזָב מוֹצָא.

its source has been interrupted;

עַצָרוֹתַי

[even] my assembly [for prayer]

אָוֶן וּמִרְמָה

is filled with iniquity and deceit,

וְצוֹמוֹתַי לְרִיב וּמַצָּה:

and my fast days filled with strife.

פֶּשַׁע מְחֵה וְעָווֹן שָֹא

Erase our transgression, forgive our iniquity,

וְאָשָׁם כַּפֵּר.

and atone our guilt.

צָעַקְתִּי מִכְּאֵב לֵב,

I cry out from an aching heart,

נִכְלָם בּוּשׁ וָחֵפֶר.

that is disgraced, shamed and humiliated:

קֶצֶף שַׁכֵּךְ וְרֹגֶז הַנַּח

“Quiet Your wrath, calm Your rage,

וְכַעַס הָפֵר.

and annul Your anger;

רְצֵה

be pleased with [our emmissary who seeks³A reference to the Chazzan.]

מְרַצֶּה וּמְחַבֵּב,

to make us favored and loved [in Your eyes],

וְעַרְבֵּב גּוּמָּץ חוֹפֵר:

and confound [Satan] who digs pits for us.”

שִׁבְטֵי פְלִיטֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל

Remember the tribes of Israel!

הִכּוֹנוּ בְּלֵב נָבָר.

Prepare yourselves with pure hearts,

תֹּם הַחֲזִיקוּ,

with whole hearts, uphold [the Mitzvos],

וְתַחַן הָפִיקוּ,

and bring forth your supplication,

נַשְּׁקוּ בַר.

do homage in purity [of heart].

אֶת יְהֹוָה בְּהִמָּצְאוֹ

When Adonoy makes Himself accessible,

לְדָרְשׁוֹ חַיִל יֻגְבַּר.

seek Him with added might,

לֹא־בָזָה וְלֹא שִׁקַּץ

He will not shame or detest

עֱנוּת עָנִי וְנִשְׁבָּר:

the cry of the humble and crushed [heart].

יוֹם יְשׁוּעָה וְעֵת רָצוֹן

A day of deliverance and a time of favor

אֶמְצָא לְפָנֶיךָ.

may I find in Your Presence;

הָגוּן וְרָאוּי וְשָׁלֵם

fit, worthy and faultless,

אֵחָשֵׁב בְּעֵינֶיךָ.

may I be considered in Your eyes.

בְּעָמְדִי לְהִתְפַּלֵּל

When I stand in prayer

וּלְבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עַל בָּנֶיךָ.

to plead for mercy on Your children,

רָצִיתִי אֶתְכֶם הַשְׁמִיעֵנוּ,

let us hear, “I have bestowed favor on you,”

סָלַחְתִּי

“I have pardoned you”—

נִתְבַּשֵּׂר מִמְּעוֹנֶךָ:

may this be told us from Your Dwelling.

שִׁקְדוּ נָא פְּנֵי עֶלְיוֹן

Quickly, seek the Presence of the Almighty,

וְהִמּוֹלוּ קָשׁוֹת.

excise the hardness of your hearts,

מִכְשׁוֹל הָרִימוּ,

remove the obstacle [the evil inclination],

פַּנוּ דֶרֶךְ וְיַשְּׁרוּ מַעֲקַשּׁוֹת.

clear the way and straighten the crooked,

עָוֹן עִזְבוּ וְהִתְוַדּוּ

abandon iniquity and confess,

וְאַל תּוֹסִיפוּ לְהַקְשׁוֹת.

and do not continue to harden [your hearts].

יוֹדֵעַ

He who knows of his sin,

יָשׁוּב וְנִחָם

let him repent and show regret,

וְיִקַּח דִּבְרֵי כְבוּשִׁים

let him accept words of admonition,

וּבַקָּשׁוֹת:

and let him plead [for forgiveness].

הַקְשִׁיבָה אָדוֹן חַנּוּן

Listen O Master to my supplication,

הַאֲזִינָה עֵרֶךְ שַׁוְעָתִי.

give ear to my prayer,

זַעֲקָתִי רְצֵה

be pleased with my cry,

וְהִתְרַצֵּה וְהִתְפַּיֵּס

be appeased and conciliated

וְקַבֵּל שַׁוְעָתִי.

and accept my prayer;

קְרָאתִיךָ מִמֵּצַר,

I call You out of distress,

קְרַב אֵלַי וּלְכָה לִישׁוּעָתִי.

be near to me and come deliver me,

חוּשָׁה לְעֶזְרָתִי אֲדֹנָי תְּשׁוּעָתִי:

quickly, help me, my Master, my deliverer.

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.”

אַל תָּבֹא בְּמִשְׁפָּט עִמָּנוּ

Do not enter into judgement with us

כִּי לֹא יִצְדַּק לְפָנֶֽיךָ כָּל חָי:

for no living soul will be justified before You.

כִּי תִקַּח מוֹעֵד אֱלֹהִים

When You appoint a time, O God

מֵישָׁרִים תִּשְׁפֹּט׃

to judge us with uprightness.

שְׁמַע קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנֵינוּ

Hear the voice of our supplications

בְּשַׁוְּעֵנוּ אֵלֶיךָ

when we cry out to You.

בְּנָשְׂאֵנוּ יָדֵינוּ

When we lift our hands

אֶל־דְּבִיר קָדְשֶׁךָ׃

toward the Holy of Holies of Your Sanctuary.

לְהַצִּיל מִמָּוֶת נַפְשֵׁנוּ

Save our souls from death

וּלְחַיּוֹתֵנוּ בָּרָעָב׃

and sustain us from hunger.

וְאַתָּה יְהוָה מָגֵן בַּעֲדֵנוּ

And You Adonoy, are our shield,

כְּבוֹדֵנוּ וּמֵרִים רֹאשֵׁנוּ׃

our glory and the uplifter of our heads.

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.