לערב ראש השנה 10

ל. חתום יואל בר יצחק הלוי:

This prayer was composed by Rabbi Yoel ben Yitzchak HaLevi.

אֱלֹהִים יִרְאֶה־לּוֹ

God! Let Him choose for Himself

שֶׂה־פְזוּרָה

the scattered sheep¹Israel, which is scattered among nations as sheep among the wolves.

וְיוֹשַׁע.

and let Him deliver her.

לְקוֹל שַׁוְעָתָהּ

To the sound of her cries

יַקְשִׁיב וְיִשַׁע.

let Him listen and be attentive,

פֶּן תִּסָּפֶה

lest she be destroyed

בַּחֲנִית וּמַסַּע.

by the sword and arrow.²Of the nations.

עַל־מֶה

Oh, why does He allow

נִאֵץ רָשָׁע אֱלֹהִים:

the evil one to blaspheme God.

אֱלֹהִים וְאֶהֱמָיָה לְקוֹל שָׁאוֹן.

God! I tremble at the uproar,

שׁוֹאֵן בְּרַעַשׁ

the tumultous clamor³Of our enemies.

עֲלֵי יִחוּדָךְ לְמָאֵן.

urging me to refute Your Oneness.

וְנַחֲלָתְךָ הֵיצַר

They oppress Your inheritance,

לָמָּה

why, [God, do you permit them]

תְנִיאֵן.

to remove me from my belief in You.

אָמַר נָבָל בְּלִבּוֹ

so that the vile one can say in his heart

אֵין אֱלֹהִים:

that there is no God.

אֱלֹהִים אַל דָּמִי

God! do not remain silent

לִדְמֵי שְׁפִיכוֹת.

over our spilt blood,

עֲרִיכַת נְתָחֵינוּ

over our arrayed limbs

מִלְּאוּ לְשָׁכוֹת.

that have filled [many] chambers.

וְלָמָּה תַעְלֵם לְבִלְתִּי סְכוֹת.

Why do You ignore without hearing

כִּי חֵרֵף מַעַרְכוֹת אֱלֹהִים:

that he has villified the armies of God.

אֱלֹהִים לָנוּ מַחֲסֶה, וְנָרֹן

God! be our Protector and we shall sing

בַּאֲבֹד רְשָׁעִים,

at the demise of the evil ones

הָאוֹמְרִים בְּתוֹרָתְךָ מִלִּזְבֹּד.

who say: “Do not partake of Your Torah,

וּמַה־בֶּצַע

and what is the benefit

בְּחַרְתֶּם בְּאֵל הַכָּבוֹד.

that you chose the honored God;

שָׁוְא עֲבֹד אֱלֹהִים:

it is in vain to worship God.”

אֱלֹהִים בָּאוּ גּוֹיִם

God! The nations have come

נַחֲלָתְךָ לְהַלְאוֹת.

to tire and exhaust Your inheritance,

בְּפֶסֶל נִסְכָּם

with poured graven images

שָׂמוּ־אוֹתוֹתָם אוֹת.

they have made their sign as a sign.

רְאֵה כִּי־גָּזְרוּ צֹאן

See that they have cut off the sheep

מִמִּכְלְאוֹת.

from their habitat,

אָמְרוּ

and they have said:

נִירְשָׁה־לָנוּ

“We shall inherit for ourselves

אֵת נְאוֹת אֱלֹהִים:

the dwelling of God.”

אֱלֹהִים יַחֲקָר זֹאת

God! Inquire into this

כִּי־הִכְרִיעוּ לָטֶבַח.

that they⁴The nations. have decided to slaughter

עוֹלְלִים וְיוֹנְקִים

[our] infants and sucklings

נִתְנַדְּבוּ לַאֶבַח.

who have volunteered for the sword,

וּמִלְּאוּ יָדָם

and appointed themselves

לְקָרְבָה אֶת הַזֶּבַח.

to be brought as sacrifices

אֶל מִזְבַּחַ אֱלֹהִים:

to the altar of God.

אֱלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת שׁוּב נָא

God of hosts! please return

וְנַקְמֵנִי. מִידֵי עֵשָׂו

and avenge me from the hands of Esau

כִּי הִשִׁיאַנִי.

for he has enticed me

לֵאמֹר מַה

saying: what [hope] is there,

נוֹאָשׁ מִמֶּנִּי.

for You have given up on me

כִּי נַשַּׁנִי אֱלֹהִים:

and that I have been forgotten by God.

אֱלֹהִים חֲדָשִׁים מֵאֲנוּ

They⁵Israel. rejected any new god

כִּי־שָׁוְא עֲבוֹדָתוֹ.

for vain is its worship.

וְדָבְקוּ בְיוֹצְרָם

They cleaved to their Creator

וְיָרְקוּ לְעֻמַּת־מַחְבַּרְתּוֹ.

and spat at their books of philosophy;

וְכָל־אֶחָד הִשְׁלִים

and each of them gave

רוּחוֹ וּגְוִיָּתוֹ.

his spirit and body⁶To sanctify God’s holy Name.

וְאֵינֶנּוּ

and none is left

כִּי לָקַח אוֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים:

for they were⁷Lit. “he was.” taken by God.

אֱלֹהִים קְדוֹשִׁים הֵם פָּצוּ,

“God is holy,” they pronounced,

וְהִתְוַדּוּ נַפְשׁוֹתָם,

and confessed [the sins] of their souls,

חַטָּאתָם לֹא־כִחֲדוּ.

without concealing their sins.

לְאִמּוֹתָם צָרְחוּ

To their mothers they cried out:

חוּשָׁה־נָא וְעִקְדוּ.

“Hurry and bind us,⁸So that we will not resist.

אֲשֶׁר בִּי יְכַבְּדוּ אֱלֹהִים:

for through us God will be honored.”

אֱלֹהִים הוּא יָרֶב־לוֹ,

Let God fight for him⁹I.e. the nation of Israel.

כַּאֲשֶׁר מִגֵּן עַמּוֹ

just as He gave over His people

לִגְזֹר,

to be cut down

כְּרֹאשׁ־שִׁבֹּלֶת דָּגָן.

like heads of grain stalks.

תֻּצְרַר

May she be¹⁰I.e. the soul of His nation. bound

לְיוֹשְׁבֵי סַהַר־אַגַּן

to those who sit in a circle¹¹I.e. the Sanhedrin who customarily sit in a semi-circle.

אֱלֹהִים:

[in the garden of Eden] of God.

אֱלֹהִים לְבָרֵי־לֵבָב

God! To those who are pure of heart

עֵינַי מַיִם נוֹזְלוֹת.

my eyes flow [with tears like] water

בְּזָכְרִי כִּי־בְּעִקְּבוֹתָם

when I remember that with their feet

גְּרָרוּם בִּמְסִלּוֹת.

they dragged them along the roads.

קוֹל־מְחָרְפֶיךָ שְׁמַע

Hear the voice of those who blaspheme,

דּוֹבְרֵי נְבָלוֹת.

those who speak repulsive words;

וְרַב מִהְיוֹת קוֹלוֹת אֱלֹהִים:

enough of their sounds, O God.

אֱלֹהִים וְתִרְצֵנִי, הֱיֵה מָעוֹז

God! Accept me! And be a strength

לַבָּאִים בְּצֵל־כְּנָפֶיךָ

to those who come under Your wing

לַחֲסוֹת, מִפְּנֵי לְבָאִים.

to find protection from the beasts.¹²לבְאָיִם—lit. lions.

נָסוּ לְעֶזְרָתֶךָ

They have run for Your help

לְהִנָּצֵל מִסּוֹד־מְרֵעִים.

to be saved from conspiracy¹³Of the nations.

כִּי עִם אֱלֹהִים:

by being together with God.

אֱלֹהִים יִפְּלוּ מִמּוֹעֲצוֹתֵיהֶם

God! May they fall in their conspiracies,

טוֹפְלֵי טֻחֵי.

these planners [of evil].

זִכְרָם יָסוּף

May their memory be blotted

זַעְמֶךָ עֲלֵיהֶם נְחֵה.

and lay Your anger upon them.

קַל־מְהֵרָה

May [they] very speedily

גְּמוּלָם בְּרֹאשָׁם,

[receive] their just rewards upon their heads

יִמָּחֶה כָּל גּוֹיִם

and let all nations be erased

שְׁכֵחֵי אֱלֹהִים:

those [nations] who have forgotten God.

אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים,

Living God!

נִפְּלָה נָּא בְּיָדֶךָ.

May we please fall into Your hands,

וּבְיַד רָשָׁע

but into the hands of the evil

אַל־תַּסְגֵּר עֲבָדֶיךָ.

do not deliver Your servants.

בַּקֵּשׁ אֶת־נִרְדָּף

Seek the vengeance of the persecuted

בְּנֵי יְדִידֶיךָ.

the children of Your beloved ones.¹⁴I.e. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

מַה יָּקָר חַסְדְּךָ אֱלֹהִים:

How dear is Your kindness, O God!

אֱלֹהִים זְנַחְתָּנוּ

God! You have abandoned us

וַאֲנַחְנוּ אֲשֵׁמִים.

and we are at fault.

בְּכֵן יָחִיל לִבִּי

Therefore, my heart trembles

וָאֵשֵׁב מַשְׁמִים.

and I sit stunned.

לְעֶזְרָתִי חוּשָׁה

Hurry to help me

וּמִיַּד קָמִים.

from those who rise up [against me].

הַצִּילֵנִי מִדָּמִים אֱלֹהִים:

Save me from bloodiness, God!

אֱלֹהִים קוֹלִי בְּשִׂיחִי

God! Let the voice of my speech

וְקוֹל הַצֹּאן.

and the voice of [Your] flock

תָּבֹא לְפָנֶיךָ

come before You

מִכְּנַף־הָאָרֶץ וְקִיצוֹן.

from the ends of the world.

הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ אֵלֶיךָ

Return us unto You

וְחַלְּצֵנוּ מִלַּחֲצוֹן.

and release us from oppression.

וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי

And let my prayer be

לְךָ יְהֹוָה עֵת־רָצוֹן

at a time of acceptance to You, Adonoy.

אֱלֹהִים:

God.

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 judgment with us,

כִּי לֹא יִצְדַּק לְפָנֶֽיךָ כָּל חָי:

for no living soul will be justified before You.

יְהוָה יֹדֵעַ מַחְשְׁבוֹת אָדָם

Adonoy knows the thoughts of man

כִּי־הֵמָּה הָבֶל׃

that they are vanity.

תְּהִי נָא אָזְנְךָ קַשֶֽׁבֶת

Let Your ear hear

וְעֵינֶֽיךָ פְּקוּחוֹת

and Your eyes see

אֶל תְּפִלַּת עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל:

the prayers of Your people, Israel.

וְסָלַחְתָּ לְעַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר חָטְאוּ־לָךְ

Pardon Your people who sinned to You,

וּלְכָל־פִּשְׁעֵיהֶם

and all their transgressions

אֲשֶׁר פָּשְׁעוּ־בָךְ:

which they transgressed unto You.

תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב

Grant truth to Jacob,

חֶֽסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם

kindliness to Abraham,

אשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּֽעְתָּ לַאֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ

as You have sworn to our fathers

מִימֵי קֶֽדֶם:

from the days of old.

יְהֹוָה יְהֹוָה

Adonoy, Adonoy,

אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן

Almighty, Compassionate, and Gracious,

אֶֽרֶךְ אַפַּֽיִם

Slow to anger

וְרַב חֶֽסֶד וֶֽאֱמֶת:

and Abounding in kindness and truth.

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.