לצום גדליה 5

מח. ע"פ א"ב. חיבר רב סעדיה גאון

This prayer was composed by Rav Saadyah Gaon.

אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ

Our God and God of our fathers!

אָבְלָה נַפְשִׁי וְחָשַׁךְ תָּאֳרִי.

My soul mourns and my face is darkened,

בֵּית תִּפְאַרְתִּי

[because] the House of my glory¹The Holy Temple.

כְּנָשַׁף בּוֹ הָאֲרִי.

has been smashed by the lion;²Nevuchadnetsar.

גַּם פְּלֵיטָתִי

even my escaped ones

אֲשֶׁר־עָזְבוּ וּשְׁאֵרִי.

that were left, my remnant,

דֹּעֲכוּ כְּהַיּוֹם בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה בְּתִשְׁרִי:

were crushed on the third day of Tishri.

הָאֵשׁ וְהַמַּיִם הַזֵּידוֹנִים

The raging flames and flood

שְׁטָפוּנוּ בְּדָלְקָם.

overwhelmed us in their pursuit;

וּבָסְסוּ מִקְדָּשׁ

they trod down the Temple

וּבָזְזוּ חֶלְקָם.

and divided the spoil;

זִקְנֵי שְׁאֵרִית

the elders of the remnant

אֲשֶׁר פָּלְטוּ מִיּוֹם־נָקָם.

who escaped the day of vengeance,

חֻבָּלוּ עַתָּה

were now destroyed

בְּיוֹם צוֹם גְּדַלְיָה בֶּן־אֲחִיקָם:

on the fast day of Gedaliah ben Achikam.

טֹרָפוּ דַלַּת עַם הָאָרֶץ.

The poor among the people were torn apart,

יֶתֶר הַגָּזָם

that which was left by the caterpillar,³Nevuchadnetsar.

אָכַל הָאַרְבֶּה בְּמֶרֶץ.

was quickly devoured by the locust;⁴Ishmael ben Netanya.

כּוֹרְמִים וְיוֹגְבִים

the vine-keepers and farmers

פְּקֻדַּת מַרְגִּיז הָאָרֶץ.

that were left on the orders of Nevuchadnetsar,⁵Lit. “the earth shakers.” See Jeremiah 52:16.

לֹהֲטוּ

perished in the flames,

וְלֹא־הָיָה בָם גּוֹדֵר גָּדֶר

and there was none left to erect a fence

וְעוֹמֵד בַּפֶּרֶץ:

and to stand in the breach.

מָה אֲסַפֵּר

How can I narrate [the disaster]

וְאַנְחוֹתַי עֲצוּמוֹת.

when my groaning is so heavy?

נָקְטָה נַפְשִׁי

My soul is weary,

וּמַקְהֵלוֹתַי עֲגוּמוֹת.

and my congregations are grieved.

שְֹרִיגֵנוּ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁאֲרוּ

The few vines [Jews] that remained,

מִיקוֹד־אֵשׁ לְתַעֲצוּמוֹת.

from the fierce burning,

עוֹד הֵם לֹא־נִתְקַיְּמוּ

even they could not remain,

וְנִתָּשׁוּ בְּחֵמוֹת:

and were scattered in wrath.

פָּנֶיךָ עַד־מָתַי מִמֶּנּוּ תַּסְתִּיר.

How long will You hide your face from us?

צַעֲקָתֵינוּ שְׁמַע

Hear our cry

וַאֲסִירֵינוּ תַּתִּיר.

and loosen our bound ones,

קָדוֹשׁ בִּיטָה

O Holy One, behold,

כִּי־אֵין בַּעֲדֵנוּ מַעְתִּיר.

there is no one to plead in our behalf,

רְאֵה בְּדַלּוּתֵנוּ

look on our misery [and redeem us],

וְשִׁבְחֲךָ בְּפֶה נַכְתִּיר:

and we will crown You with Your praise.

שֻׁדַדְנוּ

We have been despoiled

מִדּוֹר לְדוֹר

from generation to generation,

וּמִקֵּץ לְקֵץ.

and from age to age,

שֹׁרֶשׁ צֶפַע מְעוֹפֵף

the fangs of the flying viper

אוֹתָנוּ עוֹקֵץ.

stings us;

תַּקִּיף,

Mighty One,

לְמִשְׁפָּטֵנוּ הָעֵר וְהָקֵץ.

be aroused and awake for our justification,

תְּכַפֵּר לַעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ

Atone our iniquities,

וְנֹאמַר קֵץ:

and call an end [to our suffering].

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.”

דִּרְשׁוּ יְהוָה בְּהִמָּצְאוֹ,

Seek Adonoy while He may be found

קְרָאֻהוּ בִּהְיוֹתוֹ קָרוֹב׃

call upon while He is near.

שׁוּבוּ בָּנִים שׁוֹבָבִים

Return, irreverent children,

אֶרְפָּה מְשׁוּבֹתֵיכֶם

I will heal your irreverence.

הִנְנוּ אָתָנוּ לָךְ

Behold we approach You

כִּי אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ׃

for You are Adonoy, our God.

שׁוּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ

Return, Israel to Adonoy, Your God,

כִּי כָשַׁלְתָּ בַּעֲוֺנֶךָ׃

for you have failed by your iniquity.

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.