The New Jew: A Field Guide

Ps. 84

Hebrew

יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם בֹּטֵחַ בָּךְ:

Sephardi

Adonai Tzeva'ot, ashrei adam bote'ach bach:

English

LORD of hosts, happy is the one who trusts in You.

Ps. 20

Hebrew

יְהוָה הוֹשִׁיעָה, הַמֶּלֶךְ יַעֲנֵנוּ בְיוֹם־קָרְאֵנוּ:

Sephardi

Adonai hoshi'ah, hamelech ya'aneinu beyom-kar'einu:

English

LORD, save! May the King answer us on the day we call.

Num. 14

Hebrew

סְלַח־נָא לַעֲוֹן הָעָם הַזֶּה כְּגֹדֶל חַסְדֶּךָ
וְכַאֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַד־הֵנָּה:

Sephardi

Selach-na la'avon ha'am hazeh kegodel chasdecha
vecha'asher nasa'tah la'am hazeh miMitzrayim ve'ad-hennah:

English

Forgive, please, this people’s iniquity, in the abundance of Your kindness, and as You have forgiven this people from the time of Egypt until now, and there it is written:

Hebrew

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה, סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶךָ:

Sephardi

Vayomer Adonai, salachti kidvarecha:

English

And the LORD said, I have forgiven as you asked.

Dan. 9

Hebrew

הַטֵּה אֱלֹהַי אָזְנְךָ וּשְׁמָע, פְּקַח עֵינֶיךָ וּרְאֵה שֹׁמְמֹתֵינוּ וְהָעִיר אֲשֶׁר־נִקְרָא
שִׁמְךָ עָלֶיהָ, כִּי לֹא עַל־צִדְקֹתֵינוּ אֲנַחְנוּ מַפִּילִים תַּחֲנוּנֵינוּ לְפָנֶיךָ, כִּי עַל־
רַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים: אֲדֹנָי שְׁמָעָה, אֲדֹנָי סְלָחָה, אֲדֹנָי הַקְשִׁיבָה וַעֲשֵׂה אַל־
תְּאַחַר, לְמַעַנְךָ אֱלֹהַי, כִּי־שִׁמְךָ נִקְרָא עַל־עִירְךָ וְעַל־עַמֶּךָ:

Sephardi

Hateh Elohai oznecha ushema, pekach einecha ure'eh shomemoteinu veha'ir asher-nikra
shimcha alehah, ki lo al-tzidkoteinu anachnu mapilim tachanuneinu lefanecha, ki al-
rachamecha harabim: Adonai shema'ah, Adonai selachah, Adonai hakshivah va'aseh al-
te'achar, lema'ancha Elohai, ki-shimcha nikra al-irecha ve'al-amecha:

English

Give ear, my God and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolation, and the city that bears Your name, for it is not on the strength of our righteousness that we throw down our pleadings before You, but on the strength of Your great compassion. LORD, hear me; LORD, forgive; LORD, listen and act and do not delay – for Your sake, my God; for Your city and Your people bear Your name.

Hebrew

אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ

Sephardi

Eloheinu veilohei avoteinu

English

Our God and God of our fathers:

Hebrew

אָתָנוּ לְךָ יוֹצֵר רוּחוֹת, בְּרוֹב עֲוֹנֵינוּ כָבְדוּ אֲנָחוֹת, גְּזֵרוֹת עָצְמוּ וְרַבּוּ צְרִיחוֹת,
כִּי בְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז נִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ הַלּוּחוֹת. גָּלִינוּ מִבֵּית הַבְּחִירָה, דִּינֵנוּ
נֶחְתַּם וְנִגְזְרָה גְּזֵרָה, וְחָשַׁךְ בַּעֲדֵנוּ אוֹרָה, כִּי בְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז נִשְׂרְפָה
הַתּוֹרָה. הָרְסוּ אוֹיְבֵינוּ הַהֵיכָל, וּבָרְחָה שְׁכִינָה מִזָּוִית הֵיכָל, וְנִמְסַרְנוּ בִּידֵי
זֵדִים לְהִתְאַכֵּל, כִּי בְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז הָעֳמַד צֶלֶם בַּהֵיכָל. זֹרָנוּ מֵעִיר
אֶל עִיר, וְנִלְכַּד מִמֶּנּוּ רַב וְצָעִיר, חָרְבָה מְשׂוֹשֵׂנוּ וְאֵשׁ בָּהּ הִבְעִיר, כִּי
בְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז הֻבְקְעָה הָעִיר. תָּפַשׂ מִקְדָּשֵׁנוּ צַר הַמַּשְׁמִיד, וְנָטַל
מֵחָתָן וְכַלָּה אֶצְעָדָה וְצָמִיד, יַעַן כַּעַסְנוּ נִתַּנוּ לְהַשְׁמִיד, כִּי בְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר
בְּתַמּוּז בָּטַל הַתָּמִיד. כָּלָה מִמֶּנּוּ כָּל הוֹד וְשֶׁבַח, חַרְבּוֹ שָׁלַף אוֹיֵב עָלֵינוּ
לְאַבֵּחַ, לִהְיוֹת עוֹלְלִים וְיוֹנְקִים מוּכָנִים לַטֶּבַח, כִּי בְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז
בָּטְלוּ עוֹלָה וָזֶבַח. מָרַדְנוּ לְשׁוֹכֵן מְעוֹנוֹת, לָכֵן נָפוֹצְנוּ בְּכָל פִּנּוֹת, נֶהְפַּךְ
מְחוֹלֵנוּ לְקִינוֹת, כִּי בְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז בָּטְלוּ קָרְבָּנוֹת. סָרַרְנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ
מֵרִיב לְשׁוֹנוֹת, לָכֵן לָמְדָה לְשׁוֹנֵנוּ לוֹמַר קִינוֹת, עֻזַּבְנוּ בְּלִי לְהִמָּנוֹת, כִּי
בְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז גָּרְמוּ לָנוּ עֲוֹנוֹת. פֻּזַּרְנוּ בְּלִי מְצוֹא רְוָחָה, לָכֵן רַבְּתָה

Sephardi

Atanu lecha yotzer ruchot, berov avoneinu kavdu anachot, gezerot atzmu verabu tzrichot,
ki beShiv'ah Asar beTammuz nishtaberu haluchot. Galinu miBeit habechirah, dineinu
nechtam venigzerah gezerah, vechashach ba'adeinu orah, ki beShiv'ah Asar beTammuz nisrefah
hatorah. Harsu oyveinu haheichal, uvarchah Shechinah mizzavit heichal, venimsarnu bidei
zedim lehit'akel, ki beShiv'ah Asar beTammuz ha'omad tzelem baheichal. Zoranu me'ir
el ir, venilkad mimenu rav vetza'ir, charvah mesosheinu ve'esh bah hiv'ir, ki
beShiv'ah Asar beTammuz huvke'ah ha'ir. Tafas Mikdasheinu tzar hamashmit, venatal
mechatan vechallah etz'adah vetzamid, ya'an ka'asnu nitanu lehashmid, ki beShiv'ah Asar
beTammuz batal hatamid. Kalah mimenu kol hod veshevach, charbo shalaf oyev aleinu
le'abe'ach, lihyot olelim veyonkim muchanim latevach, ki beShiv'ah Asar beTammuz
batlu olah vazevach. Maradnu leShochein me'onot, lachen nafotznu bechol pinot, nehpach
mecholeinu lekinot, ki beShiv'ah Asar beTammuz batlu korbanot. Sararnu lefanecha
meiriv leshonot, lachen lamdah leshoneinu lomar kinot, uzavnu beli lehimanot, ki
beShiv'ah Asar beTammuz garmu lanu avonot. Puzarnu beli metzo revachah, lachen ravtah

English

We come before You, Former of the winds. In our many iniquities our sighs have grown heavy; the decrees against us powerful and our screams so many – for on the Seventeenth of Tammuz, the Tablets were smashed. We have been exiled from the House of Your choosing; our judgment was sealed, the decree laid down. And the light has darkened over us – for on the Seventeenth of Tammuz, the Torah scroll was burnt. Our enemies destroyed the Sanctuary, the Divine Presence fled from Its corner, and we were yielded up to the hands of the wanton, to be consumed – for on the Seventeenth of Tammuz, an idol was set up in the Temple. We were scattered from city to city, and old and young of us were seized. The place of our delight was destroyed, and fire raged through her – for on the Seventeenth of Tammuz the city was broken through. The lethal foe took hold of our Temple, and the cherubs, bride and bridegroom were deprived of all their ornament. Because we angered You we were given up to destruction – for on the Seventeenth of Tammuz, the daily offering ceased. All glory and praise there ended. The enemy drew his sword and brandished its point against us; small children and babies were prepared for the slaughter – for on the Seventeenth of Tammuz, the offerings and sacrifices ceased. We rebelled against the One who inhabits the Heavens, and so we were dispersed to all the corners of the world. All our dancing was turned to lament – for on the Seventeenth of Tammuz, the Temple service ended. We acted obstinately with You in the discord of tongues, and so our own tongue has learnt lamentation; we have been abandoned in countless numbers – for on the Seventeenth of Tammuz, sin decided our destiny. We have been dispersed and found no relief, and so our sighs have multiplied within us; Rock, see how