Therefore, we pray to You, the Merciful,
Have mercy on Your people,
And spread over the inhabitants of Your land,
The tabernacle of Your peace,
This prayer was composed by Rabbi Sacks in 2000 (5761) during the Second Intifada, and was recited by communities on Yom Kippur of that year.
Heavenly Father, Rock and Redeemer of Israel
On this holy and awesome day,
We come before You in prayer and supplication
On behalf of our brothers and sisters
In Your Holy Land, the Land of Israel.
You know every secret since the world began,
Nothing is shrouded from You.
All is revealed and known before You
Know how our ancestors in every generation
Prayed to return to Zion in joy.
They never lost hope,
And when, in Your great mercy, it came to pass,
It was like a dream fulfilled.
Know how our ancestors in every generation
Prayed to return to Zion in joy.
They never lost hope,
And when, in Your great mercy, it came to pass,
It was like a dream fulfilled.
Therefore, we pray to You, the Merciful,
Have mercy on Your people,
And spread over the inhabitants of Your land,
The tabernacle of Your peace,
As it is written:
“I will grant peace in the land,
When you lie down,
no one will make you afraid…
And through that land no sword shall pass.”
As it is written: “I will grant peace in the land,
When you lie down, no one will make you afraid…And through that land no sword shall pass.”
Please, King who reigns over all kings
Have mercy on Your people,
You know that we, Your people, love peace,
We have laboured for it and not found it.
You know that we, Your people, love peace,
We have laboured for it and not found it.
We have lived too long among those who hate peace.
Therefore, remember, O Lord, the affection of Jerusalem;
Do not forget the love of Zion.
Arise and have compassion on Zion;
For the time has come.
Therefore, remember, O Lord, the affection of Jerusalem;
Do not forget the love of Zion.
Arise and have compassion on Zion;
For the time has come.
And may we, in our time, be worthy to see
the words of your prophets fulfilled,
when You “will judge among nations,
and arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation shall not raise sword against nation;
No more will they learn to make war.”
May this be Your will, and let us say: Amen.
Nation shall not raise sword against nation;
No more will they learn to make war.”
May this be Your will, and let us say: Amen.
בְּיוֹם זֶה קָדוֹשׁ וְנוֹרָא
בְּעַד אַחֵינוּ וְאַחְיוֹתֵינוּ
אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ רָזֵי עוֹלָם
וְאֵין דָּבָר נֶעֱלָם מִמֶּךָּ.
גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לְפָנֶיךָ
לֹא אָבְדָה תִּקְוָתֵנוּ
וְהָיִינוּ כְּחוֹלְמִים.
לָכֵן בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים
רַחֵם עַל עַמֶּךָ,
וּפְרוֹשׂ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ
עַל כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי אַרְצֶךָ,
כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב:
“וְנָתַתִּי שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ,
וּשְׁכַבְתֶּם וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד…
וְחֶרֶב לֹא תַעֲבֹר בְּאַרְצְכֶם.”
אָנָּא מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים
רַחֵם עַל עַמֶּךָ
כִּי אוֹהֲבֵי שָׁלוֹם אֲנַחְנוּ
יָגַעְנוּ וְלֹא הוּנַח לָנוּ
זְכֹר ה’ חִבַּת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם
אַתָּה תָקוּם תְּרַחֵם צִיּוֹן
וְנִזְכֶּה בְּיָמֵינוּ
לְדִבְרֵי עֲבָדֶיךָ הַנְּבִיאִים,
“וְשָׁפַט בֵּין הַגּוֹיִם
וְהוֹכִיחַ לְעַמִּים רַבִּים
וְכִתְּתוּ חַרְבוֹתָם לְאִתִּים
וַחֲנִיתוֹתֵיהֶם לַמְּזַמְּרוֹת
וְלֹא יִלְמְדוּ עוֹד מִלְחָמָה.”
וְכֵן יְהִי רָצוֹן, וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן.
Originally published at https://www.rabbisacks.org on September 12, 2000.
Biography of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
An international religious leader, philosopher, award-winning author, and respected moral voice, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks was awarded the 2016 Templeton Prize in recognition of his “exceptional contributions to affirming life’s spiritual dimension.”
Described by the King of Great Britain as “a light unto this nation” and by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as “an intellectual giant”, Rabbi Sacks was a frequent and sought-after contributor to radio, television, and the press both in Britain and around the world.
