וּבְיוֹם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה לַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה נֶאֶסְפוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּצוֹם וּבְשַׂקִּים וַאֲדָמָה עֲלֵיהֶם

On the twenty-fourth day of that month of Tishrei, the children of Israel assembled, with fasting, and with sackcloth and earth upon them. The twenty-second of Tishrei is the festival of Shemini Atzeret, while the twenty-third, the day after the festival, is also a somewhat festive day, known in later generations as Isru Ḥag. On the following day, all the people gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, to express their mourning and sorrow.

וַיִּבָּדְלוּ זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכֹּל בְּנֵי נֵכָר וַיַּעַמְדוּ וַיִּתְוַדּוּ עַל־חַטֹּאתֵיהֶם וַעֲוֹנוֹת אֲבֹתֵיהֶם

The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. The leaders took this opportunity to deal with the thorny issue of the intermarriages which had spread among the people over the course of time.

וַיָּקוּמוּ עַל־עָמְדָם וַיִּקְרְאוּ בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרַת ה' אֱלֹהֵיהֶם רְבִעִית הַיּוֹם וּרְבִעִית מִתְוַדִּים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לַה' אֱלֹהֵיהֶם

They stood in their place and read in the scroll of the Torah of the Lord their God a quarter of the day, and another quarter of the day they were confessing their sins and prostrating themselves and praying to the Lord their God.

וַיָּקָם עַל־מַעֲלֵה הַלְוִיִּם יֵשׁוּעַ וּבָנִי קַדְמִיאֵל שְׁבַנְיָה בֻּנִּי שֵׁרֵבְיָה בָּנִי כְנָנִי וַיִּזְעֲקוּ בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל אֶל־ה' אֱלֹהֵיהֶם

Yeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shevanya, Buni, Sherevya, another Bani, and Kenani stood on the platform of the Levites and cried out in a loud voice to the Lord their God. They prayed aloud on behalf of all Israel. This prayer was essentially a preface to the ensuing events.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ הַלְוִיִּם יֵשׁוּעַ וְקַדְמִיאֵל בָּנִי חֲשַׁבְנְיָה שֵׁרֵבְיָה הוֹדִיָּה שְׁבַנְיָה פְתַחְיָה קוּמוּ בָּרְכוּ אֶת־ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם מִן־הָעוֹלָם עַד־הָעוֹלָם וִיבָרְכוּ שֵׁם כְּבֹדֶךָ וּמְרוֹמַם עַל־כָּל־בְּרָכָה וּתְהִלָּה

The Levites Yeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashavneya, Sherevya, Hodiya, Shevanya, and Petahya, some of whom were standing on the platform, said to the people: Stand and bless the Lord your God forever and ever, and, addressing God, may they bless the name of Your glory; exalted above all blessing and praise.

אַתָּה־הוּא ה' לְבַדֶּךָ אַתָּ עָשִׂיתָ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְכָל־צְבָאָם הָאָרֶץ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיהָ הַיַּמִּים וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם וְאַתָּה מְחַיֶּה אֶת־כֻּלָּם וּצְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם לְךָ מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים

You alone are the Lord; You made the heavens, the heaven of heavens, and all their host, the earth and everything that is on it, the seas and everything that is in them, all the creatures of the sea, and You sustain them all, and the host of the heavens prostrates itself to You.

אַתָּה הוּא ה' הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתָּ בְּאַבְרָם וְהוֹצֵאתוֹ מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים וְשַׂמְתָּ שְׁמוֹ אַבְרָהָם

You are the Lord the God, who chose Abram, which was his name when God chose him, and took him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, and later, when he was already in the Land of Israel, You changed his name and set his name as Abraham.

וּמָצָאתָ אֶת־לְבָבוֹ נֶאֱמָן לְפָנֶיךָ וְכָרוֹת עִמּוֹ הַבְּרִית לָתֵת אֶת־אֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי הַחִתִּי הָאֱמֹרִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי וְהַגִּרְגָּשִׁי לָתֵת לְזַרְעוֹ וַתָּקֶם אֶת־דְּבָרֶיךָ כִּי צַדִּיק אָתָּה

You found his heart faithful before You and established a covenant with him, which included, among other promises, the promise to give him the land of the Canaanites, the Hitites, the Emorites, the Perizites, the Yevusites, and the Girgashites, to give to his descendants, and several generations later You fulfilled Your words, for You are righteous, You act justly.

וַתֵּרֶא אֶת־עֳנִי אֲבֹתֵינוּ בְּמִצְרָיִם וְאֶת־זַעֲקָתָם שָׁמַעְתָּ עַל יַם־סוּף

You saw the affliction, the distress, of our fathers in Egypt, and You heard their cry at the shores of the Red Sea.

וַתִּתֵּן אֹתֹת וּמֹפְתִים בְּפַרְעֹה וּבְכָל־עֲבָדָיו וּבְכָל־עַם אַרְצוֹ כִּי יָדַעְתָּ כִּי הֵזִידוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וַתַּעַשׂ־לְךָ שֵׁם כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

You produced signs and wonders against Pharaoh, and against all his servants, and against all the people of his land, for You knew that they had been deliberately malicious to them. The Egyptians did not employ the children of Israel as hired workers; rather they forced them to toil in hard labor. Furthermore, not only did they intend to utilize the children of Israel as a source of manpower, they actively sought to destroy them. And You made a name for Yourself, You publicized Your greatness, as this day, as clear as the day; alternatively, the name and renown that You established for Yourself has lasted from that time to this day.

וְהַיָּם בָּקַעְתָּ לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיַּעַבְרוּ בְתוֹךְ־הַיָּם בַּיַּבָּשָׁה וְאֶת־רֹדְפֵיהֶם הִשְׁלַכְתָּ בִמְצוֹלֹת כְּמוֹ־אֶבֶן בְּמַיִם עַזִּים

You divided the sea before them, and they crossed in the midst of the sea on the dry land; You cast their pursuers into the depths, like a stone in mighty waters.

וּבְעַמּוּד עָנָן הִנְחִיתָם יוֹמָם וּבְעַמּוּד אֵשׁ לַיְלָה לְהָאִיר לָהֶם אֶת־הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר יֵלְכוּ־בָהּ

You led them by day with a pillar of cloud, and with a pillar of fire by night, in order to illuminate for them the way that they should go.

וְעַל הַר־סִינַי יָרַדְתָּ וְדַבֵּר עִמָּהֶם מִשָּׁמָיִם וַתִּתֵּן לָהֶם מִשְׁפָּטִים יְשָׁרִים וְתוֹרוֹת אֱמֶת חֻקִּים וּמִצְוֹת טוֹבִים

The Levites continued to relate the kindnesses of God, in chronological order: You came down upon Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right principles and laws of truth, good statutes and commandments.

וְאֶת־שַׁבַּת קָדְשְׁךָ הוֹדַעְתָּ לָהֶם וּמִצְווֹת וְחֻקִּים וְתוֹרָה צִוִּיתָ לָהֶם בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ

You informed them of Your holy Sabbath, and commanded them commandments, and statutes, and Torah, by means of Moses Your servant. The Torah contains numerous laws and commandments, which are meant to structure both public and personal life, but some are put into practice only occasionally. By contrast, the Sabbath occurs every week; it was also given to Israel even before the revelation at Sinai. The Sabbath is not merely a statute and a commandment, but a permanent, unique gift that God bestowed upon His people, which is why it is given special mention here.

וְלֶחֶם מִשָּׁמַיִם נָתַתָּ לָהֶם לרְעָבָם וּמַיִם מִסֶּלַע הוֹצֵאתָ לָהֶם לִצְמָאָם וַתֹּאמֶר לָהֶם לָבוֹא לָרֶשֶׁת אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָשָׂאתָ אֶת־יָדְךָ לָתֵת לָהֶם

You gave them bread from the heavens, manna, for their hunger, and extracted for them water from the rock for their thirst, and You said to them to come to take possession of the land that You lifted up Your hand, You swore, to give to them. The raising of a hand is an act that expresses the taking of an oath. In relation to God, this expression is, of course, meant metaphorically.

וְהֵם וַאֲבֹתֵינוּ הֵזִידוּ וַיַּקְשׁוּ אֶת־עָרְפָּם וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֶל־מִצְוֹתֶיךָ

But they, and they were our fathers, deliberately sinned, and they stiffened their neck, were stubborn, and they did not heed Your commandments.

וַיְמָאֲנוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ וְלֹא־זָכְרוּ נִפְלְאֹתֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ עִמָּהֶם וַיַּקְשׁוּ אֶת־עָרְפָּם וַיִּתְּנוּ־רֹאשׁ לָשׁוּב לְעַבְדֻתָם בְּמִרְיָם וְאַתָּה אֱלוֹהַּ סְלִיחוֹת חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אֶרֶךְ־אַפַּיִם וְרַב־חֶסֶד וְלֹא עֲזַבְתָּם

They refused to heed Your voice and did not remember Your wonders that You had performed with them; they stiffened their neck, and in their defiance appointed a leader to return to their enslavement. They did not wish to enter the Land of Israel; even worse, they preferred to return to slavery in Egypt rather than conquering the Promised Land. But You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in kindness, and You did not forsake them, despite all their sins,

אַף כִּי־עָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ זֶה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֶלְךָ מִמִּצְרָיִם וַיַּעֲשׂוּ נֶאָצוֹת גְּדֹלוֹת

even when they made themselves a cast figure of a calf and said: This is your God who took you up from Egypt, and they performed great offenses.

ואַתָּה בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לֹא עֲזַבְתָּם בַּמִּדְבָּר אֶת־עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן לֹא־סָר מֵעֲלֵיהֶם בְּיוֹמָם לְהַנְחֹתָם בְּהַדֶּרֶךְ וְאֶת־עַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ בְּלַיְלָה לְהָאִיר לָהֶם וְאֶת הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר יֵלְכוּ־בָהּ

And despite all that, You in Your great mercy did not forsake them in the wilderness, even when You disciplined them; the pillar of cloud did not withdraw from over them by day, leading them on the way, and the pillar of fire was by night, illuminating for them, and the way on which they should go. Although You punished them, You did not abandon them.

וְרוּחֲךָ הַטּוֹבָה נָתַתָּ לְהַשְׂכִּילָם ומַנְךָ לֹא־מָנַעְתָּ מִפִּיהֶם וּמַיִם נָתַתָּה לָהֶם לִצְמָאָם

You gave Your benevolent spirit to educate them, and despite all their sins, You did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, and You gave them water for their thirst.

וְאַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה כִּלְכַּלְתָּם בַּמִּדְבָּר לֹא חָסֵרוּ שַׂלְמֹתֵיהֶם לֹא בָלוּ וְרַגְלֵיהֶם לֹא בָצֵקוּ

Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; they did not lack anything; their garments did not grow worn and their feet did not swell.

וַתִּתֵּן לָהֶם מַמְלָכוֹת וַעֲמָמִים וַתַּחְלְקֵם לְפֵאָה וַיִּירְשׁוּ אֶת־אֶרֶץ סִיחוֹן וְאֶת־אֶרֶץ מֶלֶךְ חֶשְׁבּוֹן וְאֶת־אֶרֶץ עוֹג מֶלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁן

You gave to them kingdoms and peoples, whom You scattered to the edge of the earth; and they, the children of Israel, took possession of the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

וּבְנֵיהֶם הִרְבִּיתָ כְּכֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם וַתְּבִיאֵם אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אָמַרְתָּ לַאֲבֹתֵיהֶם לָבוֹא לָרָשֶׁת

You multiplied their children like the stars of the heavens, and You brought them to the land that You said to their fathers to come and to take possession.

וַיָּבֹאוּ הַבָּנִים וַיִּירְשׁוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וַתַּכְנַע לִפְנֵיהֶם אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִים וַתִּתְּנֵם בְּיָדָם וְאֶת־מַלְכֵיהֶם וְאֶת־עַמְמֵי הָאָרֶץ לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּהֶם כִּרְצוֹנָם

The children came and took possession of the land, and You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and delivered them into their hand, and their kings, and the peoples of the land, to do with them as they would.

וַיִּלְכְּדוּ עָרִים בְּצוּרֹת וַאֲדָמָה שְׁמֵנָה וַיִּירְשׁוּ בָּתִּים מְלֵאִים־כָּל־טוּב בֹּרוֹת חֲצוּבִים כְּרָמִים וְזֵיתִים וְעֵץ מַאֲכָל לָרֹב וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׂבְּעוּ וַיַּשְׁמִינוּ וַיִּתְעַדְּנוּ בְּטוּבְךָ הַגָּדוֹל

They captured fortified cities, and fat land, and took possession of houses full of everything good, hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive trees and food trees in abundance. Since they conquered a previously inhabited land, everything was ready for them as soon as they entered. They ate, and were sated, and grew fat, and luxuriated in Your great goodness.

וַיַּמְרוּ וַיִּמְרְדוּ בָּךְ וַיַּשְׁלִכוּ אֶת־תּוֹרָתְךָ אַחֲרֵי גַוָּם וְאֶת־נְבִיאֶיךָ הָרָגוּ אֲשֶׁר־הֵעִידוּ בָם לַהֲשִׁיבָם אֵלֶיךָ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ נֶאָצוֹת גְּדוֹלֹת

Then they were defiant, and rebelled against You, and they cast Your Torah behind their back, and killed Your prophets who warned them to return to You, and they performed great offenses.

וַתִּתְּנֵם בְּיַד צָרֵיהֶם וַיָּצֵרוּ לָהֶם וּבְעֵת צָרָתָם יִצְעֲקוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְאַתָּה מִשָּׁמַיִם תִּשְׁמָע וּכְרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים תִּתֵּן לָהֶם מוֹשִׁיעִים וְיוֹשִׁיעוּם מִיַּד צָרֵיהֶם

You delivered them into the hand of their enemies, and they made trouble for them; and in the time of their trouble, they would cry to You, and You would hear their cries from the heavens; and in accordance with Your abounding mercy You would provide saviors for them, and they would save them from the hand of their enemies. This occurred repeatedly, both in the era of the judges and in later periods.

וּכְ נוֹחַ לָהֶם יָשׁוּבוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת רַע לְפָנֶיךָ וַתַּעַזְבֵם בְּיַד אֹיְבֵיהֶם וַיִּרְדּוּ בָהֶם וַיָּשׁוּבוּ וַיִּזְעָקוּךָ וְאַתָּה מִשָּׁמַיִם תִּשְׁמַע וְתַצִּילֵם כְּרַחֲמֶיךָ רַבּוֹת עִתִּים

And when they experienced relief from their troubles, they would return to doing evil before You, and You again forsook them in the hand of their enemies, and they oppressed them; they repented and cried out to You and called for You to take action, and You would hear them from the heavens, and would rescue them in accordance with Your mercy, many times over and again.

וַתָּעַד בָּהֶם לַהֲשִׁיבָם אֶל־תּוֹרָתֶךָ וְהֵמָּה הֵזִידוּ וְלֹא־שָׁמְעוּ לְמִצְוֹתֶיךָ וּבְמִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ חָטְאוּ־בָם אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם וְחָיָה בָהֶם וַיִּתְּנוּ כָתֵף סוֹרֶרֶת וְעָרְפָּם הִקְשׁוּ וְלֹא שָׁמֵעוּ

You warned them, to cause them to return to Your Torah, and they deliberately sinned, and did not heed Your commandments, but sinned against Your ordinances, despite the fact that these are commandments which a person shall perform and live by them; they presented a wayward [soreret] shoulder; alternatively, a shoulder which one pulls back [mesir] from its burden so that the load placed upon it falls away, or a shoulder that one moves in order to turn away from his friend; and stiffened their neck, and did not heed.

וַתִּמְשֹׁךְ עֲלֵיהֶם שָׁנִים רַבּוֹת וַתָּעַד בָּם בְּרוּחֲךָ בְּיַד־נְבִיאֶיךָ וְלֹא הֶאֱזִינוּ וַתִּתְּנֵם בְּיַד עַמֵּי הָאֲרָצֹת

You continued with them for many years, waiting for them to repent, and warned them through Your spirit by means of Your prophets, but they did not listen, and You delivered them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. You eventually delivered them into the hands of the gentile nations.

וּבְרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים לֹא־עֲשִׂיתָם כָּלָה וְלֹא עֲזַבְתָּם כִּי אֵל־חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אָתָּה

But in Your abounding mercy You did not make an end of them. Despite all their transgressions, You did not destroy Israel, and did not forsake them, as You are a gracious and merciful God.

וְעַתָּה אֱלֹהֵינוּ הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא שׁוֹמֵר הַבְּרִית וְהַחֶסֶד אַל־יִמְעַט לְפָנֶיךָ אֵת כָּל־הַתְּלָאָה אֲשֶׁר־מְצָאַתְנוּ לִמְלָכֵינוּ לְשָׂרֵינוּ וּלְכֹהֲנֵינוּ וְלִנְבִיאֵינוּ וְלַאֲבֹתֵינוּ וּלְכָל־עַמֶּךָ מִימֵי מַלְכֵי אַשּׁוּר עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

Now, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who maintains the covenant and kindness, let it not be trivial before You all the adversity that has found us, our kings, our princes, and our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all Your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria to this day. Israel suffered from wars and troubles even before those years, but it was the Assyrians who first actively exiled them from their land, and this exile continued into the subsequent generations.

וְאַתָּה צַדִּיק עַל כָּל־הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ כִּי־אֱמֶת עָשִׂיתָ וַאֲנַחְנוּ הִרְשָׁעְנוּ

And You are righteous in everything that comes upon us. Everything that You have brought upon us is just. We have no complaints, as You have acted with truth, and we, all of us, have acted wickedly.

וְאֶת מְלָכֵינוּ שָׂרֵינוּ כֹּהֲנֵינוּ וַאֲבֹתֵינוּ לֹא עָשׂוּ תּוֹרָתֶךָ וְלֹא הִקְשִׁיבוּ אֶל־מִצְוֹתֶיךָ וּלְעֵדְוֹתֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הַעִידֹתָ בָּהֶם

Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers, all of them did not observe Your Torah, did not heed Your commandments or Your testimonies about which you warned them.

וְהֵם בְּמַלְכוּתָם וּבְטוּבְךָ הָרָב אֲשֶׁר־נָתַתָּ לָהֶם וּבְאֶרֶץ הָרְחָבָה וְהַשְּׁמֵנָה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַתָּ לִפְנֵיהֶם לֹא עֲבָדוּךָ וְלֹא־שָׁבוּ מִמַּעַלְלֵיהֶם הָרָעִים

They, in their kingdom, and with Your great goodness that You gave them, and in the broad and fat land that You put before them, did not serve You and did not repent from their evil exploits.

הִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ הַיּוֹם עֲבָדִים וְהָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַתָּה לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ לֶאֱכֹל אֶת־פִּרְיָהּ וְאֶת־טוּבָהּ הִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ עֲבָדִים עָלֶיהָ

Behold, we are servants today. Although we are not actually enslaved, we are not a free people either, but rather we are subjects of the king of Persia. And the land that You gave to our fathers to eat its fruit and its goodness, behold, we are servants in it to foreign rulers. We dwell in the land, but it is not entirely ours.

וּתְבוּאָתָהּ מַרְבָּה לַמְּלָכִים אֲשֶׁר־נָתַתָּה עָלֵינוּ בְּחַטֹּאותֵינוּ וְעַל גְּוִיֹּתֵנוּ מֹשְׁלִים וּבִבְהֶמְתֵּנוּ כִּרְצוֹנָם וּבְצָרָה גְדֹלָה אֲנָחְנוּ

Its produce is abundant for the kings whom You placed over us in our sins, and they rule over our bodies and over our cattle as they please, they do as they wish with our livestock, and we are in great trouble.