קמה

Singular One Who watches over and directs the world with lovingkindness and great mercy: all that You do with us — in general and in particular — is all for good.

Master of the Universe, Master of the Universe — act for Your Name's sake and not for ours; see our stand destitute and empty. Have pity for the honor of Your Name. Look from the heavens and see that we have become a mockery and a scorn among the nations — for the nations mock us every day and say at every time: where is your G‑d? Through murder in my bones my adversaries have taunted me — in saying to me all day long: where is your G‑d? [Psalms 42:11]. Hashem — full of mercy: have mercy upon us and receive our supplications. Answer us Hashem — answer us; for we are in great distress — great distress of which there has never been the like and shall not be again. Have mercy upon us for Your Name's sake — for there is no power in us to appease You; rather in Your Name have we come to You. We have come for Your Name's sake: Act for Your Name's sake, Hashem. Save us O G‑d of our salvation and gather us and rescue us from the nations — to give thanks to Your holy Name; to praise in Your splendor [I Chronicles 16:35]. Help us O G‑d of our salvation — for the sake of the honor of Your Name; and rescue us and atone for our sins — for the sake of Your Name [Psalms 79:9]. Be gracious to us and answer us and hear our prayer; for You hear the prayer of every mouth of Your people Israel with mercy. Blessed are You — Who hears prayer.

When will You reign in Zion? When will the kingdom return to the house of David? When will You return Israel to You? When will You return to our Land and to our Beis Ha'Mikdash? How long is crying in Zion and lamentation in Jerusalem? When will You have mercy upon all the troubles of our soul and our bitterness? (And in particular now in this harsh and bitter time of distress that has been decreed upon us — that a Jewish man shall go to war: alas — who can arise in this? Who can describe this bitter trouble; for it is evil and bitter; for it touches the very soul.) Master of the Universe — Master of the Universe: You are the help of our fathers from eternity; their shield and their savior — and of their children after them in every generation. And so too we trust in You — that You are our life and all our hope and all our support in all the troubles and sufferings that pass over us — G‑d have mercy — from now. Full of mercy — look at our affliction; for our pains have multiplied and the troubles of our heart. Look and see to whom You have done thus. Look and see that there is no power or knowledge in us — even to properly arrange our prayers before You as is fitting; for we are destitute and empty; destitute of knowledge and good deeds; and filled with sin and iniquity. (Yet even so — we are prepared to die and to be killed for the sanctification of Your Name each day; and not to cause one of Israel to abandon the law of our holy Torah; alas for eyes that shall see that someone from Israel has his beard and sidelocks shaved by force; and afterward he himself is compelled to shave them at every time; alas for a mouth that shall be compelled to eat forbidden foods; alas for the holy feet of Israel that shall be compelled to walk on Shabbos and holy Yom Tov outside the boundary; alas for the holy hands of Israel that shall be compelled to do work on Shabbos — to polish their weapons, G‑d forbid; and other labors and other transgressions that they will be compelled to do, G‑d forbid; and who knows whether they will be able to withstand the test — to remain within the holy faith which is the faith of Israel; and to fulfill in any case what they are able to fulfill; alas — who can withstand this; alas upon our souls; alas upon these our days and years; alas for us for we have been robbed; alas, alas, alas — let us dash our head against the walls of our house; and sackcloth and ashes shall be spread for the many; let us place our mouth in the dust — perhaps there is hope; perhaps there is hope.) Master of the Universe — Master of the Universe: full of mercy — remember Your mercies, Hashem, and Your lovingkindnesses — for they are from the world [Psalms 25:6]. Remember all the lovingkindnesses that You have done with Israel from the beginning of creation until now; and do not decree upon us any harsh and bitter decree. (And in particular the great trouble that has been decreed — to conscript the sons of Israel as soldiers for their wars — G‑d forbid.) Have mercy — have mercy upon Your people Israel and nullify the evil decrees speedily from upon us; for You are greatly powerful to save; and there is no restraint before Hashem to save through many or through few [I Samuel 14:6]. And may the heart of the king be raised — and the ministers and counselors — over us for good; and may You decree upon us good decrees in material and spiritual matters. Master of the Universe — King Who rules and governs and oversees: see Your people Israel — very greatly afflicted. You alone know the situation and the state of Israel at this time. Look from the heavens and see that we have become a mockery and a scorn among the nations — for they have conspired their heart together against You and make a covenant [Psalms 83:6]; for the whole inner intent of all their evil decrees — G‑d save us — is all in order to distance Israel, G‑d forbid, from the law of our holy Torah; as You know the hidden plans of their hearts. You alone know how far their thoughts and their evil counsels reach. O G‑d — do not keep silence; do not be still and do not be quiet, O G‑d. For behold Your enemies stir up tumult — and those who hate You have lifted their head. Against Your people they devise a secret plot — and they counsel against Your hidden ones. They said: come and let us cut them off from being a nation — and may the name of Israel be remembered no more [Psalms 83:2–5]. Full of mercy — great in counsel and mighty in deed [Jeremiah 32:19]: foil now the counsel of our enemies; and may their hands not succeed; as it is written: He foils the devices of the crafty — and their hands do not achieve success [Job 5:12]. And it is written: Hashem has foiled the counsel of nations — He has frustrated the devices of peoples [Psalms 33:10]. Fill their faces with shame — and may they seek Your Name, Hashem [Psalms 83:17]. And all those who rise against us for evil — speedily foil their counsel and ruin their scheme. And give in our hearts wisdom and understanding and knowledge — that we merit to always believe in specific providence [hashgachah peratis]; that everything is conducted by Your providence alone. And may we merit to pray and to supplicate before You always; and may we join ourselves in the troubles of Israel; and pray and entreat greatly always — every single day concerning the troubles of Israel; with a broken and crushed heart. And may we pour out our heart like water before Your face — Hashem; until we bring down many tears before You in truth. Through weeping and through supplications shall I come before You [Jeremiah 31:9]. And may we merit to draw upon us through the tears Your providence; and through this may You have mercy upon us from the Heavens; and oversee us with mercy; and nullify from us all the troubles and all the decrees — both those that have already been decreed upon us; and those that they desire to decree, G‑d forbid. May this not be so in Israel. Have mercy upon us for Your Name's sake — for we have no one to lean upon except upon You our Father in Heaven. Do with us what is good in Your eyes; and we know not what to do — but our eyes are upon You [II Chronicles 20:12]. And may You put into our heart that we all return to You in truth — quickly and swiftly. Create for me a pure heart O G‑d — and renew a correct spirit within me [Psalms 51:12]. And may You hasten and speed to redeem us — with a complete redemption; and bring us our righteous Mashiach speedily in our days. Amen Selah.