About Professor Reuven Kimelman:
Professor Kimelman is a Professor of Classical Judaica at Brandeis University with a Ph.D. from Yale University in Religious Studies. He is also the rabbi of Beth Abraham Sephardic Congregation in Brookline, MA, and the author of the forthcoming The Rhetoric of Jewish Prayer: A Historical and Literary Commentary of the Prayer Book.
The Ne‘ilah Yom Kippurim Service
Neilah: Part I
אַתָּה נוֹתֵן יָד לַפּוֹשְׁעִים, וִימִינְךָ פְשׁוּטָה לְקַבֵּל שָׁבִים.
You reach out Your hand to transgressors, and Your right hand is extended to receive those who [truly] repent.
Artscroll: You reach out a hand to willful sinners
Sefaria: You reach out Your hand to transgressors
Lev Shalem: You extend Your hand to those who sin
Mishkan Ha-nefesh: You hold out your hand to those who do wrong
Better: You let sinners sin, but Your right hand is extended to penitents
סידור רבנו שלמה ב"ר שמשון מגרמייזא, עמ' רלח.
שאתה מניחן לעשות הרע
בָּא לִטַּמֵּא — פּוֹתְחִין לוֹ. בָּא לִטָּהֵר — מְסַיְּיעִין אוֹתוֹ (יומא לח:, ועוד)
וַתְּלַמְּדֵֽנוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ לְהִתְוַדּוֹת לְפָנֶֽיךָ עַל כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתֵֽינוּ, לְמַֽעַן נֶחְדַּל מֵעֽשֶׁק יָדֵֽינוּ
You have taught us, A-donai, our God, to admit to you every one of our sins so
that we give up the defrauded goods in our hands.
וְיִתְכַּסּ֣וּ שַׂקִּ֗ים הָֽאָדָם֙ וְהַבְּהֵמָ֔ה וְיִקְרְא֥וּ אֶל־אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּחׇזְקָ֑ה וְיָשֻׁ֗בוּ אִ֚ישׁ מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָֽרָעָ֔ה וּמִן־הֶחָמָ֖ס אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּכַפֵּיהֶֽם׃
They shall be covered with sackcloth—man and beast—and shall cry mightily to God. Let everyone turn back from his evil ways and from the injustice of which he is guilty.
NJPS: and they shall cry mightily to God.
Let everyone turn back from his evil ways and from the injustice of which he is guilty
Better: let everyone repent of their evil way by giving back the stolen goods in their hands.
חָמָ֤ס וָשֹׁד֙ הָסִ֔ירוּ וּמִשְׁפָּ֥ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה עֲשׂ֑וּ
Rid yourself of crime and robbery; do what is right and just. (See Amos 3:10)
כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה עֲשׂ֤וּ מִשְׁפָּט֙ וּצְדָקָ֔ה
א. וְהַצִּ֥ילוּ גָז֖וּל מִיַּ֣ד עָשׁ֑וֹק
ב. וְגֵר֩ יָת֨וֹם וְאַלְמָנָ֤ה אַל־תֹּנוּ֙
ג. אַל־תַּחְמֹ֔סוּ וְדָ֣ם נָקִ֔י אַֽל־תִּשְׁפְּכ֖וּ בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
Thus said A-donai: “Do what is just and right:
a. Rescue the robbed from the hand of the defrauder;
b. Don’t swindle the stranger, the orphan, and the widow;
c. Don’t steal nor shed innocent blood in this place.
יד. וּבְאׇמְרִ֥י לָרָשָׁ֖ע מ֣וֹת תָּמ֑וּת
וְשָׁב֙ מֵֽחַטָּאת֔וֹ
וְעָשָׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָֽה׃
טו. חֲבֹ֨ל יָשִׁ֤יב רָשָׁע֙ גְּזֵלָ֣ה יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם
בְּחֻקּ֤וֹת הַֽחַיִּים֙ הָלַ֔ךְ לְבִלְתִּ֖י עֲשׂ֣וֹת עָ֑וֶל
חָי֥וֹ יִֽחְיֶ֖ה לֹ֥א יָמֽוּת׃
טז. כׇּל־חַטֹּאתָו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֔א לֹ֥א תִזָּכַ֖רְנָה ל֑וֹ
מִשְׁפָּ֧ט וּצְדָקָ֛ה עָשָׂ֖ה חָי֥וֹ יִֽחְיֶֽה׃
14. So, too, when I say to the wicked, “You shall die,”
and he turns away from his sinfulness
and does what is just and right.
15. If the wicked man restores a pledge, makes good what he has taken by robbery
follows the laws of life, and not commit iniquity—
he shall live, not die.
16. None of the sins that he committed will be chalked up to him;
since he does what is just and right, he shall live.
ז. וְאַתָּ֖ה בֵּאלֹהֶ֣יךָ תָשׁ֑וּב חֶ֤סֶד וּמִשְׁפָּט֙ שְׁמֹ֔ר וְקַוֵּ֥ה אֶל־אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ תָּמִֽיד׃
ח. כְּנַ֗עַן בְּיָד֛וֹ מֹאזְנֵ֥י מִרְמָ֖ה לַעֲשֹׁ֥ק אָהֵֽב׃
ט. וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶפְרַ֔יִם אַ֣ךְ עָשַׁ֔רְתִּי מָצָ֥אתִי א֖וֹן לִ֑י כׇּל־יְגִיעַ֕י לֹ֥א יִמְצְאוּ־לִ֖י עָוֹ֥ן אֲשֶׁר־חֵֽטְא׃
7. You must return to your God, exercise goodness and justice, and keep hoping for your God.
8. A trader who uses false balances, who loves to defraud,
9. Ephraim thinks, “Ah, I have become rich; I have gotten power! All my (ill-gotten) gains do not add up to a single real offense.”
בִּצְדָקָ֖ה תִּכּוֹנָ֑נִי רַחֲקִ֤י מֵעֹ֙שֶׁק֙
You shall be established through righteousness. You shall be safe from oppression.
NJPS: You shall be established through righteousness. You shall be safe from oppression
Better: You shall be established through righteousness --
Keep away from fraud (ill-gotten gain).
א. אֲבָל עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ כְּגוֹן הַחוֹבֵל אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ אוֹ הַמְקַלֵּל חֲבֵרוֹ אוֹ גּוֹזְלוֹ וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן
ב. אֵינוֹ נִמְחַל לוֹ לְעוֹלָם עַד שֶׁיִּתֵּן לַחֲבֵרוֹ מַה שֶּׁהוּא חַיָּב לוֹ וִירַצֵּהוּ.
ג. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֶחֱזִיר לוֹ מָמוֹן שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב לוֹ צָרִיךְ לְרַצּוֹתוֹ וְלִשְׁאל מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיִּמְחל לוֹ
a. but sins between man and man as injuring his neighbor, cursing his neighbor, or robbing him, and things like that,
b. is not absolved unless he gives back what he owes and seeks to make up with him.
c. Even if he makes restitution, he is still obliged to make up with him to secure his forgiveness.
Ne'ilah part I continues:
א. וּתְקַבְּלֵֽנוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶֽיךָ כְּאִשִּׁים וּכְנִיחוֹחִים לְמַֽעַן דְּבָרֶֽיךָ אֲשֶׁר אָמָֽרְתָּ:
ב. אֵין קֵץ לְאִשֵּׁי חוֹבוֹתֵֽינוּ, וְאֵין מִסְפָּר לְנִיחוֹחֵי אַשְׁמָתֵֽנוּ.
ג. וְאַתָּה יוֹדֵֽעַ שֶׁאַחֲרִיתֵֽנוּ רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה, לְפִיכָךְ הִרְבֵּֽיתָ סְלִיחָתֵֽנוּ.
- Accept us fully when we return to You as You promised to accept the sweet-smelling sacrifices.
- Innumerable and endless are the guilt and fire offering (that would have been required of us in Temple times).
- And You know that we are destined for the worms and maggots, therefore You have multiplied opportunities for our forgiveness.
(א) עֲקַבְיָא בֶן מַהֲלַלְאֵל אוֹמֵר, הִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים וְאִי אַתָּה בָא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה.
דַּע מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ, וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ, וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן.
מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ, מִטִּפָּה סְרוּחָה,
וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ, לִמְקוֹם עָפָר רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה.
וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן, לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
(1) Akabyah ben Mahalalel said: mark well three things and you will not come into the power of sin:
Know from where you come, and where you are going, and before whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning.
From where do you come? From a putrid drop.
Where are you going? To a place of dust, of worm and of maggot.
Before whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning? Before the King of the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be he.
Neilah: Part II
מָה אָֽנוּ.
מֶה חַיֵּֽינוּ.
מֶה חַסְדֵּֽנוּ. מַה צִּדְקֵֽנוּ.
מַה יְּשׁוּעָתֵֽנוּ.
מַה כֹּחֵֽנוּ. מַה גְּבוּרָתֵֽנוּ.
What are we? What is our life?
What is our kindness? What is our piety?
[or: What is our merit? What is our worth?]
(What worth are our efforts at salvation?)
What is our power? What is our might?
מַה נֹּאמַר לְפָנֶֽיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ הֲלֹא
א. כָּל הַגִּבּוֹרִים כְּאַֽיִן לְפָנֶֽיךָ
ב. וְאַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם כְּלֹא הָיוּ
ג. וַחֲכָמִים כִּבְלִי מַדָּע
ד. וּנְבוֹנִים כִּבְלִי הַשְׂכֵּל
ה. כִּי רֹב מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם תֹּֽהוּ
ו. וִימֵי חַיֵּינוּ/חַיֵּיהֶם הֶֽבֶל לְפָנֶֽיךָ.
ז. וּמוֹתַר הָאָדָם מִן הַבְּהֵמָה אָֽיִן כִּי הַכֹּל הָֽבֶל.
What shall we say before You, our God and God of our ancestors
- All the heroes are as nothing to You,
- Celebrities as if they never were,
- Intellectuals as lacking knowledge,
- Cognoscenti as lacking sense,
- for the sum of our/their deeds is zilch
- and the days of our/their lives are meaningless to You.
- Indeed, the advantage of man over beast counts for nothing, for all is meaningless.
The Shaḥarit minimal Shema responds to the charge of the meaninglessness of human existence by focusing on the meaningfulness of covenantal existence.
א. אֲבָל אֲנַֽחְנוּ עַמְּ֒ךָ בְּנֵי בְרִיתֶֽךָ,
ב. בְּנֵי אַבְרָהָם אֹהַבְךָ שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּֽעְתָּ לּוֹ בְּהַר הַמֹּרִיָּה,
ג. זֶֽרַע יִצְחָק יְחִידוֹ שֶׁנֶּעֱקַד עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ,
ד.א. עֲדַת יַעֲקֹב בִּנְךָ בְּכוֹרֶֽךָ
ד.ב. שֶׁמֵּאַהֲבָתְ֒ךָ שֶׁאָהַֽבְתָּ אוֹתוֹ
וּמִשִּׂמְחָתְ֒ךָ שֶׁשָּׂמַֽחְתָּ בּוֹ
ד.ג. קָרָֽאתָ אֶת שְׁמוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וִישֻׁרוּן:
1. But (אֲבָל) we are Your people, the children of Your covenant.
2. The children of Abraham, your beloved (or: Your lover), as You swore to him on Mount Moriah (see Gen. 22:17-18).
4a. The community of Jacob, Your first-born son (see Ex. 4:22).
4b. who because of Your love that You loved him and Your delight that You delighted in him,
4c. You renamed him Israel (See Gen. 32:29, 35:10) and Yeshurun (See Deut. 32:15; 33:5, 26; Isa. 44:2).
א. לְפִיכָךְ אֲנַֽחְנוּ חַיָּבִים לְהוֹדוֹת לְךָ וּלְשַׁבֵּחֲךָ וּלְפָאֶרְךָ וּלְבָרֵךְ וּלְקַדֵּשׁ וְלָֽתֶת־שֶֽׁבַח וְהוֹדָיָה לִשְׁמֶֽךָ:
ב. אַשְׁרֵֽינוּ מַה־טּוֹב חֶלְקֵֽנוּ וּמַה־נָּעִים גּוֹרָלֵֽנוּ וּמַה־יָּפָה יְרֻשָּׁתֵֽנוּ:
ג. אַשְׁרֵֽינוּ שֶׁאֲנַֽחְנוּ מַשְׁכִּימִים וּמַעֲרִיבִים עֶֽרֶב וָבֹֽקֶר וְאוֹמְ֒רִים פַּעֲמַֽיִם בְּכָל־יוֹם:
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ יְהֹוָה אֶחָד:
- Therefore, we should thank You, praise You, glorify You; bless, sanctify, and offer praise and thanks to Your Name.
- We are fortunate! How good is our portion! How pleasant is our destiny! How commendable is our legacy.
- We are fortunate that we rise early and retire at night, morning and evening, saying twice daily:
“Hear Israel, Adonoy is our God, Adonoy is One.”
Ne’ilah: Part III
This part of Neilah instead focuses on the uniqueness of humanity.
א. אַתָּה הִבְדַּֽלְתָּ אֱנוֹשׁ מֵרֹאשׁ, וַתַּכִּירֵֽהוּ לַעֲמוֹד לְפָנֶֽיךָ.
ב. כִּי מִי יֹאמַר לְךָ מַה תִּפְעַל, וְאִם יִצְדַּק מַה יִּתֶּן־לָךְ:
ג. וַתִּתֶּן לָֽנוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ בְּאַהֲבָה אֶת יוֹם (הַשַּׁבָּת הַזֶּה וְאֶת יוֹם) צוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים הַזֶּה, קֵץ וּמְחִילָה וּסְלִיחָה עַל כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתֵֽינוּ
ד. לְמַֽעַן נֶחְדַּל מֵעֽשֶׁק יָדֵֽנוּ, וְנָשׁוּב אֵלֶֽיךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת חֻקֵּי רְצוֹנְךָ בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם:
ה. וְאַתָּה בְּרַחֲמֶֽיךָ הָרַבִּים רַחֵם עָלֵֽינוּ, כִּי לֹא תַחְפּוֹץ בְּהַשְׁחָתַת עוֹלָם.
ו. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר דִּרְשׁוּ יְהֹוָה בְּהִמָּצְאוֹ, קְרָאֻֽהוּ בִּהְיוֹתוֹ קָרוֹב:
ז. וְנֶאֱמַר יַעֲזֹב רָשָׁע דַּרְכּוֹ, וְאִישׁ אָֽוֶן מַחְשְׁבֹתָיו, וְיָשֹׁב אֶל יְהֹוָה וִירַחֲמֵֽהוּ, וְאֶל אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ כִּי יַרְבֶּה לִסְלֽוֹחַ
ח. וְאַתָּה אֱלֽוֹהַּ סְלִיחוֹת חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם, אֶֽרֶךְ אַפַּֽיִם וְרַב חֶֽסֶד וֶאֱמֶת, וּמַרְבֶּה לְהֵיטִיב.
ט. וְרוֹצֶה אַתָּה בִּתְשׁוּבַת רְשָׁעִים וְאֵין אַתָּה חָפֵץ בְּמִיתָתָם.
י. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֱמֹר אֲלֵיהֶם חַי אָֽנִי נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה, אִם אֶחְפֹּץ בְּמוֹת הָרָשָׁע כִּי אִם בְּשׁוּב רָשָׁע מִדַּרְכּוֹ וְחָיָה.
יא. וְנֶאֱמַר שֽׁוּבוּ שֽׁוּבוּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶם הָרָעִים וְלָֽמָּה תָמֽוּתוּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל:
יב. וְנֶאֱמַר הֶחָפֹץ אֶחְפֹּץ מוֹת רָשָׁע נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה, הֲלֹא בְּשׁוּבוֹ מִדְּרָכָיו וְחָיָה:
יג. וְנֶאֱמַר כִּי לֹא אֶחְפֹּץ בְּמוֹת הַמֵּת נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה. וְהָשִֽׁיבוּ וִחְיוּ:
יד. כִּי אַתָּה סָלְחָן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּמָחֳלָן לְשִׁבְטֵי יְשֻׁרוּן בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר
טו. וּמִבַּלְעָדֶֽיךָ אֵין לָֽנוּ מֶֽלֶךְ מוֹחֵל וְסוֹלֵֽחַ אֶלָּא אָֽתָּה:
1. But You have set humanity apart from the beginning, and found it worthy to stand before You
2. For who could tell You what to do? and even were one acquitted, what could he give You (Job 35:7)?
3. But You, A-donai, our God, gave us in love this Day of Atonement, a period of forgiveness and pardon for all our wrongs.
4. so that we cease (keeping) our unjust gain and return to You to fulfill wholeheartedly the laws You want us to do.
5. And You in Your abundant mercy have compassion on us, for You do not desire the destruction of the world (= humanity).
6. As Your prophet declares: “Seek A-donai wherever God may be found, call out to God when He is near” (Isaiah 56:6).
7. And “Let the evildoer abandon his ways and the wicked his designs and return to A-donai who will have compassion on him and to our God who forgives and forgives” (Isaiah 56:7).
8. “And You, forgiving God, are gracious, compassionate, endlessly patient, abounding in love” (Nehemiah 9:17b) lovingly loyal, true, and generous (see Exodus 34:5).
9. You desire the repentance of the wicked, and do not want their demise.
10. As Your prophet declares: “Say to them, ‘as I live,’ declares our Lord, A-donai, I do not desire that the wicked die, only that they turn away from their [evil] path and live,
11. so turn away, turn away back from what leads you astray that you not die O House of Israel” (Ezekiel 33:11).
12. And he further said, “Is it my desire that the evildoer die? declares the Lord, A-donai; is it not that he turn away from his [evil] ways and live” (Ezekiel 18:23).
13. And it is said: “For I do not desire the death of him who deserves death, declares the Master, A-donai; so return and stay alive” (Ezekiel 18:32).
14. For You are the Pardoner of Israel, and the Forgiver of the tribes of Yeshurun in every generation.
15. Besides You we have no sovereign Who forgives and pardons -- only You.
וַיִּפֹּל אַבְרָם עַל פָּנָיו.
עַד שֶׁלֹּא מָל,
כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיְתָה הַשְּׁכִינָה מְדַבֶּרֶת עִמּוֹ, הָיָה נוֹפֵל.
מִשֶּׁמָּל, הָיָה מֵסִיחַ עִמּוֹ וְהָיָה עוֹמֵד, וְאַבְרָהָם עוֹדֶנּוּ עֹמֵד לִפְנֵי ה'.
And Abraham fell upon his face (Gen. 14:3).
Prior to his circumcision,
whenever the Shekhinah addressed him, he would prostrate himself.
Once circumcised, he would stand while God talked with him,
as it says: And Abraham remained standing before A-donai” (Gen. 18:22).
For the expression אַתָּה נוֹתֵן יָד as “You give room for” is based on the use of יָד in Deuteronomy 23:13:
(יג) וְיָד֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה לְךָ֔ מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וְיָצָ֥אתָ שָּׁ֖מָּה חֽוּץ׃
(13) Further, there shall be an area for you outside the camp, where you may relieve yourself.
(כ) וַיִּפְנ֣וּ אַנְשֵׁי֩ הָעַ֨י אַחֲרֵיהֶ֜ם וַיִּרְא֗וּ וְהִנֵּ֨ה עָלָ֜ה עֲשַׁ֤ן הָעִיר֙ הַשָּׁמַ֔יְמָה וְלֹא־הָיָ֨ה בָהֶ֥ם יָדַ֛יִם לָנ֖וּס הֵ֣נָּה וָהֵ֑נָּה וְהָעָם֙ הַנָּ֣ס הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר נֶהְפַּ֖ךְ אֶל־הָֽרוֹדֵֽף׃
(20) The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising to the sky; they had no room for flight in any direction.The people who had been fleeing to the wilderness now became the pursuers.
(כד) וְאַתָּ֨ה בֶן־אָדָ֜ם שִׂים־לְךָ֣ ׀ שְׁנַ֣יִם דְּרָכִ֗ים לָבוֹא֙ חֶ֣רֶב מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֔ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ אֶחָ֖ד יֵצְא֣וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֑ם וְיָ֣ד בָּרֵ֔א בְּרֹ֥אשׁ דֶּרֶךְ־עִ֖יר בָּרֵֽא׃
(24) And you, O mortal, choose two roads on which the sword of the king of Babylon may advance, both issuing from the same country; and select a spot, select it where roads branch off to [two] cities.
רָאִ֡תָה כִּי־אַתָּ֤ה ׀ עָ֘מָ֤ל וָכַ֨עַס ׀ תַּבִּיט֮ לָתֵ֢ת בְּיָ֫דֶ֥ךָ עָ֭לֶיךָ יַעֲזֹ֣ב חֵלֵ֑כָה יָ֝ת֗וֹם אַתָּ֤ה ׀ הָיִ֬יתָ עוֹזֵֽר׃
You do look!You take note of mischief and vexation!To requite is in Your power.To You the hapless can entrust himself;You have ever been the orphan’s help.
לתת בידך. בכחך אתה נותן יד לרשעים להצליח ברשעם:
to give with Your power With Your power, You lend a hand to the wicked to prosper with their wickedness.
The explanation is spelled out in Otsar Ha-Tefillot, ad loc. (Sefarad 2:582, bottom note).