The 13 Middot of Rachamim/Attributes of Mercy: A Powerful Spiritual Prayer Resource for Divine Compassion

(5) HaShem came down in a cloud; He stood with Moses there, and proclaimed the name HaShem(6)HaShem passed before him and proclaimed: “HaShemHaShem! EL compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness,(7) extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin;

(17) Therefore, I pray, let Adonai’s forbearance be great, as You have declared, saying,(18) ‘HaShem! slow to anger and abounding in kindness; forgiving iniquity and transgression; ...(19) Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to Your great kindness, as You have forgiven this people ever since Egypt.”(20) And HaShem said, “I pardon, as you have asked.

(4)Rabbi Shim’on son of Rabbi Yehotsadak asked Rabbi Shmu’el son of Nachman. ‘Since you are a master of Aggadah, tell me how was light created?’ He replied: The Holy One of Blessing wrapped Himself in a garment of light and the radiance of His majesty shined from one end of the world to another. As it is said (Ps. 104:1-2): “wrapped in a robe of light”

Barchi Nafshi(1) Bless HaShem, O my soul; HaShem, my God, You are very great; You are donned in splendor and majesty,(2) wrapped in a robe of light (Hod v'Hadar Lavashta; Oteh Or KaSalmah); You spread out the heavens like a curtain.

(Exodus 34:6). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: ...The verse teaches that the Holy Blessed One wrapped Himself in a prayer shawl like a prayer leader and showed Moses the structure of the order of the prayer. HaShem said to him: Whenever the Jewish people sin, let them act before Me in accordance with this order. Let the prayer leader wrap himself in a prayer shawl and publicly recite the thirteen attributes of mercy, and I will forgive them after they do teshuvah. Rav Yehuda said: A covenant was made with the thirteen attributes that they will not return empty-handed, meaning that if one mentions them, he will certainly be answered, as it is stated in this regard: “Behold, I make a covenant”.