Hashivenu V'Nashuva: Return Us and We Will Return
(א) זְכֹ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ מֶֽה־הָ֣יָה לָ֔נוּ (הביט) [הַבִּ֖יטָה] וּרְאֵ֥ה אֶת־חֶרְפָּתֵֽנוּ׃ (ב) נַחֲלָתֵ֙נוּ֙ נֶֽהֶפְכָ֣ה לְזָרִ֔ים בָּתֵּ֖ינוּ לְנׇכְרִֽים׃ (ג) יְתוֹמִ֤ים הָיִ֙ינוּ֙ (אין) [וְאֵ֣ין] אָ֔ב אִמֹּתֵ֖ינוּ כְּאַלְמָנֽוֹת׃ (ד) מֵימֵ֙ינוּ֙ בְּכֶ֣סֶף שָׁתִ֔ינוּ עֵצֵ֖ינוּ בִּמְחִ֥יר יָבֹֽאוּ׃ (ה) עַ֤ל צַוָּארֵ֙נוּ֙ נִרְדָּ֔פְנוּ יָגַ֖עְנוּ (לא) [וְלֹ֥א] הֽוּנַֽח־לָֽנוּ׃ (ו) מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ נָתַ֣נּוּ יָ֔ד אַשּׁ֖וּר לִשְׂבֹּ֥עַֽ לָֽחֶם׃ (ז) אֲבֹתֵ֤ינוּ חָֽטְאוּ֙ (אינם) [וְאֵינָ֔ם] (אנחנו) [וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּ] עֲוֺנֹתֵיהֶ֥ם סָבָֽלְנוּ׃ (ח) עֲבָדִים֙ מָ֣שְׁלוּ בָ֔נוּ פֹּרֵ֖ק אֵ֥ין מִיָּדָֽם׃ (ט) בְּנַפְשֵׁ֙נוּ֙ נָבִ֣יא לַחְמֵ֔נוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י חֶ֥רֶב הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃ (י) עוֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ כְּתַנּ֣וּר נִכְמָ֔רוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י זַלְעֲפ֥וֹת רָעָֽב׃ (יא) נָשִׁים֙ בְּצִיּ֣וֹן עִנּ֔וּ בְּתֻלֹ֖ת בְּעָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃ (יב) שָׂרִים֙ בְּיָדָ֣ם נִתְל֔וּ פְּנֵ֥י זְקֵנִ֖ים לֹ֥א נֶהְדָּֽרוּ׃ (יג) בַּחוּרִים֙ טְח֣וֹן נָשָׂ֔אוּ וּנְעָרִ֖ים בָּעֵ֥ץ כָּשָֽׁלוּ׃ (יד) זְקֵנִים֙ מִשַּׁ֣עַר שָׁבָ֔תוּ בַּחוּרִ֖ים מִנְּגִינָתָֽם׃ (טו) שָׁבַת֙ מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ לִבֵּ֔נוּ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְאֵ֖בֶל מְחֹלֵֽנוּ׃ (טז) נָֽפְלָה֙ עֲטֶ֣רֶת רֹאשֵׁ֔נוּ אֽוֹי־נָ֥א לָ֖נוּ כִּ֥י חָטָֽאנוּ׃ (יז) עַל־זֶ֗ה הָיָ֤ה דָוֶה֙ לִבֵּ֔נוּ עַל־אֵ֖לֶּה חָשְׁכ֥וּ עֵינֵֽינוּ׃ (יח) עַ֤ל הַר־צִיּוֹן֙ שֶׁשָּׁמֵ֔ם שׁוּעָלִ֖ים הִלְּכוּ־בֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(יט) אַתָּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ לְעוֹלָ֣ם תֵּשֵׁ֔ב כִּסְאֲךָ֖ לְד֥וֹר וָדֽוֹר׃ (כ) לָ֤מָּה לָנֶ֙צַח֙ תִּשְׁכָּחֵ֔נוּ תַּֽעַזְבֵ֖נוּ לְאֹ֥רֶךְ יָמִֽים׃ (כא) הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ (ונשוב) [וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה] חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃ (כב) כִּ֚י אִם־מָאֹ֣ס מְאַסְתָּ֔נוּ קָצַ֥פְתָּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עַד־מְאֹֽד׃
השיבנו יהוה אליך ונשובה חדש ימינו כקדם
(1) Remember, O LORD, what has befallen us; Behold, and see our disgrace! (2) Our heritage has passed to aliens, Our homes to strangers. (3) We have become orphans, fatherless; Our mothers are like widows. (4) We must pay to drink our own water, Obtain our own kindling at a price. (5) We are hotly pursued; Exhausted, we are given no rest. (6) We hold out a hand to Egypt; To Assyria, for our fill of bread. (7) Our fathers sinned and are no more; And we must bear their guilt. (8) Slaves are ruling over us, With none to rescue us from them. (9) We get our bread at the peril of our lives, Because of the sword of the wilderness. (10) Our skin glows like an oven, With the fever of famine. (11) They have ravished women in Zion, Maidens in the towns of Judah. (12) Princes have been hanged by them; No respect has been shown to elders. (13) Young men must carry millstones, And youths stagger under loads of wood. (14) The old men are gone from the gate, The young men from their music. (15) Gone is the joy of our hearts; Our dancing is turned into mourning. (16) The crown has fallen from our head; Woe to us that we have sinned! (17) Because of this our hearts are sick, Because of these our eyes are dimmed: (18) Because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate; Jackals prowl over it. (19) But You, O LORD, are enthroned forever, Your throne endures through the ages. (20) Why have You forgotten us utterly, Forsaken us for all time? (21) Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself, And let us come back; Renew our days as of old! (22) For truly, You have rejected us, Bitterly raged against us. Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself, And let us come back; Renew our days as of old!
(א) רָאִ֨יתִי אֶת־אֲדֹנָ֜י נִצָּ֣ב עַֽל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֗חַ וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ הַ֨ךְ הַכַּפְתּ֜וֹר וְיִרְעֲשׁ֣וּ הַסִּפִּ֗ים וּבְצַ֙עַם֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ כֻּלָּ֔ם וְאַחֲרִיתָ֖ם בַּחֶ֣רֶב אֶהֱרֹ֑ג לֹֽא־יָנ֤וּס לָהֶם֙ נָ֔ס וְלֹֽא־יִמָּלֵ֥ט לָהֶ֖ם פָּלִֽיט׃ (ב) אִם־יַחְתְּר֣וּ בִשְׁא֔וֹל מִשָּׁ֖ם יָדִ֣י תִקָּחֵ֑ם וְאִֽם־יַעֲלוּ֙ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם מִשָּׁ֖ם אוֹרִידֵֽם׃ (ג) וְאִם־יֵחָֽבְאוּ֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הַכַּרְמֶ֔ל מִשָּׁ֥ם אֲחַפֵּ֖שׂ וּלְקַחְתִּ֑ים וְאִם־יִסָּ֨תְר֜וּ מִנֶּ֤גֶד עֵינַי֙ בְּקַרְקַ֣ע הַיָּ֔ם מִשָּׁ֛ם אֲצַוֶּ֥ה אֶת־הַנָּחָ֖שׁ וּנְשָׁכָֽם׃ (ד) וְאִם־יֵלְכ֤וּ בַשְּׁבִי֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם מִשָּׁ֛ם אֲצַוֶּ֥ה אֶת־הַחֶ֖רֶב וַהֲרָגָ֑תַם וְשַׂמְתִּ֨י עֵינִ֧י עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם לְרָעָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א לְטוֹבָֽה׃ (ה) וַאדֹנָ֨י יֱהֹוִ֜ה הַצְּבָא֗וֹת הַנּוֹגֵ֤עַ בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ וַתָּמ֔וֹג וְאָבְל֖וּ כׇּל־י֣וֹשְׁבֵי בָ֑הּ וְעָלְתָ֤ה כַיְאֹר֙ כֻּלָּ֔הּ וְשָׁקְעָ֖ה כִּיאֹ֥ר מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (ו) הַבּוֹנֶ֤ה בַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ מַעֲלוֹתָ֔ו וַאֲגֻדָּת֖וֹ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ יְסָדָ֑הּ הַקֹּרֵ֣א לְמֵֽי־הַיָּ֗ם וַֽיִּשְׁפְּכֵ֛ם עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ יְהֹוָ֥ה שְׁמֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(ז) הֲל֣וֹא כִבְנֵי֩ כֻשִׁיִּ֨ים אַתֶּ֥ם לִ֛י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה הֲל֣וֹא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הֶעֱלֵ֙יתִי֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּפְלִשְׁתִּיִּ֥ים מִכַּפְתּ֖וֹר וַאֲרָ֥ם מִקִּֽיר׃ (ח) הִנֵּ֞ה עֵינֵ֣י ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֗ה בַּמַּמְלָכָה֙ הַֽחַטָּאָ֔ה וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּ֣י אֹתָ֔הּ מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֣י הָאֲדָמָ֑ה אֶ֗פֶס כִּ֠י לֹ֣א הַשְׁמֵ֥יד אַשְׁמִ֛יד אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יַעֲקֹ֖ב נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ (ט) כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֤ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ מְצַוֶּ֔ה וַהֲנִע֥וֹתִי בְכׇֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר יִנּ֙וֹעַ֙ בַּכְּבָרָ֔ה וְלֹֽא־יִפּ֥וֹל צְר֖וֹר אָֽרֶץ׃ (י) בַּחֶ֣רֶב יָמ֔וּתוּ כֹּ֖ל חַטָּאֵ֣י עַמִּ֑י הָאֹמְרִ֗ים לֹֽא־תַגִּ֧ישׁ וְתַקְדִּ֛ים בַּעֲדֵ֖ינוּ הָרָעָֽה׃ (יא) בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא אָקִ֛ים אֶת־סֻכַּ֥ת דָּוִ֖יד הַנֹּפֶ֑לֶת וְגָדַרְתִּ֣י אֶת־פִּרְצֵיהֶ֗ן וַהֲרִֽסֹתָיו֙ אָקִ֔ים וּבְנִיתִ֖יהָ כִּימֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃ (יב) לְמַ֨עַן יִֽירְשׁ֜וּ אֶת־שְׁאֵרִ֤ית אֱדוֹם֙ וְכׇל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־נִקְרָ֥א שְׁמִ֖י עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֖ה עֹ֥שֶׂה זֹּֽאת׃ {פ}
(יג) הִנֵּ֨ה יָמִ֤ים בָּאִים֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְנִגַּ֤שׁ חוֹרֵשׁ֙ בַּקֹּצֵ֔ר וְדֹרֵ֥ךְ עֲנָבִ֖ים בְּמֹשֵׁ֣ךְ הַזָּ֑רַע וְהִטִּ֤יפוּ הֶֽהָרִים֙ עָסִ֔יס וְכׇל־הַגְּבָע֖וֹת תִּתְמוֹגַֽגְנָה׃ (יד) וְשַׁבְתִּי֮ אֶת־שְׁב֣וּת עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וּבָנ֞וּ עָרִ֤ים נְשַׁמּוֹת֙ וְיָשָׁ֔בוּ וְנָטְע֣וּ כְרָמִ֔ים וְשָׁת֖וּ אֶת־יֵינָ֑ם וְעָשׂ֣וּ גַנּ֔וֹת וְאָכְל֖וּ אֶת־פְּרִיהֶֽם׃ (טו) וּנְטַעְתִּ֖ים עַל־אַדְמָתָ֑ם וְלֹ֨א יִנָּתְשׁ֜וּ ע֗וֹד מֵעַ֤ל אַדְמָתָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תִּי לָהֶ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
(1) I saw my LORD standing by the altar, and He said: Strike the capitals so that the thresholds quake, and make an end of the first of them all. And I will slay the last of them with the sword; not one of them shall escape, and not one of them shall survive. (2) If they burrow down to Sheol, From there My hand shall take them; And if they ascend to heaven, From there I will bring them down. (3) If they hide on the top of Carmel, There I will search them out and seize them; And if they conceal themselves from My sight At the bottom of the sea, There I will command The serpent to bite them. (4) And if they go into captivity Before their enemies, There I will command The sword to slay them. I will fix My eye on them for evil And not for good. (5) It is my Lord the GOD of Hosts At whose touch the earth trembles And all who dwell on it mourn, And all of it swells like the Nile And subsides like the Nile of Egypt; (6) Who built His chambers in heaven And founded His vault on the earth, Who summons the waters of the sea And pours them over the land— His name is the LORD. (7) To Me, O Israelites, you are Just like the Ethiopians —declares the LORD. True, I brought Israel up From the land of Egypt, But also the Philistines from Caphtor And the Arameans from Kir. (8) Behold, the Lord GOD has His eye Upon the sinful kingdom: I will wipe it off The face of the earth! But, I will not wholly wipe out The House of Jacob —declares the LORD. (9) For I will give the order And shake the House of Israel— Through all the nations— As one shakes [sand] in a sieve, And not a pebble falls to the ground. (10) All the sinners of My people Shall perish by the sword, Who boast, “Never shall the evil Overtake us or come near us.” (11) In that day, I will set up again the fallen booth of David: I will mend its breaches and set up its ruins anew. I will build it firm as in the days of old, (12) So that they shall possess the rest of Edom And all the nations once attached to My name —declares the LORD who will bring this to pass. (13) A time is coming —declares the LORD— When the plowman shall meet the reaper, And the treader of grapes Him who holds the [bag of] seed; When the mountains shall drip wine And all the hills shall wave [with grain]. (14) I will restore My people Israel. They shall rebuild ruined cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink their wine; They shall till gardens and eat their fruits. (15) And I will plant them upon their soil, Nevermore to be uprooted From the soil I have given them —said the LORD your God.
  • What does teshuva mean? Look for root words of "Shuv" translated as "take back, come back, restore, renew"

  • Why do we "do teshuva" (the act of "returning") on the High Holidays? To what are we returning, based on these sources?

  • What about these texts is comfortable or uncomfortable for you? What resonates?

  • What does it mean to have permission to come back or return?

    • What if someone does not want to "come back"?

    • Who has the authority to decide who "comes back"?

    • What are the areas of "coming back" in which we are autonomous versus dependent?

    • Like the shach (sukkah branches), are there things that you want to come back to post-covid? Physically? Emotionally? What are they?