What is this phrase we keep repeating on Yom Kippur? All 5 services in Yom Kippur have a Selichot section. This is the time when we ask God for mercy and and forgiveness for our sins. Oddly, instead of beginning with a list of what we have done wrong (i.e. Ashamnu, p. 239), we begin with a recitation of God’s attributes. When asking for mercy, why start here?
שלש עשרי מידות
יי ׀ יי אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת ׀ נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֹן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙...וְסָלַחְתָּ֛ לַעֲוֹנֵ֥נוּ וּלְחַטָּאתֵ֖נוּ וּנְחַלְתָּֽנוּ׃
The Thirteen Attributes of God in the Machzor:
YHVH, YHVH, a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, extending kindness to the thousandth generation, bearing iniquity, transgression and sin, and acquitting.... Pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Your own!
Unpacking the 13 Attributes (one version):
- YHVH - I am God before people sin
- YHVH - I am God after people sin if they repent
- El - (All-powerful) God
- Rahum - Compassionate
- VeHanun - Gracious
- Erekh Apayim - Slow to anger
- Verav Hesed - Abounding in lovingkindness
- Ve’emet - And in truth
- Notzer hesed La’alafim - Maintaining lovingkindness for 1,000 generations
- Nosei avon - Forgiving premeditated sins
- Va’fesha - sins committed in rebellion
- Va’hata’ah - sins made by mistake
- Venakeh - acquitting the penitent.
(R. Tam, RH 17b, adapted by Max Arzt, Justice and Mercy)
Where did the 13 Attributes come from, anyway?
Let's examine the setting and context of the 13 Attributes. How do they resemble their use in the machzor? How do they differ?
(יח) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַרְאֵ֥נִי נָ֖א אֶת־כְּבֹדֶֽךָ׃(יט) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֲנִ֨י אַעֲבִ֤יר כָּל־טוּבִי֙ עַל־פָּנֶ֔יךָ וְקָרָ֧אתִֽי בְשֵׁ֛ם יי לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וְחַנֹּתִי֙ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָחֹ֔ן וְרִחַמְתִּ֖י אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲרַחֵֽם׃(כ) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹ֥א תוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֹ֣ת אֶת־פָּנָ֑י כִּ֛י לֹֽא־יִרְאַ֥נִי הָאָדָ֖ם וָחָֽי׃(כא) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יי הִנֵּ֥ה מָק֖וֹם אִתִּ֑י וְנִצַּבְתָּ֖ עַל־הַצּֽוּר׃(כב) וְהָיָה֙ בַּעֲבֹ֣ר כְּבֹדִ֔י וְשַׂמְתִּ֖יךָ בְּנִקְרַ֣ת הַצּ֑וּר וְשַׂכֹּתִ֥י כַפִּ֛י עָלֶ֖יךָ עַד־עָבְרִֽי׃(כג) וַהֲסִרֹתִי֙ אֶת־כַּפִּ֔י וְרָאִ֖יתָ אֶת־אֲחֹרָ֑י וּפָנַ֖י לֹ֥א יֵרָאֽוּ׃ (ס)
(18) He said, “Oh, let me behold Your Presence!”(19) And He answered, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim before you the name YHVH, and the grace that I grant and the compassion that I show.(20) But,” He said, “you cannot see My face, for man may not see Me and live.”(21) And YHVH said, “See, there is a place near Me. Station yourself on the rock(22) and, as My Presence passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and shield you with My hand until I have passed by.(23) Then I will take My hand away and you will see My back; but My face must not be seen.”
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה פְּסָל־לְךָ֛ שְׁנֵֽי־לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִ֖ים כָּרִאשֹׁנִ֑ים וְכָתַבְתִּי֙ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֛וּ עַל־הַלֻּחֹ֥ת הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שִׁבַּֽרְתָּ׃(ב) וֶהְיֵ֥ה נָכ֖וֹן לַבֹּ֑קֶר וְעָלִ֤יתָ בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר סִינַ֔י וְנִצַּבְתָּ֥ לִ֛י שָׁ֖ם עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הָהָֽר׃(ג) וְאִישׁ֙ לֹֽא־יַעֲלֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ וְגַם־אִ֥ישׁ אַל־יֵרָ֖א בְּכָל־הָהָ֑ר גַּם־הַצֹּ֤אן וְהַבָּקָר֙ אַל־יִרְע֔וּ אֶל־מ֖וּל הָהָ֥ר הַהֽוּא׃(ד) וַיִּפְסֹ֡ל שְׁנֵֽי־לֻחֹ֨ת אֲבָנִ֜ים כָּרִאשֹׁנִ֗ים וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם מֹשֶׁ֤ה בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ וַיַּ֙עַל֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר סִינַ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יי אֹת֑וֹ וַיִּקַּ֣ח בְּיָד֔וֹ שְׁנֵ֖י לֻחֹ֥ת אֲבָנִֽים׃(ה) וַיֵּ֤רֶד יי בֶּֽעָנָ֔ן וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֥ב עִמּ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֥א בְשֵׁ֖ם יי
(1) YHVH said to Moses: “Carve two tablets of stone like the first, and I will inscribe upon the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you shattered.(2) Be ready by morning, and in the morning come up to Mount Sinai and present yourself there to Me, on the top of the mountain.(3) No one else shall come up with you, and no one else shall be seen anywhere on the mountain; neither shall the flocks and the herds graze at the foot of this mountain.”(4) So Moses carved two tablets of stone, like the first, and early in the morning he went up on Mount Sinai, as YHVH had commanded him, taking the two stone tablets with him.(5) YHVH came down in a cloud; He stood with him there, and proclaimed the name YHVH.
ו) וַיַּעֲבֹ֨ר יי ׀ עַל־פָּנָיו֮ וַיִּקְרָא֒ יי ׀ יי אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת ׀(ז) נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֣ד ׀ עֲוֹן אָב֗וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙ וְעַל־בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים׃(ח) וַיְמַהֵ֖ר מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיִּקֹּ֥ד אַ֖רְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ׃(ט) וַיֹּ֡אמֶר אִם־נָא֩ מָצָ֨אתִי חֵ֤ן בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ אדושם יֵֽלֶךְ־נָ֥א אדושם בְּקִרְבֵּ֑נוּ כִּ֤י עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֙רֶף֙ ה֔וּא וְסָלַחְתָּ֛ לַעֲוֺנֵ֥נוּ וּלְחַטָּאתֵ֖נוּ וּנְחַלְתָּֽנוּ׃(י) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּ֣ה אָנֹכִי֮ כֹּרֵ֣ת בְּרִית֒...
(6) YHVH passed before him and proclaimed: “YHVH! YHVH! a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, (7) extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He does not remit all punishment, but visits the iniquity of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations.” (8) Moses hastened to bow low to the ground in homage,(9) and said, “If I have gained Your favor, O Lord, pray, let the Lord go in our midst, even though this is a stiffnecked people. Pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Your own!”(10) He said: I hereby make a covenant. ...
Reading the 13 Attributes in Context:
How does the full version of the 13 Attributes differ from their use in the machzor? Why do you think the rabbis decided to excise the end of the verse, accentuating only the positive (even by cutting a phrase in half!) What is the significance of this radical editorial move?
ויעבור יי על פניו ויקרא א"ר יוחנן אלמלא מקרא כתוב אי אפשר לאומרו מלמד שנתעטף הקב"ה כשליח צבור והראה לו למשה סדר תפלה אמר לו כל זמן שישראל חוטאין יעשו לפני כסדר הזה ואני מוחל להם
The verse states: “And YHWH passed by before him, and proclaimed” (Exodus 34:6). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Were it not explicitly written in the verse, it would be impossible to say this [as it would be insulting to God’s honor.] The verse teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be God, wrapped God's self [in a tallit] like a prayer leader and showed Moses the order of the prayer. God said to him: Whenever the Jewish people sin, let them act before Me in accordance with this order, and I will forgive them.
יאמרו לפני כסדר הזה לא נאמר אלא יעשו לפני, שלא באמירה בלבד תלוי הדבר אלא בעשייה, אם עושה אדם מידותיו כמידויו של הקב"ה, עוונותיו נמחלין לו.
...It does not say, "They shall say in accordance to this order before me." Rather [it says], "They shall do (ya'asu) [in accordance with this order] before me." For this matter does not depend solely on saying, but on doing (assiyah). If a person does (or makes) his midot (inner attributes/character/virtues) like the midot of the Holy One, the person's sins are forgiven. -- Alshich in Itturei Torah, pg. 268
"According to this order" -- that they are to begin with "merciful and gracious" -- just as God is gracious, so be you gracious. They should not start with the last of the attributes of God listed here: "that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children." Various sources, Itturei Torah, pg. 268
אבא שאול אומר ואנוהו הוי דומה לו מה הוא חנון ורחום אף אתה היה חנון ורחום
Abba Shaul says: Ve’anveihu should be interpreted as if it were written in two words: Ani vaHu, me and Him [God]. Be similar, as it were, to Him, the Almighty: Just as He is compassionate and merciful, so too should you be compassionate and merciful.
אמר רבי חמא ברבי חנינא מאי דכתיב (דברים יג, ה) אחרי יי אלקיכם תלכו וכי אפשר לו לאדם להלך אחר שכינה... אלא להלך אחר מדותיו של הקב"ה
מה הוא מלביש ערומים דכתיב (בראשית ג, כא) ויעש יי אלקים לאדם ולאשתו כתנות עור וילבישם אף אתה הלבש ערומים
הקב"ה ביקר חולים דכתיב (בראשית יח, א) וירא אליו יי באלוני ממרא אף אתה בקר חולים
הקב"ה ניחם אבלים דכתיב (בראשית כה, יא) ויהי אחרי מות אברהם ויברך אלקים את יצחק בנו אף אתה נחם אבלים הקב"ה קבר מתים דכתיב (דברים לד, ו) ויקבר אותו בגיא אף אתה קבור מתים
And Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “After YHVH your God shall you walk, and Him shall you fear, and His commandments shall you keep, and unto His voice shall you hearken, and Him shall you serve, and unto Him shall you cleave” (Deuteronomy 13:5)? But is it possible for a person to follow the Divine Presence?...He explains: Rather, one should follow the attributes of the Holy One of Blessing.
Just as God clothes the naked, as it is written: “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21), so too, should you clothe the naked.
Just as the Holy One of Blessing visits the sick, as it is written [with regard to God’s appearing to Abraham following his circumcision] “And the YHVH appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre” (Genesis 18:1), so too, should you visit the sick.
Just as the Holy One of Blessing consoles mourners, as it is written: “And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed Isaac his son” (Genesis 25:11), so too, should you console mourners.
Just as the Holy One of Blessing, buried the dead, as it is written: “And he [Moses] was buried in the valley” (Deuteronomy 34:6), so too, should you bury the dead.
The Guide of the Perplexed 1:54
When [Moshe] asked for knowledge of the attributes and asked for forgiveness for the nation, he was given a [favorable] answer with regard to their being forgiven. Then he asked for to perceive His essence, may He be exalted. This is what he means when he says "Show me, I pray Thee, Thy glory;" whereupon he received a [favorable] answer with regard to what he had asked for at first - namely, "Show me Thy ways." ...It is then clear that the "ways" - for a knowledge of which he had asked and which, in consequence, were made known to him - are the actions proceeding from God, may He be exalted. The Sages call them "attributes" and speak of the "thirteen attributes." This term, as they use it, is applied to moral qualities...For the utmost virtue of man is to become like unto Him, may He be exalted, as far as he is able; which means that we should make our actions like unto His, as the Sages made clear when interpreting the verse "You shall be holy." They said: "He is gracious, so be you also gracious; He is merciful, so be you also merciful."
Rabbi Ira Eisenstein (adapted)
We cannot actually picture goodness. It is not a being; it is a force, like electricity. Nobody ever actually saw electricity, but we can see and feel what electricity does. If we have an electric heater and connect it, we get heat. We get to know what electricity is by what it does. In the same way, we get to know what God is by what God makes us do: when people are, so to speak, connected with God, they do good things. We call those people godly people, and their acts, godly acts. Whenever this force is active, we say that God has exercised influence and power.
יהודה עמיחי
מהאוֹסֶף פתוח סגור פתוח:
עִקבוֹת רַגִלֵי ציפורים בחוֹל אשר על שפת הים,
כמו כתב-יד שמִשהוּ רָשַם, לזכור דברים, שמות, מִספרים ומקומות. עקבות ציפורים בחול בלילה
נִשארות גם ביום, אבל לא ראיתי
את הציפור שֶהִטְבִיעָה אותן.
כך האלוהים.
Yehuda Amichai,
from Open Closed Open
Birds' footprints in the sand on the beach
Are like the handwriting of someone
Who made lists to remember things, names, numbers, and places.
Birds' footprints in the sand at night
Still remain by day, but I don't see
the bird that imprinted them.
It's like that with God.
Abraham Joshua Heschel, Between God and Man, p. 185
God is hiding in the world. Our task is to let the divine emerge from our deeds.