13 Attributes of Divine Mercy

When we sin and seek forgiveness, or we are going through a trying time, God will come to our aid. Reciting the 13 Attributes of Mercy, however, naturally creates a strong bond between God and the soul.

According to Kabbalah

• א-ל / God — mighty in compassion to give all creatures according to their need;
• רַחוּם / Rachum — merciful, that humankind may not be distressed;
• וְחַנּוּן / Ve’Chanun — gracious if humankind is already in distress;
• אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם / Erech Apayim — slow to anger; (once, to the righteous)
• אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם / Erech Apayim — slow to anger; (repeated again for the wicked)
• וְרַב-חֶסֶד / Ve’Rav Chesed — plenteous in kindness;
• וֶאֱמֶת / Ve’Emet — and truth;
• נֹצֵר חֶסֶד / Notzer Chesed — keeping kindness
• לָאֲלָפִים / Laalafim — unto thousands;
• נֹשֵׂא עָוֹן / Noseh Avon — forgiving iniquity;
• וָפֶשַׁע / Vafeshah — and transgression;
• וְחַטָּאָה / Vechata'Ah — and sin;
• וְנַקֵּה / Venakeh — and pardoning.

According to Others

• א-לי-ה-ו-ה / Hashem — compassion before a person sins;
• י-ה-ו-ה / Hashem — compassion after a person has sinned;
• א-ל / God — mighty in compassion, to give all creatures according to their need;
• רַחוּם / Rachum — merciful, that humankind may not be distressed;
• וְחַנּוּן / Ve’Chanun — gracious if humankind is already in distress;
• אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם / Erech Apayim — slow to anger;
• וְרַב-חֶסֶד / Ve’Rav Chesed — plenteous in kindness;
• וֶאֱמֶת/ Ve’Emet — and truth;
• נֹצֵר חֶסֶד לָאֲלָפִים / Notzer Chesed Laalafim — keeping kindness unto thousands;
• נֹשֵׂא עָוֹן / Noseh Avon — forgiving iniquity;
• וָפֶשַׁע / Vafeshah — and transgression;
• וְחַטָּאָה / VeChata'Ah — and sin;
• וְנַקֵּה / VeNakeh — and pardoning.

According to Micah

• א-למִי אֵ-ל כָּמוֹךָ א עָו‍ֹן / Mee E-l Kamocha — Who is a G‑d like you (in compassion);
• נֹשֵׂא עָו‍ֹן / Noseh Avon — who bears iniquity;
• וְעֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַׁע / Ve’Over Al Pesha — and overlooks sin;
• לִשְׁאֵרִית נַחֲלָתוֹ / Lishi’Eirit Nachalato — For the remnant of his heritage;
• לֹא הֶחֱזִיק לָעַד אַפּוֹ / Lo Hechzik Le’Ad Apoh — He does not retain his anger forever;
• כִּי חָפֵץ חֶסֶד הוּא / Ki Ahafetz Chesed Hu — for He desires kindness;
• יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵנוּ / Yashuv Yerachamanu — He shall again have mercy on us;
• יִכְבֹּשׁ עֲו‍ֹנֹתֵינוּ / Yichbosh Avonoteinu — and suppresses our iniquities;
• וְתַשְׁלִיךְ בִּמְצֻלוֹת יָם כָּל חַטֹּאתָם / Vetashlich Bimtzolet Yam Kol Chatotam — casts our sins into the depths of the sea;
• תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב / Titein Emet Le’Yaakov — You grant truth to Jacob;
• חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם / Chesed Le’Avraham — kindness to Abraham;
• אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ / Asher Nishba’Ata Le’Avotaynu — which You previously swore to our forefathers;
• מִימֵי קֶדֶם / Mimei Kedem — from the earliest days.

Kabbalists call the 13 attributes given to Moses zeir anpin, which means “small face”, referring to a small revelation of God. The attributes given to Micah are referred to as arich anpin, which means “big face”, referring to a great revelation of G‑d. Kabbalah further refers to the attributes said to Micah as the soul / internal attributes, whereas those given to Moses are body / external attributes.