Amidora · Library
Avinu Malkenu
Ashkenaz · Weekday · Minchah · Post Amidah · Avinu Malkenu
- Nusach
- Ashkenaz
- Edition
- Translation based on the Metsudah linear siddur, by Avrohom Davis, 1981
Avinu Malkenu
During the Ten Days of Penitence, Avinu Malkeinu is recited here during Shacharis—the morning service, and Mincha—the afternoon service. It is also said by some congregations on public Fast Days. The number of petitions in this prayer varies with custom, but in our rite, Avinu Malkeinu consists of 44 petitions. Since many of them are similar to the petitions of Shemoneh Esrei, Avinu Malkeinu is never recited on Shabbos, when the petitions of Shemoneh Esrei are also omitted. This unique and moving prayer is recorded as having been recited by Rabbi Akiva. The Talmud (Maseches Taanis 25b) relates that Rabbi Eliezer once stepped down before the Ark and recited the 24 benedictions for fast days and his prayers were not answered. Rabbi Akiva stepped down after him and exclaimed, “Our Father, our King, we have no king except You. Our Father, our King, for Your sake have mercy on us,” and rain fell.
Our Father, our King! we have sinned before You.
The Jewish People are referred to in Scripture as God’s slaves (Leviticus 25:42), and as His children (Deuteronomy 14:1). Thus we say to Him, “If we are Your children, we beseech You as our Father; if we are Your slaves, we implore You as our Master and King Contrary to the view that God, the Father, is so full of love for His children, that He permits the wanton breaking of His commandments to go unpunished, Judaism knows that God the King, must be feared and His laws must be obeyed. There are times when a father is unable to do what he would like for his children because of physical or financial limitations. On the other hand, a king has the power to do anything for his subjects if he should so desire. We cry out to God—You are our Father and You desire to help us—You are our King and You have the power to help us!
Our Father our King! we have no King except You.
Despite our physical banishment and spiritual estrangement—the result of our sins—we still have none other than God to guide our lives and to shape our destiny.
Our Father, our King! deal with us [kindly] for the sake of Your Name.
See Ezekiel 36.
During the Ten Days of Penitence, say: Our Father, our King! renew for us a good year.
On public fast-days, say: Our Father, our King! bless us with a good year.
Our Father, our King! annul all harsh decrees concerning us.
Our Father, our King! annul the designs of those who hate us.
Our Father, our King! thwart the plans of our enemies.
Our Father, Our King! rid us of every oppressor and adversary.
Our Father, Our King! seal the mouths of our adversaries and accusers.
Our Father, Our King! remove pestilence, sword, famine, captivity, destruction, [the burden of] iniquity and religious persecution from the members of Your covenant.
Our Father, Our King! withhold the plague from Your inheritance.
Our Father, Our King! forgive and pardon all our iniquities.
Our Father, Our King! blot out and remove our transgressions and sins from before Your eyes.
Our Father, Our King! erase in Your abundant mercy all records of our liabilities.
Having just asked that our sins be forgiven and that our transgressions be removed from before His eyes, what are we asking for now? Our earlier pleas were for forgiveness of those sins we committed ourselves. But there are sins for which we are held accountable even though we do not commit them ourselves. One possibility is, having watched while others sin, when we may have been able to prevent it. (Chazal say כל ישראל ערבין זה לזה. A guarantor is one who countersigns a debt note, undertaking to pay if the borrower defaults. Thus we ask God to erase all our notes of obligation whether as borrower or guarantor. In all instances, He is the Extender of credit.) Thus we beseech God to erase the records of our guilt in those instances.—Siach Yitzchok
Our Father, Our King! bring us back in wholehearted repentance before You.
Many repent out of their fear of God. Others repent out of their love for Him. We beseech God to bring us back in “wholehearted” repentance motivated by love, the most perfect form of penitence.—Etz Yosef
Our Father, Our King! send complete healing to the sick among Your people.
We beseech God to heal both the spiritually ill as well as the physically ill. We ask, therefore, for a “complete” healing for the sick among us.—Etz Yosef
Our Father, Our King! tear up the evil [parts] of our sentence.
Our Father, Our King! remember us favorably before You.
The following five prayers are said during the Ten Days of Penitence.
Our Father, Our King! inscribe us in the Book of the Good Life.
Our Father, Our King! inscribe us in the Book of Redemption and Deliverance.
Our Father, Our King! inscribe us in the Book of Maintenance and Sustenance.
Our Father, Our King! inscribe us in the Book of Merits.
Our Father, Our King! inscribe us in the Book of Pardon and Forgiveness.
The following five prayers are said on public fast-days.
Our Father, Our King! remember us for a good life.
Our Father, Our King! remember us for redemption and deliverance.
Our Father, Our King! remember us for maintenance and sustenance.
Our Father, Our King! remember us for merit.
Our Father, Our King! remember us for pardon and forgiveness.
Our Father, Our King! cause deliverance to spring forth for us soon.
Our Father, Our King! raise up the might of Your people Israel.
Our Father, Our King! raise up the might of Your anointed.
Our Father, Our King! fill our hands with Your blessings.
Our Father, Our King! fill our storehouses with abundance.
Our Father, Our King! hear our voice, spare us and have compassion upon us.
Our Father, Our King! accept our prayer with compassion and favor.
Our Father, Our King! open the gates of heaven to our prayer.
Our Father, Our King! remember, that we are dust.
Our Father, Our King! Please do not turn us away empty-handed from You.
Our Father, Our King! let this hour be an hour of compassion and a time of favor before You.
Our Father, Our King! have compassion upon us, and upon our children and infants.
Our Father, Our King! do it for the sake of those who were slain for Your holy Name.
Our Father, Our King! do it for the sake of those who were slaughtered for [proclaiming] Your Unity.
Our Father, Our King! do it for the sake of those who went through fire and water for the sanctification of Your Name.
Our Father, Our King! avenge before our eyes the spilled blood of Your servants.
Our Father, Our King! do it for Your sake if not for ours.
Our Father, Our King! do it for Your sake and deliver us.
Our Father, Our King! do it for the sake of Your great mercy.
Our Father, Our King! do it for the sake of Your great, mighty, and awesome Name which is proclaimed upon us.
Our Father, Our King! favor us and answer us for we have no accomplishments; deal with us charitably and kindly with us and deliver us.
Where it comes in the siddur
- Comes after: Vidui and 13 Middot
- Followed by: Nefilat Appayim
- Earlier in Minchah: Concluding Passage
- Part 2 of 4 in Post Amidah
- The same text in Hebrew: אבינו מלכנו
Texts and sources
Every prayer text in Amidora comes from openly licensed editions published on Sefaria. Only editions released under CC-BY, CC0 or the public domain are included.
- Metsudah Siddur, Avrohom Davis, 1981 — CC-BY, via Sefaria
- Translation based on the Metsudah linear siddur, by Avrohom Davis, 1981 · CC-BY
- https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH002211687