Messianic Education Trust - The 13 Attirbutes

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The 13 Attributes

The 13 Attributes of Mercy are the core of the Selichot prayers that are used on a number of occasions through the Jewish year, but particularly during the month of Elul, the days leading up to the High Holy Days. Selichot comes from a root meaning to forgive and these prayers are recited as a community to ask G-d's forgiveness for our sin and the sins of our people. The prayers are based on the premise that G-d will forgive us because of His own nature, because of who He is.

The Rabbis of the Talmud put these words in G-d's mouth: "Whenever Israel sin, let them carry out this service [i.e. reciting The 13 Attrbutes] before Me, and I will forgive them." Rabbi Judah added, "A covenant has been made with the thirteen attributes that they will not be turned away empty-handed, as it says, Behold I make a covenant" (b. Rosh Hashana 17b).

The 13 Attributes are derived from two verses in the book of Shemot/Exodus: "The L-rd! The L-rd! God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in kindness and truth, preserver of kindness for thousands of generations, forgiver of iniquity, willful sin and error, and who cleanses" (34:6-7).

The 13 Attributes are:

The L-rd! (Adonai)	--	G-d is merciful before a person sins, even though He is aware that future evil lies within him.
The L-rd! (Adonai)	--	G-d is merciful after the sinner has gone astray.
G-d (El)	--	a name that denotes power as a ruler over nature and mankind, indicating that G-d's mercy sometimes exceeds even the degre indicated by this name.
Compassionate (rachum)	--	G-d is filled with loving sympathy for human frailty, does not put people into situations of extreme temptation and eass the punishment of the guilty.
Gracious (v'khanun)	--	G-d shows mercy even to those to who do not deserve it, consoling the afflicted and raising up the oppressed.
Slow to anger (ereh apayim)	--	G-d gives the sinner ample time to reflect, improve and repent.
Abundant in Kindness (v'rav hesed)	--	G-d is kind toward those who lack personal merits, providing more gifts and blessings that they deserve.
Truth (v'emet)	--	G-d never goes back on or breaks His word to reward those who serve Him.
Preserver of kindness for thousands (notzeyr hesed l'alafiym)	--	G-d remembers the deeds of the righteous for the benefit of their less virtuous generations of offspring.
Forgiver of iniquity (nosei avon)	--	G-d forgives intentional sin resulting from temptation as long as the sinner repents.
Forgiver of wilful sin (pesha)	--	G-d allows even those who commit a sin with the malicious intent of rebelling against and angering Him the opportunity to repent.
Forgiver of error (v'khata'ah)	--	G-d forgives a sin committed out of carelessness, thoughtlessness or apathy.
Who cleanses (v'nakeh)	--	G-d is merciful, gracious and forgiving, wiping away the sins of those who truly repent; however, if one does not repent, G-d does not cleanse.

We can hear the shadowing of several verses from the Greek Scriptures in these thoughts:

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.

1 John 1:8-9 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.