After Moshe prayed to Hashem on behalf of the Jewish people after the sin of the Golden Calf Hashem told him to ascend Mount Sinai with two tablets of stone upon which He would inscribe the Ten Commandments. After Moshe did so, Hashem came down in a cloud and then (34:6-7):

וַיַּעֲבֹר ד'  עַל־פָּנָיו וַיִּקְרָא ד' ד' אֵ-ל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב־חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת׃

Hashem passed before him and proclaimed: “Hashem, Hashem, a G-d ,compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness,

נֹצֵר חֶסֶד לָאֲלָפִים נֹשֵׂא עָוֺן וָפֶשַׁע וְחַטָּאָה וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה פֹּקֵד  עֲוֺן אָבוֹת עַל־בָּנִים וְעַל־בְּנֵי בָנִים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִים׃

extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and clearing (those who repent)….”

These are the 13 Attributes of Mercy that we recite in the Selichos prayers preceding and during the High Holidays and on fast days.

The Talmud, Rosh Hashana 17b, elaborates on this episode.

The verse states: ‘And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed’. 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 He, wrapped Himself in a prayer shawl like a prayer leader and showed Moses the structure of the order of the prayer (the thirteen attributes). He said to him: Whenever the Jewish people sin, let them act before Me in accordance with this order. Let the prayer leader wrap himself in a prayer shawl and publicly recite the thirteen attributes of mercy, and I will forgive them… Rav Yehuda said: A covenant was made with the thirteen attributes that they will not return empty-handed, as it is stated in this regard: ’Behold, I make a covenant’ (Exodus 34:10).

Does this mean that all we have to do is recite these words and then we’re forgiven? Rabbi Moshe Alshich (1508-1593) and others argue that since the Talmud states regarding the thirteen attributes, "let them act before Me in accordance with this order," and does not state, "let them say before me", that it takes more than just reciting for them to be effective. You have to act them, i.e. you have to perform them. Each one of Hashem’s attributes of mercy are meant for us to emulate. When we integrate them into our lives we merit Hashem’s mercy. Our practice to recite them is meant to be a calling to ourselves and a commitment to live by them. But only when we actually practice them will we be granted mercy.

The Vilna Gaon (also known as Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna 1720-1797) and others were of the opinion that it is enough to invoke these attributes to gain their benefits. But, writes Maharal (of Prague, Rabbi Yehudah Loew ben Betzalel, died 1609) that they can only be effective if they are said with understanding ,concentration, and intention. When we do so , writes Rabbi Zev Leff, we create a period of favor and grace before Hashem in which we can be granted mercy even if we are undeserving.

Now, if there is a covenant that these attributes will never return empty-handed, as the Talmud states, why then does it seem at times that they are ineffective? The first thing to take into consideration is that their effectiveness depends either on our emulation of them or on the proper recitation of them. Secondly, the Vilna Gaon writes that the covenant is that they will be effective at least for mitigating the Divine decree but not necessarily for annulling it.

After all is said and done, we have been blessed with this very powerful formula and we have to avail ourselves of it.

The next time we will recite the Thirteen Attributes is when we will recite Selichos on Taanis Esther. This couldn’t come at a more challenging time. We are living in extremely trying times for our people in Israel and around the world. Let us make the effort to properly recite and live by these attributes so that we can unlock the abundant mercy we so desperately need.

Shabbat Shalom!
Yitzchak