This prayer is part of the daily Amidah, and traditionally, the prayer requests a restoration of the second Temple, and a restoration of the service Jews performed at the Temple, which included sacrifice. R’tzei asks God to accept our prayer offerings as God previously accepted our fire-offerings. The word for sacrifice in Hebrew is korban, which means “to draw near.”
HaMakom,
Our prayers are the offering
and You are the Temple.
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Our words rise to the skyÂ
like smoke from a flame,
swirling above what is burnt,
what is broken.
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Holy One of Blessing,
please accept them all:
the words and wonder,Â
the fear and awe
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Life is light and wax and burning.
Every offering we bring before You
is a way to draw near, a promise of our love.Â
Barukh atah Adonai, mekabel ha’olotÂ
Blessed are You, Holy One, Who accepts our offerings.
