Tiher - Zavel Kwartin

My favorite part of the Yom Kippur liturgy.

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[The king gathered ten sages and asked them what should be done to a family that sold one of their own into slavery. "They must be put to death," he was told. "Very well," the king answered, "you will all be put to death for your forefathers' sale of their brother Joseph." At this point...:]

Tiher Rabbi Yishmael atzmo, v'hizkir es Hashem b'siludim.
V'Olo lamorom, v'sho'al me'eis ho'ish l'vush habadim.
V'Nom lo: "Kablu aleichim tzadikim vi'yididim, ki shomati mei'achoei hapargod ki b'zos atem nilkodim."

Rabbi Yishmael purified himself and mentioned Hashem's secret name. He went up to heaven and asked the "man" (Malach Gavriel) dressed in white [what he should make of the decree]. The man answered: "Accept it upon yourselves, righteous and beloved, because I heard from 'behind the curtain' that you were selected for this."

V'yorod vhigid lachaveiro maamar kel.

[Rabbi Yishmael] went down and told his friend what Hashem had said.

V'tziva habli'al lhorgom bakoach, v'loel. Ushnayim meheim hoitzeehu tchila, sheheim gedolei Yisroel: Rabbi Yishmael Kohen Godol v'Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel Nsi Yisroel.

The tyrant commanded that they be killed with force. Two men were taken out first for they were the greatest of the Jewish People: Rabbi Yishmael, the Kohen Gadol, and Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel, the Nasi.