Worship Prayer: Avot v’Imahot

The Avot v’Imahot prayer praises the God of our ancestors, hoping that we can merit the same loving, redemptive relationship with God that they had. Our Reform liturgy invokes the names of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah, including both our ancestral fathers and mothers in offering praise to God. The melody has come down through the ages, with slight variations from congregation to congregation.

Here is a sound file of Cantor Rosalie Will chanting Avot v’Imahot.

Here is the text of the Avot v’Imahot prayer:

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, v’Elohei avoteinu v’imoteinu, Elohei Avraham,
Elohei Yitzchak v’Elohei Yaakov, Elohei Sarah, Elohei Rivkah, Elohei Rachel
v’Elohei Leah. Ha-El hagadol hagibor v’hanora, El elyon, gomeil chasadim
tovim, v’koneih hakol, v’zocheir chasdei avot v’imahot, umeivi g’ulah
livnei v’neihem l’maan sh’mo b’ahavah. Melech ozeir umoshia umagen.
Baruch atah, Adonai, magein Avraham v’ezrat Sarah.

BLESSED ARE YOU, Adonai our God, God of our fathers and mothers,
God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob,
God of Sarah, God of Rebecca, God of Rachel, and God of Leah,
the great, mighty and awesome God, transcendent God
who bestows loving kindness, creates everything out of love,
remembers the love of our fathers and mothers,
and brings redemption to their children’s children for the sake of the Divine Name.
Sovereign, Deliverer, Helper and Shield,
Blessed are You, Adonai, Sarah’s Helper, Abraham’s Shield.