The Ten Days of Repentance: The Prayer Changes You Need to Know

During the Ten Days of Repentance , from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur, several important changes are made to the Amidah and other parts of the daily prayers. These additions emphasize Hashem’s kingship, judgment, mercy, and our hope to be inscribed for a good life.

What happens if you accidentally use the regular wording? Which additions require you to go back, and which can be said later? Here are the key halachot to know.

HaMelech HaKadosh

From Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur, the sages instituted that in the blessing Atah Kadosh in the Amidah, one should conclude not with the usual “HaEl HaKadosh,” but with “HaMelech HaKadosh.”

During these days, Hashem reveals His kingship as He sits on the throne of judgment to judge the world. His kingdom rules over all, and a king establishes the land through justice.

If someone mistakenly concluded with “HaEl HaKadosh” but remembered immediately, within toch kedei dibbur, the amount of time it takes to say the three words “Shalom alecha Rabbi,” and immediately corrected themselves by saying “HaMelech HaKadosh,” they have fulfilled their obligation.

However, if they remembered only after that amount of time, even if they had not yet begun the blessing Atah Chonen, they must return to the beginning of the Amidah. If they already began Atah Chonen, even if they said only the word “Atah” and corrected themselves immediately afterward, they must return to the beginning of the Amidah.

Someone who is unsure whether they concluded with “HaEl HaKadosh” or “HaMelech HaKadosh” must also return to the beginning of the Amidah.

However, during the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur prayers, when the passage “Ledor vador hamlichu laEl...” is added to the blessing of Atah Kadosh, someone who remembers saying this addition but is unsure whether they concluded with “HaMelech HaKadosh” does not need to go back. We assume that they concluded with the correct wording.

What if the prayer leader makes a mistake?

If the prayer leader mistakenly says “HaEl HaKadosh” instead of “HaMelech HaKadosh” during the repetition of Shacharit or Mincha and does not correct it within toch kedei dibbur, he returns to the beginning of the blessing Atah Kadosh. He does not return to the beginning of the entire Amidah.

What about Me’ein Sheva on Friday night?

In the Me’ein Sheva blessing recited by the prayer leader on Friday night, he should say “HaMelech HaKadosh she’ein kamohu” rather than “HaEl HaKadosh she’ein kamohu.”

If he mistakenly said “HaEl HaKadosh” and remembers before concluding “Baruch Atah Hashem mekadesh haShabbat,” he should return to “Magen Avot bidvaro, mechayeh meitim bema’amaro, HaMelech HaKadosh she’ein kamohu” and continue from there.

If he remembers only after concluding “mekadesh haShabbat,” he does not go back, because in cases of doubt regarding blessings, we rule leniently.

HaMelech HaMishpat

During the Ten Days of Repentance, the sages also instituted a change to the conclusion of the blessing Hashivah Shofteinu. Instead of saying “Melech ohev tzedakah umishpat,” one says “HaMelech HaMishpat.”

If someone mistakenly concludes with “Melech ohev tzedakah umishpat” but remembers within toch kedei dibbur and immediately corrects themselves by saying “HaMelech HaMishpat,” they have fulfilled their obligation.

If they remember later, they return to the beginning of Hashivah Shofteinu, conclude with “HaMelech HaMishpat,” and continue the Amidah from there.

Even if they remember later in the prayer, such as during Elokai Netzor, they return to the beginning of Hashivah Shofteinu and continue from there. However, if they have already completed Elokai Netzor and are about to take the three steps for Oseh Shalom, they return to the beginning of the Amidah and pray again.

The same applies if someone is unsure whether they said HaMelech HaMishpat, since we assume they followed the wording they are accustomed to saying throughout the rest of the year.

When repeating the Amidah, it is best to make a condition before beginning: “If I am obligated to repeat this prayer, this shall be an obligatory prayer. If I am not obligated to repeat it, this shall be a voluntary prayer.” It is proper for Ashkenazic Jews to follow this practice as well and repeat the prayer conditionally as a voluntary prayer.

There is a meaningful difference between the two phrases. “Melech ohev tzedakah umishpat” means that Hashem loves for His creations to conduct themselves with righteousness and justice. “HaMelech HaMishpat,” however, emphasizes that Hashem Himself is the King who judges the world.

Many early halachic authorities ruled that someone who failed to say HaMelech HaMishpat must go back, including the Rif, Rambam, Rosh, Rabbeinu Saadiah Gaon, Ramban, Ritva, and others. This is also the ruling of Maran in the Shulchan Aruch and numerous later authorities.

For Ashkenazic Jews, the Rema ruled that one does not return. Nevertheless, according to the source of these rulings, it is proper to repeat the prayer conditionally as a voluntary prayer, thereby fulfilling the obligation according to all opinions.

Raise Your Voice

It is good to slightly raise one’s voice when saying HaMelech HaKadosh and HaMelech HaMishpat. Doing so helps a person clearly remember afterward that the correct wording was used and prevents uncertainty.

Ramban, z”l, followed this practice with new additions to the prayer, such as Morid HaTal, for 30 days. By that point, the tongue becomes accustomed to the new wording.

The Four Special Additions to the Amidah

The sages also instituted four additions during the Ten Days of Repentance:

• “Zochreinu leChaim...” in the blessing Magen Avraham.
• “Mi chamocha Av HaRachaman...” in the blessing Mechayeh HaMeitim.
• “U’chetov leChaim tovim...” in the blessing Modim.
• “U’vesfer Chaim berachah veshalom...” in the blessing Sim Shalom.

If you forgot Zochreinu leChaim

If someone forgot to say Zochreinu leChaim and remembers before saying “Baruch Atah Hashem,” they should go back, say it, and then continue in order.

If they remember after saying Hashem’s Name, they should not say “lamdeini chukecha.” Instead, they should conclude the blessing with Magen Avraham. When they reach Shema Koleinu, they may add Zochreinu leChaim there because it is a request for mercy. If they forget it there as well, they may say it at the end of Elokai Netzor.

If you forgot Mi chamocha

If someone forgot Mi chamocha and remembers before saying “Baruch Atah Hashem,” they should go back, say it, and continue in order.

If they remember after saying Hashem’s Name, they should conclude with Mechayeh HaMeitim. They should not add Mi chamocha during Shema Koleinu or Elokai Netzor, because it is praise of Hashem rather than a request for mercy.

If you forgot U’chetov leChaim tovim

If someone forgot U’chetov leChaim tovim and remembers before saying “Baruch Atah Hashem,” they should go back and say it.

If they remember after saying Hashem’s Name, they should conclude the blessing normally with “hatov shimcha ulecha na’eh lehodot.” They may say U’chetov leChaim tovim at the end of Elokai Netzor.

If you forgot U’vesfer Chaim

If someone forgot U’vesfer Chaim and remembers before saying “Baruch Atah Hashem,” they should go back and say it.

If they remember after saying Hashem’s Name, they should conclude normally with “hamevarech et amo Yisrael bashalom” and say U’vesfer Chaim at the end of Elokai Netzor.

Changes to Oseh Shalom, Kaddish, and Avinu Malkeinu

At the conclusion of the Shemoneh Esrei, one should say “Oseh hashalom bimromav.” The prayer leader also uses this wording at the conclusion of Kaddish Titkabel following the repetition of the Amidah. However, during Kaddish Titkabel after Maariv and in other forms of Kaddish, there is no need to make this change.

Regarding the word le’eila in Kaddish, the Ashkenazic custom during this period is to repeat it, saying le’eila ule’eila. The Sephardic custom is to say le’eila only once, just as during the rest of the year.

During the Ten Days of Teshuvah, it is customary to recite Avinu Malkeinu after the prayer leader’s repetition during Shacharit and Mincha. At Mincha, if time is short and nightfall is approaching, and saying Avinu Malkeinu would mean missing nefilat apayim, the congregation should first say nefilat apayim and then recite Avinu Malkeinu.

The more correct wording in Avinu Malkeinu is zechor ki afar anachnu, meaning “remember that we are dust,” rather than zachur ki afar anachnu, as it is vowelized in some prayer books. The intention is to ask Hashem to remember our human frailty and forgive us for our sins.

On Shabbat Shuvah, the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, as well as when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, customs differ regarding Avinu Malkeinu.

The Ashkenazic custom is not to recite it. In most Sephardic synagogues, however, it is recited while omitting passages that explicitly mention sin and transgression, such as “Avinu Malkeinu chatanu lefanecha rachem aleinu” and “Avinu Malkeinu mechal uslach lechol avonoteinu.”

According to the source of these rulings, this is the proper Sephardic practice. However, communities with an established custom not to say Avinu Malkeinu on Shabbat should continue following their custom.

The changes made to our prayers during the Ten Days of Repentance may seem small, sometimes involving only a word or phrase, but each one reflects the unique spiritual character of these days. As Yom Kippur approaches, they remind us that we stand before Hashem as both our King and Judge, asking to be remembered and inscribed for a year of life, blessing, and peace.