Merciful – The belief that god is compassionate, part of the understanding of the nature of God

To remember the meaning of Merciful in Judaism, use the following mnemonic:

The mercenary had a fanciful (merciful) idea that he was compassionate by sometimes sparing the lives of his enemies.

Jews believe that God is merciful and that although He knows what sins people have committed, He does not always punish them accordingly.

While some people might express opinions such as: "She should get what she deserves!" those who are merciful take a more understanding position, taking into account, for instance, a person's background and mental state.

Asking God to be merciful. — Asking God to be merciful

Jews believe that God's mercy has 13 attributes, including:

God is merciful before a person sins
God is merciful after the sinner has gone astray
God is filled with loving sympathy for human frailty and does not put people into situations of extreme temptation
God shows mercy even to those who do not deserve it, consoling the afflicted and raising up the oppressed
God is slow to anger – he gives the sinner ample time to reflect, improve, and repent