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List of Jewish prayers and blessings


Listed below are some Hebrew prayers and blessings that are part of Judaism that are recited by many Jews.

Contents

Prayers with their own articles

  • Aleinu - The Aleinu praises God for allowing the Jewish people to serve him, and expresses their hope that the whole world will recognize God and abandon idolatry.
  • Amidah ("Standing") also known as the Shemoneh Esreh ("The Eighteen") prayer - said three times a day (four times on holidays, and five times on Yom Kipur)
  • Kaddish - The central theme of the Kaddish is the magnification and sanctification of God's name.
  • Kol Nidre - A prayer recited in the synagogue at the beginning of the evening service on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Its name is taken from the opening words, meaning "All vows".
  • Hallel - Prayers which are used for praise and thanksgiving that are recited on Jewish holidays. Hallel is said in one of two forms: Full Hallel and Partial Hallel.
  • Shema Yisrael (שמע ישראל) - the first two words of a section of the Hebrew Bible that is used as a centerpiece of all Jewish prayer services and closely echoes the monotheistic message of Judaism.
  • Ma Tovu - prayer of reverence for the synagogue

Sabbath blessings

The Jewish Sabbath is known as Shabbat in Hebrew.

Candle lighting blessings before Shabbat

Main article Shabbat

Note: The Shabbat candles should be lit not later than eighteen minutes before sunset on Friday at dusk. Note also, in Judaism a "day" begins with the previous night's onset. Thus Shabbat starts Friday evening and ends Saturday night.

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להדליק נר של שבת

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam asher keed'shanu b'meetzvotav v'tzeevanu l’had’lik neir shel shabbat

Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the candles of Shabbat

Havdalah - "Dividing" ceremony

(Havadalah is recited Saturday night, usually an hour after sunset on Saturady night when Shabbat is over.)

Havdalah is a ceremony recited at the conclusion of Shabbat consisting of 4 blessings.

Kiddush, i.e, the prayer over wine, is said (below)

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם בורא מיני בשמים

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai Elohaynu melech ha-olam, borei minei b'samim.

Translation: Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates varieties of spices.

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם בורא מאור האש

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam, borei m'orei ha-eish.

Translation: Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates the light of the fire.

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם המבדיל בין קדש לחל בין אור לחשך בין ישראל לעמים בין יום השויעי לששת ימי המעשה ברוך אתה ה׳ המבדיל בין קדש לחל

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam, ha-mavdil bayn kodesh l'chol, bayn or l'choshech, bayn yisrael la-amim, bayn yom ha-sh'vi'i l'shayshet y'may ha-ma'aseh. Baruch atah Adonai, ha-mavdil bayn kodesh l'chol.

Translation: Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who distinguishes between the sacred and the secular, between light and dark, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of labor. Blessed are You, Lord, who distinguishes between the sacred and the secular.

Hanukkah

Main article Hanukkah

Hanukkah candle lighting:

(It is customarily accepted that oil or wax candles placed in a Menorah are preferable to electric lights.)

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להדליק נר של חנכה

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam asher keed'shanu b'meetzvotav v'tzeevanu l’had’lik neir shel hanukah

Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the candles of Hanukkah

Blessing for Hanukkah itself recited when lighting the Menorah

Main article Menorah

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם שעשה נסים לאבותינו בימים ההם בזמן הזה

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam, she-asah neeseem la-avotaynu ba-yameem ha-heim ba-z'man ha-zeh.

Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe,who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time.

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (The High Holy Days):

Main articles Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Candle lighting

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להדליק נר של יום טוב

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam asher keed'shanu b'meetzvotav v'tzeevanu l’had’lik neir shel yom tov.

Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the candles of the holiday.

Over apples and honey on Rosh Hashanah

On Rosh Hashanah eve, at the start of the festive meal, it is customary to dip some cut raw apples into some honey as symbolic of asking God to grant a sweet new year.

The blessings for the apples and honey:

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם בורא פרי העץ

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam, borei p’riy ha-eitz.

Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.

A bite of apple dipped in honey is eaten, which is followed by:

יהי רצון מלפניך ה׳ אלהינו ואלהי אבותינו שתחדש עלינו שנה טובה ומתוקה

Transliteraion: Y'hee ratzon mee-l'fanecha, Adonai Elohaynu v'elohey avoteynu sh'tichadeish aleinu shanah tovah um'tuqah.

Translataion: May it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our ancestors that you renew for us a good and sweet year.

Shehecheyanu - "Who has sustained us"

The blessing said whenever anything that has not happened for a while is performed. This includes all holidays except Shabbat, and only the first night of Hanukkah.

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם שהחינו וקימנו והגעינו לזמן הזה

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam, she-hecheeyanu v'keey'manu v'heegeeyanu la-z'man ha-zeh.

Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season.

Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)

Main article Sukkot

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו לישב בסכה

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam asher keed'shanu b'meetzvotav v'tzeevanu leisheiv ba-sukkah.

Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah.

Prayers and blessings tied to physical actions

Upon waking up

מודה אני לפניך מלך חי וקים שהחזרת בי נשמתי בחמלה רבה אמונתך

Transliteration: Modeh ani lifanekhah, melekh khai vikayom, shehhehkhehzahrtah bie nesh'mahtie, rabah ehmunatekha

Translation: I give thanks before you, King, living and eternal, for you have returned within me my soul with compassion, abundant is Your faithfulness!

Before putting on Tzitzit

Main article Tzitzit

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על מצות ציצת

יהי רצון מלפניך ה׳ אלהי ואלהי אבותי שתהי חשובה מצות ציצת לפניך כאלו קימתיה בכל פרטיה ודקדוקי וכונותיה ותריג מצות התלוים בה אמן סלה

Transliteraion: Barukh atah, adonai, eloheinu, melech haolam, asher kiedshanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzievahnu al mitzvot tzitzit

Y'hie rahtzon miel'fanehchah, adonai ehlohay vaylohay ahvotay, sheht'hay khashuvah mitzvot tzitzit lfahnehkhah, k'ielu kieyahm'tieah b'khal prahtehyah v'diek'dukehyah v'khahu'notehyeh, v'tahr'yag mitzvot hat'luyim ba. Amen Selah

Translation: Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us regarding the commandment of fringes

May it be the will before you, Lord, my God and the God of my forefathers, that it should be considered the commandment of fringes before You as if I had fultilled it in all it's aspects, it's details and it's intentions, as well as the 613 commandments that are dependent on it. So be it, [consider what we have said].

For putting on Tefillin

Main article Tefillin

Before putting on the hand Tefillin

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותו וצונו להניח תפלן

Transliteraion: Barukh Atah Adonai, ehohainu, melech haolam, asher kiedshanu b'mietzvotav vtzievanu l'hanicha tefillin

Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to put on tefillin

On placement of the Tefillin for the head

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותו וצונו על מצות תפלן

Transliteration: Barukh Atah Adonai, ehohainu, melech haolam, asher kiedshanu b'mietzvotav vtzievanu al mietzvot tefillin

Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us regarding the commandment of tefillin

After tightening the head Tefillin

ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד

Transliteration: Barukh Shem kavod malkhuto l'olam vaed

Translation: "Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever

For putting on a Tallit

Main article Tallit

On inspection of the Tzitzit

Main article Tzitzit

ברכי נפשי את ה׳ ה׳ אלהי גדלת מאד הוד והדר לבשת עטה אור כשלמה נוטה שמים כיריעה

Transliteration: Barkhie nefshie et adonai, adonai ehlohay gadaltah m'od, vhadar lavashtah. Oteh aur kasal'mah, noteh shamahyim kah'rieah

Translation: Bless, O my soul, you Lord, Lord my God, You are very great; glory and majesty You have worn; donning light as a garment, stretching out the heavens like a curtain

Before putting on the Tallit

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להתעטף בציצת

Transliteration: Barukh atah adonai ehlohaynu melekh haolam, asher kied'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzievanu lhiet'atayf batzitzit

Translation:Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to wrap outselves in fringes.

After wrapping the Tallit around the body

מה יקר חסדך אלהים ובני אדם בצל כנפיך יחסיון ירוין מדשן ביתך ונחל עדניך תשקם כי עמך מקור חיים באורך נראה אור משך חסדך לידעיך וצדקתך לב

Transliteration: Mah yakahr Khas'd'khah ehlohiym uvnay adam b'tzayl k'nahfehkhah yehkhehsahyun. Yier'v'yun miedehshen baytehkhah v'nahkhal ahdahnehkhah tahsh'kaym. Kie em'kha m'kor khayiym, b'or'khah niereh aur. M'shokh khas'd'khah l'yod'ehkhah, v'tzied'kaht'khah l'yiesh'ray layv

Translation: How precious is your kindness, O God! Mankind in the shelter of Your wings takes refuge. They will be sated from the abundance of Your house, and from that stream of Your delights You give them to drink. For with You is the source of life; by Your light may we see light. Extens Your kindness to those who know You, and Your charity to the upright of heart.

Before attaching a Mezuzah

Main article Mezuzah

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו לקבוע מזוזה

Transliteration: Barukh atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam asher keed'shanu b'meetzvotav v'tzeevanu leek'boa mezuzah.

Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to affix a mezuzah.

For ritual washing of hands before eating bread

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על נטילת ידים

Transliteration: Barukh atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam asher keed'shanu b'meetzvotav v'tzeevanu al n'tilat yadayim.

Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning washing of hands.

Blessing before eating all kinds of bread

This blessing is made only for bread made from one or all of wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt.

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם המוציא לחם מן הארץ

Transliteration: Barukh atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz.

Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe who brings forth bread from the earth.

Before drinking wine: Borei pri hagefen

This blessing is made for kosher wine made from any kind of grapes only. Wine made from other fruits or other alcohols require a different blessing (known as the Shehakol blessing).

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם בורא פרי הגפן

Transliteration: Barukh atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam, borei p’riy ha-gafen.

Translation: Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

See also

Last updated: 05-15-2005 05:12:02
Last updated: 05-13-2005 07:56:04