Shevach ~ Praise
The Talmud is the textual record of generations of rabbinic debate about law, philosophy, and biblical interpretation, compiled between the 3rd and 8th centuries and structured as commentary on the Mishnah. Tractate Berakhot (“Blessings”) is part of the Talmud and discusses the laws of prayers, focusing on the Shema, the Amidah, and blessings, including those recited in the context of eating.
Rav Yehuda said: There is an additional distinction between the various sections of the Amida prayer: One must never request his own needs in the first three or in the last three blessings; rather, he should do so in the middle blessings. As Rabbi Ḥanina said: During the first three blessings, he is like a servant who arranges praise before his master; during the middle blessings, he is like a servant who requests a reward from his master; during the final three blessings, one is like a servant who already received a reward from his master and is taking his leave and departing.
The Mishnah is the first major work of rabbinic literature, consisting of teachings transmitted over hundreds of years and compiled around 200 CE. Pirkei Avot (literally “Chapters of the Fathers,” also known as “Ethics of our Fathers”) is the only tractate in the Mishnah with almost no laws, consisting instead of short statement of advice, ethics and wisdom.
(ג) אַנְטִיגְנוֹס אִישׁ סוֹכוֹ קִבֵּל מִשִּׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּהְיוּ כַעֲבָדִים הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁין אֶת הָרַב עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס, אֶלָּא הֱווּ כַעֲבָדִים הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁין אֶת הָרַב שֶׁלֹּא עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס, וִיהִי מוֹרָא שָׁמַיִם עֲלֵיכֶם:
(3) Antigonus a man of Socho received [the oral tradition] from Shimon the Righteous. He used to say: do not be like servants who serve the master in the expectation of receiving a reward, but be like servants who serve the master without the expectation of receiving a reward, and let the fear of Heaven be upon you.
Opening Meditation
אֲדֹנָי שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח וּפִי יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ:
Adonai, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.
Psalms (“Tehillim”), the first book of the section in the Hebrew Bible called Writings, is an anthology of 150 poems attributed to King David and to others. It includes songs of praise to God, laments of communal or personal tragedy, and expressions of anger, despair, hope, and gratitude. Psalms are prevalent throughout Jewish liturgy and commonly recited as an independent form of prayer.
לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ בְּֽבוֹא־אֵ֭לָיו נָתָ֣ן הַנָּבִ֑יא כַּאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֝֗א אֶל־בַּת־שָֽׁבַע׃ [...] הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי מִדָּמִ֨ים ׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים אֱלֹהֵ֥י תְּשׁוּעָתִ֑י תְּרַנֵּ֥ן לְ֝שׁוֹנִ֗י צִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃ אֲ֭דֹנָי שְׂפָתַ֣י תִּפְתָּ֑ח וּ֝פִ֗י יַגִּ֥יד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃ כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־תַחְפֹּ֣ץ זֶ֣בַח וְאֶתֵּ֑נָה ע֝וֹלָ֗ה לֹ֣א תִרְצֶֽה׃ זִ֥בְחֵ֣י אֱלֹהִים֮ ר֤וּחַ נִשְׁבָּ֫רָ֥ה לֵב־נִשְׁבָּ֥ר וְנִדְכֶּ֑ה אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לֹ֣א תִבְזֶֽה׃
For the leader. A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had come to Bathsheba. [...]Save me from bloodguilt, O God, God, my deliverer, that I may sing forth Your beneficence. Adonai, open my lips, and let my mouth declare Your praise. You do not want me to bring sacrifices; You do not desire burnt offerings; True sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit; God, You will not despise a contrite and crushed heart.
Avot ~ Patriarchs
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב אֱלֹהֵי שָׂרָה אֱלֹהֵי רִבְקָה אֱלֹהֵי רָחֵל אֱלֹהֵי לֵאָה הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא אֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים טוֹבִים וְקוֹנֵה הַכֹּל וְזוֹכֵר חַסְדֵי אָבוֹת וּמֵבִיא גוֹאֵל לִבְנֵי בְנֵיהֶם לְמַֽעַן שְׁמוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה: מֶֽלֶךְ עוֹזֵר וּמוֹשִֽׁיעַ וּמָגֵן: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם וּפוֹקֵד שָׂרָה:
Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, and God of our fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, God of Sarah, God of Rebecca, God of Rachel and God of Leah, the Almighty, the Great, the Powerful, the Awesome, most high Almighty, Who bestows beneficent kindness, Who possesses everything, Who remembers the piety of the Patriarchs, and Who brings a redeemer to their children’s children, for the sake of His Name, with love. King, Helper, and Deliverer and Shield. Blessed are You, Adonai, Shield of Abraham.
(י) בְּכׇל־לִבִּ֥י דְרַשְׁתִּ֑יךָ אַל־תַּ֝שְׁגֵּ֗נִי מִמִּצְוֺתֶֽיךָ׃ (יא) בְּ֭לִבִּי צָפַ֣נְתִּי אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ לְ֝מַ֗עַן לֹ֣א אֶחֱטָא־לָֽךְ׃ (יב) בָּר֖וּךְ אַתָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֗ה לַמְּדֵ֥נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃ (יג) בִּשְׂפָתַ֥י סִפַּ֑רְתִּי כֹּ֝֗ל מִשְׁפְּטֵי־פִֽיךָ׃
(10) I have turned to You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commandments. (11) In my heart I treasure Your promise; therefore I do not sin against You. (12) Blessed are You, Adonai; train me in Your laws. (13) With my lips I rehearse all the rules You proclaimed.
Exodus (“Shemot”) is the second book of the Torah, Judaism’s foundational text. It describes the Israelites’ enslavement in Egypt and their miraculous redemption. It relates the beginning of their travels in the wilderness and the experience of Revelation at Mount Sinai. Interspersed throughout the book are more than 100 commandments.
וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ ע֨וֹד אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה כֹּֽה־תֹאמַר֮ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם אֱלֹהֵ֨י אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק וֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹ֖ב שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם זֶה־שְּׁמִ֣י לְעֹלָ֔ם וְזֶ֥ה זִכְרִ֖י לְדֹ֥ר דֹּֽר׃
And God said further to Moses, “Thus shall you speak to the Israelites: יהוה, the God of your fathers’ [house]—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you:
This shall be My name forever,
This My appellation for all eternity.
Genesis (“Bereshit”) is the first book of the Torah, Judaism’s foundational text, and the only one consisting almost entirely of stories, with just three explicit laws. It tells of the origins of mankind and the Israelites, with stories on creation, Adam and Eve, Noah’s ark, the patriarchs and matriarchs - Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob, Leah and Rachel - and Joseph and his brothers.
(א) אַחַ֣ר ׀ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הָיָ֤ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם בַּֽמַּחֲזֶ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אַל־תִּירָ֣א אַבְרָ֗ם אָנֹכִי֙ מָגֵ֣ן לָ֔ךְ שְׂכָרְךָ֖ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
(1) Some time later, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision. He said, “Fear not, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”
G'vurot ~ Strength
אַתָּה גִבּוֹר לְעוֹלָם אֲדֹנָי מְחַיֶּה מֵתִים אַתָּה רַב לְהוֹשִֽׁיעַ:
[מַשִּׁיב הָרֽוּחַ וּמוֹרִיד הַגֶּֽשֶׁם:]
מְכַלְכֵּל חַיִּים בְּחֶֽסֶד מְחַיֵּה מֵתִים בְּרַחֲמִים רַבִּים סוֹמֵךְ נוֹפְ֒לִים וְרוֹפֵא חוֹלִים וּמַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים וּמְקַיֵּם אֱמוּנָתוֹ לִישֵׁנֵי עָפָר, מִי כָמֽוֹךָ בַּֽעַל גְּבוּרוֹת וּמִי דּֽוֹמֶה לָּךְ מֶֽלֶךְ מֵמִית וּמְחַיֶּה וּמַצְמִֽיחַ יְשׁוּעָה:
וְנֶאֱמָן אַתָּה לְהַחֲיוֹת מֵתִים: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים:
You are mighty forever, Adonai; You are the Resurrector of the dead the Powerful One to deliver us.
[Causer of the wind to blow and of the rain to fall.]
Sustainer of the living with kindliness, Resurrector of the dead with great mercy, Supporter of the fallen, and Healer of the sick, and Releaser of the imprisoned, and Fulfiller of His faithfulness to those who sleep in the dust. Who is like You, Master of mighty deeds, and who can be compared to You? King Who causes death and restores life, and causes deliverance to sprout forth.
And You are faithful to restore the dead to life. Blessed are You, Adonai, Resurrector of the dead.
Deuteronomy (“Devarim”) is the fifth and last book of the Torah, primarily consisting of Moses’ final speeches ahead of his death. He reminds the Israelites of seminal events that happened in the desert, reviews old laws, introduces new laws to follow as the Israelites enter Israel, and emphasizes the importance of faithfulness to God.
(יז) כִּ֚י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם ה֚וּא אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַאֲדֹנֵ֖י הָאֲדֹנִ֑ים הָאֵ֨ל הַגָּדֹ֤ל הַגִּבֹּר֙ וְהַנּוֹרָ֔א אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹא־יִשָּׂ֣א פָנִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יִקַּ֖ח שֹֽׁחַד׃
(17) For the LORD your God is God supreme and Lord supreme, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who shows no favor and takes no bribe.
The Shulchan Arukh (“Set Table”), compiled in the 16th century by Rabbi Yosef Karo, is the most widely accepted code of Jewish law ever written.
דיני ברכת שהחיינו. ובו י סעיפים:
הרואה את חבירו לאחר שלשים יום אומר שהחיינו ואחר י"ב חודש מברך מחיה מתים והוא שחביב עליו הרבה ושמח בראייתו:
One who sees his friend after thirty days, says, "Who has kept us alive...." And after twelve months, one blesses, "Who gives life to the dead," and this is for one who is very dear to him and is happy when seeing him.
Kedusha ~ Sanctification
אַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ וְשִׁמְךָ קָדוֹשׁ וּקְדוֹשִׁים בְּכָל־יוֹם יְהַלְ֒לֽוּךָ סֶּֽלָה.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה הָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ:
You are holy and Your Name is holy and holy beings praise You every day, forever. For You are an Almighty King— great and holy.
Blessed are You, Adonai, the Almighty, the Holy One.
נְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת־שִׁמְךָ בָּעוֹלָם כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמַּקְדִּישִׁים אוֹתוֹ בִּשְׁמֵי מָרוֹם. כַּכָּתוּב עַל־יַד נְבִיאֶֽךָ וְקָרָא זֶה אֶל־זֶה וְאָמַר:
קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת מְלֹא כָל הָאָֽרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ:
לְעֻמָּתָם בָּרוּךְ יֹאמֵֽרוּ:
בָּרוּךְ כְּבוֹד־יְהֹוָה מִמְּ֒קוֹמוֹ:
וּבְדִבְרֵי קָדְשְׁךָ כָּתוּב לֵאמֹר:
יִמְלֹךְ יְהֹוָה לְעוֹלָם אֱלֹהַֽיִךְ צִיּוֹן לְדֹר וָדֹר הַלְ֒לוּיָהּ:
לְדוֹר וָדוֹר נַגִּיד גָּדְלֶֽךָ וּלְנֵֽצַח נְצָחִים קְדֻשָּׁתְךָ נַקְדִּישׁ וְשִׁבְחֲךָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מִפִּֽינוּ לֹא יָמוּשׁ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד כִּי אֵל מֶֽלֶךְ גָּדוֹל וְקָדוֹשׁ אָֽתָּה:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה הָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ:
We will hallow Your Name in the world, as they hallow it in the heavens above, as is written by the hand of Your prophet, And they called one to another, and said:
‘Holy, holy, holy, is Adonai of Hosts, the fullness of all the earth is His glory.’”
Those facing them say “Baruch...”
Blessed is the glory of Adonai from its place
And in Your Holy Words it is written:
Adonai will reign forever; Your God, Zion, throughout all generations! Praise God.
From generation to generation we will declare Your greatness, and to all eternity, we will sanctify Your holiness, and Your praise, our God, will not depart from our mouth forever and ever; because You are the Almighty Who is King; Great, and Holy. Blessed are You, Adonai, the Almighty, the Holy One.
Leviticus (“Vayikra”) is the third book of the Torah. It primarily delineates the details of sacrificial worship, impurity and purification, Yom Kippur, the festivals, forbidden relationships, dietary laws, and various ethical and agricultural laws. Though its topics are diverse, the book is unified by the theme of holiness in people, time, and space.
(ב) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־כׇּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֥ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם קְדֹשִׁ֣ים תִּהְי֑וּ כִּ֣י קָד֔וֹשׁ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
(2) Speak to the whole Israelite community and say to them: You shall be holy, for holy am I, your God Adonai.
(לא) וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ מִצְוֺתַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃ (לב) וְלֹ֤א תְחַלְּלוּ֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם קׇדְשִׁ֔י וְנִ֨קְדַּשְׁתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃ (לג) הַמּוֹצִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִהְי֥וֹת לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִ֑ים אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
(31) You shall faithfully observe My commandments: I am Adonai. (32) You shall not profane My holy name, that I may be made holy in the midst of the Israelite people—I, Adonai, who make you holy, (33) I who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God, I Adonai.
Bowing in the Amidah
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵלּוּ בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁאָדָם שׁוֹחֶה בָּהֶן: בְּ״אָבוֹת״, תְּחִלָּה וָסוֹף. בַּ״הוֹדָאָה״, תְּחִלָּה וָסוֹף. וְאִם בָּא לָשׁוּחַ בְּסוֹף כׇּל בְּרָכָה וּבְרָכָה, וּבִתְחִלַּת כׇּל בְּרָכָה וּבְרָכָה — מְלַמְּדִין אוֹתוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁחֶה.
The Sages taught in a Tosefta: These are the blessings in the Amida prayer in which a person bows: In the first blessing, the blessing of the Patriarchs/Matriarchs, one bows at the beginning and the end; in the blessing of thanksgiving, one bows at the beginning and the end; and if one seeks to bow at the end of each and every blessing and at the beginning of each and every blessing, they teach him not to bow so as not to go beyond the ordinance instituted by the Sages.
ואמר רבי תנחום אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי המתפלל צריך שיכרע עד שיתפקקו כל חוליות שבשדרה
עולא אמר עד כדי שיראה איסר כנגד לבו
רבי חנינא אמר כיון שנענע ראשו שוב אינו צריך
אמר רבא והוא דמצער נפשיה ומחזי כמאן דכרע
Rabbi Tanḥum said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: In those blessings where one is required to bow, one who prays must bow until all the vertebrae in the spine protrude.
Ulla said: Until he can see a small coin, on the ground before him opposite his heart.
Rabbi Ḥanina said: once he moves his head forward, he need not bow any further.
Rava said: But that applies only if he is exerting himself when doing so, and he appears like one who is bowing.
Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said in the name of the tanna bar Kappara: An ordinary person conducts himself as we said; he bows at the beginning and the end of the blessings of Patriarchs and thanksgiving and is admonished if he seeks to bow at the beginning and end of the other blessings. It is appropriate, though, for a High Priest to bow at the end of each and every blessing; and for a king to bow at the beginning of each and every blessing and at the end of each and every blessing. This is because the more lofty one’s status, the more important it is to demonstrate his subservience to God.