The New Jew
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Shabbat and Festivals - Morning Service

Morning Blessings

birchot hashachar
ברכות השחר
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Reader

Israeli: ' marks a reduced vowel that Israeli speech drops (b'rachah); when the vowel is pronounced it is written e (lefanecha). - separates syllables that would otherwise run together.

How to read the transliterations
עֲטִיפַת טַלִּית

Donning the Tallit

While offering the meditation and the b’rakhah, it is the custom to hold the tallit. After the b’rakhah is spoken we wrap ourselves in it. Some follow the custom of first wrapping the tallit about their head and body, as a sign of being surrounded by the Presence of God, and afterward drape it over their shoulders.
Hebrew
בָּרֲכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת־יְהוָה,
יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי גָּדַלְתָּ מְאֹד,
הוֹד וְהָדָר לָבָשְׁתָּ.
עֹטֶה אוֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָה,
נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם כַּיְרִיעָה.
Israeli
barachi nafshi et-adonai,
Adonai Elohai gadalta me-od,
hod vehadar lavashta.
oteh or kasalmah,
noteh shamayim kayri-ah.
English
I would praise Adonai—for You, Adonai my God, are indeed great; arrayed in glory and majesty, enfolded in a mantle of light, You spread the heavens as a sheet of cloth.
Hebrew
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם,
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ לְהִתְעַטֵּף בַּצִּיצִית.
Israeli
baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam,
asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav, vetzivanu lehitatef batzitzit.
English
Barukh atah Adonai, our God, sovereign over time and space, who has opened for us a path to holiness through observing mitzvot and has bidden us to wrap ourselves in tzitzit.
Hebrew
כְּשֵׁם שֶׁגּוּפִי מִתְעַטֵּף בַּטַּלִּית,
כֵּן תִּתְעַטֵּף נִשְׁמָתִי בְּאוֹר שְׁכִינָתֶךָ.
Israeli
k'shem shegufi mitatef batalit,
ken titatef nishmati be-or sh'chinatecha.
English
Even as I clothe my body in a tallit, may my soul likewise clothe itself in the light of Your Presence.
Hebrew
מַה יָּקָר חַסְדְּךָ, אֱלֹהִים,
וּבְנֵי אָדָם בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ יֶחֱסָיוּן.
יִרְוְיֻן מִדֶּשֶׁן בֵּיתֶךָ, וְנַחַל עֲדָנֶיךָ תַשְׁקֵם.
כִּי עִמְּךָ מְקוֹר חַיִּים, בְּאוֹרְךָ נִרְאֶה אוֹר.
מְשֹׁךְ חַסְדְּךָ לְיֹדְעֶיךָ, וְצִדְקָתְךָ לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵב.
Israeli
mah yakar chasdecha, Elohim,
uvnei Adam b'tzel k'nafecha yechesayun.
yirveyun mideshen beitecha, venachal adanecha tashkem.
ki imecha mekor chayim, be-orecha nireh or.
meshoch chasdecha leyode-echa, vetzidkatcha leyishrei-lev.
English
How precious is Your gracious love, God, that mortals find shelter beneath the shadow of Your wings! They are filled with the plenty of Your house; You water them from Your streams of delight. You are the wellspring of life; by Your light we see light. Pour forth Your love to those who would know You, and Your righteousness to those of true heart.

OUR BOND WITH OTHERS

Hebrew
הֲרֵינִי מְקַבֵּל\מְקַבֶּלֶת עָלַי מִצְוַת הַבּוֹרֵא:
וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ.
Israeli
hareini mekabel or mekabelet alai mitzvat haborei:
ve-ahavta lere-acha kamocha.
English
I herewith take upon myself to fulfill the Creator’s mitzvah as set down in the Torah: Love your fellow as yourself.