Torah Service

seder k'ri-at hatorah

סדר קריאת התורה

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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

בְּרָכָה לִפְנֵי הַהַפְטָרָה

B’rakhah Preceding the Haftarah

Hebrew

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם,
אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בִּנְבִיאִים טוֹבִים,
וְרָצָה בְדִבְרֵיהֶם הַנֶּאֱמָרִים בֶּאֱמֶת.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה, הַבּוֹחֵר בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמֹשֶׁה עַבְדּוֹ
וּבְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ וּבִנְבִיאֵי הָאֱמֶת וָצֶדֶק.

Israeli

baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam,
asher bachar binvi-im tovim,
veratzah v'divreihem hane-emarim be-emet.
baruch atah Adonai, habocher batorah uvmosheh avdo
uvyisra-el amo uvinvi-ei ha-emet vatzedek.

English

Barukh atah Adonai, our God, sovereign of time and space, who selected worthy prophets and took delight in their words, uttered in faithfulness. Barukh atah Adonai, who has chosen the Torah, Moses Your servant, Israel Your people, and the prophets of truth and justice.

בְּרָכוֹת לְאַחַר הַהַפְטָרָה

B’rakhot Following the Haftarah

Hebrew

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, צוּר כָּל־הָעוֹלָמִים,
צַדִּיק בְּכָל־הַדּוֹרוֹת, הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן הָאוֹמֵר וְעוֹשֶׂה, הַמְדַבֵּר
וּמְקַיֵּם, שֶׁכָּל־דְּבָרָיו אֱמֶת וָצֶדֶק. נֶאֱמָן אַתָּה הוּא יְהֹוָה
אֱלֹהֵינוּ, וְנֶאֱמָנִים דְּבָרֶיךָ, וְדָבָר אֶחָד מִדְּבָרֶיךָ אָחוֹר לֹא
יָשׁוּב רֵיקָם, כִּי אֵל מֶלֶךְ נֶאֱמָן וְרַחֲמָן אָתָּה.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה, הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן בְּכָל־דְּבָרָיו.

Israeli

baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha-olam, tzur kol-ha-olamim,
tzadik b'chol-hadorot, ha-El hane-eman ha-omer ve-oseh, hamedaber
umekayem, shekol-d'varav emet vatzedek. ne-eman atah hu Adonai
Eloheinu, vene-emanim d'varecha, vedavar echad midvarecha achor lo
yashuv reikam, ki El melech ne-eman verachaman atah.
baruch atah Adonai, ha-El hane-eman b'chol-d'varav.

English

Barukh atah Adonai, our God, sovereign of time and space, everlasting guardian, righteous through every generation, the faithful God who brings to pass what is promised, who performs what is spoken, whose every word is true and just. You are faithful, Adonai, and trustworthy are Your words; none of Your words shall prove empty, for You are a compassionate and faithful sovereign. Barukh atah Adonai, God who in faithfulness fulfills all Your words.

Hebrew

רַחֵם עַל צִיּוֹן כִּי הִיא בֵּית חַיֵּינוּ, וְלַעֲלוּבַת נֶפֶשׁ תּוֹשִׁיעַ
בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה, מְשַׂמֵּחַ צִיּוֹן בְּבָנֶיהָ.

Israeli

rachem al Tziyon ki hi beit chayeinu, vela-aluvat nefesh toshia
bimherah v'yameinu. baruch atah Adonai, mesameach Tziyon bevaneha.

English

Have compassion upon Zion, our true home, and swiftly, in our day, bring deliverance to those downcast in spirit. Barukh atah Adonai, who gladdens Zion with her children.

Hebrew

שַׂמְּחֵנוּ, יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, בְּאֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא עַבְדֶּךָ וּבְמַלְכוּת
בֵּית דָּוִד מְשִׁיחֶךָ, בִּמְהֵרָה יָבֹא וְיָגֵל לִבֵּנוּ. עַל כִּסְאוֹ לֹא
יֵשֵׁב זָר וְלֹא יִנְחֲלוּ עוֹד אֲחֵרִים אֶת־כְּבוֹדוֹ, כִּי בְשֵׁם
קָדְשְׁךָ נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִכְבֶּה נֵרוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה, מָגֵן דָּוִד.

Israeli

samechenu, Adonai Eloheinu, be-Eliyahu hanavi avdecha uvmalchut
beit David meshichecha, bimherah yavo veyagel libenu. al kiso lo
yeshev zar velo yinchalu od acherim et-k'vodo, ki v'shem
kodshcha nishbata lo shelo yichbeh nero le-olam va-ed.
baruch atah Adonai, magen David.

English

Gladden us, Adonai our God, with Elijah the prophet, Your servant, and with the kingdom of David, Your anointed—may he come soon, causing our hearts to rejoice. Let no stranger occupy his throne and let no other inherit his glory, for You have pledged him, by Your holy name, that his light shall never be extinguished. Barukh atah Adonai, Shield of David.

Hebrew

עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הָעֲבוֹדָה וְעַל הַנְּבִיאִים וְעַל יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת
הַזֶּה שֶׁנָּתַתָּ לָנוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ לִקְדֻשָּׁה וְלִמְנוּחָה, לְכָבוֹד
וּלְתִפְאָרֶת. עַל הַכֹּל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֲנַחְנוּ מוֹדִים לָךְ,
וּמְבָרְכִים אוֹתָךְ. יִתְבָּרַךְ שִׁמְךָ בְּפִי כָּל־חַי תָּמִיד לְעוֹלָם
וָעֶד. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה, מְקַדֵּשׁ הַשַּׁבָּת.

Israeli

al hatorah ve-al ha-avodah ve-al hanevi-im ve-al yom hashabat
hazeh shenatata lanu Adonai Eloheinu likdushah velimnuchah, lechavod
uletifaret. al hakol Adonai Eloheinu anachnu modim lach,
umevarechim otach. yitbarach shimcha b'fi kol-chai tamid le-olam
va-ed. baruch atah Adonai, mekadesh hashabat.

English

For all this we offer You thanks and praise, Adonai our God: for the Torah, for the capacity to worship, for the prophets, for the Shabbat You have granted us, Adonai our God, for sanctity and for rest, for dignity and for glory. May all that lives bless Your name, always and forever, and may Your promise prove true and everlasting. Barukh atah Adonai, who makes Shabbat holy.

Commentary

HAFTARAH. The Hebrew Bible is composed of three divisions, in descending order of revelation: (1) the Five Books of Moses, known as the Torah; (2) the Prophets, both the historical books from Judges through Kings and the three major and twelve minor prophets; and (3) the Writings, including Psalms, the Five Megillot, Job, Proverbs, Daniel, and the late historical works of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles. In the ancient synagogue in the Land of Israel, passages were read from all three sections on each Shabbat. Probably because of time constraints, the custom of a third reading died away, and today we read only from the Torah and the Prophets. The latter reading is called the haftarah, meaning “the parting” or “the conclusion,” and it usually complements themes in the day’s Torah reading. The custom of reading from the Writings remains on the festivals: on the intermediate Shabbat of Pesah, we read the Song of Songs, on Shavuot we read the Scroll of Ruth, and on Sukkot we read Ecclesiastes. The haftarah need not be read from a parchment scroll. Some older synagogues, though, have two smaller arks beside the main ark containing the Torah scrolls. To the right is a recess containing a scroll of the prophetic readings and to the left is another one containing the five scrolls read on festivals, Tishah B’av, and Purim.

B’RAKHOT AFTER THE HAFTARAH. A series of b’rakhot concludes the reading from the Prophets. The earliest synagogue services probably centered on the public reading of biblical passages, and so the prayers concluding the haftarah reading may have constituted the core of the most ancient synagogue service. These prayers mention the sanctity of the day, express messianic longing, and speak of God’s faithfulness in keeping the divine promise—themes also included in the Amidah for Shabbat.

Priest and Prophet Indeed, the sort of crimes and even the amount of delinquency that fill the prophets of Israel with dismay do not go beyond that which we regard as normal, as typical ingredients of social dynamics. To us a single act of injustice—cheating in business, exploitation of the poor—is slight; to the prophets, a disaster. To us injustice is injurious to the welfare of the people; to the prophets it is a deathblow to existence: to us, an episode; to them, a catastrophe, a threat to the world. —ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL …

It is otherwise with the Priest. He appears on the scene at a time when prophecy has already succeeded in hewing out a path for its idea . . . . The Priest also fosters the idea and desires to perpetuate it; but he is not of the race of giants. He has not the strength to fight continually against necessity and actuality; his tendency is rather to bow to the one and come to terms with the other. . . . Not what ought to be, but what can be is what he seeks. —AHAD HA-AM (translated by Leon Simon) …