Verses Of Praise

Pesukei D'zimrah

פְּסוּקֵי דְּזִמְרָה

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The chazzan says Half Kaddish. For transliteration, see page 953.

Hebrew

יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא. (אָמֵן)
בְּעָלְמָא דִּי בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ,
וְיַצְמַח פּוּרְקָנֵהּ וִיקָרֵב מְשִׁיחֵהּ. (אָמֵן)
בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל,
בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן: (אָמֵן, יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ
רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא יִתְבָּרַךְ)
יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי
עָלְמַיָּא. יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח, וְיִתְפָּאַר, וְיִתְרוֹמַם,
וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא, וְיִתְהַדָּר, וְיִתְעַלֶּה, וְיִתְהַלָּל, שְׁמֵהּ
דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. (אָמֵן)
לְעֵלָּא מִן כָּל בִּרְכָתָא וְשִׁירָתָא, תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָא
וְנֶחֱמָתָא, דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן: (אָמֵן)

Sephardi

Yitgadal veyitkadash shemei rabba. (Amen)
be'alma di vera chir'uteh veyamlich malchuteh,
veyatzmach purkaneh vikarev meshicheh. (Amen)
bechayeichon uvyomeichon uvchayei dechol beit Yisrael,
ba'agala uvizman kariv ve'imru amen: (Amen, yehei shemei
rabba mevorach le'alam ul'almei almaya yitbarach)
Yehei shemei rabba mevorach le'alam ul'almei
almaya. Yitbarach, veyishtabach, veyitpa'ar, veyitromam,
veyitnasei, veyithadar, veyit'aleh, veyithalal, shemei
dekudsha berich hu. (Amen)
Le'ela min kol birchata veshirata, tushbechata
venechemata, da'amiran be'alma, ve'imru amen: (Amen)

English

May God's great name be exalted and holy (Amen) — throughout the universe, which He created as He wanted. May He establish His kingdom over the entire universe, bring His redemption, and speed up the coming of His Mashiach, (Amen) — in your lifetime and in your days, and in the lifetime of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon. And everyone say Amen. (Amen. May God's great name be blessed forever and ever—it will be blessed.) May God's great name be blessed forever and ever. The name of the Holy One, Who is blessed, will be blessed, celebrated, glorified, exalted, raised, honored, uplifted, and praised (Amen) — more than all the blessings, songs, praises, and comforting words that are said in the world. And everyone say Amen. (Amen)

For transliteration, see page 943. The congregation and chazzan bow, as the chazzan says aloud:

Everyone should bless God

Hebrew

בָּרְכוּ אֶת יְיָ הַמְבֹרָךְ:

Sephardi

Barchu et Adonai hamevorach:

English

Let us now bless the Lord, Who is blessed:

The congregation and chazzan say the following, bowing at בָּרוּךְ and standing upright at יְיָ:

Hebrew

בָּרוּךְ יְיָ הַמְבֹרָךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:

Sephardi

Baruch Adonai hamevorach le'olam va'ed:

English

Blessed is the Lord, Who is blessed, forever and ever.

בִּרְכוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע

BLESSINGS OF THE SHEMA

You may be seated.1

God creates both light and darkness

Hebrew

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ
הָעוֹלָם, יוֹצֵר אוֹר וּבוֹרֵא
חֹשֶׁךְ,2 עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם וּבוֹרֵא
אֶת הַכֹּל:

Sephardi

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech
ha-olam, yotzer or uvorei
choshech,2 oseh shalom uvorei
et hakol:

English

Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who forms light and creates darkness,2 and Who makes peace among all His creations; even opposites, such as light and darkness, exist together in God's world. He creates everything.

On Shabbat, continue with הַכֹּל יוֹדוּךָ on the next page.

When a festival occurs on a weekday, say the following:

God alone continuously creates everything in this world

The creations of the heavens declare God's holiness and glory

Hebrew

הַמֵּאִיר לָאָרֶץ וְלַדָּרִים עָלֶיהָ
בְּרַחֲמִים, וּבְטוּבוֹ מְחַדֵּשׁ
בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית. מָה
רַבּוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יְיָ, כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ,
מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ קִנְיָנֶךָ: הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמְרוֹמָם
לְבַדּוֹ מֵאָז, הַמְשֻׁבָּח, וְהַמְפֹאָר,
וְהַמִּתְנַשֵּׂא מִימוֹת עוֹלָם. אֱלֹהֵי עוֹלָם,
בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים3 רַחֵם עָלֵינוּ, אֲדוֹן
עֻזֵּנוּ, צוּר מִשְׂגַּבֵּנוּ, מָגֵן יִשְׁעֵנוּ, מִשְׂגָּב
בַּעֲדֵנוּ. אֵל בָּרוּךְ, גְּדוֹל דֵּעָה, הֵכִין
וּפָעַל זָהֳרֵי חַמָּה, טוֹב יָצַר כָּבוֹד
לִשְׁמוֹ, מְאוֹרוֹת נָתַן סְבִיבוֹת עֻזּוֹ, פִּנּוֹת
צְבָאָיו קְדוֹשִׁים, רוֹמְמֵי שַׁדַּי, תָּמִיד
מְסַפְּרִים כְּבוֹד אֵל וּקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ. תִּתְבָּרַךְ
יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וְעַל הָאָרֶץ
מִתָּחַת, עַל כָּל שֶׁבַח מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ,4
וְעַל מְאוֹרֵי אוֹר שֶׁיָּצַרְתָּ, יְפָאֲרוּךָ סֶּלָה:

Sephardi

Hame'ir la'aretz veladarim alehah
berachamim, uvetuvo mechadesh
bechol yom tamid ma'aseh vereishit. Mah
rabu ma'asecha Adonai, kulam bechochmah asita,
mal'ah ha'aretz kinyanecha: Hamelech hameromam
levado me'az, hameshubach, vehamefo'ar,
vehamitnasei miymot olam. Elohei olam,
berachamecha harabim3 rachem aleinu, Adon
uzzenu, tzur misgabenu, magen yish'einu, misgav
ba'adeinu. El baruch, gedol de'ah, hechin
ufo'al zoharei chamah, tov yatzar kavod
lishmo, me'orot natan sevivot uzo, pinot
tzeva'av kedoshim, romemei Shaddai, tamid
mesaprim kevod El ukedushato. Titbarach
Adonai Eloheinu bashamayim mima'al ve'al ha'aretz
mitachat, al kol shevach ma'aseh yadecha,4
ve'al me'orei or sheyatzarta, yefa'arucha selah:

English

God gives light to the earth through the sun, which makes plants and trees grow, and He gives light to the people who live on the earth. God gives us the sun with mercy, by ensuring that the sun does not destroy the earth with its heat. In His goodness, He renews the work of creation every day by constantly keeping the universe in existence. Lord, how many are the works of Your hands; You made them all with wisdom. The earth is full of Your possessions; everything in the world belongs to You. God is the great King, Who was alone and exalted, even before the creation of the universe. Ever since the days when the universe was created, He is praised, glorified, and raised high. God of the universe, with Your great mercy,3 have mercy on us. God, You are the Master of our strength, the strong and reliable Rock Who gives us our strength, the Shield Who protects and saves us, and You are a safe place for us. The blessed God is great in His knowledge. He prepared and made the light of the sun. God, Who is good, created the sun and the moon to bring glory to His name. He put great lights around the sky; He created the sun and the moon in order to reveal His power. The chiefs of His angels are holy; they praise the exaltedness of the Almighty. They always speak about the glory of God and His holiness. You, Lord, our God, should be blessed in the heavens above and on the earth below for all the work of Your hands,4 which is good and praiseworthy. You should also be blessed for the great lights, the sun and the moon, which You created. They should glorify You forever.

Continue with תִּתְבָּרַךְ on page 367.

Commentary

1 The blessings of the Shema correspond to the spiritual world of Briyah (Creation), which is called God's "throne" upon which He sits. Therefore we sit while reciting the blessings of the Shema.

2 The words וּבוֹרֵא חֹשֶׁךְ teach us that God creates darkness; it is not only the absence of light. Because darkness is an entity unto itself, we can and must transform it into light.

3 A person cannot know the true extent of the negative effects that his sins have on his soul, and he therefore cannot know how much mercy he needs to restore his soul. For this reason we ask God, "With Your great mercy, have mercy on us." Let us receive the level of mercy that You see fit, and disregard whatever we think we need.

4 An alternative, literal translation: "May [You] be blessed above all the praises of the work of Your hands." The praises that we give God are based on the "work of His hands"—our limited and earthly perception of Him. Here we express our desire to bless God "above" and beyond our earthly praises—to bless His infinite essence and praise His true greatness.