It is customary to say a verse (or verses) associated with your name(s) at this point. See page 939 for a list of verses.
Accept our prayers
Hebrew
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ,
יְיָ צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי:
Sephardi
Yihyu leratzon imrei fi ve-hegyon libi lefanecha,
Adonai tzuri vego'ali:
English
May the words of the prayers that came from my mouth, and the thoughts of my heart, be acceptable to You—Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
Bow forward and take three steps back. Bow to the left while saying עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו; bow forward while saying הוּא; bow to the right while saying יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ; and bow forward again while saying וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן.
Grant peace to the Jewish Nation
Hebrew
עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו, הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה
שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל
יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:
Sephardi
Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya'aseh
shalom aleinu ve'al kol
Yisrael, ve'imru amen:
English
May God, Who makes peace in His heavens, make peace for us and for all the Children of Israel, and everyone say Amen.
Rebuild the Holy Temple speedily
Hebrew
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ,
שֶׁיִּבָּנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ, וְתֵן
חֶלְקֵנוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ:
Sephardi
Yehi ratzon milfanekha, Adonai Eloheinu veilohei avoteinu,
sheyibaneh Beit Hamikdash bimherah veyameinu, veten
chelkeinu be-Toratecha:
English
May it be Your will, Lord, our God and the God of our fathers, that the Holy Temple should be built speedily in our days, and that You give us our portion in Your Torah, so we will be able to learn it properly.
The silent Amidah ends here.
In the presence of a minyan, the chazzan repeats the Amidah, starting on page 572. The congregation should listen carefully to the chazzan and respond אָמֵן after each blessing. It is also customary to respond בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבָרוּךְ שְׁמוֹ each time the chazzan says “בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ...”.
After the repetition of the Amidah, the chazzan says Complete Kaddish, page 959, followed by קַוֵּה and אֵין כֵּאלֹהֵינוּ, page 424.
Priestly Blessing
The Kohanim must have their hands washed, preferably by a Levite, before reciting the Priestly Blessing.
The Kohanim should begin to approach the front of the synagogue, where they will say their blessing, before the chazzan begins the paragraph of רְצֵה in the repetition of the Amidah. One who did not begin his approach by that time should not approach at all.
The Kohanim must remove their shoes before they say the blessing. In doing so, they should avoid touching their shoes after their hands have been washed.
After the congregation has said Modim with the chazzan, the Kohanim say the following:
Don’t let our personal shortcomings affect our blessings
Hebrew
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ,
שֶׁתְּהֵא הַבְּרָכָה הַזֹּאת שֶׁצִּוִּיתָנוּ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת
עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרָכָה שְׁלֵמָה שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בָּהּ
מִכְשׁוֹל וְעָוֹן, מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם:
Sephardi
Yehi ratzon milfanekha, Adonai Eloheinu veilohei avoteinu,
shetehe haberachah hazot she-tzivitanu levarekh et
amecha Yisrael berachah shelemah shelo yihyeh bah
michshol ve-avon, me'atah ve'ad olam:
English
May it be Your will, Lord, our God and the God of our fathers, that this blessing, with which You have commanded us to bless Your nation, the Children of Israel, should be a complete blessing and that there should be no obstacle or sin stopping it now and forever.
The chazzan says the following quietly, and the Kohanim cover themselves with their tallitot.
Hebrew
אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, בָּרְכֵנוּ בַבְּרָכָה
הַמְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת בַּתּוֹרָה הַכְּתוּבָה עַל יְדֵי
מֹשֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ, הָאֲמוּרָה מִפִּי אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו,
Sephardi
Eloheinu veilohei avoteinu, barekheinu baberachah
hamshuleshet baTorah haketuvah al yedei
Moshe avdecha, ha’amurah mipi Aharon uvanav,
English
Our God and the God of our fathers, bless us with the three-part blessing found in the Torah, which was written by Your servant, Moses, and said by Aaron and his sons,
The chazzan calls to the Kohanim aloud: (If there is only one Kohen, the chazzan says it quietly.)
The chazzan concludes quietly:
Hebrew
עַם קְדוֹשֶׁךָ, כָּאָמוּר:
Sephardi
Am kedoshecha, ka'amur:
English
Who are called Your holy nation. As it says in the Torah.
One should not look at the Kohanim during the priestly blessing. Therefore, it is customary to cover one’s face with a tallit throughout the blessing.
The Kohanim, who are facing the Ark, then turn to face the congregants and say the following blessing:
Blessing on the Priestly Blessing
Hebrew
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ
הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ
בִּקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, וְצִוָּנוּ לְבָרֵךְ
אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה. (אָמֵן)
Sephardi
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech
ha-olam, asher kidshanu
bikdushato shel Aharon, v'tzivanu levarekh
et amo Yisrael be'ahavah. (Amen)
English
Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who made us holy with the holiness of Aaron, and commanded us to bless His people, the Children of Israel, with love. (congregants say Amen)
The blessing must be given face-to-face; therefore, one should face the Kohanim (but not look at them directly) and pay attention to their blessing. One must stand in front or to the side of the Kohanim to be included in their blessing; those standing behind the Kohanim are not included.
While the Kohanim say their blessing, it is customary for the congregants to turn their heads slightly in the following order: יְבָרֶכְךָ- facing forward; יְיָ - to the right; וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ- forward; יָאֵר - to the left; יְיָ - forward; פָּנָיו - to the right; and so on, (word by word—forward, right, forward, left, etc.,) concluding with שָׁלוֹם facing forward.
After the chazzan calls out each word of the following blessing, the Kohanim repeat after him. After the Kohanim conclude each verse, the congregants respond אָמֵן as shown.
Priestly Blessing
Hebrew
יְבָרֶכְךָ, יְיָ, וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ: (אָמֵן)
Sephardi
Yevarechecha, Adonai, ve-yishmerecha: (Amen)
English
May the Lord bless you with livelihood and guard your possessions from thieves. (Amen)
Hebrew
יָאֵר, יְיָ, פָּנָיו, אֵלֶיךָ, וִיחֻנֶּךָ: (אָמֵן)
Sephardi
Ya'er, Adonai, panav, eilecha, vi-chunnecha: (Amen)
English
May the Lord shine His joyful face upon you and be gracious to you. (Amen)
Hebrew
יִשָּׂא, יְיָ, פָּנָיו, אֵלֶיךָ, וְיָשֵׂם, לְךָ, שָׁלוֹם:<sup>1</sup> (אָמֵן)
Sephardi
Yisa, Adonai, panav, eilecha, veyasem, lecha, shalom:<sup>1</sup> (Amen)
English
May the Lord, holding back His anger, turn His merciful face toward you, and give you peace. (Amen)<sup>1</sup>