Hakafot
Hakafot are performed with great joy on the nights of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, and on Simchat Torah day. The evening Hakafot, which consists of seven Hakafot around the bimah, are done before עָלֵינוּ of Maariv. The day Hakafot, which consists of only three and a half Hakafot, are done before the reading of the Torah.
Before Hakafot, the following verses are said. Each verse is said first by a leader and then by the congregation. For transliteration, see page 952.
Hebrew
אַתָּה הָרְאֵתָ לָדַעַת, כִּי יְיָ
הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים, אֵין עוֹד
מִלְּבַדּוֹ:
Sephardi
Atah hareita lada'at, ki Adonai
hu ha-Elohim, ein od
mil'vado:
English
Moses told the Jewish Nation: At the giving of the Torah, <b>You were shown</b> God's Oneness in order for you <b>to know—that the Lord is God, and that there is nothing</b> else <b>besides Him.</b>
Hebrew
לְעֹשֵׂה נִפְלָאוֹת גְּדֹלוֹת
לְבַדּוֹ, כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ:
Sephardi
L'oseh nifla'ot gedolot
levado, ki le'olam chasdo:
English
Give praise to God, <b>Who performs great wonders</b> and <b>miracles alone,</b> without any help, <b>because His kindness lasts forever.</b>
Hebrew
אֵין כָּמוֹךָ בָּאֱלֹהִים אֲדֹנָי,
וְאֵין כְּמַעֲשֶׂיךָ:
Sephardi
Ein kamocha ba-Elohim Adonai,
ve'ein kema'asecha:
English
<b>There is nothing like You</b> among the heavenly <b>creations, Lord, and there is nothing</b> as great as <b>Your deeds.</b>
Hebrew
יְהִי כְבוֹד יְיָ לְעוֹלָם,<sup>1</sup> יִשְׂמַח
יְיָ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו:
Sephardi
Yehi kevod Adonai le'olam,<sup>1</sup> yismach
Adonai bema'asav:
English
<b>May the Lord's glory last forever.</b><sup>1</sup> <b>May the Lord</b> always <b>be happy with His works of creation.</b><sup>2</sup>
Hebrew
יְהִי שֵׁם יְיָ מְבֹרָךְ, מֵעַתָּה
וְעַד עוֹלָם:
Sephardi
Yehi shem Adonai mevorach, me'atah
ve'ad olam:
English
<b>May the Lord's name be blessed</b> by all creations, <b>now and forever.</b>
Hebrew
יְהִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ עִמָּנוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיָה
עִם אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, אַל יַעַזְבֵנוּ וְאַל
יִטְּשֵׁנוּ:
Sephardi
Yehi Adonai Eloheinu imanu ka'asher hayah
im avoteinu, al ya'azvenu ve-al
yitshenu:
English
<b>May the Lord be with us as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or abandon us.</b>
Hebrew
וְאִמְרוּ: הוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ אֱלֹהֵי
יִשְׁעֵנוּ, וְקַבְּצֵנוּ וְהַצִּילֵנוּ מִן
הַגּוֹיִם, לְהוֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם קָדְשֶׁךָ,
לְהִשְׁתַּבֵּחַ בִּתְהִלָּתֶךָ:
Sephardi
Ve'imru: hoshi'einu Elohei
yish'einu, ve-kabbetzenu ve-hatzilenu min
hagoyim, lehodot l'shem kodshecha,
lehishtabe'ach bitehilatecha:
English
Say to God, "<b>Save us, God of our salvation. Gather us</b> together <b>and save us from the</b> other <b>nations,</b> so that we can <b>give thanks to Your holy name and be glorified</b> by <b>praising You.</b>" When we praise You, we become glorious, because other nations see that we are Your nation.
Hebrew
יְיָ מָלָךְ, יְיָ מָלָךְ, יְיָ יִמְלֹךְ
לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
Sephardi
Adonai malach, Adonai malach, Adonai yimloch
le'olam va'ed:
English
<b>The Lord is King, the Lord was</b> always <b>King, and the Lord will</b> always <b>be King, forever and ever.</b><sup>3</sup>
Hebrew
יְיָ עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן, יְיָ יְבָרֵךְ אֶת
עַמּוֹ בַשָּׁלוֹם:
Sephardi
Adonai oz le'amo yiten, Adonai yevarech et
amo vashalom:
English
<b>The Lord will give strength to the</b> Jewish Nation, <b>His people. The Lord will bless His people with peace.</b><sup>3</sup>
Hebrew
וִיהְיוּ נָא אִמְרֵינוּ לְרָצוֹן,
לִפְנֵי אֲדוֹן כֹּל:
Sephardi
Viyihyu na imreinu leratzon,
lifnei Adon kol:
English
<b>May our words be pleasing before</b> God, <b>the Master of everything.</b>
Hebrew
וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ הָאָרֹן, וַיֹּאמֶר
מֹשֶׁה: קוּמָה יְיָ וְיָפֻצוּ אֹיְבֶיךָ,
וְיָנֻסוּ מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ:
Sephardi
Vayehi binso'a ha'aron, vayomer
Moshe: kumah Adonai veyafutzu oyevecha,
veyanusu mesan'echa mipanecha:
English
Whenever <b>the Ark would travel</b> with the Jewish Nation in the desert, <b>Moses would say, "Lord, rise up</b> and show Your strength and power, <b>and Your enemies will be scattered</b> and run away out of fear. <b>Those who hate You will run away from You,</b> God."
Hebrew
קוּמָה יְיָ לִמְנוּחָתֶךָ, אַתָּה
וַאֲרוֹן עֻזֶּךָ:
Sephardi
Kumah Adonai limnuchatecha, atah
va'aron uzecha:
English
<b>Lord, go up</b> to the Holy Temple where You <b>rest</b> Your Divine Presence; both <b>You and the Ark,</b> which has shown <b>Your strength</b> by punishing the Philistines for trying to capture it.
Hebrew
כֹּהֲנֶיךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ צֶדֶק,
וַחֲסִידֶיךָ יְרַנֵּנוּ:
Sephardi
Kohanecha yilbeshu tzedek,
vachasidecha yeranenu:
English
<b>Your Kohanim will be dressed</b> in their special garments that bring forgiveness and <b>righteousness</b> to the Jewish Nation, <b>and Your devoted</b> Levites <b>will sing to You joyfully.</b>
Hebrew
בַּעֲבוּר דָּוִד עַבְדֶּךָ, אַל תָּשֵׁב
פְּנֵי מְשִׁיחֶךָ:
Sephardi
Ba'avur David avdecha, al tashev
p'nei meshichecha:
English
Build the Holy Temple <b>for King David, Your servant; do not turn away</b> the request of King David, <b>Your anointed one.</b>
Hebrew
וְאָמַר בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא: הִנֵּה
אֱלֹהֵינוּ זֶה, קִוִּינוּ לוֹ
וְיוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ, זֶה יְיָ קִוִּינוּ לוֹ,
נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ:
Sephardi
Ve-amar bayom hahu: hineh
Eloheinu zeh, kivinu lo
veyoshi'einu, zeh Adonai kivinu lo,
nagilah venismechah biyshu'ato:
English
<b>On that day,</b> when the Redemption arrives, <b>we will say: Indeed, this is our God. We had hope in Him, and He has saved us. This is the God in Whom we have hoped. Let us be glad and happy in His salvation.</b>