At this point, hold the tzitzit in both hands. See illustration, page 955. At the words marked °, pass the tzitzit over your eyes and kiss them. Look at the tzitzit while saying the words וּרְאִיתֶם אֹתוֹ. When saying the word וּקְיַּם, remember the mitzvah of Shabbat, which is equal to all other commandments. Say the words וּזְכַרְתֶּם and תִּזְכְּרוּ clearly, so it should not sound like a ס.
Tzitzit
Hebrew
וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר:
דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם וְעָשׂוּ לָהֶם
צִיצִת עַל כַּנְפֵי בִגְדֵיהֶם
לְדֹרֹתָם, וְנָתְנוּ עַל צִיצִת
הַכָּנָף ׀ פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת: וְהָיָה
לָכֶם לְצִיצִת, וּרְאִיתֶם ׀ אֹתוֹ,
וּזְכַרְתֶּם ׀ אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹת
יְיָ, וַעֲשִׂיתֶם ׀ אֹתָם, וְלֹא
תָתוּרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם וְאַחֲרֵי
עֵינֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם זֹנִים
אַחֲרֵיהֶם: לְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרוּ
וַעֲשִׂיתֶם ׀ אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹתָי,
וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים לֵאלֹהֵיכֶם:
Sephardi
Vayomer Adonai el Moshe leimor:
Daber el b'nei Yisrael
v'amarta aleihem v'asu lahem
tzitzit al kanfei vigdeihem
l'dorotam, v’nat’nu al tzitzit
hakanaf | petil techelet: vehayah
lachem l’tzitzit, ur'item | oto,
uzchartem | et kol mitzvot
Adonai, va'asitem | otam, v'lo
taturu acharei l’vavchem v'acharei
eineichem asher atem zonim
achareihem: lema'an tizkeru
va'asitem | et kol mitzvotai,
vihyitem k'doshim leiloheichem:
English
The Lord spoke to Moses and gave him instructions to tell the Jewish Nation. God said: Speak to the Children of Israel and tell them that they should make tzitzit for themselves, which they should hang on the four corners of their garments. This is something that should be done at all times; it is a commandment for all their generations. They should attach a blue string to the tzitzit on each corner. All the threads hanging together will be tzitzit for you. Tzitzit are worn as a reminder, and when you will look at these tzitzit, you will remember all the commandments of the Lord. This is because the numerical value of the Hebrew word tzitzit is 600. Adding the 8 threads and 5 knots, found on each corner, totals 613—the number of commandments in the Torah. Remembering the commandments will cause you to fulfill them. Then you will not wander after the desires of your hearts and the temptations your eyes see. Wandering after your desires causes you to stray from the path of Torah. Look at the tzitzit, so that you will remember and do all of My commandments. Through this, you will be holy to your God.
Exodus from Egypt
Hebrew
אֲנִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר
הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם ׀ מֵאֶרֶץ
מִצְרַיִם לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים,<sup>1</sup>
אֲנִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם—
Sephardi
Ani Adonai Eloheichem asher
hotzeti etchem | mei'eretz
Mitzrayim lihyot lachem leilohim,<sup>1</sup>
ani Adonai Eloheichem—
English
I am the Lord, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt in order to be a God for you,<sup>1</sup> and in order that you should accept Me as your God by keeping My commandments. I am the Lord, your God.
Do not pause between the words אֲנִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם and אֱמֶת. The chazzan says אֲנִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֱמֶת quietly, and then repeats aloud יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֱמֶת. When praying without a minyan, repeat the words אֲנִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם before concluding with אֱמֶת.
After saying the words וּנְחְמָדִים לָעַד in the following paragraph, kiss the tzitzit and release them.
We affirm everything said in the Shema prayer
Hebrew
אֱמֶת וְיַצִּיב, וְנָכוֹן, וְקַיָּם,
וְיָשָׁר, וְנֶאֱמָן; וְאָהוּב
וְחָבִיב, וְנֶחְמָד וְנָעִים; וְנוֹרָא
וְאַדִּיר, וּמְתֻקָּן וּמְקֻבָּל, וְטוֹב
וְיָפֶה,<sup>2</sup> הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה עָלֵינוּ
Sephardi
Emet v’yatziv, v’nachon, vekayam,
veyashar, vene'eman; v’ahuv
v’chaviv, v’nechmad v’na’im; venora
v’addir, um’tukkan um’kubbal, v’tov
v’yafeh,<sup>2</sup> hadavar hazeh aleinu
English
This that we have just said in the Shema is true, certain, established, everlasting, right, and trustworthy, beloved and dear, pleasant and sweet, awesome and powerful, correct and accepted, good and beautiful to us,<sup>2</sup> and it will be so forever and ever. It is true that God, Who rules over the entire universe, is our King. God, the strength of Jacob,
God, His name, and His kingship, are everlasting
Hebrew
לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד: אֱמֶת, אֱלֹהֵי עוֹלָם
מַלְכֵּנוּ, צוּר יַעֲקֹב מָגֵן יִשְׁעֵנוּ,
לְדֹר וָדֹר הוּא קַיָּם, וּשְׁמוֹ קַיָּם,
וְכִסְאוֹ נָכוֹן, וּמַלְכוּתוֹ וֶאֱמוּנָתוֹ
לָעַד קַיֶּמֶת. וּדְבָרָיו חָיִים
וְקַיָּמִים, נֶאֱמָנִים וְנֶחֱמָדִים לָעַד
וּלְעוֹלְמֵי עוֹלָמִים, עַל אֲבוֹתֵינוּ
וְעָלֵינוּ, עַל בָּנֵינוּ וְעַל דּוֹרוֹתֵינוּ,
וְעַל כָּל דּוֹרוֹת זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל
עַבְדֶּךָ—
Sephardi
Le'olam va'ed: emet, Elohei olam
Malkeinu, Tzur Ya'akov Magen Yish'einu,
ledor vador hu kayam, ushemo kayam,
v’chis’o nachon, umalchuto ve’emunato
la'ad kayyemet. Ud’varav chayyim
v’kayyamim, ne’emanim v’nechemadim la'ad
ule'olmei olamim, al avoteinu
ve'aleinu, al baneinu ve'al doroteinu,
ve'al kol dorot zera Yisrael
avdecha—
English
is the shield that protects and saves us. He and His name will last forever, throughout all generations. His throne is well established in heaven. His rulership as king of the universe and His trustworthiness exist forever. God will always be the King of the universe and He will always be trusted to keep His promises. God’s words, which are written in the Torah, are living, everlasting, trustworthy, and pleasant; and they always will be, forever and ever, for our fathers, for us, for our children, and for our descendants in future generations, and for all generations of the Jewish Nation—the Descendants of Israel, Your servant—
Hebrew
עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים וְעַל הָאַחֲרוֹנִים
דָּבָר טוֹב וְקַיָּם בֶּאֱמֶת
וּבֶאֱמוּנָה, חֹק וְלֹא יַעֲבוֹר.
אֱמֶת, שָׁאַתָּה הוּא יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ
וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, מַלְכֵּנוּ מֶלֶךְ
אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, גּוֹאֲלֵנוּ גּוֹאֵל אֲבוֹתֵינוּ,
צוּרֵנוּ צוּר יְשׁוּעָתֵנוּ, פּוֹדֵנוּ
וּמַצִּילֵנוּ מֵעוֹלָם הוּא שְׁמֶךָ, וְאֵין
לָנוּ עוֹד אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתֶךָ סֶלָה:
Sephardi
Al harishonim ve'al ha’acharonim
davar tov vekayam be'emet
uve’emunah, chok v'lo ya'avor.
Emet, sha'atah hu Adonai Eloheinu
veilohei avoteinu, Malkeinu Melech
avoteinu, Go'alenu Go'el avoteinu,
Tzureinu Tzur yeshu'atenu, Podeinu
umatzileinu me'olam hu shemecha, v’ein
lanu od Elohim zulatekha selah:
English
For all the Jewish Nation, from earlier generations to later generations, Your word, the Torah, is good and everlasting. The Torah is true and trustworthy; it is a book of law that will never be changed or canceled. It is true: that You are the Lord, our God and the God of our fathers; You are our King and the King of our fathers. You are our Redeemer and the Redeemer of our fathers. You are our Rock, the Rock Who gives us strength and saves us. You are our redeemer and rescuer. Always, from the days of old, this is Your name; You have been known for this. We have no other god besides You, ever.
God always protected us in difficult times
Hebrew
עֶזְרַת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אַתָּה הוּא
מֵעוֹלָם, מָגֵן וּמוֹשִׁיעַ
Sephardi
Ezrat avoteinu Atah hu
me'olam, Magen umoshi'a
English
God, You have always been the help of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You have always been a shield that protects them, and You have been a rescuer for them and for