The Shema & Blessings

barekhu et Adonai hammevorakh:

It has become a universally-accepted custom to recite Barechu before proceeding to the blessings of Shema. Barechu, like Kaddish and Kedushah, cannot be recited unless a quorum—a minyan of ten adult males—is present. Barechu is also said by one who is called upon to read from the Torah. The practice of saying Barechu is mentioned numerous times in the Talmud. It is even cited in the Mishna (Maseches Berachos 49b) in the names of Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael.

barukh Adonai hammevorakh le'olam va'ed:

The Chazzan says:

barukh attah Adonai elohenu melekh ha'olam yotser or uvore khshekh oseh shalom uvore et hakkol:

Bless Adonoy Who is blessed.

hamme'ir la'arets veladdarim aleha berakhamim, uvetuvo mekhaddesh bekhol yom tamid ma'aseh vereshit: mah-rabbu ma'asekha Adonai, kullam bekhokhmah asita, male'ah ha'arets qinyanekha: hammelekh hammeromam levaddo me'az, hammeshubbakh vehammefo'ar vehammitnasse mimot olam: elohe olam berakhamekha harabbim rakhem alenu adon uzzenu tsur misgabbenu magen yishenu misgav ba'adenu: el barukh gedol de'ah, hekhin ufa'al zohore khammah, tov yatsar kavod lishmo, me'orot natan sevivot uzzo, pinnot tseva'ayw qedoshim romeme shadday, tamid mesapperim kevod el uqedushato: titbarekh Adonai elohenu bashamayim mimma'al ve'al ha'arets mittakhat al kol shevakh ma'aseh yadekha ve'al me'ore or she'asita hemmah yefa'arukha selah:

The Congregation responds and the Chazzan repeats:

titbarekh lanetsakh tsurenu malkenu vego'alenu, bore qedoshim yishtabbakh shimkha la'ad malkenu, yotser mesharetim, va'asher mesharetayw kullam omedim berum olam umashmi'im beyirah yakhad beqol divre elohim khayyim umelekh olam: kulam ahuvim kullam berurim kullam gibborim kullam qedoshim vekhullam osim be'emah uveyirah retson qonam: vekhullam potekhim et pihem biqdusha uvetohorah beshirah uvezimrah umevarekhin umeshabbekhin umefa'arin uma'aritsin umaqdishin umamlikhin:

Blessed is Adonoy, Who is blessed forever and ever.

et shem ha'el hammelekh haggadol haggibbor vehannora qadosh hu: vekhullam meqabbelim alehem ol malkhut shamayim zeh mizzeh, venotenim be'ahavah reshut zeh lazeh lehaqdish leyotseram benakhat ruakh besafah verurah uvinimah, qedusha kullam ke'ekhad onim be'emah ve'omerim beyirah

The two blessings יוֹצֵר אוֹר "He Who forms light" and אַהֲבָה רַבָּה "Great love," are referred to as the blessings preceding Shema (Maseches Berachos 11a). According to Rambam they were formulated by Ezra and his Court (Laws of Shema 1:7). You may not interrupt your prayers from this point on until after the Shemoneh Esrei. But you may answer "Amein" to the blessings of הָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ "The holy Powerful One" and שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִילָּה "He Who heeds prayer;" say the thrice-repeated קָדוֹשׁ "Holy…" and בָּרוּךְ כְּבוֹד "Blessed is the glory…" of Kedushah; and answer Barechu. You may also answer אָמֵן יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא "Amein, May His great Name," when you hear Kaddish." You may also answer Amein after the blessings of יוֹצֵר הַמְּאוֹרוֹת, "Who forms the luminaries," and הַבּוֹחֵר בְּעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה, "Who chooses His people Israel with love." For a more detailed exposition of these laws, see Metsudah Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, Vol. I, pp. 172-176.

qadosh qadosh, qadosh Adonai tseva'ot. melo khol-ha'arets kevodo:

Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Former of light, Creator of darkness, Maker of peace, Creator of all things.

veha'ofannim vekhayyot haqqodesh bera'ash gadol mitnasse'im le'ummat serafim le'ummatam meshabbekhim ve'omerim:

He illuminates the earth [and provides light] for those who dwell on it with compassion; and in His goodness renews every day, continually, the work of creation. How many are Your works, Adonoy; You made them all with wisdom, the earth is full of Your possessions. The King Who alone is exalted from then, Who is praised and glorified and uplifted, from the beginning of time. Eternal God, in Your abundant mercy, have compassion on us, Master, Who is our strength, Rock, Who is our stronghold Shield, of our deliverance, [Be] a stronghold for us. The blessed Almighty, great in knowledge, prepared and made the rays of the sun. [The] Good [One] created [everything] for the glory of His Name: the luminaries He set around His strength (His throne). The chiefs of His hosts are holy beings, the exalters of Shadai continually recount the glory of the Almighty and His holiness. Be Blessed, Adonoy, our God, in the heavens above and on earth below for the excellent works of Your hands, and for the light-giving luminaries which You formed; they will glorify You forever.

barukh kevod-Adonai mimmeqomo:

Be blessed eternally our Former, our Creator, He is our King, and He will be our Redeemer. our King, and our Redeemer—Creator of holy beings. Praised be Your Name forever, our King, Who forms ministering angels; and Whose ministering angels all stand at the height of the Universe, and proclaim with reverence, in unison aloud the words of the living God, King of the Universe. All of them are beloved,—there is no envy, jealousy or rivalry among them. Pure—they have no selfish or ulterior motives; they serve God with all their being.—Siddur HaGra all of them are pure, all of them are mighty; all are holy and all of them perform with awe and reverence the will of their Possessor. And they all open their mouths in holiness and purity, with song and music, and they bless, and praise, and glorify, and revere, and sanctify, and proclaim the sovereignty of—

la'el barukh ne'imot yittenu, lammelekh el khay veqayyam zemirot yomeru vetishbakhot yashmi'u, ki hu levaddo marom veqadosh po'el gevurot oseh khadashot ba'al milkhamot zorea tsedaqot matsmiakh yeshu'ot bore refu'ot nora tehillot adon hannifla'ot: hamekhaddesh betuvo bekhol yom tamid ma'aseh vereshit: ka'amur le'oseh orim gedolim ki le'olam khasdo: (vehitqin me'orot mesammeakh olamo asher bara.) or khadash al tsiyyon ta'ir venizkeh khullanu bimherah le'oro: barukh attah Adonai yotser hamme'orot:

the Name of the Almighty, the King, the Great, the Mighty, the awesome One; holy is He. And they all take upon themselves the yoke of Divine sovereignty one from the other, and lovingly give leave to one another to sanctify their Former in a spirit of serenity with clear speech and pleasantness, all exclaim Kedushah in unison, with awe, and reverently exclaim:

ahavat olam ahavtanu Adonai elohenu khemlah gedolah viterah khamalta alenu: avinu malkenu ba'avur shimkha haggadol uva'avur avotenu shebbatekhu vekha vattelammedem khuqqe khayyim la'asot retsonekha belevav shalem ken tekhannenu utelammedenu: avinu av harakhaman hamerakhem rakhem alenu veten belibbenu binah lehavin ulehaskil lishmoa lilmod ulelammed lishmor vela'asot uleqayyem et-kol divre-talmud toratekha be'ahavah: veha'er enenu betoratekha vedabbeq libbenu bemitsvotekha veyakhed levavenu le'ahavah uleyirah et shemekha, lema'an lo nevosh velo nikkalem velo nikkashel le'olam va'ed, ki veshem qodshekha haggadol haggibbor vehannora batakhenu nagilah venismekhah bishu'atekha: verakhamekha Adonai elohenu vakhasadekha harabbim al ya'azvunu netsakh selah va'ed: maher vehave alenu berakhah veshalom meherah me'arba kanfot kol ha'arets ushevor ol haggoyim me'al tsavvarenu vetolikhenu meherah qomemiyyut le'artsenu: ki el po'el yeshu'ot attah uvanu vakharta mikkol-am velashon veqeravtanu malkenu leshimkha haggadol selah be'emet be'ahavah lehodot lekha uleyakhedkha be'ahavah ule'ahavah et shemekha: barukh attah Adonai habbokher be'ammo yisra'el be'ahavah:

Holy, holy, holy is Adonoy of Hosts, the fullness of all the earth is His glory. paraphrases this verse: “Holy [is God] in the highest heights of heaven, the abode of His Divine Presence; holy upon earth, the work of His almighty power; holy [is He] forever and for all eternity.” The Talmud, (Masechcs Chulin 91b) refers to this verse as the “Sanctification of the Angels.” According to Avudraham and Ya'avetz; this Kedushah has been inserted here to refute those who maintain that God relinquished His control over the heavenly bodies, and they are now able to function independently. We are therefore told that all the heavenly hosts proclaim God's sanctification and dominion over all the universe.

el melekh ne'eman:

And the Ofanim and Serafim are various classes of Angels. Ofanim denotes animated wheels as conceived in association with the Heavenly throne. (Avudraham); Chayos are those angels who exist eternally (Ya'avetz; some angels exist only for short times for specific functions.) Serafim indicate “beings of fire.” and the holy Chayos, with a mighty sound rise toward the Serafim. Facing them, they offer praise and say,

shema yisra'el Adonai elohenu Adonai ekhad:

Blessed is the glory of Adonoy from His place. God's glory is a euphemism for God Himself. Thus the verse means, “Blessed is Adonoy from His place,” conveying this concept: God is more blessed (i.e., greater) than His place; He is not confined to any place. Another view set forth in the Kuzari is that “God's glory” includes the angels. His throne, His chariot, the firmament, and the spheres. These are called God's glory, similar to a king's retinue, which is his royal splendor.

ve'ahavta et Adonai elohekha bekhol-levavekha uvekhol-nafshekha uvekhol-me'odekha: vehayu haddevarim ha'elleh asher anokhi metsavvekha hayyom al-levavekha: veshinnantam levanekha vedibbarta bam beshivtekha bevetekha uvelekhtekha vadderekh uveshakhebekha uvequmekha: uqeshartam le'ot al-yadekha vehayu letotafot ben enekha: ukhetavtam al-mezuzot betekha uvisharekha:

To the Blessed Almighty, they offer pleasant melodies; to the King, the Almighty, [Who is] living and enduring, they utter hymns and make praises heard. For He alone, exalted and holy is the Performer of mighty deeds, Maker of new things; Master of battles, Sower of acts of righteousness,Deuteronomy 3:6 Causer of deliverance to sprout forth; Creator of cures. Awesome in praise, Master of wonders, He renews in His goodness, each day, continuously, the work of creation, as it is said: "[Give thanks to Him] Who makes the great luminaries," for His kindness is everlasting." (and He fashioned the luminaries, bringing joy to the world He created) Shine a new light upon Zion, and may we all soon be privileged to [enjoy] its brightness. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Former of the luminaries.

vehayah im-shamoa tishme'u el-mitsvotay asher anokhi metsavveh etkhem hayyom le'ahavah et-Adonai elohekhem ule'avedo bekhol-levavkhem uvekhol-nafshekhem: venatatti metar-artsekhem be'itto yoreh umalqosh ve'asafta deganekha vetirshekha veyitsharekha: venatatti esev besadekha livhemtekha ve'akhalta vesava'eta: hishameru lakhem pen-yifteh levavkhem vesartem va'avadtem elohim akherim vehishtakhavitem lahem: vekharah af-Adonai bakhem ve'atsar et-hashamayim velo-yihyeh matar veha'adamah lo titten et-yevulah va'avadtem meherah me'al ha'arets hattovah asher Adonai noten lakhem: vesamtem et-devaray elleh al-levavkhem ve'al-nafshekhem uqeshartem otam le'ot al-yedkhem vehayu letotafot ben enekhem: velimmadtem otam et-benekhem ledabber bam beshivtekha bevetekha uvelekhtekha vadderekh uveshakhebekha uvequmekha: ukhetavtam al-mezuzot betekha uvisharekha: lema'an yirbu yemekhem vime venekhem al ha'adamah asher nishba Adonai la'avotekhem latet lahem kime hashamayim al-ha'arets:

In the second of the blessings that precede Shema we praise God for His goodness in giving us His Torah, and pray for His help in the study of Torah. None of our petitions for the material goods of life approaches the fervor of this prayer for knowledge of the Torah and steadfastness in obeying it.

vayyomer Adonai el-msheh lemor: dabber el-bene yisra'el ve'amarta alehem ve'asu lahem tsitsit al-kanfe vigdehem ledorotam venatenu al-tsitsit hakkanaf petil tekhelet: vehayah lakhem letsitsit ure'item oto uzekhartem et-kol-mitsvot Adonai va'asitem otam velo taturu akhare levavkhem ve'akhare enekhem asher-attem zonim akharehem: lema'an tizkeru va'asitem et-kol-mitsvotay vihyitem qedshim lelohekhem: ani Adonai elohekhem asher hotseti etkhem me'erets mitsrayim lihyot lakhem lelohim ani Adonai elohekhem:

[With] everlasting love You have loved us writes, “When reciting the blessing ׳Unbounded Love’ אהבה רבה, one should bear in mind that God's Divine influence is especially directed at the Jewish People who receive it as naturally as a mirror receives rays of light. He should also bear in mind that the Torah is the expression of God's will and through it He establishes His dominion on earth as in heaven. Whenever an individual or a community attains a high degree of spiritual purity, they become worthy of receiving the Divine light to guide their destiny in a miraculous manner far removed from the ordinary course of events which affect the world. This special relationship with the Creator is called “love.” Adonoy, our God; [With] great and abundant pity) for His Divine Presence to dwell among us.—Siach Yitzchok have You pitied us. Our Father, our King! for the sake of your great Name and for the sake of our forefathers who trusted in You, and whom You taught statutes of life, carry out your will with a perfect heart, so too, be gracious to us and teach us. Our Father, merciful Father, Who acts with compassion have compassion on us and put into our hearts [comprehension] to understand and to be intellectually creative, to listen, to learn, and to teach, to preserve, to practice, and to fulfill the Torah by not forgetting its teachings; we practice the commandments and we fulfill them by making them permanent parts of our lives.—Siach Yitzchok all the words of instruction in Your Torah with love. And enlighten our eyes in Your Torah, and cause our hearts to hold fast to Your commandments, and unify our hearts to love and fear Your Name; and may we not be subject to shame, disgrace or stumbling forever for in Your holy Name— great, mighty and awesome— have we trusted; may we exult and rejoice in Your deliverance. And may Your mercy Adonoy our God, and Your abundant kindness never forsake us. Hasten and bring upon us blessing and peace quickly from the four corners of the earth break the yoke of the nations from our neck and speedily lead us upright to our land. Because, You are the Almighty, Who performs acts of deliverance, and You have chosen us from among all peoples and tongues, and You have brought us near our king to Your great Name, forever in truth; with love, that we may give thanks to You, and proclaim Your Oneness, with love. and love Your Name. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Who chooses His people Israel with love.

emet

The recitation of Shema was part of the daily worship in the Holy Temple, and our Sages ordained that it be recited in the synagogue service, providing it a central place in the morning and evening prayers of each Jew. Its importance may be judged from the fact that the very first Mishnah in the Oral Torah opens with the question, "From what time may the evening Shema be read?"In reading Shema, bear in mind that you are performing a Scriptural commandment. All three paragraphs should be read with kavanah, concentrated intention, on what you are saying. The entire Shema should be recited in awe and reverence as it proclaims the existence and unity of God; the Jews' complete dedication to God and His commandments; the belief in Divine justice; the remembrance of the Exodus and the selection of the Jews as God's Chosen People. These concepts are the pillars of the Jewish faith. Whenever this sign (°) appears (e.g. בְּכָל֯־לְ֯בָבְךָ), it indicates that you should be careful to pronounce each word distinctly. In many instances, the last letter of the first word and first letter of the second word are the same, the words might be read as one, which is not the proper way to fulfill the mitzvah of Kerias Shema.

Adonai elohekhem emet:

The following three words should be said when praying without a minyan:

veyatsiv venakhon veqayyam veyashar vene'eman ve'ahuv vekhaviv venekhmad vena'im venora ve'addir umetuqqan umequbbal vetov veyafeh haddavar hazzeh alenu le'olam va'ed: emet elohe olam malkenu tsur ya'aqov magen yishenu, ledor vador hu qayyam ushemo qayyam vekhiso nakhon umalkhuto ve'emunato la'ad qayyamet: udevarayw khayim veqayyamim ne'emanim venekhemadim la'ad ule'oleme olamim, al avotenu ve'alenu al banenu ve'al dorotenu ve'al kol dorot zera yisra'el avadekha:

(Almighty, faithful King)

al harishonim ve'al ha'akharonim davar tov veqayyam le'olam va'ed, emet ve'emunah khoq velo ya'avor: emet sha'attah hu Adonai elohenu velohe avotenu malkenu melekh avotenu go'alenu go'el avotenu yotserenu tsur yeshu'atenu podenu umatsilenu me'olam hu shemekha ve'en lanu od elohim zulatekha selah:

Hear, Israel: Adonoy is our God, Adonoy is One.Customarily one closes his eyes when pronouncing this testimony in order to shut out all distractions, and to concentrate all of one's thoughts on God's oneness. The last word, אחד, “One,” is to be said with special emphasis, drawing it out for the length of time needed to reflect that God, the Giver and Sustainer of life Whose Providence guides the destinies of all men, is the unique God of Israel, that He is alone in His world, ruling all four corners of the universe.

ezrat avotenu attah hu me'olam magen umoshia lahem velivnehem akharehem bekhol dor vador: berum olam moshavekha umishpatekha vetsidqatekha ad afse arets: emet ashre ish sheyyishma lemitsvotekha vetoratekha udevarekha yasim al libbo: emet attah hu adon le'ammekha umelekh gibbor lariv rivam lavot uvanim: emet attah hu rishon ve'attah hu akharon umibbaladekha en lanu melekh go'el umoshia: emet mimmitsrayim ge'altanu Adonai elohenu umibbet avadim peditanu: kol bekhorehem harageta uvekhorekha yisra'el ga'aleta veyam suf baqata vezedim tibbata vididim he'evarta vayekhassu mayim tsarehem ekhad mehem lo notar: al zot shibbekhu ahuvim veromemu la'el venatenu yedidim zemirot shirot vetishbakhot berakhot vehoda'ot lemelekh el khay veqayyam: ram venissa gadol venora mashpil ge'im ade arets umagbiah shefalim ade marom motsi asirim ufodeh anavim ve'ozer dallim ve'oneh le'ammo yisra'el be'et shavve'am elayw:

The following two lines are to be said silently:

tehillot le'el elyon go'alam barukh hu umevorakh, msheh uvene yisra'el lekha anu shirah besimkhah rabbah ve'ameru khullam:

Blessed [is His] Name, Whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever. 56a.When Moses went up to the heavens, he heard the angels praise God by saying, “Blessed [is His] Name, etc.” When he returned to earth, he taught it to the Jewish People. We say it in an undertone so as not to offend the angels. On Yom Kippur however, when we are considered like angels, we are permitted to say ברוך שם aloud.—Midrash Rabba to Deuteronomy

mi khamokhah ba'elim Adonai mi kamokhah nedar baqqodesh nora tehillot oseh fele:

And you shall love Adonoy your God with all your heart to Deuteronomy 31) explain “With all your heart” to mean “With all your desires—including the evil inclination,” i.e., subject your earthly passions and ambitions to God's Law and make them instruments for His service. and with all your soul and with all your possessions. And these words which I command you today,.—Ibid. shall be upon your heart. And you shall teach them sharply to your children. And you shall discuss them when you sit in your house, and when you travel on the road, and when you lie down and when you rise. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for totafos between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gateways. of the hand and head; 10) putting up mezuzos on the door-posts.

shirah khadashah shibbekhu ge'ulim leshimkha haggadol al sefat hayyam yakhad kullam hodu vehimlikhu ve'ameru:

And it will be— if you vigilantly obey My commandments which I command you this day, to love Adonoy your God, and serve Him with your entire hearts and with your entire souls— that I will give rain for your land in its proper time, the early (autumn) rain and the late (spring) rain; and you will harvest your grain and your wine and your oil. And I will put grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. Beware lest your hearts be swayed and you turn astray, and you worship alien gods and bow to them. And Adonoy's fury will blaze among you, and He will close off the heavens and there will be no rain and the earth will not yield its produce; and you will perish swiftly cited by Rashi from the good land which Adonoy gives you. Place these words of Mine cited by Rashi upon your hearts and upon your souls,— and bind them for a sign upon your hands, and they shall be for totafos between your eyes.) is at the edge of the hair line directly above the place which is between the eyes. And you shall teach them to your sons, to speak them when you sit in your house, and when you travel on the road, and when you lie down and when you rise. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gateways. In order that your days be prolonged, and the days of your children, upon the land which Adonoy swore to your fathers to give them [for as long] as the heavens are above the earth.

Adonai yimlokh le'olam va'ed:

And Adonoy spoke to Moses saying: Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them because of six important things contained therein: 1. the commandment of fringes, 2. mention of the Exodus, 3. the call to assume the yoke of God׳s commandments, 4. the warning against heretical concepts, 5. the warning against straying after sinful desires, and 6. the warning against idolatrous worship.—Maseches Berachos 12b to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations; and they will place with the fringes of each corner a thread of blue. And it will be to you for fringes, and you will look upon it and you will remember all the commandments of Adonoy,). The outward act of looking upon the tzitzis leads the Jew to inward spiritual conformity with the precepts of God. and you will perform them; and you will not turn aside after your hearts cited by Rashi. and after your eyes which cause you to go astray. In order that you will remember and perform all My commandments; and you will be holy unto your God. I am Adonoy, your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am Adonoy, your God—

tsur yisra'el qumah be'ezrat yisra'el ufedeh khinumekha yehudah veyisra'el, go'alenu Adonai tseva'ot shemo qedosh yisra'el: barukh attah Adonai ga'al yisra'el:

You must be careful to connect the last words of Shema, ה' אֱלֺקֵיכֶם (Adonoy, your God), with the word אמת (is true) without pause or interruption so that these three words form one sentence, meaning "Adonoy your God is true" (Maseches Berachos 13a).