The chazzan and congregation bow as he says:
בָּרְכוּ אֶת יְיָ הַמְבֹרָךְ:
The congregation, followed by the chazzan,
responds bowing as he says “בָּרוּךְ” and straitening up at יְיָ :
בָּרוּךְ יְיָ הַמְברָךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
אָמֵן Do not respond
One may now be seated, which is the general custom while reciting The Shema.
Blessings of the Shema
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלהֵֹינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר בִּדְבָרוֹ מַעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים, בְּחָכְמָה פּוֹתֵחַ שְׁעָרִים, בִּתְבוּנָה מְשַׁנֶּה עִתִּים, וּמַחֲלִיף אֶת הַזְּמַנִּים וּמְסַדֵּר אֶת הַכּוֹכָבִים, בְּמִשְׁמְרוֹתֵיהֶם בָּרָקִיעַ,כִּרְצוֹנוֹ. בּוֹרֵא יוֹם וָלָיְלָה, גּוֹלֵל אוֹר מִפְּנֵי חשֶׁךְ וְחשֶׁךְ, מִפְּנֵי אוֹר, וּמַּעֲבִיר יוֹם וּמֵבִיא לָיְלָה, וּמַבְדִּיל בֵּין יוֹם וּבֵין לָיְלָה, יְיָצְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, הַמַּעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים:
אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמְּךָ אָהָבְתָּ, תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים אוֹתָנוּ לִמַּדְתָּ. עַל כֵּן יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, בְּשָׁכְבֵנוּ וּבְקוּמֵנוּ נָשִׂיחַ בְּחֻקֶּיךָ וְנִשְׂמַח בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָתֶךָ וּמִצְוֹתֶיךָ וְחֻקּותֶיךָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. כִּי הֵם חַיֵּינוּ וְאוֹרֶךְ יָמֵינוּ, וּבָהֶם נֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה,וְאַהֲבָתְךָ לֹא תָסוּר1 מִמֶּנּוּ לְעוֹלָמִים. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אוֹהֵב אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
✶ סדר קריאת שמע✶
The Shema
One should remain seated in one place while reciting the Shema, It is essential that it be recited with intense concentration, with the right hand covering the eyes. The Baal haTanya teaches us to especially concentrate upon the first two portions, which are the “שְׁמַע” with “וְאָהַבְתָּ” (Deut. 6:4-9), and “וְהָיָה” (Deut. 11:13-21); which focus on the sovereignty of God.
At the word אֶחָד, one should bear in mind when reading the letter א (which has the numeric value of one) that G-d is One. One should slightly draw out the ח (which has the numeric value of 8), and hold it as long as it takes to count to the number 8, while focusing on G-d's sovereignty over the seven heavens and the earth. The ד (which has the numeric value of 4) should also be slightly drawn out as long as it takes to count to the number 4, while focusing on the reality that God is sole sovereign of the universe, who is Master of all four cardinal directions. Together these numbers are equal to 13, which is equal to the words “Keter” (crown, the highest of the Sephirot) and “Ahava” (love).
It is important that each word be said clearly and distinctly, not slurring one word into another. One should intentionally pause at the commas in order to carry the meaning “Hear O Israel (pause), the Lord who is our God (pause), is the one God.”
שְׁמַע | יִשְׂרָאֵל, יְיָ | אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יְיָ |אֶחָד:2
say in an undertone:
בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
The following paragraph should be said with ones mind set upon
completing this command with love for G-d, Deuteronomy 6:5-9:
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ, וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ, וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹםעַל לְבָבֶךָ: וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם, בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ, וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ, וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ,וּבְקוּמֶךָ: וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ, וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ:וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ:
Deuteronomy 11:13-21, while reciting this passage one should concentrate upon being receptive of all the Torah's commandments; as well as bearing in mind the reality of reward and punishment:
וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶל מִצְוֹתַי אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹם, לְאַהֲבָה אֶת יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וּלְעָבְדוֹ בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶם וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁכֶם: וְנָתַתִּי מְטַר אַרְצְכֶם בְּעִתּוֹ יוֹרֶה וּמַלְקוֹשׁ, וְאָסַפְתָּ דְגָנֶךָ, וְתִירֹשְׁךָ וְיִצְהָרֶךָ: וְנָתַתִּי עֵשֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ לִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ, וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ: הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם פֶּן יִפְתֶּה לְבַבְכֶם, וְסַרְתֶּם וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִי תֶם לָהֶם: וְחָרָה אַף יְיָ בָּכֶם וְעָצַר אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה מָטָר וְהָאֲדָמָה לֹא תִתֵּן אֶת יְבוּלָהּ,וַאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ הַטֹּבָה אֲשֶׁר יְיָ נֹתֵן לָכֶם: וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֶת דְּבָרַי אֵלֶּה עַל לְבַבְכֶם וְעַל נַפְשְׁכֶם, וּקְשַׁרְתֶּם אֹתָם לְאוֹת עַל יֶדְכֶם וְהָיוּ לְטוֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֵיכֶם: וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אֹתָם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם לְדַבֵּר בָּם, בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ:וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזוּזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ: לְמַעַן יִרְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְיָ לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם לָתֵת לָהֶם, כִּימֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם עַל הָאָרֶץ:
Numbers 15:37-41; while reciting this passage one should concentrate upon fulfilling the requirement to remember the Exodus from Egypt:
וַיֹּאמֶריְיָ 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: אֲנִי יְיָאֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים, אֲנִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
One should not pause between the words "אֱלֹהֵיכֶם" and “ אֱמֶת." If one is praying without a minyan one should repeat the phrase "אֲנִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם" and then conclude with the word “אֱמֶת"
אֱמֶתוֶאֱמוּנָה כָּל זֹאת, וְקַיָּם עָלֵינוּ, כִּי הוּא יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְאֵין זוּלָתוֹ, וַאֲנַחְנוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ, הַפּוֹדֵנוּ מִיַּד מְלָכִים, הַגּוֹאֲלֵנוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ מִכַּף כָּל הֶעָרִיצִים. הָאֵל הַנִּפְרָע לָנוּ מִצָּרֵינוּ, הַמְשַׁלֵּם גְּמוּל לְכָל איְבֵי נַפְשֵׁנוּ, הָעֹשֶׁה גדֹלוֹת עַד אֵין חֵקֶר, וְנִפְלָוֹת עַד אֵין מִסְפָר.3 הַשָּׂם נַפְשֵׁנוּ בַּחַיִּים, וְלֹא נָתַן לַמּוֹט רַגְלֵנוּ,4הַמַּדְרִיכֵנוּ עַל בָּמוֹת איְבֵינוּ, וַיָּרֶם קַרְנֵנוּ עַל כָּל שׂנְאֵינוּ. הָאֵל הָעֹשֶׂה לָנוּ נְקָמָה בְּפַרְעֹה, וְאוֹתוֹת וּמוֹפְתִים בְּאַדְמַת בְּנֵי חָם.הַמַּכֶּה בְעֶבְרָתוֹ כָּל בְּכוֹרֵי מִצְרָיִם, וַיּוֹצֵא אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתּוֹכָם לְחֵרוּת עוֹלָם. הַמַּעֲבִיר בָּנָיו בֵּין גִּזְרֵי יַם סוּף, וְאֶת רודְפֵיהֶם וְאֶת שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם בִּתְהוֹמוֹת טִבַּע, וְרָאוּ בָנָיו אֶת גְּבוּרָתוֹ, שִׁבְּחוּ וְהוֹדוּ לִשְׁמוֹ. וּמַלְכוּתוֹ בְרָצוֹן קִבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם.משֶׁה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְךָ עָנוּ שִׁירָה בְּשִׂמְחָה רַבָּה, וְאָמְרוּ כֻלָּם:
מִי כָמֹכָה בָּאֵלִים יְיָ, מִי כָּמֹכָה נֶאְדָּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ, נוֹרָא תְהִלֹּת עֹשֵׂה פֶלֶא:5 מַלְכוּתְךָ רָאוּ בָנֶיךָ, בּוֹקֵעַ יָם לִפְנֵי משֶׁה, זֶה אֵלִי6 עָנוּ וְאָמְרוּ יְיָיִמְלךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:7וְנֶאֱמַר: כִּי פָדָה יְיָ אֶת יַעֲקֹב,וּגְאָלוֹ מִיַּד חָזָק מִמֶּנּוּ.8 בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל: ( Cong : אָמֵן)
הַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ אָבִינוּ לְשָׁלוֹם, וְהַעֲמִידֵנוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם, וְתַקְּנֵנוּ בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ מְהֵרָה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ, וּפְרוֹשׂ עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ.בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, הַפּוֹרֵשֹ סֻכַּת שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינו וְעַל כָּל עַמּוֹ יְשְׁרָאֵל וְעַל יְרוּשָׁלָיִם:
( Cong : אָמֵן)
It is the general custom, though not the Chabad tradition, to recite the following verses relating to Shabbat and Festivals on their appropriate days:
On Shabbat:
וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת לַעֲשֹוֹת אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, לְדֹרֹתָם,בְּרִית עוֹלָם: בֵּינִי וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל אוֹת הִיא לְעוֹלָם, כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָֹה יְיָ אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שָׁבַת וַיִּנָּפַשׁ:9
On Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot:
וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה אֶת מוֹעֲדֵי יְיָ, אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל:10
In the presence of a minyan the Chazzan recites the Hatzi-Kaddish, as follows. In the following prayer the congregation responds with the phrases in parenthesis:
יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא. ( Cong : אָמֵן)בְּעָלְמָא דִּי בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ, וְיַצְמַח פֻּרְקָנֵהּ וִיקָרֵב מְשִׁיחֵהּ. ( Cong :אָמֵן)בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב.וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:
( Cong : אָמֵן. יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא, יִתְבָּרֵךְ:)
יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא, יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח,וְיִתְפָּאֵר, וְיִתְרוֹמֵם, וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא, וְיִתְהַדָּר, וְיִתְעַלֶּה, וְיִתְהַלָּל, שְׁמֵהּ דְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. ( Cong :אָמֵן)לְעֵלָּא מִן כָּל בִּרְכָתָא וְשִׁירָתָא,תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָא וְנֶחֱמָתָא, דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:( Cong: אָמֵן)
Reader.--Bless ye the Lord who is to be blessed.
Cong. and Reader.--Blessed is the Lord who is to be blessed for ever and ever.
Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who at thy word bringest on the evening twilight, with wisdom openest the gates of the heavens, and with understanding changest times and variest the seasons, and arrangest the stars in their watches in the sky, according to thy will. Thou createst day and night; thou rollest away the light from before the darkness, and the darkness from before the light; thou makest the day to pass and the night to approach, and dividest the day from the night, the Lord of hosts is thy name; a God living and enduring continually, mayest thou reign over us for ever and ever. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who bringest on the evening twilight.
With everlasting love thou hast loved the house of Israel, thy people; a Law and commandments, statutes and judgments hast thou taught us. Therefore. O Lord our God, when we lie down and when we rise up we will meditate on thy statutes: yea, we will rejoice in the words of thy Law and in thy commandments for ever; for they are our life and the length of our days and we will meditate on them day and night. And mayest thou never take away thy love from us. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who lovest thy people Israel.
When Prayers are not said with the Congregation, add:--
God, faithful King!
Deut. vi. 4-9.
Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.
Blessed be His name, whose glorious kingdom is for ever and ever.
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shalt be upon thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.
Deut. xi. 13-21.
And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, that I will give the rain of your land in its season, the former rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. And I will give grass in thy field for thy cattle, and thou shalt eat and be satisfied. Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; and the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you. Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul: and ye shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, talking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, upon the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of the heavens above the earth.
Numbers xv. 37-41.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them a fringe upon the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of each corner a cord of blue: and it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye go not about after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go astray: that ye may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the Land of Egypt, to be your God; I am the Lord your God.
True and trustworthy is all this, and it is established with us that he is the Lord our God, and there is none beside him, and that we, Israel, are his people. It is he who redeemed us from the hand of kings, even our King, who delivered us from the grasp of all the terrible ones; the God, who on our behalf dealt out punishment to our adversaries, and requited all the enemies of our soul; who doeth great things past finding out, yea, and wonders without number; who holdeth our soul in life, and hath not suffered our feet to be moved; who made us tread upon the high places of our enemies, and exalted our horn over all them that hated us; who wrought for us miracles and vengeance upon Pharaoh, signs and wonders in the land of the children of Ham; who in his wrath smote all the first-born of Egypt, and brought forth his people Israel from among them to everlasting freedom; who made his children pass between the divisions of the Red Sea, but sank their pursuers and their enemies in the depths. Then his children beheld his might; they praised and gave thanks unto his name, and willingly accepted his sovereignty. Moses and the children of Israel sang a song unto thee with great joy, saying, all of them,
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the mighty ones? Who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness, revered in praises, doing wonders?
Thy children beheld thy sovereign power, as thou didst cleave the sea before Moses: they exclaimed, This is my God! and said,
The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.
And it is said, For the Lord hath delivered Jacob, and redeemed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who hast redeemed Israel.
Cause us, O Lord our God, to lie down in peace, and raise us up, O our King, unto life. Spread over us the tabernacle of thy peace; direct us aright through thine own good counsel; save us for thy name's sake; be thou a shield about us; remove from is every enemy, pestilence, sword, famine and sorrow; remove also the adversary from before us and from behind us. O shelter us beneath the shadow of thy wings; for thou, O God, art our Guardian and our Deliverer; yea, thou, O God, art a gracious and merciful King; and guard our going out and our coming in unto life and unto peace from this time forth and for evermore; yea, spread over us the tabernacle of thy peace. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who spreadest the tabernacle of peace over us and over all thy people Israel, and over Jerusalem.
On Sabbaths:--
Exodus xxxi. 16, 17.
And the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever, that in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and ceased from his work.
On Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, say:--
And Moses declared the set feasts of the Lord unto the children of Israel.
Reader.--Magnified and sanctified be his great -name in the world which he hath created according to his will. May he establish his kingdom during your life and during your days, and during the life of all the house of Israel, even speedily and at a near time, and say ye, Amen.
Cong. and Reader.--Let his great name be blessed. for ever and to all eternity.
Reader.--Blessed, praised and glorified, exalted, extolled and honored, magnified and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be he; though he be high above all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations, which are uttered in the world; and say ye,. Amen.
