Bible Study

Prayer & Worship

Shabbat Liturgy · Hebrew Prayers · Psalms of Yahweh

✦

The Shema — Foundation of Faith

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יַהְוֶה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יַהְוֶה אֶחָד

Sh'ma Yisrael — Yahweh Eloheinu — Yahweh Echad

"Hear, O Yisrael: Yahweh our Elohim, Yahweh is One. And you shall love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."

Devarim 6:4–5 · Recited at every Shabbat service · The Foundation of Faith

Shabbat Candle Blessing

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יַהְוֶה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל שַׁבָּת

Barukh Atah Yahweh Eloheinu Melekh ha'Olam — asher qid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadliq ner shel Shabbat

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Shabbat light."

Friday Evening · Shabbat begins at sundown · Light two candles

Kiddush — Shabbat Sanctification

וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וְכָל צְבָאָם

Vaykhulu hashamayim v'ha'aretz v'khol tzva'am

"And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day Yahweh finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day. So Yahweh blessed the seventh day and made it holy."

Bereshit 2:1–3 · Shabbat Evening Kiddush over wine

Havdalah — End of Shabbat

הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחֹל בֵּין אוֹר לְחֹשֶׁךְ בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעַמִּים

HaMavdil bein kodesh l'chol — bein or l'choshekh — bein Yisrael la'amim

"Blessed is Yahweh who separates between the holy and the ordinary, between light and darkness, between Yisrael and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of creation."

Saturday Evening · Shabbat ends · Three stars visible

Hamotzi — Blessing Over Bread

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יַהְוֶה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ

Barukh Atah Yahweh Eloheinu Melekh ha'Olam — HaMotzi Lechem min ha'Aretz

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our Elohim, King of the Universe — who brings forth bread from the earth."

Tehillim 104:14 · Recited before eating bread · Hold the bread, bless, then break and eat

Birkat HaMazon — Thanksgiving After Eating

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יַהְוֶה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַזָּן אֶת הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ בְּטוּבוֹ בְּחֵן בְּחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים

Barukh Atah Yahweh Eloheinu Melekh ha'Olam — haZan et ha'Olam kullo b'tuvo b'chen b'chesed uv'rachamim

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who nourishes the whole world with His goodness — with grace, with lovingkindness (chesed), and with compassion. He gives food to all flesh, for His chesed endures forever. Through His great goodness we have never lacked food, and may we never lack food, for the sake of His great Name."

Devarim 8:10 · Torah commands blessing after eating · Recited after meals with bread

Blessing Over Wine

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יַהְוֶה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן

Barukh Atah Yahweh Eloheinu Melekh ha'Olam — Borei p'ri hagafen

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine."

Recited at Kiddush, Havdalah, Pesach Seder, and covenant meals

Modeh Ani — Morning Gratitude

מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּם שֶׁהֶחֱזַרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְּחֶמְלָה רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ

Modeh ani l'fanekha Melekh chai v'kayam — she'hechezarta bi nishmatai b'chemlah — rabah emunatekha

"I give thanks before You, living and eternal King — for You have restored my soul to me with compassion. Great is Your faithfulness."

Recited immediately upon waking · First words of the morning · Lamentations 3:23

The Shema — Morning Declaration

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יַהְוֶה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יַהְוֶה אֶחָד

"Hear, O Yisrael: Yahweh our Elohim, Yahweh is One." Recited every morning as the covenant declaration that begins the day in Yahweh's Name.

Devarim 6:4 · Recited morning and evening

The Shema — Evening Declaration

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יַהְוֶה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יַהְוֶה אֶחָד

"Hear, O Yisrael: Yahweh our Elohim, Yahweh is One." Recited every evening — entrusting the soul back to Yahweh before sleep.

Devarim 6:4 · The last words on a Hebrew believer's lips each night

Hashkiveinu — Evening Protection

הַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ יַהְוֶה אֱלֹהֵינוּ לְשָׁלוֹם וְהַעֲמִידֵנוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ לְחַיִּים

Hashkiveinu Yahweh Eloheinu l'shalom — v'ha'amideinu Malkeinu l'chayyim

"Lay us down, Yahweh our Elohim, in peace, and raise us up, our King, to life. Spread over us the shelter of Your shalom, and guard our going out and coming in for life and for peace."

Ma'ariv evening prayers · Entrusting the night to Yahweh's protection

Raising of the Ark — When the Torah is Lifted

וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ הָאָרֹן וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה קוּמָה יַהְוֶה וְיָפֻצוּ אֹיְבֶיךָ וְיָנֻסוּ מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ

Vayehi binso'a ha'Aron vayomer Moshe — Kumah Yahweh v'yafutzu oyvekha — v'yanusu m'san'ekha mipanekha

"And it came to pass, whenever the Ark set out, that Moshe said: Rise up, Yahweh! Let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You."

Bamidbar (Numbers) 10:35 · Prayed when the Torah scroll is raised before the congregation

Lowering of the Ark — When the Torah is Returned

וּבְנֻחֹה יֹאמַר שׁוּבָה יַהְוֶה רִבְבוֹת אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

Uv'nucho yomar — Shuvah Yahweh — rivevot alfei Yisrael

"And when it rested, he said: Return, Yahweh, to the countless thousands of Yisrael."

Bamidbar (Numbers) 10:36 · Prayed when the Torah scroll is returned to the Ark after reading

Before Torah Reading

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יַהְוֶה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בָּנוּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים וְנָתַן לָנוּ אֶת תּוֹרָתוֹ

Barukh Atah Yahweh Eloheinu Melekh ha'Olam — asher bachar banu mikol ha'amim — v'natan lanu et Torato

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who has chosen us from all peoples and given us His Torah."

Recited before the Torah portion is read aloud

After Torah Reading

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יַהְוֶה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָנוּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטַע בְּתוֹכֵנוּ

Barukh Atah Yahweh Eloheinu Melekh ha'Olam — asher natan lanu Torat emet — v'chayyei olam nata b'tokheinu

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who has given us a Torah of truth and has planted eternal life within us."

Recited after the Torah portion is read · Seals the reading with covenant gratitude

Feast Day Kiddush

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יַהְוֶה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בָּנוּ מִכָּל עָם וְקִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו

Barukh Atah Yahweh Eloheinu Melekh ha'Olam — asher bachar banu mikol am — v'qid'shanu b'mitzvotav

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who has chosen us from every people and sanctified us with His commandments."

Recited at Pesach, Shavuot, Yom Teruah, Sukkot — the mo'edim of Vayikra 23

Shehecheyanu — Blessing for New Seasons

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יַהְוֶה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה

Barukh Atah Yahweh Eloheinu Melekh ha'Olam — shehecheyanu v'qiy'manu v'higi'anu lazman hazeh

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our Elohim, King of the Universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this appointed time."

Recited at the first night of each feast · Gratitude for reaching each mo'ed alive

Tehillim 119 — Torah Meditation

אַשְׁרֵי תְמִימֵי דָרֶךְ הַהֹלְכִים בְּתוֹרַת יַהְוֶה

"How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Torah of Yahweh. How blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart."

Tehillim 119:1–2 · The Great Torah Psalm

Priestly Blessing — Birkat Kohanim

יְבָרֶכְךָ יַהְוֶה וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ יָאֵר יַהְוֶה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ יִשָּׂא יַהְוֶה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם

Yevarekh'kha Yahweh v'yishmerekha — ya'er Yahweh panav elekha — yisa Yahweh panav elekha v'yasem l'kha shalom

"Yahweh bless you and keep you; Yahweh make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; Yahweh turn His face toward you and give you shalom." Contains Yahweh's Name THREE times.

Bamidbar 6:24–26 · Pronounced over the congregation at the close of every service

Tehillim 23 — Yahweh is My Shepherd

יַהְוֶה רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵנִי

"Yahweh is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His Name's sake."

Tehillim 23:1–3 · The Psalm of Dawid