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 Hebraic Prayers

(Blessings or Berakhah's)

Shabbat

The Jewish Sabbath is known as Shabbat in Hebrew.

 Candle lighting blessings before Shabbat

Main article: Shabbat candlesNote: The Shabbat candles are lit at least eighteen minutes before sunset on Friday.

ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להדליק נר של שבת.‏Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha‑olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Shabbat.

Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the Shabbat candle[s]."

The Chabad version of the blessing adds the word קודש at the end of the blessing, making "... the candle of the holy Shabbat," transliterated, "... ner shel Shabbat kodesh."

 Havdalah ("Separation" ceremony)

Main article: Havdalah(Havdalah is recited Saturday night, usually about an hour after sunset, measured as the time when three stars appear in the sky, at which time Shabbat is over.)

Havdalah is a ceremony consisting of four blessings.

First, since havdalah is recited over a cup of wine, the blessing on wine is said:

ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, בורא פרי הגפן.‏Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, bo're p'ri hagafen. Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine." Then, spices are smelled, preceded by the blessing on smelling spices:

ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, בורא מיני בשמים.‏ :Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, bo're minei b'samim.

Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who creates varieties of spices." The spices are then passed around and smelled by those present.

Next, a multi‑wicked candle, which has already been lit, is viewed, preceded by the blessing:

ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, בורא מאורי האש.‏Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, bo're m'orei ha‑esh. Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who creates the lights of the fire." The candle is held up in the air and those present look at the reflection of the light on their fingernails.

Last is a blessing of praise for God's separating the holy from the every‑day:

ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, המבדיל בין קודש לחול, בין אור לחושך, בין ישראל לעמים, בין יום השביעי לששת ימי המעשה. ברוך אתה ה', המבדיל בין קודש לחול.‏Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, ha‑mavdil bein kodesh l'hol, bein or l'hoshekh, bein yisra'el la‑amim, bein yom ha‑sh'vi'i l'sheshet y'mei ha‑ma'a'se. Barukh ata Adonai, ha‑mavdil bein kodesh l'hol. Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who distinguishes between the sacred and the secular, between light and dark, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of labor. Blessed are You, LORD, Who distinguishes between the sacred and the secular."  Hanukkah

Main article: HanukkahTwo blessings are recited as the Hanukkah candles are lit. On the first night, the sheheheyanu blessing is said as well (see below).

 Blessing for lighting the candles

Main article: Menorah (Hanukkah)ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להדליק נר (של) חנוכה.‏Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner (shel) hanuka.

Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah light[s]."

 Blessing for the miracles of Hanukkah

ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, שעשה נסים לאבותינו בימים ההם בזמן הזה.‏Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, she‑asa nisim la‑avoteinu ba‑yamim ha‑heim ba‑z'man ha‑ze.

Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time..."

 Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (The High Holy Days)

Main articles: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Candle lighting

ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להדליק נר של יום הזכרון.‏Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel yom tov.

Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the holiday candle[s]."

 Over apples and honey on Rosh Hashanah

On Rosh Hashanah eve, at the start of the festive meal, it is customary to dip some cut raw apples into some honey as symbolic of asking God to grant a sweet new year.

The blessings for the apples and honey:

ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, בורא פרי העץ.‏Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha‑olam, bo're p'ri ha‑etz.

Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who creates the fruit of the tree."

A bite of apple dipped in honey is eaten, which is followed by:

יהי רצון מלפניך, ה׳ א‑לוהינו וא‑לוהי אבותינו, שתחדש עלינו שנה טובה ומתוקה.‏Transliteration: Y'hi ratzon mil'fanekha, Adonai Eloheinu velohei avoteinu, shet'hadesh aleinu shana tova um'tuka.

Translation: "May it be Your will, LORD our God and God of our ancestors, that you renew for us a good and sweet year."

 Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)

Main articles: Sukkot and Sukkah: Traditional blessings upon entering a Sukkah ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו לישב בסכה.‏Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu leishev ba‑sukah.

Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to dwell in the sukkah."

 Mezuzah

Main article: MezuzahThe following blessing is said when attaching a mezuzah to the doorpost:

ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו לקבוע מזוזה.‏Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu likbo'a m'zuza.

Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to affix the mezuzah." It is preferable for every Jewish home (or apartment) to have a mezuzh.

 Sheheḥeyanu ("Who has kept us alive")

Main article: SheheheyanuThis blessing is said whenever something pleasant that has not happened for a while is encountered. This includes all holidays except Shabbat. It is said on the first night of Hanukkah, but not for the other nights of that holiday. The blessing is also recited upon such occasions as affixing a mezuzah (particularly on a new home), buying new dress clothes, or eating a rare fruit.

ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, שהחינו וקימנו והגענו לזמן הזה.‏Transliteration: Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, she‑hehiyanu v'kiy'manu v'higi'anu la‑z'man ha‑ze.

Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season."

 Everyday prayers and blessings

 Upon waking up

Main article: Modeh aniמודה אני לפניך מלך חי וקיים שהחזרת בי נשמתי בחמלה, רבה אמונתך.‏Transliteration: Modeh ani lifanekha melekh hai v'kayam shehehezarta bi nishmahti b'hemla, raba emunatekha.

Translation: "I give thanks before You, Living and Eternal King, that You have returned within me my soul with compassion; [how] abundant is Your faithfulness!"

 

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