Baruch HaShem Le'Olam (Hebrew: ברוך ה׳ לעולם, Blessed is HaShem Forever)[note 1][note 2] is a compilation of 18 verses from Tanach that is recited by some Jewish communities during weekday Maariv between Shema and Amidah. Its name is from the first 3 words of the first verse.
The prayer was compiled during post-talmudic times when Jews faced various threats when saying Maariv in the evening. Commentators describe these threats in overlapping ways:
Synagogues could not be built in some residential areas.[1]
Avudraham said that in the Geonic period Jews were afraid to stay out late enough to pray Maariv.[2]
Jews normally returned from working their fields to the city in the late afternoon.[3][3]:264
Whatever particular reasons applied, to avoid being harassed or potentially killed, Jews held services in the city's surrounding fields, where many of them worked. However, in the evenings when Maariv is said, the darkness made the fields and walking home through the city particularly dangerous.[4]:62
The Amidah is the longest prayer in most services. It is made up of 18 prayers mentioning HaShem'sGreat Name 18 times. That is why its other interchangeable name is Shmoneh Esrei (literally "the 18").[5]:4b(3)(c) Since technically Maariv is not obligatory the way the other prayers were, it was considered acceptable to replace the communal Maariv Amidah with something shorter to reduce the time it took to say Maariv. This reduced the time in the fields and the trip home could be made earlier.[5]:4b(3)(c)[4]:62
The shorter replacement, Baruch HaShem Le'Olam, has 18 verses from the Tanach, mainly Psalms. Theses verses also mention HaShem's Great Name 18 times to further align it with the Amidah.[6]:cxii Immediately after it and Kaddish were said, Maariv ended and congregants could leave for home. Some say that the replaced Amidah would then be recited privately in the relative safety of their houses.[4]:62
Even after the danger passed, many communities maintained Baruch HaShem Le'Olam as part of Maariv in some communities where it is said before the communal Maariv Amidah. This is observed in terms of not abolishing practices sanctified by long-term observance originally instituted by rabbinical decree (Tosefot Berachot 4b[5]:4a(3)(a)-(b)).[4]:62
Some Halakhic commentaries say it should not be included because it causes an interruption between Shema (and its blessings) and Amidah.[2] According to Machzor Vitry the verses were allowed to be added as the third blessing of the weekday Maariv Shema by the "heads [rabbis] of the Academy in Persia (Vitry, p. 78, Pardes ii)". They decided that the Halacha of not adding anything between the blessing the blessing of Shema and the Amidah only applied to Shacharit but not to Maariv.[6]:cxii
Usage
Whether Baruch HaShem Le'Olam is recited during the weekday Maariv depends on the nusach (Jewish custom) followed by a minyan as expressed in the siddur used in their prayer services. For the major nusachim:
Nusach Ashkenaz siddurim include Baruch HaShem Le'Olam. However, most Nusach Ashkenaz communities in Israel follow the practice of the Vilna Gaon and do not recite it.
The standard Sephardic rite does not include Baruch HaShem Le'Olam.[7] However, it does appear in older Sephardic siddurim such as Venice and Livorno,[8] and it is still recited in an abridged form by some Moroccan communities, most often only at the conclusion of the Sabbath.[9]
Some versions of Nusach Sefard include the 18 verses. Other versions of Nusach Sefard, including Nusach Chabad, do not include Baruch HaShem Le'Olam.
It is recited in Baladi-Yeminite rite, but is recited in as an extension of the previous Hashkiveinu blessing rather than as it's own blessing.[11]
Siddurim including and excluding Baruch HaShem Le'Olam, and the Orthodox Jewish communities that use them
Siddur (Nusach)
Used by
Maariv (v.1-18)?
Shacharit (v.1-4)?
Description
SiddurAshkenaz (Nusach Askenaz)
Ashkenazi
Yes[3]:264-267[12][12]:312-315[2]. However, it is omitted in most Ashkenazic communities in Israel in accordance with the practice of the Vilna Gaon.[13]
Compiled c.1055 – c.1105 CE. Used by Ashkenazi communities in central and western Europe.
SiddurEdotHaMizrach
Sephardic Jews
No.[15] However, it appears in old Sephardic siddurim[8] and it is still recited in an abridged form by some Moroccan communities, most often only at the conclusion of the Sabbath.[9]
When verses 1-18 are Included in the weekly Maariv
Contemporary communities which recite recite the 18 verses between Shema and Amidah do so on weekdays. The verses are not recited on Shabbat or Festivals. Since it was implemented for working people, it is said on weekdays when work is allowed, but not on days on which work is not allowed (Shabbat or Festivals).[12]:313 However, there were communities in the Middle Ages which recited a shortened version of the blessing on the Sabbath, replacing the 18 verses with Ve-shamru (Exodus 31:16-17).[20]
Also, in most Chasidic communities where it is recited, it is omitted during Maariv immediately after Shabbat and Festivals, and on Chol HaMoed (intermediate days during the Pesach and Sukkot Festivals).[3]:265
Verses 1-4 normally included in Shacharit
The inclusion of the first 4 verses in the Shacharit service is not related to the reasons for the replacement of the Amidah by the full 18 verses in the weekday Maariv service (peril of life). These 4 verses are a common part of the daily Shacharit service. They are recited every day of the week (including Shabbat)[21] when the daily Hallel in Pesukei Dezimra using Ps 145–150 is recited.
Shema al HaMitah
Shema al HaMitah (Shema before going to sleep at night),[12]:996-1004 includes the last 4 verses as part of the readings after the bedtime Shema.[12]:1001-1002
The first 4 verses are said by all denominations, during Shacharit at the end of the daily Hallel of Pesukei Dezimra
Nusach Ashkenaz and some Nusach Sefard say all 18 verses in weekday Maariv between Shema and Amidah. To the extent that it is still recited by Sephardim (primarily Moroccans), and in the Italian and Baladi rites, the selection of the verses, as well as the concluding blessing, are somewhat different.
May our eyes behold, our hearts rejoice, and our souls be glad in thy true salvation, when it shall be said unto Zion, Thy God reigneth. The Lord reigneth; the Lord hath reigned; the Lord shall reign for ever and ever: for the kingdom is thine, and to everlasting thou wilt reign in glory; for we have no king but thee.
The 18 verses mention the glory, love and justice of God, pray for redemption, security, peace, and recognition by the whole world of God's oneness. The verses have common themes especially universalism and redemption.[12]:313[6]:cxiii
Eitz Yosef notes that each of the first 4 verses begin with the word "Baruch" (בָּרוּךְ), Hebrew for "blessed". This is not intended to be understood as the reader blessing HaShem, but rather referring to HaShem as the source of all blessing. These verses are a sort of blessing marking the end of the preceding 6 Psalms in the Hallel of Pesukei Dezimra (Ps 145–150), which are considered the essence of Pesukei Dezimra. These Psalms enumerate many of the blessings referred to in the 4 verses.[3]:75[14]
The four verses are recited following the daily Hallel in the Shacharit Pesukei Dezimra to relate Hallel to blessing.[citation needed]
Unusually, the word Amen is recited twice at the end of the first and third verses as an extra emphasis of the truth of the statements.[3]:75
This article is only a general overview. It may not mention all differences between nusachim or quote all related Halacha. For specifics consult your rabbi or a posek.
English
Translit.
Hebrew
Why obscure?: To observe prohibition against writing HaShem's names where they may be destroyed (Deuteronomy 12:3–4), incl. in printed electronic media
This article is only a general overview. It may not mention all differences between nusachim or quote all related Halacha. For specifics consult your rabbi or a posek.
Blessing an aspect or action of HaShem
Blessed are you HaShem our G-d, king of the world...
...בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה השם אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
Command Blessing before performing a commandment
Blessed are you HaShem our G-d, king of the world, who sanctified us with your commandments and commanded...
Jewish prayer is the prayer recitation that forms part of the observance of Rabbinic Judaism. These prayers, often with instructions and commentary, are found in the Siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book.
A siddur is a Jewish prayer book containing a set order of daily prayers. The word siddur comes from the Hebrew root ס־ד־ר, meaning 'order.'
The Amidah, also called the Shemoneh Esreh, is the central prayer of the Jewish liturgy. Observant Jews recite the Amidah at each of three daily prayer services in a typical weekday: morning (Shacharit), afternoon (Mincha), and evening (Ma'ariv). On Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, and Jewish festivals, a fourth Amidah (Mussaf) is recited after the morning Torah reading, and once per year, a fifth Amidah (Ne'ilah) is recited, around sunset, on Yom Kippur. Due to the importance of the Amidah, in rabbinic literature, it is simply called "hatefila". According to legend, the prayer was composed by the rabbis of the Anshei Knesset HaGedolah. Accordingly, in Judaism, to recite the Amidah is a mitzvah de-rabbanan, i. e., a commandment of rabbinic origin.
Hallel is a Jewish prayer, a verbatim recitation from Psalms 113–118 which is recited by observant Jews on Jewish holidays as an act of praise and thanksgiving.
Shacharit, or Shacharis in Ashkenazi Hebrew, is the morning tefillah (prayer) of Judaism, one of the three daily prayers.
Mincha is the afternoon prayer service in Judaism.
A piyyuṭ is a Jewish liturgical poem, usually designated to be sung, chanted, or recited during religious services. Most piyyuṭim are in Mishnaic Hebrew or Jewish Palestinian Aramaic, and most follow some poetic scheme, such as an acrostic following the order of the Hebrew alphabet or spelling out the name of the author.
Mussaf is an additional service that is recited on Shabbat, Yom Tov, Chol Hamoed, and Rosh Chodesh. The service, which is traditionally combined with the Shacharit in synagogues, is considered to be additional to the regular services of Shacharit, Mincha, and Maariv. In contemporary Hebrew, the word may also signify a newspaper supplement.
Yishtabach is a prayer in the final portion of the Pesukei Dezimra morning prayers of Judaism known as shacharit, recited before the second kaddish leading to the Shema prayers.
Tachanun or Taḥanun, also called nefilat apayim, is part of Judaism's morning (Shacharit) and afternoon (Mincha) services, after the recitation of the Amidah, the central part of the daily Jewish prayer services. It is also recited at the end of the Selichot service. It is omitted on Shabbat, Jewish holidays and several other occasions. Most traditions recite a longer prayer on Mondays and Thursdays.
Kedushah is the name of several prayers recited during Jewish prayer. They have in common the recitation of two Biblical verses, Isaiah 6:3 and Ezekiel 3:12. These verses come from prophetic visions in which angels sing praises to God.
Psalm 30 is the 30th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible and in the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 29. In Latin, it is known as "Exaltabo te Domine". It is a psalm of thanksgiving, traditionally ascribed to David upon the building of his own royal palace.
Psalm 92 is the 92nd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 91. In Latin, it is known as "Bonum est confiteri Domino ". The psalm is known as Mizmor Shir L'yom HaShabbat, is ostensibly dedicated to the Shabbat day.
Pesukei dezimra, or zemirot as they are called in the Spanish and Portuguese tradition, are a group of prayers that may be recited during Shacharit. They consist of various blessings, psalms, and sequences of other Biblical verses. Historically, reciting pesukei dezimra in morning prayer was a practice of only the especially pious. Over the course of Jewish history, their recitation has become widespread custom among all of the various rites of Jewish prayer.
Nusach Ashkenaz is a style of Jewish liturgy conducted by Ashkenazi Jews. It is primarily a way to order and include prayers, and differs from Nusach Sefard and Baladi-rite prayer, and still more from the Sephardic rite proper, in the placement and presence of certain prayers.
Psalm 136 is the 136th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. ". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 135. In Latin, it is known by the incipit, "Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus". It is sometimes referred to as "The Great Hallel". The Jerusalem Bible calls it a "Litany of Thanksgiving". It is notable for the refrain which forms the second half of each verse, translated as "For His mercy endures forever" in the New King James Version, or "for his steadfast love endures for ever" in the Revised Standard Version.
Maariv or Maʿariv, also known as Arvit, or Arbit, is a Jewish prayer service held in the evening or night. It consists primarily of the evening Shema and Amidah.
Yotzer ohr, also known as Birkat yotzer or Birkat Yotzer Or, is the first of the two blessings recited before the Shema during Shacharit, the morning religious services of Judaism.
Ana BeKoach is a medieval Jewish piyyut called by its incipit. This piyyut, the acronym of which is said to be a 42-letter name of God, is recited daily by those Jewish communities which include Korbanot in Shacharit and more widely as part of Kabbalat Shabbat. Some also recite it as part of Bedtime Shema or during the Omer.
1 2 3 4 Katz, Rabbi Mordechai (1981), לשמור ולעשות: A Guide to Basic Principles of Jewish Law and their Applications in Theory and in Practice, Rothman Foundation Series (in English and Hebrew), Jerusalem, Israel: Feldheim Publishers Ltd (published September 1981), p.62, ISBN0-87306-974-9
6Daily in Israel and in some Sephardic communities even in the Diaspora
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