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[With] unbounded love You have loved us⁴⁸The Kuzari writes, “When reciting the blessing ‘Unbounded Love’ אַהֲבָה רַבָּה, one should bear in mind that Hashem’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 Hashem’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 pity⁴⁹Hashem bestowed His great and abundant pity on us after we sinned in making the golden calf. He not only pardoned us, but gave us the Second Tablets and ordained the construction of the Tabernacle (Mishkan) for His Divine Presence to dwell among us.—Siach Yitzchak have You pitied us. Our Father, our King! for the sake of our forefathers who trusted in You, and whom You taught statutes of life, 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 to comprehend, and to be intellectually creative, to listen, to learn, and to teach, to preserve, to practice, and to fulfill⁵⁰We preserve the Torah by not forgetting its teachings; we practice the commandments and we fulfill them by making them permanent parts of our lives.—Siach Yitzchak 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 unify⁵¹Make us single-hearted and undivided in our love and reverence of Your Name. Keep us from distraction of personal thoughts and selfish motives.—Siach Yitzchak our hearts to love and fear Your Name; and may we never be put to shame,⁵²When one has to receive a favor that is completely undeserved, he feels a sense of shame. We therefore pray to Hashem, that our redemption will not be a “hand out” without merit and cause us to be ashamed. We proclaim that since we “trusted in His Name” and accepted the bitterness of our exile, our deliverance is not totally undeserved.—Siach Yitzchak for in Your holy, great, and awesome Name— have we trusted; may we exult and rejoice in Your deliverance. And bring us to peace from the four corners of the earth and lead us upright⁵³May we return from our exile with our heads held high, not in meekness.—Siach Yitzchak to our land. Because, You are the Almighty, Who performs acts of deliverance,⁵⁴Even if we do not deserve to be saved in our own merit, save us anyhow because You perform acts of deliverance. and You have chosen us⁵⁵At the moment Hashem gave the Torah to the Jews at Sinai, we became His chosen people and were brought close to Him for eternity.—Siach Yitzchak from among all peoples and tongues, and You have brought us close to Your great Name, forever in truth; that we may give thanks⁵⁶These final words complete the prayer begun earlier: “Bring us in peace, and lead us upright to our land, so that we may give thanks to You, and proclaim Your Oneness, with love.—Siach Yitzchak to You, and proclaim Your Oneness, with love. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Who chooses His people Yisrael with love.

Master of the Universe Who reigned before any creature was created.
At the time when all was made by His will, then was His Name proclaimed King.
And after all things shall cease to be the Awesome One will reign alone.
He was, He is, and He shall be in glory.
He is One, and there is no second to compare to Him, to associate [with Him].
Without beginning, without end, power and dominion are His.
He is my God and my ever-living Redeemer, the Rock of my destiny on the day of distress.
He is my flag¹It is to Him that I rally and through Him that I am identified.—Etz Yosef and my refuge; He is the portion of my cup on the day I call.²He answers me.
Into His hand I entrust my spirit [both] when I sleep and when I awaken.
And with my spirit my body [too], Adonoy is with me, I shall not fear.

Restore our judges³²We pray for the restoration of God’s reign of justice, as the prophet said, “And I will restore your judges as in former times, and your advisors as the beginning; afterward you (Jerusalem) will be called the city of righteousness, faithful city” (Isaiah 1:26). This will be manifested with the restoration of the Sanhedrin and their system of halachic justice. as before and our counselors as at first. Remove sorrow and sighing from us,³³Few evils are the source of deeper grief and suffering than the absence of justice. With the restoration of justice, our sorrow and sighing will change to joy and gladness.—Avudraham and reign over us You, Adonoy, alone with kindness and compassion; and make us righteous with justice,
Blessed are You, Adonoy, King, Lover of righteousness and justice.
During the Ten Days of Penitence: Blessed are You, Adonoy, the King of Justice.
If you mistakenly said, “King, Lover of righteousness and justice,” instead of “the King of Justice” and became aware of your mistake within the time it takes to utter the three word greeting (Sholom Aleichem Rebbe), you should immediately say “the King of Justice.” If you remembered after that interval, you may continue the Shemoneh Esrei since the word “King” was mentioned in the regular blessing.

Cause us to return,²²The goal of wisdom is the realization of man’s true relationship to his Maker. Wisdom should be used for Torah study and Divine service. our Father, to Your Torah and bring us near, our King, to Your service; and bring us back in whole-hearted repentance²³Since the Sages say, “Repent the day before you die” (Maseches Avos 2:10), and every day may be our last, we petition God daily for Divine guidance in repenting. before You Blessed are You, Adonoy, Who desires penitence.²⁴Repentance in Judaism implies regret for past misconduct and firm resolve for correct conduct in the future. God holds out His hand to the erring sinner and leads him back to righteousness, as the Talmud (Maseches Yoma 38b) declares, הבא ליטהר מסיעין אותו. God desires penitence as it is written, “I do not desire the death of the wicked: but (rather) that the wicked return from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11).

Grant peace,⁵⁶Since the Birkat Kohanim concludes with a blessing for peace, this concluding blessing is a restatement of the last benediction in the form of a congregational prayer.—Pesher Dovor goodness, and blessing, favor, kindness and compassion upon us and upon all Israel, Your people. Bless us, our Father, all of us as one with the light of Your countenance. For by the light of Your countenance You gave us Adonoy our God, a Torah of life and the love of kindliness,⁵⁷One of the most important mitzvos of the “Torah of Life” is the mitzvah of doing kindness. But it is incomplete unless there is a love of kindliness in the heart which precedes the act of kindliness.—Pesher Dovor righteousness, blessing, compassion, life and peace. And may it be good in Your sight to bless Your people, Israel, at all times and at every moment with Your peace.
During the Ten Days of Penitence continue here: May we be remembered and inscribed before You in the book of life, blessing, peace and abundant maintenance; we and all Your people, the House of Israel, for a good life and peace.
If you forget to say this you need not go back and repeat it.
Blessed are You, Adonoy, Who blesses His people Israel with peace.

Kaddish is not the name generally given to this prayer in the Talmud. It is referred to there as “May His great Name...”, because the congregational response beginning with these words is the heart of this prayer. Only in one minor tractate, (Maseches Soferim 16, 19, and 21) is it referred to as Kaddish. Composed primarily in Aramaic, the language spoken and understood by most Jews in the Second Temple period (See Tosafos to Maseches Berachos 3a), nevertheless, several Hebrew phrases, which were familiar even to the unschooled, were also incorporated in the prayer. This particular form of Kaddish d’Rabanan, is so named because of the insertion of the paragraph which begins with the words “Upon Israel and upon our Sages, etc.” This Kaddish is recited following the study of Talmud or Midrash and invokes God’s blessings on the Sages of Jewry, the transmitters of the Oral Torah.
Exalted and sanctified¹These opening words refer to the fulfillment of God’s prophecy, through Ezekiel (38:23) “And I will thus exalt Myself and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of the many nations, and they will know that I am Adonoy.”—Levush, Siddur HaGra. One should be very careful to emphasize the letter gimel (ג) when saying the word “Yisgadal (יִתְגַּדַּל),” in order that it not be heard as “Yiskadal (יִתְקַּדַל),” from the word קְדָל which means neck.—Mishnah Berurah 56:2 be His great Name
in the world which He created according to His will and may He rule His kingdom.²May His sovereignty be revealed. In your lifetime and in your days, and in the lifetime of the entire House of Israel, speedily and in the near future³We pray that the redemption will come speedily and that the process of the redemption itself will not be prolonged.—Siddur HaGra— and say Amein.
May His great Name be blessed forever and for all eternity.⁴This phrase, the heart of the Kaddish, is found almost verbatim in Daniel 2:20.
Blessed and praised, glorified, and exalted and uplifted, honored and elevated and extolled⁵The ten expressions of praise in the Kaddish refer to the ten utterances by which God created the world. (See Maseches Avos 5:1.) be the Name of the Holy One, blessed is He;
above (Ten Days of Penitence: far above) all the blessings and hymns,⁶May God be praised and exalted far beyond all the blessings, hymns and praises that are uttered.—Mishnah Berurah in the name of the Vilna Gaon 56:14. praises and consolations⁷Consolations are uttered because God is in mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the exile of His people. which we utter in the world—and say Amein.
Upon Israel, and upon our Sages, and upon their disciples, and upon all the disciples of their disciples, and upon all those who engage in Torah study in this land and in every land. May there be unto them and unto you abundant peace, favor, kindness, compassion, long life, ample sustenance and redemption from their Father Who is in heaven and on earth, —and say Amein.
May there be abundant peace from heaven and a good life for us and for all Israel, —and say Amein.
He Who makes peace (Ten Days of Penitence: the peace) in His high heavens may He, in His mercy, make peace for us and for all Israel, —and say Amein.

Fortunate are those who dwell in Your house; may they continue to praise You, Selah. Fortunate is the people whose lot is thus; Fortunate is the people for whom Adonoy is their God. A praise by David! I will exalt You, my God, the King, and bless Your Name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You and extol Your Name forever and ever. Adonoy is great and highly extolled, and His greatness is unfathomable. One generation to another will praise Your works and Your mighty acts they will declare. The splendor of Your glorious majesty, and the words of Your wonders I will speak. Of Your awesome might, they will speak, and Your greatness I will recount. Mention of Your bountifulness they will express, and in Your righteousness joyfully exult. Adonoy is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in kindliness. Adonoy is good to all, His mercy encompasses all His works. All Your works will thank You, Adonoy, and Your pious ones will bless You. Of the honor of Your kingship, they will speak and Your might they will declare. To reveal to men His mighty acts, and the glorious splendor of His kingship. Your kingship is the kingship for all times, and Your dominion is in every generation. Adonoy supports all the fallen, and straightens all the bent. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food at its proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living being. Adonoy is just in all His ways, and benevolent in all His deeds. Adonoy is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. The will of those who fear Him He fulfills; He hears their cry and delivers them. Adonoy watches over all those who love Him, and will destroy all the wicked. Praise of Adonoy, my mouth will declare, and all flesh will bless His holy Name forever and ever. And we will bless God from now on forever. Praise God.

Hear our voice, Adonoy, our God;⁴²The last of the intermediate benedictions petitions God to answer all our preceding prayers. spare us and have compassion on us, and accept our prayers compassionately and willingly, for You are Almighty Who hears prayers and supplications; and do not turn us away empty-handed from Your Presence, our King,⁴³At this point, the worshiper may add any private petition, and ask God’s help for himself, for his household, or for his community. for You hear the prayers of Your people, Israel, with compassion. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Who hears prayers.

How good are your tents, Jacob: your dwelling places, Israel.¹Numbers 24:5. The Talmud (Maseches Sanhedrin 105a) relates that this verse contains Billam’s prophetic allusion to Jewish houses of study and worship. As for me, through Your abundant kindness I will enter Your House; I will prostrate myself toward Your Holy Sanctuary in awe of You.²Psalms 5:8. Adonoy, I love the Dwelling, Your House, and the place where Your glory resides.³Psalms 26:8. I will prostrate myself, and bow, I will kneel⁴These are three distinct degrees of worship, representing various levels of subjugation before God. before Adonoy, my Maker. May my prayer to You Adonoy be at a favorable time; God, in the abundance of Your kindness answer me with the truth of Your deliverance.⁵Psalms 69:14.

Let there be no hope for informers ³⁴This petition was added to the original Eighteen Benedictions. It was ordained by Rabban Gamliel and his Bais Din in Yavneh, according to the text of Shmuel HaKattan, its author (Maseches Berachos 28:b). It is directed against the early Christians who informed against Jews to the Roman authorities after the destruction of the Second Temple, causing them to be put to an excruciatingly painful death. and may all wickedness³⁵Not the “wicked,” but “wickedness.” This particular prayer is based on the Talmudic interpretation of the verse, “Let sins be terminated on earth and the wicked will be no more” (Psalms 104:36). instantly perish; may all the enemies of Your people³⁶The internal enemies of the Jews, against whom this prayer was originally directed, disappeared within a short time. be swiftly cut off, and may You quickly uproot, crush, rout and subdue the insolent, speedily in our days. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Crusher of enemies. and Subduer of the insolent.

Sound the great shofar for our liberty,³¹The following six benedictions, beginning with this one, are prayers for the restoration of the spiritual-national life of the Jewish People. This tenth benediction is an impassioned prayer for the fulfillment of the prophecy, “And it will come to pass on that day, the great Shofar will be sounded; and those who were lost in the land of Assyria shall come and those who were dispersed in the land of Egypt; and they will worship Adonoy on the Holy Mountain at Jerusalem (Isaiah 27:13).—Avudraham and raise a banner to gather our exiles, and gather us together from the four corners of the earth. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Gatherer of the dispersed of His people Israel.

Look upon our affliction, and defend our cause: and redeem us speedily²⁸As an outgrowth of our penitence and our forgiveness we pray that we may be deemed worthy of Divine redemption.—Kuzari for the sake of Your Name; because You are a Mighty Redeemer. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Redeemer of Israel.
(On Fast Days, the Chazzan says “Answer us” and concludes, “Blessed are ... Who responds at times of trouble.”)

Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who gives the rooster understanding to distinguish between day and night.
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who did not make me a gentile.
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who did not make me a slave.
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who did not make me a woman.¹There is no degradation of women implied in this blessing. Men thank God for the privilege, which is theirs, of performing all the precepts of the Torah, many of which are not incumbent upon women.
(A woman says: Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who made me according to His will.)
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who gives sight to the blind.
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who clothes the naked.
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who releases the imprisoned.²He releases the prisoners of misfortune, passion, sin, hatred and jealousy.
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who straightens the bent.
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who spreads the earth above the waters.
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who provided me with all my needs.
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who prepares the steps of man.
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who girds Israel with might.
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who crowns Israel with glory.
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who gives strength to the weary.
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who removes sleep from my eyes and slumber from my eyelids.
And may it be Your will Adonoy, our God And God of our fathers, to make us study Torah regularly, and hold fast to Your commandments. Do not bring us into the grasp of sin,³To sin unknowingly. nor into the grasp of transgression or iniquity.⁴To sin willfully. Do not cause us to be tested,⁵We pray that God will not put us to tests that are too difficult to withstand. or brought to disgrace.⁶Should we fail the tests, we will be disgraced. Let us not be ruled over by the Evil Inclination. Keep us far from an evil person, and from an evil companion. Make us hold fast to the Good Inclination, and to good deeds, and compel our Evil Inclination to be subservient to You. Grant us this day and every day favor,⁷“Favor” means receiving God’s blessings because of our merit.—Siach Yitzchok kindness,⁸“Kindness” is God’s benevolence bestowed purely by His will, regardless of merit.—Siach Yitzchok and compassion⁹“Compassion” describes God’s withholding of deserved punishment.—Siach Yitzchok in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us, and bestow bountiful kindness upon us, Blessed are You, Adonoy, Who bestows bountiful kindness upon His people Israel.
May it be Your will, Adonoy, my God and God of my fathers, to save me today and every day from arrogant men and from arrogance; from an evil man, from an evil companion, from an evil neighbor; from an evil mishap and from the destructive Satan; from a difficult judgment and a difficult opponent, whether he is a [fellow Jew] or not a [fellow Jew].

A person should always be in fear of God, privately as well as openly,¹Some people conduct themselves in a God-fearing manner in the presence of others (in public), but in the privacy of their homes, do whatever they please. There are others who do just the opposite. In private they are governed by fear of God, but in the presence of others they are too embarrassed or intimidated to be God-fearing. A Jew must always fear God, in private as well as in public.—Siach Yitzchok [he should] admit the truth,²Acknowledging the truth is fundamental to serving God, and to all human behavior. One who is concerned merely with “winning the argument” will go to any extreme to come out on top. This attitude caused the downfall of the 250 leaders who joined Korach, rather than acknowledge the truth of Moses’ declaration (Numbers 16:2-35).—Siach Yitzchok and speak truth in his heart,³It is not sufficient to merely acknowledge the truth verbally but one must speak truth in his heart as well. Rashi on the Talmud (Maseches Makos 24a) cites the following incident as an example of how one should speak truth in his heart: A buyer once offered to purchase an article from Rav Safra while he was reciting the Shema. Because he could not indicate his acceptance, the anxious purchaser increased his offer. Rav Safra refused the increment because in his heart he had already accepted the original offer. and rise early and proclaim:
Lord of all the worlds! Not on account of our righteousness do we offer our supplications before You, but on account of Your abundant mercy. What are we? What is our life? What are our acts of kindness? What is our righteousness? What is our deliverance?⁴Of ourselves or others. What is our strength? What is our might? What can we say before You, Adonoy, our God and God of our fathers? Are not all the mighty men as nothing before You? Famous men as though they had never been? The wise as if they were without knowledge? And men of understanding, as if they were devoid of intelligence? For most of their actions are a waste,⁵In terms of achievement.—Dover Sholom and the days of their life are trivial⁶In terms of time.—Dover Sholom in Your presence. The superiority of man over the beast is nil, for all is futile.
However, we are Your people, children of Your covenant, children of Avraham, Your beloved,⁸Others translate, “Children of Avraham who loved You.” See commentaries on Yeshaya 41:8. to whom You swore on Mount Moriah; the seed of Yitzchak, his only son, who was bound on top of the altar; the community of Yaakov, Your firstborn, [whom]—because of Your love for him and Your joyous delight in him— You named him Yisrael⁹The name Yisrael symbolizes Yaakov’s wandering through history proclaiming the sovereignty of Hashem, while the name Yeshurun indicates his task to fulfill Hashem’s will as revealed to him, and to devote his life to the execution of that which is right in the eyes of Hashem.—S.R. Hirsch and Yeshurun.¹⁰Devarim 33:5.
Therefore, we are obligated to thank You, to praise You, and to glorify You; to bless, to sanctify, and to offer praise and thanks to Your Name. We are fortunate! How good is our portion! How pleasant is our destiny! How beautiful is our heritage! We are fortunate that we rise early and stay late - morning and evening - and twice daily say:
“Hear Israel, Adonoy is our God, Adonoy is One.”
The following line is to be said silently
Blessed [is His] Name, Whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever.
And you shall love Adonoy your God¹¹Deuteronomy 6:4-9. with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your possessions. And these words which I command you today, 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.
You existed before the world was created. You exist [in the same way] now that the world has been created. You exist in this world, and You will exist in the World-to-Come. Sanctify Your Name upon those who hallow Your Name, and sanctify Your Name in Your world. And through Your deliverance You will be exalted¹²According to other versions, the text is translated, “You will be exalted,” since the Hebrew reads תָּרוּם. and You will uplift our power. Blessed are you Adonoy who sanctifies His Name among the multitudes.
You are Adonoy, our God, in heaven and on earth, and in the highest heavens. In truth, You are First,¹³We refer to God as “First” to preclude the notion that anything existed before Him, but not to assert that He has a beginning.—Kuzari and You are Last.¹⁴Similarly, “Last” is used only to repudiate the idea that there is an end to His existence, not to fix a term for Him.—Kuzari And besides You there is no God. Gather the ones who hope in You from the four corners of the earth. Let all mankind recognize and know that You alone are the God¹⁵Elohim is a descriptive term which signifies God as ruler or judge.—Kuzari of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them. Who is there among all Your handiwork, among the heavenly or earthly creatures, that can say to You, “What are You doing?” Our father in Heaven, deal graciously and kindly with us for the sake of Your great name which is called upon us¹⁶The Jewish people are called “God’s People” and their name Israel, ׳שר-אל—officers of God, includes God’s Name. and fulfill for us, Adonoy, our God that which is written: ‘At that time, I will bring you in and at that time, I will gather you: for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I bring back your captivity before your eyes,’ said Adonoy.¹⁷Zephanyah 3:20.

I give thanks to You living and everlasting King for You have restored my soul with mercy. Great is Your faithfulness.
The beginning of wisdom is fear of Adonoy, good understanding to all who perform [His commandments], His praise endures forever. Blessed [is His] Name, Whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever.

For the sake of the unification of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and His Divine Presence, with fear and love and love and fear, to unify the Name of Yud Hei with Vav Hei with a complete unity, in the name of all Israel. Behold, in placing the tefillin [upon myself], I intend to fulfill the commandment of my Creator, Who commanded us to place tefillin; as it is written in His Torah (Deuteronomy 6:8), “Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead.” And they are four sections [from the Torah]: Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-8); And it shall be if you will truly listen (Deuteronomy 11:13-21); Sanctify (Exodus 13:1-10); And it shall be when He brings you (Exodus 12:11-17) – since within them they contain His unity and oneness in the world, may His name be blessed; and [through them,] we can remember His miracles and wonders when He took us out of Egypt, and that He has the power and control over the higher beings and the lower beings to do what He wants with them. And He commanded us to place it upon the arm in memory of the ‘extended forearm’ (with which He took us out of Egypt); and that it be across from the heart in order to subjugate the desire and thoughts of our heart for His service, may His name be blessed. And upon the head across from the brain, such that the soul in my brain – along with all my other senses and powers – be subjugated to His service, may His name be blessed. And may the bounty from the commandment of tefillin flow upon me, such that I should have long life, holy bounty, holy thoughts – free from any conjectures of sin or transgression – such that the evil impulse not seduce us or disturb us, but leave us to serve the Lord, as it is in our hearts. And may it be Your will before You, Lord our God and God of our fathers that [this] commandment of tefillin be considered before the Holy One, blessed be He, as if I fulfilled it in all of its details, all of its minutiae and all of its intentions – [as well as] the 613 commandments that are dependent upon it. Amen, Selah.
Place the “tefillin of the arm” on the muscle of your left arm, and before tightening it, say:
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to put on tefillin.
Wrap the strap around your arm 7 times and then place the “tefillin of the head” on your head above the region between your eyes, and say:
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the mitzvoh of tefillin.
With the “tefillin of the head” in place, say:
Blessed [is His] Name, Whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever.
And may You impart from Your wisdom to me, God most high; and give me understanding from Your understanding. With Your lovingkindness, do great things with me. With Your merit, cut off my enemies and opponents. Pour bountiful oil upon the seven branches of the menorah, in order to cause goodness to flow to Your creatures. Open Your hand and fulfill the will of every living thing.
When wrapping the strap around the middle finger of your left hand, say:
And I will betrothe you to Me forever; and I will betrothe you to Me in righteousness, in justice, in kindliness and in mercy. And I will betrothe you to Me in faithfulness and you shall know Adonoy.¹Hosea 2:21-22.
The following chapters, found in Exodus 13:1-16, are recited while wearing the tefillin, since they make direct reference to the mitzvah of tefillin.
Adonoy spoke to Moses, saying: “Sanctify unto Me all the firstborn, whatsoever opens the womb among the Children of Israel, both of man and beast is Mine.” And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, for with a strong hand Adonoy brought you out from here, and [therefore] you must not eat chametz. This day you are departing, in the month of springtime. And it will be when Adonoy will bring you to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites, and the Emorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall perform this service in this month. Seven days, you shall eat matzos, and on the seventh day there shall be a festival [dedicated] to Adonoy. Matzos shall be eaten during these seven days, and no chametz and no leaven shall be seen in your possession within all your boundaries. And you shall relate to your son on that day, saying: ‘Because of this Adonoy acted on my behalf when I came out of Egypt. And it shall be for a sign upon your arm²It is customary here, to touch the tefillin of the arm with the tallis or hand. Some then kiss the tallis or hand as an act of chivuv mitzvah, affection for the mitzvah. and for a reminder between your eyes³It is customary here, to touch the tefillin of the head. See previous note. so that Adonoy’s teaching will be [the words of] your mouth; for with a strong hand Adonoy brought you out of Egypt. And you shall keep this ordinance in its appointed time from year to year.
And it will be, when Adonoy will bring you to the land of the Canaanites as He swore unto you and to your fathers, and will have given it to you. Then you shall bring to Adonoy every one that opens the womb, and every firstling that is dropped by cattle that belong to you, the males shall belong to Adonoy, The firstling of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you do not redeem it, then you must kill it by breaking its neck. You must redeem every firstborn of man among your children. And it will be when your son asks you in future times, saying: ‘What is this?’ You shall say to him: ‘With a strong hand Adonoy brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. And it was when Pharaoh unyieldingly refused to let us go, that Adonoy killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man, to the firstborn of beast; therefore I sacrifice to Adonoy all that opens the womb that are males, and every firstborn of my sons, I redeem.’ And it shall be a sign upon your arm,⁴It is customary here, to touch the tefillin of the arm with the tallis or hand. Some then kiss the tallis or hand as an act of chivuv mitzvah, affection for the mitzvah. and for totafos between your eyes,⁵It is customary here, to touch the tefillin of the head. See previous note. for with a strong hand, Adonoy brought us out of Egypt.

At the words, We are thankful, bend forward; at Adonoy return to an upright position.
We are thankful to You⁴⁸Here you should bow in gratitude, as if standing before the Divine Presence, and say, “We are thankful to You.” The Jews always bowed when they perceived the Divine Presence..—Kuzari that You Adonoy are our God and the God of our fathers forever; Rock of our lives, You are the Shield of our deliverance in every generation. We will give thanks to You and recount Your praise, for our lives which are committed into Your hand, and for our souls which are entrusted to You,⁴⁹Here we thank God for returning our souls each morning, after having “entrusted” them to Him all night.—Eitz Yosef and for Your miracles of every day with us, and for Your wonders and benefactions at all times— evening, morning and noon.⁵⁰This phrase concludes the earlier declaration, “We will give thanks to You and recount Your praise ... evening, morning, and noon .”—Iyun Tefillalh (You are) The Beneficent One— for Your compassion is never withheld; And (You are) the Merciful One— for Your kindliness never ceases; we have always placed our hope in You.
(When the Chazzan repeats the Shemoneh Esrei and says, “Who returns His Divine Presence to Zion”, the congregation responds by saying “Amein” and then the following prayer.⁵¹This prayer was ordained by Rav and his colleagues. It is an abstract of several prayers recited by various Rabbis [=Rabanan], and for this reason it is called Modim D’Rabanan.)
We are thankful to You, that You Adonoy are our God, and God of our fathers, God of all flesh, Our Creator, Creator of the Beginning. Blessings and thanksgivings to Your great and holy Name for keeping us alive, and sustaining us; so may You always keep us alive and sustain us, and gather our exiles to the Courtyards of Your Sanctuary to observe Your statutes, and to do Your will, and to serve You wholeheartedly, for we are thankful to You. Blessed is the Almighty to Whom all thanks are due.
(On Chanukah and Purim the following prayer is added. If you omitted it, you need not repeat the Shemoneh Esrei. If, however, you became aware of your omission before concluding the blessing, you should say it at that time, and conclude by saying, “וְעַל כֻּלָּם, and for all the foregoing.”)
[We thank You] for the miracles, for the redemption, for the mighty deeds, for the deliverances and for the wars that You performed for our fathers in those days at this season.
On Chanukah: In the days of Matisyahu, son of Yochanan the High Priest, the Hasmonean and his sons, when the evil Greek kingdom rose up against Your people Israel to make them forget Your Torah⁵²This refers to rationally conceived laws. S.R. Hirsch comments: The Greeks knew that the key to the Jewish religion is the Torah. If Torah were forgotten, the decline of ritual observance would be inevitable and rapid. Thus, they concentrated first on causing Torah to be forgotten, knowing that the deterioration of religious observance would swiftly follow. and to turn them away from the statutes of Your will— You, in Your abundant mercy, stood by them in their time of distress, You defended their cause, You judged their grievances, You avenged them. You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, many into the hands of the few, defiled people into the hands of the undefiled, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and insolent [sinners] into the hands of diligent students of Your Torah. And You made Yourself a great and sanctified name in Your world. And for Your people, Israel, You performed a great deliverance and redemption unto this very day. Afterwards, Your sons entered the Holy of Holies of Your Abode, cleaned Your Temple, purified Your Sanctuary, and kindled lights in the Courtyards of Your Sanctuary, and designated these eight days of Chanukah to thank and praise Your great Name.
On Purim: In the days of Mordechai and Esther in Shushan the Capital [of Persia], when the evil Haman rose up against them, he sought to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their wealth⁵³The usual procedure of those times was that all the wealth of executed people reverted to the monarch. In contrast to the norm, Haman decreed that Jewish possessions would be free for all to enjoy. He did this to provide added incentive to the populace who might have hesitated to kill Jews if they had nothing to gain.— And You, in Your abundant mercy, annulled his counsel, frustrated his intention, and brought his evil plan upon his own head, and they hanged him and his sons upon the gallows. And You made a miracle and a wonder for them, and we are thankful to Your great name forever.
And for all the foregoing may Your Name, our King, constantly be blessed and extolled, forever and ever.
During the Ten Days of Penitence, add: Inscribe for a good life all the children of Your covenant.
If you forget to say this, you need not go back and repeat it. If you became aware of the omission before concluding the blessing, you can say it at that time.
And all the living shall thank You forever and praise Your Name with sincerity — the Almighty, Who is our deliverance and our help forever. Blessed are You, Adonoy; Your Name is The Beneficent and You it is fitting to praise.

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.
The Chazzan says:
Bless Adonoy Who is blessed.
The Congregation responds and the Chazzan repeats:
Blessed is Adonoy, Who is blessed forever and ever.
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.

Pardon²⁵Sin can only be pardoned after repentance. Hence, the order of these two petitions. Even if a person was the worst of sinners, his supplication (after repentance) makes him fit to receive Divine mercy and helps him attain it—R’ Yosef Albo us, our Father, for we have sinned, forgive us, our King, for we have transgressed;²⁶Error, חטא, is the result of carelessness, ignorance, or weakness; sin, פשע, is a deliberate disregard of moral or religious duty. for You forgive and pardon. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Gracious One, Who pardons abundantly.²⁷“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of iniquity, his thoughts. Let him return to Adonoy and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God for He abundantly pardons” (Isaiah 55:7).

You favor man with perception²⁰The blessing “You favor man with perception” begins the group of thirteen petitions which make up the “intermediate” section of Shemoneh Esrei. The first six petitions (blessings 4-9) are for our individual needs and well-being: understanding, repentance, forgiveness of sins, deliverance from trouble, from illness, and from want. Though these six petitions are of a personal nature, they voice the needs of all mankind. Note that the worshipper prays for his spiritual needs—knowledge, repentance, and forgiveness before he prays for his physical wants. and teach mankind understanding. Grant us knowledge, understanding and intellect from You. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Grantor of perception.

Bless for us, Adonoy our God, this year and all the varieties of its produce for good; and bestow
From the first say of Pesach until the evening service [Maariv] on December 4, or, on a civil leap year, December 5, we say the following line.
blessing
From the evening service [Maariv] on December 4, or, on a civil leap year, December 5, until the First day of Pesach, we say the following line.
dew and rain for a blessing*
upon the face of the earth; satisfy us from Your bounty³⁰According to the Gaon of Vilna, the petition here reads מטובה, “Satisfy us from its bounty”, referring to the bounty of Eretz Yisroel. and bless our year, like the good years. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Blesser of the years.
* If you forgot to say this and became aware of your omission before concluding the blessing, you may say it at that time and conclude the blessing. If you became aware of your omission after saying the blessing, continue the prayers, and before concluding the 16th blessing שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִילָּה, “Who heeds prayer,” say: וְתֵן טַל וּמָטָר לִבְרָכָה כִּי אַתָּה וגו’ “bestow dew and rain for blessing, for you heed etc.”. If you reminded yourself after concluding the blessing שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִילָּה, but before you started רְצֵה, “be pleased,” you may say: “bestow dew and rain,”וְתֵן טַל וּמָטָר and then continue with רְצֵה . If you remembered after that you must go back and say the 9th blessing, בָּרֵךְ עָלֵינוּ, and continue from there. But if you became aware of your omission after concluding the entire Shemoneh Esrei [and taking three steps backwards] you must repeat the entire Shemoneh Esrei.

Fundamentals of Kuzari, (Metsudah Publications, 1979) pages 269, 271, 273.
When reciting Shemoneh Esrei, you must adhere to these rules:
1. Before beginning the prayer, take three steps backwards and then return to your former position. Upon completing the prayer, take three steps backwards and return.
2. Keep your feet together.
3. Concentrate on the meaning of the words you are uttering. Remove all distracting thoughts and worries from your mind.
4. You may not interrupt Shemoneh Esrei by talking, not even by answering Amein. If you should hear Kedushah, Kaddish, or Barechu while saying the Shemoneh Esrei, you should remain silent and listen to the Chazzan’s words.
5. At the beginning and end of the first blessing, at the beginning and end of the blessing that begins: “We are thankful to You,” (page 133) and ends with “The Beneficent is Your Name,” (page 140) we half-kneel and bow in the following manner: At the word “Blessed,” bend your knees; at the word “You,” bend forward until the vertebrae of your spinal cord are loosened; at “Adonoy,” return to your upright position in keeping with the verse, “Adonoy straightens the bent” (Psalms 146:8).
6. Each individual recites Shemoneh Esrei in silence. Only the prayer leader, the Chazzan, ever recites it aloud, and then only after the entire congregation, himself included, has recited it silently.
My Master,¹When God’s name is spelled Alef-Daled-Nun-Yud it means “my Master”, i.e., it is a personal declaration of the person uttering it. When it is spelled Yud-Hey-Vov-Hey, it indicates God as the Creator of all.—Avudraham open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.²Psalms 51:17.
Blessed³The first blessing of Shemoneh Esrei contains eighteen expressions of praise which parallel the Eighteen Benedictions. are You, Adonoy, our God, and God of our fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, the Almighty, the Great, the Powerful, the Awesome, most high Almighty, Who bestows beneficent kindness, Who possesses everything, Who remembers the piety of the Patriarchs, and Who brings a redeemer to their children’s children, for the sake of His Name, with love.
(During the Ten Days of Penitence add: Remember us for life King, Who desires life; and inscribe us in the Book of Life, for Your sake, Living God.)⁴We ask God for life so that we can fulfill His purpose in creating us, i.e., to observe and fulfill His commandments.
If you forgot to say this, and became aware of your omission before saying the blessing, you should recite it. If you have already said “Blessed are You Adonoy,” you must continue the prayers without saying “Remember.”
King, Helper, and Deliverer and Shield.⁵God is a helper in all the fortunes of life by giving us the necessary energy and talents to succeed. He delivers us from both moral and physical suffering, and He shields us by keeping tragedy and evil influences from us. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Shield of Abraham.⁶These words complete the first blessing of Shemoneh Esrei called “Avos” (Patriarchs). And here too we bend our knees and bow when saying, “Blessed are You.” The major theme of this section is to praise God as “the Great”, as manifested in the Divine protection and providence He gave to the Patriarchs, of whom Abraham was the first.—Vilna Gaon

Be pleased,⁴⁴The three concluding benedictions are known as the benedictions of thanksgiving. They consist of prayers for the re-establishment of God’s service at Jerusalem; thanksgiving for God’s daily wonders in our behalf; and a prayer for peace and prosperity. Adonoy, our God, with Your people, Israel, and their prayer;⁴⁵In the previous blessings the first person was used: “Heal us,” “Have mercy on us,” whereas here the third person is used: “Their prayer,” “Accept their prayer.” In order to achieve a level in which we will be a source of pleasure to God, we must possess greater merit than what we as individuals can claim. We therefore ask God to take pleasure in the entire people of Israel among whom there are pious and righteous individuals who possess great merit, and we ask Him to accept “their prayer” with love and satisfaction.—Siach Yitzchok and restore the service to the Holy of Holies in Your abode, and the fire-offerings⁴⁶The prayer “Be pleased” in a different form was recited by the Kohanim (priests) every day following the morning fire-offering.—Maseches Berachos 11b of Israel; and accept their prayer, lovingly and willingly. And may You always find pleasure with the service of Your people, Israel.
On regular weekdays continue, “And may our eyes”. On Rosh Chodesh and on Chol HaMoed, the following prayer is added:
Our God and God of our fathers, may there ascend, come, and reach, appear, be desired, and heard, counted and recalled our remembrance and reckoning; the remembrance of our fathers; the remembrance of the Messiah the son of David, Your servant; the remembrance of Jerusalem, city of Your Sanctuary and the remembrance of Your entire people, the House of Israel, before You for survival, for well-being, for favor, kindliness, compassion, for life and peace on this day of the: Rosh Chodesh/Festival of Matzos/Festival of Sukkos. Remember us Adonoy, our God, on this day for well-being; be mindful of us on this day for blessing, and deliver us for life. In accord with the promise of deliverance and compassion, spare us and favor us, have compassion on us and deliver us; for our eyes are directed to You, because You are the Almighty Who is King, Gracious, and Merciful.
If you forgot to say this at Shacharis, (the Morning Service) or at Mincha (the Afternoon Service), but realized your omission before saying מוֹדִים, “We are thankful,” you should say it at that time and continue with מוֹדִים. If you became aware of your omission after saying “מוֹדִים” “We are thankful,” but before concluding the Shemoneh Esrei [and taking three steps backwards], start again from רְצֵה, “Be pleased.” If you had completed the Shemoneh Esrei and then remembered, you must repeat the entire Shemoneh Esrei from the beginning. If you are in doubt, follow the same procedure as above. If you had already said the Musaf prayer and recalled your omission, it is the opinion of some authorities, that the Shemoneh Esrei of Shacharis be repeated as a נְדָבָה, a free-will-offering of prayer, rather than an obligatory prayer.
And may our eyes behold⁴⁷We pray for the privilege of witnessing the visible revelation of the Divine Presence as it appeared to the prophets, to the pious, and to all who were delivered from Egypt.—Kuzari Your merciful return to Zion. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Who returns His Divine Presence to Zion.

You are mighty forever,⁷God’s rule of the world is permanent and perpetual.—Kuzari my Master; You are the Resurrector of the dead⁸This is the emphatic expression of our belief in the immortality of the soul.—Kuzari the Powerful One⁹This passage begins the section of Shemoneh Esrei called “Gevuros” (Might) and its major theme is to praise God as “the Mighty One.” Who alone restores man to life, health, freedom, and well-being.—Vilna Gaon to deliver us.
From the Musaf of the first day of Pesach until the Musaf of Shemini Atzeres one should say:
He causes the dew to descend.
From the Musaf of Shemini Atzeres until the Musaf of the first day of Pesach you should say:
Causer of the wind to blow and of the rain to fall.¹⁰God’s might is as much manifested in causing the rain as it is in reviving the dead. In fact the Talmud (Maseches Taanis 7a) declares in the name of Rabbi Avohu: “The day when rain falls is greater than the day of the resurrection of the dead.” Rabbi Yochanan said, (Ibid, 2a): “There are three 'keys' which God retains in His own hands and does not entrust to any emissary: the key to rain, the key to childbirth, and the key to the resurrection of the dead.”
If you neglected to say this, and became aware of your omission before saying the blessing מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים, “the Resurrector of the dead,” you must say it at that time. If you reminded yourself after saying וְנֶאֱמָן אַתָּה “You are faithful,” you must repeat it and then complete the blessing of מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים. If you became aware of your omission after starting the blessing אַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ “You are holy,” even if you only said the word “You,” say the Shemoneh Esrei from the beginning. If during the first thirty days after Shemini Atzeres you are in doubt whether you said it, you must assume that you didnot say it. After thirty days, however, since you have become accustomed to saying it, you may assume that you recited the proper phrase and you need not repeat the Shemoneh Esrei.
Sustainer of the living with kindliness, Resurrector of the dead¹¹The most extraordinary manifestation of God’s might—to our perception—is when He restores the dead to life. Avudraham writes that the three following praises represent various examples of how God restores life to those who arc near death. When a person falls (either physically or morally) he is often near death; thus, when God supports the fallen he restores their lives. When a person is sick, he often faces death, so when God heals the sick He restores their lives. A person who is imprisoned—i.e., confined—is like dead; thus when God releases the imprisoned He restores their lives. with great mercy, Supporter of the fallen, and Healer of the sick, and Releaser of the imprisoned, and Fulfiller of His faithfulness to those who sleep in the dust.¹²Just as God shows His faithfulness to the living, so too will He keep faith with the dead who lie in the dust. Others say that “Those who sleep in the dust” refers to the Patriarchs; God will remember the oath He made to them and keep His promises to them.—Avudraham Who is like You, Master of mighty deeds, and who can be compared to You? King Who causes death and restores life, and causes deliverance to sprout forth.¹³Deliverance will “grow” in stages rather than all at once.
(During the Ten Days of Penitence add: Who is like You merciful Father, Who remembers His creatures for life, in His mercy)
If you forgot to say this, the same law applies as above concerning “Remember us for life.”
And You are faithful¹⁴How remarkable is the Jew’s conviction of God’s faithfulness. When the Chazzan says the blessing of “Resurrector of the dead,” the Jew responds, “Amein” even though he has not seen God restore the dead to life; when the Chazzan says the blessing “Redeemer of Israel,” he responds “Amein”, even though he has not yet been delivered; and when the Chazzan says the blessing “Builder of Jerusalem,” he responds “Amein” even though Jerusalem has not yet been rebuilt.—Midrash Tanchuma to restore the dead to life. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Resurrector of the dead.
(When the Chazzan repeats the Shemoneh Esrei, the Kedushah is said here)

This hymn, written by Daniel ben Yehuda, who was a Dayan in Rome about 1300, is based on Maimonides’ 13 principles of Judaism. According to Maimonides, failure to believe in a single one of these principles places one outside the pale of Judaism.
1) the existence of God
Exalted is the living God, and praised He exists, and His existence transcends time.
2) God is One
He is One, and there is no unity like His, He is invisible, His unity is infinite.
3) God is incorporeal
He is unlike the corporeal or even the non-corporeal,¹God can also not be compared to the angels. His holiness is beyond comparison.
4) God is Eternal
He preceded every being that was created, He was First, and there was no genesis to His beginning.
5) God alone must be worshipped
He is Master of the Universe to every creature, (all) proclaim His greatness and His majesty.
6) Truth of Divine Prophecy
The fullness of His prophecy, He bestowed on those He treasured, and in whom He gloried.
7) Moses was the greatest of all prophets
There never arose in Israel another like Moses, a prophet who beheld God’s image.
8) Divine revelation of the Torah
The Torah of truth the Almighty gave to His people through His prophet, the trusted one of His house.
9) The Torah is immutable
The Almighty will not exchange nor alter His Law. Never will He offer any alternative.
10) God knows the acts and thoughts of man
He scrutinizes and knows our secrets. He beholds the end of a thing at its beginning.
11) Divine reward and punishment
He rewards man with kindness according to his deeds. He sends evil to the wicked according to his wickedness.²The word “deed” is not applied to the wicked man. Since Divine reward and punishment are distributed with kindness, reward is granted to man not only for his deed, which may itself be insignificant, but also for the long range effect of that deed. He is punished, however, only for his act of wickedness, not for the consequences of his deed.—Etz Yosef
12) Belief in the coming of the Messiah
He will send our Messiah at the end of days, to redeem all who await His final deliverance.
13) Divine resurrection of the dead
The Almighty will revive the dead because of His abundant kindness: Blessed forever is His praised Name.

You are holy and Your Name is holy and holy beings praise You every day, forever.
Blessed are You, Adonoy, the Almighty, the Holy One.¹⁹This blessing completes the section of Shemoneh Esrei called Kedushah (Holiness) which emphasizes that God is indeed awesome.
During the Ten Days of Penitence: Blessed are You, Adonoy, the King, the Holy One.
If you mistakenly said, “the Almighty” instead of “the King,” or if you are in doubt—if you realized your error after a lapse of time sufficient to utter a three word greeting (Shalom Aleichem Rebbe), or if you had already started the next blessing, you must say the Shmoneh Esrei from the beginning. If you became aware of your error before that, you should immediately say “the King the Holy One” and continue your prayers.

My soul, bless Adonoy, Adonoy, my God, You are greatly exalted. With beauty and splendor are You clothed, enwrapped in light, garment-like; You spread out the heavens like a curtain.¹Psalms 104:1,2.
For the sake of the unification of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and His Divine Presence, with fear and love and love and fear, to unify the Name of Yud Hei with Vav Hei with a complete unity, in the name of all Israel. Behold, I am wrapping my body with tsitsit (fringes). So too may You wrap my soul – my 248 limbs and my 365 tendons – in the light of the tsitsit, [the letters, strings and knots of] which add up to 613. And in the same way that I cover myself with a prayer shawl in this world, so too may I merit to be in the section of the rabbis and to have a fine prayer shawl in the next world, in the Garden of Eden. And through the commandment of tsitsit, save my essence, my spirit, my soul and my prayer from [negative forces]. And may the prayer shawl spread its wings upon them to save them, ‘like an eagle that rouses his nestlings, hovering over his young.’ And may [this] commandment of tsitsit be considered before the Holy One, blessed be He, as if I fulfilled it in all of its details, all of its minutiae and all of its intentions – [as well as] the 613 commandments that are dependent upon it. Amen, Selah. (The tsitsit is dyed with tekhelet from the chilazon; the sea worm bonellia viridis).^*The real chilazon is made from the bonellia viridis trochophore with the following steps. 1. The trochophore has independent development, it cannot make contact with bonellin on its mother or the sand ground. 2. It is paralyzed with man o war poison. 3. It is exposed to a radioactive spring. 4. It is exposed to the alarm pheromone of its mother. Triggered by first coating the proboscis of mother with acid from slightly heated olive oil and ashes from burned wood. This is to break up the stickiness of the bonellin and mucus in proboscis. It will also break down the bonellin made so that it can no longer paralyze creatures that attack it. This will cause it to not be able to catch food and defend itself. It helps to have food pushed down into its tail in order for the fish to be aware of the food not sticking. Also, it helps for it to switch from light to darkness constantly. In order for it to be aware that the problem is not because there isn't enough light but the bonellin is. Also, cutting its setae hairs triggers this. It will then stop making bonellin. It takes about 1 month for this to happen. The rest of the bonellin and mucus that is stored in the proboscis can be cleared by putting hot spices in it and blowing hot air inside. And then you make a cut in its mouth so that it bleeds.
Cover your head with the tallis and say:
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to enwrap ourselves with tzitzis.
How precious is Your kindness, God; the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They will be filled from the abundance of Your House, and from the stream of Your delights You will give them to drink. For the source of life is with You, we shall see light in Your light. Extend Your kindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart.²Psalms 36:8-11.

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be acceptable before You, Adonoy, my Rock and my Redeemer.
My God, guard my tongue from evil⁵⁸This prayer was the personal meditation of Mar the son of Ravina, which he recited after he completed his prayers (Maseches Berachos 17a), and it is therefore expressed in the singular. The Jew prays that his mouth, his tongue, and his lips, which have just served as the instruments for his communion with God, will not forfeit any of their moral purity in his dealings with his fellow men—Yaavetz and my lips from speaking deceitfully. May my soul be unresponsive to those who curse me; and let my soul be like dust to all. Open my heart to Your Torah and let my soul pursue Your commandments.⁵⁹May I have an open, receptive and understanding mind and spirit in the study of Torah. When it comes to mitzvos, let my soul know no indifference, indolence, or passivity. Let me demonstrate zealous and vigorous endeavor in all things pertaining to Your mitzvos.—Etz Yosef; S.R. Hirsch And all who plan evil against me, quickly annul their counsel and frustrate their intention. Act for the sake of Your Name. Act for the sake of Your right hand. Act for the sake of Your holiness. Act for the sake of Your Torah. In order that Your loved ones be released, deliver [with] Your right hand and answer me. May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be acceptable before You Adonoy, my Rock and my Redeemer.
He Who makes peace in His high heavens may He make peace upon us and upon all Israel and say Amein.
May it be Your will, Adonoy, our God, and the God of our Fathers that the Holy Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days, and grant us our share in Your Torah. And there we will serve You reverently as in the days of old, and in earlier years. And let Adonoy be pleased with the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem as in the days of old and in earlier years.
On Rosh Chodesh, Chol HaMoed, and Chanukah, Hallel is recited. On Fast Days (Monday—Thursday—Monday, Tenth of Teves, Fast of Esther, Seventeenth of Tamuz) Selichos are recited. On days when Tachanun is omitted (see below) the chazzan continues with Half Kaddish. (14 and 15 Adar Rishon in a leap year); the entire month of Nissan; Pesach Sheini (14 Iyar); Lag BaOmer; 1-8 Sivan; 9 and 15 Av; and 29 Elul. When Tachanun is omitted on these days, it is also omitted at the preceding Mincha (afternoon service). Tachanun is also omitted in the presence of a bridegroom, in the house of a mourner during the week of mourning, and on the occasion of a circumcision if the father, the sandak or the mohel is present.

Heal us,²⁹After the petitions for our spiritual needs, we pray for earthly blessings—for health of body and soul, and for food to maintain our strength.—Kuzari Adonoy, and we will be healed, deliver us and we will be delivered; for You are our praise. Grant a complete healing to all our affliction
If you wish to pray for the recovery of a sick person, you may do so here.
May it be Your will, Adonoy, our God, and the God of our fathers, that You send, quickly, a complete recovery from the heavens, healing for the soul, and healing for the body, for the ailing (name) son/daughter of (mother’s name) among the ailing of Israel.
because You are the Almighty, King, Who is a faithful and merciful Healer. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Healer of the sick of His people Israel.

The following three words should be said when praying without a minyan:
(Almighty, faithful King)
Hear, Israel: Adonoy is our God, Adonoy is One.¹Deuteronomy 6:4. It is customary to recite this verse aloud, the ear hearing what the lips utter. This helps one concentrate on the meaning of this important declaration. Interestingly, the last letter of the first word שמע and last letter of אחד arc written larger than the others. These two letters form the word עד “witness”—i.e., every Jew by saying Shema testifies to God’s oneness.—Avudraham
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.
The following two lines are to be said silently:
Blessed [is His] Name, Whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever.²Jacob wished to reveal to his sons the ‘end of the days,׳ whereupon the Shechinah departed from him. Said he, “Perhaps, Heaven forbid! there is one unfit among my children.” His sons exclaimed to him, “Hear Israel” etc., just as there is only One in your heart so is there only One in our heart. Ben Lakish explained that Jacob said, “Blessed [is His] Name” in response to his sons’ exclamation. The Sages wondered, “Shall we recite it aloud when our teacher Moses did not say it? Shall we not say it at all, when Jacob ordained it?” Thus, the Rabbis enacted that it be said quietly.—Maseches Pesachim 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
And you shall love Adonoy your God with all your heart³Our Sages (Sifrei 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 soul⁴The Sages (ibid.) take these words to mean “With your whole life—even to the last drop of blood.” It was such an understanding that led Rabbi Akiva to say, when the executioner was tearing his flesh with iron hooks, “All my life, I have longed for this moment. I have loved God with all my heart and with all my might; and now at last, I can love Him with my whole life.” It was this concept that gave Jewish martyrs the courage to lay down their lives for their faith. and with all your possessions.⁵The Sages (ibid.) explain, “With whatever lot Providence has assigned to you,” i.e., despite whatever material sacrifice your loyalty to God and to Torah might entail. And these words which I command you today,⁶The teachings of the Torah should be ever fresh in your minds, as though you received it today.—Ibid. shall be upon your heart. And you shall teach them sharply⁷See to it that your children have a clear, and not a confused, stammering knowledge of the Torah.—Ibid. 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.⁸Deuteronomy 6:5-9. This paragraph contains 10 commandments: 1) accepting the “yoke” of heaven; 2) proclaiming the Unity of God; 3) loving God; 4) studying Torah (and you shall speak of them); 5) teaching your children; 6-7) reciting Shema in the evening and in the morning; 8-9) putting on the tefillin of the hand and head; 10) putting up mezuzos on the door-posts.
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 hearts⁹The service of the heart is prayer, as David said (Psalms 141:2) “May my prayers be acceptable to You as an incense [service].” and with your entire souls— that I will give rain for your land in its proper time,¹⁰God will make it rain at night so as not to cause you discomfort.—Rashi the early (autumn) rain and the late (spring) rain;¹¹Reward and punishment are here connected with the rainfalls vital to the Land of Israel. The heavy rains which open the growing season in the fall and the showers which fall while the grain is ripening are of utmost importance. 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 swayed¹²One who is satisfied can easily be induced to forget the Source of his fullness.—Rashi 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 swiftly¹³No extension will be given. The “generation of the flood” was granted a reprieve of 120 years (Genesis 6:3) because they did not have from whom to learn; but you do have from whom to learn.—Sifrei, cited by Rashi from the good land which Adonoy gives you. Place these words of Mine¹⁴Even in exile you must fulfill God’s commandments—Sifrei 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.¹⁵Between your eyes is not to be taken literally. The correct position of the phylactery of the head (shel rosh) 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 them¹⁶From the moment your son knows how to talk, begin teaching him the Torah.—Rashi. 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.
And Adonoy spoke to Moses saying: Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them¹⁷Rabbi Yehuda bar Chaviva said that this third section was added to Shema 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,¹⁸Rabbi Meir says: “The blue thread of the fringes resembles the sea, the sea reflects the heavens, and heavens resemble the Throne of Glory” (Sifrei). 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 hearts¹⁹The heart and the eyes of a person are the agents of sin—the eye sees, the heart desires, and thus the person sins —Tanchuma 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—²⁰Numbers 15:37-41.
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).
—is true—
The chazan repeats:
Adonoy, your God, is true.

Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the commandment of tsitsit.
May it be Your will Adonoy, my God, and God of my fathers, to consider [my fulfillment of] the mitzva of tzitzis before You as though I had fulfilled it in every detail, accurately and with full intent, and the 613¹The numerical value of the word צִיצִית is 600 which, with the 8 threads and 5 knots of the צִיצִית itself, makes 613, the exact number of the mitzvos of the Torah. This symbolizes the Talmudic statement (Maseches Nedarim 25a) that the wearing of tzitzis equals the observance of the whole Torah. commandments that depend on it. Amein, Selah.

It is our obligation to praise the Master of all, to ascribe greatness to the Creator of the [world in the] beginning: that He has not made us like the nations of the lands, and has not positioned us like the families of the earth; that He has not assigned our portion like theirs, nor our lot like that of all their multitudes. For they prostrate themselves to vanity and nothingness, and pray to a god that cannot deliver. But we bow, prostrate ourselves, and offer thanks before the Supreme King of Kings, the Holy One blessed is He, Who spreads the heavens, and establishes the earth, and the seat of His glory is in heaven above, and the abode of His invincible might is in the loftiest heights. He is our God, there is nothing else. Our King is true, all else is insignificant, as it is written in His Torah: And You shall know this day and take into Your heart that Adonoy is God in the heavens above and upon the earth below; there is nothing else.¹Deuteronomy 4:39.
We therefore put our hope in You, Adonoy our God, to soon behold the glory of Your might in banishing idolatry from the earth, and the false gods will be utterly exterminated to perfect the world as the kingdom of Shadai.²See page 00, note 00. And all mankind will invoke Your Name, to turn back to You, all the wicked of the earth. They will realize and know, all the inhabitants of the world, that to You, every knee must bend, every tongue must swear [allegiance to You]. Before You, Adonoy, our God, they will bow and prostrate themselves, and to the glory of Your Name give honor. And they will all accept [upon themselves] the yoke of Your kingdom, and You will reign over them, soon, forever and ever. For the kingdom is Yours, and to all eternity You will reign in glory, as it is written in Your Torah: Adonoy will reign forever and ever.³Exodus 15:18. And it is said: And Adonoy will be King over the whole earth; on that day Adonoy will be One and His Name One.⁴Zecharyah 14:9.