Shema and Its Blessings

k'ri-at sh'ma uvirchoteha

קריאת שמע וברכותיה

Israeli: ' marks a reduced vowel that Israeli speech drops (b'rachah); when the vowel is pronounced it is written e (lefanecha). - separates syllables that would otherwise run together.

How to read the transliterations

Hebrew

יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, לִהְיוֹת
לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים, אֲנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם:

Israeli

Adonai Eloheichem, asher hotzeiti etchem me-eretz Mitzrayim, lihyot
lachem leilohim, ani Adonai Eloheichem:

אֱמֶת

True –

The Leader repeats:

Hebrew

יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֱמֶת

Israeli

Adonai Eloheichem emet

Hebrew

וְיַצִּיב, וְנָכוֹן וְקַיָּם, וְיָשָׁר וְנֶאֱמָן
וְאָהוּב וְחָבִיב, וְנֶחְמָד וְנָעִים
וְנוֹרָא וְאַדִּיר, וּמְתֻקָּן וּמְקֻבָּל, וְטוֹב וְיָפֶה
הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה עָלֵינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.

Israeli

veyatziv, venachon vekayam, veyashar vene-eman
ve-ahuv vechaviv, venechmad vena-im
venora ve-adir, umetukan umekubal, vetov veyafeh
hadavar hazeh aleinu le-olam va-ed.

Hebrew

אֱמֶת אֱלֹהֵי עוֹלָם מַלְכֵּנוּ
צוּר יַעֲקֹב מָגֵן יִשְׁעֵנוּ
לְדוֹר וָדוֹר הוּא קַיָּם וּשְׁמוֹ קַיָּם
וְכִסְאוֹ נָכוֹן
וּמַלְכוּתוֹ וֶאֱמוּנָתוֹ לָעַד קַיָּמֶת.

Israeli

emet Elohei olam malkenu
tzur Ya-akov magen yishenu
ledor vador hu kayam ushmo kayam
vechiso nachon
umalchuto ve-emunato la-ad kayamet.

At °, kiss the tzitziot and release them.

Hebrew

וּדְבָרָיו חַיִּים וְקַיָּמִים
נֶאֱמָנִים וְנֶחֱמָדִים
לָעַד וּלְעוֹלְמֵי עוֹלָמִים

Israeli

udvarav chayim vekayamim
ne-emanim venechemadim
la-ad ule-olemei olamim

Hebrew

עַל אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְעָלֵינוּ
עַל בָּנֵינוּ וְעַל דּוֹרוֹתֵינוּ
וְעַל כָּל דּוֹרוֹת זֶרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדֶיךָ

Israeli

al avoteinu ve-aleinu
al baneinu ve-al doroteinu
ve-al kol dorot zera Yisra-el avadecha

Commentary

אֱמֶת וְיַצִּיב True and firm: Fifteen adjectives mirroring the fifteen “Songs of Ascents” and the fifteen steps to the Temple courtyard. The prayer is structured around an eight-part repetition of the word Emet, “True.” The meaning of the word “true” here is similar to the word “Amen” said after a blessing. It is an act of affirmation and ratification, reminding us that the Shema is less a prayer than a declaration of faith. The passage recapitulates the main ideas of the Shema. Its primary emphasis, though, is on redemption. It contains the word “redeem” nine times, and is filled with redemption-related terms – deliverance, rescue, help, shield, Savior, as well as redemptive activity – pleading a cause, raising the lowly, redeeming the meek, and helping the needy. Redemption refers to God’s activity in history, liberating slaves, rewarding the faithful and ensuring justice.