The Amidah

t'filat ha-amidah

תפילת העמידה

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

Seventh B’rakhah: Prayer for Peace

During the silent Amidah, continue with “Grant peace” below.

During the repetition of the Amidah, the leader recites the Priestly Blessing.

Hebrew

אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ [וְאִמּוֹתֵינוּ],
בָּרְכֵנוּ בַבְּרָכָה הַמְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת
בַּתּוֹרָה הַכְּתוּבָה עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ,
הָאֲמוּרָה מִפִּי אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו כֹּהֲנִים, עַם קְדוֹשֶׁךָ, כָּאָמוּר:
יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהֹוָה וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ. כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן.
יָאֵר יְהֹוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ. כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן.
יִשָּׂא יְהֹוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם. כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן.

Israeli

Eloheinu veilohei avoteinu [ve-imoteinu],
barechenu vabrachah hameshuleshet
batorah haktuvah al yedei Mosheh avdecha,
ha-amurah mipi Aharon uvanav kohanim, am k'doshecha, ka-amur:
yevarechcha Adonai veyishmerecha. ken yehi ratzon.
ya-er Adonai panav elecha vichuneka. ken yehi ratzon.
yisa Adonai panav elecha veyasem lecha shalom. ken yehi ratzon.

English

Our God and God of our ancestors, bless us with the threefold blessing of the Torah written by Moses Your servant, recited by Aaron and his descendants, the kohanim, the consecrated priests of Your people: May Adonai bless and protect you. So may it be God’s will. May Adonai’s countenance shine upon you and may Adonai bestow kindness upon you. So may it be God’s will. May Adonai’s countenance be lifted toward you and may Adonai grant you peace. So may it be God’s will.

Hebrew

שִׂים שָׁלוֹם בָּעוֹלָם, טוֹבָה וּבְרָכָה,
חֵן וָחֶסֶד וְרַחֲמִים, עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּךָ.
בָּרְכֵנוּ אָבִינוּ כֻּלָּנוּ כְּאֶחָד בְּאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ,
כִּי בְאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ נָתַתָּ לָּנוּ, יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ,
תּוֹרַת חַיִּים וְאַהֲבַת חֶסֶד,
וּצְדָקָה וּבְרָכָה וְרַחֲמִים וְחַיִּים וְשָׁלוֹם.
וְטוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת־עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל
בְּכָל־עֵת וּבְכָל־שָׁעָה בִּשְׁלוֹמֶךָ.

Israeli

sim shalom ba-olam, tovah uvrachah,
chen vachesed verachamim, aleinu ve-al kol-yisra-el amecha.
barechenu avinu kulanu ke-echad be-or panecha,
ki ve-or panecha natata lanu, Adonai Eloheinu,
Torat chayim ve-ahavat chesed,
utzdakah uvrachah verachamim vechayim veshalom.
vetov be-einecha levarech et-amecha Yisra-el
b'chol-et uvchol-sha-ah bishlomecha.

English

Grant peace to the world, goodness and blessing, grace, love, and compassion, for us and for all the people Israel. Bless us, our creator, united as one with the light of Your presence; by that light, Adonai our God, You have given us a guide to life, the love of kindness, righteousness, blessing, compassion, life, and peace. May it please You to bless Your people Israel at every season and at all times with Your gift of peace.

On Shabbat Shuvah we recite the following paragraph, in place of the line that follows it:

Hebrew

בְּסֵפֶר חַיִּים, בְּרָכָה וְשָׁלוֹם, וּפַרְנָסָה טוֹבָה,
נִזָּכֵר וְנִכָּתֵב לְפָנֶיךָ, אֲנַחְנוּ וְכָל־עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל,
לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה, עוֹשֶׂה הַשָּׁלוֹם.

Israeli

b'sefer chayim, b'rachah veshalom, ufarnasah tovah,
nizacher venikatev lefanecha, anachnu vechol-amecha beit Yisra-el,
lechayim tovim uleshalom.
baruch atah Adonai, oseh hashalom.

English

May we and the entire house of Israel be called to mind and inscribed for life, blessing, sustenance, and peace in the Book of Life. Barukh atah Adonai, who brings peace.

Hebrew

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה, הַמְבָרֵךְ אֶת־עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּשָּׁלוֹם.

Israeli

baruch atah Adonai, hamevarech et-amo Yisra-el bashalom.

English

Barukh atah Adonai, who blesses Your people Israel with peace.

Commentary

MAY ADONAI BLESS AND PROTECT YOU יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהֹוָה וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ. Numbers 6:24–26. This biblical blessing, known as Birkat Kohanim (the Priestly Blessing), is prescribed in the Torah to be recited by Aaron and his descendants, the kohanim (priests). Mishnah Tamid (5:1) reports that each day after the morning Sh’ma was recited, the prayers in the Temple concluded with the Priestly Blessing. On Shabbat an additional blessing was added for the kohanim who began their service in the Temple that week: “May the one who dwells in this house cause love, unity, and peace to dwell among you” (Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 12a).

GRANT PEACE שִׂים שָׁלוֹם. The wording of this paragraph is related directly to the Priestly Blessing, both in its mention of the blessings of peace and in its reference to the light of God’s countenance. Thus, the Sim Shalom b’rakhah is traditionally recited at all services at which the Priestly Blessing occurs when the Amidah is recited in the Land of Israel. An alternative version of this blessing, Shalom Rav, is recited in the Amidah on most afternoons and in the evening. In the words of the midrash, “Great is peace, for all prayers conclude with a plea for peace” (Leviticus Rabbah 9:9).

TO THE WORLD בָּעוֹלָם. In accord with the text of the 10th-century prayerbook of Saadiah Gaon, Conservative Movement prayerbooks insert this word (ba-olam) to emphasize that Jewish prayers for peace are universalistic and encompass the entire world.

Be Like the Students of Aaron Hillel would teach: “Be like the students of Aaron: loving peace and pursuing peace, loving every living being and drawing them near to the Torah.” What would Aaron do? When two people were fighting with each other, he would go and sit near the first and say, “My child, you should only know how disturbed and embarrassed your friend is about having offended you,” and thus his anger would be quieted. Then Aaron would go to the second one, sit next to him and say, “My child, I’ve just spoken with your friend and you should realize how disturbed and embarrassed he is about having offended you.” And Aaron would sit with him until his anger had dissipated. When the two met, they would hug each other and kiss. That is why it is written that when Aaron died, the entire house of Israel mourned for thirty days (Numbers 20:29), but when Moses died it does not say the whole house of Israel mourned. —AVOT D’RABBI NATAN …

Peace Hezekiah said in the name of Ḥori: Great is peace, for regarding all the journeys of the Israelites in the desert it is written that they journeyed in contention and encamped with contention. But when they came to Mount Sinai they encamped as one, as it is written, “And Israel encamped there” (Exodus 19:1). The Torah does not say “the children of Israel” but rather “Israel,” to teach you that there were no differences but they came there as one. The Holy One then said: “This is the hour that I can give the Torah to My children.” —LEVITICUS RABBAH …