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seder k'ri-at hatorah

סֵדֶר קְרִיאַת הַתּוֹרָה

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

תְּפִלָּה לִשְׁלוֹם מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל

A Prayer for the State of Israel

Hebrew

אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹאֲלוֹ, בָּרֵךְ אֶת־מְדִינַת
יִשְׂרָאֵל [שֶׁתְּהֵא] רֵאשִׁית צְמִיחַת גְּאֻלָּתֵנוּ. הָגֵן עָלֶיהָ
בְּאֶבְרַת חַסְדֶּךָ וּפְרוֹשׂ עָלֶיהָ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ, וּשְׁלַח אוֹרְךָ
וַאֲמִתְּךָ לְרָאשֶׁיהָ שָׂרֶיהָ וְיוֹעֲצֶיהָ, וְתַקְּנֵם בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה
מִלְּפָנֶיךָ. חַזֵּק אֶת־יְדֵי מְגִנֵּי אֶרֶץ קָדְשֵׁנוּ, וְהַנְחִילֵם
אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְשׁוּעָה, וַעֲטֶרֶת נִצָּחוֹן תְּעַטְּרֵם. וְנָתַתָּ שָׁלוֹם
בָּאָרֶץ וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם לְיוֹשְׁבֶיהָ, וְנֹאמַר: אָמֵן.

Israeli

avinu shebashamayim, tzur Yisra-el vego-alo, barech et-medinat
Yisra-el [shetehei] reishit tz'michat ge-ulatenu. hagen aleha
be-evrat chasdecha ufros aleha sukat sh'lomecha, ushlach orecha
va-amitcha lerasheha sareha veyo-atzeha, vetaknem be-etzah tovah
milefanecha. chazek et-yedei meginei eretz kodshenu, vehanchilem
Eloheinu yeshu-ah, va-ateret nitzachon te-atrem. venatata shalom
ba-aretz vesimchat olam leyoshveha, venomar: Amen.

English

Avinu she-ba-shamayim, stronghold and redeemer of the people Israel: Bless the State of Israel, [that it may be] the beginning of our redemption. Shield it with Your love; spread over it the shelter of Your peace. Guide its leaders and advisors with Your light and Your truth. Help them with Your good counsel. Strengthen the hands of those who defend our holy land. Deliver them; crown their efforts with triumph. Bless the land with peace and its inhabitants with lasting joy. And let us say: Amen.

תְּפִלָּה לְשָׁלוֹם

A Prayer for Peace

Hebrew

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמּוֹתֵינוּ,
שֶׁתְּבַטֵּל מִלְחָמוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוֹת דָּמִים מִן הָעוֹלָם
וְתַמְשִׁיךְ שָׁלוֹם בָּעוֹלָם,
וְלֹא יִשָּׂא גוֹי אֶל גוֹי חֶרֶב וְלֹא יִלְמְדוּ עוֹד מִלְחָמָה.
יַכִּירוּ וְיֵדְעוּ כָּל־יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל
שֶׁלֹּא בָּאנוּ לָעוֹלָם בִּשְׁבִיל רִיב וּמַחֲלֹקֶת,
וְלֹא בִּשְׁבִיל שִׂנְאָה וְקִנְאָה וְקִנְטוּר וּשְׁפִיכוֹת דָּמִים.
רַק בָּאנוּ לָעוֹלָם כְּדֵי לְהַכִּיר אוֹתְךָ, תִּתְבָּרַךְ לָנֶצַח.
וּבְכֵן תְּרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וִיקֻיַּם בָּנוּ מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב:
וְנָתַתִּי שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ וּשְׁכַבְתֶּם וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד,
וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי חַיָּה רָעָה מִן הָאָרֶץ וְחֶרֶב לֹא תַעֲבֹר בְּאַרְצְכֶם.
וְיִגַּל כַּמַּיִם מִשְׁפָּט, וּצְדָקָה כְּנַחַל אֵיתָן.
כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה אֶת־יְהוָה כַּמַּיִם לַיָּם מְכַסִּים.

Israeli

yehi ratzon milefanecha Adonai Eloheinu veilohei avoteinu ve-imoteinu,
shetvatel milchamot ushfichot damim min ha-olam
vetamshich shalom ba-olam,
velo yisa goy El goy cherev velo yilmedu od milchamah.
yakiru veyedeu kol-yoshvei tevel
shelo banu la-olam bishvil riv umachaloket,
velo bishvil sinah vekinah vekintur ushfichot damim.
rak banu la-olam k'dei lehakir otcha, titbarach lanetzach.
uvchen t'rachem aleinu vikuyam banu mikra shekatuv:
venatati shalom ba-aretz ushchavtem ve-ein macharid,
vehishbati chayah ra-ah min ha-aretz vecherev lo ta-avor be-artzechem.
veyigal kamayim mishpat, utzdakah k'nachal eitan.
ki male-ah ha-aretz de-ah et-adonai kamayim layam mechasim.

English

May we see the day when war and bloodshed cease, when a great peace will embrace the whole world. Then nation will not threaten nation, and the human family will not again know war. For all who live on earth shall realize we have not come into being to hate or to destroy. We have come into being to praise, to labor, and to love. Compassionate God, bless the leaders of all nations with the power of compassion. Fulfill the promise conveyed in Scripture: I will bring peace to the land, and you shall lie down and no one shall terrify you. I will rid the land of vicious beasts and it shall not be ravaged by war. Let justice and righteousness flow like a mighty stream. Let God’s peace fill the earth as the waters fill the sea. And let us say: Amen.

Commentary

PRAYER FOR THE STATE OF ISRAEL. Upon Israel’s independence in 1948, many prayers were circulated for the well-being of the new state. This one was composed by Israel’s chief rabbis and was then slightly edited by the writer S.Y. Agnon.

THAT IT MAY BE שֶׁתְּהֵא. This Hebrew word was added by the Chief Rabbi of England, Immanuel Jakobovits, turning the phrase “the beginning of the redemption” into an expression of hope, rather than a statement of fact.

A PRAYER FOR PEACE. Rabbi Nathan Sternharz, a student of the Ḥasidic master Naḥman of Bratzlav (1772–1810, Ukraine), recorded this prayer. The version here has been adapted and translated by Jules Harlow.

NATION WILL NOT THREATEN לֹא יִשָּׂא גוֹי. Isaiah 2:4.

I WILL BRING PEACE וְנָתַתִּי שָׁלוֹם. Leviticus 26:6.

LET JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS FLOW וְיִגַּל כַּמַּיִם מִשְׁפָּט. Amos 5:24.

FILL THE EARTH כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ. Isaiah 11:9.

A Prayer for the State of Israel רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, קַבֵּל נָא בְּרַחֲמִים וּבְרָצוֹן אֶת־תְּפִלּוֹתֵינוּ בְּעַד מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל. Sovereign of the universe, accept in lovingkindness and with favor our prayers for the State of Israel, her government, and all who dwell within her boundaries and under her authority. Open our eyes and our hearts to the wonder of Israel, and strengthen our faith in Your power to work redemption in every human soul. Grant us also the fortitude to keep ever before us those ideals upon which the State of Israel was founded. Grant courage, wisdom, and strength to those entrusted with guiding Israel’s destiny to do Your will. Be with those on whose shoulders Israel’s safety depends and defend them from all harm. Spread over Israel and all the world Your shelter of peace, and may the vision of Your prophet soon be fulfilled: “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4). לֹא יִשָּׂא גוֹי אֶל גוֹי חֶרֶב וְלֹא יִלְמְדוּ עוֹד מִלְחָמָה.