Hebrew Blessings

Index

• Shema (the greatest commandment in the scriptures)
• Before Torah reading
• After Torah reading
• When washing hands (Shabbat eve)
• General food blessing
• Blessing over wine
• Blessing over bread
• Blessing for fruit
• Blessing for candle lighting (Shabbat eve)
• Blessing on feast days

Shema

The Shema is not really a blessing as such, but it is oft repeated in Hebrew homes during the day, especially at times of prayer.

Sorry this won't work

Before the Torah reading

Before reading in the Torah (the 5 books of Moshe) it is a custom for the one (the Oleh) who is about to read the Torah to say the following blessing. It is mostly used in Synagogue.

Sorry this won't work

After the Torah reading

After reading in the Torah (the 5 books of Moshe) it is a custom for the one (the Oleh) who read the Torah to say the following blessing. It is mostly used in Synagogue.

Sorry this won't work

Washing of hands

Upon the washing of hands. Normally said on Friday night at the start of the Shabbat!

Sorry this won't work

General Food Blessing

The blessing pronounced over food which is not bread, fruit of of the vine.

 

English Blessed are You, YHWH, our Elohim, King of the universe, through Whose words everything came to be.

Hebrew בּרוּךְ אַתּה יהוה אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהַכל נִהְיֶה בִּדְבָרוֹ

Sorry this won't work

Blessings over Wine

The blessing pronounced over wine or grape juice. Normally used on the Friday night Shabbat home service before the meal.

 

English Blessed are You, YHWH, our Elohim, King of the universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine.

Hebrew בּרוּךְ אַתּה יהוה אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָפֶן

Sorry this won't work

Blessings over Bread

The blessing pronounced before eating bread.

 

English Blessed are You, YHWH, our Elohim, King of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.

Hebrew בּרוּךְ אַתּה יהוה אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ

Sorry this won't work

Blessings over fruit

The blessing pronounced before eating tree grown food.

 

English Blessed are You, YHWH, our Elohim, King of the universe, Who creates the fruit of the tree.

Hebrew בּרוּךְ אַתּה יהוה אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ

Sorry this won't work

Blessing for candle lighting

Usually recited by the woman of the household just before the start of the Shabbat.

 

English Blessed are You, YHWH, our Elohim, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and has commanded us to kindle the light of the Shabbat.

Hebrew בּרוּךְ אַתּה יהוה אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשְׁר קִדְשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל שַׁבָּת

Blessing for festivals

A common blessing with which we bless YHWH with at, and during festival times.

 

English	Hebrew
Blessed are You	בּרוּךְ אַתּה
YHWH our Elohim	יהוה אֱלהֵינוּ
King of the universe	מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
who has kept us alive	שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ
and has preserved us	וְקִיְּמָנוּ
and has enabled us	וְהִגּיעָנוּ
to reach this season.	לַזְמָן הַזֶּה
Sorry this won't work Click here to listen to the Hebrew audio - to download, right click the speaker and select "save file as"