ma'ariv service, between the ''
Shema'' and the ''
Amidah
The ''Amidah'' (, ''Tefilat HaAmidah'', 'The Standing Prayer'), also called the ''Shemoneh Esreh'' ( 'eighteen'), is the central prayer of Jewish liturgy. Observant Jews recite the ''Amidah'' during each of the three services prayed on week ...
''. Its name is from the first three words of the first verse. The first four verses are recited by all
Orthodox Jewish communities during the ''
Pesukei dezimra'' section of
Shacharit
''Shacharit'' ( ''šaḥăriṯ''), or ''Shacharis'' in Ashkenazi Hebrew, is the morning '' tefillah'' (prayer) of Judaism, one of the three daily prayers.
Different traditions identify different primary components of ''Shacharit''. E ...
.
History
The prayer was compiled during post-talmudic times when Jews faced various threats when saying Maariv in the evening. Commentators describe these threats in overlapping ways:
* Synagogues could not be built in some residential areas.
*
Avudraham said that in the
Geonic period Jews were afraid to stay out late enough to pray Maariv.
* Jews normally returned from working their fields to the city in the late afternoon.
Whatever particular reasons applied, to avoid
being harassed or potentially killed, Jews held services in the city's surrounding fields, where many of them worked. However, in the evenings when Maariv is said, the darkness made the fields and walking home through the city particularly dangerous.
The Amidah is the longest prayer in most services. It is made up of 18 prayers mentioning
HaShem's Great Name 18 times. That is why its other interchangeable name is
Shmoneh Esrei (literally "the 18"). Since technically Maariv is not obligatory the way the other prayers were, it was considered acceptable to replace the communal Maariv Amidah with something shorter to reduce the time it took to say Maariv. This reduced the time in the fields and the trip home could be made earlier.
The shorter replacement, Baruch HaShem Le'Olam, has 18 verses from the Tanach, mainly
Psalms
The Book of Psalms ( , ; ; ; ; , in Islam also called Zabur, ), also known as the Psalter, is the first book of the third section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) called ('Writings'), and a book of the Old Testament.
The book is an anthology of B ...
. Theses verses also mention HaShem's Great Name 18 times to further align it with the Amidah. Immediately after it and
Kaddish were said, Maariv ended and congregants could leave for home. Some say that the replaced Amidah would then be recited privately in the relative safety of their houses.
Even after the danger passed, many communities maintained Baruch HaShem Le'Olam as part of Maariv in some communities where it is said before the communal Maariv Amidah. This is observed in terms of not abolishing practices sanctified by long-term observance originally instituted by rabbinical decree (Tosefot Berachot 4b
).
Some
Halakhic commentaries say it should not be included because it causes an interruption between Shema (and its blessings) and Amidah.
According to
Machzor Vitry the verses were allowed to be added as the third blessing of the weekday Maariv Shema by the "heads
abbisof the Academy in Persia (Vitry, p. 78, Pardes ii)". They decided that the Halacha of not adding anything between the blessing the blessing of Shema and the Amidah only applied to Shacharit but not to Maariv.
Usage
Whether Baruch HaShem Le'Olam is recited during the weekday Maariv depends on the
nusach (Jewish custom) followed by a
minyan as expressed in the
siddur used in their prayer services. For the major nusachim:
*
Nusach Ashkenaz siddurim include Baruch HaShem Le'Olam. However, most Nusach Ashkenaz communities in Israel follow the practice of the
Vilna Gaon and do not recite it.
* The standard Sephardic rite does not include Baruch HaShem Le'Olam. However, it does appear in older Sephardic siddurim such as Venice and Livorno,
[Sephardic Siddur from Venice 1524]
and many editions of the Livorno siddur. and it is still recited in an abridged form by some Moroccan communities, most often only at the conclusion of the Sabbath.
[Siddur Avotenu.]
* Some versions of
Nusach Sefard include the 18 verses. Other versions of Nusach Sefard, including
Nusach Chabad, do not include Baruch HaShem Le'Olam.
* It is recited in the
Italian Nusach.
[Machzor Shadal and the modern Italian siddur edited by Hillel Sirmanita and Angelo Piattelli.]
*It is recited in
Baladi-Yeminite rite, but is recited in as an extension of the previous
Hashkiveinu blessing rather than as its own blessing.
[Tiklal Torat Avot]
When verses 1-18 are Included in the weekly Maariv
Contemporary communities which recite recite the 18 verses between Shema and Amidah do so on weekdays. The verses are not recited on
Shabbat
Shabbat (, , or ; , , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the seven-day week, week—i.e., Friday prayer, Friday–Saturday. On this day, religious Jews ...
or
Festivals. Since it was implemented for working people, it is said on weekdays when work is allowed, but not on days on which work is not allowed (
Shabbat
Shabbat (, , or ; , , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the seven-day week, week—i.e., Friday prayer, Friday–Saturday. On this day, religious Jews ...
or Festivals). However, there were communities in the Middle Ages which recited a shortened version of the blessing on the Sabbath, replacing the 18 verses with Ve-shamru (Exodus 31:16-17).
[Siddur Rav Saadya Gaon, Yoel-Davindson-Asaf edition, page 111.]
Also, in most Chasidic communities where it is recited, it is omitted during Maariv immediately after Shabbat and Festivals, and on
Chol HaMoed (intermediate days during the
Pesach
Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday and one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Biblical Egypt, Egypt.
According to the Book of Exodus, God in ...
and
Sukkot
Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths, is a Torah-commanded Jewish holiday celebrated for seven days, beginning on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei. It is one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals on which Israelite ...
Festivals).
Verses 1-4 normally included in Shacharit
The inclusion of the first 4 verses in the Shacharit service is not related to the reasons for the replacement of the Amidah by the full 18 verses in the weekday Maariv service (peril of life). These 4 verses are a common part of the daily Shacharit service. They are recited every day of the week (including Shabbat)
when the daily Hallel in Pesukei Dezimra using is recited.
Shema al HaMitah
Shema al HaMitah (Shema before going to sleep at night), includes the last 4 verses as part of the readings after the bedtime Shema.
Text of Baruch HaShem Le'Olam
Commentary
The 18 verses mention the glory, love and justice of God, pray for redemption, security, peace, and recognition by the whole world of God's oneness. The verses have common themes especially universalism and redemption.
Eitz Yosef notes that each of the first 4 verses begin with the word "Baruch" (), Hebrew for "blessed". This is not intended to be understood as the reader blessing HaShem, but rather referring to HaShem as the source of all blessing. These verses are a sort of blessing marking the end of the preceding 6 Psalms in the Hallel of Pesukei Dezimra (), which are considered the essence of Pesukei Dezimra. These Psalms enumerate many of the blessings referred to in the 4 verses.
The four verses are recited following the daily Hallel in the Shacharit Pesukei Dezimra to relate Hallel to blessing.
Unusually, the word
Amen is recited twice at the end of the first and third verses as an extra emphasis of the truth of the statements.
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References
{{Jewish prayers
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Shacharit
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Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish prayers and blessings
Pesukei dezimra
Siddurim of Orthodox Judaism
Ashkenazi Jewish culture
Sephardi Jewish culture
Mizrahi Jewish culture