Copyright © 1997, 2001, 2009 by Jordan Lee Wagner.

MA TOVU

Private meditation on entering a synagogue.
Some congregations may sing it aloud.

(See the Wake Up Blessings page for more details about prayers for donning prayer shawls.)

BIR'CHOT HA-SHACHAR (Preliminary Morning Service)

Many parts of the daily Preliminary Morning Service are said by congregants at home before coming to synagogue, or else said silently on arrival.

Often the congregation begins aloud at The Fifteen Morning Benedictions.

Some parts that are often not said congregationally, and that are recited silently when included, have not yet been transliterated. However, the headings take note of them at the appropriate places below.

ADON OLAM

A poem by Sh'lomo Ibn Gavriol, written in Spain in the 12th century. Originally a bedtime hymn, its contents are also appropriate on arising.

YIGDAL

A thirteenth century poem, probably by Daniel ben Yehudah of Rome.
[Most Chassidic and Sefardic congregations omit Yigdal.]

Yig-dal  E-lo-him  chai,  v'yish-ta-bach
nim-tsa  v'ein  eit  el  m'tsi-u-to.

E-chad  v'ein  ya-chid  k'yi-chu-do
ne-'lam  v'gam  ein  sof  l'ach-du-to.

Ein  lo  d'mut  ha-guf,  v'ei-no   guf
lo  na-a-roch  ei-lav  k'du-sha-to.

Kad-mon  l'chal  da-var,  a-sher  niv-ra
ri-shon  v'ein  rei-shit  l'rei-shi-to.

Hi-no  a-don  o-lam,  <  v'chawl^no-tsar  |   l'chawl^no-tsar  >
yo-reh  g'du-la-to  u-mal-chu-to.

She-fa  n'vu-a-to,  n'ta-no
el an-shei  s'gu-la-to  v'tif-ar-to.

Lo kam  b'Yis-ra-eil,  k'Mo-she  od
na-vi  u-ma-bit  et^t'mu-na-to.

To-rat  e-met  na-tan  l'a-mo  eil
al  yad  n'vi-o,  ne-e-man  bei-to

Lo  ya-cha-lif  ha-Eil  v'lo  ya-mir   da-to
l'o-la-mim  l'zu-la-to.

Tso-fe  v'yo-dei-ya  s'ta-rei-nu
ma-bit  l'sof  da-var  b'kad-ma-to.

Go-meil  l'ish  che-sed,  k'mif-a-lo
no-tein  l'ra-sha,  ra  k'ri-sha-to.

Yish-lach  l'keits  ha-ya-min  m'shi-chei-nu
lif-dot  m'cha-kei  keits  y'shu-a-to.

Mei-tim  y'chai-ye  eil  b'rov  chas-do
Ba-ruch  a-dei  ad  sheim  t'hi-la-to.


[ In congregations that sing Yigdal responsively, the congregation repeats the last stanza after the Reader. ]

Skip over the silent prayers and Torah-Study which follow
(and which are not yet transliterated).

THE 15 MORNING BENEDICTIONS

Many congregations begin the service together here.

[Stand]

Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam, a-sher  na-tan  la-sech-vi  vi-na, l'hav-chin  bein  yom  u-vein  lai-la. ( A-mein )	Thank you for enabling me to rise up early in the morning, before the crack of dawn, to fulfil this religious duty.
Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam, she-lo  a-sa-ni  goy. ( A-mein )	Thank you for not exempting me from 606 of the commandments, as non-Jews are exempted, including the duty of daily early- morning congregational prayer.
Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam, she-lo  a-sa-ni  a-ved. ( A-mein )	Thank you for not exempting me from most of the 248 positive commandments, as non-Jewish servants of Jews are exempted, including the duty of daily early- morning congregational prayer.
Men only: Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam, she-lo  a-sa-ni  i-sha. ( A-mein )	Thank you for not exempting me from most of the 248 positive commandments, as Jewish women are exempted, thereby requiring me to be here. (We're here not only because it's our duty.)
Women only: Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam, she-a-sa-ni  ki-r'tso-no.	Thank you for having made me a woman.

Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam,
po-kei-ach  iv-rim.
( A-mein )

Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam,
mal-bish  a-ru-mim.
( A-mein )

Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam,
ma-tir  a-su-rim.
( A-mein )

Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam,
zo-keif  k'fu-fim.
( A-mein )

Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam,
ro-ka  ha-a-rets  al  ha-ma-yim.
( A-mein )

Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam,
ha-mei-chin  mits-a-dei  ga-ver.
( A-mein )

Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam,
she-a-sa  lo  kawl  tsar-ki.
( A-mein )

Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam,
o-zeir  Yis-ra-eil  bi-g'vu-ra.
( A-mein )

Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam,
o-teir  Yis-ra-eil  b'tif-a-ra.
( A-mein )

Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam,
ha-no-tein  la-ya-eif  ko-ach.
( A-mein )

Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu  me-lech  ha-o-lam,
ha-ma-a-vir  shei-na,  mei-ei-na,
u-t'nu-ma  mei-af-a-pa.

Sit.

You can click here to skip over the following silent portions of the service, which have not yet been transliterated:

THE MORNING SUPPLICATIONS

L'o-lam  y'hei  a-dam...
...
Ri-bon  kawl  ha-o-la-mim...
...
Ash-rei-nu,  she-a-nach-nu  mash-ki-mim  u-ma-a-ri-vim,
e-rev  va-vo-ker,  v'om-rim  pa-a-ma-yim   b'chawl^yom.
She-ma  Yis-ra-eil  A-do-nai  E-lo-hei-nu   A-do-nai  e-chad!
A-tah  hu...
...
u-vi-shu-a-t'cha  ta-rum  v'tig-bah  kar-nei-nu.
Ba-ruch  a-tah  A-do-nai,
m'ka-deish  et  shim-cha  ba-ra-bim.
A-tah  hu...
...

TALMUD TORAH ON KORBANOT
(Torah Study re: Offerings)

Most of this section is read silently, and most of the silent parts are not yet transliterated.
You can skip to the epilog, which is usually chanted aloud.
Or you can skip to the Kaddish d'Rabbanan that concludes the Talmud Torah unit.

1. Torah Sources:

Preparation & consequent tasks:

Exodus 30:17-21 (and some add Leviticus 6:1-6):

Va-y'da-beir  A-do-nai  el  Mo-she  lei-mor, ...

Epilog:

Y'hi  ra-tson...

Tamid (daily offering):

Introduction:

A-tah  hu...

Numbers 28:1-8 & Leviticus 1:11 :

Va'y'da-beir  Adonai  el  Moshe  lei-mor, ...
...

Epilog:

Y'hi  ra-tson...

K'to-ret (incense offering):

Introduction:

A-tah  hu...

Exodus 30:34-36 & 30:7-8

...

Insertion from Talmud: Bavli Keritot 6a & Talmud: Y. Yoma 4:5 & Yoma 33a

...

Epilog:

Ana  b'cho-ach...

Sabbath offering:






...

2. Mishnah Sources

sacrificial processes:  Zebachim 5:1-2 Ei-ze-hu  m'ko-man  shel  z'va-chim... sin & burnt offerings (ha-tot & olah ):   Zebachim 5:3-4 Ha-tot  ha-tsi-bur  v'ha-ya-chid... guilt & thanks offerings (ashamot & todah):   Zebachim 5:5-6 Ziv-chei  shal-mei  tsi-bur... peace offerings (Sh'la-mim):  Zebachim 5:7 Sh'la-mim  ka-da-shim  ka-lim... tithe, firstborn, & Pascal offerings:  Zebachim 5:8 Ha-b'chor...

3. "Gemara" Sources (Sifra, Introduction):

Ra-bi  Yish-ma-eil  o-meir ...

Epilog:

Y'hi  ra-tson  mi-l'fa-ne-cha,
A-do-nai  E-lo-hei-nu,  vei-lo-hei  a-vo-tei-nu,
she-yi-ba-neh  beit  ha-mik-dash,
bim-hei-rah  v'ya-mei-nu,
v'tein  chel-kei-nu  b'to-ra-te-cha;
V'sham  na-a-vad-cha  b'yir-a,  ki-mei  o-lam,
uch-sha-nim  kad-mo-ni-yot.

Kaddish d'Rabbanan

[Usually all stand, but only Mourners recite the navy blue text. Be alert to variations in local custom.]

Yit-ga-dal  v'yit-ka-dash  sh'mei  ra-ba,   (A-mein)
b'al-ma  di-v'ra  chi-ru-tei,  v'yam-lich  mal-chu-tei,
b'chai-yei-chon  uv'yo-mei-chon,  uv'chai-yei  d'chol  beit   Yis-ra-eil,
ba-a-ga-la  u-viz-man  ka-riv,  v'im'ru:  A-mein.    (A-mein.)

Y'hei  sh'mei  ra-ba  m'va-rach,  l'a-lam   ul'al-mei  al-ma-ya.  [Yit-ba-rach]

Yit-ba-rach  v'yish-ta-bach,  v'yit-pa-ar  v'yit-ro-mam  v'yit-na-sei,
v'yit-ha-dar  v'yit-a-leh  v'yit-ha-lal,  sh'mei  d'ku-d'sha,   b'rich  hu,  
( B'rich  hu. )         [Some Chassidic and Sefardic congregations say "A-mein".]
l'ei-la  min^kawl^bir-cha-ta  v'shi-ra-ta,
tush-b'cha-ta  v'ne-che-ma-ta,  da-a-mi-ran  b'al-ma,  v'im'ru:   A-mein.    (A-mein.)

Al  Yis-ra-eil  v'al  ra-ba-nan,
v'al  tal-mi-dei-hon,  v'al  kawl^tal-mi-dei  tal-mi-dei-hon,
v'al  kawl^man  d'a-s'kin  b'o-ra-y'ta,
di  v'at-ra  ha-dein  v'di  v'chawl^a-tar  va-a-tar;
Y'hei  l'hon  u-l'chon,  sh'la-ma  ra-ba,  chi-na  v'chis-da,
v'ra-cha-min  v'cha-yin  a-ri-chin,  <  u-m'zo-na  |  u-m'zo-nei  > <  r'vi-cha  |  r'vi-chei  >      
u-fur-ka-na  min-ka-dam  a-vu-hon  d'vi-sh'ma-ya   v'ar-a,  v'i-m'ru:  A-mein.     (A-mein.)

Y'hei  sh'la-ma  ra-ba  min  sh'ma-ya,   v'cha-yim  [ to-vim ],
a-lei-nu  v'al  kawl^Yis-ra-eil,  v'im'ru:  A-mein.     (A-mein.) 

O-seh  sha-lom  bim-ro-mav,  hu  ya-a-seh   sha-lom,
a-lei-nu  v'al  kawl^Yis-ra-eil,  v'im'ru:  A-mein.     (A-mein.)

Sit down.


This concludes the daily Preliminary Morning Service.

Some congregations insert the Hymn of Glory and/or the Psalm of the Day here, between the Preliminary Morning Service and the Shacharit Service. Other congregations defer one or both of these items, reciting them in the gap between the Shacharit Service and the Torah Reading Service, or at the conclusion of the Musaf Service.

You can return to the beginning of the daily Preliminary Morning Service, or proceed to the Praise Section of the Shacharit Service