Text of Brachot

From Halachipedia

Please note, that with all the brachot below, when reciting the actual Bracha one should replace ה' אלקינו (Hashem Elokenu) with אדני אלהינו (Adonay Eloheinu).

Mezonot

  1. Hebrew: ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם בורא מיני מזונות
  2. Transliteration: Baruch Atta Hashem Elokeinu Melech HaOlam Boreh Minei Mezonot. [1]
  3. Translation: Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, Who creates species of sustenance.[2]

Shehakol

  1. Hebrew: ברוך אתה ה' אלקינו מלך העולם שהכל נהיה בדברו
  2. Transliteration: Baruch Atta Hashem Elokenu Melech HaOlam Shehakol (Ashkenazim:Neheyeh) (Sephardim: Neheyah) Bidvaro.[3]
  3. Translation: Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, through Whose word everything came to be.[2]

Netilat Yadayim (Upon washing one's hands for bread)

  1. Hebrew: ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על נטילת ידים
  2. Transliteration: Baruch Atta Hashem Elokeinu Melech HaOlam, Asher Kid'shanu B'Mitzvotav, V'Tzivanu Al Netilat Yadayim.[4]
  3. Translation: Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with his commandments, and commanded us regarding washing the hands.[5]

HaMotzei (Upon eating bread)

  1. Hebrew: ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם המוציא לחם מן הארץ
  2. Transliteration: Baruch Atta Hashem Elokeinu Melech HaOlam, HaMotzei Lechem Min HaAretz. [6]
  3. Translation: Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth[7]

Birkat Ilanot (Upon seeing a fruit tree bloom in the spring-time)

  1. Hebrew: ברוך אתה ה' אלקינו מלך העולם, שלא חיסר בעולמו דבר ,וברא בו בריות טובות ואילנות טובים ליהנות בהם בני אדם[9]
  2. Transliteration: Baruch Atta Hashem Elokenu Melech HaOlam, Shelo Chisar BeOlamo Davar, Uvarah Vo Briyot Tovot Ve'ilanot Tovim, Lehanot Bahem Bnei Adam.
  3. Translation: Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, for nothing is lacking in His universe, and He created in it good creatures and good trees, to cause mankind pleasure with them.[10]

Asher Yatzar

  1. ברוך[11] אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם אשר יצר את האדם וברא בו נקבים נקבים חלולים חלולים (ספרדים: גלוי וידוע לפניך) (אשכנזים וספרדים: שאם יפתח אחד מהם או) אם יסתם אחד מהם אי[12] אפשר להתקיים (ספרדים: אפילו שעה אחת) ברוך אתה ה' רופא כל בשר ומפליא לעשות.[13]
  2. Transliteration: Baruch Atta Hashem Elokenu Melech Haolam Asher Yatzar Et Haadam Ubara Bo Nekavim Nekavim Chalulim Chalulim (Sephardim: Galuy Vyadua Lifanecha) (Everyone: She'im Yiftach Echad Meyhem Oh) Im Yisatem Eched Mehem Iy Efshar Lekayem (Sephardim: Elifu Shaah Achat). Baruch Atta Hashem Rofeh Kol Basar Umafliy Lasot.
  3. Translation: Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, that you created man and formed him with orifices and closed inner organs that (Sephardim: it is revealed before You) (Everyone: if one of them opened or) one of them closed a person couldn't live (Sephardim: even an hour). Blessed are You, Hashem, the one who heals all mankind and does wondrous acts.[14]

Why Chazal Formulated the Text of Brachot as They Did?

  1. All brachot are required to begin with Baruch Atta Hashem Melech Haolam unless they are adjoined to another bracha. This is called bracha hasemucha lchaverta, which is discussed on the Bracha Hasemucha Lchaverta page.
  2. Erusin: The text is She'asar Lanu Et Harusot and doesn't begin with lamed or al but is a discussion if it is recited before or after the performance of the mitzvah. See Kiddushin page.
  3. Bedikat Chametz: Al Biur Chametz. Some explain that the text of the bracha begins with "al" because it can be fulfilled by an agent.[15]
  4. Sefirat Haomer: Al Sefirat Haomer. Some explain that it is because of the fact that it is a bracha as a result of a past event, the bringing of the korban haomer.[16]
  5. Chanuka: Lehadlik Ner Shel Chanuka. Some explain that it is because the bracha upon seeing the candles can only be fulfilled by a person himself and not through anyone else.[17]
  6. Sitting in the Sukkah: Some explain that the reason the text starts with a lamed is because the mitzvah can only be fulfilled by a person himself and not through anyone else.[18] Some say that the bracha starts with a lamed because it endures for some time.[19]
  7. Shaking Lulav: Some explain that the reason the text starts with a lamed is because the mitzvah can only be fulfilled by a person himself and not through anyone else.[20]
  8. Tefillin: Lhaniach Tefillin: Some explain that the reason the text starts with a lamed is because the mitzvah can only be fulfilled by a person himself and not through anyone else.[21] Some say that the bracha starts with a lamed because it endures for some time.[22]
  9. Tzitzit: Lihitatef Btzitzit. Some explain that the reason the text starts with a lamed is because the mitzvah can only be fulfilled by a person himself and not through anyone else.[23]
  10. Maror: Al Achilat Maror. Some argue that the text should read Lachol Maror and explain that it is because the mitzvah can only be fulfilled by a person himself and not through anyone else.[24]
  11. Trumot and Maaserot: Lhafrish Trumot Umaaserot. Some explain that the reason the text starts with a lamed is because the mitzvah can only be fulfilled by a person himself or an agent with the permission of the owner.[25]
  12. Shofar: Lishoma Kol Shofar.
  13. Lulav: Al netilat lulav. The Gemara Pesachim 7b explains that the text of "al" is because once a person picks it up he already fulfilled the mitzvah and the term "al" implies the past more than "L".

Related Pages

Sources

  1. Shulchan Aruch 168:6, Bet Menucha (Dinei Dvarim SheMevarchin Aleyhem Mezonot)
  2. 2.0 2.1 Berachot.org
  3. Magen Avraham 167:8 writes that based on Gemara Brachot 38a that says that Brachot should be formulated in the past tense one should say Neheyah with a Kamatz, but he quotes the Chachmat Manoach who says to say Neheyeh with a Segol which is present tense. Maaseh Rav n. 76 and Aruch Hashulchan 167:7 agree with Chachmat Manoach. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 52:2 writes that the one should say Neheyah with a Kamatz like the Magen Avraham. Kaf Hachaim 204:21 agrees. The RCA Artscroll Siddur pg 225 has the Ashkenazic pronunciation of the [[Bracha]] with the word Neheyeh. However, Avodat Hashem LeBat Yisrael pg 314 records the Sephardic Minhag to say Neheyah. Sidur Sukat Dovid p. 250 also has the Syrain minhag to say Neheyah.
  4. Shulchan Aruch 158:1, Mishna Brurah 158:6
  5. The Artscroll Weekday Siddur (Nachalat Shimon), p. 225
  6. Mishna Brachot 35a, Rambam (Brachot 3:2), Shulchan Aruch 167:2
  7. Berachot.org
  8. The Artscroll Weekday Siddur (Nachalat Shimon), p. 228
  9. The Artscroll Weekday Siddur (Nachalat Shimon), p. 228
  10. The Artscroll Weekday Siddur (Nachalat Shimon), p. 229
  11. Tosfot Brachot 46a s.v. samucha writes that Asher Yatzar starts with Baruch since it is a regular stand alone bracha and isn't directly connected to Netilat Yadayim, otherwise it wouldn't start with Baruch as it would be Bracha Hasemucha Lchaverta. Conceptually it isn't connected to Netilat Yadayim since one says it only after going to the bathroom and it wouldn't be said in the morning if one didn't go to the bathroom.
  12. Mishna Brurah 6:4 cites a dispute whether one should say אֵי (as in the word אֵין) or אִי (as in אִי כבוד).
  13. Shulchan Aruch OC 6:1. Mishna Brurah 6:2 adds that although Shulchan Aruch and Rambam only mentioned יסתם אחד מהם our text based on many rishonim is to first mention שאם יפתח אחד מהם. Mishna Brurah 6:3 comments that our practice is not to mention אפילו שעה אחת unlike Shulchan Aruch since some of a person's orifices can be closed momentarily and not be in danger. Mishna Brurah 6:5 quotes many achronim who say that one shouldn't say רופא חולי כל בשר just רופא כל בשר unlike Shulchan Aruch.
  14. Tur and Shulchan Aruch 6:1 in explaining Asher Yatzar.
  15. Ri Mnarvona Pesachim 7a s.v. vani
  16. Ri Mnarvona Pesachim 7a s.v. vsefirat explains that Sefirat Haomer has the text of Al because it is a counting from a past event, namely, the bringing of the korban haomer and "Al" implies the past more than "L".
  17. Ri Mnarvona Pesachim 7a s.v. vani
  18. Ri Mnarvona Pesachim 7a s.v. vani
  19. Michtam Pesachim 7b s.v. zeh citing the Ramban
  20. Ri Mnarvona Pesachim 7a s.v. vani
  21. Ri Mnarvona Pesachim 7a s.v. vani, Talmid Harashba Pesachim 7a s.v. al citing Riva
  22. Michtam Pesachim 7b s.v. zeh citing the Ramban
  23. Ri Mnarvona Pesachim 7a s.v. vani, Talmid Harashba Pesachim 7a s.v. al citing Riva
  24. Talmid Harashba Pesachim 7a s.v. al citing Riva, Ri Mnarvona Pesachim 7a s.v. velinyan achilat
  25. Ri Mnarvona Pesachim 7a s.v. ulinyan hafrashat