Baruch HaShem Le'Olam (Hebrew:, Blessed is HaShem Forever)[1] is a compilation of 18 verses from Tanach that is recited by some minyanim during weekday Maariv between Shema and Amidah. Its name is from the first 3 words of the first verse.
The first four verses are recited by all Orthodox Jewish communities. It is said every day of the week during Shacharit when the daily Hallel in Pesukei Dezimra is recited.
The prayer was compiled during post-talmudic times when Ashkenazi Jews in Europe faced various threats when saying Maariv in the evening. Commentators describe these threats in overlapping ways:
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.[4]
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"). The rabbis decreed in terms of the principle of Pikuach nefesh (saving a soul or life), that it was 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. 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. The replaced Amidah would then be recited privately in the relative safety of their houses.
After the danger passed, Baruch HaShem Le'Olam remained 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 (Tsofot Berachot 4b[5]).
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 [rabbis] of the Academy in Persia (Vitry, p. 78, Pardes ii)". They decided that the Halacha of not adding anything between the blessing after Shema and Amidah only applied to Shacharit and Mincha but not to Maariv.[6]
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 Ari is the Kabbalah inspired nusach of Isaac Luria, known as Ha'ari, Ha'ari Hakadosh or Arizal. Arizal never created a siddur based on his nusach, but parts of his philosophy were included in other currently used siddurim.
| Used by | scope-col style="width: 11em;" | Maariv (v.1-18)? | scope=col style="width: 11em;" | Shacharit (v.1-4)? | scope=col style="max-width: 15em;" | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row | Siddur Ashkenaz (Nusach Askenaz) | Ashkenazi Jews | Ashkenazi | Yes | Yes | Compiled c.1055 – c.1105 CE. Used by Ashkenazi communities in central and western Europe. |
| scope=row | Siddur Edot HaMizrach (Nusach Sefard) | Sephardi (majority), Mizrahi (all) | No | Yes | Originated in Iraq. Popular in majority of Sephardi and all Mizrachi communities. | |
| scope=row | Siddur Sefard (Nusach Askenaz, Sefard and Ari) | Sephardi (minority), Chasidic (excl. Chabad) | Yes | Yes | Compiled c.1710 – c.1810 CE. Aim's to reconcile Siddur Ashkenaz with Arizal's Kabbalah, and Edot HaMizrach. | |
| scope=row | Siddur Chabad (Nusach Ari) | Chabad-Lubavitch | No | Yes | c.1765 – c.1795 CE. Based on the Arizal's kabbala. Edited by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Chabad. | |
| scope=row | Shema al Hamita | All | v.15-18 | - | Shema said before going to bed at night. |
Today the 18 verses are mainly included in Ashkenazi siddurim during weekly Maariv as a reminder of its history.. They are not recited by the followers of the Vilna Gaon.
A minority of Sephardim, and some Chasidic communities (excluding Chabad-Lubavich), who follow Siddur Sefard written closer to modern times, do include the verses. This siddur was written to align Ashkenazi and Sephardi rites, including the use of Baruch HaShem Le'Olam. It was not significantly adopted by Sephardim.
Denominations who follow the Siddur Ashkenaz[7] [8] and the Siddur Safard[9] nusachim say the full 18 verses between Shema and Amidah on weekdays. The verses are not said when the weekday Amidah is replaced by the Festival Amidah.
In the denominations which retain Baruch HaShem Le'Olam during the weekday Maariv, it is not recited under certain circumstances.
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 or Festivals). Also, because work is not done or restricted, some minyanim do not say it during Maariv immediately after Shabbat and Festivals, or on Chol HaMoed (intermediate days during the Pesach and Sukkot Festivals).
Those denominations which recite the 18 verses in the Galut (Jewish diaspora/Exile), do not recite it in Israel, since the danger which it was implemented to minimize didn't occur in Israel. Some Chasidic rebbes from Europe continued saying it when they came to Israel, while the native Israeli minyan waited for them, but this practice died out with those rebbes. It is recited in Israel by minyanim associated with the Yemenite, Italian and Machon Moreshes Ashkenaz (Germany based Ashkenazim) nusachim..
Sephardi and Mizrachi communities, who did not experience the same persecution and follow the older Siddur Edot HaMizrach, do not include it in their Maariv. It appears in old printings of Sephardi siddurim (including Venice and Livorno), although it has been largely dropped by Sephardi communities.
Minyanim following Siddur Edot HaMizrach[10] and Siddur Chabad[11] do not include the verses in their Maariv services.
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)[12] when the daily Hallel in Pesukei Dezimra using 145-150 HE is recited.
Therefore, Sephardi,[13] [14] Ashkenazi[15] and Chabad[16] minyanim all say the 4 verses as part of their Shacharit Pesukei Dezimra.
The 4 verses are not included on those days when the daily Hallel in Pesukei Dezimra is replaced by the Festival Hallel using amongst others 113-118 HE. The Festival Hallel, in full or reduced form, is recited on Pesach, Sukkot, Shavuot, Chanukah and Rosh Chodesh (first day of the Jewish new month).
Shema al HaMitah (Shema before going to sleep at night), includes the last 4 verses as part of the readings after the bedtime Shema.
| English translation | Transliteration | Hebrew | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colspan=5 style="padding-left: 3em" | The first 4 verses are said by all denominations, during Shacharit at the end of the daily Hallel of Pesukei Dezimra (except certain festivals) | ||||
| Colspan=5 style="padding-left: 3em" | Ashkenazim and some Sephardim say all 18 verses in weekday Maariv between Shema and Amidah. | ||||
| 1 | Blessed is HaShem forever, Amen and Amen! | Baruch Adonai l'olam amen v'amen. | 89:53 HE | ||
| 2 | Blessed is HaShem from Zion Who dwells in Jerusalem, Hallelujah. | Baruch Adonai mitziyon shochein Yerushalayim, hall'luyah. | 135:21 HE | ||
| 3 | Blessed is HaShem our God, God of Israel who alone performs wonders. | Baruch Adonai Elohim, Elohei-Yisra'el osei nifla'ot l'vado | 72:18 HE | ||
| 4 | Blessed is the Name of His glory forever and may His glory fill the whole earth; Amen and Amen! | Uvaruch shem k'vodo l'olam v'yimale ch'vodo et-kol-ha'aretz amen v'amen | 72:19 HE | ||
| 5 | The Glory of HaShem will endure forever; HaShem will rejoice in His works. | Y'hi ch'vod Adonai l'olam yismaḥ Adonai b'ma'asav | 104:31 HE | ||
| 6 | The Name of HaShem will be blessed from now forever. | Y'hi shem-Adonai m'vorach mei'ata v'ad-olam | Ps 113:2 | ||
| 7 | For HaShem will not cast off His people, for the sake of His great Name, because HaShem has determined to make you His people. | Ki lo yitosh Adonai et-ammo ba'avur sh'mo hagadol ki ho'il Adonai la'asot etchem lo l'am | 12:22 HE | ||
| 8 | And all the people saw it and they fell on their faces, and proclaimed, "HaShem, He is God! HaShem, He is God | " | Va'yar kol-ha'am va'yip'lu al peneihem vayomru Adonai hu ha'Elohim Adonai hu ha'Elohim | 18:39 HE | |
| 9 | And HaShem will be King over the whole earth; on that day HaShem will be One and His Name One. | V'haya Adonai l'melech al kol-ha'aretz bayom hahu yihyeh Adonai eḥad ush'mo eḥad | Zech 14:9 | ||
| 10 | HaShem, may Your kindness be upon us as we have hoped for You. | Y'hi-ḥasdecha Adonai aleinu ka'asher yiḥalnu lach | 33:22 HE | ||
| 11 | Deliver us, HaShem, our God, gather us from the nations to give thanks to Your Holy Name, to be extolled in Your praise. | Hoshi'enu Adonai Eloheinu vekab'tzenu min-hagoyim l'hodot l'shem kodshecha l'hishtabeaḥ bit'hilatecha | 16:35 HE | ||
| 12 | All the nations which You have made will come and bow down before You, my Lord, and they will give honor to Your Name. | Kol-goyim asher asita yavo'u veyishtaḥavu lefanecha Adonai vichab'du lishmecha | 86:9 HE | ||
| 13 | For You are great and do wondrous things, You alone are God. | Ki-gadol ata v'osei nifla'ot ata Elohim l'vadecha | 86:10 HE | ||
| 14 | And we, Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will give thanks to You forever, from generation to generation we will recount Your praise. | Va'anachnu amecha v'tzon mar'itecha node l'cha le'olam l'dor vador n'sapper t'hilatecha | 79:13 HE | ||
| Colspan=5 style="padding-left: 3em" | The concluding readings to Shema al HaMitah include the last 4 verses. | ||||
| 15 | Blessed is HaShem by day, Blessed is HaShem by night, Blessed is HaShem when we lie down, Blessed is HaShem when we rise. | Baruch Adonai bayyom baruch Adonai balayla baruch Adonai b'shochveinu baruch Adonai b'kumenu | 92:3 HE | ||
| 16 | For in Your hand are the souls of the living and the dead: for in His hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of every human being. | Ki v'yadecha nafshot haḥayim v'hametim asher beyado nefesh kol-ḥai veruaḥ kol-b'sar-ish | 12:10 HE | ||
| 17 | In Your hand, I commit my spirit; You have liberated me HaShem, God of truth. | B'yadecha afkid ruchi paditah oti Adonai El emet | Ps 31:6 | ||
| 18 | Our God in heaven, reveal the unity of Your Name, preserve Your kingdom always and reign over us forever and ever. | Eloheinu shebashamayim yached shimcha v'kayeim malchutecha tamid umloch aleinu le'olam va'ed | Is 52:7 |
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 (145-150 HE), 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.
| scope=row style="text-align: left"; | This article is only a general overview. It may not mention all differences between nusachim or quote all related Halacha. For specifics consult your rabbi or a posek. | |
| scope=row style="text-align: left"; | Blessing an aspect or action of HaShem | |
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| scope=row style="text-align: left"; | Command Blessing before performing a commandment | |
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| scope=row style="text-align: left"; | Blessing the 4-letter name to close off another component | |
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| scope=row style="text-align: left"; | Request related to surrounding blessings | |
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| scope=row style="text-align: left"; | Other | |
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