Unlike the morning Shacharis and afternoon Mincha services which correspond to the two daily communal sacrifices (Tamid), offered in the Temple, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, the evening Maariv service has no counterpart in the Temple service, since sacrifices were never brought at night in the Temple.
The Maariv service was instituted to correspond to the Temple ritual of keeping on the altar the unconsumed parts of sacrifices that had been offered earlier in the day. These parts were kept on the altar at night so that they could be completely consumed by its fire. This ritual was applicable only if there actually were uncon- sumed parts of offerings.
Although the Maariv service was instituted to correspond to this ritual, and may therefore seem to be non-obligatory (see Maseches Berachos 27b), Rabbeinu Yitzchak Alfasi and all the other codifiers have ruled that Maariv has been accepted and hallowed by custom, and is therefore an obligatory service.
The Shema is preceded by two blessings and followed by two other blessings.
וְהוּא רַחוּם And He, the Merciful One,
יְכַפֵּר עָוֹן וְלֹא־יַשְׁחִית atones iniquity; and does not destroy.
וְהִרְבָּה לְהָשִׁיב אַפּוֹ He frequently withdraws His anger
וְלֹא־יָעִיר כָּל־חֲמָתוֹ: and does not arouse all His rage.1Psalms 78:38. This verse consists of thirteen Hebrew words. It recalls the “thirteen attributes of Divine mercy” (Exodus 34:67). In the evening when man pauses from the rush of his daily activities, he is conscious of having sinned during the day, and thus begins his prayer with this appeal for Divine mercy.—Machzor Vitry
Midrash Tanchuma (Pinchos 13) notes that the morning sacrifice (תמיד של שחר) atoned for sins committed during the night, while the afternoon sacrifice (תמיד של בין הערבים) atoned for sins committed during the day. Since the evening service does not represent Temple sacrifice, it became customary to recite this verse because it mentions that God “atones iniquity.”—Avudraham
יְהֹוָה הוֹשִׁיעָה Adonoy, deliver [us!]
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ יַעֲנֵֽנוּ בְיוֹם־קָרְאֵֽנוּ: The King will answer us on the day we call.2Psalms 20:10.
The Chazzan says:
בָּרְ֒כוּ אֶת יְהֹוָה הַמְ֒בֹרָךְ: Bless Adonoy Who is blessed.
The congregation responds and the Chazzan repeats:
בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה הַמְ֒בֹרָךְ Blessed is Adonoy, Who is blessed
לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד: forever and ever.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy,
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם our God, King of the Universe,
אֲשֶׁר בִּדְבָרוֹ מַעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים With His word He brings on evenings,
בְּחָכְמָה פּוֹתֵֽחַ שְׁעָרִים with wisdom He opens the gates3These are the gates of sunrise and sunset through which God, in His infinite wisdom, has divided life on earth into two complementary halves.—Rabbi S.R. Hirsch (of heaven);
וּבִתְבוּנָה and with understanding
מְשַׁנֶּה עִתִּים changes4He alternates the three daily periods—evening, morning, and afternoon.—Avudraham the times
וּמַחֲלִיף אֶת הַזְּ֒מַנִּים and alternates the seasons,
וּמְסַדֵּר אֶת הַכּוֹכָבִים and arranges the stars
בְּמִשְׁמְ֒רוֹתֵיהֶם בָּרָקִֽיעַ in their watches,5The stars appear as watchmen appointed by God to stand guard over the sleeping world below. He also appointed them their places in definite orbits, according to His will, and for purposes known to Him alone.—S.R. Hirsch in the sky,
כִּרְצוֹנוֹ. according to His will.
בּוֹרֵא יוֹם וָלָֽיְלָה He creates day and night,
גּוֹלֵל אוֹר מִפְּ֒נֵי חֽשֶׁךְ He rolls the light away from before darkness,
וְחֽשֶׁךְ מִפְּ֒נֵי אוֹר and darkness from before light;
וּמַעֲבִיר יוֹם He causes day to pass
וּמֵבִיא לָֽיְלָה and brings night,
וּמַבְדִּיל בֵּין יוֹם וּבֵין לָֽיְלָה and separates between day and night;
יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ: Adonoy of Hosts6His Name, ה’ צבאות, means “He Who takes all the infinite variety of hosts and creatures and unites them to act and interact as parts of one unified Universe.”—S.R. Hirsch is His Name.
אֵל The Almighty,
חַי וְקַיָּם [Who is] living and enduring
תָּמִיד יִמְלֹךְ עָלֵֽינוּ will always reign over us
לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. forever and ever.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy,
הַמַּעֲרִיב עֲרָבִים: Who brings on evening.
אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם [With] An everlasting love7This prayer is an abbreviated form of the אהבה רבה prayer in the morning service. It thanks God for the sacred gift of Divine Revelation that He granted Israel. It declares that Torah alone is the eternal heritage of the Jewish people and that all other goods and gifts of life are transitory.—S.R. Hirsch
בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמְּ֒ךָ אָהָֽבְתָּ You loved the House of Israel, Your people.
תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת Torah and commandments,
חֻקִּים וּמִשְׁפָּטִים statutes and laws,
אוֹתָֽנוּ לִמַּֽדְתָּ. You taught us.
עַל כֵּן יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ Therefore, Adonoy, our God,
בְּשָׁכְבֵֽנוּ וּבְקוּמֵֽנוּ when we lie down and when we rise,
נָשִֽׂיחַ בְּחֻקֶּֽיךָ we will discuss Your statutes,
וְנִשְׂמַח and rejoice
בְּדִבְרֵי תַלמוּד תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ in the words of the teachings of Your Torah
וּבְמִצְוֹתֶֽיךָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. and in Your commandments forever.
כִּי הֵם חַיֵּֽינוּ For they are our life
וְאֹֽרֶךְ יָמֵֽינוּ and they lengthen our days,
וּבָהֶם נֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָֽיְלָה. and on them we will meditate day and night.
וְאַהֲבָתְ֒ךָ [May] Your love
אַל תָּסִיר מִמֶּֽנּוּ לְעוֹלָמִים. never be removed from us
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy,
אוֹהֵב עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל: Who loves His people Israel.