בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם our God, King of the Universe,
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּ֒שָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו Who sanctified1The observance and fulfillment of His commandments makes a person holy. us with His commandments
וְצִוָּנוּ and commanded us
לַעֲסֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה: to be engrossed in the words of Torah.
וְהַעֲרֶב נָא יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ Adonoy our God, please make pleasant
אֶת דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָתְ֒ךָ בְּפִֽינוּ the words of Your Torah in our mouths
וּבְפִי עַמְּ֒ךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל and in the mouths of Your people Israel.
וְנִהְיֶה אֲנַֽחְנוּ וְצֶאֱצָאֵֽינוּ And may we and our descendants
וְצֶאֱצָאֵי צֶאֱצָאֵינוּ עַמְּ֒ךָ and the descendants of Your people
בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל the House of Israel,
כֻּלָּֽנוּ יוֹדְ֒עֵי שְׁמֶֽךָ all be perceivers of Your Name
וְלוֹמְ֒דֵי תוֹרָתֶֽךָ לִשְׁמָהּ: and students of Your Torah for its own sake.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy
הַמְ֒לַמֵּד תּוֹרָה לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל: Who teaches Torah to His people, Israel.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם our God, King of the Universe
אֲשֶׁר בָּֽחַר בָּֽנוּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים Who chose us from among all the peoples2An allusion to God’s declaration, “And you will be a treasure unto me from among all people” (Exodus 19:6) which preceded the giving of the Torah at Sinai.—Vilna Gaon
וְנָֽתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת תּוֹרָתוֹ: and gave us His Torah.3An allusion to the actual giving of the Torah at Sinai.—Vilna Gaon
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy,
נוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה: Giver of the Torah!
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר And Adonoy spoke to Moses, saying,
דַבֵּר אֶל אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying,
כֹּה תְבָרְכוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל thus shall you bless the Children of Israel,
אָמוֹר לָהֶם: say to them:
יְבָרֶכְ֒ךָ יְהֹוָה וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ: May Adonoy bless you and guard you.
יָאֵר יְהֹוָה May Adonoy shine
פָּנָיו אֵלֶֽיךָ His countenance upon you
וִיחֻנֶּֽךָּ: and be gracious unto you.
יִשָּׂא יְהֹוָה May Adonoy turn
פָּנָיו אֵלֶֽיךָ His countenance toward you
וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם: and grant you peace.4Numbers 6:24.
וְשָׂמוּ אֶת שְׁמִי And they shall set My Name
עַל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל upon the Children of Israel,
וַאֲנִי אַבָרְכֵם: and I shall bless them.
אֵֽלּוּ דְבָרִים These are precepts5Mishnah, Peah 1:1: Talmud Maseches Shabbos 127a.
שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שִׁעוּר for which no fixed measure is prescribed:
הַפֵּאָה [leaving] the corner [of a field unharvested],6The unharvested produce was left for the poor; Leviticus 19:9.
וְהַבִּכּוּרִים [the offering of] the first fruits,7Exodus 23:9.
וְהָרְ֒אָיוֹן the appearance-offering,8These offerings were brought when a Jew “appeared” before God in the Temple on the three Pilgrimage festivals—Pesach, Shavuos and Sukkos—Exodus 23:14-17, Deuteronomy 16:16-17.
וּגְ֒מִילוּת חֲסָדִים [performing] deeds of kindness,
וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה: and the study of Torah.
אֵֽלּוּ דְבָרִים These are precepts,
שֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶם the fruits of which man enjoys
בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה in this world,
וְהַקֶּֽרֶן [while] the principal [reward]
קַיֶּֽמֶת לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, is preserved for him in the World-to-Come.
וְאֵֽלּוּ הֵן They are:
כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם honoring father and mother,
וּגְ֒מִילוּת חֲסָדִים [performing] deeds of kindness,
וְהַשְׁכָּמַת בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ early attendance in the House of Study
שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְ֒בִית morning and evening,
וְהַכְנָסַת אוֹרְ֒חִים providing hospitality to guests,
וּבִקּוּר חוֹלִים visiting the sick,
וְהַכְנָסַת כַּלָּה participating in making a wedding,
וּלְוָיַת הַמֵּת accompanying the dead [to the grave],
וְעִיּוּן תְּפִלָּה concentrating on the meaning of prayers,
וַהֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ making peace between fellow men
ובֵין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ and between husband and wife—
וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה כְּנֶֽגֶד כֻּלָּם: and the study of Torah is equal to them all.