(Weekdays)
The following paragraph is said on Mondays and Thursdays except on Rosh Chodesh, the eve of Pesach, Tishah b'Av, Chanukah, the 14th and 15th Adar and Adar Sheni (Purim and Purim Katan), the eve of Yom Kippur, and it is also omitted in the house of a mourner.
This prayer is recited while standing, as it includes a form of viduy (confession) which must be said while standing.
On Mondays and Thursdays, as we are about to open the Ark to take out the Seifer Torah for public reading, we realize that we have transgressed much that is written in the Torah and are unworthy even to take it into our hands. Aware of our inadequacy and unworthiness, we utter the words, "Almighty who is slow to anger etc....", appealing to Him for forgiveness.
אֵל אֶֽרֶךְ אַפַּֽיִם Almighty who is slow to anger
וּמָלֵא רַחֲמִים, and full of compassion,
אַל־תַּסְתֵּר פָּנֶֽיךָ מִמֶּֽנוּ: do not hide Your presence from us.
חֽוּסָה יְהֹוָה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּֽךָ Adonoy, spare Your people1This verse from Joel (2:17) was inserted here by the sages of Italy as an abbreviated form of Tachanun to be recited by latecomers to the synagogue, instead of the entire “Vehu Rachum”, so that they could pay attention to the reading of the Torah.
וְהַצִּילֵֽנוּ מִכָּל־רָע: and save us from all evil.
חָטָֽאנוּ לְךָ אָדוֹן, We have sinned against You, Master,
סְלַח נָא forgive us, please,
כְּרוֹב רַחֲמֶֽיךָ in keeping with Your abundant mercy,
אֵל: Almighty.
Moses and the Elders with him ordained that the Torah be read in public on Shabbos, Monday and Thursday mornings. The Talmud (Maseches Baba Kama 82), notes that Ezra later instituted that three men should be called up to read a total of at least ten verses from the Torah. He also enacted that the Torah be read at the Shabbos Mincha (afternoon) service. When the Torah is removed from the Ark, great care is taken to honor it. It is escorted by as many people as possible from the moment it is taken out of the Ark until it is placed on the reading table. We embrace and kiss the Torah during the procession and refrain from idle chatter. While the Torah is being read, you must be silent and listen to each word.
When the Holy Ark is opened, the following is said:
וַיְהִי בִּנְ֒סֹֽעַ הָאָרֹן Whenever the Ark traveled,
וַיּֽאמֶר משֶׁה קוּמָה יְהֹוָה Moses would say: "Rise, Adonoy
וְיָפֻֽצוּ אֹיְ֒בֶֽיךָ and let Your enemies be scattered,
וְיָנֻֽסוּ מְשַׂנְאֶֽיךָ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ: and those who hate You, flee before You."
כִּי מִצִּיּוֹן תֵּצֵא תוֹרָה For from Zion will go forth the Torah,
וּדְ֒בַר יְהֹוָה מִירוּשָׁלָֽםִ: and the word of Adonoy from Jerusalem.
בָּרוּךְ שֶׁנָּתַן תּוֹרָה Blessed is He Who gave the Torah
לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּקְ֒דֻשָּׁתוֹ: to His people Israel in His holiness.
The following prayer is taken from the Zohar (Parshas Vayakhail), the basic text of Kabbalah which was written by the Mishnaic sage Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. The Zohar states, "When the Torah is taken out to be read before the congregation, the heavenly gates of mercy are opened, and the Divine love is aroused; therefore one should say the following prayer.
בְּרִיךְ שְׁמֵהּ Blessed is the Name
דְּמָרֵא עָלְ֒מָא of the Master of the universe.
בְּרִיךְ כִּתְרָךְ וְאַתְרָךְ, Blessed is Your crown and Your place.
יְהֵא רְעוּתָךְ May Your good will [be]
עִם עַמָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעָלָם, with Your people Israel forever.
וּפֻרְקַן יְמִינָךְ The redemption of Your right hand
אַחֲזֵי לְעַמָּךְ בְּבֵית מַקְדְּ֒שָׁךְ show Your people in Your Holy Temple.
וּלְ֒אַמְטוּיֵי לָנָא מִטּוּב נְהוֹרָךְ Bestow on us Your excellent light,
וּלְ֒קַבֵּל צְלוֹתָֽנָא בְּרַחֲמִין, and accept our prayer with compassion.
יְהֵא רַעֲוָא קֳדָמָךְ May it be Your will
דְּתוֹרִיךְ לָן חַיִּין בְּטִיבוּתָא, to prolong our lives in well-being.
וְלֶהֱוֵי אֲנָא פְקִידָא Let me be counted
בְּגוֹ צַדִּיקַיָּא, among the righteous,
לְמִרְחַם עָלַי so that You will have compassion on me
וּלְ֒מִנְטַר יָתִי וְיַת כָּל דִּי לִי and protect me and all that is mine,
וְדִי לְעַמָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל, and all that belongs to Your people, Israel.
אַנְתְּ הוּא You are He
זָן לְכֹלָּא וּמְ֒פַרְנֵס לְכֹלָּא, Who nourishes all and maintains all;
אַנְתְּ הוּא שַׁלִּיט עַל כֹּלָּא, You are He Who rules over all;
אַנְתְּ הוּא דְּשַׁלִּיט עַל מַלְ֒כַיָּא You are He Who rules over kings,
וּמַלְכוּתָא דִּילָךְ הִיא, and the kingdom is Yours.
אֲנָא עַבְדָּא I am a servant
דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא of the Holy One, blessed is He,
דְּסָגִֽידְנָא קַמֵּהּ I bow before Him
וּמִקַּמֵּהּ דִּיקַר אוֹרַיְ֒תֵהּ and before the honor of His Torah
בְּכָל עִדָּן וְעִדָּן, at all times.
לָא עַל אֱנָשׁ רָחִיצְנָא, Not in man do I put my trust,
וְלָא עַל בַּר אֱלָהִין סָמִיכְנָא, nor do I rely on any angel;
אֶלָּא בֶּאֱלָהָא דִשְׁ֒מַיָּא, but only in the God of heaven,
דְּהוּא אֱלָהָא קְשׁוֹט, Who is the true God,
וְאוֹרַיְ֒תֵהּ קְשׁוֹט, Whose Torah is truth,
וּנְ֒בִיאוֹהִי קְשׁוֹט, Whose prophets are true,
וּמַסְגֵּא לְמֶעְבַּד and Who performs many deeds
טַבְוָן וּקְ֒שׁוֹט, of goodness and truth.
בֵּהּ אֲנָא רָחִיץ In Him I put my trust
וְלִשְׁ֒מֵהּ קַדִּישָׁא יַקִּירָא and to His holy, honored Name
אֲנָא אֵמַר תֻּשְׁבְּחָן, I utter praises.
יְהֵא רַעֲוָא קֳדָמָךְ May it be Your will
דְּתִפְתַּח לִבָּאִי בְּאוֹרַיְתָא, to open my heart to Torah,
וְתַשְׁלִים מִשְׁאֲלִין דְּלִבָּאִי, and to fulfill the desires of my heart,
וְלִבָּא דְכָל עַמָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל, and of the heart of Your people Israel,
לְטַב וּלְ֒חַיִּין וְלִשְׁ֒לָם: for goodness, for life, and for peace.
The Chazzan says:
גַּדְּ֒לוּ לַיהוָֹה אִתִּי Declare the greatness of Adonoy, with me.
וּנְ֒רוֹמְ֒מָה שְׁמוֹ יַחְדָּו: and let us exalt His Name together.
The Congregation responds:
לְךָ יְהֹוָה הַגְּ֒דֻלָּה וְהַגְּ֒בוּרָה Yours, Adonoy, is the greatness, the might,
וְהַתִּפְאֶֽרֶת וְהַנֵּֽצַח וְהַהוֹד the glory, the victory, and the beauty,
כִּי כֹל בַּשָּׁמַֽיִם וּבָאָֽרֶץ for everything in heaven and on earth
לְךָ יְהֹוָה הַמַּמְלָכָה [is Yours]; Yours, Adonoy, is the kingdom,
וְהַמִּתְנַשֵּׂא לְכֹל לְרֹאשׁ: and You are uplifted over all rulers.
רוֹמְ֒מוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ Exalt Adonoy, our God,
וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַהֲדֹם רַגְלָיו and prostrate yourselves at His footstool,
קָדוֹשׁ הוּא: Holy is He.
רוֹמְ֒מוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ Exalt Adonoy, Our God,
וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ and prostrate yourselves
לְהַר קָדְשׁוֹ at His holy mountain
כִּי קָדוֹשׁ יְהֹוָה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ: for Adonoy, our God, is holy.
אָב הָרַחֲמִים הוּא יְרַחֵם May the Father of mercy have compassion
עַם עֲמוּסִים, on the people borne2See Exodus 19:4, “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings.” See Isaiah 46:3, “Israel which are borne by Me from the belly, which are carried by Me from the womb.” by Him,
וְיִזְכֹּר and may He remember
בְּרִית אֵיתָנִים, the covenant with the patriarchs;
וְיַצִּיל נַפְ֒שׁוֹתֵֽינוּ may He rescue our souls
מִן הַשָּׁעוֹת הָרָעוֹת, from evil times;
וְיִגְעַר בְּיֵֽצֶר הָרָע and may He rebuke the evil impulse
מִן הַנְּ֒שׂוּאִים, from those who have been carried3See Exodus 19:4, “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings.” See Isaiah 46:3, “Israel which are borne by Me from the belly, which are carried by Me from the womb.” by Him;
וְיָחוֹן אוֹתָֽנוּ and may He graciously grant us
לִפְ֒לֵטַת עוֹלָמִים, eternal survival;
וִימַלֵּא מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֵֽינוּ and fulfill our requests
בְּמִדָּה טוֹבָה in beneficent measure,
יְשׁוּעָה וְרַחֲמִים: [for] deliverance and compassion.
When the Torah is unrolled, the Reader says:
וְתִגָּלֶה וְתֵרָאֶה מַלְכוּתוֹ May His sovereignty be revealed and visible
עָלֵֽינוּ בִּזְ֒מַן קָרוֹב to us, soon;
וְיָחוֹן פְּלֵטָתֵֽנוּ and may He be gracious to our remnant
וּפְ֒לֵטַת עַמּוֹ and the remnant of His people,
בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל the House of Israel
לְחֵן וּלְ֒חֶֽסֶד [granting them] favor, kindness,
וּלְ֒רַחֲמִים וּלְ֒רָצוֹן compassion and goodwill.
וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן, And let us say Amein.
הַכֹּל הָבוּ גֹֽדֶל לֵאלֺהֵֽינוּ Let all ascribe greatness to our God,
וּתְ֒נוּ כָבוֹד לַתּוֹרָה, and give honor to the Torah.
כֹּהֵן קְרָב, Let the Kohein come forward.
יַעֲמֹד (פב"פ) הַכֹּהֵן, Arise, ______ son of _____, the Kohein,
בָּרוּךְ שֶׁנָּתַן תּוֹרָה Blessed is He Who gave the Torah
לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּקְ֒דֻשָּׁתוֹ: to His people, Israel, in His holiness.
The Congregation responds:
וְאַתֶּם הַדְּ֒בֵקִים בַּיהוָֹה אֱלֺהֵיכֶם And you who cling to Adonoy, Your God,
חַיִּים כֻּלְּ֒כֶם הַיּוֹם: are all alive today.
The Kohein walks up to the Torah and says:
בָּרְ֒כוּ אֶת יְהֹוָה הַמְּ֒בֹרָךְ: Blessed Adonoy, who is blessed.
The Congregation responds and the Kohein repeats:
בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה הַמְּ֒בֹרָךְ Blessed is Adonoy, Who is blessed,
לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד: forever and ever.
The Kohein says:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy
אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם our God, King of the Universe,
אֲשֶׁר בָּֽחַר בָּֽנוּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים Who chose us from among all the peoples
וְנָֽתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת תּוֹרָתוֹ: and gave us His Torah.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy,
נוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה: Giver of the Torah.
After the Torah is read, the Kohein says:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy
אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם our God, King of the Universe
אֲשֶׁר נָֽתַן לָֽנוּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת Who gave us the Torah of truth,
וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטַע בְּתוֹכֵֽנוּ: and implanted eternal life within us.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy,
נוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה: Giver of the Torah.
(The above blessings are recited by every person called to the Torah.)