ואמר רבי חלבו אמר רב הונא לעולם יהא אדם זהיר בתפלת המנחה שהרי אליהו לא נענה אלא בתפלת המנחה
R. Helbo further said in the name of R. Huna: A man should always take special care about the afternoon-prayer. For even Elijah was favourably heard only while offering his afternoon-prayer.
(א) אַשְׁרֵי יוֹשְׁ֒בֵי בֵיתֶֽךָ עוֹד יְהַלְלֽוּךָ סֶּֽלָה:
אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁכָּֽכָה לּוֹ אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁיְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָיו:
תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד אֲרוֹמִמְךָ אֱלוֹהַי הַמֶּֽלֶךְ וַאֲבָרְ֒כָה שִׁמְךָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
בְּכָל־יוֹם אֲבָרְ֒כֶֽךָּ וַאֲהַלְלָה שִׁמְךָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
גָּדוֹל יְהֹוָה וּמְהֻלָּל מְאֹד וְלִגְדֻלָּתוֹ אֵין חֵֽקֶר:
דּוֹר לְדוֹר יְשַׁבַּח מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וּגְבוּרֹתֶֽיךָ יַגִּֽידוּ:
הֲדַר כְּבוֹד הוֹדֶֽךָ וְדִבְרֵי נִפְלְ֒אֹתֶֽיךָ אָשִֽׂיחָה:
וֶעֱזוּז נוֹרְ֒אֹתֶֽיךָ יֹאמֵרוּ וּגְדֻלָּתְ֒ךָ אֲסַפְּ֒רֶֽנָּה:
זֵֽכֶר רַב־טוּבְ֒ךָ יַבִּֽיעוּ וְצִדְקָתְ֒ךָ יְרַנֵּֽנוּ:
חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם יְהֹוָה אֶֽרֶךְ אַפַּֽיִם וּגְדָל־חָֽסֶד:
טוֹב־יְהֹוָה לַכֹּל וְרַחֲמָיו עַל־כָּל־מַעֲשָׂיו:
יוֹדֽוּךָ יְהֹוָה כָּל־מַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ וַחֲסִידֶֽיךָ יְבָרְ֒כֽוּכָה:
כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתְ֒ךָ יֹאמֵרוּ וּגְבוּרָתְ֒ךָ יְדַבֵּֽרוּ:
לְהוֹדִֽיעַ לִבְנֵי הָאָדָם גְּבוּרֹתָיו וּכְבוֹד הֲדַר מַלְכוּתוֹ:
מַלְכוּתְ֒ךָ מַלְכוּת כָּל־עֹלָמִים וּמֶמְשַׁלְתְּ֒ךָ בְּכָל־דּוֹר וָדֹר:
סוֹמֵךְ יְהֹוָה לְכָל־הַנֹּפְ֒לִים וְזוֹקֵף לְכָל־הַכְּ֒פוּפִים:
עֵינֵי־כֹל אֵלֶֽיךָ יְשַׂבֵּֽרוּ וְאַתָּה נוֹתֵן־לָהֶם אֶת־אָכְלָם בְּעִתּוֹ:
פּוֹתֵֽחַ אֶת־יָדֶֽךָ וּמַשְׂבִּֽיעַ לְכָל־חַי רָצוֹן:
צַדִּיק יְהֹוָה בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו וְחָסִיד בְּכָל־מַעֲשָׂיו:
קָרוֹב יְהֹוָה לְכָל־קֹרְ֒אָיו לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָאֻֽהוּ בֶאֱמֶת:
רְצוֹן־יְרֵאָיו יַעֲשֶׂה וְאֶת־שַׁוְעָתָם יִשְׁמַע וְיוֹשִׁיעֵם:
שׁוֹמֵר יְהֹוָה אֶת־כָּל־אֹהֲבָיו וְאֵת כָּל־הָרְ֒שָׁעִים יַשְׁמִיד:
תְּהִלַּת יְהֹוָה יְדַבֶּר פִּי וִיבָרֵךְ כָּל־בָּשָׂר שֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
וַאֲנַֽחְנוּ נְבָרֵךְ יָהּ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד־עוֹלָם הַלְ֒לוּיָהּ:
ואומר החזן חצי קדיש:
(ג) יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא (אָמֵן)
בְּעָלְ֒מָֽא דִּי־בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:
יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְ֒מֵי עָלְ֒מַיָּא
יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאַר וְיִתְרוֹמַם וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא וְיִתְהַדָּר וְיִתְעַלֶּה וְיִתְהַלָּל שְׁמֵהּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא
לְעֵֽלָּא מִן־כָּל־ (בעשי"ת לְעֵֽלָּא לְעֵֽלָּא מִכָּל) בִּרְכָתָֽא וְשִׁירָתָֽא תֻּשְׁבְּ֒חָתָֽא וְנֶחָמָתָֽא דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְ֒מָֽא וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:
(1) Fortunate are those who dwell in Your house;1This verse referred to the Kohanim and the Levites who served (dwelt) in the Holy Temple (Your House); it is at all times applicable to scholars and devout men who study and pray in houses of worship and study. may they continue to praise You, Selah.2Psalms 84:5. Fortunate is the people whose lot is thus; fortunate is the people for whom Adonoy is their God.3Psalms 144:15. A praise by David! I will exalt You, my God, the King, and bless Your Name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You4According to Rav S.R. Hirsch, David here declares, “I will dedicate myself to serve You and to fulfill Your will in loyal obedience,” for in serving God, man causes His Name to be blessed. and extol Your Name forever and ever. Adonoy is great and highly extolled, and His greatness is unfathomable. One generation to another will praise Your works, and Your mighty acts they will declare. The splendor of Your glorious majesty, and the words5Not simply נפלאתיך—a report of Your wonders—but דברי נפלאתיך the “words”—the lessons that Your wonders teach.—S.R. Hirsch of Your wonders I will speak. Of Your awesome might, they6People in general will speak of God’s wondrous might in punishing the wicked (Sodom, Egypt, etc.) while David will proclaim that God’s greatness is measured more by His kindliness than by His awesomeness.—Siach Yitzchok will speak, and Your greatness I will recount. Mention of Your bountifulness they will express, and in Your righteousness joyfully exult. Adonoy is gracious and merciful,7He is gracious in bestowing reward and merciful in punishment.—Siach Yitzchok slow to anger and great in kindliness. Adonoy is good to all, His mercy encompasses all His works. All Your works will thank You, Adonoy, and Your pious ones will bless You.8Your works, which are the cause of your being thanked by sensitive people; similarly, cause your pious ones to bless You.—based on S.R. Hirsch. Of the honor of Your kingship, they will speak, and Your might they will declare. To reveal to men His mighty acts, and the glorious splendor of His kingship. Your kingship is the kingship for all times, and Your dominion is in every generation. Adonoy supports all the fallen, and straightens all the bent. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food at its proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living being. Adonoy is just in all His ways and benevolent in all His deeds.9The penalties for transgressions are just, but God is gracious in the actual punishment inflicted on the sinner.—Siddur HaGra Adonoy is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.10He is near to all who call upon Him, but His nearness can be perceived only by those who call upon Him in truth, who truly mean to have God enter into their lives.—S.R. Hirsch The will of those who fear Him, He fulfills; He hears their cry and delivers them.11While God hears all who cry unto Him in truth. He answers those who fear Him, who subject their desires to His will.—Siach Yitzchok Adonoy watches over all those who love Him, and will destroy all the wicked. Praise of Adonoy, my mouth will declare and all flesh will bless His holy Name forever and ever. And we will bless God from now forever. Praise God.12Psalms 115:18. You should pause between עולם and הללויה. Similarly, in all the Psalms, the word הללויה is not connected to the preceding verse.
(2) The Half-Kaddish is recited by the Chazzan
(3) Exalted and sanctified1These opening words refer to the fulfillment of God’s prophecy, through Ezekiel (38:23) “And I will thus exalt Myself and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of the many nations, and they will know that I am Adonoy.”—Levush, Siddur HaGra. One should be very careful to emphasize the letter gimel (ג) when saying the word “Yisgadal (יִתְגַּדַּל),” in order that it not be heard as “Yiskadal (יִתְקַּדַל),” from the word קְדָל which means neck.—Mishnah Berurah 56:2 be His great Name
(4) in the world which He created according to His will and may He rule His kingdom.2May His sovereignty be revealed. In your lifetime and in your days, and in the lifetime of the entire House of Israel, speedily and in the near future3We pray that the redemption will come speedily and that the process of the redemption itself will not be prolonged.—Siddur HaGra— and say Amein.
(5) May His great Name be blessed forever and for all eternity.
(6) Blessed and praised, glorified, and exalted and uplifted, honored and elevated and extolled5The ten expressions of praise in the Kaddish refer to the ten utterances by which God created the world. (See Maseches Avos 5:1.) be the Name of the Holy One, blessed is He;
(7) above (Ten Days of Penitence: far above) all the blessings and hymns,6May God be praised and exalted far beyond all the blessings, hymns and praises that are uttered.—Mishnah Berurah in the name of the Vilna Gaon 56:14. praises and consolations7Consolations are uttered because God is in mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the exile of His people. which we utter in the world—and say Amein.
by Sofia Zway
This is a special healing-themed Amidah for the Month of Iyyar. According to Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, the name Iyyar אייר is an acronym for אני יי רופאך, “I am Adonai your healer,” and so it is a special month in which we can find healing and wholeness.
An Amidah for Healing: For Rosh Hodesh Iyyar
1. Avot V’Imahot/Ancestors
God of our Ancestors, as You performed acts of love and deliverance for our ancestors, love us and help us to seek out deliverance from the mitzraim, the narrow places, that constrict and hold us back.
ברוך אתה יי מגן אברהם ועזרת שרה
2. Gevurot/Mighty Acts
Spirit of Life, You sustain the living and revive the dead. Grant us a full revival from the physical, emotional and spiritual deaths that keep us from living. May we find healing and wholeness through living.
ברוך אתה יי מחיה המתים
3. Kedushat HaShem/Holiness of God’s name
Holy Ineffable One, You are holy and Your name is Holy, yet we continue to commit atrocities in Your name. Give us the strength and courage to heal these wounds and to commit acts of goodness in Your name.
ברוך אתה יי האל הקדוש
4. Binah/Knowledge
Knower-of-All, grant us the wisdom and understanding to discern between good and bad, indifference and love, and hurt and healing. May we heal Your world through goodness and love.
ברוך אתה יי חונן הדעת
5. Teshuvah/Return
Source of Return, help us to draw nearer to You and to Your Torah so that we might use our tradition in Your service as a source of light and healing in Your world.
ברוך אתה יי הרוצה בתשובה
6. Slikhah/Forgiveness
Gracious Forgiver, forgive us for the sins we have committed against You, pardon us for the transgressions we have committed against others and the wounds we have inflicted upon ourselves. Be gracious to us and help us to forgive others and ourselves, for we know that we cannot fully heal without forgiveness.
ברוך אתה יי המרבה לסלוח
7. Geulah/Redemption
Redeemer of Israel take note of our afflictions, of our pain, of our strife. Be with us as we face our battles and help us to overcome the difficulties that befall us.
ברוך אתה יי גואל ישראל
8. Refuah/Healing
Divine Healer, this broken world faces too much pain, too much sadness, too many wounds. Heal us, and save us, so that we may be a source of healing, comfort and redemption in Your world. Grant a refuah shleimah, a complete and whole healing to every illness, wound and pain and restore wholeness to Your broken world again.
ברוך אתה יי רופא החולים
9. Birkat HaShanim/Blessing for Sustenance
Creator of All, bless this year and this earth and all its produce for good. We have taken the earth for granted and inflicted the greatest pain upon her. Grant us blessing so that we may be good to the earth again.
ברוך אתה יי מברך השנים
10. Heirut/Freedom
Bringer of Freedom, sound the great shofar for our freedom and the liberation of all peoples who are enslaved, isolated and rejected. Blast the great shofar to call us to action, for we know that none of us is free until we all are. Gather us together on the wings of freedom to heal as one.
ברוך אתה יי פודה עשוקים
11. Mishpat/Justice
True Judge, restore our judgment. As You rule over us with justice and righteousness, help us to treat others with compassion, loving-kindness, dignity and justice.
ברוך אתה יי אוהב צדקה ומשפט
12. Al HaResha/Wickedness
Adonai Tzevaot, help us to transform our wickedness into kindness, our bad words into constructive deeds, our hatred into love. May we build a healed world from kindness, love, and action.
ברוך אתה יי שובר רשעות מן הארץ
13. Tzadikim/The Righteous
Adonai Ro’i, Shepherd of Israel, toward the seekers-of-good, the pious, those who trust in You and towards us all may You bestow compassion and blessing. Guide us all toward righteousness and support us on the path to goodness and healing.
ברוך אתה יי משען ומבטח לצדיקים
14. Yerushalayim/Jerusalem
Eternal Presence, your city, once whole, now rests broken. Return Your presence to this earthly Jerusalem and may we, Your partners in creation, return our kindness and compassion to Your city. Together, may we build a heavenly Jerusalem, and make the city whole, shalem, again.
ברוך אתה יי נותן שלום בירושלים
15. Yeshu’a/Salvation
El Shaddai, She who Suffices, plant within us a love of truth, a desire for justice and an eternal pursuit of redemption. We will not wait passively for salvation to come but will play our part in working toward a redeemed, peaceful and whole world.
ברוך אתה יי מצמיח קרן ישועה
16. Shomea tefilah/Hear our Prayer
Attentive Listener, hear our voices as we cry out to You, take note of our prayers as we reach for You. Help us hear Your voice on our paths to healing.
ברוך אתה יי שומע תפילה
17. Avodah/Service
Infinite One, be satisfied with our prayers and our deeds, but cause us to remain dissatisfied so that we hunger to do more and thirst to do better. May our words and our actions always be in Your service and may we live to see Your presence return to Zion and to our world.
ברוך אתה יי המחזיר שכינתו לציון
18. Hoda’ah/Gratitude
God of wombs, Compassionate One, to You we give thanks for our lives and for our souls. To You we give thanks for the goodness we encounter in every moment and the small miracles that give us hope and bring us healing in every day. As we live, we shall acknowledge You and give thanks for this goodness. May we, created in Your image, always be a source of goodness and healing for others.
ברוך אתה יי הטוב שמך ולך נאה להודות
19. Shalom/Peace
Maker of Peace, grant eternal and abounding peace to us and to all who dwell on Your earth. May all those at war, broken and in pain be blessed with refuah shleimah, a complete, wholesome and peaceful healing.
ברוך אתה יי המברך את עמו ישראל בשלום