Recite quietly:

And evening came, then morning came:

Recite aloud:

the sixth day.¹⁹

footnotes: ¹⁹ The words יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי , the sixth day, are actually the last two words of the biblical verse that immediately precedes וַיְכֻלּוּ , which is the beginning of Kiddush. These two words are added as a preface to the actual Kiddush because the first letters of these two Hebrew words Y (yud) and H (heh) plus the first letters of the two words וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם , V (vov) and H (heh), form the Four Letter Name of God. Because these two words are part of a verse, the Sages incorporated the preceding words, וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בקֶר and there was morning and there was evening, to form a complete sentence. These words however, are said quietly as they do not relate to the Kiddush.

And the heavens and the earth were completed

and [so were] all their hosts.

And God completed, by the seventh day,²⁰

footnotes: ²⁰ God completed His work at the precise moment which marked the beginning of the seventh day, but nevertheless was not part of it. The Sages comment נִכְנַס בּוֹ כְּחוּט הַשַׂעֲרָה He entered into it (the seventh day) by a hairsbreadth.— Seporno

His work which He had done;

and He abstained on the seventh day

from all His work which He had done.

And God blessed the seventh day

and sanctified it,

for on it He abstained

from all His work

which God had created to do.²¹

footnotes: ²¹ S.R. Hirsch translates “Which He, God, had brought into existence in order to continue the work of creation upon it.”

Attention! our masters and our teachers

Blessed are You, Adonoy

our God, King of the Universe,

Creator of the fruit of the vine.

With your permission!

our masters and our teachers

Blessed are You, Adonoy,

our God, King of the Universe,

Who takes bread out from the earth.

Blessed are You, Adonoy

our God, King of the Universe,

Who sanctified us with His commandments

and was pleased with us.

And His holy Sabbath,

with love and pleasure,²²

footnotes: ²² Our appointment to be the preservers of the Shabbos is not a stern command; it is actually a sign of God’s love and favor.—S.R. Hirsch

He gave us for a heritage,

a commemoration of the work of creation.

(For this day is) the first²³

footnotes: ²³ The Shabbos is listed first in Leviticus 23, where all the sacred festivals of the Jewish calendar are described.

of the days of holy convocations

commemorating the exodus from Egypt.

(For us have You chosen

and us have You sanctified

from among all the peoples.)

And Your holy Sabbath

with love and pleasure

You gave us for a heritage.

Blessed are You, Adonoy,

Sanctifier of the Sabbath.