DIVINE SANCTIFICATION

You are holy and Your Name is holy

and holy beings

praise You every day, forever.

because You are the Almighty

Who is King; Great, and Holy.

Blessed are You, Adonoy,

the Almighty, the Holy One.

You chose us from [among] all the peoples;

You loved us and took pleasure in us;

You exalted us above all tongues,

and You sanctified us

with Your commandments;

You drew us near, our King, to Your servitude,

and Your great and holy Name

You have pronounced upon us.

And [You] gave us Adonoy, our God,

in love

Sabbath days for rest, and)

appointed festivals for rejoicing,

festivals and seasons for happiness,

this day of

this Sabbath day, and)

the Festival of Matzos,

the season of our freedom,

the Festival of Shavuos,

the season of the giving of the Torah,

the Festival of Sukkos,

the season of our rejoicing,

the Festival of Shemini Atseres

the season of our rejoicing.

with love)

a day of holy assembly

commemorating the exodus from Egypt.

But because of our sins,

we were exiled from our land,

and driven far away from our soil;

and we are unable to go up,

[in order] to appear

and to prostrate ourselves before You,

and to perform our obligatory offerings

in Your chosen House,

in the great and holy House

upon which Your Name is proclaimed,

because of the hand [of violence]

that was sent against Your Sanctuary.¹

footnotes: ¹ The enemy spread out his hand over all her treasures. She (Jerusalem) saw nations invade her sanctuary. — Lamentations 1:10

May it be Your will

Adonoy, our God and God of our fathers,

merciful King,

to once again have compassion on us,

and on Your Sanctuary

in Your abundant mercy;

and rebuild it soon

and greatly enhance its glory.

Our Father, our King!

Reveal the glory of Your kingship

upon us soon,

appear and be uplifted over us

before the eyes of all living things.

Bring near our scattered [people]

from among the nations,

and gather our dispersed

from the ends of the earth.

Bring us to Zion, Your city, with joyous song,

to Jerusalem, house of Your Sanctuary,

with everlasting joy.

And there we will offer before You

our obligatory sacrifices,

the daily [burnt]-offerings in their order,

and the Musaf-offerings

according to their rule.

And the Musaf-offering of:

(On Shabbos, say:

and the additional offerings

of this Sabbath, and)

On Pesach

this Festival of Matzos

On Shavuos

this Festival of Shavuos

On Sukkos

this Festival of Sukkos

On Shemini Atseres and Simchas Torah

this Festival of Shemini Atseres

we will prepare and bring before You

with love

according to the command of Your will;

as You wrote for us in Your Torah,

through the hands of Moses, Your servant,

from the mouth of Your glory,

as it is said:

(On the Sabbath:

And on the Sabbath day [the offering is]:

two male yearling lambs, without blemish;

two tenths [of an epha] of fine flour

for a meal offering

mixed with the [olive] oil; and its libation.

[This is] the burnt-offering for every Sabbath

win addition to the daily burnt offering

and its libation.

And in the first month,

on the fourteenth day of the month

[bring] the Pesach-offering

[dedicated] to Adonoy.

And on the fifteenth day of this month,

there will be a festival—

for seven days matzos shall be eaten.

The first day will be a holy assembly

all work of labor you shall not do.²

footnotes: ² Numbers 28:16-18

And you shall bring a fire-offering,

a burnt-offering to Adonoy:

two young bullocks

and one ram,

and seven male yearling lambs

without blemish they shall be for you.³

footnotes: ³ Numbers 28:19

And their meal-offerings and libations⁴

footnotes: ⁴ The word “ נִסְכֵּיהֶם ” (libations) refers to the oil which was part of the meal offerings.

as stated:

three-tenths [of an epha of fine flour]

for each bullock,

two-tenths for the ram,

and one-tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation;

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt offerings

according to their law.

“And you shall bring a fire-offering,

a burnt-offering to Adonoy:

two young bullocks

and one ram,

and seven male yearling lambs

without blemish they shall be for you.

And their meal-offerings and libations

as stated:

three-tenths [of an ephah of fine flour]

for each bullock,

two-tenths for the ram,

and one-tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation;

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt offerings

according to their law.

And on the day of the first fruits,

when you bring a new meal-offering⁵

footnotes: ⁵ The meal-offering is brought from the new wheat crop.

to Adonoy

on your [Festival of] Weeks,

a holy assembly it shall be for you;

all work of labor you shall not do.

And you will bring a burnt-offering

for a pleasing savor to Adonoy;

two young bullocks,

one ram,

seven male yearling lambs.⁶

footnotes: ⁶ Numbers 28:26, 27.

And their meal-offerings and libations

as stated:

three tenths [of an epha of fine flour]

for each bullock,

two tenths for the ram,

and one tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation;

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt-offerings

according to their law.

“And on the fifteenth day

of the seventh month

a holy assembly it shall be for you;

all work of labor you shall not do,

and you shall celebrate a Festival to Adonoy

for seven days.

And you shall bring a burnt offering,

a fire-offering of pleasing savor to Adonoy,

thirteen young bullocks

two rams,

fourteen male yearling lambs,

without blemish shall they be.⁷

footnotes: ⁷ Numbers 29:12, 13

And their meal-offerings and libations

as prescribed:

three tenths [of an epha of fine flour]

for each bullock,

two tenths for each ram,

and one tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation,

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt offerings

according to their law.

And on the second day [you will offer]

twelve young bullocks

two rams

fourteen male yearling lambs

without blemish.

And their meal offerings and libations

as perscribed:

three tenths [of an ephah of the fine flour]

for each bullock,

two tenths for each ram,

and one tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation,

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt offerings

according to their law.

And on the third day [you will offer]

eleven bullocks

two rams

fourteen male yearling lambs

without blemish.

And their meal offerings and libations

as prescribed:

three tenths [of an ephah of fine flour]

for each bullock,

two tenths for each ram,

and one tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation,

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt offerings

according to their law.

And on the third day [you will offer]

eleven bullocks

two rams

fourteen male yearling lambs

without blemish.

And their meal offerings and libations

as prescribed:

three tenths [of an ephah of fine flour]

for each bullock,

two tenths for each ram,

and one tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation,

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt offerings

according to their law.

And on the fourth day [you will offer]

ten bullocks

two rams

fourteen male yearling lambs

without blemish

And their meal offerings and libations

as prescribed:

three tenths [of an ephah of fine flour]

for each bullock,

two tenths for each ram,

and one tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation,

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt offerings

according to their law.

And on the fourth day [you will offer]

ten bullocks

two rams

fourteen male yearling lambs

without blemish

And their meal offerings and libations

as prescribed:

three tenths [of an ephah of fine flour]

for each bullock,

two tenths for each ram,

and one tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation,

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt offerings

according to their law.

And on the fifth day [You will offer]

nine bullocks

two rams

fourteen male yearling lambs

without blemish.

And their meal offerings and libations

as prescribed:

three tenths [of an ephah of fine flour]

for each bullock,

two tenths for each ram,

and one tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation,

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt offerings

according to their law.

And on the fifth day [you will offer]

nine bullocks

two rams

fourteen male yearling lambs

without blemish

And their meal offerings and libations

as prescribed:

three tenths [of an ephah of fine flour]

for each bullock,

two tenths for each ram,

and one tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation,

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt offerings

according to their law.

And on the sixth day [you will offer]

eight bullocks

two rams

fourteen male yearling lambs

without blemish

And their meal offerings and libations

as prescribed:

three tenths [of an ephah of fine flour]

for each bullock,

two tenths for each ram,

and one tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation,

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt offerings

according to their law.

And on the sixth day [you will offer]

eight bullocks

two rams

fourteen male yearling lambs

without blemish

And their meal offerings and libations

as prescribed:

three tenths [of an ephah of fine flour]

for each bullock,

two tenths for each ram,

and one tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation,

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt offerings

according to their law.

And on the seventh day [you will offer]

seven bullocks

two rams

fourteen male yearling lambs

without blemish

And their meal offerings and libations

as prescribed:

three tenths [of an ephah of fine flour]

for each bullock,

two tenths for each ram,

and one tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation,

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt offerings

according to their law.

“On the eighth day,

let it be [a time] of remaining over for you,

all work of labor you shall not do.

And you shall bring a burnt-offering,

a fire-offering of pleasing savor to Adonoy:

one bullock, one ram,

seven male yearling lambs

without blemish.”⁸

footnotes: ⁸ Numbers 29:35, 36

And their meal offerings and libations

as prescribed:

three-tenths [of an epha of fine flour]

for the bullock,

two-tenths for the ram,

and one-tenth for each lamb,

and wine according to each libation;

and a he-goat for atonement,

and the two daily burnt-offerings

according to their law.

(Add on the Sabbath:

They will rejoice in Your kingship—

those who preserve the Sabbath—

and call it a delight.

The people who sanctify the seventh [day]

will all be satisfied

and delighted with Your goodness.

And the seventh [day]—You took pleasure in it

and You hallowed it.

“Most desirable of days,” You called it—

a commemoration

of the work of creation.)

Our God and God of our fathers,

merciful King, have compassion on us;

Good and Beneficent One,

make Yourself accessible to us;

return to us in Your abundant mercy,

for the sake of the Patriarchs

who did Your will.

Rebuild Your House as it was originally,

and establish Your Sanctuary on its site;

let us see its rebuilding

and make us rejoice in its reinstation.

Restore the Kohanim (Priests) to their service,

and the Levites to their song and music,

and restore Israel to their dwelling places.

And there we will go up and appear,

and prostrate ourselves before You

at the three seasons of our pilgrimage,

as it is written in Your Torah:⁹

footnotes: ⁹ Deuteronomy 16:16, 17

Three times a year

shall all your males appear

before the countenance of Adonoy, your God,

in the place He will choose—

on the Festival of Matzos,

on the Festival of Shavuos,

and on the Festival of Sukkos;

and they shall not appear

before the countenance of Adonoy

empty handed.

[But] every man [shall bring offerings]

according to the gift of his hand

according to the blessing of Adonoy your God

which He gave you.

And load us¹⁰ up

footnotes: ¹⁰ The translation of וְהַשִׂאֵנוּ is based on Avudraham who quotes the verse, אֵלֶה מַשָׂא בְּנֵי קְהָת , “This is the load of the sons of Kehos.” (Numbers 4:15) Avudraham offers an alternative translation based on the verse, וַיִּשָּׂא מַשְׂאת , “And he sent portions (gifts),” (Genesis 43:34), which would render the prayer, “Send us as a gift the blessing of Your appointed seasons.”

Adonoy, our God,

with the blessing of Your appointed seasons

for life and peace,

for joy and for happiness,

as You desired;

and You promised to bless us.¹¹

footnotes: ¹¹ For Adonoy, your God, will bless you through all your crops, and through all the work of your hands.—Deuteronomy 16:15

Our God and God of our fathers:

be pleased with our rest)

Sanctify us with Your commandments,

and give us a share in Your Torah,

satisfy us from Your goodness,

and gladden us with Your deliverance,

and purify our hearts to serve You in truth,¹²

footnotes: ¹² Even though the choice of being righteous and God-fearing was given to man, nevertheless, we ask God to help us achieve these goals we seek to attain. Our Sages have said, “ הַבָּא לְטַהֵר מְסַייעִין אוֹתוֹ . He who reaches to the decision to purify himself, is afforded Divine assistance” which enables him to achieve purity in serving God. (Yoma 38b)— Avudraham

and give us as a heritage, Adonoy, our God,

in love and in pleasure)

in joy and in happiness

the Sabbath, and)

Your appointed festivals of holiness

and may Israel rejoice in You—

[they who are] sanctifiers of Your Name.

Blessed are You, Adonoy,

Sanctifier of

the Sabbath, and)¹³

footnotes: ¹³ When a Festival falls on Shabbos, Shabbos is mentioned before Yom Tov because the Jews were given Shabbos before they received the Festivals.—Pesher Davar

Israel and the seasons.¹⁴

footnotes: ¹⁴ God sanctified the Jewish people, who in turn were charged with responsibility to set the time of the Festivals and thus they sanctified the Festivals.—Etz Yosef

PRAYER FOR RETURN OF DIVINE SERVICE

Be pleased, Adonoy, our God,

with Your people Israel and their prayer,

and restore the service

to the Holy of Holies in Your abode,

and the fire-offerings of Israel;

and accept their prayer, lovingly and willingly.

And may You always find pleasure

with the service of Your people, Israel.

And may our eyes behold

Your merciful return to Zion.

Blessed are You, Adonoy,

Who returns His Divine Presence to Zion.

We are thankful to You

that You Adonoy are our God

and the God of our fathers forever;

our Rock, Rock of our lives,

the Shield of our deliverance,

You are in every generation.

We will give thanks to You

and recount Your praise,

for our lives

which are committed into Your hand.

And for our souls which are entrusted to You,

and for Your miracles of every day with us

and for Your wonders and benefactions

at all times—

evening, morning and noon.

(You are) The Beneficent One—

for Your compassion is never withheld;

And (You are) the Merciful One—

for Your kindliness never ceases;

we have always placed our hope in You.

We are thankful to You,

that You Adonoy are our God

and God of our fathers,

God of all flesh,

Our Creator, Creator of the Beginning.

Blessings and thanksgivings

to Your great and holy Name

for keeping us alive, and sustaining us;

so may You always keep us alive

and sustain us,

and gather our exiles

to the Courtyards of Your Sanctuary

to observe Your statutes

and to do Your will,

and to serve You wholeheartedly

for we are thankful to You.

Blessed is the Almighty

to Whom all thanks are due.

And for all the foregoing

blessed, exalted and extolled

your Name, our King

constantly, forever and ever.

And all the living shall thank You forever

and praise and bless

Your great Name with sincerity forever;

for You are goodness—

the Almighty, Who is our deliverance

and our help forever—

the benevolent Almighty.

Blessed are You, Adonoy,

“The Beneficent” is Your Name

and You it is fitting to praise.

Our God, and God of our fathers, bless us

with the threefold blessing of the Torah,

written by the hand of Moses, Your servant,

pronounced from the mouth of Aaron

and his sons, the kohanim, Your holy people;

as it is said:

Adonoy bless you and guard you.

Adonoy shine His countenance upon you

and be gracious unto you.

Adonoy turn His countenance toward you

and grant you peace.

PRAYER FOR PEACE

Grant peace, goodness, and blessing,

life favor, kindness and compassion

upon us and upon all Israel, Your people.

Bless us, our Father, all of us as one

with the light of Your countenance.

For by the light of Your countenance

You gave us Adonoy our God,

a Torah of life and the love of kindliness,

righteousness, blessing, compassion,

life, and peace.

And may it be good in Your sight

to bless us

and to bless Your people Israel,

at all times and at every moment

with Your peace

(with much strength and peace).

Blessed are You, Adonoy,

Who blesses His people Israel

with peace.

May they be acceptable

the words of my mouth

and the thoughts of my heart, before You

Adonoy, my Rock and my Redeemer.

My God, guard my tongue from evil

and my lips from speaking deceitfully.

To those who curse me,

may my soul be unresponsive;

and let my soul be like dust to all.

Open my heart to Your Torah

and let my soul pursue Your commandments.

And all who plan evil against me,

quickly annul their counsel

and frustrate their intention.

(May it it be Your will

Adonoy, my God and God of my fathers,

that no person be envious of me

and that I not be envious of others,

that I not be brought to anger this day,

and that I not cause Your anger;

and save me from the evil inclination,

and help me be humble and any modest.

Our King and our Father,

unify Your Name in Your world,

rebuild Your city, establish Your house

and perfect your sanctuary.

Gather our exiles,

redeem Your people, rejoice Your congregation).

Act for the sake of Your Name.

Act for the sake of Your right hand.

Act for the sake of Your Torah.

Act for the sake of Your holiness.

In order that Your loved ones be released,

deliver [with] Your right hand and answer me.

May they be acceptable—

the words of my mouth

and the thoughts of my heart—before You

Adonoy, my Rock and my Redeemer.

He Who makes peace

in His high heavens

may He make peace

upon us and upon all Israel

and say Amein.

May it be Your will,

Adonoy, our God, and the God of our Fathers

that the Holy Temple be rebuilt

speedily in our days,

and grant us our share in Your Torah.

And there we will serve You reverently

as in the days of old,

and in earlier years.

And let Adonoy be pleased

with the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem

as in the days of old and in earlier years.