Amidora

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Me'ein Sheva

Ashkenaz · Shabbat · Maariv · Me'ein Sheva

Nusach
Ashkenaz
Edition
Translation based on the Metsudah linear siddur, by Avrohom Davis, 1981

Me'ein Sheva

The following prayer, בְּרָכָה מֵעֵין שֶׁבַע the abridged form of the seven blessings of the Maariv Shemoneh Esrei, is said only by the Chazzan. This prayer is not said if the first night of Passover occurs on Friday night. It is also not recited when prayers are held in the house of a bridegroom or in the house of a mourner. It is to be said only in a place that has been designated as a permanent place of prayer.

Blessed are You, Adonoy, our God and God of our fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob; the Almighty, the Great, the Powerful, the Awesome, the most high Almighty, Possessor of heaven and earth.

The congregation may recite the following paragraph, which should then be repeated aloud and in its entirety by the Chazzan.

Shield of [our] fathers with His word, Resurrector of the dead with His utterance; the Almighty, the Holy One (Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, substitute:) the King, the Holy One) Who has no peer. He gives rest to His people on the day of His holy Shabbos for with them He was pleased to grant them rest. Before Him we will serve with fear and trepidation, and give thanks to His Name every day continuously, from the essence of the blessings. Almighty of thanksgiving, Master of peace, Sanctifier of the Shabbos, Who blesses the seventh day and grants rest in sanctity to a people sated with delight— in commemoration of the work of creation.

This paragraph is a précis of the entire Shemoneh Esrei just recited: The first line refers to the blessing מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם , “Shield of Abraham.”

This line refers to the blessing מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים , “Who restores the dead to life.”

This line refers to the blessing הָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ , “The Almighty, the Holy One.”

This line refers to the prayer רְצֵה בִמְנוּחָתֵֽנוּ , “Be pleased with our rest.”

This line refers to the prayer רְצֵה in which we ask God to be pleased with our prayer and restore the Temple service.

This line refers to the blessing of מוֹדִים אֲנַֽחְנוּ לָךְ , “We are thankful to You.”

We thank God each day in accordance with the blessing appropriate for that particular day.

This line refers to the closing prayer of the Shemoneh Esrei, “Bestow peace.”—Avudraham

God commanded us to preserve the Sabbath as a reminder that He created the world.—Etz Yosef

Our God, and God of our fathers, be pleased with our rest, sanctify us with Your commandments and give us our share in Your Torah; satisfy us from Your goodness and gladden us with Your deliverance, and purify our hearts to serve You in truth. And give us as our inheritance, Adonoy our God, in love and in pleasure Your holy Shabbos; and may Israel rest thereon— the sanctifiers of Your Name. Blessed are You Adonoy, Sanctifier of Shabbos.

Where it comes in the siddur

Texts and sources

Every prayer text in Amidora comes from openly licensed editions published on Sefaria. Only editions released under CC-BY, CC0 or the public domain are included.