Birchat HaChamah

The blessing on the sun should be recited on Wednesday morning, April 8, 2009, after sunrise and before a quarter of the day has elapsed—the earlier the better. If one missed this time, the blessing can be recited until midday.

Ideally, the blessing should be recited outdoors after the morning prayers, amidst a grand gathering of men, women and children—as befits the excitement accompanying the fulfillment of such a rare mitzvah.

Make sure to involve the kids and have them say the blessing. It’s a memory for a lifetime!

Birchat HaChamah Service

The service begins with the praise of the sun from creation:

Bereshit (Genesis) 1: ^14God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate day from night; they shall serve as signs for the set times—the days and the years; ^15and they shall serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.” And it was so. ^16God made the two great lights, the greater light to dominate the day and the lesser light to dominate the night, and the stars. ^17And God set them in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth, ^18to dominate the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that this was good. ^19And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.^[1]

Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) 31:^34No longer will they need to teach one another and say to one another, “Heed the Lord“; for all of them, from the least of them to the greatest, shall heed Me—declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquities, And remember their sins no more. ^35Thus said the Lord, Who established the sun for light by day, The laws of moon and stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea into roaring waves, Whose name is Lord of Hosts: ^36If these laws should ever be annulled by Me —declares the Lord—Only then would the offspring of Israel cease To be a nation before Me for all time. ^37Thus said the Lord: If the heavens above could be measured, and the foundations of the earth below could be fathomed, only then would I reject all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done—declares the Lord. ^38See, a time is coming—declares the Lord—when the city shall be rebuilt for the Lord from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate; ^39and the measuring line shall go straight out to the Gareb Hill, and then turn toward Goah. ^[2]

Tehillim (Psalms) 136: 1 Praise the Lord; for He is good, His steadfast love is eternal. ^2Praise the God of gods, His steadfast love is eternal. ^3Praise the Lord of lords, His steadfast love is eternal; ^4Who alone works great marvels, His steadfast love is eternal; ^5Who made the heavens with wisdom, His steadfast love is eternal; ^6Who spread the earth over the water, His steadfast love is eternal; ^7Who made the great lights, His steadfast love is eternal; ^8the sun to dominate the day, His steadfast love is eternal; ^9the moon and the stars to dominate the night, His steadfast love is eternal;^[3]

Tehillim (Psalms) 84: ^12For the Lord God is sun^c and shield; the Lord bestows grace and glory; He does not withhold His bounty from those who live without blame.^{[4] 13}O Lord of hosts, happy is the man who trusts in You.^[5].

Tehillim (Psalms) 72: ^5Let them fear You as long as the sun shines, while the moon lasts, generations on end.^[6]

Tehillim (Psalms) 75: When ^3“At the time I choose, I will give judgment equitably. ^[7]

Malachi 3: ^20But for you who revere My name a sun of victory shall rise ^h-to bring healing.^-h[8]

Tehillim (Psalms) 97: The Lord is king! Let the earth exult, the many islands rejoice! ^2Dense clouds are around Him, righteousness and justice are the base of His throne. ^3Fire is His vanguard, burning His foes on every side. ^4His lightnings light up the world; the earth is convulsed at the sight; ^5mountains melt like wax at the Lord’s presence, at the presence of the Lord of all the earth. ^6The heavens proclaim His righteousness and all peoples see His glory.^[9]

Berachoth 59b Our Rabbis taught: He who sees the sun at its turning point, the moon in its power, the planets in their orbits, and the signs of the mazzaroth in their orderly progress, should say: Blessed be He who has wrought the work of creation. And when [does this happen]? — Abaye said: Every twenty-eight years when the cycle begins again and the Nisan [Spring] equinox falls in Shabbtai - שבתי (Saturn) on the evening of Tuesday, going into Wednesday.

We read Tehillim (Psalms) 148 just before the blessing:

Tehillim (Psalms) 148: Hallelujah. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him on high. ^2Praise Him, all His angels, Praise Him, all His hosts. ^3Praise Him, sun and moon, praise Him, all bright stars. ^4Praise Him, highest heavens, and you waters that are above the heavens. ^5Let them praise the name of the Lord, for it was He who commanded that they be created. ^6He made them endure forever, establishing an order that shall never change. ^7Praise the Lord, O you who are on earth, all sea monsters and ocean depths, ^8fire and hail, snow and smoke, storm wind that executes His command, ^9all mountains and hills, all fruit trees and cedars, ^10all wild and tamed beasts, creeping things and winged birds, ^11all kings and peoples of the earth, all princes of the earth and its judges, ^12youths and maidens alike, old and young together. ^13Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name, His alone, is sublime; His splendor covers heaven and earth. ^14He has exalted the horn of His people for the glory of all His faithful ones, Israel, the people close to Him. Hallelujah. ^[10]

Tehillim (Psalm) 90 A prayer of Moses, the man of God. O Lord, You have been our refuge in every generation. ^2Before the mountains came into being, before You brought forth the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity You are God. ^3You return man to dust;^a You decreed, “Return you mortals!” ^{4b-}For in Your sight a thousand years are like yesterday that has past, like a watch of the night. ^5You engulf men in sleep;^-b at daybreak they are like grass that renews itself; ^6at daybreak it flourishes anew; by dusk it withers and dries up. ^7So we are consumed by Your anger, terror-struck by Your fury. ^8You have set our iniquities before You, our hidden sins in the light of Your face. ^9All our days pass away in Your wrath; we spend our years like a sigh. ^10The span of our life is seventy years, or, given the strength, eighty years; but the ^b-best of them^-b are trouble and sorrow. They pass by speedily, and we ^c-are in darkness.^{-c 11}Who can know Your furious anger? Your wrath matches the fear of You. ^12Teach us to count our days rightly, that we may obtain a wise heart. ^13Turn, O Lord! How long? Show mercy to Your servants. ^14Satisfy us at daybreak with Your steadfast love that we may sing for joy all our days. ^15Give us joy for as long as You have afflicted us, for the years we have suffered misfortune. ^16Let Your deeds be seen by Your servants, Your glory by their children. ^17May the favor of the Lord, our God, be upon us; let the work of our hands prosper, O prosper the work of our hands!^[11]

Then we say the following blessing:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, עֹשֵׂה מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית:

Barukh attah Adonai, Eloheynu Melekh ha’ olam, oseh ma’aseh ve’reshit.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who re-enacts the work of Creation.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָֽנוּ וְקִיְּמָֽנוּ וְהִגִּיעָֽנוּ לִזְמַן הַזֶּה:

Barukh attah Adonai, Eloheynu Melekh ha’ olam, shehecheyanu vekiymanu vehigianu lazman hazeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

Tehillim (Psalm) 121 A song for ascents. I turn my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come? ^2My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth. ^3He will not let your foot give way; your guardian will not slumber; ^4See, the guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps! ^5The Lord is your guardian, the Lord is your protection at your right hand. ^6By day the sun will not strike you, nor the moon by night. ^7The Lord will guard you from all harm; He will guard your life. ^8The Lord will guard your going and coming now and forever. ^[12]

Tehillim (Psalm) 19 For the leader. A psalm of David. ^2The heavens declare the glory of God, the sky proclaims His handiwork. ^3Day to day makes utterance, night to night speaks out. ^4There is no utterance, there are no words, ^a-whose sound goes unheard.^{-a 5}Their voice^b carries throughout the earth, their words to the end of the world. He placed in them^c a tent for the sun, ^6who is like a groom coming forth from the chamber, like a hero, eager to run his course. ^7His rising-place is at one end of heaven, and his circuit reaches the other; nothing escapes his heat. ^8The teaching of the Lord is perfect, renewing life; the decrees of the Lord are enduring, making the simple wise; ^9The precepts of the Lord are just, rejoicing the heart; the instruction of the Lord is lucid, making the eyes light up. ^10The fear of the Lord is pure, abiding forever; the judgments of the Lord are true, righteous altogether, ^11more desirable than gold, than much fine gold; sweeter than honey, than drippings of the comb. ^12Your servant pays them heed; in obeying them there is much reward. ^13Who can be aware of errors? Clear me of unperceived guilt, ^14and from ^d-willful sins^-d keep Your servant; let them not dominate me; then shall I be blameless and clear of grave offense. ^15May the words of my mouth and the prayer of my heart^e be acceptable to You, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer ^[13]

Tehillim (Psalm) 8 ^a-For the leader; on the gittith.^-a A psalm of David. ^2O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name throughout the earth, ^b-You who have covered the heavens with Your splendor! ^{-b 3a-}From the mouths of infants and sucklings You have founded strength on account of Your foes, to put an end to enemy and avenger.^{-a 4}When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and stars that You set in place, ^5what is man that You have been mindful of him, mortal man that You have taken note of him, ^6that You have made him little less than divine,^c and adorned him with glory and majesty; ^7You have made him master over Your handiwork, laying the world at his feet, ^8sheep and oxen, all of them, and wild beasts, too; ^9the birds of the heavens, the fish of the sea, whatever travels the paths of the seas. ^10O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name throughout the earth!^[14]

Habakkuk 3: ^11Sun [and] moon stand still on high As Your arrows fly in brightness, Your flashing spear in brilliance. ^[15]

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 60: Arise, shine, for your light has dawned; The Presence of the Lord has shone upon you! ^[16]

El Adon Al Kol Hama’asim

(G-D Is Lord G-D Is Lord Over All Creation) 

G-d is the Lord of all creation
Blessed and praised is he by every soul
His greatness and goodness fill the universe
knowledge and wisdom surround him
He is exalted above the celestial beings
And adorned in glory above the chariot
Purity and justice stand before his throne
Kindness and mercy are in his glorious presence
Good are the luminaries which our G-d created,
made with knowledge, wisdom and insight
He placed in them energy and power
To have dominion over the world
Full of splendor they radiate brightness;
Beautiful is their brilliance throughout the world
They rejoice in their rising and exult in their setting
performing with reverence the will of their Creator
Glory and honor do they give to his name,
And joyous song to his majestic fame
He called forth the sun, and it shone;
He saw fit to regulate the form of the moon
All the hosts of heaven give him praise;
All the celestial beings attribute glory and grandeur

Aleinu / Our Duty / עָלֵֽינוּ

עָלֵֽינוּ לְשַׁבֵּֽחַ לַאֲדוֹן הַכֹּל, לָתֵת גְּדֻלָּה לְיוֹצֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁלֹּא עָשָֽׂנוּ כְּגוֹיֵי הָאֲרָצוֹת, וְלֹא שָׂמָֽנוּ כְּמִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאֲדָמָה, שֶׁלֹא שָׂם חֶלְקֵֽנוּ כָּהֶם, וְגֹרָלֵֽנוּ כְּכָל הֲמוֹנָם, (שֶׁהֵם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לְהֶֽבֶל וָרִיק, וּמִתְפַּלְלִים אֶל אֵל לֹא יוֹשִֽׁיעַ,) וַאֲנַֽחְנוּ כּוֹרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים וּמוֹדִים, לִפְנֵי מֶֽלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. שֶׁהוּא נוֹטֶה שָׁמַֽיִם וְיֹסֵד אָֽרֶץ, וּמוֹשַׁב יְקָרוֹ בַּשָּׁמַֽיִם מִמַּֽעַל, וּשְׁכִינַת עֻזּוֹ בְּגָבְהֵי מְרוֹמִים, הוּא אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ אֵין עוֹד. אֱמֶת מַלְכֵּֽנוּ, אֶֽפֶס זוּלָתוֹ, כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתוֹ: וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶֽךָ, כִּי יְיָ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַֽים מִמַּֽעַל, וְעַל הָאָֽרֶץ מִתָּֽחַת, אֵין עוֹד.

Aleinu l’shabei-ach la-adon hakol, lateit g’dulah l’yotzeir b’reishit, shelo asanu k’goyei ha-aratzot, v’lo samanu k’mishp’chot ha-adamah, shelo sam chelkeinu kahem, v’goraleinu k’chol hamonam, (sheheim mishtachavim l’hevel varik, umitpal’lim el eil lo yoshi-a,) va-anachnu kor’im umishtachavim umodim, lifnei melech malchei ham’lachim, hakadosh baruch hu. Shehu noteh shamayim v’yoseid aretz, umoshav y’karo bashamayim mima-al, ush’chinat uzo b’gav’hei m’romim, hu Eloheinu ein od. Emet malkeinu, efes zulato, kakatuv b’torato: v’yadata Hayom vahasheivota el l’vavecha, ki Adonai hu ha-elohim bashamam mima-al, v’al ha-aretz mitachat, ein od.

It is our duty to praise the Master of all, to ascribe greatness to the Molder of primeval creation, for He has not made us like the nations of the lands and has not emplaced us like the families of the earth; for He has not assigned our portion like theirs nor our lot like all their multitudes (For they bow to vanity and emptiness and pray to a god which helps not.) But we bend our knees, bow, and acknowledge our thanks before the King Who reigns over kings, the Holy One, blessed is He. He stretches out heaven and establishes earth’s foundation, the seat of His homage is in the heavens above and His powerful Presence is in the loftiest heights. He is our God and there is none other. True is our King, there is nothing beside Him, as it is written in His Torah: ‘ You are to know this day and take to your heart that God is the only God–in heaven above and on the earth below—there is none other.’ Deuteronomy 4:39

Makkoth 23b R. Hanaiah ben Akashia says: The Holy One, blessed be He, desired to make Israel worthy, therefore gave He them the law [to study] and many commandments [to do]: For it is said: HaShem was pleased for His righteousness’ sake, to make the law great and glorious.

Kaddish Shalem / Full Kaddish / לש”ץ קדיש שלם

יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא. בְּעָלְמָא דִּי בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ, וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ, וְיַצְמַח פֻּרְקָנֵהּ וִיקָרֵב מְשִׁיחֵהּ. בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:

יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא. יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאַר וְיִתְרוֹמַם וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא וְיִתְהַדָּר וְיִתְעַלֶּה וְיִתְהַלָּל שְׁמֵהּ דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְעֵֽלָּא מִן כָּל (בעשי”ת לְעֵֽלָּא וּלְעֵֽלָּא מִכָּל) בִּרְכָתָא וְשִׁירָתָא תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָא וְנֶחֱמָתָא, דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן.

תִּתְקַבֵּל צְלוֹתְהוֹן וּבָעוּתְהוֹן דְּכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל קֳדָם אֲבוּהוֹן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:

יְהֵא שְׁלָמָא רַבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּא וְחַיִּים טוֹבִים עָלֵֽינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:

עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם (בעשי”ת יש אומרים: הַשָּׁלוֹם) בִּמְרוֹמָיו, הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵֽינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:

Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’meih raba. B’al’ma di v’ra chiruteih, v’yamlich malchuteih b’chayeichon uv’yomeichon uv’chayei d’chol beit yisra-eil, ba-agala uvizman kariv, v’imru amein.

Y’hei sh’meih raba m’varach l’alam ul’al’mei al’maya.

Yitbarach v’yishtabach v’yitpa-ar v’yitromam v’yitnasei v’yithadar v’yitaleh v’yithalal sh’meih d’kudsha b’rich hu, l’eila min kol (during the Ten days of Penitence, l’eila u l’eila mi kol) birchata v’shirata tushb’chata v’nechemata, da-amiran b’al’ma, v’imru amein.

Y’hei sh’lama raba min sh’maya, v’chayim (tovim) aleinu v’al kol yisra-eil, v’imru amein.

Oseh shalom (during the Ten days of Penitence, some say ha-shalom) bimromav, hu ya-aseh shalom aleinu v’al kol yisra-eil, v’imru amein.

May His great Name grow exalted and sanctified (Amen) in the world that He created as He willed. May He give reign to His kingship in your lifetimes and in your days, and in the lifetime of the entire Family of Israel, swiftly and soon. Now respond : Amen

(Amen. May His great Name be blessed forever and ever.)

Blessed, praised, glorified, exalted, extolled, mighty, upraised, and lauded be the Name of the Holy One, Blessed is He ( Blessed is He) (from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur add: exceedingly) beyond any blessing and song, praise and consolation that are uttered in the world. Now respond: Amen (Amen)

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and life, upon us and upon all Israel. Now respond: Amen (Amen)

He Who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace upon us, and upon all Israel. Now respond: Amen (Amen)