Sacred Texts  Judaism  Index  Previous  Next 


The Standard Prayer Book, tr. by Simeon Singer, [1915], at sacred-texts.com


p. 432

BLESSINGS ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS

Before drinking Wine:—

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who createst the fruit of the vine.

Before partaking of Food, other than Bread, prepared from any of "the five species of Grain" (wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt):—

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who createst various kinds of food.

After any Food, excepting Bread:—

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe,

After Wine:—

—for the vine and the fruit of the vine;

After partaking of Grapes, Figs, Pomegranates, Olives or Dates:—

—for the tree and the fruit of the tree;

After Food prepared as above:—

—for the sustenance and the nourishment;

After Food prepared as above and Wine:—

—for the sustenance and the nourishment, the vine and the fruit of the vine;

—for the produce of the field; for the desirable, good and ample land which thou vast pleased to give as an heritage unto our fathers, that they might eat of its fruits and be satisfied with its goodness. Have mercy, O Lord our God, upon Israel thy people, upon Jerusalem thy city, upon Zion the abiding place of thy glory, upon thine altar and thy temple. Rebuild Jerusalem, the holy city, speedily in our days; lead us up thither and make us rejoice in its rebuilding.

p. 433

[paragraph continues] May we eat of the fruits of the land, and be satisfied with its goodness, and bless thee for it in holiness and purity.

On Sabbath say:—

Be pleased to fortify us on this Sabbath day.

On New Moon:—

Be mindful of us on this day of the New Moon.

On Festivals:—

Make us rejoice

On Passover:—

On this Feast of Unleavened Bread.

On Pentecost:—

On this Feast of Weeks.

On Tabernacles:—

On this Feast of Tabernacles.

On the Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly and on the Rejoicing of the Law:—

On this Eighth-day Feast of Solemn Assembly.

On New Year:—

Be mindful of us for good on this Day of Memorial. For thou, O Lord, art good and beneficent unto all; and we will give thee thanks for the land,

After Wine:—

and for the fruit of the vine. Blessed art thou, O Lord, for the land and for the fruit of the vine.

p. 434

After Fruit:—

—and for the fruits. Blessed art thou, O Lord, for the land and for the fruits.

After Food prepared from any of "the five species of Grain":—

—and for the sustenance. Blessed art thou, O Lord, for the land and for the sustenance.

After Food prepared as above and Wine:—

—for the sustenance and for the fruit of the vine. Blessed art thou, O Lord, for the land, the sustenance and the fruit of the vine.

If Wine and Fruit are partaken of at the same time, begin the Blessing thus:—

—for the vine and the fruit of the vine, the tree and the fruit of the tree.

and conclude:—

—for the land, the vine and the fruits. Blessed art thou, O Lord, for the land, the vine and the fruits.

If Food prepared from any of "the five species of Grain," and Fruit are partaken of at the same time, begin:—

—for the sustenance and the nourishment, the tree and the fruit of the tree.

and conclude:—

—for the land, the sustenance and the fruits. Blessed art thou, O Lord, for the land, the sustenance and the fruits.

If Food prepared from any of "the five species of Grain," Fruit and Wine are partaken of at the same time, begin:—

—for the sustenance and the nourishment, for the vine and the fruit of the vine, for the tree and the fruit of the tree.

p. 435

And conclude:—

Blessed art thou, O Lord, for the sustenance and the nourishment, for the vine and the fruit of the vine, for the tree and the fruit of the tree.

All the following Blessings begin with the words, "Blessed art thou O Lord our God, King of the universe."

On eating Fruit which grows on trees:—

—who createst the fruit of the tree.

On eating Fruit which grows on the Ground, Herbage, etc.:—

—who createst the fruit of the earth.

On partaking of Flesh, Fish, Eggs, Cheese, etc., or drinking any Liquor except Wine:—

—by whose word all things exist.

After partaking of any of the Aliments referred to in the three preceding Blessings:—

—who createst many living beings with their wants, for all the means thou hast created wherewith to sustain the life of each of them. Blessed be he who is the life of all worlds.

On smelling Fragrant Woods or Barks:—

—who createst fragrant woods.

On smelling Odorous Plants:—

—who createst odorous plants.

On smelling Odorous Fruits:—

—who givest a goodly scent to fruits.

On smelling Fragrant Spices:—

—who createst divers kinds of spices.

p. 436

On smelling Fragrant Oils:—

—who createst fragrant oil.

On witnessing Lightning, or on seeing Falling Stars, Lofty Mountains, or Great Deserts:—

—who hast made the creation.

On hearing Thunder:—

—whose strength and might fill the world.

At the sight of the Sea:—

—who hast made the great sea.

On seeing beautiful Trees or Animals:—

—who hast such as these in thy world.

On seeing the Rainbow:—

—who rememberest the covenant, art faithful to thy covenant, and keepest thy promise.

On seeing Trees blossoming the first time in the Year:—

—who hast made thy world lacking in nought, but hast produced therein goodly creatures and goodly trees wherewith to give delight unto the children of men.

On seeing a Sage distinguished for his knowledge of the Law:—

—who hast imparted of thy wisdom to them that fear thee.

On seeing Wise Men distinguished for other than Sacred Knowledge—

—who hast given of thy wisdom to flesh and blood.

p. 437

On seeing a King and his Court:—

—who hast given of thy glory to flesh and blood.

On seeing strangely formed Persons, such as Giants or Dwarfs:—

—who variest the forms of thy creatures.

On fixing a Mezuzah:—

—who hast sanctified us by thy commandments, and commanded us to affix the Mezuzah.

On tasting any Fruit for the first time in the season; on entering into possession of a new House or Land; or on using new Raiment for the first time:—

—who hast kept us in life and hast preserved us, and hast enabled us to reach this season.

On hearing Good Tidings:—

—who art good, and dispensest good.

On hearing Evil Tidings:—

—the true Judge.

The following is said on the Appearance of the New Moon:—

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, by whose word the heavens were created, and by the breath of whose mouth all their host. Thou didst assign them a statute and a season, that they should not change their appointed charge. They are glad and rejoice to do the will of their Master, the truthful Worker whose work is truth, who bade the moon renew itself, a crown of glory unto those that have been upborne by him from the womb, who in the time to come will themselves be renewed like it, to honor their Creator for his glorious kingdom's sake. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who renewest the months.


Next: Prayers Before Retiring to Rest at Night