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Birkat Hachamah Texts
Text of the "Blessing on the Sun" Ceremony, in Hebrew and English
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Click here for a printable PDF of the Birkat Hachamah prayer service
including Hebrew, English, and transliteration.
Compliments of Kehot Publication Society.
Preferably, the Blessing of the Sun should be recited between sunrise and the end of the third "proportional hour" of the day (each "hour" is defined as one twelfth of the time between sunrise and sunset). If this is not viable, it may be recited until noon (the end of six "proportional hours").
It should be recited following Shacharit, if possible with a minyan of ten.
The Blessing of the Sun is recited facing east.
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Praise the L-rd. Praise the L-rd from the heavens; praise Him in the celestial heights. Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts. Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all the shining stars. Praise Him, heaven of heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens. Let them praise the Name of the L-rd, for He commanded and they were created. He has established them forever, for all time; He issued a decree, and it shall not be transgressed. 1
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הַלְלוּיָהּ, הַלְלוּ אֶת יְיָ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, הַלְלֽוּהוּ בַּמְּרוֹמִים: הַלְלֽוּהוּ כָל מַלְאָכָיו, הַלְלֽוּהוּ כָּל צְבָאָיו: הַלְלֽוּהוּ שֶׁמֶשׁ וְיָרֵחַ, הַלְלֽוּהוּ כָּל כּֽוֹכְבֵי אוֹר: הַלְלֽוּהוּ שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם, וְהַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל הַשָּׁמָיִם: יְהַלְלוּ אֶת שֵׁם יְיָ, כִּי הוּא צִוָּה וְנִבְרָאוּ: וַיַּעֲמִידֵם לָעַד לְעוֹלָם, חָק נָתַן וְלֹא יַעֲבוֹר:
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Place your feet together and glance once at the sun before reciting the following blessing.
Once the blessing is begun, do not look at the sun at all.
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Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who re-enacts the work of Creation.
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בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, עֹשֵׂה מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית:
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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.
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בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְמַן הַזֶּה:
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For the Choirmaster; a Psalm by David. The heavens recount the glory of the Almighty; the sky proclaims His handiwork. Day to day speech streams forth; night to night expresses knowledge. There is no utterance, there are no words; their voice is inaudible. Their arc extends throughout the world; their message to the end of the earth. He set in them [in the heavens] a tent for the sun which is like a groom coming forth from his bridal canopy, like a strong man rejoicing to run the course. Its rising is at one end of the heavens, and its orbit encompasses the other ends; nothing is hidden from its heat. The Torah of the L-rd is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the L-rd is trustworthy, making wise the simpleton. The precepts of the L-rd are just, rejoicing the heart; the mitzvah of the L-rd is clear, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the L-rd is pure, abiding forever; the judgments of the L-rd are true, they are all righteous together. They are more desirable than gold, than much fine gold; sweeter than honey or the drippings of the honeycomb. Indeed, Your servant is scrupulous with them; in observing them there is abundant reward. Yet, who can discern inadvertent wrongs? Purge me of hidden sins. Also, hold back Your servant from willful sins; let them not prevail over me; then I will be unblemished and keep myself clean of gross transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, L-rd, my Strength and my Redeemer. 2
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לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד: הַשָּׁמַיִם מְסַפְּרִים כְּבוֹד אֵל, וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו מַגִּיד הָרָקִיעַ: יוֹם לְיוֹם יַבִּיעַ אֹֽמֶר, וְלַיְלָה לְלַיְלָה יְחַוֶּה דָּעַת: אֵין אֹֽמֶר וְאֵין דְּבָרִים, בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם: בְּכָל הָאָֽרֶץ יָצָא קַוָּם וּבִקְצֵה תֵבֵל מִלֵּיהֶם, לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ שָׂם אֹֽהֶל בָּהֶם: וְהוּא כְּחָתָן יֹצֵא מֵחֻפָּתוֹ, יָשִׂישׂ כְּגִבּוֹר לָרוּץ אֹֽרַח: מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם מוֹצָאוֹ, וּתְקוּפָתוֹ עַל קְצוֹתָם, וְאֵין נִסְתָּר מֵחַמָּתוֹ: תּוֹרַת יְיָ תְּמִימָה מְשִׁיבַת נָפֶשׁ, עֵדוּת יְיָ נֶאֱמָנָה מַחְכִּימַת פֶּתִי: פִּקּוּדֵי יְיָ יְשָׁרִים מְשַׂמְּחֵי לֵב, מִצְוַת יְיָ בָּרָה מְאִירַת עֵינָיִם: יִרְאַת יְיָ טְהוֹרָה עוֹמֶדֶת לָעַד, מִשְׁפְּטֵי יְיָ אֱמֶת, צָדְקוּ יַחְדָּו: הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפַּז רָב, וּמְתוּקִים מִדְּבַשׁ וְנֹֽפֶת צוּפִים: גַּם עַבְדְּךָ נִזְהָר בָּהֶם, בְּשָׁמְרָם עֵקֶב רָב: שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי יָבִין, מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי: גַּם מִזֵּדִים חֲשֹׂךְ עַבְדֶּךָ, אַל יִמְשְׁלוּ בִי, אָז אֵיתָם, וְנִקֵּיתִי מִפֶּשַׁע רָב: יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ, יְיָ צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי:
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A song of ascents. I lift my eyes to the mountains—from where will my help come? My help will come from the L-rd, Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot falter; your guardian does not slumber. Indeed, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. The L-rd is your guardian; the L-rd is your protective shade at your right hand. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The L-rd will guard you from all evil; He will guard your soul. The L-rd will guard your going and coming from now and for all time. 3
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שִׁיר לַמַּעֲלוֹת, אֶשָּׂא עֵינַי אֶל הֶהָרִים, מֵאַֽיִן יָבוֹא עֶזְרִי: עֶזְרִי מֵעִם יְיָ, עֹשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָֽרֶץ: אַל יִתֵּן לַמּוֹט רַגְלֶךָ, אַל יָנוּם שֹׁמְרֶךָ: הִנֵּה לֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן, שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל: יְיָ שֹׁמְרֶךָ, יְיָ צִלְּךָ עַל יַד יְמִינֶךָ: יוֹמָם הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לֹא יַכֶּכָּה, וְיָרֵחַ בַּלָּיְלָה: יְיָ יִשְׁמָרְךָ מִכָּל רָע, יִשְׁמֹר אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ: יְיָ יִשְׁמָר צֵאתְךָ וּבוֹאֶךָ, מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם:
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Praise the L-rd. Praise G‑d in His holiness; praise Him in the firmament of His strength. Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to His abundant greatness. Praise Him with the call of the shofar; praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and flute. Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with clanging cymbals. Let every being that has a soul praise the L-rd. Praise the L-rd. 4
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הַלְלוּיָהּ, הַלְלוּ אֵל בְּקָדְשׁוֹ, הַלְלֽוּהוּ בִּרְקִיעַ עֻזּוֹ: הַלְלֽוּהוּ בִּגְבוּרֹתָיו, הַלְלֽוּהוּ כְּרֹב גֻּדְלוֹ: הַלְלֽוּהוּ בְּתֵקַע שׁוֹפָר, הַלְלֽוּהוּ בְּנֵבֶל וְכִנּוֹר: הַלְלֽוּהוּ בְּתֹף וּמָחוֹל, הַלְלֽוּהוּ בְּמִנִּים וְעֻגָב: הַלְלֽוּהוּ בְּצִלְצְלֵי שָׁמַע, הַלְלֽוּהוּ בְּצִלְצְלֵי תְרוּעָה: כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ הַלְלוּיָהּ:
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Our Rabbis taught: One who sees the sun at its turning point, should say, "Blessed be He who re-enacts the [work of] creation." When is this? Abbaye said: Every twenty-eight years, when the cycle begins again, and the Nissan [spring] equinox falls in Saturn, on the evening of Tuesday, going into Wednesday. 5
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תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן: הָרוֹאֶה חַמָּה בִתְקוּפָתָה, אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ עוֹשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית. וְאֵימַת הֲוֵי? אָמַר אַבַּיֵי: כָּל כ"ח שְׁנִין, וַהֲדַר מַחֲזוֹר, וְנָפְלָה תְּקוּפַת נִיסָן בְּשַׁבְּתָאִי, בְּאוּרְתָּא דִתְלַת, נַגְהֵי אַרְבַּע:
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For the Choirmaster; a song with instrumental music; a Psalm. May G‑d be gracious to us and bless us, may He make His countenance shine upon us forever, that Your way be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. The nations will extol You, O G‑d; all the nations will extol You. The nations will rejoice and sing for joy, for You will judge the peoples justly and guide the nations on earth forever. The peoples will extol You, O G‑d; all the peoples will extol You, for the earth will have yielded its produce, and G‑d, our G‑d, will bless us. G‑d will bless us; and all, from the farthest corners of the earth, shall fear Him. 6
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לַמְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינֹת מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר: אֱלֹהִים יְחָנֵּנוּ וִיבָרְכֵנוּ, יָאֵר פָּנָיו אִתָּנוּ סֶלָה: לָדַעַת בָּאָֽרֶץ דַּרְכֶּךָ, בְּכָל גּוֹיִם יְשׁוּעָתֶךָ: יוֹדֽוּךָ עַמִּים אֱלֹהִים, יוֹדֽוּךָ עַמִּים כֻּלָּם: יִשְׂמְחוּ וִירַנְּנוּ לְאֻמִּים, כִּי תִשְׁפֹּט עַמִּים מִישֹׁר, וּלְאֻמִּים בָּאָֽרֶץ תַּנְחֵם סֶלָה: יוֹדֽוּךָ עַמִּים אֱלֹהִים, יוֹדֽוּךָ עַמִּים כֻּלָּם: אֶרֶץ נָתְנָה יְבוּלָהּ, יְבָרְכֵנוּ אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֵינוּ: יְבָרְכֵנוּ אֱלֹהִים, וְיִירְאוּ אוֹתוֹ כָּל אַפְסֵי אָֽרֶץ:
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It is incumbent upon us to praise the Master of all things, to exalt the Creator of all existence, that He has not made us like the nations of the world, nor caused us to be like the families of the earth; that He has not assigned us a portion like theirs, nor a lot like that of all their multitudes, for they bow to vanity and nothingness. But we bend the knee, bow down, and offer praise before the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, who stretches forth the heavens and establishes the earth, the seat of whose glory is in the heavens above, and the abode of whose majesty is in the loftiest heights. He is our G‑d; there is none else. Truly, He is our King; there is nothing besides Him, as it is written in His Torah: Know this day and take unto your heart that the L-rd is G‑d; in the heavens above and upon the earth below there is nothing else. 7
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עָלֵינוּ לְשַׁבֵּחַ לַאֲדוֹן הַכֹּל, לָתֵת גְּדֻלָּה לְיוֹצֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂנוּ כְּגוֹיֵי הָאֲרָצוֹת, וְלֹא שָׂמָנוּ כְּמִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאֲדָמָה, שֶׁלֹּא שָׂם חֶלְקֵנוּ כָּהֶם, וְגוֹרָלֵנוּ כְּכָל הֲמוֹנָם, שֶׁהֵם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לְהֶבֶל וְלָרִיק. וַאֲנַחְנוּ כּוֹרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים וּמוֹדִים לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. שֶׁהוּא נוֹטֶה שָׁמַים וְיוֹסֵד אָֽרֶץ, וּמוֹשַׁב יְקָרוֹ בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל, וּשְׁכִינַת עֻזּוֹ בְּגָבְהֵי מְרוֹמִים. הוּא אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֵין עוֹד, אֱמֶת מַלְכֵּנוּ, אֶפֶס זוּלָתוֹ, כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתוֹ: וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ, כִּי יְיָ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים, בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וְעַל הָאָֽרֶץ מִתָּחַת, אֵין עוֹד:
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And therefore we hope to You, L-rd our G‑d, that we may speedily behold the splendor of Your might, to banish idolatry from the earth—and false G‑ds will be utterly destroyed; to perfect the world under the sovereignty of the Almighty. All mankind shall invoke Your Name, to turn to You all the wicked of the earth. Then all the inhabitants of the world will recognize and know that every knee should bend to You, every tongue should swear [by Your Name]. Before You, L-rd our G‑d, they will bow and prostrate themselves, and give honor to the glory of Your Name; and they will all take upon themselves the yoke of Your kingdom. May You soon reign over them forever and ever, for kingship is Yours, and to all eternity You will reign in glory, as it is written in Your Torah: The L-rd will reign forever and ever. 8 And it is said: The L-rd will be King over the entire earth; on that day the L-rd will be One and His Name One. 9
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וְעַל כֵּן נְקַוֶּה לְּךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, לִרְאוֹת מְהֵרָה בְּתִפְאֶרֶת עֻזֶּךָ, לְהַעֲבִיר גִּלּוּלִים מִן הָאָֽרֶץ, וְהָאֱלִילִים כָּרוֹת יִכָּרֵתוּן, לְתַקֵּן עוֹלָם בְּמַלְכוּת שַׁדַּי, וְכָל בְּנֵי בָשָׂר יִקְרְאוּ בִשְׁמֶךָ, לְהַפְנוֹת אֵלֶיךָ כָּל רִשְׁעֵי אָֽרֶץ. יַכִּירוּ וְיֵדְעוּ כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל, כִּי לְךָ תִּכְרַע כָּל בֶּרֶךְ, תִּשָּׁבַע כָּל לָשׁוֹן. לְפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ יִכְרְעוּ וְיִפֹּֽלוּ, וְלִכְבוֹד שִׁמְךָ יְקָר יִתֵּנוּ. וִיקַבְּלוּ כֻלָּם עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת עוֹל מַלְכוּתֶךָ, וְתִמְלוֹךְ עֲלֵיהֶם מְהֵרָה לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. כִּי הַמַּלְכוּת שֶׁלְּךָ הִיא, וּלְעוֹלְמֵי עַד תִּמְלוֹךְ בְּכָבוֹד, כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ: יְיָ יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד: וְנֶאֱמַר: וְהָיָה יְיָ לְמֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָאָֽרֶץ, בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְיָ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד:
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Latest Comments:
Please forgive me if I sounded like I disagreed with such a blessing. I was only making the point that we Thank G-d for the sun and that we would remember we have the sun to bless us with its warmth, light and nutriants because of Him who bless us.
And that is what the prayers and Psalms do.
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Thank you for posting this wonderful blessing. It is truly beautiful.
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thank you for this. I couldn't find it anywhere
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thats why we always say the alenu after blessings for the sun and moon, to reiterate
"It is incumbent upon us to praise the Master of all things, to exalt the Creator of all existence,"
.....for they bow to vanity and nothingness. But we bend the knee, bow down, and offer praise before the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He"
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Jews are NOT worshipping the sun! You should see by the text of the blessing that Jews are blessing the Creator. I believe, the Jews of all people know that we worship only the Creator and not the created.
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It is only recently (Yizrach Ohr, Chasam Sofer) is there any mention of saying Psalms and a 'service'. The Gemara (Berachos 59b) mentions only the Beracha, and there is some disagreement whether or not one should indeed say it with Shem Malchus. In fact, the halacha is that if it is cloudy to the extent that there is a possibility of not seeing the sun, one should look, and see it, (if it is visible), and then make the beracha. Afterwhich one can say the Tehillim (Psalms). (See Magen Avrohom, as well as Tukachinsky). Your difficulty lies in the fact that you cannot appreciate that a simple beracha can establish and encompass so much. Yet we say countless berachos and with the right intention, can change the world. Ellen, from NY is correct, the essential element is the blessing, and the Psalms are an addendum to it.
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The wonders and blessings provided to us are from G-d, we need to remember to thank and bless G-d and not the sun (creation). We need to take care of what G-d has created, and not give "the created" the credit due G-d, the one and only UNcreated one. For without His provision we would have no blessing given to us - via G-d. It is good to remember this on the cycle of the begining of creation, to remember all is here because of Him.
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sorry, but difficult to think that such a thanksgiving should only be limited to a quick blessing. The sun is on duty every day of the week 24/7 whether we see it or not; whether or not we are thankful. Least we can do is be thankful for it once every 28 years with reading of Psalms. If you calculate that amount of time to distribute it over 28 years, it would reveal how thankless we are if all we do is recite a quickie. Something wrong with that. We've become far to disengaged from the world that sustains us. The sun unfortunately is not quick food at a local take-out food to be heated in the microwave. Once in 28 years, we should take a half day off to think about the wonders and blessings provided to us via the sun. Without sunlight there are no strawberries. Strawberries only like rain when the young plants grow leaves.Without sunlight, there are no ripe peaches. Without sunlight, we suffer Vitamin D deficiency and rickets...list is endless of blessings given to us via sun
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Yes, it should indeed be done in the first quarter (three solar hours) of the day.
While it is best to do this amidst a crowd of fellow celebrants, you may do it alone as well. I would advise you to use our event finder to find a public blessing near you.
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The only part of this which is essential is the blessing:
Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who re-enacts the work of Creation.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, עֹשֵׂה מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית:
However, If you do have time, I strongly urge you to take a few minutes to read all of the Psalms. This is a very rare event, and the whole thing should only take a few minutes.
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