The following prayer is taken from the Zohar (Parshas Vahakhail), the basic text of Kabbalah which was written by the Mishnaic sage Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. The Zohar states, “When the Torah is taken out to be read before the congregation, the heavenly gates of mercy are opened, and the Divine love is aroused; therefore one should say the following prayer.
בְּרִיךְ שְׁמֵהּ Blessed is the Name
דְּמָרֵא עָלְמָא of the Master of the Universe.
בְּרִיךְ כִּתְרָךְ וְאַתְרָךְ. Blessed is Your crown and Your place.
יְהֵא רְעוּתָךְ May Your good will [be]
עִם עַמָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעָלָם. with Your people Israel forever.
וּפֻרְקַן יְמִינָךְ The redemption of Your right hand,
אַחֲזֵי לְעַמָּךְ בְּבֵית מַקְדְּ֒שָׁךְ show Your people in Your Holy Temple.
וּלְאַמְטוּיֵי לָנָא מִטּוּב נְהוֹרָךְ Bestow on us Your excellent light,
וּלְקַבֵּל צְלוֹתָנָא בְּרַחֲמִין. and accept our prayer with compassion.
יְהֵא רַעֲוָא קֳדָמָךְ May it be Your will
דְּתוֹרִיךְ לָן חַיִּין בְּטִיבוּתָא. to prolong our lives in well-being.
וְלֶהֱוֵי אֲנָא פְקִידָא Let me be counted
בְּגוֹ צַדִּיקַיָּא. among the righteous,
לְמִרְחַם עָלַי so that You will have compassion on me
וּלְמִנְטַר יָתִי וְיַת כָּל דִּי לִי and protect me and all that is mine,
וְדִי לְעַמָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל. and all that belongs to Your people, Israel.
אַנְתְּ הוּא You are He
זָן לְכֹלָּא וּמְפַרְנֵס לְכֹלָּא. Who nourishes all and maintains all;
אַנְתְּ הוּא שַׁלִּיט עַל כֹּלָּא. You are He Who rules over all;
אַנְתְּ הוּא דְּשַׁלִּיט עַל מַלְכַיָּא You are He Who rules over kings,
וּמַלְכוּתָא דִּילָךְ הִיא. and the kingdom is Yours.
אֲנָא עַבְדָּא I am a servant
דְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא of the Holy One, blessed is He,
דְּסָגִידְנָא קַמֵּהּ I bow before Him
וּמִקַּמֵּהּ דִּיקַר אוֹרַיְתֵהּ and before the honor of His Torah
בְּכָל עִדָּן וְעִדָּן. at all times.
לָא עַל אֱנָשׁ רָחִיצְנָא. Not in man do I put my trust,
וְלָא עַל בַּר אֱלָהִין סָמִיכְנָא. nor do I rely on any angel;
אֶלָּא בֶּאֱלָהָא דִשְׁמַיָּא. but only in the God of heaven
דְּהוּא אֱלָהָא קְשׁוֹט. Who is the true God,
וְאוֹרַיְתֵהּ קְשׁוֹט. Whose Torah is truth,
וּנְבִיאוֹהִי קְשׁוֹט. Whose prophets are true,
וּמַסְגֵּא לְמֶעְבַּד and Who performs many deeds
טַבְוָן וּקְשׁוֹט. of goodness and truth.
בֵּהּ אֲנָא רָחִיץ In Him I put my trust
וְלִשְׁמֵהּ קַדִּישָׁא יַקִּירָא and to His holy, honored Name
אֲנָא אֵמַר תֻּשְׁבְּחָן. I utter praises.
יְהֵא רַעֲוָא קֳדָמָךְ May it be Your will
דְּתִפְתַּח לִבָּאִי בְּאוֹרַיְתָא. to open my heart to Torah,
❖וְתַשְׁלִים מִשְׁאֲלִין דְּלִבָּאִי. and to fulfill the desires of my heart
וְלִבָּא דְכָל עַמָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל. and of the heart of Your people Israel
לְטַב וּלְחַיִּין וְלִשְׁלָם: for goodness, for life, and for peace.
The Chazzan takes the Torah and says the following verses, each of which is repeated by the congregation.
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל Hear Israel,
יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ Adonoy is our God,
יְהֹוָה אֶחָד: Adonoy is One.
אֶחָד אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ. One is our God,
גָּדוֹל אֲדוֹנֵֽינוּ. great is our Master;
קָדוֹשׁ שְׁמוֹ: holy is His Name.
The Chazzan says:
גַּדְּ֒לוּ לַיהוֹה אִתִּי Declare the greatness of Adonoy with me,
וּנְרוֹמְ֒מָה שְׁמוֹ יַחְדָּו: and let us exalt His Name together.
The Congregation responds:
לְךָ יְהֹוָה הַגְּ֒דֻלָּה וְהַגְּ֒בוּרָה Yours, Adonoy, is the greatness, the might,
וְהַתִּפְאֶֽרֶת וְהַנֵּֽצַח וְהַהוֹד the glory, the victory, and the beauty,
כִּי כֹל בַּשָּׁמַֽיִם וּבָאָֽרֶץ for everything in heaven and on earth
לְךָ יְהֹוָה הַמַּמְלָכָה [is Yours]; Yours, Adonoy, is the kingdom,
וְהַמִּתְנַשֵּׂא לְכֹל לְרֹאשׁ: and You are uplifted over all rulers.
רוֹמְ֒מוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ Exalt Adonoy, our God
וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַהֲדֹם רַגְלָיו and prostrate yourselves at His footstool,
קָדוֹשׁ הוּא: Holy is He.
רוֹמְ֒מוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ Exalt Adonoy, Our God
וְהִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְהַר קָדְשׁוֹ and prostrate yourselves at His holy mountain
כִּי קָדוֹשׁ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ: for Adonoy, our God, is holy.
עַל הַכֹּל. יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ. וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאֵר. וְיִתְרוֹמַם וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מֶֽלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּ֒לָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. בָּעוֹלָמוֹת שֶׁבָּרָא. הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. כִּרְצוֹנוֹ וְכִרְצוֹן יְרֵאָיו. וְכִרְצוֹן כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל. צוּר הָעוֹלָמִים. אֲדוֹן כָּל הַבְּ֒רִיּוֹת. אֱלֽוֹהַּ כָּל הַנְּ֒פָשׁוֹת. הַיּוֹשֵׁב בְּמֶרְחֲבֵי מָרוֹם. הַשּׁוֹכֵן בִּשְׁמֵי שְׁמֵי קֶֽדֶם. קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ עַל הַחַיּוֹת. וּקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ עַל כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד. וּבְכֵן יִתְקַדַּשׁ שִׁמְךָ בָּֽנוּ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ לְעֵינֵי כָּל חָי. וְנֹאמַר לְפָנָיו שִׁיר חָדָשׁ. כַּכָּתוּב: שִֽׁירוּ לֵאלֹהִים. זַמְּ֒רוּ שְׁמוֹ. סֹֽלּוּ לָרֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת בְּיָהּ שְׁמוֹ. וְעִלְזוּ לְפָנָיו. וְנִרְאֵֽהוּ עַֽיִן בְּעַֽיִן. בְּשׁוּבוֹ אֶל נָוֵֽהוּ. כַּכָּתוּב: כִּי עַֽיִן בְּעַֽיִן יִרְאוּ בְּשׁוּב יְהֹוָה צִיּוֹן. וְנֶאֱמַר. וְנִגְלָה כְּבוֹד יְהֹוָה וְרָאוּ כָל בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּו כִּי פִּי יְהֹוָה דִּבֵּר:
אָב הָרַחֲמִים הוּא יְרַחֵם May the Father of mercy have compassion
עַם עֲמוּסִים on the people borne11See Exodus 19:4, “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings.” See Isaiah 46:3, “Israel which are borne by Me from the belly, which are carried by Me from the womb.” by Him,
וְיִזְכֹּר and may He remember
בְּרִית אֵיתָנִים the covenant with the patriarchs;
וְיַצִּיל נַפְשׁוֹתֵֽינוּ may He rescue our souls
מִן הַשָּׁעוֹת הָרָעוֹת from evil times;
וְיִגְעַר בְּיֵֽצֶר הָרָע and may He rebuke the Evil Impulse
מִן הַנְּ֒שׂוּאִים from those who have been carried12Ibid. by Him;
וְיָחוֹן אוֹתָֽנוּ and may He graciously grant us
לִפְלֵטַת עוֹלָמִים eternal survival;
וִימַלֵּא מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֵֽינוּ and fulfill our requests
בְּמִדָּה טוֹבָה in beneficent measure,
יְשׁוּעָה וְרַחֲמִים: [for] deliverance and compassion.
When the Torah is unrolled, the Reader says:
וְיַעֲזוֹר וְיָגֵן וְיוֹשִֽׁיעַ May He help, shield, and deliver
לְכָל הַחוֹסִים בּוֹ all who take refuge in Him,
וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן. and let us say: Amein.
הַכֹּל הָבוּ גֹֽדֶל לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ Let us all ascribe greatness to our God
וּתְנוּ כָבוֹד לַתּוֹרָה. and give honor to the Torah.
כֹּהֵן קְרָב. Let the Kohein come forward.
יַעֲמֹד (פב"פ) הַכֹּהֵן. Arise, son of , the Kohein,
בָּרוּךְ שֶׁנָּתַן תּוֹרָה Blessed is He Who gave the Torah
לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ: to His people, Israel, in His holiness.
The Congregation responds:
וְאַתֶּם הַדְּ֒בֵקִים בַּיהוֹה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם And you who cling to Adonoy, Your God,
חַיִּים כֻּלְּ֒כֶם הַיּוֹם: are all alive today.
(The following blessings are recited by every person called to the Torah.)
The Kohein walks up to the Torah and says:
בָּרְ֒כוּ אֶת יְהֹוָה הַמְּ֒בֹרָךְ: Blessed Adonoy, Who is blessed.
The Congregation responds and the Kohein repeats:
בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה הַמְּ֒בֹרָךְ Blessed is Adonoy, Who is blessed,
לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד: forever and ever.
The Kohein says:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם our God, King of the Universe,
אֲשֶׁר בָּֽחַר בָּֽנוּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים Who chose us from among all the peoples
וְנָֽתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת תּוֹרָתוֹ: and gave us His Torah.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy,
נוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה: Giver of the Torah.
After the Torah is read, the Kohein says:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם our God, King of the Universe
אֲשֶׁר נָֽתַן לָֽנוּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת Who gave us the Torah of truth,
וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטַע בְּתוֹכֵֽנוּ: and implanted eternal life within us.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה Blessed are You, Adonoy,
נוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה: Giver of the Torah.