Introduction to the Amidah
Our Sages modeled a lot of the mechanics and choreography of the Amidah from the prayer of Hannah
אמר רב המנונא כמה הלכתא גברוותא איכא למשמע מהני קראי דחנה (שמואל א א, יג) וחנה היא מדברת על לבה מכאן למתפלל צריך שיכוין לבו רק שפתיה נעות מכאן למתפלל שיחתוך בשפתיו וקולה לא ישמע מכאן שאסור להגביה קולו בתפלתו
Rav Hamnuna said: How many significant halakhot can be derived from these verses of the prayer of Hannah? As it says: “And Hannah spoke in her heart, only her lips moved and her voice could not be heard, so Eli thought her to be drunk” (I Samuel 1:13). The Gemara elaborates: From that which is stated here: “And Hannah spoke in her heart,” from here we learn that one who prays must focus his or her heart heart on prayer. And from that which is stated here: “Only her lips moved,” from here we learn that the one who prays must enunciate the words with his lips. From the verse: “And her voice could not be heard,” we learn that one is forbidden to raise one's voice in one's Amida prayer as it must be recited silently.
Opening
We begin the Amidah with this phrase from Psalm 51:1
אֲדנָי שפָתַי תִּפְתָּח וּפִי יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶךָ:
My Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.
A-do-nai s'fa-tai tif-tach, u-fi ya-gid t'hi-la-te-cha.
Initial Blessings of Praise
The first three blessings of every Amidah are about establishing a direct pathway to God through a connection with our historical narrative and with images of God's power
Bend knees at Baruch; bow at atah; straighten up at Adonai:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלהֵינוּ וֵאלהֵי אֲבותֵינוּ. אֱלהֵי אַבְרָהָם. אֱלהֵי יִצְחָק. וֵאלהֵי יַעֲקב. הָאֵל הַגָּדול הַגִּבּור וְהַנּורָא אֵל עֶלְיון. גּומֵל חֲסָדִים טובִים. וְקונֵה הַכּל. וְזוכֵר חַסְדֵּי אָבות. וּמֵבִיא גואֵל לִבְנֵי בְנֵיהֶם לְמַעַן שְׁמו בְּאַהֲבָה:
מֶלֶךְ עוזֵר וּמושִׁיעַ וּמָגֵן:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם:
ANCESTORS
Blessed are You, Lord our God and God of our fathers, God of Abraham, G‑d of Isaac and God of Jacob, God of Sarah, God of Rebecca, God of Rachel, and God of Lea; the great, mighty and awesome God, exaltedGod, who bestows bountiful kindness, who creates all things, who remembers the piety of the Patriarchs, and who, in love, brings a redeemer to their children's children, for the sake of His Name.
O King, (You are) a helper, a savior and a shield. Blessed are You Lord, Shield of Abraham and Rememberer/Helper of Sarah.
Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu vei-lo-hei a-vo-tei-nu, E-lo-hei Av-ra-ham, E-lo-hei Yitz-chak, Vei-lo-hei Ya-a-kov, E-lo-hei Sara, E-lo-hei Rivka, E-lo-hei Rachel v'Elohei Leiah Ha-eil Ha-Ga-dol Ha-Gi-bor v'Ha-No-rah, Eil El-yon, go-meil cha-sa-dim to-vim, ko-nei ha-kol, v'zo-cheir chas-dei a-vot, u-mei-vi go-eil liv-nei v'nei-hem l'ma-an sh'mo b'a-ha-vah. Me-lech o-zeir u-mo-shi-a u-ma-gein. Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, ma-gein Av-raham.
אַתָּה גִּבּור לְעולָם אֲדנָי. מְחַיֵּה מֵתִים אַתָּה רַב לְהושִׁיעַ:
מְכַלְכֵּל חַיִּים בְּחֶסֶד. מְחַיֶּה מֵתִים בְּרַחֲמִים רַבִּים. סומֵךְ נופְלִים. וְרופֵא חולִים וּמַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים. וּמְקַיֵּם אֱמוּנָתו לִישֵׁנֵי עָפָר. מִי כָמוךָ בַּעַל גְּבוּרות וּמִי דומֶה לָּךְ. מֶלֶךְ מֵמִית וּמְחַיֶּה וּמַצְמִיחַ יְשׁוּעָה:
וְנֶאֱמָן אַתָּה לְהַחֲיות מֵתִים:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים:
GOD'S POWER
You are mighty forever, my Lord; You resurrect the dead; You are powerful to save.
God sustains the living with loving kindness, resurrects the dead with great mercy, supports the falling, heals the sick, releases the bound, and fulfills His trust to those who sleep in the dust. Who is like You, mighty One! And who can be compared to You, King, who brings death and restores life, and causes deliverance to spring forth!
You are trustworthy to revive the dead. Blessed are You Lord, who revives the dead.
A-tah gi-bor l'o-lam, A-do-nai, m'cha-yeh mei-tim a-tah, rav l'ho-shi-a, M'chal-keil cha-yim b'che-sed, m'cha-yeh mei-tim b'ra-cha-mim ra-bim, so-meich no-f'lim v'ro-fei cho-lim u-ma-tir a-su-rim, u-m'ka-yeim e-mu-na-to li-shei-nei a-far. Mi cha-mo-cha ba-al g'vu-rot u-mi do-meh lach, me-lech mei-mit u-m'cha-yeh u-matz-mi-ach y'shu-ah. V'ne-e-man a-tah l'ha-cha-yot mei-tim. Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, m'cha-yei ha-mei-tim.
אַתָּה קָדושׁ וְשִׁמְךָ קָדושׁ וּקְדושִׁים בְּכָל יום יְהַלְּלוּךָ סֶּלָה:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', הָאֵל הַקָּדושׁ:
You are holy and Your Name is holy, and holy beings praise You daily for all eternity. Blessed are You Lord, the holy God.
Bow directly from the waist at Modim; rise at Adonai:
Closing Blessings of Thanksgiving
Every Amidah concludes with the following 3 blessings offering thanks to God.
רְצֵה ה' אֱלהֵינוּ בְּעַמְּךָ יִשרָאֵל וּבִתְפִלָּתָם וְהָשֵׁב אֶת הָעֲבודָה לִדְבִיר בֵּיתֶךָ. וְאִשֵּׁי יִשרָאֵל וּתְפִלָּתָם. בְּאַהֲבָה תְקַבֵּל בְּרָצון. וּתְהִי לְרָצון תָּמִיד עֲבודַת יִשרָאֵל עַמֶּךָ:
וְתֶחֱזֶינָה עֵינֵינוּ בְּשׁוּבְךָ לְצִיּון בְּרַחֲמִים:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', הַמַּחֲזִיר שְׁכִינָתו לְצִיּון:
PRAYING FOR THE FUTURE
Look with favor, Lord our God, on Your people Israel and pay heed to their prayer; restore the service to Your Sanctuary and accept with love and favor Israel's fire-offerings and prayer; and may the service of Your people Israel always find favor.
May our eyes behold Your return to Zion in mercy. Blessed are You Lord, who restores His Divine Presence to Zion.
מודִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ. שָׁאַתָּה הוּא ה' אֱלהֵינוּ וֵאלהֵי אֲבותֵינוּ לְעולָם וָעֶד. צוּר חַיֵּינוּ. מָגֵן יִשְׁעֵנוּ אַתָּה הוּא לְדור וָדור:
נודֶה לְּךָ וּנְסַפֵּר תְּהִלָּתֶךָ עַל חַיֵּינוּ הַמְּסוּרִים בְּיָדֶךָ. וְעַל נִשְׁמותֵינוּ הַפְּקוּדות לָךְ. וְעַל נִסֶּיךָ שֶׁבְּכָל יום עִמָּנוּ. וְעַל נִפְלְאותֶיךָ וְטובותֶיךָ שֶׁבְּכָל עֵת. עֶרֶב וָבקֶר וְצָהֳרָיִם:
הַטּוב כִּי לא כָלוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ. וְהַמְרַחֵם כִּי לא תַמּוּ חֲסָדֶיךָ. מֵעולָם קִוִּינוּ לָךְ:
וְעַל כֻּלָּם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִתְרומַם שִׁמְךָ מַלְכֵּנוּ תָּמִיד לְעולָם וָעֶד:
GIVING THANKS
We thankfully acknowledge that You are the Lord our God and God of our fathers forever. You are the strength of our life, the shield of our salvation in every generation. We will give thanks to You and recount Your praise, evening, morning and noon, for our lives which are committed into Your hand, for our souls which are entrusted to You, for Your miracles which are with us daily, and for Your continual wonders and beneficences. You are the Beneficent One, for Your mercies never cease; the Merciful One, for Your kindnesses never end; for we always place our hope in You.
And for all these, may Your Name, our King, be continually blessed, exalted and extolled forever and all time.
Mo-dim a-nach-nu lach, sha-a-ta hu A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu vei-lo-hei a-vo-tei-nu l'olam va-ed. Tzur cha-yei-nu, ma-gein yish-ei-nu, a-tah hu l'dor va-dor, no-deh l'cha un-sa-peir t'hi-la-te-cha, al cha-yei-nu ha-m'su-rim b'ya-de-cha, v'al nish-mo-tei-nu ha-p'ku-dot lach, v'al ni-se-cha she-b'chol-yom i-ma-nu, v'al nif-l'o-te-cha v'to-vo-te-cha, she-b'chol eit, e-rev va-vo-ker v'tza-ho-ra-yim. Ha-tov ki lo cha-lu ra-cha-me-cha, ha-m'ra-cheim ki lo ta-mu cha-sa-de-cha, ki mei-o-lam ki-vi-nu lach. V'al ku-lam, yit-ba-reich v'yit-ro-mam v’yit-na-sei shim-cha Mal-kei-nu, ta-mid l'o-lam va-ed.
Bend knees at Baruch; bow at atah; straighten up at Adonai:
וכל הַחַיִּים יודוּךָ סֶּלָה. וִיהַלְלוּ אֶת שִׁמְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת. הָאֵל יְשׁוּעָתֵנוּ וְעֶזְרָתֵנוּ סֶלָה. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', הַטּוב שִׁמְךָ וּלְךָ נָאֶה לְהודות:
And all living things shall forever thank You, and praise Your great Name eternally, for You are good. God, You are our everlasting salvation and help, O benevolent God. Blessed are You Lord, Beneficent is Your Name, and to You it is fitting to offer thanks.
V'chol ha-cha-yim yo-du-cha se-lah, vi-ha-l'lu shim-cha ha-ga-dol l'o-lam ki tov, ha-Eil y'shu-a-tei-nu v'ez-ra-tei-nu se-lah. Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, ha-tov shim-cha ul'cha na-eh l'ho-dot.
שים שָׁלום טובָה וּבְרָכָה. חֵן וָחֶסֶד וְרַחֲמִים עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשרָאֵל עַמֶּךָ. בָּרְכֵנוּ אָבִינוּ כֻּלָּנוּ כְּאֶחָד בְּאור פָּנֶיךָ. כִּי בְאור פָּנֶיךָ נָתַתָּ לָּנוּ ה' אֱלהֵינוּ תּורַת חַיִּים וְאַהֲבַת חֶסֶד. וּצְדָקָה וּבְרָכָה וְרַחֲמִים וְחַיִּים וְשָׁלום. וְטוב בְּעֵינֶיךָ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת כָּל עַמְּךָ יִשרָאֵל בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה בִּשְׁלומֶךָ:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', הַמְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּו יִשרָאֵל בַּשָּׁלום:
BLESSING FOR PEACE
Bestow peace, goodness and blessing, life, graciousness, kindness and mercy, upon us and upon all Your people Israel. Bless us, our Father, all of us as one, with the light of Your countenance. For by the light of Your countenance You gave us, Lord our God, the Torah of life and loving-kindness, righteousness, blessing, mercy, life and peace. May it be favorable in Your eyes to bless Your people Israel, at all times and at every moment, with Your peace. Blessed are You Lord, who blesses His people Israel with peace.
Sim sha-lom to-va uv-ra-cha, cha-yim, chein va-che-sed v'ra-cha-mim, a-lei-nu v'al kol Yis-ra-eil a-me-cha. Ba-r'chei-nu a-vi-nu, ku-la-nu k'e-chad, b'or pa-ne-cha, ki v'or pa-ne-cha na-ta-ta la-nu, A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu, To-rat cha-yim v'a-ha-vat che-sed, utz-da-ka uv-ra-cha v'ra-cha-mim, v'cha-yim v'sha-lom, v'tov b'ei-ne-cha l'va-reich et a-m'cha Yis-ra-eil b'chol eit uv-chol sha-ah bish-lo-me-cha. Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, ham-va-reich et a-mo Yis-ra-eil ba-sha-lom.