Before Birkat Hamazon
On days when Tachanun is said
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept as we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung our harps. For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors for joy, saying "Sing for us from the songs of Zion." How shall we sing the Lord's song on foreign soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither. Let my tongue cleave to my palate if I do not remember you, if I do not raise Jerusalem above my highest joy. Remember, Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem — those who said "Lay it bare, lay it bare to its very foundation." O daughter of Babylon who is to be destroyed — happy is the one who repays you in kind, happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rock.
On days when Tachanun is not said
A Song of Ascents. When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like dreamers. Then our mouths were filled with laughter, and our tongues with song; then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with joy, bearing his sheaves.
Zimun — The Invitation to Bless
Three or more who have eaten together are obligated to recite the zimun
Leader:
Gentlemen, let us bless.
Others respond:
May the Name of the Lord be blessed from now and forever.
Leader:
With the permission of those present, let us bless (with ten: our God) of Whose bounty we have eaten.
Others respond:
Blessed be (with ten: our God) of Whose bounty we have eaten and through Whose goodness we live.
Leader repeats:
Blessed be (with ten: our God) of Whose bounty we have eaten and through Whose goodness we live.
First Blessing — Who Nourishes All
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who nourishes the whole world in His goodness, with grace, with kindness, and with mercy. He gives bread to all flesh, for His kindness is everlasting. And in His great goodness we have never lacked, and may we never lack nourishment, for the sake of His great name. For He is God who nourishes and sustains all, and does good to all, and prepares food for all His creatures which He created. Blessed are You, Lord, who nourishes all.
Second Blessing — For the Land
We thank You, Lord our God, for having given our ancestors as a heritage a desirable, good, and spacious land; and for having brought us out, Lord our God, from the land of Egypt, and redeemed us from the house of slavery; and for Your covenant which You sealed in our flesh; and for Your Torah which You taught us; and for Your statutes which You made known to us; and for the life, grace, and kindness You have bestowed upon us; and for the food we eat with which You nourish and sustain us always, every day, every season, and every hour.
On Chanukah and Purim — Al HaNissim
For the miracles and for the salvation and for the mighty deeds and for the victories and for the battles which You performed for our ancestors in those days at this time.
On Chanukah
In the days of Mattityahu son of Yochanan, the High Priest, the Hasmonean, and his sons — when the wicked Greek kingdom rose up against Your people Israel to make them forget Your Torah and to turn them away from the statutes of Your will — You in Your great mercy stood by them in their time of distress. You fought their fight, judged their cause, and avenged their wrong. You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and the wanton sinners into the hands of those who occupy themselves with Your Torah. You made for Yourself a great and holy name in Your world, and for Your people Israel You performed a great salvation and redemption as on this very day. Thereafter Your children came to the holy of holies of Your house, cleansed Your Temple, purified Your Sanctuary, kindled lights in Your holy courtyards, and instituted these eight days of Chanukah to give thanks and praise to Your great name.
On Purim
In the days of Mordechai and Esther in Shushan the capital, when the wicked Haman rose up against them and sought to destroy, to slay, and to exterminate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, on a single day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions — You in Your great mercy foiled his counsel and frustrated his intention, and caused his evil to recoil on his own head, and they hanged him and his sons on the gallows. And You performed miracles and wonders for them, and we give thanks to Your great name, Selah.
For all this, Lord our God, we thank You and bless You. May Your name be blessed by every living being, continually, forever and ever. As it is written: "And you shall eat and be satisfied, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land He has given you." Blessed are You, Lord, for the land and for the food.
Third Blessing — Who Rebuilds Jerusalem
Have mercy, Lord our God, on Israel Your people, on Jerusalem Your city, on Zion the resting place of Your glory, on the royal house of David Your anointed, and on the great and holy house over which Your name was proclaimed. Our God, our Father, tend us, nourish us, sustain us, support us, relieve us; and speedily, Lord our God, grant us relief from all our troubles. Lord our God, please do not make us dependent on the gifts of human hands nor on their loans, but only on Your full, open, holy, and generous hand, so that we may never be ashamed or humiliated.
On Shabbat — Retzei
May it please You, Lord our God, to strengthen us through Your commandments, especially the commandment of the seventh day, this great and holy Sabbath. For this day is great and holy before You to rest on it and be at ease with love, in accordance with the commandment of Your will. May it be Your will, Lord our God, that there be no distress, grief, or sighing on our day of rest. And may You show us, Lord our God, the consolation of Zion Your city, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem Your holy city, for You are the Master of salvations and the Master of consolations.
On Rosh Chodesh and festivals — Ya'aleh V'yavo
Our God and God of our ancestors, may there rise and come and reach and be noted and be favoured and be heard and be considered and be remembered our remembrance and recollection, the remembrance of our ancestors, and the remembrance of the Messiah son of David Your servant, and the remembrance of Jerusalem Your holy city, and the remembrance of all Your people the house of Israel — for deliverance, for well-being, for grace, for kindness, and for mercy, for life and for peace, on this day of [Rosh Chodesh / Pesach / Sukkot / Shemini Atzeret / Shavuot / Rosh Hashana]. Remember us on it, Lord our God, for good; consider us on it for blessing; save us on it for life. With a word of salvation and mercy, spare us and be gracious to us; have mercy upon us and save us, for our eyes are turned to You, for You are a gracious and merciful God and King.
And rebuild Jerusalem the holy city speedily in our days. Blessed are You, Lord, who in His mercy rebuilds Jerusalem. Amen.
Fourth Blessing — Who Is Good and Does Good
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, the God who is our Father, our King, our Sovereign, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Maker, our Holy One, the Holy One of Jacob, our Shepherd, the Shepherd of Israel, the good King who does good to all. For every single day He has done good, does good, and will do good to us. He has bestowed, He bestows, and He will bestow upon us forever — with grace and with kindness and with mercy, and with relief, salvation, and success, blessing and help, consolation, sustenance and support, mercy, life, peace, and all good; and of all good things may He never cause us to be in want.
May the Merciful One reign over us forever and ever. May the Merciful One be blessed in heaven and on earth. May the Merciful One be praised for all generations, and be glorified through us forever and for all eternity, and be honoured through us for ever and ever. May the Merciful One grant us an honourable livelihood. May the Merciful One break the yoke from our neck and lead us upright to our land. May the Merciful One send abundant blessing to this house and upon this table at which we have eaten. May the Merciful One send us Elijah the prophet — may he be remembered for good — and he will bring us good tidings, salvations, and consolations.
When eating at someone else's table
May it be His will that the master of this house shall not be shamed or humiliated in this world or the next. May he be successful in all his possessions, and may his possessions be successful and well-placed near the city. May no obstacle or thought of sin come before him from now and forever.
When at your parents' table
May the Merciful One bless (my father, my teacher) the master of this house, and (my mother, my teacher) the mistress of this house — them, their household, their children, and all that is theirs.
When at your own table
May the Merciful One bless me (and my wife/husband, and my children) and all that is mine.
Us and all that is ours — just as our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were blessed in everything, from everything, with everything — so too may He bless all of us together with a complete blessing. And let us say: Amen.
On high may merit be pleaded for them and for us, for a safeguard of peace. May we receive a blessing from the Lord, righteousness from the God of our salvation, and may we find grace and good understanding in the eyes of God and man.
Special Harachaman additions
On Shabbat: May the Merciful One let us inherit the day which will be entirely Sabbath and rest in everlasting life.
On Yom Tov: May the Merciful One let us inherit the day which is entirely good.
On Rosh Chodesh: May the Merciful One renew this month for us for good and for blessing.
On Rosh Hashana: May the Merciful One renew this year for us for good and for blessing.
On Sukkot: May the Merciful One raise up for us the fallen booth of David.
May the Merciful One make us worthy of the days of the Messiah and the life of the World to Come. He is a tower of salvations to His king, and shows kindness to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever. He who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace for us and for all Israel. And say: Amen.
Fear the Lord, you His holy ones, for there is no want for those who fear Him. Young lions may be in need and go hungry, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His kindness is everlasting. You open Your hand and satisfy every living being with favour. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and the Lord is his security. I was young and now I am old, yet I have not seen a righteous man forsaken, nor his children begging for bread. The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
First blessing
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who created everything for His glory.
Second blessing
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who created man.
Third blessing
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who created man in His image, in the image of His likeness, and prepared for him from himself an everlasting structure. Blessed are You, Lord, who created man.
Fourth blessing
May the barren city rejoice and be glad at the ingathering of her children within her in joy. Blessed are You, Lord, who gladdens Zion with her children.
Fifth blessing
Grant great joy to these beloved companions, as You gave joy to Your creation in the Garden of Eden of old. Blessed are You, Lord, who gladdens groom and bride.
Sixth blessing
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who created joy and gladness, groom and bride, mirth, glad song, pleasure, delight, love, brotherhood, peace, and companionship. Lord our God, let there soon be heard in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the jubilant sound of grooms from their wedding canopies and of young men from their feasts of song. Blessed are You, Lord, who gladdens the groom together with the bride.
Seventh blessing
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
