Siddur Guide – Part 2: Shacharit

Richard B. Aiken

Bar'chu

The leader says Bar'chu et Adonai ha'mevorach.
Everyone bows from the waist and replies (aloud), Baruch Adonai ha'mevorach l'olam va'ed (which is then repeated by the leader).
Everyone says the blessing's ending ...u'vorei et ha'kol.

Shema and Its Blessings The next paragraphs lead up to the shema:

Leader says, “Et shem ha'el...”
Everyone says aloud, together: Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh... and Baruch kevod Adonai mi'mkomo.
Leader says the final line or two of La'el baruch ne'imot... and everyone responds amen.
Everyone says ahavat olam quietly.
Leader reads the final lines aloud.

Note: It is the custom to not say amen to the blessing before shema.

Everyone says the first line of the shema together and aloud, but Baruch shem... silently.
Everyone reads the shema individually, and the leader repeats out loud Adonai eloheichem emet.
Everyone reads the next paragraphs, through ezrat avoteinu, together, quietly.

Mi Chamocha Stand for Mi chamocha until after the amida.

Adonai Yimloch Everyone reads together and aloud: Adonai yimloch... until the final blessing before the amida.

Note: At some time before completing that blessing, step back far enough (one large step is fine) so that you can take three small steps forward to begin the amida. If there is no room to step back, you may pray the amida without stepping forward.

The Amida

Stepping To Begin the Amida

After saying ga'al Yisrael, symbolically approach God by taking three steps forward (any size of steps is fine):

Step forward with your right foot,
Step forward with your left foot, and
Step forward with your right foot.
Bring your left foot to meet the right one, so that both feet are touching at the heels and at the balls (so that you are standing as if you had one leg, like the angels!)

Bowing in the Amida

Next, with your feet still together, do knee-bowing at the start and end of the first paragraph. You will also be bowing at:

Beginning of modim (waist-bowing).
End of modim (knee-bowing at Baruch ata Adonai of the blessing ending u'lecha na'eh l'hodot).

Slach Lanu

In slach lanu, when saying ki chatanu and ki fashanu, hit your chest over your heart with your fist.

Reason: We are saying that we sinned, so we strike our heart for leading us astray.

Ending the Amida

Symbolically take leave of God by taking three steps back after Adonai tzuri v'go'ali:

Step back on your left foot,
Step back on your right foot,
Step back on your left foot (and then place your right foot next to your left foot).
Bow to the left while saying Oseh shalom bi'mromav...,
Bow to the right while saying Hu ya'aseh shalom alenu, and
Bow to the middle (straight in front of you) while saying Ve'al kol yisrael v'imru amen.

Then pause for at least three seconds before walking forward or sitting down.

Reader's Repetition of Amida At kedusha, everyone stands (even if they were sitting so far for the amida's repetition) with their feet together, again imitating the angels who only have one leg.

The leader says nekadeish (in some places, everyone says nekadeish).
Everyone says the next line together (kadosh, kadosh, kadosh...).

Note: When saying kadosh each of the three times, rise up on the balls of your feet and return to “feet flat” so you will be able to rise up three times total. Some people also rise on their feet when they say the next line (baruch kevod), but it is neither required nor a universal practice.

After the leader says Halleluya, everyone else may move their feet (or sit down, if that is their custom).
On fast days, the leader says an extra paragraph in shacharit (other paragraphs in mincha are said by everyone).

Note: These extra paragraphs usually appear in small--or tiny!--print in siddurs near where they get said. Look for asterisks to show where to insert them. It might be helpful before beginning shacharit to ask someone to point out exactly what to say and when.

Tachanun

When To Say Tachanun

Tachanun is usually said on weekdays.

How To Say Tachanun

Tachanun is said differently, depending on if there is a Torah scroll in the room, as follows:

Tachanun with Torah Scroll: Sun., Tues., Wed., Fri.

To say tachanun on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, when a Torah scroll is present:

Say Va'yomer David sitting down, while resting your head on your left arm (unless you are wearing tefilin on your left arm, in which case lean onto your right arm).

Note: Rest your head on your left arm even if you are left-handed. Some type of cloth should separate your face and your arm when doing this, but if your arm is bare and you don't have a talit or other garment with which to cover your arm, you do not need to put your head down at all. There is no problem with not being permitted to put your face on your bare arm, just that there is no point in doing so.

When you reach shomer Yisrael, lift your head up and sit normally while saying the paragraphs until v'anachnu lo neida ma na'aseh.
Before saying “na'aseh,” stand up for the remainder of tachanun.

Tachanun with Torah Scroll: Mon., Thur.

To say tachanun on Mondays and Thursdays, when a Torah scroll is present:

Say tachanun standing until Va'yomer David... at which time, everyone sits down.
Follow the directions above for the remainder of tachanun.

Tachanun If No Torah Scroll

Put your head down only if there is a Torah scroll in the room. When you say tachanun in a room in which there is no Torah scroll, sit for the first part (without resting your head on your arm), remaining sitting for shomer yisrael..., then stand for va'anachnu lo neida.

Hallel

When hallel is said, most of the psalms are said quietly by everyone. (In some synagogues, several of the psalms are sung in unison.)
The lines beginning Hodu l'adonai... are read aloud by the leader.
Everyone else responds aloud, Hodu l'adonai... and reads quietly the next line (which the leader then reads aloud when they finish).
Similarly, Ana adonai is read responsively by the leader, followed by everyone else.

Kaddish

The leader says kaddish out loud.

Torah Reading (Mondays and Thursdays)

Everyone reads quietly the phrases va'yehi be'nso'a... and brich shmei.
The Torah is taken out and carried to the bima.
As each man (called an oleh) is called up to the Torah:
- The oleh says Bar'chu...
- Everyone responds Baruch Adonai....,
- The oleh repeats that line and says a blessing.
- Everyone answers amen.
After each reading, the oleh says one more blessing and everyone replies amen.
After the third aliya, the Torah is lifted up.
Everyone says, V'zot haTorah....
The Torah is rolled and wrapped.
Meanwhile, the leader reads four paragraphs beginning, Yehi ratzon mi'lifnei avinu...
The final paragraph, Acheinu kol bet yisrael... is read by everyone aloud.
The Torah is put back while everyone reads two psalms quietly.

Ashrei/U'va L'Tzion

Everyone reads ashrei quietly, followed by la'menatzeiach and u'va l'tziyon.
Everyone together says, Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh and Baruch kevod.

Kaddish The leader says kaddish.

Alenu Everyone says alenu together.

Kaddish Mourners say kaddish.

Psalm for the Day Psalm for that day is read by everyone.

Kaddish One more kaddish is said by the mourners.

L'David

During Elul and into Tishrei, L'David is read by everyone.
One more kaddish is said by the mourners.

Siddur Guide – Part 2: Shacharit

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