Yigdal is often sung at the conclusion of Shabbat evening services. The prayer is a poetic adaptation of Maimonides’ 13 principles of faith.
For a video tutorial of Yigdal, click here
יִגְדַּל אֱלֹהִים חַי וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח, נִמְצָא וְאֵין עֵת אֶל מְצִיאוּתוֹ
yigdal elohim khai v’yishtabakh, nimtza v’ein eit el metziyuto
Acclaim and praise the living God who exists beyond the boundaries of time
אֶחָד וְאֵין יָחִיד כְּיִחוּדוֹ, נֶעְלָם וְגַם אֵין סוֹף לְאַחְדוּתוֹ
echad v’ein yakhid k’yikhudo, ne’elam v’gam ein sof l’akhduto
Most singular of all, concealed and yet also without bound
אֵין לוֹ דְמוּת הַגּוּף וְאֵינוֹ גוּף, לֹא נַעֲרֹךְ אֵלָיו קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ
ein lo d’mut ha’guf v’eino guf, lo na’arokh eilav kedushato
He has no body — nor even the appearance of a body, it is impossible to measure his holiness
קַדְמוֹן לְכָל דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר נִבְרָא, רִאשׁוֹן וְאֵין רֵאשִׁית לְרֵאשִׁיתוֹ
kadmon k’khol davar asher nivra, rishon v’ein reishit l’reishito
Prior to everything that was created, first of all, and yet himself without a beginning
הִנּוֹ אֲדוֹן עוֹלָם לְכָל נוֹצָר, יוֹרֶה גְדֻלָּתוֹ וּמַלְכוּתוֹ
hino adon olam l’khol notzar, yoreh gedulato u’malkhuto
Behold the master of the world, every creature is in awe of his greatness and his sovereignty
שֶׁפַע נְבוּאָתוֹ נְתָנוֹ, אֶל אַנְשֵׁי סְגֻלָּתוֹ וְתִפְאַרְתּוֹ
shefa nevu’ato netano, el anshei segulato v’tifarto
An abundance of prophetic inspiration was given to the people who are God’s treasure and glory
לֹא קָם בְּיִשׂרָאֵל כְּמשֶׁה עוֹד, נָבִיא וּמַבִּיט אֶת תְּמוּנָתוֹ
lo kam b’yisrael k’moshe od, navi u’mabit et t’munato
In Israel there never arose another prophet like Moses, able to see God’s likeness
תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת נָתַן לְעַמּוֹ אֵל, עַל יַד נְבִיאוֹ נֶאֱמַן בֵּיתוֹ
torat emet natan l’amo el, al yad neviyo ne’eman beito
God gave a true Torah to his people, through the hand of his prophet, trusted in his house
לֹא יַחֲלִיף הָאֵל וְלֹא יָמִיר דָּתוֹ, לְעוֹלָמִים לְזוּלָתוֹ
lo yakhalif ha’el v’lo yamir dato, l’olamim l’zulato
God will never alter the divine law or exchange it for another, forever and ever
צוֹפֶה וְיוֹדֵעַ סְתָרֵינוּ, מַבִּיט לְסוֹף דָּבָר בְּקַדְמָתוֹ
tzofe v’yodeya s’tareinu, mabit l’sof davar b’kadmato
God sees and knows our secret thoughts, and foresees their consequences from the very beginning
גּוֹמֵל לְאִישׁ חֶסֶד כְּמִפְעָלוֹ, נוֹתֵן לְרָשָׁע רַע כְּרִשְׁעָתוֹ
gomel l’ish khesed k’mifalo, noten l’rasha ra k’rishato
God repays each righteous person for his actions, and punishes the wicked in proportion to their wickedness
יִשְׁלַח לְקֵץ יָּמִין מְשִׁיחֵנוּ, לִפְדּוֹת מְחַכֵּי קֵץ יְשׁוּעָתוֹ
yishlakh l’keitz yamim m’shikheinu, lifdot m’khakei keitz yeshu’ato
At the end of time, God will send the Messiah, to redeem those who wait for his salvation
מֵתִים יְחַיֶּה אֵל בְּרֹב חַסְדּוֹ, בָּרוּךְ עֲדֵי עַד שֵׁם תְּהִלָּתוֹ
meitim yekhayeh el b’rov khasdo, barukh adei ad shem tehilato
God will revive the dead in his full kindness, may his name be blessed and praised forever
