Court of the Patriarchs at Zion National Park. Images via Wikimedia Commons.

Full Text of the First Blessing of the Amidah

Hebrew, English, and transliteration for the Avot (v'Imahot).

The text of the Amidah changes depending on the occasion, but it always opens with a prayer that invokes the Jewish peoples’ earliest ancestors: the patriarchs (and, in some prayer traditions, the matriarchs). This is the complete text, with the inclusion of the matriarchs (which is not done in all communities, and not always done this way) in blue.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ

אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקב

[וֵאלֹהֵי שָׂרָה אֱלֹהֵי רִבְקָה אֱלֹהֵי רָחֵל וֵאלֹהֵי לֵאָה]

הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא אֵל עֶלְיוֹן

גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים טוֹבִים וְקוֹנֵה הַכּל

[וְזוֹכֵר חַסְדֵּי אָבוֹת [וְאִמָהוֹת

וּמֵבִיא גוֹאֵל לִבְנֵי בְנֵיהֶם לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה

מֶלֶךְ עוֹזֵר וּמוֹשִׁיעַ וּמָגֵן

[בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם [וּפוֹקֵד שָׂרָה

Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu v’elohei avoteinu

Elohei Avraham, Elohei Yitzchak, v’Elohei Ya’akov

[Elohei Sarah, Elohei Rivka, Elohei Rachel, v’Elohei Leah.]

Ha’El ha’gadol ha’gibor v’ha’nora

El Elyon, gomel hasadim tovim v’koneh ha’kol

Zocher hasdei avot [v’imahot]

Umevi go’el livnei v’neihem l’ma’an shemo b’ahavah

Melech ozer umoshiya umagen

Baruch ata adonai, magen Avraham [u’foked Sarah].

Blessed are You, Lord our God and God of our ancestors

God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob

[God of Sarah, God of Rebecca, God of Rachel, and God of Leah.]

The great, mighty and awesome God, God most high

Who bestows loving kindness and goodness and who creates everything

Who remembers the good deeds of the Patriarchs [and Matriarchs]

And who will lovingly bring a redeemer to their children’s children for the sake of His name

King, Helper, Redeemer, and Shield

Blessed are you Adonai, Shield of Abraham [and Gracious Visitor of Sarah].

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