Zimunזִימוּן
When eating with 3+ adults — say zimun
שלושה שאכלו כאחד חייבין בזימון, וכך מזמנין:When three or more males, aged 13 or older eat together one of them leads the group in reciting the Birkas Hamazon.
המזמן אומר:The leader begins by saying:
“Gentlemen, let us say the blessing:
המסובים עונים:The others respond:
The Name of Adonoy will be blessed from now forever.
וחוזר המזמן:The leader repeats:
“The Name of Adonoy will be blessed from now forever.”
וממשיך:The leader continues: (the words “our God” are substituted for “Him” and “He” if ten males are in the group):
בעשרה
“With your permission our masters and teachers, Let us bless (our God,) Him, for we have eaten of His bounty.”
המסובים עונים:The others respond accordingly:
בעשרה
Blessed is (our God) He for we have eaten of His bounty and through His goodness we live.
מי שלא אכל עונה:One who did not eat, responds:
בעשרה או יותר
Blessed is (our God) He, and His Name constantly, forever and ever.
וחוזר המזמן:The leader repeats:
בעשרה
“Blessed is (our God) He for we have eaten of His bounty and through His goodness we live.”
ויש המוסיפים: בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבָרוּךְ שְׁמוֹ:Some add: Blessed is He and blessed is His Name.
Zimun at a bris mealזִימוּן לִסְעוּדַת בְּרִית מִילָהBris only
At a bris meal — zimun
המזמן:The leader:
Gentlemen, let us bless!
המסובים והמזמן:The others and the leader:
May the Name of Hashem be blessed from now and forever.
We will thank Your Name among my faithful ones; you are blessed to Hashem.
With the permission of God, awesome and feared, a stronghold in times of distress, God girded with might: Hashem is mighty on high.
We will thank Your Name among my faithful ones; you are blessed to Hashem.
With the permission of the holy Torah, pure and also explained, which Moshe, the servant of Hashem, commanded us as a heritage.
We will thank Your Name among my faithful ones; you are blessed to Hashem.
With the permission of the Kohanim and the Levi'im, I call to the God of the Hebrews, I will thank Him in every land: I will bless Hashem.
We will thank Your Name among my faithful ones; you are blessed to Hashem.
With the permission of our masters, teachers and gentlemen, I open my mouth and lips in song, and my bones will say: Blessed is he who comes in the Name of Hashem.
We will thank Your Name among my faithful ones; you are blessed to Hashem.
המזמן:The leader:
With the permission of our masters, teachers and gentlemen, let us bless our God, of Whose bounty we have eaten.
המסובים עונים והמזמן חוזר:The others respond, and the leader repeats:
Blessed is our God, of Whose bounty we have eaten, and through Whose goodness we live.
First brocho — Hazon es hakolבִּרְכַּת הַזָּן
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who nourishes the entire world with His goodness, with favor, with kindness, and with mercy.
Second brocho — Nodehבִּרְכַּת הָאָרֶץ
We thank You, Adonoy, our God, for Your parceling out as a heritage to our fathers, a land which is desirable, good, and spacious; for Your bringing us out, Adonoy, our God, from the land of Egypt, and redeeming us from the house of bondage; for Your covenant which You sealed in our flesh; for Your Torah which You taught us; for Your statutes which You made known to us; for the life, favor, and kindness which You granted us; and for the provision of food with which You nourish and maintain us constantly, every day, at all times and in every hour.
Close of the second brochoוְעַל הַכֹּל
For everything Adonoy, our God, We thank You and bless You. Blessed be Your Name through the mouth of all the living, constantly, forever, as it is written: When You have eaten and are satisfied, You will bless Adonoy, your God, for the good land which He has given to you. Blessed are You, Adonoy, for the land and for the food.
Third brocho — Racheimרַחֵם
Have compassion, Adonoy, our God, on Israel, Your people, on Jerusalem, Your city, on Zion, the dwelling place of Your glory, on the kingship of the house of David, Your anointed; and on the great and holy House upon which Your Name is called. Our God, our Father tend us, nourish us, maintain us, sustain us, relieve us and grant us relief Adonoy, our God, speedily from all our troubles. Adonoy, our God—may we never be in need of the gifts of men nor of their loans, but only of Your hand which is full, open, holy and generous, so that we may not be shamed nor humiliated forever and ever.
Close of the third brochoוּבְנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם
שכח לומר רצה בשבת או יעלה ויבא בראש חודש ויום טוב וחול המועד ונזכר קודם שאמר השם מברכת בונה ירושלים אומרו שם אבל אם אמר השם אם נזכר קודם שהתחיל הטוב והמטיב ראה להלן דיני שכחה:If you forgot to say רְצֵה or יַעֲלֶה וְיָבֹא and became aware of it before starting the fourth blessing (הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב), or even if you are in doubt, see below for the appropriate blessing.
Rebuild Jerusalem, city of the Holy Sanctuary, speedily, in our days. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Builder of Jerusalem in His mercy. Amein.
Compensatory brochos (if forgotten)דִּינֵי שִׁכְחָה
If you forgot Retze / Yaale V’Yavo
דיני שכחה:The following blessings are said in the event you forgot to say רְצֵה or יַעֲלֶה וְיָבֹא and reminded yourself before starting the fourth blessing, הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב.
בשבת אומר:If you forgot to say רְצֵה on Shabbos:
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who gave Shabbosos for rest to His people Israel with love for a sign and a covenant. Blessed are You Adonoy, Sanctifier of Shabbos.
בראש חודש:If you forgot to say יַעֲלֶה וְיָבֹא on Rosh Chodesh:
Blessed are You, Adonoy King of the Universe, Who gave Rosh Chodesh days to His people Israel for remembrance.
ביו"ט אומר:If you forgot to say יַעֲלֶה וְיָבֹא on Yom Tov:
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who gave Yomim Tovim to His people Israel for happiness and joy, this day of (name the Yom Tov). Blessed are You, Adonoy, Sanctifier of Israel and the seasons.
ביו"ט שחל בשבת:If a Yom Tov occurs on Shabbos and you forgot to say רְצֵה and יַעֲלֶה וְיָבֹא:
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who gave Shabbosos for rest to His people Israel with love, for a sign and a covenant, and Yomim Tovim for happiness and joy, this day of (name the Yom Tov.) Blessed are You, Adonoy, Sanctifier of Shabbos, Israel, and the seasons.
בראש השנה:If you forgot to say יַעֲלֶה וְיָבֹא on Rosh Hashanah:
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who gave Festivals to His people Israel for remembrance.
בראש השנה שחל בשבת:If Rosh Hashanah occurs on Shabbos and you forgot to say רְצֵה and יַעֲלֶה וְיָבֹא:
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who gave Shabbosos for rest to His people Israel, with love for a sign and a covenant, and Yomim Tovim to Israel, for remembrance. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Sanctifier of Shabbos, Israel, and the Day of Remembrance.
Fourth brochoהַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, the Almighty, our Father, our King, our Mighty One, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Maker, our Holy One, Holy One of Jacob, our Shepherd, Shepherd of Israel, the King, Who is good and beneficent to all. Every single day He has done good, does good, and will do good to us. He has rewarded us, He rewards us, He will reward us forever with favor, kindness, and compassion, relief, rescue, and success, blessing, deliverance, and consolation, maintenance, sustenance, compassion, life, peace, and everything good; and of all good things may He never deprive us.
Horachamonsהָרַחֲמָן
The Merciful One will reign over us forever and ever.
The Merciful One will be blessed in heaven and on earth.
The Merciful One will be praised for all generations, He will be glorified through us forever and for all eternity; and He will be honored through us for time everlasting.
May the Merciful One maintain us with honor.
The Merciful One will break the yoke (of oppression) from our necks and lead us upright to our land.
May the Merciful One send us abundant blessing to this house, and upon this table at which we have eaten.
The Merciful One will send us Elijah the prophet, who is remembered for good, who will announce to us good tidings, deliverances, and consolations.
Blessing for the hosts / householdהָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְבָרֵךְ
אם סמוך על שלחן אביו יאמר:When eating at your parents’ table, say:
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.
(ואם סמוך על שלחן עצמו יאמר:)When eating at your own table, say:
May the Merciful One bless me, my spouse, my children, and all that is mine;
Ours and all that is ours— just as our forefathers were blessed— Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob— In all things, “From everything,” and “With everything”; so may He bless us, all of us together, with a perfect blessing and let us say Amein.
A guest's blessing for the hostבִּרְכַּת הָאוֹרֵחַ
At someone else’s table: bless your host
אם אוכל על שלחן אחרים יברך לבעה"ב. ואפילו בנים הסמוכים על שלחן אביהם, וגם האב הנסמך על שלחן בניו וגם אשתו תאמר כן:A guest says:
May it be God’s will that the host should not be shamed and not humiliated not in this world nor in the World to Come. And he will be successful with all his possessions. May his properties prosper and be located close to town. May no evil force have power over his endeavors. May no opportunity present itself before him any matter of sin, nor thought of iniquity from now forever.
Bamaromבַּמָּרוֹם
From on high, may there be invoked upon them and upon us, [the] merit to insure peace, And may we receive a blessing from Adonoy, and kindness from the God of our deliverance; and may we find favor and understanding in the eyes of God and man.
Horachamon at a bris mealהָרַחֲמָן לִסְעוּדַת בְּרִית מִילָהBris only
At a bris meal add
May the Merciful One bless the father and mother of the child; may they merit to raise him, educate him and make him wise. From the eighth day on may his blood be accepted, and may Hashem his God be with him.
Amen
May the Merciful One bless the master of the bris (the sandek), who rejoiced to do righteousness with joy; may He repay his deed and double his reward, and raise him ever higher.
Amen
May the Merciful One bless the tender one circumcised on the eighth day; may his hands and heart be faithful to God, and may he merit to see the Presence three times a year.
Amen
May the Merciful One bless the mohel, who cut the foreskin and did the peri'ah and metzitzah; the service of a fearful, faint-hearted man is invalid if he does not do these three.
Amen
May the Merciful One send us His anointed, who walks in wholeness, in the merit of the bridegroom of circumcision blood, to bring good tidings and comfort to one people scattered and dispersed among the nations.
Amen
May the Merciful One send us the righteous Kohen (Eliyahu), who was taken into hiding until his throne is set, bright as the sun and diamond; who wrapped his face in his mantle -- "My covenant was with him, life and peace."
Amen
Closing versesיְראוּ אֶת ה׳
May the Merciful One make us worthy of the days of the Messiah and life of the World to Come. He who gives great deliverance to His king, (On Shabbos, Yom Tov, Rosh Chodesh and Chol HaMoed say: He who is a tower of deliverance to His king,) and shows kindness to His anointed— to David and his descendants forever. He Who makes peace in His high heavens may He make peace for us and for all Israel, and say, Amein.
Fear Adonoy, [you] His holy ones, for those who fear Him suffer no deprivation. Young lions may feel want and hunger, but those who seek Adonoy, will not be deprived of any good thing.