In Judaism, Hashkiveinu is the second blessing following the Shema during Maariv. It is a petitionary prayer to lie down in peace at night and return to life the following day.
Shabbat/Yom Tov version
On weekdays, this prayer ends with the words Shomer Amo Yisrael L'Ad. This is seen as appropriate for weekdays, when men go in and out in their weekday pursuits, and come in need of divine protection.
On Shabbat and Jewish holidays, an alternate version of this blessing is recited. The blessing is ended with the words "Who spreads the shelter of peace upon us, upon all of his people Israel, and Jerusalem." The words "and spread over us the shelter of Your peace", which are normally recited earlier in the paragraph, are repeated before the closing. This reflects the peace that comes with these special days, and that putting Jerusalem above everything else is essential.
The custom of Babylonia (Lower Mesopotamia), they recited Shomer Amo Yisrael L'Ad even on Shabbat,. In the custom of the Land of Israel (Palestine), they always recited the extended version, even on weekdays. The contemporary custom, adopted in virtually all communities, is a compromise.
In the Sephardic and Yemenite rites, the phrases "Shield us from every enemy, plague, sword, famine, and sorrow. Remove the adversary from before and behind us" are omitted on the Sabbath, because the sabbath itself provides protection.
In the Romaniote rite, the blessing was much longer on Sabbat: "Lay us down, LORD God, in peace, and raise us again, our King, to life. Spread over us Your tabernacle of peace, Blessed are You, LORD, who spreads Your tabernacle of peace over us and all His people Israel and Jerusalem." This is similar to various fragments from the Cairo Geniza.
Text
There may be slight differences, depending on which nusach (regional liturgical rite) one follows.
Traditional
The prayer's text according to Nusach Ashkenaz, in each of the Hebrew script, Hebrew as transliterated into the Roman alphabet, and English:
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הַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ לְשָׁלוֹם וְהַעֲמִידֵנוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ לְחַיִּים. וּפְרוֹשׂ עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ
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Haškîb̲ēnu ʾAd̲onāy ʾElohenu ləšālom,
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Lay us down, LORD God, in peace, and raise us up again, our King, to life.
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Mishkan Tefilla
The Mishkan T'filah is a prayerbook prepared by the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) for Reform Jewish congregations worldwide.
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הַשְׁכִּיבֵֽנוּ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽנוּ, לְשָׁלוֹם, וְהַעֲמִידֵנוּ שׁוֹמְרֵֽנוּ לְחַיִּים,
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Haškîb̲ēnu ʾAd̲onāy ʾElohenu ləšālom,
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Grant, O God, that we lie down in peace,
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References
- The Siddur companion By Paul H. Vishny, page 702
- The World of Prayer: Commentary and Translation of the Siddur By Elie Munk, page 13
- The Complete Artscroll Siddur, page 336
- As it appears in the Siddur of the Rambam.
- As it appears in Sephardic and Yemenite siddurim.
- Romaniote Machzor, Venice 1523.
- Shimon Fogel and Uri Erlich, Le-toldot nusḥah ha-ḳadum shel birkat hashkivenu.
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