1. In some traditions, this liturgy begins with a general kavana of personal devotion, and the prayer for cosmic unification (l'shem yichud kudsha brich hu u'schintei).
(ג) לְשֵׁם יִחוּד קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ, בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ, וּרְחִימוּ וּדְחִילוּ, לְיַחֲדָא שֵׁם אוֹת יוּ"ד אוֹת הֵ"א בְּאוֹת וָא"ו אוֹת הֵ"א, בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים בְּשֵׁם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לַאֲקָמָא שְׁכִינְתָּא מֵעַפְרָא וּלְעִלוּי שְׁכִינַת עֻזֵּנוּ:
הֲרֵינִי מְקַבֵּל עָלַי אֱלָהוּתוּ יִתְבָּרַךְ וְאַהֲבָתוֹ וְיִרְאָתוֹ; וְהֲרֵינִי יָרֵא מִמֶנּוּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ רַב וְשַׁלִּיט עַל כֹּלָא, וְכֹלָּא קַמֵּהּ כְּלָא.
וַהֲרֵינִי מַמְלִיכוֹ עַל כָּל אֵבֶר וְאֵבֶר וְגִיד וְגִיד מֵרַמַ"ח אֵבָרִים וְשְׁסָ"ה גִידִים שֶׁל גּוּפִי וְנַפְשִׁי רוּחִי וְנִשְׁמָתִי, מַלְכוּת גְּמוּרָה וּשְׁלֵמָה. וַהֲרֵינִי עֶבֶד לַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְהוּא בְרַחֲמָיו יְזַכֵּנִי לְעָבְדוֹ בְלֵב שָׁלֵם וְנֶפֶשׁ חֲפֵצָה. אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
For the sake of the unification of the Holy One, Blessed be He & His Shechina, and for the unification of Divine Awe with Divine Mercy, Divine Mercy with Divine Awe; to unify the four letters of the Name: Yud, Hei, Vav and Hei with a Complete Unity in the name of all Yisrael, to lift the Shechina from the dust & to raise up the Shechina of our strength:
Behold I accept upon myself the Divinity of the Blessed One, & His love & His awe. And behold I am in awe of Him because he is the master & decisor over all, & all is before Him entirely.
And behold I declare His Sovereignty over each & every limb and sinew of the 248 limbs & 365 sinews of my body, plus my nefesh, my ruach and my neshama [3 levels of soul] – a total & complete Sovereignty.
And behold I am a servant to the Name of the Holy Blessed One; may He in His mercy give me the merit to serve Him with a complete heart & a desiring soul.
Amen – May it be His Will.
Begin with a general intention that this practice be useful not just for you, but for the cosmos, such as:
For a higher purpose and a higher unification, I take upon myself the felt sense of divinity, this love, this awe; and I declare its total sovereignty over each aspect and dimension of my body and my existence. May I merit to serve this sovereignty wholeheartedly, with appetite and desire.
Now review your day. Note your achievements, and also what actions and interactions call for improvement. Release and forgive anyone who upset you, before praying for your own forgiveness and rectification.
I hereby forgive and pardon anyone who has irritated or upset me, or who has wronged me - whether in terms of my body, my money, my honor, or anything else;
whether done compulsively or deliberately; whether accidentally or by design; whether through words or through actions; whether in this lifetime, or in another incarnation - any human being. May no person be punished because of me.
Great Awareness, please hear me when I say: I don't want to make any more mistakes.
Please cleanse and purify me - but please not through suffering, affliction or ill health.
May my thoughts and words stay present and connected to Your awareness.
2. Now undertake a personal accounting of the day, whether in specific detail, or with this general prayer for forgiveness and the "alleviation of karma" for others, as well as the clearing of one's own sins and the rectification of one's own habitual behavior.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם:
הֲרֵינִי מוֹחֵל וְסוֹלֵחַ לְכָל מִי שֶׁהִכְעִיס וְהִקְנִיט אוֹתִי, אוֹ שֶׁחָטָא כְּנֶגְדִּי בֵּין בְּגוּפִי, בֵּין בְּמָמוֹנִי, בֵּין בִּכְבוֹדִי, בֵּין בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר לִי, בֵּין בְּאֹנֶס בֵּין בְּרָצוֹן, בֵּין בְּשׁוֹגֵג בֵּין בְּמֵזִיד, בֵּין בְּדִבּוּר בֵּין בְּמַעֲשֶׂה, בֵּין בְּגִלְגּוּל זֶה בֵּין בְּגִלְגּוּל אַחֵר, לְכָל בֶּן אָדָם, וְלֹא יֵעָנֵשׁ שׁוּם אָדָם בְּסִיבָּתִי:
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱלֹקַי וְאֱלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁלֹא אֶחֱטָא עוֹד וְלֹא אֶחֱזֹר בָּהֶם, וְלֹא אָשׁוּב עוֹד לְהַכְעִיסֶךָ וְלֹא אֶעֱשֶׂה הָרַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ, וּמָה שֶּׁחָטָאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ מְחֹק בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, אֲבָל לֹא עַל יְדֵי יִסוּרִים וְחֳלָיִם רָעִים:
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ, ה' צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי:
Master of the Universe:
Behold I forgive & pardon anyone who has angered me or antagonized me, or who has sinned against me, whether in relation to my body, or my money, or my honor, or anything that pertains to me;
whether done compulsively or willingly; whether accidentally or deliberately; whether through words or through actions; whether in this present incarnation, or in another incarnation - any human being. And may no person be punished because of me.
May it be Your will, my G·d, & G·d of my ancestors, that I not sin again, and that I not be remembered by these sins.
May I never again return to behavior that angers You, nor do what You perceive to be wrong.
And any ways I have sinned before You, with Your abundant mercies please erase -- though not by means of suffering or terrible illnesses.
May the expressions of my mouth & the thoughts of my heart find favor before You, G·d, my Rock & my Redeemer.
3. In some prayerbooks, the Bedtime Shema liturgy begins here, with this blessing (taken from Talmud Brachot 60b, where it immediately precedes the sequence of morning blessings).
בָּרוּךְ [אַתָּה ה', אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם] הַמַּפִּיל חֶבְלֵי שֵׁנָה עַל עֵינַי, וּתְנוּמָה עַל עַפְעַפַּי, וּמֵאִיר לְאִישׁוֹן בַּת עָיִן.
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱלֹקַי וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתַי, שֶׁתַּשְׁכִּיבֵנִי לְשָׁלוֹם, וְתַעֲמִידֵנִי לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם,
וְתֵן חֶלְקִי בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ, וְתַרְגִּילֵנִי לִדְבַר מִצְוָה, וְאַל תַּרְגִּילֵנִי לִדְבַר עֲבֵרָה, וְאַל תְּבִיאֵנִי לִידֵי חֵטְא, וְלֹא לִידֵי נִסָּיוֹן, וְלֹא לִידֵי בִזָּיוֹן, וְיִשְׁלֹט בִּי יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב, וְאַל יִשְׁלֹט בִּי יֵצֶר הָרָע, וְתַצִּילֵנִי מִיֵּצֶר הָרָע וּמֵחֳלָאִים רָעִים,
וְאַל יַבְהִילוּנִי חֲלוֹמוֹת רָעִים וְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים,
וּתְהֵא מִטָּתִי שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ,
וְהָאֵר עֵינַי פֶּן אִישַׁן הַמָּוֶת.
בָּרוּךְ [אַתָּה ה'] הַמֵּאִיר לָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ בִּכְבוֹדוֹ:
Blessed [are You, L·rd, our G·d, King of the Universe] that causes the bonds of sleep to fall upon my eyes, & slumber upon my eyelids, & that enlightens the pupil of the eye.
May it be your will, L·rd, my G·d , & G·d of my forefathers, to lay me down in peace, & to raise me up for good life & for peace.
Let my portion be in your Torah, & may you accustom me in the matter of mitzvah (sacred action). Do not accustom me to an errant way, nor bring me into the hands of sin, nor into the hands of trials, nor the hands of degradation.
And let the good inclination rule within me, & let the evil inclination not have power within me.
Release me from the evil inclination and from bad diseases, and let not bad dreams or dark perseverations disturb or confound me.
May my bed be complete before you [ie with only appropriate expressions of sexuality].
And enlighten my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death.
Blessed [are you, L·rd] that enlightens the entire universe with His glory.
4. Now the Shema itself, focusing particularly on the unification of the Divine. [Some prayerbooks instruct explicitly to cover the eyes when saying Shema, and to think of the Oneness of G·d].
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד:
בלחש: בָּרוּךְ, שֵּׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ, לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ.
וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם עַל לְבָבֶךָ.
וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ.
וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ.
וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזוּזֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ:
וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶל מִצְוֹתַי אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹם לְאַהֲבָה אֶת ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם וּלְעָבְדוֹ בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶם וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁכֶם.
וְנָתַתִּי מְטַר אַרְצְכֶם בְּעִתּוֹ יוֹרֶה וּמַלְקוֹשׁ וְאָסַפְתָּ דְגָנֶךָ וְתִירֹשְׁךָ וְיִצְהָרֶךָ.
וְנָתַתִּי עֵשֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ לִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ.
הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם פֶּן יִפְתֶּה לְבַבְכֶם וְסַרְתֶּם וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֱלֹקִים אֲחֵרִים וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶם לָהֶם.
וְחָרָה אַף ה' בָּכֶם וְעָצַר אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה מָטָר וְהָאֲדָמָה לֹא תִתֵּן אֶת יְבוּלָהּ וַאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ הַטֹּבָה אֲשֶׁר ה' נֹתֵן לָכֶם.
וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֶת דְּבָרַי אֵלֶּה עַל לְבַבְכֶם וְעַל נַפְשְׁכֶם וּקְשַׁרְתֶּם אֹתָם לְאוֹת עַל יֶדְכֶם וְהָיוּ לְטוֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֵיכֶם.
וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אֹתָם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם לְדַבֵּר בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ.
וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזוּזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ.
לְמַעַן יִרְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע ה' לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם לָתֵת לָהֶם כִּימֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם עַל הָאָרֶץ:
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.
דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם וְעָשׂוּ לָהֶם צִיצִת עַל כַּנְפֵי בִגְדֵיהֶם לְדֹרֹתָם וְנָתְנוּ עַל צִיצִת הַכָּנָף פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת.
וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְצִיצִת וּרְאִיתֶם אֹתוֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם ידגיש את האות ז אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹת ה' וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם וְלֹא תָתֻרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם זֹנִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם.
לְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרוּ ידגיש את האות ז וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹתָי וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים לֵאלֹקֵיכֶם.
אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹקִים אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם:
וחוזר ואומר ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם אֱמֶת.
HEAR, O ISRAEL, Adonai Is Our G·D, Adonai Is ONE
(Whispered) Blessed be His Name & glorious sovereignty forever.
V'Ahavta: And you shall love the L·rd, your G·d, with all your heart & with all your soul & with all your might. And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart. And you shall teach them diligently unto your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house & when you walk by the way, when your lie down & when you rise up. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, & they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house & upon your gates. (Devarim / Deut. 6:4-9)
Some liturgical traditions consider the second and third paragraphs of the Shema (Deuteronomy 11:13-21 and Numbers 15:37-41) as optional during the bedtime liturgy.
V'Haya Im Shamoa: And it shall be that if you hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command you today, to love the L·rd your G·d & to serve Him with all your heart & all your soul, then I will send rain for your land in its proper time, the autumn rain & the spring rain, that you may gather in your grain, your wine & your oil. And I will give grass in your field for your cattle & you shall eat & be satisfied. Take heed to yourselves lest your heart be deceived, & you turn aside & serve other gods & bow to them. For then the L·rd's wrath will be kindled against you, & He will close up the heavens that there be no rain, & land shall not yield her produce, & you shall perish quickly from off the goodly land which the L·rd gives you. You shall lay My words, these upon your heart & upon your soul, & you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, & they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down & when you rise. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house & upon your gates. So that the L·rd will lengthen your days & the days of your children upon the land which the L·rd promised to give to your fathers, as the days of the heavens above the earth, (Devarim / Deuteronomy 11:13-21)
VaYomer Adonai: And the L·rd spoke unto Moses, saying, speak unto the children of Israel & say to them to make for themselves a fringe on the borders of their garments, throughout their generations. And they shall place upon the fringe of the border, a thread of blue wool. And it shall be to you a fringe that you may look upon, & remember all the commandments of the L·rd & to do them. Then shall you not stray after your heart & your eyes whereafter you are wont to stray. So may you remember & do all My commandments & be holy for your G·d. I am the L·rd your G·d who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your G·d; I am the L·rd your G·d. (Bamidbar / Numbers 15:37-41)
(Repeat & Say)
The L-rd, Your G-d, is True.
5. Additional scriptural selections for meditation now follow. Different prayerbook traditions suggest different texts, some texts being more universally recommended than others. Presumably the idea is that you fall asleep somewhere in the midst of reciting all of these.
7. The following blessings are mostly repeats from the Maariv evening service. Some begin this section with Psalm 3. In other traditions, the core blessing here, Hashkivenu, actually comes before saying the Shema itself.
Psalm 3:2-9
ה" מָה רַבּוּ צָרָי רַבִּים קָמִים עָלָי: רַבִּים אֹמְרִים לְנַפְשִׁי אֵין יְשׁוּעָתָה לּוֹ בֵאֱלֹקִים סֶלָה: וְאַתָּה ה' מָגֵן בַּעֲדִי כְּבוֹדִי וּמֵרִים רֹאשִׁי: קוֹלִי אֶל ה' אֶקְרָא וַיַּעֲנֵנִי מֵהַר קָדְשׁוֹ סֶלָה: אֲנִי שָׁכַבְתִּי וָאִישָׁנָה הֱקִיצוֹתִי כִּי ה' יִסְמְכֵנִי: לֹא אִירָא מֵרִבְבוֹת עָם אֲשֶׁר סָבִיב שָׁתוּ עָלָי: קוּמָה ה' הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי אֱלֹקַי כִּי הִכִּיתָ אֶת כָּל אֹיְבַי לֶחִי שִׁנֵּי רְשָׁעִים שִׁבַּרְתָּ: לַה' הַיְשׁוּעָה עַל עַמְּךָ בִרְכָתֶךָ סֶּלָה:
:Lay us down to peace
הַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ לְשָׁלוֹם, וְהַעֲמִידֵנוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם, וּפְרֹשׂ עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ, וְתַקְּנֵנוּ בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ מְהֵרָה לְמַעַן שְׁמְךָ, והָגֵן בַּעֲדֵנוּ, וְהָסֵר מֵעָלֵינוּ אוֹיֵב, דֶּבֶר, וְחֶרֶב, וְרָעָב וְיָגוֹן, וְהָסֵר שָּׂטָן מִלְּפָנֵינוּ וּמֵאַחֲרֵינוּ, וּבְצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ תַּסְתִּירֵנוּ, כִּי אֵל מֶלֶךְ חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אָתָּה. וּשְׁמֹר צֵאתֵנוּ וּבוֹאֵנוּ לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם.
:Blessed by day
בָּרוּךְ ה' בַּיּוֹם. בָּרוּךְ ה' בַּלָּיְלָה. בָּרוּךְ ה' בְּשָׁכְבֵנוּ. בָּרוּךְ ה' בְּקוּמֵנוּ. כִּי בְיָדְךָ נַפְשׁוֹת הַחַיִּים וְהַמֵּתִים אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כָּל חָי וְרוּחַ כָּל בְּשָׂר אִישׁ: בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי פָּדִיתָה אוֹתִי ה' אֵל אֱמֶת: אֱלֹקֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם יַחֵד שִׁמְךָ וְקַיֵּם מַלְכוּתְךָ תָּמִיד וּמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
:Let our eyes see
יִרְאוּ עֵינֵינוּ וְיִשְׂמַח לִבֵּנוּ וְתָגֵל נַפְשֵׁנוּ בִּישׁוּעָתְךָ בֶּאֱמֶת בֶּאֱמֹר לְצִיּוֹן מָלַךְ אֱלֹקָיִךְ: ה' מֶלֶךְ ה' מָלָךְ ה' יִמְלֹךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד: כִּי הַמַּלְכוּת שֶׁלְּךָ הִיא וּלְעוֹלְמֵי עַד תִּמְלךְ בְּכָבוֹד כִּי אֵין לָנוּ מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּא אָתָּה:
Psalm 3:2-9
God! How great and how many are my troubles that are come upon me. Many have said to me: There is no salvation in Him, in God - Selah. But thou, O LORD, art a shield about me; my glory, and the lifter up of my head.
With my voice I call unto the LORD, and He answereth me out of His holy mountain. Selah.
I lay me down, and I sleep; I awake, for the LORD sustaineth me. I am not afraid of the myriad that have set themselves against me round about.
Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God; for Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek; Thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked.
Salvation belongs to the LORD; Thy blessing be upon Thy people. Selah.
Hashkivenu - Lay us down to peace:
Lay us down, our Father, in peace, & raise us up, our King, to good life and to peace. And spread upon us the sukkah of your peace, & fix us, our King, with good advice before you, delivering us speedily for the sake of your name. Guard us, and deflect from us any enemy, pestilence, sword, illness, suffering, evil, pain, destruction or plague.
Deflect the Accuser [ha'Satan] from before us and from after us, and in the shadow of your wings secrete us, for you are God of mercy and grace.
And guard our goings out and our comings in for good life & peace, from now & ever more. [Blessed is the One that guards His people Israel for eternity.]
Blessed is the Lord by day:
Blessed is the Lord by day. Blessed is the Lord by night. Blessed is the Lord in our lying down. Blessed is the Lord in our rising up. For in Your hand are the souls of the living and the dead, for in God's hand is the life-force of all living beings, and the spirit of mortal man.
Into your hand I commend my soul; rescue me, Lord, God of truth.
Our God who is in heaven, unify your name and establish your kingdom eternally, and rule upon us for ever and ever.
Let our eyes see:
Let our eyes see and our hearts be glad and our souls rejoice in truth in your salvation, as we say to Zion: Your God reigns!
God has reigned; God reigns now; God will reign forever and ever.
For sovereignty itself is yours, and forever and ever you will reign in glory, for we have no king but you.
Psalm 121:4
(ג"פ:) הִנֵּה לֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל:
Genesis 49:18 - three times each
(ג"פ:) לִישׁוּעָתְךָ קִוִּיתִי ה': קִוִּיתִי ה' לִישׁוּעָתְךָ: ה' לִישׁוּעָתְךָ קִוִּיתִי:
Invocation of the archangels
(ג"פ:) בְּשֵׁם ה' אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל,
מִימִינִי מִיכָאֵל, וּמִשְּׂמֹאלִי גַּבְרִיאֵל, וּמִלְּפָנַי אוֹרִיאֵל, וּמֵאֲחוֹרַי רְפָאֵל,
וְעַל רֹאשִׁי שְׁכִינַת אֵל:
Psalm 121:4 - three times
Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.
Genesis 49:18 - three times each
For your salvation, O Lord, do I hope.
I hope, O Lord, for your salvation.
O Lord, for your salvation I hope.
Invocation of the archangels - three times:
In the name of the Lord, God of Israel: On my right hand is Michael, on my left is Gavriel, before me Uriel and behind me Rafael.
And upon my head is the Shechinah of El.
9. In the more kabbalistically influenced traditions, some sources recommend saying the complete Ashamnu confessional, as on Yom Kippur.
(כו) יעמוד ויאמר וידוי, וישחה ראשו, ויכה באגרופו על לבו בכל תיבה של הוִדוי, ואין לאומרו בליל שבת ובשאר ימים שאין אומרים בהם תחנון. וכן אין לאומרו במוצ"ש עד חצות הלילה, וכן במוצאי יו"ט ור"ח, וכיוצא בזה.
(כז) אָנָּא ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ. תָּבֹא לְפָנֶיךָ תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ. וְאַל תִּתְעַלַּם מַלְכֵּנוּ מִתְּחִנָּתֵנוּ. שֶׁאֵין אֲנַחְנוּ עַזֵּי פָנִים וּקְשֵׁי עֹרֶף לוֹמַר לְפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ צַדִּיקִים אֲנַחְנוּ וְלֹא חָטָאנוּ. אֲבָל חָטָאנוּ. עָוִינוּ. פָּשַׁעְנוּ. אֲנַחְנוּ וַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאַנְשֵׁי בֵיתֵנוּ:
אָשַׁמְנוּ. בָּגַדְנוּ. גָּזַלְנוּ. דִּבַּרְנוּ דֹפִי וְלָשׁון הָרָע. הֶעֱוִינוּ. וְהִרְשַׁעְנוּ. זַדְנוּ. חָמַסְנוּ. טָפַלְנוּ שֶׁקֶר וּמִרְמָה. יָעַצְנוּ עֵצוֹת רָעוֹת. כִּזַּבְנוּ. כָּעַסְנוּ. לַצְנוּ. מָרַדְנוּ. מָרִינוּ דְבָרֶיךָ. נִאַצְנוּ. נִאַפְנוּ. סָרַרְנוּ. עָוִינוּ. פָּשַׁעְנוּ. פָּגַמְנוּ. צָרַרְנוּ. צִעַרְנוּ אָב וָאֵם. קִשִּׁינוּ עֹרֶף. רָשַׁעְנוּ. שִׁחַתְנוּ. תִּעַבְנוּ. תָּעִינוּ וְתִעֲתַעְנוּ.
וְסַרְנוּ מִמִּצְוֹתֶיךָ וּמִמִּשְׁפָּטֶיךָ הַטּוֹבִים וְלֹא שָׁוָה לָנוּ. וְאַתָּה צַדִּיק עַל כָּל הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ. כִּי אֱמֶת עָשִׂיתָ. ואֲנַחְנוּ הִרְשָׁעְנוּ:
Stand to say the vidui, with your head bowed, beating your breast with your fist at each word. Don't say on Shabbat or Yom Tov (or other days Tachanun is omitted), or on motzei Shabbat or Yom Tov, if before midnight (midpoint between dusk-dawn).
Please, O Lord, our God and God of our ancestors: may our prayer come before you. And do not hide yourself, our king, from our entreaty. For we are not so arrogant and brazen as to say before you, O Lord, our God and God of our ancestors, that we are fully righteous and have not sinned. Rather, we have sinned. We have erred. We have polluted. We and our ancestors, and the members of our households:
Ashamnu– we have trespassed; Bagadnu– we have dealt treacherously; Gazalnu– we have robbed; Dibarnu dofi– we have spoken slander; He’evinu–we have acted perversely; V’hirshanu– we have done wrong; Zadnu– we have acted presumptuously; Hamasnu– we have done violence; Tafalnu sheker– we have practiced deceit; Yaatsnu ra– we have counseled evil; Kizavnu– we have spoken falsehood; Latsnu– we have scoffed; Maradnu– we have revolted; Niatsnu– we have blasphemed; Sararnu– we have rebelled; Avinu– we have committed iniquity; Pashanu– we have transgressed; Tsararnu– we have oppressed; Kishinu oref– we have been stiff necked; Rashanu– we have acted wickedly; Shichatnu– we have dealt corruptly; Tiavnu– we have committed abomination; Tainu– we have gone astray; Titanu– we have led others astray.
And we have turned aside from your mitzvot and your good laws, and it has not been appropriate for us. But you are righteous with everything that comes to you, for you act with truth, whereas we mess things up.