(יב) בָּר֖וּךְ אַתָּ֥ה ה' לַמְּדֵ֥נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃
(12) Blessed are You, O LORD; train me in Your laws.
(יא) כְּב֣וֹד מַלְכוּתְךָ֣ יֹאמֵ֑רוּ וּגְבוּרָתְךָ֥ יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃ (יב) לְהוֹדִ֤יעַ ׀ לִבְנֵ֣י הָ֭אָדָם גְּבוּרֹתָ֑יו וּ֝כְב֗וֹד הֲדַ֣ר מַלְכוּתֽוֹ׃
(11) They shall talk of the majesty of Your kingship, and speak of Your might, (12) to make His mighty acts known among men and the majestic glory of His kingship.
דכולי עלמא מיהא מעיקרא בעינן לברוכי מנלן דאמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל כל המצות מברך עליהן עובר לעשייתן
The Gemara poses a question: In any event, it is clear from the previous discussion that everyone agrees that one is required to recite a blessing prior to performing a mitzva. From where do we derive this principle? It is as Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: With regard to all the mitzvot, one recites a blessing over them prior to [over] their performance.
א"ר חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן כל הנפנה ונוטל ידיו ומניח תפילין וקורא ק"ש ומתפלל מעלה עליו הכתוב כאלו בנה מזבח והקריב עליו קרבן דכתיב (תהלים כו, ו) ארחץ בנקיון כפי ואסובבה את מזבחך ה' א"ל רבא לא סבר לה מר כאילו טבל דכתיב ארחץ [בנקיון] ולא כתב ארחיץ [כפי]
On a similar note, Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Anyone who relieves himself, washes his hands, dons phylacteries, recites Shema, and prays, the verse ascribes credit to him as if he built an altar and offered a sacrifice upon it, as it is written: “I will wash in purity my hands, and I will encircle the altar of the Lord” (Psalms 26:6). Rava said to him: Do you not maintain, Master, that one who does so, it is as if he immersed his entire body, as it is written: “I will wash in purity,” and it is not written: “I will wash my hands”?
הנכנס לבית הכסא אומר התכבדו מכובדים קדושים משרתי עליון תנו כבוד לאלקי ישראל הרפו ממני עד שאכנס ואעשה רצוני ואבא אליכם אמר אביי לא לימא אינש הכי דלמא שבקי ליה ואזלי אלא לימא שמרוני שמרוני עזרוני עזרוני סמכוני סמכוני המתינו לי המתינו לי עד שאכנס ואצא שכן דרכן של בני אדם כי נפיק אומר ברוך אשר יצר את האדם בחכמה וברא בו נקבים נקבים חללים חללים גלוי וידוע לפני כסא כבודך שאם יפתח אחד מהם או אם יסתם אחד מהם אי אפשר לעמוד לפניך מאי חתים אמר רב רופא חולים אמר שמואל קא שוינהו אבא לכולי עלמא קצירי אלא רופא כל בשר רב ששת אמר מפליא לעשות א"ר פפא הלכך נמרינהו לתרוייהו רופא כל בשר ומפליא לעשות
One who enters a bathroom says to the angels who accompany him at all times:
Be honored, honorable holy ones, servants of the One on High,
give honor to the God of Israel,
leave me until I enter and do my will and come back to you.
Abaye said: A person should not say this, lest they abandon him and go. Rather he should say:
Guard me, guard me,
help me, help me,
support me, support me,
wait for me, wait for me until I enter and come out, as this is the way of man.
Upon exiting, one says:
Blessed…Who formed man in wisdom,
and created in him many orifices and cavities.
It is revealed and known before the throne of Your glory
that were one of them to be ruptured or blocked, it would be impossible to survive and stand before You. The Gemara asks: With what should one conclude this blessing? Rav said: One should conclude: Blessed…Healer of the sick. Shmuel said: Abba, Rav, has rendered everyone sick. Rather, one should say: Healer of all flesh. Rav Sheshet said: One should conclude: Who performs wondrous deeds. Rav Pappa said: Therefore, let us say them both: Healer of all flesh, Who performs wondrous deeds.
Be honored, honorable holy ones, servants of the One on High,
give honor to the God of Israel,
leave me until I enter and do my will and come back to you.
Abaye said: A person should not say this, lest they abandon him and go. Rather he should say:
Guard me, guard me,
help me, help me,
support me, support me,
wait for me, wait for me until I enter and come out, as this is the way of man.
Upon exiting, one says:
Blessed…Who formed man in wisdom,
and created in him many orifices and cavities.
It is revealed and known before the throne of Your glory
that were one of them to be ruptured or blocked, it would be impossible to survive and stand before You. The Gemara asks: With what should one conclude this blessing? Rav said: One should conclude: Blessed…Healer of the sick. Shmuel said: Abba, Rav, has rendered everyone sick. Rather, one should say: Healer of all flesh. Rav Sheshet said: One should conclude: Who performs wondrous deeds. Rav Pappa said: Therefore, let us say them both: Healer of all flesh, Who performs wondrous deeds.
כי מתער אומר אלקי נשמה שנתת בי טהורה אתה יצרתה בי אתה נפחתה בי ואתה משמרה בקרבי ואתה עתיד ליטלה ממני ולהחזירה בי לעתיד לבא כל זמן שהנשמה בקרבי מודה אני לפניך ה׳ אלקי ואלקי אבותי רבון כל העולמים אדון כל הנשמות ברוך אתה ה׳ המחזיר נשמות לפגרים מתים
When one awakens, he recites:
My God, the soul You have placed within me is pure.
You formed it within me,
You breathed it into me,
and You guard it while it is within me.
One day You will take it from me and restore it within me in the time to come.
As long as the soul is within me, I thank You,
O Lord my God and God of my ancestors, Master of all worlds, Lord of all souls.
Blessed are You, O Lord, who restores souls to lifeless bodies.
My God, the soul You have placed within me is pure.
You formed it within me,
You breathed it into me,
and You guard it while it is within me.
One day You will take it from me and restore it within me in the time to come.
As long as the soul is within me, I thank You,
O Lord my God and God of my ancestors, Master of all worlds, Lord of all souls.
Blessed are You, O Lord, who restores souls to lifeless bodies.
כי שמע קול תרנגולא לימא ברוך אשר נתן לשכוי בינה להבחין בין יום ובין לילה כי פתח עיניה לימא ברוך פוקח עורים
כי תריץ ויתיב לימא ברוך מתיר אסורים כי לביש לימא ברוך מלביש ערומים
כי זקיף לימא ברוך זוקף כפופים
כי נחית לארעא לימא ברוך רוקע הארץ על המים
כי מסגי לימא ברוך המכין מצעדי גבר
כי סיים מסאניה לימא ברוך שעשה לי כל צרכי
כי אסר המייניה לימא ברוך אוזר ישראל בגבורה
כי פריס סודרא על רישיה לימא ברוך עוטר ישראל בתפארה
Upon hearing the sound of the rooster, one should recite: Blessed…Who gave the heart [sekhvi] understanding to distinguish between day and night.
Upon opening his eyes, one should recite: Blessed…Who gives sight to the blind.
Upon sitting up straight, one should recite: Blessed…Who sets captives free.
Upon dressing, one should recite: Blessed…Who clothes the naked, as they would sleep unclothed.
Upon standing up straight, one should recite: Blessed…Who raises those bowed down.
Upon descending from one’s bed to the ground, one should recite: Blessed…Who spreads the earth above the waters, in thanksgiving for the creation of solid ground upon which to walk.
Upon walking, one should recite: Blessed…Who makes firm the steps of man.
Upon putting on his shoes, one should recite: Blessed…Who has provided me with all I need, as shoes are a basic necessity.
Upon putting on his belt, one should recite: Blessed…Who girds Israel with strength.
Upon spreading a shawl upon his head, one should recite: Blessed…Who crowns Israel with glory.
Upon opening his eyes, one should recite: Blessed…Who gives sight to the blind.
Upon sitting up straight, one should recite: Blessed…Who sets captives free.
Upon dressing, one should recite: Blessed…Who clothes the naked, as they would sleep unclothed.
Upon standing up straight, one should recite: Blessed…Who raises those bowed down.
Upon descending from one’s bed to the ground, one should recite: Blessed…Who spreads the earth above the waters, in thanksgiving for the creation of solid ground upon which to walk.
Upon walking, one should recite: Blessed…Who makes firm the steps of man.
Upon putting on his shoes, one should recite: Blessed…Who has provided me with all I need, as shoes are a basic necessity.
Upon putting on his belt, one should recite: Blessed…Who girds Israel with strength.
Upon spreading a shawl upon his head, one should recite: Blessed…Who crowns Israel with glory.
כי מעטף בציצית לימא ברוך אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להתעטף בציצית כי מנח תפילין אדרעיה לימא ברוך אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להניח תפילין ארישיה לימא ברוך אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על מצות תפילין כי משי ידיה לימא ברוך אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על נטילת ידים כי משי אפיה לימא ברוך המעביר חבלי שינה מעיני ותנומה מעפעפי ויהי רצון מלפניך ה׳ אלקי שתרגילני בתורתך ודבקני במצותיך ואל תביאני לא לידי חטא ולא לידי עון ולא לידי נסיון ולא לידי בזיון וכוף את יצרי להשתעבד לך ורחקני מאדם רע ומחבר רע ודבקני ביצר טוב ובחבר טוב בעולמך ותנני היום ובכל יום לחן ולחסד ולרחמים בעיניך ובעיני כל רואי ותגמלני חסדים טובים ברוך אתה ה׳ גומל חסדים טובים לעמו ישראל:
Upon wrapping himself in ritual fringes, one should recite: Blessed…Who has made us holy through His commandments and has commanded us to wrap ourselves in a garment with ritual fringes.
Upon donning his phylacteries on his arm, one should recite: Blessed…Who has made us holy through His commandments and has commanded us to don phylacteries.
Upon donning phylacteries on his head one should recite: Blessed…Who has made us holy through His commandments and has commanded us with regard to the mitzva of phylacteries.
Upon ritually washing his hands: Blessed…Who has made us holy through His commandments and has commanded us with regard to the washing of the hands.
Upon washing his face, one recites: Blessed…Who removes the bands of sleep from my eyes and slumber from my eyelids.
And may it be Your will, O Lord my God, to accustom me in Your Torah,
attach me to Your mitzvot, and lead me not into transgression,
nor into error, nor into iniquity, nor into temptation nor into disgrace.
Bend my evil inclination to be subservient to You,
and distance me from an evil person and an evil acquaintance.
Help me attach myself to the good inclination and to a good friend in Your world.
Grant me, today and every day, grace, loving-kindness, and compassion in Your eyes and the eyes of all who see me,
and bestow loving-kindness upon me.
Blessed are You, O Lord, Who bestows loving-kindness on His people, Israel.
Upon donning his phylacteries on his arm, one should recite: Blessed…Who has made us holy through His commandments and has commanded us to don phylacteries.
Upon donning phylacteries on his head one should recite: Blessed…Who has made us holy through His commandments and has commanded us with regard to the mitzva of phylacteries.
Upon ritually washing his hands: Blessed…Who has made us holy through His commandments and has commanded us with regard to the washing of the hands.
Upon washing his face, one recites: Blessed…Who removes the bands of sleep from my eyes and slumber from my eyelids.
And may it be Your will, O Lord my God, to accustom me in Your Torah,
attach me to Your mitzvot, and lead me not into transgression,
nor into error, nor into iniquity, nor into temptation nor into disgrace.
Bend my evil inclination to be subservient to You,
and distance me from an evil person and an evil acquaintance.
Help me attach myself to the good inclination and to a good friend in Your world.
Grant me, today and every day, grace, loving-kindness, and compassion in Your eyes and the eyes of all who see me,
and bestow loving-kindness upon me.
Blessed are You, O Lord, Who bestows loving-kindness on His people, Israel.
רבי בתר צלותיה אמר הכי יהי רצון מלפניך ה׳ אלקינו ואלקי אבותינו שתצילנו מעזי פנים ומעזות פנים מאדם רע ומפגע רע מיצר רע מחבר רע משכן רע ומשטן המשחית ומדין קשה ומבעל דין קשה בין שהוא בן ברית בין שאינו בן ברית
After his prayer, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said the following:
May it be Your will, Lord our God, and God of our forefathers,
that You save us from the arrogant and from arrogance in general,
from a bad man, from a bad mishap,
from an evil instinct, from a bad companion,
from a bad neighbor, from the destructive Satan,
from a harsh trial and from a harsh opponent,
whether he is a member of the covenant, a Jew,
or whether he is not a member of the covenant.
May it be Your will, Lord our God, and God of our forefathers,
that You save us from the arrogant and from arrogance in general,
from a bad man, from a bad mishap,
from an evil instinct, from a bad companion,
from a bad neighbor, from the destructive Satan,
from a harsh trial and from a harsh opponent,
whether he is a member of the covenant, a Jew,
or whether he is not a member of the covenant.