This recording presents the complete Grace After Meals according to Ashkenazi custom, sung with the modern Israeli pronunciation of Hebrew in a slow, clear voice to a popular melody. Performed by Sandy Bernstein, Chazzan of Congregation Beth El-Ner Tamid (CBENT), and shared by the American Jewish University (AJU) of the Conservative Movement, it begins with Shir Hamaalot (the Psalm sung before the blessing on Shabbat and festivals) followed by a gender-inclusive responsive “call to blessing” and each subsequent paragraph of the Grace After Meals. The special paragraph added on Shabbat is also included. A text of Grace After Meals in Hebrew with an English translation can be found here. A text of Grace After Meals in English and transliteration can be found here or below.
A Song of Ascents (Shir Hama’alot)
(Recited on Sabbath and festivals)
When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like unto them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with exultation: then said they among the nations, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereat we rejoiced. Bring back our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Though he goeth on his way weeping, bearing the store of seed, he shall come back with joy, bearing his sheaves.
Shir ha-maalot, beshuv Adonai et shivat tziyon hayinu ke-cholmim. Az yimalei sechok pinu
u-leshoneinu rinah az yomru va goyim higdil Adonai la’asot im eileh. Higdil Adonai la’asot imanu
hayinu semeichim. Shuvah Adonai et sheviteinu ka-afikim ba-negev. Ha-zorim be-dimah be-rinah yiktzoru. Haloch yeileich u’vachoh nosei meshech ha-zara, bo yavo ve-rinah nosei alumotav.
Invitation to Blessing (Zimmun)
(After eating in a group)
Leader begins:
Rabotai nevareich.
My friends, let us say the blessing.
The others answer:
Yehi sheim Adonai mevorach mei-atah ve-ad olam.
May the name of the Lord be blessed from now and forever more.
The leader continues:
Bireshut — kol ha mesubaim kan, maranan ve-rabanan ve-rabotai, nevareich
(If there are ten men present add: Eloheinu)Â she-achalnu mishelo
May the name of the Lord be blessed from now and forever more. With permission of the distinguished people present, Let us bless Him (If there are 10 men present add: our God) whose food we have eaten.
The others say:
Baruch (Eloheinu) she-achalnu mishelo uve-tuvo chayinu.
Blessed is He (our God) whose food we have eaten and through whose goodness we live.
Grace After Meals (Birkat Hamazon)
Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, ha-zan et ha-olam kulo be-tuvo be-chein be-chesed uve-rachamim hu notein lechem le-chol basar, ki le-olam chasdo. Uve-tuvo ha gadol tamid lo chasar lanu ve’al yechsar lanu mazon le-olam vaed. Ba’avur shemo ha gadol ki hu El zan u-mefarneis la-kol u-meitiv la-kol u-meichin mazon le-chol beriyotav asher baro. Baruch ata Adonai, ha-zan et ha-kol.
Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who feedest the whole world with thy goodness, with grace, with lovingkindness and tender mercy; thou givest food to all flesh, for thy lovingkindness endureth for ever. Through thy great goodness food hath never failed us: O may it not fail us for ever and ever for thy great name’s sake, since thou nourishest and sustainest all beings and doest good unto all, and providest food for all thy creatures whom thou hast created. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who givest food unto all.
Nodeh lecha Adonai Eloheinu al she-hinchalta la-avoteinu eretz chemdah tovah u-rechavoh ve-al she-hotzeitanu Adonai Eloheinu mei-eretz mitzrayim u feditanu mi-belt avadim, ve-al beritcha she-chatamta bi-vesareinu, ve-al Toratcha she-limadetanu, ve-al chukecha she-hodatanu, ve-al chayim chein va-chesed she-chonantanu, ve-al achilat mazon sha-ata zan u-mefarneis otanu tamid be-chol yom uve-chol eit uve-chol sha’ah.
We thank You, Lord our God, for having given the heritage to our fathers of a lovely, fine and spacious land, and for having brought us out, Lord our God, from Egypt, and for rescuing us from slavery, and also for Your covenant which You sealed in our flesh, as well as for Your Torah which You taught us, and Your laws of which You told us, and for the life, grace and kindness You have granted us, and for the food which You supply and provide for us constantly, every day, all the time, and at every hour.
Ve-al ha-kol Adonai Eloheinu anachnu modim lach u-mevarchim otach yitbarach shimcha be fi kol chai tamid le-olam va-ed. Ka-katuv, ve-achalta ve-savata u-veirachta et Adonai Elohecha al ha-aretz ha-tovah asher natan lach. Baruch atah Adonai, al ha-aretz ve-al ha-mazon.
So for everything, Lord our God, we thank You and bless You may Your name be blessed in the speech of all living beings, constantly, for all time. For it is written: “And you shall eat, and be satisfied, and bless the Lord your God for the good land He gave you.” You are blessed, Lord, for the land and for the food.
Racheim Adonai Eloheinu al Yisrael amecha ve-al Yerushalayim irecha ve-al tziyon mishkan kevodecha ve-al malchut beit David meshichecha ve-al ha-bayit ha gadol veha-kadosh she-nikra shimcha alav.Eloheinu avinu re’einu zuneinu parneseinu ve-chalkeleinu ve-harvicheinu ve-harvach lanu Adonai Eloheinu meheirah mi-kol tzaroteinu.Ve-na al tatzricheinu Adonai Eloheinu Lo lidei matnat basar va-dam ve-lo lidei halva’atam, ki im le-yadcha ha-melei’ah ha-petucha ha-kedoshah veha-rechavah, she-lo neivosh ve-lo nikaleim le-olam vaed.
Have mercy, Lord our God, on Israel Your people, on Jerusalem Your city, on Zion the home of your glory, on the kingdom of the house of David, Your anointed one, and on the great and holy house which is called by Your name.Our God, our Father, look after us and feed us, give us a livelihood and support us, and provide a respite for us — a respite for us, Lord our God, soon, from all our troubles.And please, let us not be dependent, Lord our God, neither on a gift, nor on a loan from a human being, but rather on Your full, open, holy and generous hand, so that we should never feel embarrassed or ashamed.
Special paragraph for Shabbat:
Retzeih ve-hachalitzeinu Adonai Eloheinu be-mitzvotecha uve-mitzvat yom ha-shevi ha-Shabbat ha gadol veha-kadosh ha-zeh. Ki yom zeh gadol ve-kadosh hu lefanecha lishbot bo ve-lanuach bo be-ahavah ke-mitzvat retzonecha.Uvi-retzoncha haniyach lanu Adonai Eloheinu she-lo tehei tzarah ve-yagon va-anachah be-yom menuchateinu. Ve-hareinu Adonai Eloheinu be-nechamat tziyon irecha uve-vinyan Yerushalayim ir kodshecha ki atah hu baal ha-yeshuot u-vaal ha-nechamot.
Be pleased, Lord our God, to strengthen us through Your commandments, especially the commandment of the seventh day, this great and holy Shabbat. For this is indeed a great and holy day for You; to rest and be at ease, with loving concern for the command of Your will.So may it please You to grant us rest, Lord our God, with no trouble, or unhappiness, or weeping on our day of rest. And let us witness, Lord our God, the consolation of Zion, Your city, and the building up of Jerusalem, Your holy city, for you are the Lord of redemption, and the Lord of consolation.
On all days continue here:
U-veneih Yerushalayim ir ha-kodesh bi-meheirah ve-yameinu. Baruch atah Adonai, boneh ve-rachamav Yerushalayim. Amein.
And may You build up Jerusalem, the holy city, rapidly in our lifetimes. You are blessed, Lord, who in His mercy, builds up Jerusalem. Amen.
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, ha-Eil avinu malkeinu adireinu boreinu go’aleinu yotzreinu kedosheinu kedosh Yaakov, ro’einu ro’eih Yisrael ha-melech ha-tov veha-meitiv la-kol shebechol yom va-yom hu heitiv hu meitiv hu yeitiv lanu.Hu gemalanu hu gomleinu hu yigmeleinu la-ad lechein le-chesed ule-rachamim ule-revach hatzalah ve-hatzlacha beracha viyshuah nechama parnasa ve-chalkalah ve-rachamim ve-chayim ve-shalom ve-chol tov, umi-kol tuv le-olam al yechasreinu.
You are blessed, Lord our God, Sovereign of the world God who is our Father, our King, our Mighty One, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Maker, our Holy One-the Holy One Jacob our Shepherd, the Shepherd of Israel the King who is good and does good to all who each and every day has been good, is good and will be good to us.He gave, gives, and will always give us grace, kindness, and mercy, and respite, deliverance, and success, blessing and salvation, comfort, a livelihood and sustenance, and mercy and life and peace and everything that is good and may He never let us lack anything that is good.
Ha-rachaman hu yimloch aleinu le-olam va’ed.Ha-rachaman hu yitbarach ba-shamayim uva-aretz.Ha-rachaman hu yishtabach le-dor dorim ve-yitpa’eir banu la’ad u’le-neitzach netzachim ve-yit’adar banu la’ad ule-olmei olamim.Ha-rachaman hu yefarneseinu be-chavod. Ha-rachaman hu yishbor uleinu mei’al tzavareinu ve-hu yolicheinu komemiyut le-artzeinu.Ha-rachaman hu yishlach berachah merubah ba-bayit ha-zeh ve-al shulchan zeh she-achalnu alav.Ha-rachaman hu yishlach lanu et Eiliyahu ha-navi zachur la-tov viyvaser lanu besorot tovot yeshuot venechamot.
May the Merciful One rule over us forever.May the Merciful One be blessed in heaven and on earth.May the Merciful One be praised for generation upon generation, and may He be glorified through us forever and ever, and may He be honored through us eternally.May the Merciful One grant us an honorable livelihood.May the Merciful One break the yoke from our neck and lead us upright to our land.May the Merciful One send a plentiful blessing on this house and on this table at which we have eaten. May the Merciful One send us Elijah the prophet who is remembered for good who will bring us good tidings of salvation and comfort.
Ha-rachaman hu yevareich…
(when eating at one’s parents:)
et avi mori ba’al ha-bayit v’et imi morati ba’alat ha-bayit ha-zeh, otam ve-et beitam ve-et zaram ve-et kol asher lahem
my honored father, the man of this house and my honored mother, the woman of this house — them, and their household, their children and everything that is theirs
(for one’s hosts:)
et ba’al ha-bayit ha-zeh v’et ba’alat ha-bayit ha-zeh, otam ve-et beitam ve-et zaram ve-et kol asher lahem
the man of this house, and the woman of this house — them, together with their household, their children and everything that is theirs.
(when eating at home:)
oti ve-et ishti (ba’ali) ve-et zari ve-et kol asher li
myself, my wife (or husband), and my children and everything that is mine,
all continue:
…ve-et kol ha-mesubin kan otanu ve-et kol asher lanu, kemo she-nitbarchu avoteinu Avraham Yitzhak ve-Yaakov ba-kol mi-kol kol, kein yevareich otanu kulanu yachad biverachah sheleimah ve-nomar amein.
…and all who are seated here,us, together with all that is ours, just as our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were blessed totally so may He bless us, all of us together, with a complete blessing,
and let us say, Amen.
Ba-marom yelamdu aleihem ve-aleinu zechut she-tehei le-mishmeret shalom. Ve-nisa verachah mei-eit Adonai u-tzedakah mei-Elohei yisheinu. Ve-nimtza chein ve-seichel tov be-einei Elohim ve-adam.
May a plea be heard on high, for them and for us, which will result in the security of peace. So may we receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of our salvation. So may we find favor and understanding in the sight of God and man.
On Shabbat:
Ha-rachaman hu yanchileinu yom she-kulo Shabbat u-menuchah le-chayei ha-olamim.
May the Merciful One bring us the day that will be totally Shabbat and rest in everlasting life.
All days, continue:
Ha-rachaman hu yezakeinu liymot ha-moshiach ule-chayei ha-olam ha-ba.
May the Merciful One make us worthy of the days of the Messiah and the life of the world to come.
Migdol yeshuot malko ve-oseh chesed li-meshicho le-David ule-zaro ad olam. Oseh shalom bi-meromav hu ya’aseh shalom aleinu ve-al kol Yisrael ve-imru amein.
He brings about great victories for His king and shows kindness to his anointed one to David and to his descendants forever. He who makes peace in His high places, may He bring about peace for us and for all Israel, and say, Amen.
Yeru et Adonai kedoshav ki ein machsor liyrei’av. Kefirim rashu ve-ra’eivu ve-dorshei Adonai lo yachseru chol tov. Hodu ladonai ki tov ki le-olam chasdo. Potei’ach et yadecha u-masbia le-chol chai ratzon. Baruch ha-gever asher yivtach ba’Adonai ve-hayah Adonai mivtacho. Na’ar hayiti gam zakanti ve-lo ra’iti tzaddik ne’ezav ve’zaro mevakeish lachem. Adonai oz le-amo yitein Adonai yevareich et amo va-shalom.
Stand in awe of the Lord, you who are His holy ones, for there is nothing lacking to those who stand in awe of Him. Even young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His kindness is everlasting. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of all living. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and who makes the Lord the object of his trust. I was young and I have become old, and yet I never overlooked a deserving man who was destitute, with his children begging for bread. May the Lord give strength to His people. May the Lord bless his people with peace.