Maariv מַעֲרִיב

Unlike the morning Shacharis and afternoon Mincha services which correspond to the two daily communal sacrifices (Tamid), offered in the Temple, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, the evening Maariv service has no counterpart in the Temple service, since sacrifices were never brought at night in the Temple. The Maariv service was instituted to correspond to the Temple ritual of keeping on the altar the unconsumed parts of sacrifices that had been offered earlier in the day. These parts were kept on the altar at night so that they could be completely consumed by its fire. This ritual was applicable only if there actually were uncon- sumed parts of offerings. Although the Maariv service was instituted to correspond to this ritual, and may therefore seem to be non-obligatory (see Maseches Berachos 27b), Rabbeinu Yitzchak Alfasi and all the other codifiers have ruled that Maariv has been accepted and hallowed by custom, and is therefore an obligatory service. The Shema is preceded by two blessings and followed by two other blessings.

The Chazzan says:

The congregation responds and the Chazzan repeats:

The following three lines are to be said silently:

You must be careful to connect the last words of Shema, ה’ אֱלֹקֵיכֶם (Adonoy, your God), with the word אֶמֶת (is true) without pause or interruption so that these three words form one sentence, meaning “Adonoy your God is true” (Maseches Berachos 13a).

This is the first of the two berachos that follow the Shema.

This is the second of the benedictions that follow the Sh’ma.

The following prayer was originally a compilation of eighteen verses instituted during the Gaonic era as a substitute for the Shemoneh Esrei. According to Avudraham, the Shemoneh Esrei was omitted because of decrees issued against the Jews that banned them from participating in the Evening Service. These eighteen verses, adopted in place of the Shemoneh Esrei, have remained a part of the Maariv service. Some Halachic commentaries maintain that these verses should not be included in Maariv, because they constitute an interruption between the final blessing after Shema and the Shemoneh Esrei.

The Chazzan recites the following half-Kaddish

Fundamentals of Kuzari, (Metsudah Publications, 1979) pages 269, 271, 273.When reciting Shemoneh Esrei, you must adhere to these rules:1. Before beginning the prayer, take three steps backwards and then return to your former position. Upon completing the prayer, take three steps backwards and return.2. Keep your feet together.3. Concentrate on the meaning of the words you are uttering. Remove all distracting thoughts and worries from your mind.4. You may not interrupt Shemoneh Esrei by talking, not even by answering Amein. If you should hear Kedushah, Kaddish, or Barechu while saying the Shemoneh Esrei, you should remain silent and listen to the Chazzan’s words.5. At the beginning and end of the first blessing, at the beginning and end of the blessing that begins: “We are thankful to You,” (page 133) and ends with “The Beneficent is Your Name,” (page 140) we half-kneel and bow in the following manner: At the word “Blessed,” bend your knees; at the word “You,” bend forward until the vertebrae of your spinal cord are loosened; at “Adonoy,” return to your upright position in keeping with the verse, “Adonoy straightens the bent” (Psalms 146:8).6. Each individual recites Shemoneh Esrei in silence. Only the prayer leader, the Chazzan, ever recites it aloud, and then only after the entire congregation, himself included, has recited it silently.

If you forgot to say this, see page 000.

If you neglected to say this, and became aware of your omission before saying the blessing מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים, “the Resurrector of the dead,” you must say it at that time. If you reminded yourself after saying וְנֶאֱמָן אַתָּה “You are faithful,” you must repeat it and then complete the blessing of מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים. If you became aware of your omission after starting the blessing אַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ “You are holy,” even if you only said the word “You,” say the Shemoneh Esrei from the beginning. If during the first thirty days after Shemini Atzeres you are in doubt whether you said it, you must assume that you didnot say it. After thirty days, however, since you have become accustomed to saying it, you may assume that you recited the proper phrase and you need not repeat the Shemoneh Esrei.

If you forgot to say this, the same law applies as above concerning “Remember us for life.”

If you forgot to say this, the same law applies as above concerning “Remember us for life.”

* If you forgot to say this and became aware of your omission before concluding the blessing, you may say it at that time and conclude the blessing. If you became aware of your omission after saying the blessing, continue the prayers, and before concluding the 16th blessing שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִילָּה, “Who heeds prayer,” say: וְתֵן טַל וּמָטָר לִבְרָכָה כִּי אַתָּה וגו’ “bestow dew and rain for blessing, for you heed etc.”. If you reminded yourself after concluding the blessing שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִילָּה, but before you started רְצֵה, “be pleased,” you may say: “bestow dew and rain,” וְתֵן טַל וּמָטָר and then continue with רְצֵה . If you remembered after that you must go back and say the 9th blessing, בָּרֵךְ עָלֵינוּ, and continue from there. But if you became aware of your omission after concluding the entire Shemoneh Esrei [and taking three steps backwards] you must repeat the entire Shemoneh Esrei.

At the words, We are thankful, bend forward; at Adonoy return to an upright position.

If you forget to say this, you need not go back and repeat it. If you became aware of the omission before concluding the blessing, you can say it at that time.

If you forget to say this you need not go back and repeat it.

On weekday nights, the Chazzan continues with Whole-Kaddish. On Saturday night, the Chazzan says Half-Kaddish, and the Congregation continues with וִיהִי נֹֽעַם and וְאַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ below. If a Festival occurs on a weekday of the new week, the Chazzan instead says Whole-Kaddish and וִיהִי נֹֽעַם/וְאַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ are omitted. On PURIM, the Megillah is read here, followed by (וִיהִי נֹֽעַם and) וְאַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ below. On TISHA B’AV, Eichah and Kinos are said, followed by וְאַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ.