Jewish holidays begin in the evening at sunset. The formal onset can be with candle lighting, prayer, or by the recitation of Kiddush, a verbal declaration of the holiness of the day. Kiddush, related to the root Kadesh, meaning holy, is about lifting a moment from “just a holiday meal” to a holy moment together.
On Rosh Hashanah, as on other festivals we recite a special kiddush that is different from the familiar friday evening kiddush. When Rosh Hashanah is on on Shabbat and Sunday, there are unique insertions.
For more on home rituals on Rosh Hashanah, click here.
On Rosh Hashanah Evening:
On each night of the two nights of Rosh Hashanah, we recite the blessings for kiddush. When the first night is on Shabbat, we add the texts below.
When the second night is on Saturday night, we add a special addition for Havdalah after kiddush but before the Shehechiyanu.
On Shabbat, start here:
וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בקֶר: יום הַשִּׁשִּׁי
וַיְכַל אֱלהִים בַּיּום הַשְּׁבִיעִי מְלַאכְתּו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה. וַיִּשְׁבּת בַּיּום הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה: וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלהִים אֶת יום הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אתו. כִּי בו שָׁבַת מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּו אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלהִים לַעֲשׂות:
Vayhi erev vayhi voker Yom ha-shishi.
Vaykhulu ha-shamayim v’ha’aretz v’khol tz’va’am. Vaychal Elohim ba-yom ha-sh’vi’i m’lakhto asher asah, va-yishbot ba-yom ha-sh’vi’i, mi-kol m’lakhto asher asah. Vayvarekh Elohim et yom ha-shivi’i vaykadeish oto, ki vo shavat mi-kol m’lakhto, asher bara Elohim la’asot.
And there was evening, and there was morning: the sixth day.
The heavens and the earth and all they contain were completed. On the seventh day, God completed all of the work that was done. And rested on the seventh day from all the work that was done. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God ceased from all the work of creation.
On weekdays start here, or continue if Shabbat:
סַברִי מָרָנָן וַחַבֵרַי:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם בּורֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן:Savri maranan v’chaverai:
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh haOlam borei peri hagafen.Honored guests:
Blessed are You Adonai, our God, ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
Continue here and add the text in the (parentheses) on Shabbat:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר בָּֽחַר בָּֽנוּ מִכָּל־עָם וְרוֹמְמָֽנוּ מִכָּל לָשׁוֹן, וְקִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו.
וַתִּתֶּן לָֽנוּ ה׳ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ בְּאַהֲבָה (אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת הַזֶּה וְ) אֶת יוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן הַזֶּה יוֹם (זִכְרוֹן) תְּרוּעָה (בְּאַהֲבָה) מִקְרָא קֹֽדֶשׁ זֵֽכֶר לִיצִיאַת מִצְרָֽיִם.
כִּי בָֽנוּ בָחַֽרְתָּ וְאוֹתָֽנוּ קִדַּֽשְׁתָּ מִכָּל־הָעַמִּים.
וּדְבָרְךָ אֱמֶת וְקַיָּם לָעַד:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ מֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ מְקַדֵּשׁ (הַשַּׁבָּת וְ) יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן:Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh haOlam asher bachar banu mikol ‘am v’romemanu mikol lashon, v’kidshanu b’mitzvotav.
Vateeten lanu Adonai Eloheinu v’ahavah (et yom haShabbat hazeh v’) et yom haZikkaron hazeh yom (zichron) Tru’ah (B”ahavah) mikra kodesh zecher leetziyat mitzrayim.
Ki vanu bacharta v’otanu kidashta mikol-ha’amim. oo’d’var’cha emet v’kayam la’ad.
Barukh atah Adonai melekh al kol ha’aretz m’kadesh (haShabbat v’) yisrael v’yom haZikkaron.Blessed are You Adonai, our God, ruler of the universe, who chose us from among all people, and exalted
us above all languages, and sanctified us with the divine commandments.
And You gave us Adonai, our God, in love (this Shabbat day, and) this Day of Remembrance, a day for (remembering the) sounding the shofar (with love) a day of holy assembly commemorating the exodus from Egypt.
You have chosen us and sanctified us among all peoples; and Your word is true and enduring forever.
Blessed are You Adonai, ruler over all the earth, sanctifier (of Shabbat and) of Israel and the Day of Remembrance.
For the second night of Rosh Hashanah when it falls on Saturday night, transfer the flame to the holiday candles after Shabbat has ended (click here for candle lighting), and recite this blessing of Havdalah.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹֽדֶשׁ לְחוֹל בֵּין אוֹר לְחֽשֶׁךְ בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעַמִּים, בֵּין יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי לְשֵֽׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. בֵּין קְדֻשַּׁת שַׁבָּת לִקְדֻשַּׁת יוֹם טוֹב הִבְדַּֽלְתָּ. וְאֶת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִשֵּֽׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה קִדַּֽשְׁתָּ הִבְדַּֽלְתָּ וְקִדַּֽשְׁתָּ אֶת עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּקְדֻשָּׁתֶֽךָ: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹֽדֶשׁ לְקֹֽדֶשׁ:
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam, borei me’orei ha’esh.
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam, hamavdil bein kodesh l’chol bein or l’choshech bein yisrael la’amim bein yom hash’vi’i l’sheishet y’mei hama’aseh. Bein k’dushat Shabbat lik’dushat yom tov hivdalta. V’et Yom hash’vi’i misheishet y’mei hama’aseh kidashta hivdalta v’kidashta et am’cha yisrael b’kdushatecha. Barukh atah Adonai hamavdil bein kodesh l’kodesh.
Praised are you Adonai, sovereign of the universe, who creates the lights of the fire.
Blessed are you Adonai, our God, ruler of time and space, who distinguishes the sacred from the everyday, light from darkness, Israel from the nations, and Shabbat from all other days. As You have distinguished between Shabbat and the festivals, imbuing the seventh day with sanctity above all other days, so have You distinguished and endowed Your people Israel with Your holiness. Blessed are you Adonai, who distinguishes one holy day from another.
We conclude with the She-heḥeyyanu (also written as shehechiyanu or shehechianu) blessing, which is recited on both nights:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְמַן הַזֶּה.
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha-olam, she-heheyyanu, vekiyamanu, vehigiyanu lezman hazeh.
Praised are You, Adonai, our God, Sovereign of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this occasion.
On Rosh Hashanah Day:
On Shabbat start here:
וְשָֽׁמְרוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּת. לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּת לְדֹרֹתָם בְּרִית עוֹלָם: בֵּינִי וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹת הִיא לְעֹלָם. כִּי־שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה ה׳ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שָׁבַת וַיִּנָּפַשׁ.
עַל־כֵּן בֵּרַךְ ה׳ אֶת־יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת וַיְקַדְּשֵׁהוּ:
V’shamru v’nei Yisrael et haShabbat, la’asot et haShabbat l’dorotam b’rit olam. Beini u’vein b’nei Yisrael ot hee l’olam. Ki sheshet yamim ‘asah Adonai et-hashamayim v’et haaretz. Oova’yom hash’vi’i shabbat vayeenafash.
Al ken barekh Adoanai et yom haShabbat vay’kad’sheihu.
The people Israel shall observe the Shabbat to maintain it as an everlasting covenant throughout all generations. It is the same between Me and the people Israel for all time that in six days Adonai made the heavens and the earth and on the seventh day ceased from work and rested.
Therefore Adonai blessed Shabbat and made it holy.
On weekdays start here, or continue on Shabbat:
וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶת־מֹעֲדֵ֖י ה׳ אֶל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Vayidaber Moshe et Moadei Adonai el b’nei Yisrael.
Moses declared to the Israelites the sacred occasions of God.
תִּקְעוּ בַחֹדֶשׁ שׁוֹפָר בַּכֶּסֶא לְיוֹם חַגֵּנוּ, כִּי חֹק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא מִשְׁפָּט לֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב
Tik’u v’chodesh shofar ba’keseh l’yom chageinu. Ki chok l’yisrael hoo mishpat leilohei Ya’akov.
Sound the shofar on our fest day, on the new moon, when it is hidden. For it is Israel’s law, a decree of the God of Jacob.
סַברִי מָרָנָן וַחַבֵרַי:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם בּורֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן:Savri maranan v’chaverai:
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh haOlam borei peri hagafen.Honored guests:
Blessed are You Adonai, our God, ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.
