Draft. This siddur is waiting for a rav's review. For a halachic question, ask your rav.
Hebrew, then English. Open "What it means" under any line for the explanation.
Kedushah DeSidra, near the end of the service, opens with two verses from the prophet Yeshayahu (Isaiah 59:20-21):
וּבָא לְצִיּוֹן גּוֹאֵל וּלְשָׁבֵי פֶשַׁע בְּיַעֲקֹב נְאֻם יְיָ.
A redeemer will come to Zion and to those in Jacob who turn back from rebellion declares Hashem
Ibn Ezra (a medieval Bible commentator) says the redeemer here is the Messiah. Metzudat David (a classic commentary on the Prophets) adds that even those of Jacob's family who left the community, and then return from their wrongdoing, will be redeemed too.
Ibn Ezra and Metzudat David on Yeshayahu 59:20וַאֲנִי זֹאת בְּרִיתִי אֹתָם אָמַר יְיָ רוּחִי אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיךָ וּדְבָרַי אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בְּפִיךָ לֺא יָמוּשׁוּ מִפִּיךָ וּמִפִּי זַרְעֲךָ וּמִפִּי זֶרַע זַרְעֲךָ אָמַר יְיָ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם.
And as for Me, this is My covenant with them, said Hashem My spirit that is on you and My words that I put in your mouth will not leave your mouth or the mouth of your children or the mouth of your children's children said Hashem from now and forever
This verse is the proof for a teaching in the Gemara about three generations of Torah scholars. The Birkot HaTorah prayer tells it.
Bava Metzia 85aFrom Tehillim (Psalms) 22:4:
וְאַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ יוֹשֵׁב תְּהִלּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל.
And You are holy who sit on the praises of Israel
And You are holy, You who sit on the praises of Israel.
This line comes from Tehillim 22, a psalm that opens "My God, my God, why have You abandoned me?" Radak (a medieval Bible commentator) reads the verse as a reminder to God: Israel has praised You again and again, each time You saved them.
Tehillim 22:2; Radak on Tehillim 22:4The angels' words, from Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 6:3:
וְקָרָא זֶה אֶל זֶה וְאָמַר קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת מְלֺא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ.
One called to the other and said Holy, holy, holy is Hashem of hosts all the earth is full of His glory
You say this verse in the blessing before Shema, and again in the Kedushah of the Amidah, when it is repeated aloud. The Titbarach and Kedushah prayers explain it. Here it comes with its Aramaic translation.
Yeshayahu 6:3; Siddur Sefard, blessing before Shema and AmidahThe old Aramaic translation of the verse above (Targum Yonatan, the translation of the Prophets):
וּמְקַבְּלִין דֵּין מִן דֵּין וְאָמְרִין קַדִּישׁ בִּשְׁמֵי מְרוֹמָא עִלָּאָה בֵּית שְׁכִינְתֵּהּ קַדִּישׁ עַל אַרְעָא עוֹבַד גְּבוּרְתֵּהּ קַדִּישׁ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא יְיָ צְבָאוֹת, מַלְיָא כָל אַרְעָא זִיו יְקָרֵהּ.
And they receive from one another and say Holy in the highest heavens the home of His Presence Holy on the earth the work of His power Holy forever and ever is Hashem of hosts all the earth is full of the radiance of His glory
Rashi (the main medieval commentator on the Gemara and the Torah) says this section was set up so that every Jew learns a little Torah each day: a verse and its translation. That is what you are saying now.
Rashi on Sotah 49aFrom Yechezkel (Ezekiel) 3:12:
וַתִּשָּׂאֵנִי רוּחַ וָאֶשְׁמַע אַחֲרַי קוֹל רַעַשׁ גָּדוֹל בָּרוּךְ כְּבוֹד יְיָ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ.
And a wind lifted me and I heard behind me the sound of a great rumble Blessed is the glory of Hashem from His place
Aramaic translation of the verse above (Targum Yonatan again):
וּנְטָלַתְנִי רוּחָא וּשְׁמָעִית בַּתְרַי קָל זִיעַ סַגִּיא דִּמְשַׁבְּחִין וְאָמְרִין בְּרִיךְ יְקָרָא דַייָ מֵאֲתַר בֵּית שְׁכִינְתֵּהּ.
And a wind lifted me and I heard behind me a great rumbling of those who praise and say Blessed is the glory of Hashem from the place, the home of His Presence
The Aramaic fills in something the Hebrew leaves out. The Hebrew verse does not say who is speaking. The translation says the rumbling was made by those who praise and say "Blessed is the glory."
Targum Yonatan on Yechezkel 3:12From Shemot (Exodus) 15:18, near the end of the Song of the Sea:
יְיָ יִמְלֺךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.
Hashem will reign forever and ever
The Kedushah in the Amidah has the same three verses in the same order: "Holy," "Blessed is the glory," and "will reign." There the third verse is from Tehillim 146:10. Here it is from the Song of the Sea.
Siddur Sefard, Amidah Kedushah; Shemot 15:18Aramaic translation of the verse above (Targum Onkelos, the translation of the Torah):
יְיָ מַלְכוּתֵהּ קָאֵים לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא.
Hashem, His kingdom stands forever and ever
Where the Hebrew says Hashem "will reign," the Aramaic says His kingdom "stands." The Az Yashir prayer, in the morning songs of praise, looks at this change.
Targum Onkelos on Shemot 15:18The Hebrew verses are said together with the congregation. The Aramaic translations are not said aloud together: each person says them quietly, alone.
Rema, Orach Chaim 132:1; Mishnah Berurah 132:4The Gemara (the rabbis' discussions built on the Mishnah) says that since the Temple was destroyed, each day is more cursed than the one before. Then it asks the obvious question: so why is the world still standing? Its answer is this prayer, the Kedushah near the end of the service, together with the response "Let His great name be blessed" that people say after a Torah talk. The Kaddish DeRabbanan prayer covers that second half.
Sotah 49a; Mishnah Berurah 132:6Someone once asked the Geonim (the heads of the great Torah academies in Babylonia after the Gemara) whether you may leave the synagogue before this section. The answer used the Gemara's line: if the whole world stands on it, can you treat it lightly? The Shulchan Aruch (the main code of Jewish law) later made it the rule: you may not leave before it. The Halacha cards have the details.
Teshuvot HaGeonim, Shaarei Teshuva 27; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 132:2The Aramaic lines were not written for the siddur. They come from the old Aramaic translations of the Bible, which the Gemara credits to Yonatan ben Uziel (the Prophets) and Onkelos (the Torah). The two angel passages match Targum Yonatan on Yeshayahu 6:3 and Yechezkel 3:12, apart from small spelling differences. The last line matches Targum Onkelos on Shemot 15:18.
Targum Yonatan on Yeshayahu 6:3 and Yechezkel 3:12; Targum Onkelos on Shemot 15:18; Megillah 3aThe Gemara tells this about the translation of the Prophets, which it credits to Yonatan ben Uziel, who said it in the name of the prophets Chaggai, Zechariah and Malachi. The Land of Israel shook, and a heavenly voice asked who had revealed God's secrets to people. Yonatan stood up and said it was him. He said he did it for God's honor, so that arguments would not multiply in Israel.
Megillah 3aThe prayer opens with two verses from Yeshayahu, the first promising a redeemer. The Tur (a law code from Spain, 1300s) says that on Saturday night people skip them and begin at "Ve'atah kadosh," since there is no redemption at night. The night of Tisha B'Av has its own custom, in the Halacha cards.
Tur, Orach Chaim 295The Tur writes that on Saturday night the prayers are drawn out, and some places say this section especially slowly. His reason is a tradition that this is the time the wicked return to Gehinnom (the place of punishment after death), after resting on Shabbat. So the prayers are stretched to wait until the last congregation in Israel has finished. The Rema (Rabbi Moshe Isserles, who added Ashkenazi practice to the Shulchan Aruch) repeats it. It is a custom with an old reason, not a law.
Tur, Orach Chaim 295; Rema on Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 295:1The Mishnah (the Sages' teachings written down around 200 CE) says that since the Temple was destroyed, every day has a curse in it. Rava (a leading sage of the Gemara) adds that each day is more cursed than the one before. So how does the world survive? The Gemara answers: by the Kedushah DeSidra (this section), and by "Let His great name be blessed" after a Torah talk. Its proof is a verse from Iyov (the book of Job) about a dark land with "no orders": where there are orders, light breaks through.
The Gemara does not say how this works. Rashi (the main commentator on the Gemara, who died in 1105) gives a reason. This section was set up so that every Jew, scholar or not, gets a small piece of Torah each day: a verse and its translation, which counts as learning. It holds two precious things at once: making God's name holy, and learning Torah.
Abudarham (a commentary on the prayers from Spain, 1300s) gives a different reason for the placement. It was set up for people who came late to the synagogue and would otherwise miss the Kedushah. That is also why it was translated: ordinary people spoke Aramaic and did not know Hebrew well.
The Arukh HaShulchan (a law code from around 1900) asks your question: how does this cancel a curse? His answer starts from a midrash (a teaching of the Sages on a verse) about Tehillim 20: in trouble, what helps most is to make God a partner in our pain. These verses do that. They say the whole earth is full of God's glory, though right now it cannot be seen at all, and they ask when His kingship will show. Then, he says, God, as it were, cries out with us and lifts the curse.
Rashi's reason and Abudarham's are both about people: a daily share of Torah for everyone, and no one missing the Kedushah by coming late. That the world stands on it is the Gemara's claim. How it works, each commentator explains his own way.
Sotah 49a,Rashi on Sotah 49a,Abudarham, Weekday Prayers, Post Amidah 22,Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 132:5The prayer opens with a verse from the prophet Yeshayahu: "A redeemer will come to Zion, and to those in Jacob who turn back from rebellion." Ibn Ezra (a Bible commentator from Spain) says the redeemer in the verse is the Messiah.
The verse has two halves, and the Gemara pays attention to how they connect. Rabbi Yonatan (a sage of the Gemara) teaches that teshuvah, turning back, brings the redemption closer. Then he asks why the verse says a redeemer will come to Zion, and answers: because there are people in Jacob who turn back from rebellion. He reads the second half as the reason for the first.
So the opening line is not only a hope. In his reading, people turning back is the reason the redeemer comes.
The Arukh HaShulchan points to a pattern. In Yeshayahu, the redeemer verse comes right after a verse about trouble arriving "like a flood." In the siddur it comes right after Tehillim 20, which begins "May Hashem answer you on a day of trouble." The next verse in the prayer is the promise that God's words will stay in your mouth and in your children's mouths, and he reads it as a reassurance: do not fear that Torah will be forgotten because of so many troubles.
Rashi reads that second verse the same way: even in exile, God's Torah will not be forgotten by them.
The sources do not settle what the redemption will look like. What they do is tie it to people returning, and tie the promise of Torah to the people who come after you.
Yeshayahu 59:19-21,Yoma 86b,Ibn Ezra on Yeshayahu 59:20,Rashi on Yeshayahu 59:21,Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 132:4The sources give a plain reason first. The Rambam (Maimonides, who died in 1204) lists the order: the Hebrew verse, then its translation, "so the people understand." The Tur says the same: translate so that everyone understands. Aramaic was the language people spoke every day. The Kaddish DeRabbanan prayer goes further into why Aramaic is in the siddur at all.
But this is not just a word-for-word swap. These are the old Aramaic translations of the Bible, and they explain as they translate. You met one of them in Titbarach, before the Shema: in Yeshayahu the angels say "holy" three times, and the translation reads that as three places and times, the highest heavens, the earth, and forever. The Hebrew words alone do not say that. It is one old way of understanding them. Here you say that translation out loud.
In Yechezkel, the Hebrew has "the sound of a great rumble," and then "Blessed is the glory of Hashem from His place." The Aramaic says the rumble was made by those who were praising and saying it, and that the place is where God's presence lives.
Rashi gives a second reason. Reading the verse and its translation counts as learning Torah, so everyone gets a bit of study every day. The same pairing of text and translation shows up in a rule in the Gemara: keep up with the weekly Torah portion along with the community, reading it "twice in the Hebrew and once in the translation."
The Rambam and the Tur both say the translation is there so the listener understands, not only so the words get said. Rashi adds that saying it this way counts as learning Torah.
Rambam, Laws of Prayer and the Priestly Blessing 9:5,Tur, Orach Chaim 132,Targum Yonatan on Yeshayahu 6:3 and Yechezkel 3:12,Rashi on Sotah 49a,Berakhot 8aShort ideas from the Chassidic masters, the Kabbalah and the Mussar teachers.
The Zohar (the central book of Kabbalah) says that when Israel reach this Kedushah, a herald calls out: "Those above and those below, listen. Who is proud of his Torah?" A person has to stay low about Torah in this world, the Zohar explains, because being high in Torah belongs to the world to come. Now read the Aramaic lines again.
כרוזא נפיק ואמר, עלאין ותתאין אציתו, מאן איהו גס רוחא במלי דאורייתא
Zohar, Parashat TerumahRabbi Yaakov Leiner (a Chassidic rabbi in Izbica, Poland, in the 1800s) says the Kedushah in the blessings before the Shema is in Hebrew because there we speak as the angels' companions. This one is said in Aramaic translation, a language he says the ministering angels do not recognize. He argues that Israel's holiness is actually greater, because Israel shine even in the dark, even asleep, even without knowing it.
קדושה דסדרא ... נאמרת בלשון תרגום לשון שמלאכי השרת אין מכירין
Beit Yaakov, Parashat VayetzeiRebbe Nachman of Breslov (a Chassidic master who died in 1810) teaches that prayer adds holiness above, and a prayer that comes from many souls adds more. He ties it to a verse from Tehillim that is also a line in this prayer: "You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel." The more people praising, he says, the more of God's holiness is added. Now say the line again and picture a full room.
הַכֹּל לְפִי רֹב אֲנָשִׁים, כֵּן יוֹתֵר קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ
Rebbe Nachman, Likutei Moharan I:20:4Reb Noson (the main student of Rebbe Nachman, who died in 1844) explains why this is called Kedushah "of the order." He says it is said after the prayer so that what you asked for can come through, and so that things go in order for you. What blocks that, he writes, is a prayer full of your own agenda and self-importance. His remedy is to turn back and make yourself small.
קְדֻשָּׁה דְּסִידְרָא שֶׁאוֹמְרִים אַחַר הַתְּפִלָּה, לְהַמְשִׁיךְ הַשֶּׁפַע
Reb Noson, Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Sidra Kaddish 1:2Rabbi Aharon of Karlin (a Chassidic leader in what is now Belarus, in the 1800s) lists the steps of the morning in order. After Kedushah DeSidra and the full Kaddish, he notes that the early pious ones used to stay an hour after praying. The point, he says, is that the life and awe of the prayer stay with you all day long.
וחסידים הראשונים הי' שוהין שעה אחת אחר התפילה. היינו שישאר החיות והיראה של התפילה על כל היום
Beit Aharon, Daily Conduct of Rabbi Aharon of Karlin 19The practical laws. For a final ruling, ask your rav.
The Shulchan Aruch (the main code of Jewish law) says it is forbidden to leave the synagogue before Kedushah DeSidra, which is this section. The Mishnah Berurah (a central commentary on daily Jewish law, written around 1900) explains that the world stands on it, so you must be careful not to treat it lightly. That holds even if you plan to say it by yourself, unless you are under real pressure.
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 132:2; Mishnah Berurah 132:5The Magen Avraham (a commentary on the Shulchan Aruch from the 1600s) and the Mishnah Berurah say yes: say that part with them, then go back and say Ashrei, Lamenatzeach and the opening verses. The Arukh HaShulchan (a code of law from around 1900) says that is not our custom, since we rule that a person may say it alone. The Kaf HaChaim, a Sephardic commentary, disagrees too: from a teaching of the Arizal (the great kabbalist of Tzfat), he concludes the order must be Ashrei, Lamenatzeach, then Uva LeTzion.
Magen Avraham 132:1; Mishnah Berurah 132:3; Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 132:8; Kaf HaChaim, Orach Chaim 132:8Yes. The Rema (Rabbi Moshe Isserles, who added Ashkenazi practice to the Shulchan Aruch) says this follows the rule for the Kedushah before the Shema. There, some held a person alone skips it. The Shulchan Aruch takes that view into account: say it alone in the tune used for reading the Torah. The Rema says the custom spread to just say it. The Mishnah Berurah adds it is still better with ten. In a group, each person says the Aramaic quietly. Alone, you may say it aloud. The Kaf HaChaim reports that the Arizal said it aloud.
Rema, Orach Chaim 132:1; Shulchan Aruch and Rema 59:3; Mishnah Berurah 132:3-4; Kaf HaChaim, Orach Chaim 132:10Neither source makes standing a requirement, and they lean different ways. The Arukh HaShulchan writes that it seems good to say Ashrei and Uva LeTzion sitting. The Kaf HaChaim quotes a ruling of Rabbi Yosef Ibn Migash (a leading rabbi in Spain in the 1100s): if ten people are present and one begins it sitting, nothing is wrong, but from the start it is proper to stand.
Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 132:8; Kaf HaChaim, Orach Chaim 132:8Yes. After Eichah and the kinot (the mourning poems), the Shulchan Aruch says to begin the Kedushah section at "And You are holy," skipping the opening verses. The Mishnah Berurah, following the Tur (an earlier code of law), says there is no redemption at night, and that Torah study is forbidden on Tisha B'Av while the second verse speaks of Torah never leaving your mouth. Abudarham (a Spanish commentary on the prayers, from about 1340) records a custom to begin with Uva LeTzion that night, as comfort.
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 559:2; Mishnah Berurah 559:6; Abudarham, Weekday Prayers, Post Amidah 25At Mincha, the afternoon service, yes. Not at Shabbat morning prayers. The Mishnah Berurah says that at Mincha it stands in for the weekday Kedushah section, and because Shabbat morning prayers are already long, it was left for Mincha. One explanation, in the Beit Yosef (a commentary on the Tur) in Rashi's name: on Shabbat morning we already read from the prophets (the haftarah), so this reading from a prophet is not needed.
Mishnah Berurah 292:1; Beit Yosef, Orach Chaim 132וְאֶלָּא, עָלְמָא אַמַּאי קָא מִקַּיַּים? אַקְּדוּשָּׁה דְסִידְרָא, וְאַ״יְּהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא״ דְּאַגַּדְתָּא
But then why does the world continue to exist? Because of the Kedushah of the order of prayer, and because of "Let His great name be blessed" said after a Torah talk.
שיהו כל ישראל עוסקין בתורה בכל יום דבר מועט שאומר קריאתו ותרגומו והן כעוסקין בתורה
It was set up so that all of Israel would be busy with Torah every day, a small piece of it: a person says the verse and its translation, and it counts as learning Torah.
בעבור עמי הארץ המאחרים לבא לתפלה שלא יפסידו שמיעת הקדושה
It was set up for ordinary people who come late to prayer, so that they do not lose out on hearing the Kedushah.
מי שכל העולם כולו אינו מתקיים אלא עליו אפשר לזלזל בו
The whole world stands on this alone. Can it be treated lightly?
אָסוּר לְאָדָם לָצֵאת מִבֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת קֹדֶם קְדֻשָּׁה דְּסִדְרָא
It is forbidden for a person to leave the synagogue before the Kedushah of the order of prayer.
גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה (שֶׁמְּקָרֶבֶת) אֶת הַגְּאוּלָּה... מָה טַעַם ״וּבָא לְצִיּוֹן גּוֹאֵל״... מִשּׁוּם דְּ״שָׁבֵי פֶשַׁע בְּיַעֲקֹב״
Great is teshuvah, which brings the redemption closer. Why does it say "a redeemer will come to Zion"? Because of "those in Jacob who turn back from rebellion."
וּבָא לְצִיּוֹן גּוֹאֵל וּלְשָׁבֵי פֶשַׁע בְּיַעֲקֹב נְאֻם ה׳... רוּחִי אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיךָ וּדְבָרַי אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בְּפִיךָ לֹא יָמוּשׁוּ מִפִּיךָ וּמִפִּי זַרְעֲךָ וּמִפִּי זֶרַע זַרְעֲךָ
A redeemer will come to Zion, and to those in Jacob who turn back from rebellion, declares Hashem... My spirit that is on you, and My words that I put in your mouth, will not leave your mouth, or the mouth of your children, or the mouth of your children's children.
וּמְקַבְּלִין דֵין מִן דֵין וְאָמְרִין קַדִישׁ בִּשְׁמֵי מְרוֹמָא עִלָאָה בֵית שְׁכִנְתֵּיהּ קַדִישׁ עַל אַרְעָא עוֹבַד גְבוּרְתֵּיהּ קַדִישׁ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָא
And they receive from one another and say: Holy in the highest heavens, the home of His Presence. Holy on the earth, the work of His power. Holy forever and ever.
תרגום של נביאים יונתן בן עוזיאל אמרו מפי חגי זכריה ומלאכי ונזדעזעה ארץ ישראל
The translation of the Prophets is by Yonatan ben Uziel, who said it in the name of Chaggai, Zechariah and Malachi. And the Land of Israel shook.
ואומרים סדר קדושה לפי שהוא זמן חזרת רשעים לגיהנם ששבתו בשבת... ומתחילים בואתה קדוש לפי שאין גאולה בלילה
And we say the order of Kedushah because this is the time the wicked, who rested on Shabbat, return to Gehinnom (the place of punishment after death)... and we begin from "Ve'atah kadosh" because there is no redemption at night.
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