Kedushah (Jewish Babylonian Aramaic:קידושה,romanized: qiddúšā,lit. 'sanctification > holiness') is the name of several prayers recited duringJewish prayer. They have in common the recitation of two Biblical verses,Isaiah 6:3 andEzekiel 3:12. These verses come from prophetic visions in which angels sing praises to God.
There exist several variations of the kedushah, which appear in different contexts and have different laws. The best-known Kedushah is recited in theAmidah. Another is recited in theYotzer ohr blessing and a third, theqiddusha de sedra (Jewish Babylonian Aramaic:קידושה דסדראַ,romanized: qiddúšā ḏ séḏrā,lit. 'sanctification of the order') is recited on various occasions including the conclusion of weekdayShacharit. In some versions of the kedushah, additional Biblical verses are added in the same format as the verses from Isaiah and Ezekiel.[1][2]
TheKedushah is traditionally the third section of allAmidah recitations. In the silent Amidah, it is a short prayer; in the repetition, which requires aminyan, it is considerably lengthier. The recitation ofKedushah daily is aBabylonian custom; in thePalestinian tradition, the repetition of the Amidah would usually not include theKedushah, with it added only on special occasions according toSoferim § 20. The liturgy varies among different communities and during different services, but they all hold in common three Bible verses (though translations vary):
All three of the verses cited above are recited as part of the congregational response to thehazzan. For the first verse,Isaiah 6:3, it is traditional for everyone to rise to their toes with each recitation of the wordqaddosh (Hebrew:קָדוֹשׁ,lit. 'holy').[3]
In theMussaf services of Shabbat, Jewish festivals, and in some communities, theShacharit service as well, an enhanced version of theKedushah is recited, with additional praises in between the biblical verses. In theMussaf service of Shabbat and festivals, a fourth verse is added: the opening line of theShema. The opening line of theShema is included in theKedushah onNe'ilah ofYom Kippur, and in the Ashkenazic rite (including theChasidic rite) in all of theKedushahs of Yom Kippur. Many sources describe the recitation of theShema duringMussaf as a response to historicalanti-Jewish decrees prohibiting reciting theShema at the proper point of Jews’ religious service, but contemporary scholars have proposed a variety of other explanations, as well.[4]
During theKedushah of the Amidah, petitioners are expected to stand, if able.
Kedushah is recited whenever the Amidah is repeated—that is to say, duringShacharit,Mincha,Mussaf, andNe'ilah, but notMaariv.
A second Kedushah is recited as part of theYotzer ohr blessing, before theShema. The only two verses recited here are Isaiah 6:3 and Ezekiel 3:12.
Early sources dispute whether thiskedushah may be recited by individuals praying without aminyan. TheShulchan Aruch records this dispute, and permits individuals to recite it even alone, but recommends that they recite it in theTorah reading chant, so that it is akin to Torah study rather than akedushah recitation.Moses Isserlis, recording the Ashkenazic practice, permits individuals to recite the kedushah without theShulchan Aruch's recommendation inOrach Chaim 59:3.
Theqiddusha de sedra is recited after weekday morning services, at the beginning of the afternoon services of Shabbat andfestivals, the conclusion of the evening service of Saturday night, and in theNusach Ashkenaz (includingNusach Sefard) at the beginning of theNe'ilah service at the end ofYom Kippur.
This Kedushah contains three Hebrew Bible verses. The first two are the usual Isaiah 6:3 and Ezekiel 3:12. The third verse isExodus 15:18, which is similar but not identical toPsalm 146:10, recited in the AmidahKedushah. After each Biblical verse is recited in Hebrew, itsAramaic translation is recited. Theqiddusha de sedra does not require aminyan.[5]
Kedushah is mentioned in several sources from the Talmudic period. The earliest source is theTosefta, which says:
The Talmud states that theGreat Assembly established "blessings, prayers,kedushot, andhavdalot",[7] butRashi argues that the word "kedushot" here refers tokiddush rather than toKedushah.Hekhalot Rabbati describes the angels praising God using the verses Isaiah 6:3, Ezekiel 3:12, Psalms 146:10; and the Jewish people reciting the verses "inShacharit andMincha".[8] Similarly, the Talmud describes the angels reciting Isaiah 6:3 and Ezekiel 3:12, and Jews reciting at least the first of those verses:
The accepted custom was to reciteKedushah in everyShacharit andMincha Amidah repetition. However, Jews of theLand of Israel in this period only recited the Kedushah of the Amidah on special days - eitherShabbat,[10] or on any day Mussaf is recited as well asHanukkah.[11] Similarly, they recited the Kedushah of Yotzer Ohr only on such special occasions,[12] and some communities may not have recited it at all.[13]
The first Biblical verse in theKedushah, Isaiah 6:3, is also found in theSanctus of someChristianliturgical ordinaries.
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