Maariv orMaʿariv (Hebrew:מַעֲרִיב,[maʔaˈʁiv]), also known asArvit, orArbit (Hebrew:עַרְבִית,[ʔaʁˈvit]), is aJewish prayer service held in theevening or atnight. It consists primarily of the eveningShema andAmidah.
The service will often begin with two verses fromPsalms, followed by the communal recitation ofBarechu. The three paragraphs of theShema are then said, both preceded and followed by two blessings; sometimes, a fifth blessing is added at the end. Thehazzan (cantor) then recites a half-Kaddish. Everyone says theAmidah quietly, and, unlike at the other services, the hazzan does not repeat it. The hazzan recites the fullKaddish,Aleinu is recited, and the mourners'Kaddish ends the service; some groups recite another Psalm before or afterAleinu. Other components occasionally added include thecounting of the Omer (betweenPassover andShavuot) and, in many communities,Psalm 27 (between the first ofElul and the end ofSukkot).
Maariv is generally recited aftersunset and according to some opinions should preferably be delayed until after nightfall. However, it may be recited as early as one and a quarterseasonal hours before sunset (according to some opinions, before nightfall). This is common only on Friday nights in order to beginShabbat earlier. At theconclusion of Shabbat and onholidays, the service is usually delayed untilnightfall. WhileMaariv should be prayed beforemidnight, it may be recited untildaybreak or evensunrise.
The wordMaariv is the first significant word in the opening blessing of the evening service. It is derived from theHebrew worderev, which translates toevening.Maariv is a conversion of this word into a verb, which means "bringing on evening." The name comes from the end of the first blessing of the prayer, "Blessed are you, O Lord, who brings on the evenings."Arvit is the adjective form of this word, roughly translated as "of the evening".[1] It shares the same etymological root asmaghrib, theIslamic evening prayer.
Maariv corresponds to the evening observances in theTemple in Jerusalem. Although nosacrifices were brought at night, any animal parts that were not burned during the day could be offered at night. Since this was not always necessary, the evening prayer was also declared optional. However, the Jews long ago accepted it as an obligation, so it is now considered to be mandatory. However, there remain some vestiges of its original voluntary status; for example, theAmidah is not repeated by the leader, unlike all other prayers (an exception being on the Sabbath, when the leader recites an abbreviated repetition, see below).[2][3]
Another explanation is that as the third prayer, Maariv corresponds toJacob, the thirdpatriarch. Support is brought fromGenesis 28:11, which says that when Jacob left his hometown ofBeersheba to go toHaran, he "met at the place for the sun had set." TheTalmud understands this to mean that Jacob prayed at night and instituted Maariv.[4] Some suggest that he first started reciting the prayer after he fled from his homeland, and as a result, the prayer service has become associated with trust inGod.[5]
Generally, the time whenMaariv can first be recited is when the time for recitingMincha ends. But there are varying opinions on this.Maariv should not begin before 1¼ proportional hours beforesunset. Others delayMaariv until after sunset or afterdusk. IfMaariv is recited prior to dusk, individuals repeat the Shema later in the evening.[6]
In many congregations, the afternoon and evening prayers are recited back-to-back, to save people having to attend synagogue twice.[7] TheVilna Gaon discouraged this practice, and followers of his set of customs commonly wait until after nightfall to reciteMa'ariv, since the name derives from the word "nightfall".[8]
On the eve ofShabbat, some have the custom to recite theMaariv prayer earlier than usually, generally duringPelag Hamincha (1¼ hours before sunset). This is in order to fulfill the precept of adding from the weekday to the holiness of Shabbat. However, this is too early for the recitation of Shema, so Shema should be repeated later under these circumstances.[9]
On weekdays, the service begins with two verses fromPsalms:78:38 and20:10. In some communities, these verses are proceeded byPsalm 134, a few assorted verses, and a half Kaddish.
The first main part of the service is focused on theShema Yisrael.
When aminyan is present,Barechu, the formal public call to prayer, is recited. Then come two blessings, one praising God for creating the cycle of day and night, and one thanking God for theTorah.
The three passages of theShema are then recited.
Two more blessings are recited. The first praises God redemption, specifically mentioningtaking the Jews out of Egypt, and the second prays for protection during the night.
A fifth blessing,Baruch Adonai L'Olam, is then recited byAshkenazim outside of Israel (except for somechassidic communities such asChabad-Lubavitch, and followers of theVilna Gaon). This blessing is made mostly from a tapestry of biblical verses. However, the blessing is omitted on Shabbat and holidays, and by some at the conclusion of those days and onChol HaMoed. It has been largely dropped by Sephardic communities, but appears in old printings of Sephardic siddurim (including Venice and Livorno). However, some Moroccan communities (both in Israel and elsewhere) recite the last part of the (starting from Yir'u eineinu), usually only on at the conclusion of the Sabbath.
In Israel,Baruch Adonai L'Olam is not recited by Ashkenazim (both Nusach Ashkenaz and Nusach Sefard), although it is recited by some congregations associated withMachon Moreshes Ashkenaz. It is recited by BaladiYemenite Jews in and out of Israel (albeit combined with the last blessing[10]), and byItalian rite Jews in and out of Israel.[11] However, some Moroccan communities (both in Israel and elsewhere) recite the last part of the (starting from Yir'u eineinu), usually only on at the conclusion of the Sabbath.[12]
On Shabbat and holidays, some congregations recite relevant verses at this point, after the last Shema blessing.
On Festivals, some Ashkenazic communities recitepiyyutim calledMa'arivim during the blessings of Shema. The most well-known of these piyyutim isLel Shimurim Oto El Hatzah, recited on the first night of Passover. In the past, this was also done by Italian andRomaniote Jews.
This is followed by theShemoneh Esreh (Amidah).Half Kaddish is recited just before theAmidah, in order to separate between the requiredShema and the (originally) optionalAmidah. TheAmidah is followed by the fullKaddish (sometime with additions recited beforehand, see below).
Unlike in other prayers, theAmidah is not repeated aloud by thechazzan in Maariv.
Sephardim (and, in Israel, most who followNusach Sefard) then sayPsalm 121 (or another topicalPsalm), say the Mourner's Kaddish and repeatBarechu, before concluding with the Aleinu.Ashkenazim, in thediaspora, neither say Psalm 121 nor repeat Barechu, but conclude withAleinu followed by theMourner's Kaddish (in Israel, most Ashkenazim do repeat Barechu after mourner's Kaddish).
From the beginning ofElul throughHoshanah Rabbah (and outside of Israel, onShemini Atzeret as well), mostNusach Ashkenaz communities recitePsalm 27, which contains many allusions to theDays of Awe andSukkot. This is again followed by the mourner's Kaddish. In a house of mourning, many communities conclude the service withPsalm 16 orPsalm 49. In the Western Ashkenazic rite (as well as some German and Hungarian communities following the Eastern Ashkenazic rite), Psalms24,8 and28 are recited when maariv is recited after nightfall; these can be followed by a Mourners Kaddish if needed (since these communities usually only allow one mourner to recite each Kaddish).
In most communities, the verses normally recited beforebarekhu are omitted, and the service begins with barekhu.
In most communities (exceptChabad, those who follow theVilna Gaon, and someBaladi Yemenites), the verses Exodus 31:16-17 are recited proceeding half kaddish before the Amidah.
At the beginning ofShabbat on Friday night, theAmidah is immediately followed by the recitation ofGenesis 1–3 which discusses God's "resting" onthe seventh day ofcreation. Although these verses were already said during the Amidah (and will be recited yet again duringKiddush at home) they are repeated. This is because when Shabbat coincides with aholiday, the Amidah does not include the passage.
The three verses are followed by theSeven-Faceted Blessing. This is a single blessing designed to summarize the seven blessings of the Amidah, for those who came late.[13] While originally this was said only by the leader, it is now customary in most Ashkenazic communities (except for those who follow the practices of theVilna Gaon) for the congregation to recite the middle part before the leader does so or together with the leader.[14] In the most communities of the Eastern Ashkenazic rite as well as many Sephardic communities, this blessing is omitted on the first night ofPassover, because that is considered a "time of protection"; in the Western Ashkenazic rite as well as some other communities, it is recited as normal.[15]
In communities that did not recite ba-meh madlikin before maariv, it is recited after the full Kaddish. Many communities also recitekiddush at this point.
During theMaariv servicefollowing Shabbat, several additions are made.
At the beginning of the service, many communities recite (usually sing)Psalm 144 andPsalm 67.
A paragraph called"Ata Chonantanu" is inserted into the fourth blessing of the Amidah. The recitation of this paragraph officially ends Shabbat. One who forgets to recite this paragraph may also end Shabbat throughHavdalah[16] or by saying the words "Blessed is He Who differentiates between the holy and the secular."
Two sections of prayers,"Vayehi Noam" (the last verse fromPsalm 90, followed by the fullPsalm 91) andV'Ata Kadosh (all but the first two verses ofUva Letzion), are added to the service. These prayers are recited out of mercy for the wicked. The wicked are given a reprieve fromGehinnom during Shabbat, and the reprieve continues until all evening prayers following Shabbat are concluded.[17] InNusach Ashkenaz andNusach Sefard, these verses are only recited if there are a full six days of work in the upcoming week; if there is a major festival falling in the middle of the week, they are omitted. If the first day of Passover falls the following Sabbath, customs very as to whether the Eve of Passover, generally considered a minor holiday, is enough to exempt the recitation of these verses.
Nusach Ashkenaz andItalian Nusach also add"Veyiten Lecha" (whereasNusach Sefard and mostSfardim say this at home after Havdala). These are verses of blessing, that we pray should be fulfilled over the course of the week. These verses are recited even when 'Vayehi Noam' is omitted, but they are omitted when Tisha Bav falls at the conclusion of the Sabbath.
In some communities,Havdalah is also recited at this point.
During the seven weeks from the second night ofPassover until (but not including)Shavuot, the day is counted. This is usually done duringMaariv, just beforeAleinu (in communities that recite Veyiten Lecha before Aleinu at the conclusion of the Sabbath, most communities count the Omer before Veyiten Lecha). Others postpone the counting until the end of the service.[18] If it is not yet nightfall, many congregations leave the counting to the individual.
In general, relatively few prayers are added ontoMaariv. On Festivals, some communities recitepiyyutim called Maarivim during the blessings of Shema; in many communities, these piyyutim are omitted when the Festival falls on the Sabbath. OnSimchat Torah, theTorah is read duringMaariv in many communities. OnPurim, theBook of Esther is read, followed byV'Ata Kadosh,[19] and onTish'a Ba'av theBook of Lamentations and somekinnot are recited, also followed byV'Ata Kadosh. OnYom Kippur, an extended order ofSelichot is recited; in Ashkenazic communities, this is followed byAvinu Malkeinu (except on the Sabbath). On bothRosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, many congregations recitePsalm 24.