Baruch HaShem Le'Olam

Baruch HaShem Le'Olam (Hebrew:, Blessed is HaShem Forever) is a compilation of 18 verses from Tanach that is recited by some minyanim during weekday Maariv between Shema and Amidah. Its name is from the first 3 words of the first verse.

The first four verses are recited by all Orthodox Jewish communities. It is said every day of the week during Shacharit when the daily Hallel in Pesukei Dezimra is recited.

History
The prayer was compiled during post-talmudic times when Ashkenazi Jews in Europe faced various threats when saying Maariv in the evening. Commentators describe these threats in overlapping ways:
 * Synagogues could not be built in some residential areas.
 * Avudraham said that in the Geonic period Jews were banned by decree from taking part in Maariv.
 * Jews normally returned from working their fields to the city in the late afternoon.

Whatever particular reasons applied, to avoid being harassed or potentially killed, Jews held services in the city's surrounding fields, where many of them worked. However in the evenings when Maariv is said, the darkness made the fields and walking home through the city particularly dangerous.

The Amidah is the longest prayer in most services. It is made up of 18 prayers mentioning HaShem's Great Name 18 times. That is why its other interchangeable name is Shmoneh Esrei (literally "the 18"). The rabbis decreed in terms of the principle of Pikuach nefesh (saving a soul or life), that it was acceptable to replace the communal Maariv Amidah with something shorter to reduce the time it took to say Maariv. This reduced the time in the fields and the trip home could be made earlier.

The shorter replacement, Baruch HaShem Le'Olam, has 18 verses from the Tanach, mainly Psalms. Theses verses also mention HaShem's Great Name 18 times to further align it with the Amidah. Immediately after it and Kaddish were said, Maariv ended and congregants could leave for home. The replaced Amidah would then be recited privately in the relative safety of their houses.

After the danger passed, Baruch HaShem Le'Olam remained part of Maariv in some communities where it is said before the communal Maariv Amidah. This is observed in terms of not abolishing practices sanctified by long-term observance originally instituted by rabbinical decree (Tsofot Berachot 4b ).

Some Halakhic commentaries say it should not be included because it causes an interruption between Shema (and its blessings) and Amidah. According to Machzor Vitry the verses were allowed to be added as the third blessing of the weekday Maariv Shema by the "heads [rabbis] of the Academy in Persia (Vitry, p. 78, Pardes ii)". They decided that the Halacha of not adding anything between the blessing after Shema and Amidah only applied to Shacharit and Mincha but not to Maariv.

Usage
Whether or not Baruch HaShem Le'Olam is recited during the weekday Maariv depends on the nusach (Jewish custom) followed by a minyan as expressed in the siddur used in their prayer services. For the major nusachim:
 * Nusach Ashkenaz siddurim include Baruch HaShem Le'Olam, since this nusach was informed by the original danger of praying after dark
 * Nusach Sefard expressed in the older Siddur Edot HaMizrach does not include Baruch HaShem Le'Olam because Sephardim did not encounter the same persecutions as Ashkenazim.
 * Siddur Sefard which attempts to combine the Ashkenaz, Edot Hamizrach (Sefard), and Ari Nusachim includes the 18 verses because they were imported from Nusach Askenaz although they are not included in Nusach Safard or Nusach Ari.
 * Nusach Chabad based largely on Nusach Ari does not include Baruch HaShem Le'Olam.

Nusach Ari is the Kabbalah inspired nusach of Isaac Luria, known as Ha'ari, Ha'ari Hakadosh or Arizal. Arizal never created a siddur based on his nusach, but parts of his philosophy were included in other currently used siddurim.

When verses 1-18 are Included in the weekly Maariv
Today the 18 verses are mainly included in Ashkenazi siddurim during weekly Maariv as a reminder of its history.. They are not recited by the followers of the Vilna Gaon.

A minority of Sephardim, and some Chasidic communities (excluding Chabad-Lubavich), who follow Siddur Sefard written closer to modern times, do include the verses. This siddur was written to align Ashkenazi and Sephardi rites, including the use of Baruch HaShem Le'Olam. It was not significantly adopted by Sephardim.

Denominations who follow the Siddur Ashkenaz  and the Siddur Safard nusachim say the full 18 verses between Shema and Amidah on weekdays. The verses are not said when the weekday Amidah is replaced by the Festival Amidah.

Exceptions
In those denominations which retain Baruch HaShem Le'Olam during the weekday Maariv, it is not recited under certain circumstances.

Since it was implemented for working people, it is said on weekdays when work is allowed, but not on days on which work is not allowed (Shabbat or Festivals). Also, because work is not done or restricted, some minyanim do not say it during Maariv immediately after Shabbat and Festivals, or on Chol HaMoed (intermediate days during the Pesach and Sukkot Festivals).

Those denomination which recite the 18 verses in the Galut (Jewish diaspora/Exile), do not recite it in Israel, since the danger which it was implemented to minimize didn't occur in Israel. Some Chasidic rebbes from Europe continued saying it when they came to Israel, while the native Israeli minyan waited for them, but this practice died out with those rebbes. It is recited in Israel by minyanim associated with the Yemenite, Italian and Machon Moreshes Ashkenaz (Germany based Ashkenazim) nusachim..

Excluded completely from Maariv
Sephardi and Mizrachi communities, who did not experience the same persecution and follow the older Siddur Edot HaMizrach, do not include it in their Maariv. It appears in old printings of Sephardi siddurim (including Venice and Livorno), although it has been largely dropped by Sephardi communities.

Minyanim following Siddur Edot HaMizrach and Siddur Chabad do not include the verses in their Maariv services.

Verses 1-4 normally included in Shacharit
The inclusion of the first 4 verses in the Shacharit service is not related to the reasons for the replacement of the Amidah by the full 18 verses in the weekday Maariv service (peril of life). These 4 verses are a common part of the daily Shacharit service. They are recited every day of the week (including Shabbat) when the daily Hallel in Pesukei Dezimra using is recited.

Therefore, Sephardi, Ashkenazi and Chabad minyanim all say the 4 verses as part of their Shacharit Pesukei Dezimra.

Exceptions
The 4 verses are not included on those days when the daily Hallel in Pesukei Dezimra is replaced by the Festival Hallel using amongst others. The Festival Hallel, in full or reduced form, is recited on Pesach, Sukkot, Shavuot, Chanukah and Rosh Chodesh (first day of the Jewish new month).

Shema al HaMitah
Shema al HaMitah (Shema before going to sleep at night), includes the last 4 verses as part of the readings after the bedtime Shema.

Commentary
The 18 verses mention the glory, love and justice of God, pray for redemption, security, peace, and recognition by the whole world of God's oneness. The verses have common themes especially universalism and redemption.

Eitz Yosef notes that each of the first 4 verses begin with the word "Baruch", Hebrew for "blessed". This is not intended to be understood as the reader blessing HaShem, but rather referring to HaShem as the source of all blessing. These verses are a sort of blessing marking the end of the preceding 6 Psalms in the Hallel of Pesukei Dezimra, which are considered the essence of Pesukei Dezimra. These Psalms enumerate many of the blessings referred to in the 4 verses.

The four verses are recited following the daily Hallel in the Shacharit Pesukei Dezimra to relate Hallel to blessing.

Unusually, the word Amen is recited twice at the end of the first and third verses as an extra emphasis of the truth of the statements.

