Draft:Birkat Avot

Birkat-Avot is the first of nineteen blessings in the Amidah, the central prayer of most Jewish services. It is the first of the three blessings of praise at the beginning of the prayer, the other two being Birkat-Gvurot (blessing of the powers) and Birkat-Qdushat-haShem (blessing of the sanctification of the Name). The blessing deals with the praise of God's titles and as His status as protector of the ancestors. The name of the blessing comes from its opening with a list of the three Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Text
The text of this blessing, as found in Nusach Ashkenaz, is as follows. Variations are discussed below.

Variations on the text
The above text is consistent with that found in Nusach Ashkenaz. While the blessing is mostly consistent across communities, the text has some variations as follows:


 * In Nusach Sefardiyim, Nusach Sefard, and Nusach Provence, the text in line 4 replaces (v'qoné hakol; "and created all) with  (qoné hakol; "creator of all").
 * In Nusach Yemeni Baladi, line 5b is cut.
 * In Nusach Italki, the word "" (go·eil; "redeemer") is added in line 6 to make "" (mélech go·eil 'ozer umoshía' umagein; "king, redeemer, helper, savior, and shield".
 * In Nusach Romanya, used by the Romaniote Jews, the text in line 4 replaces (v'qoné hakol; "and created all) with  (v'qoné eṫ-hakol; "creator of all") (with the accusative marker ).
 * In Saadia Gaon's siddur, lines 5–6 are replaced with "" (umeivi go·el l'zar'am aħareihem mélech moshía umagein; "and who brings forth redeption for their offspring after them. King, savior, and shield.")
 * In Nusach Eretz Yisra'el, used in the Southern Levant by the Palestinian Jews, lines 4–6 are replaced by "" (qonei shamáyim va·aretz, maginéinu umagein avoṫéinu, mivṭaħéinu b'chol dor vador; "who made the heavens and the Earth, our shield and shield of our ancestors, our anchor from generation to generation").
 * In the United States, many Reform and Reconstructionist, and some Conservative synagogues change lines 1, 2, 6, and 7 to include the Matriarchs: Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.

Insert for High Holidays
During the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh haShana and Yom Kippur, an insert, varying by community and found below, is added between lines 5 and 6. According to the majority of the Rishonim, someone who forgets to add the insert should continue praying as usual.