Contact Us

TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 135

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Hallelujah. Praise the name of Hashem; give praise, you servants of Hashem

ha-l'-lu-YAH, ha-l'-lu et-SHEM a-do-NAI, ha-l'-lu av-DAY a-do-NAI

אהַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ הַֽ֭לְלוּ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה הַֽ֝לְל֗וּ עַבְדֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃

2who stand in the house of Hashem, in the courts of the house of our God.

she-o-ME-deem b'-BEYT a-do-NAI b'-khatz-ROT BEYT e-lo-HE-nu

בשֶׁ֣֭עֹמְדִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה בְּ֝חַצְר֗וֹת בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃

3Praise Hashem, for Hashem is good; sing hymns to His name, for it is pleasant.

ha-l'-lu-YAH ki-TOV a-do-NAI za-m'-RU lish-MO ki na-EEM

גהַֽלְלוּ־יָ֭הּ כִּֽי־ט֣וֹב יְהֹוָ֑ה זַמְּר֥וּ לִ֝שְׁמ֗וֹ כִּ֣י נָעִֽים׃

4For Hashem has chosen Yaakov for Himself, Yisrael, as His treasured possession.

ki-ya-a-KOV ba-KHAR LO ya, YIS-ra-EL lis-gu-LA-to

דכִּֽי־יַעֲקֹ֗ב בָּחַ֣ר ל֣וֹ יָ֑הּ יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל לִסְגֻלָּתֽוֹ׃

5For I know that Hashem is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods.

ki a-NEE ya-da-TEE ki-ga-DOL a-do-NAI va-a-do-NAY-nu mi-KOL e-lo-HEEM

הכִּ֤י אֲנִ֣י יָ֭דַעְתִּי כִּֽי־גָד֣וֹל יְהֹוָ֑ה וַ֝אֲדֹנֵ֗ינוּ מִכׇּל־אֱלֹהִֽים׃

6Whatever Hashem desires He does in heaven and earth, in the seas and all the depths.

KOL a-SHER-kha-FAYTS a-do-NAI a-SAH ba-sha-MA-yim u-va-A-rets ba-ya-MEEM v'-KOL t'-HO-mot

וכֹּ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־חָפֵ֥ץ יְהֹוָ֗ה עָ֫שָׂ֥ה בַּשָּׁמַ֥יִם וּבָאָ֑רֶץ בַּ֝יַּמִּ֗ים וְכׇל־תְּהֹמֽוֹת׃

7He makes clouds rise from the end of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He releases the wind from His vaults.

ma-a-LEH n'-si-EEM mik-TSEH ha-A-retz b'-ra-KIM la-ma-TAR a-SAH mo-TSEI-ru-AKH may-o-tz'-ro-TAV

זמַעֲלֶ֣ה נְשִׂאִים֮ מִקְצֵ֢ה הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ בְּרָקִ֣ים לַמָּטָ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה מֽוֹצֵא־ר֝֗וּחַ מֵאֽוֹצְרוֹתָֽיו׃

8He struck down the first-born of Egypt, man and beast alike;

she-HI-kha b'-ko-REI mitz-RA-yim me-a-DAM ad b'-he-MAH

חשֶׁ֭הִכָּה בְּכוֹרֵ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם מֵ֝אָדָ֗ם עַד־בְּהֵמָֽה׃

9He sent signs and portents against Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants;

sha-LAKH o-TOT u-mo-f'-TEEM b'-to-KHE-khi mitz-RA-yim b'-far-OH u-v'-kol a-va-DAV

טשָׁלַ֤ח ׀ אוֹתֹ֣ת וּ֭מֹפְתִים בְּתוֹכֵ֣כִי מִצְרָ֑יִם בְּ֝פַרְעֹ֗ה וּבְכׇל־עֲבָדָֽיו׃

10He struck down many nations and slew numerous kings—

she-hi-KAH go-YIM ra-BEEM v'-ha-RAG me-la-KHEEM a-tzu-MEEM

ישֶׁ֭הִכָּה גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֑ים וְ֝הָרַ֗ג מְלָכִ֥ים עֲצוּמִֽים׃

11Sihon, king of the Amorites, Og, king of Bashan, and all the royalty of Canaan—

l'-si-KHON me-LEKH ha-e-mo-REE u-l'-OG me-LEKH ha-ba-SHAN u-l'-KOL mam-l'-KHOT k'-NA-an

יאלְסִיח֤וֹן ׀ מֶ֤לֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִ֗י וּ֭לְעוֹג מֶ֣לֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֑ן וּ֝לְכֹ֗ל מַמְלְכ֥וֹת כְּנָֽעַן׃

12and gave their lands as a heritage, as a heritage to His people Yisrael.

v'-na-TAN ar-TZAM na-cha-LAH na-cha-LAH l'-yis-ra-AYL a-MO

יבוְנָתַ֣ן אַרְצָ֣ם נַחֲלָ֑ה נַ֝חֲלָ֗ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל עַמּֽוֹ׃

13Hashem, Your name endures forever, Your fame, Hashem, through all generations;

Y'-ho-VAH shim-KHA l'-o-LAM, Y'-ho-VAH zikh-r'-KHA l'-dor-va-dor.

יגיְ֭הֹוָה שִׁמְךָ֣ לְעוֹלָ֑ם יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה זִכְרְךָ֥ לְדֹר־וָדֹֽר׃

14for Hashem will Champion His people, and obtain satisfaction for His servants.

ki-ya-DIN a-do-NAI a-MO, v'-al a-va-DAV yi-t'-NE-kham

ידכִּֽי־יָדִ֣ין יְהֹוָ֣ה עַמּ֑וֹ וְעַל־עֲ֝בָדָ֗יו יִתְנֶחָֽם׃

15The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

a-tza-VAY ha-go-YIM KE-sef v'-za-HAV ma-a-SEH y'-DAY a-DAM

טועֲצַבֵּ֣י הַ֭גּוֹיִם כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה יְדֵ֣י אָדָֽם׃

16They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;

PEH-la-HEM v'-LO y'-da-BAY-ru, AY-nai-YIM la-HEM v'-LO yir-U.

טזפֶּֽה־לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ עֵינַ֥יִם לָ֝הֶ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִרְאֽוּ׃

17they have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths.

o-z'-NA-yim la-HEM v'-lo ya-a-ZI-nu, af AYN-yesh-ru-AKH b'-fi-HEM

יזאׇזְנַ֣יִם לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יַאֲזִ֑ינוּ אַ֝֗ף אֵין־יֶשׁ־ר֥וּחַ בְּפִיהֶֽם׃

18Those who fashion them, all who trust in them, shall become like them.

k'-MO-hem yi-HE-yu o-SE-hem kol a-SHER bo-TE-akh ba-HEM

יחכְּ֭מוֹהֶם יִהְי֣וּ עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־בֹּטֵ֣חַ בָּהֶֽם׃

19O house of Yisrael, bless Hashem; O house of Aharon, bless Hashem;

BEIT YIS-RA-AYL ba-RE-khu et a-do-NAI, BEIT a-ha-ROAN ba-RE-khu et a-do-NAI.

יטבֵּ֣ית יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל בָּרְכ֣וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה בֵּ֥ית אַ֝הֲרֹ֗ן בָּרְכ֥וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃

20O house of Levi, bless Hashem; you who fear Hashem, bless Hashem.

BEIT ha-LE-vi ba-RE-khu et a-do-NAI, yir-EI a-do-NAI ba-RE-khu et a-do-NAI.

כבֵּ֣ית הַ֭לֵּוִי בָּרְכ֣וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה יִֽרְאֵ֥י יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה בָּרְכ֥וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃

21Blessed is Hashem from Tzion, He who dwells in Yerushalayim. Hallelujah.

ba-RUKH a-do-NAI mi-tzi-YON sho-KHAYN y'-ru-sha-LA-im ha-l'-lu-YAH

כאבָּ֘ר֤וּךְ יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ מִצִּיּ֗וֹן שֹׁ֘כֵ֤ן יְֽרוּשָׁלָ֗͏ִם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃

 135:21   He who dwells in Yerushalayim

Why did Hashem choose Yerushalayim as His resting place? The Sages find two revealing biblical passages that, when synthesized, teach us the value and message of Yerushalayim. In Genesis, Avraham was asked by God to sacrifice his son, in order to prove his allegiance to the Lord. This profound, inexplicable test took place on a mountain which Avraham called “Adonai yir’eh,” meaning ‘on the mount of Hashem there is vision,’ or ‘the mount where Hashem is seen’ (Genesis 22:14). A few years earlier, Avraham showed the world his allegiance to his family, to justice and to righteousness when he fought against the four kings and retrieved his nephew Lot. After that battle, Melchizedek, the King of Shalem (another name for Jerusalem), went out to greet Avraham and bless Hashem (Genesis14:18-20). When these two names, Yir’eh and Shalem are combined, the result is Yerushalayim. The name of the holy city thus expresses the harmonization of man’s selfless actions towards Hashem and towards other people, both of which were manifest in Yerushalayim. It was thus chosen as Hashem’s resting place.