Ana BeKoach אנא בכח
Said in the morning service (after the Korbanot), in Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday night, and during the counting of the Omer.
What it means
A plea to God, by the strength of His right hand, to release the bound, accept His people's song, purify and protect those who seek His oneness, and hear our cry.
Summary (our own explanation, not a translation)
Notes
- Seven lines of six words; the initials form the 42-letter name in Kabbalah.
- Attributed to the Tanna Rabbi Nechunya ben HaKana.
- After it, “Baruch shem kevod malchuto le'olam va'ed” is said quietly.
Hebrew text
אָנָּא בְּכֹחַ, גְּדוּלַת יְמִינְךָ, תַּתִּיר צְרוּרָה:
קֳבֵּל רִנַּת, עַמְּךָ. שַׂגְּבֵנוּ, טַהֲרֵנוּ נוֹרָא:
נָא גִּבּוֹר, דּוֹרְשֵׁי יִחוּדֶךָ, כְּבָבַת שָׁמְרֵם:
בָּרְכֵם טַהֲרֵם, רַחֲמֵי צִדְקָתְךָ, תָּמִיד גָּמְלֵם:
חָסִין קָדוֹשׁ, בְּרֹב טוּבְךָ, נַהֵל עֲדָתֶךָ:
יָחִיד גֵּאֶה, לְעַמְּךָ פְנֵה, זוֹכְרֵי קְדֻשָּׁתֶךָ:
שַׁוְעָתֵנוּ קַבֵּל, וּשְׁמַע צַעֲקָתֵנוּ, יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת:
ואומר בלחש בָּרוּךְ, שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ, לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
Transliteration (Sephardic pronunciation)
Generated automatically from the vocalized Hebrew (Sephardic / modern Israeli pronunciation); it is an aid to reading and may differ slightly from your community's pronunciation.
Ana bechoach, gedulat yemincha, tatir tzerura.
Kobel rinat, amecha. Sagevenu, taharenu nora.
Na gibor, dorshei yichudecha, kevavat shamrem.
Barchem taharem, rachamei tzidkatcha, tamid gamlem.
Chasin kadosh, berov tuvcha, nahel adatecha.
Yachid ge'e, le'amecha fene, zochrei kedushatecha.
Shavatenu kabel, ushema tza'akatenu, yodea ta'alumot.
English translation
We beg you! With the strength and greatness of your right arm, untie our bundled sins. Accept your nation's song; elevate and purify us, O Awesome One. Please, O Heroic One, those who foster your Oneness, guard them like the pupil of an eye. Bless them, purify them, pity them. May Your righteousness always reward them. Powerful Holy One, in much goodness guide Your congregation. Unique and Exalted One, turn to Your nation which proclaims Your holiness. Accept our entreaty and hear our screams, O Knower of Mysteries. Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom, forever and ever.
Frequently asked questions
- Why seven lines?
- They are linked in Kabbalah to the seven days of the week and the seven lower sefirot.
- Is it a segulah?
- It is a prayer; traditions about its power are kabbalistic and come with no promise of a result.
- When in the Omer is it said?
- After counting the Omer each night, in many communities.
Sources and licences
- Hebrew text: סידור עדות המזרח, מהדורת תורת אמת (Torat Emet 357), כפי שהועלה לספריא (Sefaria) – נחלת הכלל (Public Domain).
- Translation: Siddur Ashkenaz – Sefaria Community Translation – CC0.
- Transliteration: generated automatically by this site.
- Introduction, notes, summary and FAQ: original text of this site.
This prayer on our Hebrew site · All prayers
For learning and general information only. Customs differ between communities; for halachic questions ask your rabbi.