Ein Kamocha - Removing the Torah from the Ark


Read this prayer below, or listen to this youtube audio. Courtesy of: Beit Hallel Congregation in Roswell, GA.

Reading the Torah is a central part of the synagogue service and takes place immediately after the Amidah—the standing prayer.

This ceremony of bringing out the Torah for reading unfolds in a series of steps, each involving the chanting of selected Bible verses.

At Roeh Israel synagogue, the ceremony goes like this:

  • We begin by singing the Ein Kamocha prayer—a compilation of verses from Psalm 86, Psalm 145, Psalm 29, and Psalm 51, which declare the unique greatness of God. You can listen to this prayer in the audio file (The excerpt from Psalm 51 is not present in the recording but is included in parentheses below).
  • Next, the ark is opened, and another sequence—drawn from Numbers 10 and Isaiah 2—is sung.
  • Then the leader takes out the Torah scroll and recites two declarations, including the Shema, which the congregation repeats.
  • After that, the ark is closed, and while verses from 1 Chronicles 29 and Psalm 99 are sung, the Torah scroll is carried in a procession around the room before being placed on the 'bima' (reading platform), where the actual Torah reading will begin.

Transliteration of Ein Kamocha:

Ein kamocha va’Elohim, Adonai,
ve’ein kema’asecha.
Malchut’cha malchut kol olamim,
umemshal’techa b’chol dor vador.

Adonai Melech,
Adonai Malach,
Adonai Yimloch l’olam va’ed.

Adonai oz l’amo yiten,
Adonai yevarech et amo vashalom.

(Av harachamim, heitivah virtzon’cha et Tziyon,
tivneh chomot Yerushalayim.
Ki vecha levad batachnu,
Melech El ram v’nisa, Adon olamim.)

Ein Kamocha Prayer in Hebrew:

אֵין כָּמוֹךָ בָאֱלֹהִים אֲדֹנָי
וְאֵין כְּמַעֲשֶׂיךָ
מַלְכוּתְךָ מַלְכוּת כָּל עוֹלָמִים
וּמֶמְשַׁלְתְּךָ בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר

ה' מֶלֶךְ
ה' מָלָךְ
ה' יִמְלךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד

ה' עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן
ה' יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ בַשָּׁלוֹם

אַב הָרַחֲמִים. הֵיטִיבָה בִרְצוֹנְךָ אֶת צִיּון)
תִּבְנֶה חוֹמוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם
כִּי בְךָ לְבַד בָּטָחְנוּ
(מֶלֶךְ אֵל רָם וְנִשּא אֲדוֹן עֹלָמִים

Translation of Ein Kamocha:

There is none like You among the gods, O Lord,
and there are no deeds like Yours.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all eternities,
and Your dominion is throughout every generation.

The Lord is King,
the Lord was King,
the Lord shall be King forever and ever.

The Lord will give strength to His people;
the Lord will bless His people with peace.

(Father of compassion, do good in Your will to Zion;
build the walls of Jerusalem.
For in You alone we have trusted,
O exalted and uplifted God, King, Master of all worlds.)

Ein Kamocha Prayer Printout

Download printable PDFs of this prayer below:

Parallel, side by side Hebrew/English/Transliteration (there are 3 pages; choose the one that best fits your needs): Ein Kamocha - parallel

Single Hebrew/English/Transliteration: Ein Kamocha - single