ברוך השם
barúkh hashém
In Hebrew, 'praise God' is expressed as ברוך השם (barúkh hashém).
ברוך השם is used to show gratitude to God or as a conversational filler to indicate that things are going well in one's life.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ברוך השם literally translates to 'Blessed is the Name'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Ashkenazi communities, instead of 'Hodu la-Yahweh,' you might hear 'Hodu la-Adonai' or 'Hodu l'Hashem'.
How do you pronounce it?
barúkh hashém
When do people say it?
During High Holiday services, worshippers recite הוֹדוּ לַיהוָה to show gratitude and הַלְלוּיָהּ is often sung during religious services or celebrations to collectively praise God and express joy. Additionally, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה is often recited before and after meals or during prayers.
Did you know?
- The phrase ברוך השם is so ingrained in daily life that it is frequently used by secular Israelis who do not consider themselves religious.
- In many Jewish communities, people avoid saying the actual name of God in casual conversation, which is why they substitute it with the word השם, meaning 'the Name'.
- The word ברוך is a linguistic relative of the Arabic word مبارك 'mubārak', which is also used to express blessings and congratulations.
Examples in context
- הכל טוב, ברוך השם.Hakol tov, baruch hashem.Everything is good, praise God.
- הילדים בריאים, ברוך השם.Hayeladim bri'im, baruch hashem.The children are healthy, praise God.
- מצאתי את המפתחות, ברוך השם!Matsati et hamaftechot, baruch hashem!I found the keys, praise God!
Example conversation
Noa and Itay meet for coffee after a long time.
- נועה Noaאיך הולך בעבודה החדשה, איתי?Eich holech baavoda hachadasha, Itay?How is it going at the new job, Itay?
- איתי Itayהכל הולך מצוין, ברוך השם.Hakol holech metzuyan, Baruch Hashem.Everything is going great, thank God.
- נועה Noaאני שמחה לשמוע!Ani smicha lishmoa!I am happy to hear that!
- איתי Itayתודה רבה, נועה.Toda raba, Noa.Thank you very much, Noa.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ברוך השם, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ברוך, השם, CC BY-SA 4.0.
