The Barukh Shem Kevod Blessing an Analys
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For two millennia, Jews have whispered the Barukh Shem Kevod blessing after reciting the Shema, yet its standard translation - "Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity" - creates both logical and grammatical paradoxes. Through analysis of biblical, Talmudic, and midrashic sources, this research traces the blessing's transformation from a Temple-era declaration by the High Priest to its post-Temple liturgical role. The methodology combines textual analysis with detailed examination of Hebrew grammatical constructs to uncover the blessing's original function and evolution. Historical evidence reveals that after the Temple's destruction, religious authorities initially prohibited the blessing before reintegrating it with a new theological purpose: emphasizing God's kingship as the source of Jewish law, following R. Joshua b. Korḥah's midrash on the Shema. The traditional translation proves problematic on multiple levels - kingdoms do not possess formal names to bless, and the Hebrew construction violates rules of attributive placement. Drawing on biblical precedents in Nehemiah and Psalms, this analysis proposes a more accurate translation: "Blessed is The Glorious Name, may His kingdom be for ever and ever." This reformulation separates the blessing into two distinct components, preserving both its original Temple-era function and its later liturgical significance while maintaining grammatical integrity and deepening the theological connection to the Shema declaration.

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Published 2004
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Jerome Brem