Baruch HaShem Le'Olam (Hebrew: ברוך השם לעולם‎, Blessed is HaShem Forever)^{[note 1][note 2]} is a compilation of 18 verses from Tanach that is recited by some minyanim during weekday Maariv between Shema and Amidah. Its name is from the first 3 words of the first verse.

The first four verses are recited by all Orthodox Jewish communities. It is said every day of the week during Shacharit when the daily Hallel in Pesukei Dezimra is recited.

The prayer was compiled during post-talmudic times when Ashkenazi Jews in Europe faced various threats when saying Maariv in the evening. Commentators describe these threats in overlapping ways:

• Synagogues could not be built in some residential areas.^[1]
• Avudraham said that in the Geonic period Jews were banned by decree from taking part in Maariv.^[2]
• Jews normally returned from working their fields to the city in the late afternoon.^[3]: 264

Whatever particular reasons applied, to avoid being harassed or potentially killed, Jews held services in the city's surrounding fields, where many of them worked. However in the evenings when Maariv is said, the darkness made the fields and walking home through the city particularly dangerous.^[4]: 62

The Amidah is the longest prayer in most services. It is made up of 18 prayers mentioning HaShem's Great Name 18 times. That is why its other interchangeable name is Shmoneh Esrei (literally "the 18").^{[5]: 4b(3)(c)} The rabbis decreed in terms of the principle of Pikuach nefesh (saving a soul or life), that it was acceptable to replace the communal Maariv Amidah with something shorter to reduce the time it took to say Maariv. This reduced the time in the fields and the trip home could be made earlier.^{[5]: 4b(3)(c) [4]: 62}

The shorter replacement, Baruch HaShem Le'Olam, has 18 verses from the Tanach, mainly Psalms. Theses verses also mention HaShem's Great Name 18 times to further align it with the Amidah.^[6]: cxii Immediately after it and Kaddish were said, Maariv ended and congregants could leave for home. The replaced Amidah would then be recited privately in the relative safety of their houses.^[4]: 62

After the danger passed, Baruch HaShem Le'Olam remained part of Maariv in some communities where it is said before the communal Maariv Amidah. This is observed in terms of not abolishing practices sanctified by long-term observance originally instituted by rabbinical decree (Tsofot Berachot 4b^{[5]: 4a(3)(a)-(b)}).^[4]: 62

Some Halakhic commentaries say it should not be included because it causes an interruption between Shema (and its blessings) and Amidah.^[2] According to Machzor Vitry the verses were allowed to be added as the third blessing of the weekday Maariv Shema by the "heads [rabbis] of the Academy in Persia (Vitry, p. 78, Pardes ii)". They decided that the Halacha of not adding anything between the blessing after Shema and Amidah only applied to Shacharit and Mincha but not to Maariv.^[6]: cxii

Whether or not Baruch HaShem Le'Olam is recited during the weekday Maariv depends on the nusach (Jewish custom) followed by a minyan as expressed in the siddur used in their prayer services. For the major nusachim:

• Nusach Ashkenaz siddurim include Baruch HaShem Le'Olam, since this nusach was informed by the original danger of praying after dark
• Nusach Sefard expressed in the older Siddur Edot HaMizrach does not include Baruch HaShem Le'Olam because Sephardim did not encounter the same persecutions as Ashkenazim
• Siddur Sefard which attempts to combine the Ashkenaz, Edot Hamizrach (Sefard), and Ari Nusachim includes the 18 verses because they were imported from Nusach Askenaz although they are not included in Nusach Safard or Ari
• Nusach Chabad based largely on Nusach Ari does not include Baruch HaShem Le'Olam

Nusach Ari is the Kabbalah inspired nusach of Isaac Luria, known as Ha'ari, Ha'ari Hakadosh or Arizal. Arizal never created a siddur based on his nusach, but parts of his philosophy were included in other currently used siddurim.

The 18 verses mention the glory, love and justice of God, pray for redemption, security, peace, and recognition by the whole world of God's oneness. The verses have common themes especially universalism and redemption.^{[7]: 313 [6]: cxiii}

Eitz Yosef notes that each of the first 4 verses begin with the word "Baruch" (בָּרוּךְ‎), Hebrew for "blessed". This is not intended to be understood as the reader blessing HaShem, but rather referring to HaShem as the source of all blessing. These verses are a sort of blessing marking the end of the preceding 6 Psalms in the Hallel of Pesukei Dezimra (Ps 145–150), which are considered the essence of Pesukei Dezimra. These Psalms enumerate many of the blessings referred to in the 4 verses.^{[3]: 75 [8]}

The four verses are recited following the daily Hallel in the Shacharit Pesukei Dezimra to relate Hallel to blessing.^{[citation needed]}

Unusually, the word Amen is recited twice at the end of the first and third verses as an extra emphasis of the truth of the statements.^[3]: 75

^{[note 1] [note 2]}