Baruch Dayan Ha'emes

Meaning

• traditional response or blessing upon hearing of a death
• Blessed is the true Judge

Alternate spellings

Baruch Dayan Emes, Baruch Dayan HaEmet, BDH, BDE, BD"E

Usage and context

A traditional Jewish response to news of a death. The exact blessing with God’s name has halachic rules; conversational use often omits the divine-name formula.

Example in Yeshivish

Baruch Dayan Ha'emes; we just heard the news.

Plain-English example

Blessed is the true Judge; we just heard the news of the death.