Maariv or Ma'ariv (Hebrew: מַעֲרִיב, [maʔăˈʁiv]), also known as Arvit (Hebrew: עַרְבִית, [aʁˈvit]), is a Jewish prayer service held in the evening or night. It consists primarily of the evening Shema and Amidah.The service usually begins with two verses from Psalms, followed by the communal recitation of Barechu. The three paragraphs of the Shema are then said, both preceded and followed by two blessings, although sometimes a fifth blessing is added at the end.