questions about short prayers called b'rachos ("benedictions" or "blessings")
4
votes
2answers
103 views
How does “וקשרתם לאות” become “להניח תפלין”?
Every day, when donning my tefillin, I (being Ashkenazic) recite two b'rachos, the first one of which is אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וצונו להניח תפלין, said whilst I tie down the shel yad onto my bicep with ...
5
votes
2answers
104 views
Touching the forearm when putting on Tefilin
If one has touched his forearm while placing the arm-Tefilin (I see that it's a very common case), is he obligated to wash his hands immediately, as he has to say a Beracha on the head-Tefilin? If so, ...
8
votes
2answers
268 views
Bracha on frozen grape juice
For a cold dessert, I often like to freeze a cup of grape juice and then eat it with a spoon like an Italian ice. What is the appropriate bracha to say before and after eating this delicacy?
7
votes
2answers
195 views
Berachos over food mixtures
My breakfast regularly presents me with a beracha conundrum. It usually consists of a bowl of bran flakes (mezonos), often sprinkled with raisins (etz) and/or sunflower seeds (adama), and ...
15
votes
1answer
309 views
Blessing the Children on Friday Night
I have noticed that many families (including my own) have the custom for the father to bless all the children on Friday night before kiddush.
When and where did this custom originate, and by whom, ...
3
votes
2answers
167 views
Will I ever actually make “al mitzvat tzitzit” on a daily basis if I don a tallit gadol?
I wear a tallit katan at almost all times and I do, in fact, sleep in it. I spoke to a rabbi about whether I would actually ever make "al mitzvat tzitzit" and it seemed that the answer was no. Kitzur ...
4
votes
3answers
134 views
History of Birkas haMinim
What is the history behind the bracha of v'lamalshim?
Was there a specific ideology or
group that the baracha was targeting?
Why would someone davening to Hashem
and saying the rest of the barachos
...
8
votes
3answers
170 views
Why don't we count the omer with a bracha during the day?
Seem that the commandment is to count, why do we make a distinction between counting during the day and at night?
14
votes
2answers
114 views
תהלת ה' ידבר פי - what's the origin?
In between the 'Shir HaMaalot' that precedes birchat hamazon and the the blessings themselves, there are a few psukim beginning תהלת ה' ידבר פי . Some people add these, and some don't. What's the ...
6
votes
1answer
167 views
New blessing on spices (besamim)
After reciting a blessing on spices (besamim), how much time must elapse before a new blessing is required? Or is this not time-dependent, but rather something that depends on one's attention (i.e. ...
9
votes
3answers
295 views
why do we say Pesach seder brachot both nights?
During the Pesach seder, but not during the rest of Pesach, we say b'rachot for the mitzvot of matzah and maror. (I mean the "asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav" b'rachot.) So it seems that we are only ...
9
votes
3answers
277 views
Shehecheyanu on new website
If one launches a new website, can he recite Shehecheyanu? Or perhaps Hatov Ve-Hametiv, if others derive benefit from it?
3
votes
1answer
37 views
Does a person need to see 2 trees to make birkat ha'ilanot is this preferable or is this completely unnecessary and carries with it no benefit?
Does a person need to see 2 trees to make birkat ha'ilanot is this preferable or is this completely unnecessary and carries with it no benefit?
3
votes
1answer
88 views
women's saying a b'racha on s'firas haomer
Mishna B'rura 489:3 says women do not say a b'racha on s'firas haomer; Aruch Hashulchan 489:4 says they do. What is the practice of various Ashk'nazi communities (for example, chassidic (various ...
6
votes
1answer
74 views
6
votes
2answers
300 views
Sucking Candy and Chewing Gum
Two questions:
One is not allowed to eat in a restroom. Does this apply to actually putting food into one's mouth or merely having food in one's mouth? If I am chewing gum and want to go to the ...
4
votes
1answer
125 views
4
votes
2answers
164 views
Does the blessing over bread cover beverages?
Are drinks considered food that generally comes as part of the meal and therefore drinkable without an additional blessing during a meal on which the only blessing recited was the blessing on bread? ...
1
vote
1answer
85 views
Birchas Illonos questions
From when until when are you allowed to make the bracha,and what is optimum and How many trees do you need to make the Bracha?
3
votes
2answers
403 views
Birth Bracha Question
What Bracha do you make on the birth of a child? What Bracha is made on a Boy? What Bracha on a Girl? When is this Bracha Made?
2
votes
1answer
64 views
2
votes
2answers
141 views
Asher Yotzar - What type of Bracha is it?
What type of Bracha is Asher Yotzar?
Is it a Birchas HaNehenin (you feel relieved after going)?
Birchas HaMitzvos (as it is the conclusion of eating)?
Birchas Hodaa (for our bodies working ...
9
votes
3answers
411 views
Where did the “different bracha for mishloach manos” idea come from?
Rambam and Shulchan Aruch say you can send two types of meat as mishloach manos on Purim.
Yet somehow I (and many other people, apparently) were taught that the two different items have to be in two ...
1
vote
3answers
207 views
Cholent falafel Bracha
What Bracha is Chulent, and since we are on the category of Brachos what Bracha are falafel Balls?
5
votes
1answer
118 views
1
vote
3answers
123 views
No Bracha Before Yes after [closed]
When are you forbidden from making a Brocha Rishona on a food item,and obligated to make
a Bracha Achrona after eating it?
2
votes
2answers
237 views
Is Birkat Ha'Ilanot (blessing on seeing fruit trees' first blossoming in the spring) said on shrubs?
If a plant is botanically a perennial and identical to a fruit tree, but it grows within a few inches of the ground, many authorities say its fruit warrants a borei pri ha'adama, as if it were a ...
4
votes
2answers
202 views
1
vote
3answers
163 views
5
votes
1answer
56 views
Tefillas Haderech in Shacharis
I once heard of a concept of saying tefillas Haderech in שמע קולינו during shemonah esrei by Shacharis of that day. Has anyone here heard of it, and if so, what's it about?
2
votes
2answers
100 views
what is the brocha on a young nut in its shell?
Young nuts are eaten together with their shells because they are soft and edible. What is the brocha on such a food?
2
votes
3answers
661 views
Kein Yehi Ratzon by Birchas Kohanim
The Minhag by most Shuls where there is no Birchas Kohanim and the Chazan just says the Birchas Kohanim is to say Kein Yehi Ratzon. Why do we say Kein Yehi Ratzon instead of Amein?
3
votes
1answer
100 views
Private Bircas Kohanim during Mussaf?
One Shabbos during the Chazan's repetition of the Mussaf Shemoneh Esrei, I noticed a guest who is a Kohen (who seemed to be of Sefaradic stock) wrapping his sons in his tallis, with his hands on their ...
2
votes
1answer
339 views
What Bracha do you make on craisins?
What Bracha do you make on craisins (dried cranberries)? Is it a HaAdama as fresh cranberries or is it Shehakol as it is dried with a significant amount of sugar? Sources please.
1
vote
1answer
268 views
taking off your mezuzah
What happens if you take off your mezuzah because its not yours is a bracha required if you change mezuzas?
4
votes
2answers
105 views
Is checking the parshios a hefsek?
Are you required to make another bracha on your tefillin if you take them off to check the parshios?
5
votes
3answers
113 views
4
votes
3answers
153 views
Pesach Matzo Brochos Change
According to the Sefardim, why is the Brocho on Matzo Hamotzi on Pesach, if it's Mezonos the entire year? What changes?
(for why mezonos a whole year see here)
3
votes
1answer
263 views
13
votes
2answers
2k views
7
votes
3answers
289 views
Croutons Bracha
What Bracha are the Croutons that are really just dried pieces of bread separately and when there in my instant soup and is there a difference?
7
votes
3answers
101 views
Mitzvos on which the only b'racha is birkas “Shehechiyanu”
I saw in the name of the Or Zaru'a and others that one does not make a b'racha before writing a sefer Torah even though it is a positive mitzva with an action associated because (among other reasons) ...
5
votes
2answers
109 views
Why Does Hashem Bless Us Like Efraim And Menashe?
I know there are lots of reason's why but What is the main reason Hashem made it so that we get blessed like them?
12
votes
4answers
696 views
What Bracha do you make on Sushi?
Really, as simple as that. What Bracha do you make on Sushi? Is the rice the main part and therefore a Mezonos, or is it just a toful in which case I guess a shehakol?
4
votes
1answer
51 views
Acher Kain Versus Acher Kach
It seems there are two Versions of Al Hanissim one says Kain one says Kach which one is right and what is the underlying logic for each?
2
votes
2answers
42 views
Just one b'racha on Chanuka lights?
There is a possible scenario in which one recites only the b'racha of she'Asa nisim on neros Chanuka without the b'racha of l'hadlik ner. Does the opposite scenario exist, in which one says only ...
1
vote
1answer
57 views
Burden of proof for birkas “she'Asa nisim”?
The הלכה is brought down in Shulchan Aruch et al. that one who sees lit Chanuka lights and has not lit his own should say the ברכה of שעשה נסים לאבותנו. Could he say this ברכה on a נר that was lit ...
4
votes
1answer
64 views
Mentioning Chanukah in Al Hamichyah
When Al Hamichyah is recited on a holiday or on the sabbath, it has a short passage inserted relevant to the day. However, there's no addition to Al Hamichyah for when it's recited on Chanukah: ...
1
vote
3answers
70 views
Thanks for the wars
In Al Hannisim we say:
v'al hamilchamot she-asita la-avoteinu
Loosely translated:
And for the wars which you made for our Forefathers
Why are we thanking Hashem for wars?
2
votes
1answer
53 views
Where did they light the Menorah after they won the war with the Greeks
In the Al Hanisim that we add on Chanukah we say:
V'hidliku neirot b'chatzrot kodshecha
Translated as
kindled lights in Your holy courts
It sounds as if the Menorah from the temple was lit outdoors ...
