hefsek, interruption, in the middle of an action
14
votes
3answers
265 views
Humming during shmoneh esre
On shabbat for shacharit and mussaf, I am usually still davening shmoneh esre by the time the chazzan gets to kedusha. In this situation, can I hum to the tune of kedusha?
This essentially boils down ...
13
votes
2answers
119 views
Announcements before אשרי
I am in high school and in the morning my principal makes announcements before אשרי at the end of שחרית. The announcements often have absolutely nothing to do with davening. For example, he will tell ...
11
votes
1answer
146 views
Rockets from Gaza while praying
I live in Beer Sheva, Israel where there are presently ongoing rockets fired at us from Gaza. We are warned of an impending rocket by a loud siren that gives us less than a minute to run to a bomb ...
10
votes
2answers
120 views
Can you respond to קדושה if you are not already done with your own ש''ע?
Can you respond to קדושה if you are not already done with your own ש''ע? I heard that you can if you are past a certain point after שים שלום/שלום רב. I just want to know if that's true and, if so, ...
9
votes
1answer
92 views
Greetings during Prayer
In light of YDK's answer here, Halacha permits one to greet and sometimes return greetings to other people at different times during prayer when other interruptions would otherwise be prohibited. (See ...
8
votes
1answer
128 views
Interrupting in the middle of Shmona esrei
Am I allowed to interrupt in the middle of Shmona esrei in order to pick up a Siddur (or any other holy book) that has fallen to the floor? Same question, if I have to make some steps in order to pick ...
8
votes
0answers
78 views
“Oyoyoy” a hefsek? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Humming during shmoneh esre
Is saying "oyoyoy" in places where you're not allowed to speak (e.g. Shemoneh Esreh) a hefsek (interruption)? Does it make a difference that ...
7
votes
4answers
311 views
Can I wash and say “please pass the salt”?
After washing one's hands before eating bread, one is not supposed to talk until he has made Hamotzi and partook of the bread.
I understand that general chatter is not allowed. But what about for ...
7
votes
2answers
132 views
When can I speak after eating?
After making a Berachah on food, it is considered a Hefsek to speak before eating said food.
At what point after beginning to eat is it permissible to speak?
After the first bite?
After the first ...
7
votes
1answer
191 views
Should you greet a non-jew after washing netilat yadayim?
If you wash netilat yadayim and then a non-Jew says "hello" to you, should you:
say "hello" back and wash again?
try to acknowledge him without actually talking?
or ignore him (doesn't seem right)?
...
7
votes
2answers
71 views
If you must stop shmoneh esrai, should you take 3 steps back?
If you are davenning shmoneh esrai and you must stop (for example there is filth, something untznius, pictures, a dangerous animal, etc), should you take 3 steps back?
I'm asking both about taking 3 ...
7
votes
1answer
71 views
Hefsek (interruption) between the blessing on food and eating the food
Is it considered a hefsek to play with one's fingers or silverware or such while waiting for the challah to be passed around on shabbat, after the blessing made on it? Even though it isn't talking, it ...
6
votes
3answers
233 views
Saving a Life During Tefillah
If one is in middle of Shemoneh Esrei (which is the only part of Tefillah, I could think of where there might be a problem), and there is a life to be saved, is he/she allowed to interrupt the ...
6
votes
2answers
99 views
Which mitzvos exempt which mitzvos?
There is a general rule in Halacha that someone occupied with a mitzva isn't obligated to interrupt themselves to do another mitzva. This is known as " עוסק במצוה פטור מן המצוה".
My question is, what ...
6
votes
1answer
94 views
Is Chazaq Chazaq v'nitchazeq חזק חזק ונתחזק an interruption for the reader?
Is it considered a hefsek for the Ba'al Kore to say חזק חזק ונתחזק, and, if it's not an interruption, is there a different problem because he is saying something which is not written in the Torah?
6
votes
1answer
112 views
Can you sing during the sheva brachos?
I have been to weddings where, during the recitation of the seventh bracha under the chuppah, the congregation sings "asher bara...". Sometimes it is along with the one reciting the bracha and other ...
5
votes
2answers
77 views
Interruption while listening to Megillat Esther
I was on the bima during the Rabbi's reading of the Megillat Esther this year and was holding one end of the scroll flat. As he advanced through the columns he moved the scroll along and at one stage ...
5
votes
1answer
81 views
What to do after interrupting Shemoneh 'Esreh
What are you supposed to do after interrupting Shemoneh 'Esreh? Do you start over? Continue where you left off?
Assume that the interruption was either permitted, or if it was forbidden it was ...
5
votes
2answers
224 views
Shabbos morning (Drasha) sermon before Kaddish of Musaf
Recently I saw in Halacha that it is inappropriate to have the sermon right before Kaddish of Musaf as it is considered a Hefsek. Yet many Shuls do just that and have the sermon right before Kaddish ...
5
votes
1answer
75 views
I'm in the middle of Tachanun when they take out the Torah; what do I do?
This happens to me a lot on Mondays and Thursdays: I'm just putting down my head to finish Tachanun when the baal tefilah says kaddish, the aron is opened and the Torah is taken out. Do I stop what ...
5
votes
0answers
83 views
Hefsek between hagafen and drinking during havdallah
Why does everybody (at least that I have ever seen), say "borei pri hagefen" first of all during havdallah, but not drink the wine until all of the other brachos have been said? Is saying the other ...
4
votes
2answers
229 views
Brachot on Tzitzit
As a continuation of this question (Tallit Katan and Tallit Brachot):
My understanding is that when one takes off a Tallit Katan and then puts it back on, the bracha is not said again. What is the ...
4
votes
3answers
196 views
Humming as an interruption during Birkat Kohanim
Is the humming by the kohanim during birkat kohanim considered a hefsek of their bracha? Please be clear what halachik reasoning allows or disallows this humming.
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?
4
votes
1answer
35 views
Doing something in one breath
I am looking to make a list of halachot/minhagim that involve doing something in 1 breath so I can see if I can draw any connections between them. So far, I have 3 things:
the shevarim-tru'ah (or at ...
3
votes
3answers
67 views
When do you interrupt to answer Kaddish?
Often I find myself in the middle of some part of davening when the chazzan starts saying kaddish. Should I interrupt to answer or does it depend on which part of davening I am holding?
3
votes
2answers
105 views
Interrupting birkas hamazon
For what prayer responses (e.g. amen, baruch Hu uvaruch Sh'mo, y'he Sh'me...) may one interrupt his own recital of birkas hamazon?
3
votes
3answers
157 views
Answering “Brich hu” to the kaddish before shemone esrei at maariv
In light of the answers given here Responding to kaddish in pesukei dezimro can anyone explain why the popular minhag is to answer brich hu at the kaddish before shmone esrei at maariv? There is ...
3
votes
1answer
86 views
Can one resume praying if interrupted when not in a minyan
Are there any sources that comment on what to do if one is interrupted in the middle of the process of Shacharit, mincha or ma'ariv prayers without a minyan? Is it necessary to resume praying from the ...
3
votes
0answers
37 views
Catching Up When Saying Tachanun M/Th
On Mondays and Thursdays I often fall very behind during tachanun. I see two options — I can start with the congregation after having listened with proper intent during chazarat hashatz, or I can ...
2
votes
1answer
51 views
Gram Mav'ir on Yom Tov
I heard once that the poskim permit "gram mav'ir" on yom tov l'tzrich gadol. For example if someone wants to use a platta (hot plate) that they forgot to plug in they may plug it in with a Shabbos ...
2
votes
0answers
17 views
Not speaking between Shemoneh Esrei and Hallel
On a day when Hallel is recited (for example Rosh Chodesh) I've heard that one should not (lichatchila) speak between Shemoneh Esrei and Hallel. Rather, as soon as the chazzon finishes chazaras ...
2
votes
0answers
45 views
Speaking in the middle of Havdallah
Someone was making havdallah and, after saying the bracha on besamim (spices) and then smelling them, exclaimed "Ah! A mechayah!". Is this considered a hefsek (interruption) in the havdallah? Meaning ...
2
votes
0answers
44 views
What to do after sh'mone esre before Sh'ma
Shulchan Aruch, OC 236:3:
If someone discovered a group that had already read [the evening] "Sh'ma" and is about to say amida [of maariv], then he should say amida with them and then say "Sh'ma" ...
2
votes
0answers
36 views
Should the chazan say “Ga'al Yisra'el” silently? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How to say go-al Yisroel before Shacharis Amida
According to the Shulchan Aruch (66:7), one doesn't say "amen" after the chazan says "Ga'al Yisra'el." The Rama says that ...
1
vote
1answer
64 views
Ha-Gommel before or after Kaddish?
If the one reading from the Torah (whether it be on Mondays, Thursday, Shabbos, etc) has to say the bracha of "Ha-Gommel" when should it be recited? Is it ok to say it after the last aliyah before he ...
1
vote
1answer
46 views
While sleeping in a sukkah, are you exempt from prayer?
Someone engrossed in one mitzvah is sometimes exempt from certain other mitzvot.
So, I wonder, based on a question from Reddit user GutsAndGlory2:
While engaged in the mitzvah of sleeping in a ...
1
vote
1answer
21 views
What consititutes a “complete interruption” between talis katan and gadol?
This page references an uncited location in the Mishneh Berura and says that "[O]ne only makes separate berachos if there is a complete interuption between the talis katan and gadol. Just walking to ...
1
vote
0answers
63 views
Should people not say Vidui before Tachanun?
Assuming that it is a hefseik and forbidden to interrupt between amidah and tachanun, should a person who regularly recites vidui change his custom and delay the recital of vidui until later on, after ...
0
votes
1answer
82 views
Does Baruch HaShem Le'Olam (Ma'ariv; Ashkenazi) count as Birchoth Keriath Shema'?
Does Baruch HaShem Le'Olam have the same Din as Birchoth Keriath Shema' in terms of interruption?
If you are in the middle of the Berachah, do you respond to the same things as you would if you were ...
