questions about Jewish prayer
4
votes
1answer
165 views
Repeating shmoneh esreh after forgetting an insertion
Why are you supposed to repeat shmoneh esreh on certain days if you forgot to say the special insertion pertaining to that day? If, for example, you realize at the end of shmoneh esre during aseret ...
5
votes
1answer
58 views
Uvah Letzion schedule on Shabbos
Why don't we say Uvah Letzion on Shabbos by Shacharis and say it by Mincha?
Moreover, we then commence to repeat it by Maariv. Why do we do that?
4
votes
1answer
69 views
Why do we say “Ve'Atah Kadosh”?
Why do we say "Ve'atah Kadosh" on
Motzei Shabbos (after Shabbos).
After reading the Megilla.
After reading Eicha?
What is so special about these days?
EDIT
And what connection does this have to ...
14
votes
3answers
269 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
115 views
Modim DeRabanan - UThHonnenu or UThKayemeinu?
There is a very common poster that I've seen in virtually every Shul I've been in over the past 10-15 years. Unfortunately, I cannot find a photo at the moment. It is a (generally laminated,) white ...
5
votes
1answer
80 views
Why do Ashkenazim respond בְּרִיךְ הוּא in kaddish?
Is קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא a translation of הקדוש ברוך הוא? At any rate both expressions are one phrase.
Why then in kaddish do we reply with בריך הוא when someone says שְׁמֵהּ דְּקֻדְשָׁא, בְּרִיךְ ...
5
votes
0answers
39 views
Why is the prayer for dreams repeated in Birchas Kohanim? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Who says the Ribbono shel Olam's in Birkas Kohanim?
At Birchas Kohanim outside Israel, where it is only said on Yom Tov (Ashkenazim), we say twice a prayer for bad ...
10
votes
3answers
254 views
Why do Jewish people sway while praying?
Is there a reason that people sway back and forth while praying?
I saw a lot of people pray like this, but I'm too shy to ask them why do they do this.
3
votes
2answers
120 views
Hearing Megillat Esther in a mixed minyan
If the only available minyan to hear Megillat Esther is a mixed minyan with no mechitza, can one attend the minyan or is it better to not hear megilla at all? Would it matter if the baal megilla was a ...
6
votes
1answer
70 views
Forgiveness on Rosh Chodesh
If Rosh Chodesh is a "Zeman Kapara" (time of atonement) as we say in the Mussaf prayers, why does it contain no selichot and no tachanunim? Why doesn't it (the day of Rosh Chodesh itself) resemble Yom ...
3
votes
1answer
95 views
Tehilim for an illness
What are the Chapters of Tehilim (Psalms) said for an ill person and what is the source in seforim and the reason for these particular chapters being chosen?
5
votes
3answers
209 views
Status of feet while making a bracha or davening
In todays day and age where we no longer have homes with dirt floors:
do you still need to cover your feet when making a bracha or davening?
If so are socks enough?
does it depend on the custom of ...
2
votes
0answers
76 views
Sepharadic Tachanun [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Not falling on hands for Tachnun
How come Sepharadim do not "fall on their faces" during Tachanun as Ashkenazim do, if the prayer is called "nefilat apa'im" (literally ...
13
votes
2answers
210 views
Whispering prayers?
Can one whisper t'fila (prayer)? I'm thinking of obligatory t'filos like sh'mone esre and "Sh'ma".
I know one can speak t'fila quietly, even very quietly; in fact, sh'mone esre is said quietly. I'm ...
5
votes
2answers
97 views
Why is 'misod chachomim unevonim' sometimes said and sometimes omitted in the repetition of the Amidah?
In Askenazi communities, the piece beginning 'misod chachomim unevonim' is said at the repetition of the Amidah at Shacharis when there are piyuttim (except Purim) and on Musaf on Yomim Noraim as well ...
5
votes
3answers
132 views
In an average shul, how long before sunset does a combined weekday Mincha/Maariv service start?
Many shuls worldwide run combined weekday Mincha/Maariv services. How long before sunset do these services tend to start? Please specify a range, measured in "number of minutes". Also, please cite ...
13
votes
3answers
298 views
Why doesn't Tefilat Geshem have a verse referring to Miriam?
The "Tefilat Geshem" ("Prayer for Rain") recited on Shemini 'Atzeret contains six verses. Each verse refers to a different person (except the last, which refers to a nation) and makes various ...
6
votes
3answers
110 views
Barchu or Kavana
If you are late to Maariv and miss barchu and you normally daven slowly should you...
Daven faster, even if it means saying the words with little to no Kavana so that you can say Barchu at the end.
...
10
votes
1answer
132 views
Ana B'choach - Private prayer or Sing-Along song?
Many people have the custom to recite the prayer "Ana B'choach" after the initial six chapters of Tehillim said in Kabbalas Shabbos and before "Lecha Dodi". Based on the fact that it references ...
0
votes
1answer
199 views
Entering a place where Gentiles and Jews Daven together from a Siddur
Would it be permitted to pray in a place where there are services that are mixed with Jews and gentiles? Meaning, a synagogue that also invites gentiles to pray with the Jews (but they all pray from a ...
6
votes
2answers
185 views
Why is There No Tachanun on Tu b'Shvat?
Or, more specifically, what is/are the reason(s) for not saying tachanun on various occasions and how does Tu b'Shvat fit in.
(I'm looking for classic reasons, not 'it's got to be somebody's birthday ...
14
votes
1answer
584 views
Meaning of “bidi-bidi-bum”
In Fiddler on the Roof, in Tevye's song "If I Were a Rich Man," there is a line "all day long I'd bidi-bidi-bum." According to Wikipedia this is a reference to prayer.
A repeated phrase ...
6
votes
2answers
124 views
Bowing during Barechu
Many Sepharadim have a custom to take a slight bow when saying Barechu both during Shacharit and Arvit. Others insist on standing. Is there any source for such a minhag in the sifrei Halacha (or ...
1
vote
1answer
94 views
Aramaic sections of davening in Hebrew
From the answers I received to this question, the reason we still say some sections of davening (prayer) in Aramaic seems to be that it is historically a Jewish language, and using it unifies all ...
4
votes
1answer
83 views
Insertions in shma koleinu
The Artscroll siddur offers two insertions that one can add to the bracha of shma koleinu every day, one asking forgiveness for sin and the other asking for livelihood. What are the sources for these ...
8
votes
1answer
111 views
And let who say Amen?
In light of this answer, why do we say V'imru amen and V'nomar amen at various points in bentching and davening when saying that passage alone? (eg. bentching by yourself, or oseh shalom at the end of ...
8
votes
3answers
176 views
Falling behind during davening
If you daven more slowly than the chazzan, should you skip what someone who came late to davening would skip so that you can reach barchu with the tzibbur?
13
votes
3answers
215 views
Why do we still say sections of davening in aramaic?
I am pretty sure the aramaic sections of davening were written in aramaic because it was considered necessary for people to understand what they were saying. If this is true, why don't we say those ...
10
votes
2answers
273 views
Who didn't recite Kabbalas Shabbos?
In this article, R. Michael Broyde writes that:
Indeed, there have been prominent halachic authorities of the last generation who did not recite Kabbalat Shabbat.
Can anyone provide examples of ...
9
votes
1answer
124 views
How come Sepharadim say “Boreh peri haGEFen” but “Shelo Asani AVed”
I think Hacham Ovadia has a footnote in Hazon Ovadia on Pesach (and probably elsewhere) in which he discusses why we don't use the pausal form of gafen instead of gefen. He writes (if i remember ...
9
votes
1answer
95 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 ...
19
votes
3answers
261 views
Female praying in masculine language
When women daven (pray), even by ourselves, it is convention to daven with male-gendered words ("modeh" vs "moda" as one of many examples). Why is this; are there sources that say we should be doing ...
3
votes
0answers
55 views
When is the earliest time one can pray in the morning? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Davening Shacharis?
When is the earliest time one can pray (the Shemone Esre) in the morning?
Reciting Keriath Shema' has its own rules, and I understand you may need ...
7
votes
1answer
125 views
Does praying at the wrong time count for anything?
(This question might be a prerequisite to be able to answer this question.)
Does praying at the wrong time count for anything? What does it accomplish? Sources, please.
3
votes
1answer
157 views
Variant on: Is it better to Daven “too early” with a Minyan, or to Daven alone at the right time?
In many communities there is a regular weekday morning Minyan and the "working-person's" Minyan, which technically Davens too early according to most opinions, but which is better than nothing, ...
7
votes
1answer
101 views
Can the chazzan use the vernacular quietly?
When saying a private portion of the service, such as pesukei de-zimra, may the shaliach tzibur (aka chazzan, or the person leading services) use English, and switch to Hebrew for the portions said ...
6
votes
1answer
102 views
Why have I never seen “Prisoh al shema”?
“Prisoh al shema”
A good summary is to be found in a shiur from the The Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash.
In short, “…. ten men who prayed alone can subsequently fulfill their obligations ...
2
votes
0answers
170 views
Can't use the name of Gd during spontaneous prayer?
What is the rationale in suggesting that a person who wishes to pray to Hashem outside the context of formal communal prayer, that they may not use Gd's name in doing so?
This seems to me to go ...
9
votes
2answers
213 views
If women are not obliged to daven maariv, should they daven if they wish to?
This source says that women are not obliged to daven maariv but may do if they wish.
Although the Shulchan Aruch (108:7) allows one to recite a Tefilat Nedava in a certain case, Halacha Berura (22nd ...
4
votes
2answers
95 views
Tal UMatar - for whom?
According to the build-up in this question the point of Tal UMatar is to pray for good rains in one's local area. The same seems to be assumed in other questions and especially a couple of different ...
2
votes
3answers
117 views
No real kavanah?
There is an interesting principle and ruling established by the Smak, the Tur, and the Rama:
One who davens and did not focus on his prayer, if he knows that he can pray again and focus, he should ...
4
votes
2answers
68 views
In Nishmas, what is “and sustained us in plenty” doing amongst times of trouble?
In Nishmas said on Shabbos and Yom Tov mornings we say, “you redeemed us from Egypt and delivered us from the house of bondage; you fed us in famine” (all describing times of trouble) “and sustained ...
3
votes
1answer
131 views
Mincha started before sheki'a, extended beyond it. What about davenning maariv straight after mincha?
A minyan starts to daven mincha before sheki’a with the intention to daven maariv after sheki’a. In the event, mincha extends beyond shki’a.
There are IMHO three possible cases:
They start but do ...
11
votes
1answer
167 views
Safek (doubt) in Halachah - How unsure does one have to be?
If someone is unsure if he recited Tal UMatar, one has to repeat the Shemoneh 'Esreh (it's slightly more complicated, but let's keep it simple).
If one is unsure if he remembered to Bentch (recite ...
4
votes
3answers
126 views
Pesukim/Sayings/Thoughts for Hizuk
I have a new philosophy (of course Beli Neder): never Daven before you have Hizuk. Now, sometimes I like to sing a Niggun (Shifchi by Reb Shlomo) or say some Bakashot (specifically Agadelcha by Iben ...
6
votes
1answer
63 views
To sing or not to sing - Piyutim on Shabbath
Some Piyutim recited on Shabbath are widely (in the Ashkenazi world) sung by the congregation (usually in unison, but in some rare instances in the Ashkenazi world they are sung responsively). Among ...
4
votes
0answers
76 views
Prayer in a chapel (bes midrash room) vs. in the main synagogue
Some synagogues have a room for prayers that's used on a regular basis: weekdays, Shabasos, holidays. If there are two simultaneous minyanim, then one will be elsewhere, of course, but otherwise the ...
1
vote
0answers
37 views
Why is the atonement for פשע limited to leap years in the Amida for Musaf Rosh Chodesh? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Saying Ulichaporas Pasha in Musaf of Rosh Chodesh
This question is a slightly different take on this one. I have posted a comment there and await to see if it needs to ...
3
votes
2answers
214 views
Bameh Madlikin grammar
In congregations that daven with Nusach Ashkenaz, the Friday night Maariv is preceded with a recitation of Mishnayos beginning with the words: Bameh madlikin u'vamoh ain madlikin...
I always wondered ...
4
votes
1answer
66 views
Why are the words כהיום הזה mentioned in Al Hanisim for Chanukah and nowhere for Purim and Pesach?
Why are the words כהיום הזה mentioned in Al Hanisim for Chanukah and not in Al Hanisim for Purim or at another appropriate place (in say the brocho of אשר גאלנו) for Pesach?
Credit to Alex for ...
