Questions tagged [prayer-book]
Questions about the various prayer books used by Jews, and the prayers contained therein.
309
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What is the current Ashkenazic practice on the Alenu?
The Alenu is part of our daily liturgy. It says:
It is our duty to praise the Master of all... who has not made us like the nations of the lands, nor placed us like the families of the earth; who ...
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27 views
What's the difference between פודה and גאולה? [duplicate]
We mention in the Siddur (Ashkenaz) each morning
מִמִּצְרַיִם גְּאַלְתָּנוּ ה' אֱלהֵינוּ. וּמִבֵּית עֲבָדִים
פְּדִיתָנוּ. - You saved us from Mitzrayim and redeemed us from the
house of slavery.
...
2
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0answers
73 views
No need to say 13 Ikkarim on Shabbos
Some people have the custom to recite the 13 Ikkarim, The Thirteen Principles of Faith, every day. A condensed version of them appears as the "Ani Ma'amin"s usually printed in a standard ...
1
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1answer
65 views
Is there a Siddur with Tagim (crowns)
As per the teaching of the Besht I’ve been really meditating on the letters as I daven but I realized that the true shapes of letters as they are written in a Torah or mezuzah which includes the tagim ...
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24 views
In regards to taking notes, highlighting, etc. - Is it permissible to write inside the Torah, Siddur and other holy books? [duplicate]
I am studying for Jewish conversion and have many books that I am using. I write inside my commentaries and Jewish guidance books, but I am unsure as to whether or not I can do the same inside my ...
2
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0answers
32 views
Why two plurals in Sim Shalom? [duplicate]
The bracha sim shalom, at the end of the amida, has two plural terms: aleinu v'al kol yisrael.
The other brachot in the amida have only one plural term (e.g. bareich aleinu).
Are the two plural ...
4
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1answer
110 views
Why so repetitive in davening?
Looking at a siddur, in the Korbanos, the order of the Temple service is written. In the first paragraph (אַבַּיֵּי הֲוָה מְסַדֵּר), it lists everything that is done in a strange manner, it says what ...
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58 views
Why have Psam 135 instead of 146 and omit Psalm 147 in Pesukei D'Zimra?
In all siddurim I know of—and halachic compendia that I've seen—pesukei d'zimra contains, among other things, psalms 145–150. However, in the siddur of Rav Sa'adia Gaon, he replaces Psalm 146 by 135 ...
5
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1answer
184 views
What are the arrows in my siddur?
Shalom,
I'm a baal teshuva who recently began reciting daily prayers. I own several Koren siddurim and I notice in all of them, occasional small arrows pointing at the text. Does anyone know what ...
1
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1answer
62 views
What parts of the Shabbat shacharit and musaf are omitted when davening without a minyan? [duplicate]
As I write this, many Jews around the world have just concluded their second consecutive Shabbat since the COVID-19 outbreak led to the temporary closures of synagogues. Now that so many of us are ...
1
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1answer
143 views
Transliteration and text help for the nisim b'chol yom
My son is becoming a bar mitzvah, and he specified that he wanted to use a translation of the nisim b'chol yom (for daily miracles) prayer not from the siddur, but from a hand out in Hebrew school. I ...
2
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1answer
75 views
Looking for file of Sfard kedushah page for Ashkenaz siddurim
I daven nusach Ashkenaz in a shul which davens nusach Sfard. On Shabbos, it's customary* to say the "out loud" parts of the davening in the minhag hamakom. Therefore, in the back cover of the Ashkenaz ...
3
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0answers
90 views
Yemenite Siddur in Hebrew & English to purchase?
I am trying to find a Yemenite Siddur in Hebrew & English to purchase. Let me know if you can send me a company name or website.
2
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2answers
127 views
A question on “Sim Shalom”
The prayer "Sim Shalom", recited at the end of the morning Amidah, first says:
שִׂים שָׁלוֹם טוֹבָה וּבְרָכָה חֵן וָחֶֽסֶד וְרַחֲמִים עָלֵֽינוּ -- Grant peace, goodness and blessing, grace, ...
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21 views
Where is Maharshal's commentary on birkat hamazon printed?
I understand that Maharshal wrote a commentary on birkat hamazon - does anyone know if/where I can find it published?
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21 views
“v'imru amen” after silent shemoneh esrei [duplicate]
It is customary in many communities to recite personal tefillot after the silent amida. Canonized in many nusach Ashkenaz/Sefard siddurim, this is followed by the final line of kaddish (based on the ...
7
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1answer
198 views
Is Melech ever a verb?
In the Artscroll machzor (ashkenaz), in the Chazarat Hashatz for shacharit of Rosh Hashana, the piyut with the refrain "Hashem Melech, Hashem malach, Hashem yimloch le'olam va'ed" has a strange ...
3
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0answers
39 views
Why no vowels for the sounds of the shofar?
In three different machzorim (a Rinat Yisrael, an Artscroll and a Koren -- the ones I had access to over the holiday) the listings of the sounds of the shofar are printed without any vowels. Sefaria ...
3
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1answer
77 views
Why are vows to fast undertaken at mincha a stated exception in Hatarat Nedarim?
In the last part of Hatarat Nedarim, when talking about future vows, vows to fast undertaken at mincha are a specific exception. Why this exception and no other?
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1answer
87 views
What does the acronym or abbreviation in Hatrat Nedarim stand for?
What do the 4 letters (הויה) stand for or mean? This appears at the beginning of Hatrat Nedarim.
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40 views
Why isn't birchas hatorah printed before Selichos? [duplicate]
Why is birchas hatorah not printed before Ashrei in Selichos siddurim, given the requirement for this brocha before quoting verse (see
Selichot and blessing on Torah study)?
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0answers
27 views
Why say imru amein at end of silent amida? [duplicate]
"v'imru amein" appears at the end of the sentence "Oseh shalom bimromov..." at the end of the silent (individual) amida. That seems a bit odd for two reasons: We are saying amein to our own davening, ...
7
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1answer
48 views
Compare large print machzorim
My husband is recently visually impaired with a condition called NAION. He has been using the Artscroll large print siddur on Shabbat and a siddur app on his phone for weekdays. I want to get him ...
1
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1answer
40 views
Halachic differences in the Yom Kippur avodah between piyutim
There are various piyutim said by different communities to describe the avodah on Yom Kippur. Are there halachic differences between any of these piyutim? For example, do they pasken like different ...
2
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1answer
38 views
Recommendations for explanations of selichos
The selichos for ashkenazim are quite difficult to understand.
Are there any peirushim on selichos for ashkenazim? (I know there are different versions, I'm willing to take a peirush on any version. ...
2
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0answers
82 views
Does anyone know what siddur the Minchas Elazar, z"l, used?
I was wondering if anyone knows what specific siddur the Minchas Elazar, z"l, davened from? Also, where to find it today.
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33 views
Is there an English translation of Siddurei Geonei Rav Amram and / or Rav Sa'adiah?
I enjoy exploring the history of the Siddur. Rav Amram and Rav Sa'adia's siddurim are two of the oldest.
One of them, from what I recall has loads of "instructions" some of which explain halachot and ...
4
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0answers
64 views
How to make a personal siddur/birchon/bentsher as a wedding present
I'm looking for a convenient software that allows me to create and design a personal siddur/birchon/bentcher to give as a wedding present. In particular, I would like to have a convenient way to ...
2
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1answer
109 views
Who coined “הן גאלתי אתכם אחרית כראשית”?
While trying to answer "1-5th-of-the-jews-will-make-it-past-the-messiah" I remembered the verse we say every morning but realized I didn't know its source.
I googled but except for Kedushas Levi that ...
3
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1answer
62 views
Appropriate to slightly modify wording as one recites siddur prayers?
For instance, if the wording states "protect me," could one add "me and my family?" Or if the wording refers to "we" (plural) could it be modified to "I" (singular) or vice-versa?
2
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1answer
105 views
Where I can find an original Nusach Paras (Persian) Siddur?
Where can I find a siddur with the original Persian (Parsi) Nusach (if such a siddur exists)?
2
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1answer
145 views
Livorno siddurim
Since my old siddur is on the process of dying, I am in the market for a new siddur. I understand that some of the reprints of the Livorno siddurim in print today have incorporated some changes to the ...
5
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1answer
76 views
Ideas for discovering the history of benchers
I'm thinking of making a "bencher museum". I'd like to gather some ideas from our readership for this project.
I have a selection of old benchers from the 60's as well as a larger assortment of more ...
2
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0answers
45 views
What was the first “Siddur” prayer / section?
Outside of Shema and the Amidah, can someone explain the chronology of what sections of the Siddur service as we currently have them were added? E.g. was Psukei Dezimra added first? Blessings before / ...
2
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0answers
41 views
Printing a once-off siddur that would require genizah
I have been asked to compile a booklet containing the Shacharit service for a special occasion. The printed booklets (currently 60 pages long, double-sided 2-per-page, so 15 pieces of paper each) will ...
2
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2answers
164 views
The Siddur of R Yaakov Emden
Is there a version of R Yaakov Emdens siddur online?
Also how is the Siddur different from the Artscroll Ashkenazi Siddur which I am more familiar with?
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2answers
251 views
Is there a Siddur authored by the Gra?
Is there a Siddur authored by the Gra or his talmidim that goes according to him?
If so is there a copy online?
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40 views
Information about the Vilna Siddur
I am looking for information on the Vilna Siddur.
What is the vilna/vilnis Siddur?(for example how is it different than a regular Ashkenazi Siddur)
Who authored it?
And is there a copy online?
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0answers
55 views
The reverse name YHWH not for Adar?
As most of us know, each month has a combination of the holy name YHWH - that's 3 letters YHW times 4 places gives 12 combinations. It is intended to be kept in mind while saying the Brocho of Musaf ...
2
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2answers
114 views
Why is G-d mentioned in the feminine sometimes?
In one part of the Birkat Hamazon we say "veal hakol... anu modim lach umevarchim otach".
This is only one small example, and there are many others, but why is God being adressed in the feminine "...
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47 views
Writing HaShem's Hebrew Name
Can I write any of HaShem's Hebrew names in pencil, in my Siddur? Any of his "Hebrew" names that is, not English.
1
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1answer
49 views
At what point in the morning prayer should one answer kedusha?
If one finished saying Krias Shema in Shacharis at the same time as the congregation is starting their silent shmone esray, my understanding of Shulchan Aruch O"C 109:2 is that one has to delay and ...
3
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1answer
96 views
What is the source for attempting to avoid daily challenges?
What is the source for the oft-repeated idea of trying to avoid daily challenges/nisyonos?
As one example, in daily prayers, we say "...וְאַל תְּבִיאֵנוּ...וְלֹא לִידֵי נִסָּיוֹן" - "Do not bring us ...
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0answers
28 views
Why is fem. description used to refer to days of Mashiach?
Near the end of the Uva Letzion prayer, there is a phrase that refers to ימות המשיח. This sounds like a feminine ending. Shouldn't the phrase be ימי המשיח as the word יום is masculine?
3
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1answer
50 views
Why is the pasuk in Nechemia split in davening?
In pesukei d'zimra, my siddur splits up the pasuk from Nechemia 9:8
וּמָצָאתָ אֶת לְבָבוֹ נֶאֱמָן לְפָנֶיךָ וְכָרוֹת עִמּוֹ הַבְּרִית לָתֵת אֶת אֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי הַחִתִּי הָאֱמֹרִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי ...
4
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0answers
161 views
Why was Adon Olam reduced from 16 to 10 verses?
Why did Ashkenazim cut down the original Adon Olam from 16 to 10 verses? (See original below, by Solomon ibn Gabirol, 11th century Muslim Spain.) Sephardic siddurim still have all 16 verses, ...
3
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2answers
225 views
Is it OK to recite prayers by heart?
I remember reading that you are supposed to pray by reading from a siddur -- that it is not OK to recite the prayers by heart. Is this true? If it is, what is the reason, given that in olden days ...
6
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2answers
400 views
Chabad beginner visiting a Modern Orthodox shul
I have been practicing my observance with a super-friendly Chabad congregation but my area, predominantly secular and Modern Orthodox, has a bunch of MO congregations that I'm very curious to visit, ...
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40 views
Why is the word “Halleluya” not translated in the siddur? [closed]
The word "halleluya" appears many times in the siddur. Typically the word is not translated in a Hebrew-English siddur. But the Hebrew word can be translated. Why is the word "halleluya" typically ...
4
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0answers
57 views
What was the first siddur to contain an aleph-bet chart?
Many siddurim (prayerbooks) published today contain a chart of the Hebrew alphabet towards the beginning (see e.g. page 11 of this pdf).
What was the first siddur published to contain an alphabet ...
