Questions tagged [tefilla]
Questions about Jewish prayer (the fixed order of typically-thrice-daily prayers, or prayer generally).
1,930
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Better less with kavannah than more without?
Right at the beginning of the Tur and Shulchan Aruch, siman 1, it says that it is better to pray a little with kavannah (proper concentration?) than more without. I don't know that anyone argues. I ...
3
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1answer
61 views
How to practice reading prayers
Are there any specific halachot about one who practices reciting prayers? Is one allowed to say Hashem's name? What if one does not use any tune when practicing the prayers? What if while reading the ...
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0answers
51 views
Prayer before a general anaesthetic
Every night, prior to bed, people recite the Shema. Affixed to that recitation is a variety of psukim and brokhes, requesting of Hashem that He ensure that we will sleep well, without any disturbance, ...
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1answer
78 views
"Constantly and forever and ever" in Maariv davening
In Maariv prayer we say "אל חי וקים תמיד ימלוך עלינו לעולם ועד" in the first long Brachah.
I'm aware of the concept of the double לשון of לעולם ועד (i.e. forever and ever), but how does that ...
2
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1answer
98 views
Source of the claim that Moshe's tefillah could change Hashem's mind
I heard once that what is meant in the passuk:
"ויתעבר יהוה בי למענכם ולא שמע אלי ויאמר יהוה אלי רב־לך אל־תוסף דבר אלי עוד בדבר הזה"
But the LORD was wrathful with me on your account and ...
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1answer
50 views
Which sections of Shacharit can be delayed?
If one is in a rush, and he only says Birchot Kriyat Shema, the Amida, and Alenu, what parts of Shacharit can he return and say later (after ending his prayer by saying Alenu and doing distracting ...
2
votes
1answer
181 views
Is there a prayer "for an easy death"?
When someone is sick, we say a mi'she'beirach for healing and we add a personal request in the refa'einu part of the amidah. After a person passes, we say the Tziduk hadin and then prayers for the ...
4
votes
1answer
118 views
Who are the rabbanim of the story of Vehu Rachum?
The Artscroll Siddur records a tradition from the Machzor Kol Bo of three rabbanim who authored the tefillah of Vehu Rachum:
Machzor Kol Bo and others record a tradition regarding the authorship of ...
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1answer
47 views
Is standing and raising hands an usual posture for praying?
Is standing and raising hands an usual posture for praying?
I wonder which is the right posture for praying.
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3answers
49 views
Compilation of Tefillot for specific purposes
It is clear from the Gemara in brachot there is a real science behind tefillah and in addition to needing the appropriate emotional-mind state you also need to formulate your petition according to the ...
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1answer
69 views
Does it still count as tefillah b’tzibbur if I come to minyan late and don’t daven the Amidah along with the rest?
What are the various halachic opinions regarding this?
3
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1answer
38 views
What is the halachah if someone missed Shacharis, davened the first Mincha as a tashlumin and the second as actual Mincha?
I would like to know various sources for whether the tashlumin counts or not. I think I have read that some poskim disagree with each other, but who holds what?
6
votes
2answers
144 views
English prayers, mix in hebrew?
Some prayers can be said in any language, and many people use the English translation in siddurim to daven directly, the question is is one allowed to mix in both hebrew and English when first ...
2
votes
1answer
95 views
Studying the Siddur before Yomim Noraim?
The Shulchan Aruch OC (100:1) writes that there is an obligation to learn the tefillos which are not commonly said beforehand, and the Rema notes that nowadays we don't need to review the prayers ...
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1answer
57 views
The Teacher's Prayer in English
Is there an equivalent or translation in English for the following Teacher's Prayer:
I really need it for my next lesson.
2
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1answer
43 views
Why are the words in this pasuk changed around?
This pasuk (לִישׁוּעָֽתְךָ֖ קִוִּ֥יתִי יְהֹוָֽה) appears in many siddurim, including most Artscroll siddurim, after the Ani Maamins. However, the pasuk doesn’t just appear by itself. It appears three ...
4
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2answers
183 views
Composing your own Tefillah
Is there a source (either for or against) that mentions composing your own Tefillah prayer? Such as a yehi ratzon or the like.
Granted, anyone can daven at any moment for anything they want in any ...
3
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1answer
139 views
What do the different chassidish tefillin tying on the palm and hand mean, what sects uses them?
I have noticed many different styles of wrapping tefillin over the hand, fingers, and palm, as seen below.
My question is what is the significance of this, and who does this, and is it something ...
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vote
2answers
111 views
Praying in English or Hebrew
I have searched and don’t think this is a duplicate and want to explain why this question is different from this one.
In the above linked question, the answer clearly states that it’s best to daven in ...
3
votes
2answers
153 views
Shemoneh Esreh Torah line for Name
Before Oseh Shalom in the Amidah, my Siddur says, "Here one may say a sentence from the Torah, which starts with the first letter of his first name and finishes with the last letter of his first ...
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0answers
31 views
Amen in Birchat Hachodesh
In the Birchat Hachodesh recited on the Shabbat before a Rosh Chodesh, in the final paragraph, there are a series of (what seem to be) requests for the upcoming month. I have seen in various ...
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1answer
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In the morning prayers of Birkhot Hatorah, what does וְהַשְׁכָּמַת בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְבִית practically mean?
This appears in Birkhot Hatorah, as:
אֵֽלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַקֶּֽרֶן קַיֶּֽמֶת לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא... וְהַשְׁכָּמַת בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְבִית
These ...
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0answers
74 views
“Hasidic Zmanim “ [duplicate]
Something that has always piqued my interest is how some hasidic groups sometimes daven way later than the zman, is there any halachic validity to doing this?- I was under the assumption that if you ...
4
votes
4answers
215 views
Importance of coming on time for davening
I'm looking for sources/inspiration about the importance of coming on time for davening. Not about being in the first ten, but just being there on time time. The more the better. Any help would be ...
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1answer
44 views
Grammar question in prayer
Why in the prayer:
יי עז לעמו יתן , יי יברך את-עמו בשלום
is the word יברך followed by את,? Both יברך & יתן are forms of a verb. Does anyone have any sources that address this grammar sentence ...
2
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0answers
85 views
Minyan with 6 davening
Is davening with 10 people in attendance but only 6 people actually davening equivalent to davening in a minyan where 10 people are davening together or is it less preferable and ideally not something ...
2
votes
1answer
138 views
What is our "matir" for saying Tehillim before or after Shacharis?
In Nefesh Harav, Rabbi Shachter writes that the Gr"a (and subsequently Rav Soloveitchik) did not say מזמור שיר חנוכת הבית לדוד before davening, as ברוך שאמר is a מתיר to say Tehillim (...
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1answer
62 views
If one mistakenly said רצה during a weekday ברכת המזון must he then repeat ברכת המזון?
I believe the halacha regarding someone who mistakenly started to say shmona esrei for Shabbos during the week and remembered before רצה is that he can continue with atah chonen and it is not ...
2
votes
2answers
106 views
When do we read Megillat Ruth?
This question has two parts:
In the Diaspora, is Megillat Ruth read on the first day or the second day of Shavuot?
At what point in the service is it read: before Hallel, after the Haftarah, at the ...
2
votes
1answer
159 views
Early maariv prayer and Kiddush on the night of Shavuot - what are the halachic considerations?
I always remembered communities waiting for nightfall before praying Maariv on Shavuot night (to fulfill "seven complete weeks"). I recently learned this was not the case in every community, ...
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0answers
41 views
Why the change in phrase with the morning blessings?
In the morning blessings, there is a small but seemingly important variation in word usage across three blessings.
In the blessing about the distinction between day and night, G-d is described by the ...
2
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0answers
49 views
Stand-alone musaf [duplicate]
Last rosh chodesh, due to a case of emergency, I had to conclude my morning prayer with Aleinu after having said Ashrei and Uva leTziyon. So instead of proceeding with the musaf, I had to recuperate ...
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1answer
59 views
Can “asher yotzar” be called part of Birkas HaTorah?
My chavrusa suggested that the blessings of “al netilas yodoyim” and “asher yotzar” are part of Birkas HaTorah. Is there any evidence for this please? The implication would be that even if a person ...
4
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1answer
331 views
Why do we stop saying Morid Hageshem?
From Pesach until Succos, we stop saying mashiv haruach umorid hageshem in shemoneh esrei.
However, we would normally say it in the second blessing of the amidah, which is where we are only praising ...
2
votes
2answers
91 views
Is וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם in Shema with Shva Na or Shva Nach
My daughter goes to a chabad school (nusach ari?) and has been taught in class that וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם in the shema (end of first paragraph) is with a shvah na on the כְ. She also says it has the asterisk ...
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1answer
614 views
Is davening/learning in a prison cell allowed?
In most prison/custody cells in the UK, and likely elsewhere in the world, there is no seperation between the living/sleeping area and the toilet. Is a person allowed to daven or learn Torah in such a ...
5
votes
1answer
253 views
Fiddler on The Roof -- Sabbath Prayer -- Authenticity, History, Story behind it
In the movie Fiddler on The Roof, I cry when I see this part of the film, because God is so real to me, and because I long for my fathers blessing, but he is no longer on the earth. I am jealous of ...
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1answer
47 views
Does אנא ever connote thanking?
Does anyone know of an instance where אנא is interpreted as thanking as opposed to a plea or request?
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1answer
335 views
Is the direction of Tefila (temple) always in the direction of sunrise?
Would it be right if I say that the direction of Tefila (temple) is always in the direction of sunrise?
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1answer
67 views
How do you reconcile these two verses: [ואחרי ככלות הכל לבדו ימלוך נורא] -- [אף תכון תבל בל תמוט]
If it would have been written like this:
...ואפילו אם ככלות הכל
then it would have made more sense. But the way it's written like this:
...ואחרי ככלות הכל
Makes it sound like it is indeed going to ...
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0answers
41 views
Why say bircat hamazon instead of plainly thanking HaShem for the food?
A niece asked me why do we need to say bircat hamazon which is lengthy and with words we don’t understand instead of just saying in English something along the long the lines of “thank you HaShem for ...
7
votes
1answer
134 views
Shabbat Erev Pesach - Piyyutim for Shabbat HaGadol
Ashkenazi custom is (was?) to recite piyyutim during shacharit of shabbat hagadol (the shabbat before pesach).
As part of the kerovot, the piyyut elo-hei haruchot lechol basar is recited, containing a ...
5
votes
2answers
144 views
Why do we forgive past incarnations every night?
In the first paragraph of Krias Shema Al Hamita, we say that we forgive:
...לְכָל־מִי שֶׁהִכְעִיס וְהִקְנִיט אוֹתִי אוֹ שֶׁחָטָא כְנֶגְדִּי בֵּין בְּגוּפִי בֵּין בְּמָמוֹנִי...
...anyone who has ...
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Posture / Prostration in Yemenite Tradition [closed]
It is related that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) initially prayed three times a day face to Jerusalem. It is evident that this practice corresponds the Jewish practice.
The Salat prayer in Islam ...
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1answer
96 views
Is there any thing in judaism that says cook your food well at high temprature
Is there any thing in judaism that says cook your food well at high temprature
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vote
1answer
65 views
How many people are needed for a minyan
When making a ‘heicha shemoneh esrei’ where the chazzan will daven until Ha’el hakadosh before the rest of the minyan - is 10 people sufficient or does one need 11 to have 10 people starting shemoneh ...
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0answers
62 views
Wording of refaenu for sick person who is not Jewish
The refaenu bracha in the amida has wording to use for praying for someone who is sick. That wording ends "among the other ailing of Israel". Is it appropriate to use that wording for a ...
2
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0answers
32 views
Is the Shechina present when a person is mourning or distraught?
It's said the Shechinah is present only where there's joy (Tractate Shabbat 30b). Yet we are also taught to cry to Hashem during times of suffering, depression, sorrow, mourning, etc. Is the Shechinah ...
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0answers
42 views
Quality of Sh'ma repeated in its proper time
Often, I find myself at a ma'ariv minyan that meets before "nightfall" and someone invariably makes the announcement that we should all remember to repeat the sh'ma after tzeit hakochavim. I ...
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0answers
49 views
If a deaf person is not counted towards a minyan because they cannot hear, does the same rule apply for one who doesn't speak/understand Hebrew?
My understanding is Halacha states a deaf or mute person doesn't count towards a minyan as they do not have the ability to fully participate. The deaf person cannot hear what is being said and the ...
