Questions tagged [tefilla]
Questions about Jewish prayer (the fixed order of typically-thrice-daily prayers, or prayer generally).
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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.
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1answer
53 views
Why is the principle of faith about Moshiach constructed as a rhetorical argument?
Why is the 12th principle of faith in the Ani Maamin poem about Moshiach constructed rhetorically - on a circumstantial situation "even if / in spite of that!"? In other words, the author says "I ...
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“The Torah shall be my profession” or “my faith”?
Following Modeh Ani in the Siddur, some recite a number of sentences (some of which are verses from the Torah):
תּורָה צִוָּה לָנוּ משֶׁה מורָשָׁה קְהִלַּת יַעֲקב. שְׁמַע בְּנִי מוּסַר אָבִיךָ ...
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1answer
34 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 ...
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5answers
127 views
Reconciling “פותח את ידך” and knowing people are starving?
Tehillim 145:16 (Sefaria's translation):
פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת־יָדֶךָ וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל־חַי רָצוֹן׃
You give it (the food mentioned in the previous pasuk) openhandedly, feeding every creature to its ...
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52 views
Skipping Paragraphs in long Tachanun
Although it pains me to ask the question, after davening in many orthodox shuls throughout New York, New Jersey, and Maryland, it seems chazanim often skip parts of והוא רחום (longer Monday/Thursday ...
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79 views
Why don't we say “please” (that often)?
The week day Shmoneh Esrei prayer has a series of requests during which we ask Hashem for many of our needs. In my siddur (Tefilla Hashalem) there is a subtle change made in the texts of 1 of the ...
3
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1answer
54 views
Why is chabad not worried about putting their head down when saying “l'david” when the Zohar says its dangerous?
Why is it Chabad's minhag to put their head down when saying "L'david" when the Zohar says its dangerous to "fall on ones face" when reciting it?
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0answers
29 views
Questions about Mi Sheberach L'olim
It is fairly common minhag to recite a blessing for the person receiving an aliyah for the Torah reading. The blessing requests that G-d protect the person from misfortune and troubles and make him ...
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1answer
83 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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2answers
134 views
Koren Siddur on Kal Atzmotai Tomarna
(Note: likely not relevant to those who Daven/read Hebrew with an Ashkenazi pronunciation.)
This Shabbos I was asked to lead Pesukei Dezimrah at a shul I was visiting, and I was given a Koren Siddur ...
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2answers
168 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 ...
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Shir Shel Yom - Wednesday [duplicate]
The Shir Shel Yom of Wednesday is unique that it includes besides the whole chapter of Tehilim 94, the first 3 verses of Tehilim 95. All the other days it includes just a complete chapter.
Does ...
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3answers
174 views
Why does Hashem answer and not answer prayers?
Why does Hashem answer some prayers and not others?
I understand that there might be varieties of how Hashem answers or doesn't answer prayers.
I'm not asking for personal opinions, I want to learn ...
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2answers
71 views
Is it permitted to daven five times a day every day?
Inspired by this comment.
One is allowed to daven more than three times a day, at least during the week (see OC 107). Is one allowed to daven specifically five times a day, with the intention that ...
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1answer
161 views
Chant or read the prayers when praying alone?
I am Reform and have never davened privately but am considering davening more often. One thing I am confused about is what to do with tunes (nusach). Are they only for public worship, or is it ...
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2answers
45 views
Personal Supplications in Native Language [duplicate]
We're allowed to add personal supplications within the Amidah during either Shema Koleinu or after Elokai Netzor. My question surrounding this: is one allowed to make these supplications in their ...
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2answers
121 views
Correct kavanah in certain words in the first bracha of shemoneh esrei
When one desires to concentrate on every word of the first bracha of Shemoneh Esrei, as required, in order to fulfil the obligation of daily prayer, when he gets to the words "magen Avraham," should ...
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1answer
240 views
At Shacharit at exactly which point does one have to put Teffilin on and off?
If someone cannot put on Teffilin at home prior going to Synagogue and wants to put them on when inside the Synagogue, when is the exact moment of putting them on?
Right at the Start of Shacharit? Or ...
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1answer
128 views
Is one allowed to pray if he is in a profound state of sadness? [closed]
Two types of prayer, siddur prayers and Hitbodedut (personal talk with Hashem in his own language). Are there restrictions?
I have seen people saying that praying during sadness is prohibited and we ...
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1answer
36 views
Why does Moshe have to apply lots of prayer רבוי תפלה for the removal of the עָרֹב in Shmos 8 (26) and the locusts in Shmos 10 (18)?
Shmos 8 (24, 25, 26). Paroh asks for Moshe to pray; Moshe says he will and then Moshe does pray for the removal of the עָרֹב . The verb used for prayer here is וְהַעְתַּרְתִּי - translated into ...
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1answer
495 views
Why does the date for the prayer for rain change from one century to the next?
My due diligence:
Praying for rain in the Diaspora
How to calculate 60 days from tekufat tishri for any given year?
On which evening should we start saying “V'tein tal u'matar li'vrachah”?
I see ...
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2answers
105 views
What are sources that say l'chatchila one can daven shachrit until chatzos? [closed]
What are sources (in the poskim) that say l'chatchila one can daven shachrit until chatzos? (if there are)
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1answer
167 views
Why is kedusha only said during the day?
The kedusha is said as part of the morning blessings of shema, and also in all the public recital of prayers. It's not said in the evening prayer, neither in the blessings before shema nor the prayer ...
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0answers
23 views
Why is Tikun Chatzos said specifically at Chatzos? What's so special about Chatzos?
The Shulchan Aruch writes in Orach Chaim 1:3
ראוי לכל ירא שמים שיהא מיצר ודואג על חורבן בית המקדש
It is fitting for every person who has fear of Heaven to be anguished
and concerned ...
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0answers
22 views
Is there a mitzva/chiyuv to answer Kedusha and Barchu?
The Mishna Berura (90:28) writes that many think the mitzva of a minyan is to hear kadish/kedusha/barchu, whereas in fact it is to daven the amida with the minyan:
ועיקר תפלה בצבור הוא תפלת י"ח ...
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0answers
133 views
“Eis” instead of “es” in the crop b'racha in the Amida
The ninth b'racha of the amida begins with the words
בָּרֵךְ עָלֵינוּ ה' אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ
אֶת הַשָּׁנָה הַזֹּאת
וְאֶת כָּל מִינֵי תְּבוּאָתָהּ לְטוֹבָה
where both את are vocalized with segol (three ...
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1answer
78 views
Tenth arrives during or after the silent shemonei esreh - sources
What responsa are there on whether to have chazaras hashatz when the tenth arrives (completing the minyan) during or even after the tefillah b'lachash (silent prayer)?
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0answers
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Davening in a non-sectarian chapel? [duplicate]
What are the various positions on davening in a non-sectarian chapel, such as at an airport? (I presume there are various positions, but I do not know. I read one position many years ago arguing ...
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1answer
57 views
Where to daven in Logan airport (Boston)?
Is there a convenient place to daven in Boston's Logan airport around 7:30 am?
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2answers
44 views
A few questions on the meaning of טל
What do the words "מוריד הטל" mean? Dew does not "fall" or "come down".
Also what do the words "ותן טל...לברכה" mean? What is an example of טל not לברכה?
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0answers
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Why Skip Kabbalas Shabbos on Yom Tov? [duplicate]
In my experience among all Ashkenaz shuls across America, it seems we skip Kabbalas Shabbos when shabbos falls out on Yom Tov. Where did this come from and why?
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0answers
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Slow at Full Tachanun - keep going?
I am slower than the shlichei tzibbur in my shul at Full Tachanun (Shacharis Mon, Fri). I usually get about half-way through by the time they start taking the Sefer out.
Do I keep going, ignoring the ...
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0answers
24 views
Why in HaMapil do we ask to wake up in peace twice?
In the bedtime Shema, Nusach Ashkenaz includes this phrase in HaMapil:
שתשכיביני לשלום ותעמידיני לשלום
[May it be Your will...] that You lay me down in peace and that You stand me up in peace
...
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0answers
89 views
Making Everyday Like Yom Kippur
I have toyed with the idea of importing an aspect of Yom Kippur into my everyday life and am constantly looking for (homiletically) a connection which would draw the essence of Yom Kippur into every ...
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3answers
140 views
Is wearing tefillin necessary for praying
Are there any sources that address whether a person, on purpose, prays without tefillin, would he have to repeat his prayer, or once he did it he doesn’t have to repeat it?
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1answer
59 views
Does G-d immediately grant the requests of Gentile church attenders?
Follow up to this M.Y. question.
King Solomon requested that G-d immediately grant the requests of Gentiles that come to pray at the Temple. For Jews, as I understand, synagogues have replaced the ...
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1answer
55 views
King Shlomo's request to listen to prayers - Why do Gentiles have it easier than Jews?
I'm reading Radak's explanation to Melachim (Kings) I 8:43. He explains that King Shlomo (Solomon) requests G-d to fulfill whatever a Gentile requests (Rad"ak explains whether he deserves it or not) ...
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1answer
49 views
What does the hazzan say before mourners kaddish during mincha/arvit?
I have to lead arvit for my grandmother’s memorial on Wednesday. I know before mourners Kaddish is recited at the beginning of davening, the hazzan says a sentence that ends with something like “......
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37 views
In prayer for sick, can one name count for two people?
On Shabbat morning, the gabbai prays for the sick to be healed and reads out a list of names of sick people, that was provided by the community.
In the case where two sick people have the same name (...
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3answers
638 views
What constitutes the Shema?
In wanting to add a Jewish practice, I am now saying the Shema daily. (It is nice to know that is a mitzvah explicitly in the Torah.)
What is the "actual" Shema. When I was a kid (Reform) we would ...
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2answers
62 views
Where are we commanded to read the hallel?
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם. אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לִקְרא אֶת הַהַלֵּל
You are blessed, O God, our God of the world who hath commanded us his mitzvot to read ...
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2answers
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Does the Dagesh forte really replace a double letter?
I have read about the Dagesh Forte and how it doubles a letter in Tanach.
For example, הָלֵּלוּ has a dagesh forte in the לֵּ.
If this dagesh was not there would there really be two ל instead?
...
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1answer
54 views
What kind of Shacharis Tashlumin
I'm aware of this question Halachic justification to not pray the amidah before zman t'filah? which says that according to some, you don't need to do tashlumin for shacharis after chatzos since it'...
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2answers
79 views
Use of definite article (ה) in יהי רצון … מצות התלוים
The paragraph after the ברכה (b'racha) of ציצת (tzitzis) ends with the expression " וְתַרְיַ"ג מִצְות הַתְּלוּיִם בָּהּ".
My question is why does the word "התלוים" start with "ה"? It appears like ...
3
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2answers
78 views
ברכות switch between 2nd and 3rd person
Why in a ברכה for a commandment (for example, hand washing, Tefillin etc.) do we switch between 'You' ברוך אתה and 'His' במצותיו ?
Why don't we say במצותיך ?
3
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0answers
54 views
In the morning prayer ראשית חכמה how do we translate the word בעזרתי?
In the morning prayer ראשית חכמה how do we translate the word בעזרתי in the phrase א-ל שד-י בעזרתי?
The ב in בעזרתי does not seem to fit?
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1answer
56 views
Is there a cell-service “blocker” for shuls?
I've read that many shuls have "cell phone lockers" to encourage people who come for praying to store their phones prior to entering the shul.
It's a great idea, but, many shuls don't have this, or ...
2
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0answers
37 views
Davening near a cemetery
As suggested by DoubleAA on this similar but more unusual question.
If you go to a cemetery and haven't been to one recently, you say a bracha:
ברוך אתה ה' אלקינו מלך העולם אשר יצר אתכם בדין וזן ...
2
votes
1answer
113 views
Are Jews allowed to pray on their knees?
If someone finds it a good way to have a concentration in pray while on his knees, can it be done? (Not talking about Amida/Sidur prayers, but talking with the creator.)
