Questions tagged [tefilla]
Questions about Jewish prayer (the fixed order of typically-thrice-daily prayers, or prayer generally).
3
votes
0answers
81 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 ...
7
votes
1answer
70 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)?
3
votes
0answers
27 views
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 ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
Where to daven in Logan airport (Boston)?
Is there a convenient place to daven in Boston's Logan airport around 7:30 am?
6
votes
2answers
39 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?
6
votes
0answers
45 views
Why Skip Kabbalas Shabbos on Yom Tov?
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?
2
votes
0answers
37 views
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 ...
2
votes
0answers
21 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
...
2
votes
0answers
73 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 ...
-1
votes
3answers
120 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?
-2
votes
1answer
54 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
48 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) ...
1
vote
1answer
32 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 “......
5
votes
0answers
33 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 (...
10
votes
3answers
619 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
61 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 ...
2
votes
2answers
130 views
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?
...
1
vote
1answer
37 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'...
1
vote
2answers
75 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
votes
2answers
76 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
votes
0answers
52 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?
0
votes
1answer
54 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
votes
0answers
30 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
108 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.)
1
vote
2answers
61 views
What was the order of “Shacharit” in the Bet Hamikdash?
I'm assuming that the majority of the format of the Siddur that we currently have and use did not exist during the time of the 1st Bet Hamikdash. Perhaps, by the 2nd Bet Hamikdash, some items were ...
3
votes
3answers
50 views
Yaaleh V'Yavo said in error when it is not Rosh Chodesh
A fellow is praying the evening Maariv the night after Rosh Chodesh. In error he said Yaaleh V'Yavo. He realizes when he finished Shemona Esrei. Does he have to say over Shemona Esrei?
1
vote
1answer
31 views
Which translation is the most accurate for the phrase “העוֹנה לתפלת חסיד ידשׁן בּטוֹב חיינוּ ושׁנה טוֹבה ישׁלח לבית ישׂראל עמנוּ”?
My suggestions:
העוֹנה לתפלת חסיד
The response/answer to the prayer of a righteous person
The return to prayer of a righteous person
The season of prayer of a righteous person
ידשׁן בּטוֹב חיינוּ
is a ...
5
votes
0answers
27 views
Why does the paytan refer to the Thirteen Attributes as “Thirteen words”?
There is a piyut which is said by Minhag Lita on the fifth (sometimes, in some customs, on the fourth) weekday of the Aseres Yimei Teshuvah; by Nusach Sefard on the second Monday of BeHa”B; and by ...
3
votes
1answer
35 views
Why don’t we say Keil Erech Apayim on Yom Kippur?
According to my Nusach Ashkenaz Siddur, the Thirteen Middos are preceded by a passage beginning קל ארך אפים, whose text is as follows:
אֵ-ל אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם אַתָּה וּבַעַל הָרַחֲמִים נִקְרֵאתָ. ...
3
votes
1answer
49 views
Why in Yom Kippur davening do we make mention of the Gemara that it would have better not to have been created?
In Nusach Ashkenaz, following Al Cheit in Chazaras HaShatz of Mussaf Yom Kippur, there are two passages that describe our pleas that Hashem fulfill His promise to cleanse us if only we repent. ...
0
votes
0answers
11 views
Why, in Yamim Noraim davening, do we discuss uprooting זדון instead of רעה?
There is a passage in the third bracha of Shemoneh Esrei said on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur (at least in Nusach Ashkenaz) that reads as follows:
ועלותה תקפץ פיה וכל הרשעה כלה כעשן תכלה כי תעביר ...
0
votes
1answer
80 views
Help to translate a Prayer into Hebrew [closed]
I am learning Hebrew and I have this prayer which I want to pray:
Yehi ratzon milfanecha, shetimaleh retzon'cha, v'lo retzoni, v'she'ehye merkava lirtzonecha.
Bifratus, avakesh mimcha emunah ...
1
vote
2answers
71 views
Why is sleep described as imprisonment?
Every night, we make the Berachah of המפיל חבלי שנה על עיני, Who causes the binds of sleep to fall on my eyes (Berachos 60b; SA OC 239:1), and in the morning, we make the Berachah of מתיר אסורים, Who ...
5
votes
3answers
130 views
4
votes
1answer
36 views
why do we say Hashem hoshia… 3 times in korbanot?
Why in Korbanot and by Arvit do we say the passuk of Hashem hoshia…, Hashem tzvaot ashrei…, and Hashem tzvaot emanu… three times?
8
votes
1answer
107 views
Canceling Tachanun for the balance of a month
Based on the premise that we don't say Tachanun for the rest of a month when there are already a majority of days on which we don't say Tachanun (as stated in the Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 131,7 ...
1
vote
1answer
53 views
What is the source of the custom to pray on graves of Tzadikim?
The Galilee has several such locations where people visit and pray asking for what their heart desires.
What is the source of this custom?
How does it align with graves being in general a source of ...
3
votes
1answer
52 views
Why introduce holidays with the word “yom”?
In Ya'aleh V'yavo, in tefilla for the 3 regalim and in Kiddush for the regalim, we have options for the particular Yom Tov. The specific day is listed, and is always introduced with the word "b'yom" (...
2
votes
1answer
55 views
Ashkenazi hoshanot schedule when first day Sukkot is Monday
When the first day of sukkot is a Monday, the following is the standard Ashkenazi hoshanot schedule for the first six days (found in all siddurim/machzorim that I've seen and e.g. in Levush here):
...
1
vote
1answer
45 views
Source for angels surrounding one’s bed at night?
Nusachei Ashkenaz and Sefard include the following phrase in Krias Shema at bedtime:
בשם ה׳ אלקי ישראל מימיני מיכאל ומשמאלי גבריאל ומלפני אוריאל ומאחורי רפאל ועל ראשי שכינת קל
In the Name of ...
4
votes
1answer
26 views
Why do we recite korbanos for Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh but not festivals before psukei dzimra in shacharis? [duplicate]
During our recitation of korbanos in shacharis we add pesukim from Torah pertaining to the Shabbos korbanos on Shabbos and the Rosh Chodesh korbanos on Rosh Chodesh.
Why do we not also recite ...
5
votes
1answer
55 views
Who wrote the Sephardi hoshanot?
Who wrote the Sephardi hoshanot? The name יוסף בר יצחק is all over the acrostics, but who was he?
4
votes
2answers
84 views
Tefillin Chol HaMoed Hefsek
Although it's forbidden to make an interruption between putting on the tefilin shel yad and shel rosh (Shulchan Aruch 25:9)
אסור להפסיק בדיבור בין תפלה של יד לתפל' של ראש ואם הפסיק מברך על של
ראש ...
1
vote
0answers
55 views
Should we recite prayers we don't agree with? [duplicate]
There are various t'fillot/b'rakhot/piyutim that make controversial or debatable claims or requests; for example:
Birkat hamazon includes the line na'ar hayiti, gam zakanti, v'lo ra'iti tsadik ne'...
3
votes
2answers
93 views
Saying Shemini Chag Haatzeret Haze in Shemona Esrei
Why do certain communities say shemini chag haatzeret haze and not chag shemini atzeret haze like all the other festivals (chag hasukkot, chag hapesach). Why is the word chag in the middle of the name?...
3
votes
3answers
105 views
What different pronunciation should a Kohen give to each letter to be strict in halacha? (SA 128:33)
When Halacha says that a Kohen should distinguish between all the Hebrew letters in Siman 128 Seif 33 from where it says "similar examples":
מי שאינו יודע לחתוך האותיות כגון שאומר לאלפי"ן עייני"ן ...
0
votes
0answers
44 views
Vilna Gaon's Pronunciation of Cholam
Is it true the Vilna Gaon said that cholam must be pronounced first with a komatz then followed with a shuruk as letter "o" in the american pronunciation of the english word "go"?
-1
votes
1answer
72 views
Maximizing merits/Mitzvot on Yom Kippur?
If I understand it right, The final verdict of YK is based on weighing one's merits vs sins and not how hard one davens on Yom Kippur. (Based on Rambam's Hichot Teshuva).
My logic says that the YK day ...
4
votes
0answers
26 views
The sins mentioned in על חטא - why those?
This question about the "אשמנו" list is still left unanswered.
My question is about the apparent inconsistency of the "על חטא שחטאנו" list - so many different categories of sins are listed in the ABC ...
1
vote
0answers
16 views
Why do we daven for what has already been promised?
In the davening of Yom Kippur we ask "ואל תפר בריתך אתנו" that Hashem should not annul his covenant with us (cf page 682 of the Artscroll machzor). But on page 680, we had just read a quote from ...
