Questions tagged [tefilla]
Questions about Jewish prayer (the fixed order of typically-thrice-daily prayers, or prayer generally).
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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
44 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
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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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32 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 (...
8
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3answers
601 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
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2answers
58 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
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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
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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 ?
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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
52 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 ...
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0answers
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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 ...
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1answer
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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.)
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2answers
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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
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3answers
47 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?
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1answer
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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 ...
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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 ...
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1answer
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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
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1answer
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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. ...
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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 ...
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1answer
78 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 ...
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1answer
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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 ...
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3answers
125 views
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1answer
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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?
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1answer
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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 ...
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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 ...
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1answer
41 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" (...
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1answer
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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):
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1answer
44 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 ...
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1answer
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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 ...
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1answer
53 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?
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2answers
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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 ...
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54 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'...
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2answers
92 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?...
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3answers
103 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 ...
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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"?
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1answer
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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 ...
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0answers
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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 ...
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0answers
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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 ...
2
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1answer
47 views
What do I say with the tzibbur if I davened already?
I daven mincha earlier in the afternoon but I go to shul for "mincha/maariv" so I'm in the shul when the congregation says mincha. I have learned that one says aleinu with a minyan even if one has ...
4
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1answer
54 views
Does the congregation say “am kedoshecha ka'amur” before birchas kohanim?
Does the congregation say "am kedoshecha ka'amur" before birchas kohanim? Or only the chazzan?
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1answer
42 views
Must a person do Teshuvah on sins done by previous Gilgulim?
I see that the Chayei Adam in Shabbos and Yom Tov Klal 143, in his explanation for Vidui and ideas for sins to include on the list, has an interesting note for the sins beginning with Beis (...
3
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2answers
68 views
Why is the final Tefillah of Yom Kippur called Neilah?
On Yom Kippur, we daven our four regular tefillos - Ma'ariv, Shacharis, Mussaf, and Mincha. All of those Tefillos are named after some combination of the time they are at, or Korbanos that were ...
2
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0answers
27 views
Making up tachanun
I davened at the early minyan today. After the later minyan (which was already under way by the time we finished Avinu Malkeinu) there is a bris scheduled. Therefore, we did not say tachanun, as per ...
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0answers
40 views
Recommended changes to the text of selichos when you say them at the “wrong” time
Some of the piyutim in selichos assume that you're saying them at the ideal time - before Amud Hashachar (for example, at the end of selicha #70 שחרנוך קדם עמוד השחר). Many people don't make it at ...
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0answers
34 views
Rachel veLeah or Leah veRachel? [duplicate]
In prayers such as Avot v’Imahot, Mi Sheberach, and Birkat Kohanin, it is the Reform Jewish custom to chant the names of the Matriarchs in addition to the Patriarchs.
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu v’...
4
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0answers
55 views
Text of final blessing following haftarah of Yom Kippur
In my (nusach ashkenaz) machzor for Yom Kippur, the final blessing after the haftarah of shacharit concludes:
ודברך אמת וקיים לעד. ברוך אתה ה' מלך מוחל וסולח לעוונותינו וכו'
And Your word ...
1
vote
3answers
92 views
Can you stand for the whole service?
During services, sometimes we sit and sometimes we stand, depending on the prayer. For some prayers we are required to stand: Amidah (as its name implies), Shofar, Bar'chu, Alenu, etc. But are we ...
3
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0answers
25 views
Is there a minhag NOT to say “Mi Sheberach” for the ill on a weekday Yom Tov?
My shul has some "strange" minhagim that I haven't seen elsewhere. They reserve reciting the prayer for the ill for Shabbat and "regular" weekdays but will specifically not recite it if a Yom Tov ...
1
vote
1answer
49 views
Different groupings for the Shofar soundings
I've seen several arrangements for the 100 shofar blasts done on Rosh Hashanna
Both Nusach Ashkenaz and Sefard agree on doing 30 before Musaph
Nusach Ashkenaz:
3 groups of 10 each during the Amidah ...
