10 votes
Accepted

Mazikim on Shabbos?

Perishah to Tur Orach Chaim 267 (answering a slightly different question) explains that there are in fact mazikim on shabbat, which would be consistent with the explanation you give for the recital of ...
Joel K's user avatar
  • 41.7k
7 votes

Can we offer Mishloah manot the night of Purim

The Rema quotes the Rosh as saying to do it during the day. The Mishnah Berurah also says this, as does Rav Ovadia.
Popular Isn't Right's user avatar
6 votes

Can we offer Mishloah manot the night of Purim

The time for the mitzvah is tied to the se'udah which is held during the day. The Ran (Megilla 3b in the pages of the Rif) addresses the issue. Despite the fact that megilla reading varies, the se’...
rosends's user avatar
  • 37.8k
6 votes
Accepted

Why is kedusha only said during the day?

tl;dr - it's kabbalah (likely), or it's to reject karaites (highly unlikely), it's coincidental because the evening prayer is optional (very likely). To me, the most likely option is that this is ...
רבות מחשבות's user avatar
6 votes

Are there any sources that talk about deeper thoughts at night?

Not sure if this quite what you’re looking for, but Maimonides (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Talmud Torah 3:13) writes: אף על פי שמצוה ללמוד ביום ובלילה אין אדם למד רוב חכמתו אלא בלילה לפיכך מי שרצה לזכות ...
Alex's user avatar
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5 votes
Accepted

Does one fulfill the mitzvah of tefillin if he wears it at night time?

SA OC 30:2 rules that One is prohibited to put Tefillin on at night since he may forget [that he has them on] and sleep in them. But if he puts them on before the sun sets and it happens to get ...
mbloch's user avatar
  • 47.8k
5 votes

Can / should one praying alone recite Hallel after Arvit on the first night of Pesach?

R. H. Schachter rules, in a responsum found here, that this Hallel is only to be recited in a synagogue setting, as a way of publicizing the miracle of the Exodus. As such, even if ten men pray ...
Joel K's user avatar
  • 41.7k
4 votes
Accepted

Practicing Binding Tefillin at Night

This is an interesting but difficult question. It is not addressed explicitly anywhere I looked and I assume it is because it is quite theoretical. Someone learning can wait to practice by day. But ...
mbloch's user avatar
  • 47.8k
4 votes

knife under pillow after mikveh?

This is sourced in the Sefer Tahara K'halacha which brings that if a a woman is waiting for her husband who is out of town but does not know when he will return should be tovel so she will be mutar to ...
sam's user avatar
  • 41k
4 votes
Accepted

Is there a mitzvah of Sippur Yetzias Mitzraim all night long?

Shulchan Aruch in siman 481 writes: A person is required to involve themselves in the laws of Pesach and Yetzias Mitzraim and discuss the signs and wonders that Hashem did for our forefathers until ...
user6591's user avatar
  • 33.4k
4 votes

Why learn late Thursday night?

The sefer חמדת ימים (שב"ק פ"א) writes very great things (kabbalistic) about learning ליל ששי (Thursday night), the יסוד ושורש העבודה (ח"ב ש"ח פרק א') brings from kisvei ari"...
yih613's user avatar
  • 544
3 votes

Is a nocturnal emission (Keri) a sin?

The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (151:5) calls it a sin indeed, but an involuntary one. If, God forbid, you had a seminal emission at night, upon waking up from your sleep you should wash your hands and ...
mbloch's user avatar
  • 47.8k
3 votes
Accepted

Going to men's mikva at night

I'm unaware of any halacha that prohibits men from going to the mikvah at night (other than Yom Kippur and Tisha B'av.) I've occasionally seen men do this in my neighborhood. However, practically, in ...
DanF's user avatar
  • 70k
3 votes
Accepted

What is the meaning of "Midnight Guard - First Watch" and "Morning Guard - Third Watch" in the Zmanim

It might be referring to when the angels in heaven switch guard posts, which is a time when heaven is very open to accept tefilos on the chorban beis hamikdash and the galus. This happens at every ...
Rafael's user avatar
  • 1,344
3 votes

Staying up shivi shel pesach?

Otzar Minhagei Chabad says that the Sefer "Minhag Israel Torah" says that there was an old Chassidic custom to stay up on the seventh night of Pesach and say over miracle stories. However, some aren't ...
ertert3terte's user avatar
  • 40.3k
3 votes

Minimal requirements for bedtime shema

You asked if hamapil and Shema is good enough, see in SA OC 239, 1, this is exactly what he says: קורא על מטתו פרשה ראשונה של שמע ומברך המפיל חבלי שינה על עיני וכו'.ואומר יושב בסתר עליון. ואומר ה' ...
kouty's user avatar
  • 22.7k
3 votes

What is said about wearing a Tallit Katan night?

Mishna Berura 21:15 שלא לשכב - ובכתבי האר"י ז"ל כתוב ע"פ הסוד שיש לשכב בלילה בטלית קטן To not sleep - And in the writings of the Arizal it is written based on the mystical teaching [...
Chatzkel's user avatar
  • 10.6k
2 votes

Practicing Binding Tefillin at Night

The Shevet Hakehasi 6:15 writes that one may try on teffilin for practice if one is not having in mind to fulfill the mitzvah . He brings a proof from the gemara in Menachos that the only issue is ...
sam's user avatar
  • 41k
2 votes

Evolution of Simchas Torah Night reading

Strictly speaking the Torah should be read only in the daytime. But since the scrolls have already been removed from the Ark for the processions, some argue that there ought to be a reading so that ...
Dude's user avatar
  • 4,303
2 votes

Shaving or getting a haircut at night

Kaf Hachaim (493:28) presents a discussion in the context of cutting hair on Lag Baomer. He does present a stringent opinion which forbids it all year round, and certainly during the days of Sefirah. ...
Dr. Shmuel's user avatar
2 votes

Why don't we (or when do we) use a lenient definition of nightfall on seder nights?

The Mishna Brura Orach Chaim Siman 472,1 say that one should wait till definite nightfall, not Shekia-sunset (doubtfull nightfall), which means only when 3 stars emerge at night. According to ...
user15464's user avatar
  • 11.4k
2 votes

Why don't we (or when do we) use a lenient definition of nightfall on seder nights?

R. Yitzchak Abadi does indeed record a lenient definition. In Ohr Yitzchak Vol. II (Kuntres Acharon Hilchot Pesach) he writes: מיד כששקעה חמה יכול להתחיל בסדר אך לא יאכל המצות קודם צאת הכוכבים ...
Alex's user avatar
  • 49.1k
2 votes

Going to men's mikva at night

As stated by others -- primarily it's about giving the women their own space and time. But furthermore -- the primary halachic grounding for men going to mikva today is the enactment of Ezra against ...
Shalom's user avatar
  • 131k
2 votes
Accepted

Problem giving Tzedokoh at night?

There are some mystical sources from the last few centuries that are concerned with giving charity at night for superstitious reasons based on Shekalim (5:4). However, R. Yishak Yosef rules that it ...
mevaqesh's user avatar
  • 35.4k
2 votes

Are there any sources that talk about deeper thoughts at night?

Following on from @Alex's train of thought, there are other sources that point specifically to the merits of learning at night and the clarity of thought during this period. The Gemara in Tamid 32b ...
Dov's user avatar
  • 30.1k
2 votes

Did Rash"i hold like the Gr"a or like Rabbeinu Tam?

This is not an issue just of the Gra. The time of the Gra and the Alter Rebbe is called zman haGeonim because is based on the shitta of the Middle East Geonim. Rabbeinu Tam is based in the great gaon ...
Gershom Menachem's user avatar
1 vote

Why remove tallis before maariv on motzei Tisha B'av?

I've learned that wearing a tallis at night should not be done and the Mishna Berura discusses it (I think around Mishna Berura 18:4, although I cannot confirm off hand). There are some exceptions to ...
The Thinking Yid's user avatar
1 vote

Is a nocturnal emission (Keri) a sin?

Our Sages teach us that these emissions come from thinking impure thoughts during the day. Based on that, you should have to repent
Hershele's user avatar
1 vote

Three small stars - How do you know they are small?

In reality, the way R' Shneur Zalman from Liadi understands the Shu"t Maharam MiRottenberg, already in the Maharam's times the average person wouldn't know what's a small star and what's a large star. ...
ertert3terte's user avatar
  • 40.3k

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