11
votes
Experience-based advice for focusing and slowing down prayers?
I was a major sufferer of the problem you describe, and to be honest, I have not completely cured myself of this; however, there are a few things that I have done recently that have made a huge ...
- 24.4k
9
votes
Ashrei and Repetition of a posuk
The source is Rabbeinu Yona Brachos 32a, in the name of the Geoinim.
This is brought in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 51:7
The Mishna Brurah there (:16) says it means to say from that posuk until the ...
- 31.4k
9
votes
Accepted
Using a Fidget Spinner During Davening
Someone recently sent me a screenshot of a sefer. I have paraphrased it:
Someone had apparently asked הרה״ג רבי יצחק זילברשטיין שליט״א if he is allowed to use the "spinner" during Shemona Esrei since ...
- 38.2k
8
votes
Accepted
Too fast or no minyan?
According to My Rav
Say Elokai Neshama, Bircat HaTorah, and Bircat HaShachar
Say Baruch She'Amar, Ashrei, and Yishtabach
If you can put on tallit and tefillin, and say just the above passages, in ...
- 1,412
8
votes
Is there any reward for the intent or attempt to do a mitzvah?
Kiddushin 40a
מחשבה טובה מצרפה למעשה שנאמר אז נדברו יראי ה' איש אל רעהו ויקשב ה' וישמע ויכתב ספר זכרון לפניו ליראי ה' ולחושבי שמו מאי ולחושבי שמו אמר רב אסי אפילו חשב אדם לעשות מצוה ונאנס ולא עשאה ...
- 48k
7
votes
Experience-based advice for focusing and slowing down prayers?
This is a great question that touches on an area that is so fundamental.
Before mentioning any specific technique that has worked for me, I'd like to share a perspective that has significantly ...
- 519
7
votes
Holding a child during bentching,kiddush,havdallah
The Rivevos Ephraim 6:410:1 brings the psak of Rav Eliyashiv that one may hold a child during bentching.
In Chelek 8:572:1 he was asked to explain the psak of Rav Elyashiv how its ok since there are ...
- 39.8k
6
votes
Experience-based advice for focusing and slowing down prayers?
I experienced a significant improvement in my focus on davening when I discovered that it is halachically preferable to omit much of davening in order to better focus on a smaller part.
The Mishna ...
- 6,384
6
votes
What are the Levels of Kavanah?
Rabbi Adin Steinsalz in his Sefer Hasidur V'Hatefila - page 38 says there are three levels in Kavana.
1 - Is to understand the meaning of the words one is saying (Orach Chaim 98:1).
2 - To identify ...
- 137k
6
votes
Accepted
What should I think about when reciting this blessing?
The word sechvi can mean a rooster or the heart. Just as God gave the rooster an understanding of the difference between day and night, we thank Him that He gave our heart the understanding that it is ...
- 43.7k
5
votes
Should I be shuckling?
Culled from On the Mainline and OU.
The explanation you provide for shokeling is that of R’ Schwab who writes: R’ Schwab on Prayer (page 167):
There are two ways in which a person can relate to ...
- 34.9k
5
votes
Holding a child during bentching,kiddush,havdallah
I recently read an interview with a daughter of Rav Ovadia Yosef ZT"L and during the interview she mentioned that her father Rav Ovadia always held a grandchild on his lap during bentching.
- 51
5
votes
What kavanah should you have during *Atah Kadosh*?
The Amidah is divided up into 3 main sections. The first section, consisting of the first three berachot is called shevach (praise). The middle 13 berachot are called bakasha (request). The final 3 ...
- 24.4k
4
votes
Experience-based advice for focusing and slowing down prayers?
One piece of advice that has helped me and more than one person that I know is to think about the meaning of the words before saying them. Generally, people intuitively gravitate towards thinking ...
- 31.4k
4
votes
May we intervene with Religious OCD sufferers?
BSD
Firstly I would like to preface that anything I say should be taken on case by case basis.
As one who is an Orthdox Jew and has a history of dealing with medium to mild OCD, I can only provide ...
- 1,477
4
votes
Experience-based advice for focusing and slowing down prayers?
I think the problem is that we spend so much time focusing on learning. We overly focus on intellectual stimulation. On another question LN6595 repeated their teacher's advice:
[I]t is imperative to ...
- 8,740
4
votes
Accepted
Why does the mitzvah of Sukkah have a stated meaning that its practitioner must have in mind?
Perhaps the fact that Teffilin, Tzitzis and Succah all share the fact that their main kiyum mitzvah is not an actual action, but rather to be in the situation of passively being involved or enveloped ...
- 32.3k
4
votes
Too fast or no minyan?
Siman 52 in Shulchan Aruch is all about the Halachos of which parts of Pesukei D'zimra to skip if one comes late to shul. From the first Mishna Berura there it is apparent that the motivation for ...
- 2,434
4
votes
What are the Levels of Kavanah?
Reb Chaim Soloveitchik in his Chiddushim to the Rambam, Hilchos Tefillah 4:16, writes that there are two types of Kavana. The primary kavana is to be aware that you are standing before G-d. The ...
- 57.5k
4
votes
Accepted
May one say a prayer while driving?
I can't give any definitive halachic answer but I can say that, coincidentally, I have been learning masechet brachot and the issue of tefillat haderech is brought up on 30a. The halacha seems to hold ...
- 36.7k
4
votes
What should I think about when reciting this blessing?
Tosfot on Talmud Brachot 60b as cited on p. 102, here, says:
He makes this blessing even if he did not hear the rooster because
this blessing was established to acknowledge the benefit that we
...
- 69k
4
votes
Why does the Oruch HaShulchan tell the number of words in the blessings of the Amidah?
The answer to why the Aruch HaShulchan does this is found in Orach Chaim 112:4 and 5 which states:
סימן קיב סעיף ד[עריכה]
כתב הטור בסימן קי"ג בשם אחיו רבינו יחיאל, דחסידי אשכנז היו מונין כל ...
- 12.4k
4
votes
Walking in front of someone saying kaddish
Birkei Yosef (OC 56:9) equates passing in front of one who is saying Kaddish with passing in front of one who is davening the Amidah. He is quoted by the Ben Ish Chai (Vayechi 1, 10), and Sha'arei ...
- 5,539
4
votes
Kavanah, Prayer and OCD
Firstly, I wish you strength to get through this ordeal. I am certain that Hashem knows your intentions are good and He only gives tests to those who He knows can pass them.
There is quite a dearth of ...
- 20.6k
3
votes
May we intervene with Religious OCD sufferers?
I would like to exhort the questioner not to approach an acquaintance who he feels may have a problem, with one caveat. If he is a medical professional with significant training in psychiatric ...
- 19.3k
3
votes
Experience-based advice for focusing and slowing down prayers?
I read the following piece of advice in a pamphlet somewhere, and I tried it and it worked for me.
Concentrate on the meaning of Hashem's name whenever it comes up. You can pick whichever meaning ...
- 57.5k
3
votes
Experience-based advice for focusing and slowing down prayers?
I recently tried enunciating the letter ע more while davening. This makes you go slower, at least until you get so used to it. Then, once you're going slower and paying more attention to the words, ...
- 22.8k
3
votes
Experience-based advice for focusing and slowing down prayers?
Learn about the greatness of G-d. study in depth shaar yichud of chovos halevavos, shaar yichud v'emuna in tanya and moreh nevuchim.
Also study the marks of divine wisdom in nature. the more you will ...
- 20.5k
3
votes
Accepted
Source that "Yehi Khevod" should be said with special intensity
Sidur Bes Yaakov (Emden) says of this paragraph:
אומרו במתון וכונה ושמחה
That is:
Say it with calmness, direction of thought, and joy.
- 73.2k
3
votes
meaning of words and tefillah
Learn kuntres hateffilah from the Rebbe Rashab Z"L. It explains it in detail and it is not a very big maamar. Let me know if this helps.
- 763
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