13
votes
Minhag to pause in middle of birkas kriyas shema
The Tur (OC 61) says, in his guidance on careful pronunciation of Hebrew, to be careful to pause between a word ending in a ם and a word starting with an א, and one of the examples of that that he ...
- 100k
11
votes
Accepted
Line break before למען ירבו ימיכם
The issue is discussed in detail by R' Hamburger in Volume 4 of his priceless series, Shorshei Minhag Ashkenaz, and a bit shorther, but in English in the kitzur edition. His main point is that in ...
- 7,804
10
votes
Accepted
Why is no prayer better when there is no Minyan present than praying with less than 10 people?
The public requirement for certain prayers is based on Vayikra 22:32: "I will be hallowed (ונקדשתי) among the children of Israel". Prayers that specifically sanctify God therefore need to be said ...
- 56.9k
10
votes
Accepted
How many editions of the "Authorised Daily Prayer Book" have there been?
Partial answer: According to this listing by a person who has been collecting all editions, there are 33 editions as of 2006, with further printings without changes from later years. Another edition ...
- 26.8k
9
votes
Accepted
Aleinu L'Shabeach - Nusach HaTefila
The incriminated sentence is a paraphrase from Yeshayahu 30:7 and 45:20 respectively:
וּמִצְרַ֕יִם הֶ֥בֶל וָרִ֖יק יַעְזֹ֑רוּ לָכֵן֙ קָרָ֣אתִי לָזֹ֔את רַ֥הַב הֵ֖ם שָֽׁבֶת׃
הִקָּֽבְצ֥וּ וָבֹ֛אוּ ...
- 7,804
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 ...
- 38.7k
9
votes
Accepted
Explain the use of the chazzan to end paragraphs
A Chazzan's job is to recite the Shema Blessings and Amida sections aloud for the congregation to fulfill their obligation with. (For the Amida, those who know how to pray themselves must also do so ...
- 100k
9
votes
Accepted
Adon Olam: "Yetzir" or "Yetzur"?
DISCLAIMER: While the study Hebrew grammar is of interest to me, I am far from proficient in it, and hopefully those who know more will add to the discussion. My answer is marei mekomos and a highly ...
- 1,601
9
votes
Accepted
What happens if I forget to say the Pasuk before Shemonah Esrei - "ה" שפתי תפתח ופי יגיד תהלתיך"?
The Beiur Halacha (111:2) suspects that it would not invalidate the prayer. Accordingly, you'd just keep on going.
- 100k
8
votes
Accepted
Why is "Hashem Yimloch L'Olam Va'ed" repeated in Az Yashir?
It is repeated at the end of the Song of the Sea to indicate the end of the song. (OC 51:7)
- 100k
8
votes
What are the arrows in my siddur?
The explanation is shown in the Guide to the Reader section at the beginning of the siddur.
A small arrow indicates the suggested starting point for the Shaliach Tzibbur. However, where the local ...
- 43.4k
7
votes
Accepted
Why are there musafos for sh'kalim and hachodesh, but not zachor or para
See this article (Hebrew).
The piyutim (shivatot) classically recited by nusach Ashkenaz at musaf of shekalim and hachodesh (although now omitted by many, many congregations) were composed by the ...
- 45.1k
7
votes
Western Ashkenazi Siddur?
The Siddur used by most German communities nowadays is the Sfas Emes Siddur published by Victor Goldschmidt Publishing. However, even at its first publication in 1799, the nusach had been changed to ...
- 328
7
votes
Accepted
Are there any fonts that allow for the name of Hashem to be typed the way it is in Sephardi siddurim?
Yes, here are screenshots of Windows Character Map showing DBS-Frank, DBS-Keren DBS-Stam, and DBS-Vilna:
- 6,831
7
votes
Accepted
When were the tefillos formulated?
The men of the great assembly
According to Berachot 33a, the Men of the Great Assembly (אנשי כנסת הגדולה) instituted blessings, prayers, kiddush, and havdala. (These translations are copied from the ...
- 25.2k
7
votes
Accepted
How does the Siddur Torah Ohr differ from the Siddur Tehilas Hashem?
As is common with most older siddurim, in Torah Or, things aren't duplicated, just printed once, e.g., the weekday Amidah. There's no separate Minhah provided, you would use the Amidah printed in ...
- 4,911
7
votes
Where are we commanded to read the hallel?
The mainstream approach (as stated forcefully by Rambam his Sefer HaMitzvot as well as in his Mishneh Torah) is that Hallel is a rabbinic commandment. As such there is no mention of it in the Torah (...
- 45.1k
7
votes
Accepted
Chabad beginner visiting a Modern Orthodox shul
You won't find too many differences other than some changes in the Nusach and the siddur.
Most MO shuls tend to be Nusach Ashkenaz from what I've seen, but you should inquire. That's not a given ...
- 71.1k
7
votes
Al gav or al gabei – singular or plural?
This is a controversial issue. If you look at older siddurim, like the one of R' Yaakov Emden, who, besides his other talents, was an exceptional authority on grammar, you can find the על גבי version ...
- 7,804
7
votes
What's "Nusach Kafa"?
The only custom I've previously come across from that community (cited by Siddur Otzar Hatefillot, Volume 2, page 46) is that they had the custom to read Megillat Antiochus on Chanukah.
A quick search ...
- 21.2k
7
votes
Accepted
Where is this Piyut from?
The lines come from a piyut named ometz gevurotecha hifleita bapesach (or uvchen va’amartem zevach pesach) composed by R. Elazar HaKalir (often assumed to have lived in the 6/7th centuries CE) and ...
- 45.1k
6
votes
Accepted
Vihi Noam customs
As others have already written, both Machzor Vitry and Tur Orach Chayim 295:1 mention the practice of repeating the last verse of Psalm 91, because it completes a divine name. Some say that we repeat ...
- 7,804
6
votes
Accepted
Why is there an Aramaic line after "Hashem yimloch l'olam va'ed" in Az Yashir?
I don't know if this will satisfy you but your siddur is following what the Arizal says to do, brought by the Mishnah Berurah.
Rema 51:7
וְכוֹפְלִין פָּסוּק כָּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ לְפִי ...
- 20k
6
votes
Accepted
Is it OK to recite prayers by heart?
Mishnah Brurah 93 s.k. 2 writes:
האר"י ז"ל היה מתפלל מתוך הסידור כדי שיכוין מאוד גם שלא להבליע נקודה והכל לפי מה שמרגיש האדם בנפשו
Loosely translated: The Arizal would pray using a siddur in ...
- 6,515
6
votes
Composing your own Tefillah
According to the Arokh Hashulchan (OC 119:2), as long as he doesn't regularly add it to the actual blessings of Shemoneh Esrei, it should be fine:
ודע דזה דבר פשוט שלא התירו חכמינו ז"ל להוסיף ...
- 17.9k
6
votes
Accepted
Siddur with stressed vowels
Most modern Ashkenazi siddurim indicate stress using a meteg, which is a small vertical line placed under the letter that begins the accented syllable. For example, the word v'tsivanu (from many ...
- 10.6k
6
votes
Accepted
What does פ׳ ב׳ פ׳ stand for in the context of prayer (specifically related to prayer #8 of the Amidah)?
In the 8th blessing, which is focused on healing the sick, there is a supplemental prayer as you point out, that a person can add in if they know anyone in particular who is unwell.
The "פ׳ ב׳ פ׳&...
- 33.9k
6
votes
Why is there no prayer for the return of prophecy?
Prophecy only existed when there was an inclination for idol worship (GRA on Seder Olam 30:2). The Sages prayed for the removal of that inclination and said "We do not want it, and we do not want ...
- 2,602
6
votes
What is the History of the books Derech HaChaim and Netiv HaChaim?
Derech HaChaim is a popular, halakhic work on the siddur authored by R. Yaakov Lorberbaum of Lissa (1760-1832).
R. Avraham David Lavut (1815-1890) realized that many of the rulings of the Derech ...
- 45.1k
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