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The End of Shacharit: Tachanun, Alenu and Shir Shel Yom
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Tachanun: When Not To Say Tachanun is related to judgment. Tachanun is NOT said at times of din/judgment: At night, On Tish’a B’Av, In a house of mourning, and Yom Kippur. Tachanun is also NOT said at times of simcha/happiness: At mincha before (and certainly not on): Shabbat, Jewish festivals, Rosh Hashana, and Rosh Chodesh. […]
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Kaddish, U’Va L’Tzion, Hallel and Birkat HaChodesh
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Responding to Mourner’s Kaddish When answering mourner’s kaddish, respond after the person who you hear first. Late in Joining Mourner’s Kaddish Situation: All mourners should say kaddish in unison. You are a mourner. When you go to minyan, the other mourners are already saying mourner’s kaddish. WHAT TO DO: You may join in as long as the other […]
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Reading the Torah
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Consecutive Aliyot for Family Members Consecutive aliyot (going up to the Torah during Torah reading) should not be given to brothers or to a father and son unless the aliyot are from different Torah scrolls. This is a custom. Declining an Aliya You should not decline an aliya, if one is offered to you. Shortest […]
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Errors in Amida Additions
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Introduction: Amida: Errors: Amida Additions If you forgot to say, or incorrectly said, a phrase in the amida, you must correct your errors in: Mashiv ha’ruach Ha’el ha’kadosh Tein bracha/Tein tal u’matar l’vracha Ya’ale v’yavo (except Rosh Chodesh night). Do not correct errors in other additions/changes if you have already said the blessing for that […]
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Errors in Amida – Part 1: Tashlumin
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Introduction to Missed Amida/Tashlumim If you accidentally miss any amida, you may make up for it (tashlumin)–unless you intentionally missed it. Regular Days Missed Ma’ariv Amida If you accidentally did not say the amida for ma’ariv: Say the normal shacharit amida the next morning with the other men in the minyan. Say ashrei. When the […]
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The Amida
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What To Pray: Set Prayers: Amida Pre-Prayer: Bathroom Needs If you need to use the toilet, you may not say the amida. Note: If you could refrain—even with difficulty–from using the bathroom for 72 minutes after you finish the amida, it is OK b’di’avad. Intention/Concentration (Kavana) When saying any amida, concentrate (at least for the […]
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Shema
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Mental Preparation When saying the shema, focus on the idea that God is: Everywhere, Infinite, Unique, Present now and always. Witness to God’s Uniqueness We are witnesses to the fact that God is unique, as alluded to in the word “eid“–made up of the “ayin” of shema and the “dalet” of echad. Love God We […]
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What to Pray
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For What To Pray Ask for Ultimate Goal During personal prayers, ask for the ultimate goal of what you seek, not for the means of getting there. Examples: Ask to find an appropriate spouse very soon (rather than praying to marry a specific person). Ask to get a good job (rather than praying to get […]
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When to Pray
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Introduction to Morning Prayers/Shacharit (Weekday): Order of Prayers Here is a typical order of waking/morning prayers for weekdays (many people say these blessings at the synagogue instead of at home): Wake Wake and wash hands (Three-Times Method). Bathroom Take care of any toilet needs, wash your hands (One-Time Method). Say blessings al netilat yadayim and asher […]
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