Question: Chalom Rabbi, May I ask you for a couple of questions! 1 – Smell – Can we pray when I smell taref food from outside (cooking/food smell)? – I… Read more »
Category: Prayer (tefilla)
Drinking during Davening
Question: If one’s mouth becomes extremely dry during davening (esp. when reciting the lengthy pesukei D’zimra on Shabbos), is there any heter to get a drink of water during davening,… Read more »
Hallel
Question: If one accidentally recited full Hallel on Rosh Chodesh, am I correct that no further action is needed? What interruptions are permitted during Hallel? May one answer Amein to… Read more »
Plag hamincha
Question: Is it permissible to daven Maariv/ make Kiddush on Friday after the Plag of the Alter Rebbe/ Baal HaTanya, even though it is before the plag of the Magen… Read more »
Avinu Malkenu on voluntary fasts
Question: In Ashkenazic tradition, if one takes upon himself a ta’anit yakhid, may he recite Avinu Malkenu as part of its observance?—or is it strictly a prayer for ta’aniyot tsibur?… Read more »
Teffilot Havinanu
Question: There are times when a person can not pray with proper kavana. Can he pray the HAVINANU pray with the first 3 blessings, and last 3 blessings? Are there… Read more »
Shabbos
Question: Should one daven for his child not to be born on shabbos(to avoid chillul shabbos)? Please provide sources Thank you Answer: I think that one should leave things up… Read more »
Kavah in Birkas Modim
Question: It takes me a long time to say birkas avos with kavanah, must I also say birkas modim bekavanah. Answer: It is sufficient in birkas modim just to imagine you… Read more »
Can a sick person daven maariv alone before nacht?
Question: Where I live nacht is around 11 pm. I normally daven maariv with a minyan after plag hamincha. Today I am unwell, cannot go to shul and iy”H will… Read more »
Praying for a non- Jew
Question: As an ardent supporter of Donald Trump may I pray for his success in his presidential campaign? Answer: Avrohom prayed for Sodom and for Avimelech. If you feel the… Read more »
Tumah
Question: Bchvod haRav…..I put my phone down on a place that might have had old dried zera on it and then i touched my phone and then touched other things… Read more »
Davening behind a Rebbi or Father
Question: If one is davening S”E and one suddenly realizes that he is standing right behind his rebbi/ father, what should he do? Answer: Some hold that only if he… Read more »
skip shema for tefilla b’tzibbur
Question: For one who recited Shema prior to the davening, may he skip krias shema (and say only the brachos) in order to make tefillah b’tzibbur? Answer: Even though Shema… Read more »
davening loudly
Question: Is one permitted to daven S”E in such a way that other people can hear his words (unintentionally)? Really, the halacha is not to, but this is (for some… Read more »
Lost Place in Shmone Esrei
Question: If one is davening SE and has a safek whether he already said the chasima (conclusion) of a certain bracha, or did not say it, what should he do?… Read more »
Davening in English
Question: For one who davens in English, is it OK to say the name of Hashem as “L-rd” or ” G-d”? (Some, including Rav Moshe Sternbuch, say that “L-rd” is… Read more »
Doubtful if said V’sein Bracha
Question: Regarding a person who is in doubt whether he said “vesein bracha” or “vesein tal umatar,” there is a chazakah that for the first 30 days, he said it… Read more »
Preference of Minyan
Question: If one has a choice between davening in a place where he will be able to say more of Pesukei D’zimra, but the minyan is not really a good… Read more »
No Intent [kavana] in Shmone Esrei
Question: If one did not have in mind the meaning of Baruchat Atah Hashem Elokeinu in the first berachah of Shemone Esrei what should one do? What about in any… Read more »
Baruch HaShem l’Olam in Eretz Yisrael for Bnei Chu”l
Question: Although it is the minhog not to say Baruch HaShem l’Olam Amen veAmen in Maariv said in Eretz Yisrael, should it be said or not said in the following… Read more »
Missed Bracha in Shmone Esrei
If one has a safek if he skipped a bracha in S”E (due to spacing out during davening), does he need to repeat S”E, or is there a chazaka that… Read more »
Davening in Sandals
Hi in Simon 91 Halocha 5 in the mishna berura seif koton 12 and 13 . It seams to be saying that you can daven with sandals or ur feet… Read more »
Mussaf Late in Day
can i still daven mesif for today R”Ch at 5:00 pm Answer: Mussaf may be said until sunset [shkiyat hachama].
Pitum Haketoret Klaf
I received a klaf with PITOM HAKETORES, and the Lmnzach Menorah. Can I add nekudot/ mapik HEY dot with a pencil so that I can read it better? Answer: Yes,… Read more »
Zman Tefillah
It is 9:58am and sof zman tefillah is 10am. What do I do? Say shmoneh Esteh fast to finish by 10am or say it slow and finish after 10am. Answer:… Read more »
Conservative Services
What is the halacha regarding attending a bar mitzva of a relative(actual services, shachris laining etc..)at a conservative shul? What are the sources? Thank you Answer: The halachic angle of… Read more »
Bracha in Presence of Excrement
The common practice in my home is before i make a Bracha i usually look around to confirm that there are no dirty diapers in the room or clothes that… Read more »
Pores Al Shma
If one davened shemonei esrei at his house, can he later repeat shemonei esrei because of pores al shema when he arrives at shul. Answer: One who has already davened… Read more »
Interpreting Dreams
Yireh learned from a dream can be scary. What should a jew do if his dreams are funny, scary and seem to indicate something about his relationships? I find it… Read more »
Pores Al Shma for Kedusha
If one heard Barachu (by shachris) and davened shemonei esrei but didn”t hear kedushah can he be pores al shema and get kedushah by repeating shemonei esrei with ten? Does… Read more »
Morning Prayers and Vasikin
Whats the best way to do vatikin at morning prayers? Answer: “Vatikin” refers to praying Shacharit, starting before sunrise and arranging that the beginning of Shmoneh Esrei is at the… Read more »
Minhag Confusion
Dear Rabanim I was born jewish mom, non-jewish dad. My Ffather ad was converted by Bet Din of Rav Vozner when I was 14 and is religious (family did teshuva)…. Read more »
Nocturnal Emission and Tefillin
Hello Rabbi- I had a very awkward incident occurr, and I wonder if I handled it properly. I took a nap in my car in a hospital parking lof, and… Read more »
Prayer for Women
Kavod Harav, I read in Yalkut Yosef that women are always obligated in one tefilla. If I remember correctly, he writes that if she can’t pray shacharit, she should pray… Read more »
Eating Before Maariv
What are the laws of eating before Maariv? May one eat non-mezonos/ non-hamotzi even after nightfall, even if he doesn’t have a shomer or a set minyan? Answer: Yes, non… Read more »
Lashon Hara About a Shul
Is it lashon hara to say that in a certain shul, they daven fast (which is not necessarily a bad thing)? Answer: No, as long as is it not said… Read more »
Mistaken Yaaleh Vyavo
If an individual or a tzibbur thought it was Rosh Chodrsh on the wrong day and said yaleh veyavo, they need to repeat shmonei esrei for shachris and tashlumim for… Read more »
Bloody Residue and Brachos
I am at work in Brooklyn. (I live in New Jersey, an hour and a half drive away.) I just went to the bathroom and I was trying to clean… Read more »
Relations Before Shachris
I’d like to know if it is mutar to have marital relations before shahrit. If it is not, since what hour? Thanks Answer: There is no prohibition against relations before… Read more »
SIlent Amidah
Why do the silent Amidah? Answer: In our times, the main form of prayer is the silent amidah, this is when one fulfills their obligation of prayer. The chazzan’s repeating… Read more »
Justification for No Tachnun at Mincha
Our Tzibur in the chassidishe Shul in Zürich which is a main point and a minjan factory never ever davens Tachanun in Mincha. I asked a couple of times what… Read more »
Baruch Hashem Laolam by Maariv
My whole life I have been saying “Baruch Hashem Leolam” by maariv. I recently found out that my father”s minhag is to not say it. Can I stop saying it,… Read more »
After Shmoneh Esrei Before Three Steps Back
What is the halocho when I finish my Shmoineh Esrei before someone standing behind me but within 4 amos? 1) Do I say oiseh sholoim without taking 3 steps back… Read more »
Shul Membership Fees
I live in Zayit which is one of the areas within Efrat. In Zayit there are four main Ashkenazi Shuls. I pay membership fees to one of them. However, I… Read more »
Sephardic and Ashkenazic Pronunciation
Is there a halachic issue for Ashkenazi Jews prouncing a “tav” without a dagaysh, as a “T” sound the way sephardic Jews do? In terms of being Yotzee Krias Shema… Read more »
Missing Mincha for Woman
A woman/girl who davens Shacris and mincha but forgot mincha one time. does she have to daven two maarivs? Answer: A woman who is careful to daven Mincha and misses,… Read more »
Late Wake Up
Hi I’m not feeling well and I woke up after chatsos so now what do I daven when I put on tefillen? Answer: After Chatzos one would no longer daven… Read more »
Davening with Minyan
If your praying shacharit and you’re in the the middle of prayer say tachnun, and the whole minyan is already finished and the chazzan starts kaddish, do you continue saying… Read more »
Bris on Fast Day
Part 1: When selichos are said on a “minor” fast day such as shiva asar b’tammuz, is tachanun said as part of selichos, or is that only on asseres yemei… Read more »
Tachanun When Only Kallah is Present
During the week of Sheva Brachos, a Kalla, without the Chassan, showed up at Shacharis. The question was whether to skip Tachanun. The Gabbai (me) ruled not to skip it,… Read more »