Question: hi does saying Tehilim without understanding what the word mean help? thanks! piske tova! Answer: It is definitely better to understand what you are saying, but even if you… Read more »
Category: Prayer (tefilla)
asara mispallelim and maariv
Question: I came 5 minutes late to Maariv at shul X where there are more than asara mispallelim. Should I try to quickly catch up and then daven SE (doable,… Read more »
asara rishonim
Question: There is a mitzvah to be from the asara rishonim, and this mitzvah applies to all three tefillos. If one came to shul for Maariv (first person there) but… Read more »
minyan
Question: I am getting paid to daven in a minyan where there are 6 or 7 mispallelim (others are just sitting). I am also getting paid to learn beforehand. However,… Read more »
Ashkenazi Davening in sfardi minyan
Question: The minhag in this sfardi minyan is to daven mincha with the chazzan starting shmone esrei out loud and everyone also starting with him. Everyone says kedusha and then… Read more »
Activities before davening
Question: What is allowed halachically for a woman to do before davening? I sometimes get up with my babies/children at the same time. Feeding kids breakfast? Preparing their bags/lunches? What… Read more »
davening with kavana
Question: A person who davens in a shul in someone’s living room where the rav’s children run around and make noise during davening, which many find disturbing – in the… Read more »
Skipping brachos after krias shema to daven btzibur?
Question: If one misses all the brachos after krias shema to daven btzibur should he make them up afterwards and if so with a bracha? Answer: During Shacharis a person… Read more »
Saying Tehillim for two people
Question: If I have been asked to recite certain kapitlach for one choleh, and then asked to choose some to say for a different choleh, can I say both names… Read more »
Learning during krias Shema, Halel, pesukai dizimra
Question: Shalom. Is it permitted to learn (look in a sefer) during halel, Shema, and pesukai desimra? I would appreciate a source. Thank you! Answer: After you finished saying Yishtabach… Read more »
Losing one’s place in middle of shmoneh esrei bracha
Question: If one is in the middle of an individual bracha of shmoneh esrei and loses focus and doesn’t remember where he is up to in that individual bracha, what… Read more »
13 middos
Question: Why is emes a good thing to mention in the 13 middos when we’re trying to get rachamim, in light of the gemara in AZ daf 4b says emes… Read more »
Tashlumim for Maariv for Women
Question: If a woman usually davens Maariv and forgot one night does she need to daven Shachris twice? Answer: In the sefer Peninei Tefillah (Psakim in the name of R’… Read more »
Davening Shemone Esrei While Scrolling
Question: If one doesn’t have a siddur and the only way to daven shemone esrei is by accessing an online siddur, is one allowed to continuously tap the mouse to… Read more »
Can musaf be said during bein hashmashos like mincha?
Question: Can musaf be said during bein hashmashos like mincha? Also, which should be said first, mincha or musaf? Thank you! Answer: We should be careful to say mussaf… Read more »
Eating before mincha for a woman.
Question: I’ve been learning the halachot of tfillah and just learned that it is prohibited to eat before davening mincha, from the time that zman tfillah begins until you have… Read more »
Anxiety about mistakes in davening
Question: Hi, I have a question regarding mistakes in the amida – I suffer from a postpartum anxiety disorder, and I find that many times while davening the amida, I… Read more »
Mistakes in amida
Question: After a long tiring day, I was davening mincha and was became unsure that I recited the last line of a Bracha in the amida. I repeated the Shmona… Read more »
Minhagim
Question: I am a baal teshuva through Chabad and began wearing tefillin with the Chabad kasher and davening Nusach Ari. A few years ago, I left the chabad movement and… Read more »
Is Perek Shira a form of Tefilla?
Question: I find it very hard to daven the standard tefillos bec of their time constraints with raising little kids and working full time. I find I feel close to… Read more »
Tallis and gartel by davening
Question: Dear Rabbi, I am quite to make a change in my attire in davening. I am unmarried and with an unfortunate limited sexual history from wrong mention by reform…. Read more »
Davening in a room where someone is sleeping
Question: Is it permissible to daven in a room where someone is sleeping? For example, can I say shma Al hamita, personal tfillot and/or tehillim and prayers for sick in… Read more »
Eating before Maariv for a woman
Question: I know there is a halacha about not eating mezonot/hamotzi from 30 mins before tzeit hakochavim until one has davened Maariv. Does this halacha apply to women who have… Read more »
delaying people
Question: One who is being driven to the mountains and suddenly remembers that he did not daven Maariv, and he can tell the driver to pull over and wait 15… Read more »
Women Davening
Question: Hi, Regarding http://dinonline.org/2019/07/29/kavana-in-davening/ I have a follow up to a question. I asked about kavannah for women during shacharit. In your answer you mentioned that a women should ideally say… Read more »
Kavana in davening
Question: In a situation where a woman has a limited amount of time for tfillat Shacharit, is it preferable to say more off the tfillot with less concentration and focus… Read more »
Breaking the minyan to put on tefilin
Question: There was a person in shul for Mincha and it is about five minutes before shkia. He is # 10. They are in the middle of davening Mincha, but… Read more »
Mistakes in davening
Question: I have a few questions regarding making mistakes in davening (mispronunciation, etc) If while davening I notice I have made a mistake on pronouncing a word, should I go… Read more »
Order of importance of Davening
Question: I recently asked a question http://dinonline.org/2019/07/09/order-of-importance-for-tfillah/ about the order of importance for davening for a women who is short on time, and your answer was very helpful- thank you…. Read more »
Dirt under nail and other chatzizah
Question: I washed netillat yadayim before davening, and shortly after finishing shacharit I noticed some dirt under my nail (my nails are a little longer than the ends of my… Read more »
Order of importance for Tefillah for women
Question: Hi, I have a few questions about the order of importance for Shacharit, and how to balance davening while at home with a baby. I have been davening an… Read more »
Coffee before Tfillah
Question: Hi, Thanks so much for all your help – I have a question regarding drinking coffee before Tefilla. I am currently at home during the day with my 6… Read more »
Praying Amida while sitting
Question: Thank you in advance, I fly for work as a Pilot, and typically find myself in places were I don’t have the opportunity to daven while standing up as… Read more »
Understanding Tfillah
Question: I’ve been davening 3 times a day for most of my adult life, but I’ve never really taken the time to understand the words of the prayers I’ve been… Read more »
Urge to use bathroom before benching and shmoneh esrei
Question: Is it true that one cannot have ANY urge to use the bathroom while benching and davening shmoneh esrei? Also, is it true that if one goes to the… Read more »
Is a table considered a michichtzah while walking in front of someone davening shmoneh esrei
Question: If one finishes shemonah esrei and people behind him are still davening shemonah esrei may he take his 3 steps back if there is a table where they’re davening… Read more »
Not sure where im up to in shemona esrei
Question: What the halacha if someone is in middle of shemona esrei and spaces out and is completely unsure where he is holding? Does he go back to the the… Read more »
prostration
Question: Hello, Do you know or have any information about doing hishtachavoya with pishut yadaim veraglaim and even maskis . Does one need a hefsek? To turn his head? Why… Read more »
Davening between Yishtabach and Kaddish
Question: If someone finishes p’sukei d’zimra ahead of the chazan and has already said Yishtabach, what is permitted for this individual to daven/say before the chazan begins kaddish? Can one… Read more »
Varying the amount of Shacharit said at home (for women)
Question: Shalom & thank you very much for this wonderful site. I’m a married woman with children. Sometimes I take upon myself to daven a full Shacharit, which takes me… Read more »
What can a non-Jew do with Jewish customs?
Question: a non-Jew can do the prayers of the siddur, make brachot of food or do the service of the Sabbath? Answer: It is nice to see that there are… Read more »
Davening without Minyan Voluntarily
Question: If one has a rare opportunity to do some activity (e.g. visit a friend, take a day tour in nature while on an overseas trip), but would then miss… Read more »
Wearing hat when davening
Question: Is there a halachic requirement to wear a hat in today’s society where the derech is not to go before a king with a hat Thank you Answer: There… Read more »
going to shul with bad cold
Question: Is it ok to go to shul if one has a cold and a strong cough and slight fever. the concern is that we may be spreading the cold… Read more »
May one start shmoneh esrei during a mincha kitzarah if he knows he won’t make Kaddish
Question: If one is davening a mincha kitzarah and he knows he won’t be able to finish shmoneh esrei before they say Kaddish shulaim, may he start shmoneh esrei or… Read more »
Does one repeat psukei dzimrah if he misses after shemonah esrei
Question: If one were to skip parts of psukei dzimrah (everything except for Baruch sheomar,ashrei and yistabach) does he repeat it after davening and if so what order? Answer: It… Read more »
Forgot to daven makeup Shmona Esrei
Question: If I had in mind to daven 2 shmoine esras by shachris and I forgot and remembered before mincha. Can I still daven it. Answer: From your question I… Read more »
Dressing properly when entering a shul
Question: Dear Rabbi, Yireh is determined by our attire. I visit shuls with incompetant dress. One man arrives in shorts. Others maybe untidy attire. Few ever even a tie. What… Read more »
Davening for someone else
Question: I’ve been having this difficulty for a while, and I hope you can help me gain some clarity. We know the gemora that says if one davens for someone… Read more »
Chazan taking over at Ashrei-U’va L’tzion
Question: If another person replaces the chazan during shachris on a Monday/Thursday after krias hatorah but before beginning Ashrei, who says the 4 Yehi Ratzon’s? The original chazan or the… Read more »