Asher Yatzar during psukei d'zimra

Hi,

Regarding one who uses the washroom during psukei d'zimra: There are those who permit reciting the berachah of asher yatzar after using the washroom during psukei d'zimra, between the paragraphs. Others disagree, saying one should wait until after the amidah.

The consensus is that one may not recite asher yatzar between Barchu and the Amidah.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:50:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Switching the chazan after Yishtabach

Hi,

Normally, those who have one chazan lead psukei d'zimra and another chazan lead Shacharit will switch them before Yishtabach. However, one may also make the switch after Barchu. One may even switch in both places, having a chazan lead just for Yishtabach/Kaddish/Barchu.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:49)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Bowing for Barchu

Hi,

The Shulchan Aruch does not mention a practice of bowing for recitation of Barchu. However, there are early sources that mention the chazan bowing for Barchu, and today the practice of having both the chazan and the community bow for Barchu is widespread, and should be followed. One does not bow deeply as one does in the amidah, though.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:47)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The amen of "v'yatzmach purkaneih"

Hi,

For those who daven in a minyan where the words v'yatzmach purkaneih veekareiv meshicheih are added to kaddish, followed by an "Amen": That "Amen" is not mentioned by the Rambam in his edition of kaddish.

Therefore, one should not say this "Amen" in situations between Barchu and the amidah where other "Amen"s of kaddish may be said.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:46)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Minyan at the kotel

Hi,

People who are davening in an open space, such as the plaza in front of the kotel, are considered to be a valid minyan if there 9 near the chazan and able to hear him. Others who can see that core group of 10 may also combine with that group, as part of the minyan, even if they cannot hear the chazan.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:45)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The chazan's "Yehei Shmeih" recitation

Hi,

There are two legitimate views regarding the chazan's recitation of the Yehei Shmeih rabbah mevarach l'alam... line of kaddish. One view says that this should be recited aloud after the community's recitation of that line, perhaps in order to fulfill the obligation for those who do not know how to recite it personally. A second view is that this should be recited along with the community.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:44:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Passing a synagogue

Hi,

The Shulchan Aruch does rule that one may not walk past a synagogue entrance when people are praying inside, lest it appear that one objects to their prayers. However, this does not apply where it is clear that this is not why he is passing by, such as in a community where there are many synagogues and people pray in the place they prefer.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:43:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Leaving davening before it ends

Hi,

One may not leave a shul before Aleinu is recited at the end of davening, even if he has personally finished, unless there is a particular need.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:43:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The chazan's spot

Hi,

The chazan [a.k.a. שליח ציבור] is supposed to stand before the Aron Kodesh, and the language used by works of halachah in describing this indicates that this is a requirement. The chazan may not choose another spot from which to lead services.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:42)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

V'charot imo habrit

Hi,

In the psukei d'zimra part of the morning davening, it is common for people to have a paragraph break in the middle of the Vayivarech David verses, before the words V'Charot imo habrit. This segment is part of the book of Nechemiah - Chapter 9, sentences 6-11.

The paragraph break seems to be a mistake; the point where people pause is actually mid-sentence. The mistake seems to have begun from a custom regarding the day of a brit milah: when there is a circumcision, some shuls have the mohel lead the recitation of the section that begins with v'Charot imo habrit. This may have led people to view that as a breakpoint. However, there should be no break.

(Rivivot Eprahim 1:41:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Doubling "kol haneshamah"

Hi,

At the end of the "Hallelukah" paragraphs of Tehillim recited in the psukei d'zimra portion of the morning davening, we recite the last sentence in Tehillim 150, Kol haneshamah, twice. This doubling is to mark the end of a section, as we conclude the paragraphs selected from Tehillim.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:41:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Reciting berachot out loud

Hi,

It is good to recite one's berachah out loud, to enable others to respond Amen. However, this is not an obligation.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:39:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Answering berachot before Birchot haTorah

Hi,

We are supposed to recite Birchot haTorah (blessings upon Torah study) each morning, before learning any Torah. However, one who hears a berachah may answer Amen before reciting these berachot. One also may answer Kedushah before reciting these berachot, even though the responses are themselves biblical verses.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:39:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

HaMalbish?

Hi,

Most of our blessings identify Gd with the definite object - hamotzi lechem, hagomeil, hameichin mitzadei gaver. However, a minority of blessings do not use the definite object - malbish arumim, matir asurim. One should not alter the minority to match the majority's grammar.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:36:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Maakeh for a roof that is used occasionally

Hi,

Any flat roof requires a maakeh (a three-foot wall to keep  people from falling off), even if people only walk on the roof occasionally.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:35)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Carrying a tefillin bag

Hi,

One could contend that one should carry his tefillin bag in his right hand, specifically, since we are taught to honour sefarim [books of Torah] by carrying them in our right hand, and we are taught to hold the Sefer Torah in our right hand.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:33:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

If tefillin should fall

Hi,

There are sources which discuss fasting if tefillin fall, but that does not apply if they fall while in their bag, or if a person falls while wearing tefillin.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:30:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Mitzvah training

Hi,

When training children in performing mitzvot, one must train them to fulfill each mitzvah fully. Therefore, one may not provide them with an invalid lulav or an invalid set of tefillin, lest they think that these are actually valid.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:30:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When does the act of donning tefillin end?

Hi,

When we put on tefillin, we put on the arm tefillin, then we put on the head tefillin, and then we wrap the straps of the arm tefillin around our fingers. However, the mitzvah act is complete once the arm and head tefillin are on, before the wrapping around the fingers.

Therefore: The act of putting on tefillin is complete once one puts on the head tefillin, and after that one may respond "Amen" to a berachah one hears. However, one should not respond "Amen" until after saying the "Baruch Shem Kvod" line, since that is meant to be joined with the berachah on the head tefillin.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:30:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Wrapping tefillin

Hi,

One should wrap up his tefillin personally, and not leave it to another to do, in order to demonstrate love for the mitzvah.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:28:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Kissing one's tefillin

Hi,

One may kiss his tefillin shel rosh (head tefillin) when withdrawing them from his bag, even though one is not supposed to interrupt between donning the tefillin shel yad (arm tefillin) and tefillin shel rosh. This is acceptable because it is for the honour of the tefillin.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:27:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Changing tzitzit during the day

Hi,

One who changes his tzitzit during the day does recite a new berachah, although there is room to argue that he should not recite a new berachah if he had intended to change it when he recited his initial berachah that morning.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:23:7)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tzitzit pockets

Hi,

One may insert the strings of tzitzis into pockets, which are then sewn closed, for their protection while the tzitzis are being laundered.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:23:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tangled tzitzit strings

Hi,

Tzitzis strings which become tangled together are still kosher, although it is good to separate them.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:23:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai