Washing immediately upon rising

Hi,

One should wash ritually immediately upon rising, while at one's bed. However, one who cannot keep water beside his bed may rely upon views that say that one may wash anywhere in one's room.

(Mishneh Berurah 1:2, and see Ishei Yisrael 2:footnote 18)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Saying "Modeh ani" with dirty hands

Hi,

We are supposed to wash our hands ritually, with a cup, each morning, as we have discussed elsewhere. Even prayer is prohibited before this washing. However, one may recite the opening sentence of "Modeh ani", because it does not include the Name of Gd.

(Mishneh Berurah 1:8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Berachah on croutons

Hi,

What berachah do I recite before eating a salad that contains croutons?

Regarding croutons baked from the start for use in a salad, one could contend that the appropriate berachah would be mezonos, because croutons do not function in the normal role of bread in a meal. Such croutons would be similar to the dry cracker which early halachic authorities term pas haba'ah b'kisnin. In that case, one would recite a mezonos for the croutons, separate from the berachah for the salad.

In reality, though, croutons are recycled from old bread; this was true historically, and sources in commercial food preparation say that it remains so in restaurants today. Therefore, toasted croutons retain their original bread berachah of hamotzi. [Note, though, that one who will eat less than an egg-sized volume of bread (croutons or otherwise) should not recite al netilas yadayim when washing.]

There is some debate regarding the status of deep fried croutons; one should endeavour to eat these croutons as part of a bread-based meal.

(Aruch ksn; Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 158:2, 168:7, 10; Mishneh Berurah 168:56; Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 168:23)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

After Barchu

Hi,

If someone has not yet said the Yishtabach berachah concluding psukei d'zimra, and he answers Barchu and automatically begins the berachah (yotzeir or) that follows Barchu, he cannot then go back and say Yishtabach.

(Ishei Yisrael 16:35)

חג אורים שמח,
Mordechai

Answering Barchu while in Pesukei d'Zimra

Hi,

One who is in the pesukei d'zimra portion of the morning service should respond to the chazan's Barchu, unless he is in the part of Baruch she'Amar after the second 'Baruch atah' or in Yishtabach after 'Baruch atah'.

(Mishneh Berurah 51:8; Ishei Yisrael 16:32)

חג אורים שמח,
Mordechai

Responding 'Amen' after Barchu

Hi,

Some halachic authorities contend that the community should respond 'Amen' after the chazan says 'Baruch HaShem hamevorach l'olam va'ed', while others say it is not necessary.

(Mishneh Berurah 57:4)

חג אורים שמח,
Mordechai

Bowing for Barchu

Hi,

Our practice is to bow when saying the word 'Barchu', straightening up when saying the Name of HaShem.

(Ishei Yisrael 16:28, and footnote 83)

חג אורים שמח,
Mordechai