Davening Archives - AskTheRav

Till when can one say בריך שמיה?

Question: If one didn't finish saying בריך שמיה and they closed the ארון already, can he finish it while the Torah is out, or is it only when the…

What is the earliest one can Daven Maariv on Motzei Shabbos when it is the first night of Yom Tov such as Pesach this year?

Tzeis Shabbos occurs at Tzeis Kochavim Ketanim, and the Shiur of Tosfos Shabbos is several minutes later (see Seder Hachnasas Shabbos. Cf. Alter Rebbe's Shulchon Aruch (OC 293:1) who…

Learning after dawn before reciting Birchas Hatorah

Question: I learned Rambam late tonight and finished 3 minutes after dawn, without reciting Birchas Hatorah. Do I need to relearn what I said after dawn? Also, I realized…

Are you allowed to answer Amen to someone else’s Birchos Kriyas Shema (not the Chazan) if you are also saying Birchos Kriyas Shema? If yes, what if that person is a child?

Yes, if it is the same Berocho as the one you just finished. There is no difference in this case if it is a child, providing he is actually…

Davening At a Slower Pace than the Minyan

Question: Most minyonim daven very fast and I'm a slow davener. I'm familiar with the Rebbe's horaah that one needs only to begin with the minyan, and doesn't have to…

If we have 9 people for a Minyan and the 10th is on the way to shul, can we start the Amida or do we need to wait for 10th? Can we do repetition?

Lchatchilah, you should wait for the 10th person to come to shul and only then start the Amida. However if you didn't wait and the 10th person arrived after…

Should I answer Amen to the Beracha of Baruch Hashem said in a Nusach Sefard Minyan for Maariv?

Question: If I daven Nusach Ari, and I am davening in a minyan for maariv that davens Nusach Sefard, do I say Amen to the additional Beracha between Hashkiveinu…

Krias HaTorah: The congregations obligation or each individuals?

Practical Question: When I land in yeshiva in the PM hours from an oversees flight on a Monday or Thursday, is it necessary to ask 5 bochurim not to…

May I use my hand (without any sleeve) as a double covering to make a Bracha?

The hand isn’t considered a cover for the head unless using the sleeve with it or someone else’s hand. This is because one cannot cover themselves through themselves. However,…

When the one receiving Maftir has to Bentch Hagomel, when exactly should he do so?

Answer: He can say it after kaddish or after the haftorah. Sources: ברוח חיים פלאגי קמד, ג כתב לומר אחר ברכה״ת לפני הפטרה. וראה מה שהעיר על דבריו…

Women Spiting by Aleinu

Question: I am a woman and recently learned that there is a practice to spit at a certain part in Alienu. I grew up in another sect of Yiddishkeit…

Traveling to be part of a Minyan & davening with the Minyan from afar

Question: I would like to know how far halachically one is required to travel to take part in a Minyan. In my particular case regarding Mincha there is a…

Is there a limit or specific amount of time that can pass between saying Baruch Shem and Vehavta when trying to fulfill the mitzvah of saying Shma?

One should not pause unnecessarily in the middle of reading Shema and definitely not interrupt with speech or doing other things. Nevertheless, one does not need to restart Shema…

When one is pronouncing the words of davening, is it necessary to conform to rules about emphasizing the grammatically correct syllable (i.e. mil’el or mil’ra)?

Question continued: If so, why is this not specifically mentioned in Siman 61, where it seems that such a halacha would belong (especially, for example, about pronouncing the word…

May I place something on top of Tefillin or Seforim when they are in a bag? May I put a Chitas on top of my Tefillin, in the bag?

One should be careful not to put anything on top of tefillin or seforim even when the tefillin/seforim are in a bag. Some are lenient with regards to putting…

If someone is saying korbonos for Shacharis, but gets confused with Mincha and skips “Abaye” and remembers once they finished or almost finished “Ana Bechoach”, do they repeat “Ana Bechoach” after they say “Abaye” or not?

Question continued: If someone spaces out during pesukei dezimra on Shabbos and realizes after saying "Yishtabach" that they skipped "Nishmas" and other Shabbos additions, how should they proceed? …

Does one bow during hagbah the way the Shulchan Aruch rules in Orach Chaim 134:2? If not, why not?

The custom is to not be particular about doing so. Source: ראה הר צבי א, סד. בירור הלכה תליתאי קלד. דברי יציב א, עו. וראה המובא בפסק"ת קלד…

Supplemental Prayer in Shemoneh Esrei

Question: I have alopecia and I want to daven for hair. When is the best time to do that during Shemoneh Esrei? In refa'einu, shmah koleinu, elokay nitzor, etc.?…

When picking up the Torah for hagbah, must one undo the straps of the tefillin that are wrapped below the wrist, or is that optional?

There is no requirement to remove tefillin straps when doing Hagbah; it’s purely for convenience. Sources: וראה בארוכה נועם י ע׳ רכז. וראה שו״ת רבבות אפרים ח,…

May one count a child over 9 for the tenth person in a minyan if people need to say kaddish?

There is a minority opinion which allows this, however from a halachic point of view this position is highly questionable and it’s difficult to rely on this…