Search results for: ""Kasher""

Asher Yatzar or After-Blessing
If you are eating and stopped to use the toilet, you may say either asher yatzar or the after-blessing on the food first.
Asher Yatzar: Saying for Someone Else
You may say asher yatzar for someone else if you need to say it also.
Asher Yatzar with No Water
Say asher yatzar, even when you cannot wash your hands, such as when you do not have any water with you.
Note In any case, your hands must be clean; if they are not, you must wipe them off on something before saying the blessing.
Asher Yatzar: Timing
If you did not say asher yatzar immediately after finishing, you may still say the blessing until the next time you feel the need to urinate or defecate.
Asher Yatzar: Minimum
The minimum amount to urinate or defecate and be able to say asher yatzar is any quantity (kolshehu).
Chanuka: Why Asher Kidshanu
Chazal have the authority to make laws, so we say “Who sanctified us with His mitzvot and commanded us” (asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu) for Chanuka blessings and other purposes that Chazal instituted after the Torah was given.
Cemetery Blessings

Once inside a cemetery, after not having been in one for at least 30 days, say:

 

Baruch ata adonai eloheinu melech ha'olam

asher yatzar etchem ba'din, v'zan v'chilkeil etchem ba'din,

v'heimit etchem ba'din, v'yodei'a mispar kulchem ba'din,

v'hu atid l'hachazir u'lhachayot etchem ba'din.

Baruch ata adonai mechayeh ha'meitim.

 

Then say Ata gibor l'olam adonai (the 2nd paragraph of the amida) to the end of the paragraph. Omit the blessing at the end as well as mashiv ha'ruach and morid ha'tal.

Tum'a: Praying if No Water for Handwashing
If there is no water to wash hands, even after sleeping, you still say blessings and prayers. You should say asher yatzar even if you can't wash, but do not say al netilat yadayim in shacharit!
Note Even if you do not have water with which to wash your hands, you should wipe them off on a towel or some substance that can rub off any physical impurities that you may have gotten on them while sleeping.
Jewish Festivals: Daytime Kiddush
To fulfill the two requirements for Jewish festival daytime kiddush:
  1. Say, or hear, at least #b and #c of these Jewish festival daytime kiddush blessings/segments:
    a) Eileh mo'adei Adonai mikra'ei kodesh asher tikri'u otam b'mo'adam.
    Note It is not a universal custom to say the above sentence.
    b) Va'yidaber Moshe eht mo'adei Adonai el bnei yisrael.
    Note It IS a universal custom to say the above sentence. AND
    c) Borei pri ha'gafen (if on wine or grape juice), OR
    She'hakol nihiyeh bi'dvaro (if on other beverage/chamar medina).
    Note For Jewish festival (or Saturday) lunch and havdala, you may use any beverage (chamar medina) commonly drunk for social purposes (not just for thirst) in the country in which you are saying kiddush (say the blessing she'hakol instead of borei pri ha'gafen where appropriate).
    Note There is never any requirement on an indvidual to drink kiddush wine (except at the Passover seder), but the kiddush wine must be drunk by one or more persons.
  2. Establish a halachic “meal” (kovei'a se'uda).
    You must establish the halachic meal required for kiddush shortly after hearing Jewish festival morning kiddush. See How To Fulfill Eating Jewish Festival Second Meal.
    Note If you make Jewish festival morning kiddush on any beverage except wine or grape juice, you must also eat mezonot or bread to establish the kiddush meal. If you do not want to eat bread or mezonot, only drinking 3.3 fl. oz. (99 ml) of wine or grape juice within 30 seconds will fulfill all of the requirements for kiddush.  If you have not fulfilled the requirements for kiddush, you may not eat other foods, such as fruit or fish at a kiddush.
Grinding on Shabbat: Avocadoes
You may crush or squash an avocado (such as when making guacamole) on Shabbat, but ONLY:
  • Using a shinu'i (such as a spoon, knife, or spatula),
  • Without using a specialized tool (such as a grinder, potato masher, or fork),
  • If you eat it immediately after preparing it, and
  • If you leave some pieces larger than you normally would.
   Note If you intend for all pieces to be somewhat larger than usual but some end up small, it is OK.
 
If Doubt Whether You Said a Blessing (except for Birkat HaMazon)
If you are not sure if you said ANY blessing in ANY category, don't repeat it.
Exceptions
  • Birkat ha'mazon.
  • You may also include the first blessing over reading the Torah (Asher bachar banu mi'kol ha'amim.)
Even the blessing for mezonot is not an exception. 
Reason The only blessing commanded in the Torah is birkat ha'mazon (some say also the blessings on the Torah); all others are from Chazal.
 
Introduction to Morning Prayers/Shacharit (Weekday): Order of Prayers
Here is a typical order of waking/morning prayers for weekdays (many people say these blessings at the synagogue instead of at home):
  • Wake
    Wake and wash hands (Three-Times Method).
  • Bathroom
    Take care of any toilet needs, wash your hands (One-Time Method).
    Say blessings al netilat yadayim and asher yatzar (until l'fgarim meitim).
  • Torah Blessings
  Say Torah blessings (from la'asok bi'divrei Torah until talmud Torah ki'negged
  kulam).
  • Talit Katan
    Put on talit katan (for men).
    Say blessing if not married or if not putting on talit gadol later.
      Note You may put on the talit katan before washing your hands
  • Birchot HaShachar
  Say birchot ha'shachar (from natan la'sechvi…until ven brit) before, or at,
  synagogue.
  • Talit/Tefilin
  Put on:

 

  • Talit (for married men or other men with that custom).
  • Tefilin (for men).
  • L'olam Yihei Adam/Korbanot
   Say:
  • L'olam yihei adam,
  • Short shema,
  • Paragraph ending mekadeish et shimcha ba'rabim,
  • Readings on sacrifices/korbanot,
  • 13 rules.
  • Psukei D'Zimra
  Say:
  • Psalm 30/Mizmor Shir Chanukat habayit.
  • Baruch she'amar through yishtabach (includes ashrei).
  • Bar'chu/Shema/Amida
  Say bar'chu through end of amida (including shema, with two blessings before and
  one after), tachanun (when appropriate) and ashrei through to alenu.
  • Psalms/Alenu
  Say alenu and psalm for the day.
 
Terms To Know
  • Neitz, HaNeitz—Sunrise
  • Alot HaShachar—72 minutes before sunrise
  • MiSheyakir-- 36 minutes before sunrise in New York in winter and 40 minutes in summer. Nearer to the equator, the maximum time is shorter.
Note Even though mi'sheyakir means when there is enough light to identify your friend, it also means when you can differentiate between blue and white threads in the tzitzit, since the mitzva of tzitzit is only during the daytime.

When Things Happen
Before Alot HaShachar (72 minutes before sunrise)
You can put on tzitzit/talit and tefilin without blessings.

Alot HaShachar
You can say:
  • Birchot ha'shachar.
  • Shema and amida, b'di'avad.
Mi'sheyakir (36-40 minutes before sunrise)
You can say:
  • Blessings over tefilin and tzitzit/talit.
  • Shema and amida as necessary.
K'Vatikin
You can say shema l'chatchila--and begin saying the amida exactly at sunrise.

By Third Halachic Hour of the Day
You have until the third halachic hour of the day to say:
  • The blessing mekadeish et shimcha ba'rabim if you want to include the word Adonai.
  • Morning shema.
By Fourth Halachic Hour of the Day
You have until the fourth halachic hour of the day to say any of the prayers from barchu until the end of the amida.

Halachic Mid-Day
You have until halachic mid-day, b'di'avad, to say the shacharit amida.

          
Women: Minimum to Pray
The minimum amount of prayer that women and girls 12 years old and up must say varies according to several opinions:
  • Opinion that RMH approves of:
    • Birchot ha'shachar (from al netilat yadaim--to u'maflee la'asot)
    • Birchot haTorah (from la'asok b'divrei Torah--to notein haTorah)
    • Yevarechecha/Eilu divarim she'ein/Eilu divarim she'adam
    • Elohai neshama
    • Asher natan 'sechvi... gomel chasadim tovim l'amo Yisrael
    • Shema (first line of shema plus Baruch shem kevod malchuto l'olam va'ed)
    • If they choose to say the morning amida, they should precede it with emet, v'yatziv until ga'al yisrael.
  • Ramban: Women should say at least the amida of shacharit and of mincha.
  • Another opinion: Women must say some prayer every day (but it may be any type of prayer, not only the fixed prayer services).
  • Another opinion: Women do not need to say the amida and emet v'yatziv on Shabbat and Jewish festivals (that is, whenever we are not asking for anything). 
  • Women who have small children who require the mother's constant attention should not say any prayers except for birchot ha'shachar and birchot haTorah.
For more on women and the shema, see Women and Shema in Shacharit.
Jewish Festivals: Evening Kiddush
To fulfill the two requirements for Jewish festival evening kiddush:
  1. Make Kiddush
    Say, or hear, the three Jewish festival evening kiddush blessings/segments:
    1. Borei pri ha'gafen (if on wine or grape juice—preferred option), OR
      Ha'motzi (on two challot if you have no wine or grape juice, since no chamar medina is allowed for Jewish festival evening kiddush; see Jewish Festivals: Kiddush: Challot for Kiddush) AND
    2. Asher bachar banu mi kol am.... mekadeish Yisrael v'hazmanim, AND
    3. She'hecheyanu on all Jewish festival nights, except the last two nights of Passover.  So say she'hecheyanu on:
      • Both nights of Rosh Hashana (in or outside of Eretz Yisrael),
      • First two nights of Passover (1 night in Eretz Yisrael),
      • Both nights of Shavuot (1 night in Eretz Yisrael),
      • First two nights of Sukkot (1 night in Eretz Yisrael), and
      • Nights of Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah (same day in Eretz Yisrael).
      Note There is never any requirement on an indvidual to drink kiddush wine (except at the Passover seder), but the kiddush wine must be drunk by one or more persons.
      Note A woman who had said she'hecheyanu when she lit the Jewish festival candles does NOT say she'hecheyanu again if she makes kiddush for herself, even when making kiddush at the Passover seder.
      Note There is no need to eat a new fruit after saying she'hecheyanu on the second night of  Shavuot, Passover, or Sukkot. This is not comparable to Rosh Hashana, since the second festival night was instituted due to uncertainty of the actual date of the holiday, while Rosh Hashana is considered to be one single, long day.
  2. Establish a halachic “meal” (kovei'a se'uda).
    For how to establish a halachic meal, see Introduction to Jewish Festival “Eating a Meal” Requirements.
Note For evening kiddush, the custom is to go straight to the meal without delay (with no mezonot or snacking first).  B'di'avad if you snacked, it is still OK.
Note At night on Jewish festivals (or Shabbat), you may not say kiddush at a place where you will not eat your evening meal (even if you will hear or say kiddush again at the place where you will eat the meal).
Tum'a and From What To Pour
When washing your hands using the One-Time Method, in all cases except when washing for bread, here is what to use:
  • Best: Cup that holds at least a revi'it of water.
  • Next Best: Wash hands from a spigot within 12” of the ground, turning the spigot off and on between hands.
  • Third Choice: If the spigot is more than 12” above the ground, simply hold your hands under a regular faucet in the flow of water so that your hands get wet all over.  No need to turn the water on and off.
    Note This is a b'di'avad case. 
  • Fourth Choice: If there is no water, say whatever blessings you need to say anyway (for example, asher yatzar) rather than not saying the blessing at all. You will still have the tum'a on your hands (but you should rub your hands on cloth of clothing first).
Note This does NOT apply to washing before eating bread or to any cases where you must wash using the Three-Times Method. Removing tum'a in these cases requires a cup.
Note If you need to wash your hands after using the toilet, there is no need to go 18 minutes to find the water, (unlike the requirement for washing for bread).