Search results for: ""halachah""
When To Say Morning Amida
Say the morning amida by the first third of the day (by the 4th hour), but you may still say it until halachic midday, b'di'avad, except if you delay intentionally.
Situation
You are running out of time to say the morning amida. You have said the shema without saying yishtabach or anything following yishtabach (except for the shema).
Situation
You wake up too late to say the amida before halachic noon:
See Minyan: Keeping Pace: Shacharit Minyan.
Situation
You are running out of time to say the morning amida. You have said the shema without saying yishtabach or anything following yishtabach (except for the shema).
What To Do
Just say the amida.
Situation
You wake up too late to say the amida before halachic noon:
What To Do
- Wait until a half-hour after halachic noon and then say mincha, and then
- Repeat the mincha amida as tashlumin.
See Minyan: Keeping Pace: Shacharit Minyan.
Saying Ma'ariv at Plag HaMincha
You may say ma'ariv before the start of a Jewish festival as early as plag ha'mincha (1 1/4 halachic hours before sunset), even if you did not say mincha before plag (unlike on weekdays when you must say mincha before plag in order to say ma'ariv before sunset).
Introduction to Shalom Bayit
Shalom bayit is a family at peace, as one unit. When leniencies in law are used to avoid intrafamily conflicts, customs and d'rabanan halachot can sometimes be overridden. But d'oraita halachot may not be violated. Consult a rabbi.
Situation
You want to go to minyan but your wife is overwhelmed with trying to feed several children and she asks you to help.
What To Do
You must miss minyan and help her since your wife's needs take precedence over your wish to pray with a minyan.
Note With shalom bayit problems between spouses, a rabbi should be consulted for details.
Note Once someone is married, his or her in-laws are part of his or her family and are included in shalom bayit rules.
Situation
You want to go to minyan but your wife is overwhelmed with trying to feed several children and she asks you to help.
What To Do
You must miss minyan and help her since your wife's needs take precedence over your wish to pray with a minyan.
Note With shalom bayit problems between spouses, a rabbi should be consulted for details.
Note Once someone is married, his or her in-laws are part of his or her family and are included in shalom bayit rules.
Introduction to Prayer Times/Zmanim
To calculate prayer times (zmanim), divide the total hours of daylight (from sunrise to sunset) by 12. This gives the local “hour” length, called halachic hour (sha'a zmanit).
Adoptive Parents: Acknowledging the Good
Adoptive parents must be treated well by the adopted child, acknowledging the good they did for the child (hakarat ha'tov). But they are not considered halachic parents and the child may not be required to give them the honor that is required by the Torah for natural parents.
Peaceful Ways (Darchei Shalom)
Darchei shalom is behaving in a manner that engenders harmony and good relations between Jew-to-Jew and Jew-to-non-Jew. Darchei shalom allows some customs, but not halachot, to be overridden.
When Is Gil Chinuch
The age of Jewish education (gil chinuch) is more or less 6 years old but may vary with the intelligence, personality, and maturity of the child and with the particular halachic principle involved.
Tefilat HaDerech: What To Say: Phrases (Psukim)
After saying the main blessing of tefilat ha'derech, some people have the custom to say these phrases (psukim) three times each:
- L'shuatcha kiviti...
- V'ya'akov halach l'darko...
- Yivarechecha...
- Hinei anochi sholei'ach lifanecha...
Shabbat: Ideal Time for Ma'ariv
The ideal time for ma'ariv on Friday night is whenever will make everyone (or most people!) happy. It can be any time from plag ha'mincha (1 1/4 halachic hours before sunset), until 72 minutes before sunrise, but should properly be said before midnight.
Distracting Work on Friday Afternoon
You may not do any work or get involved in any project that might distract you from preparing for Shabbat, beginning at twice the duration of plag ha'mincha. So allow 2 1/2 halachic hours (sha'ot zmaniyot) before sunset to prepare for Shabbat.
Passover: When To Finish Kashering
When kashering an oven or utensils for Passover, you may kasher:
- By Libun
Anytime, including on chol ha'moed (but not on Jewish festivals or Shabbat).
- By Hag'ala
Until one hour before halachic midday on Passover eve (but b'di'avad it is OK until
just before sunset of Passover eve).
just before sunset of Passover eve).
Shabbat: Mixing Hot and Pickled Foods
Pickles, sauerkraut, olives, and other pickled foods are considered raw and may not be put into hot food on Shabbat.
Note Pickled and salted foods are sometimes considered to be cooked regarding some halachot, but not in this case of putting them into hot food (which will actually cook them).
Note Pickled and salted foods are sometimes considered to be cooked regarding some halachot, but not in this case of putting them into hot food (which will actually cook them).
When To Say Mekadeish et Shimcha BaRabim
You may only include God's name in Baruch ata Adonai, mekadeish et shimcha ba'rabim if:
- You have not yet said the full morning shema, and
- It is still before the third halachic hour of the day.
Note If you already said the morning shema, whether on time or not, you may still return to fill in the morning blessings. When you get to l'olam yihei adam, don't include God's name in the concluding blessing. Rather, say, “Baruch ata, mekadeish et shimcha ba'rabim.”
Refraining from Distracting Work
You may not do any work or get involved in any project that might distract you from preparing for a Jewish festival, beginning from twice the duration of plag ha'mincha. So allow 2 1/2 halachic hours (sha'ot zmaniyot) before sunset to prepare for the Jewish festival.
Saving a Life (Pikuach Nefesh)
Human life is valued in Judaism, unlike in some other religions. The Talmud says that if someone saves one human life (pikuach nefesh), it is as if he or she saved an entire universe. Almost all halachot may be overridden in order to save a life; the main exceptions are for Adultery, Murder, and Idol Worship—see Adultery, Murder, Idol Worship .
ExampleYou may drive a car on Shabbat or even Yom Kippur in order to take a seriously injured or ill person to the hospital. This includes pregnant women who are about to give birth.