Search results for: ""Kinyan""

Answering Kedusha If You Accepted Shabbat
Situation You have begun Shabbat early and you are at a minyan where they are saying kedusha for Friday.
What To Do Reply to kedusha.
Who Should Say Alenu
Any Jew who happens to be in a synagogue should say alenu with the minyan, even if he is not joining the minyan for that prayer service.
Tish'a B'Av: Pre-Fast Meal
You may say birkat ha'mazon with a mezuman or with a minyan during the Nine Days.  But you may not do so at the meal preceding Tish'a b'Av (se'uda ha'mafseket).
Reason Only bread dipped in ashes and a hard-boiled egg should be eaten and that is not a meal for socializing or togetherness.
Lulav: Hallel at Home or in Synagogue
Ideally, take your lulav and etrog to synagogue and say hallel with the minyanB'di'avad, it is OK to say hallel and the blessings and wave the lulav at home.
 
Mourners' Leaving the Shiv'a House
Mourners should not leave the shiv'a house even if they do not have a minyan there.
Note There are some exceptions for extreme conditions, including medical reasons. A rabbi should be consulted.
Birkat HaMazon: Eating for Mezuman
Say birkat ha'mazon as a mezuman if:
  • You don't have enough men for a minyan (see above), AND
  • Two men wash, said ha'motzi, and ate bread, AND
  • One or more other men ate any food other than water and salt.
Note If the three men's eating overlapped in time with each other, they MAY say birkat ha'mazon with a mezuman
If the three men began eating at the same time, they MUST say birkat ha'mazon with a mezuman.
Answering Kedusha If You Began the Jewish Festival Early
If you began the Jewish festival early and you are at a minyan where they are saying kedusha for mincha before the Jewish festival, you should reply to kedusha.
Late in Joining Mourner's Kaddish
Situation All mourners should say kaddish in unison. You are a mourner. When you go to minyan, the other mourners are already saying mourner's kaddish
WHAT TO DOYou may join in as long as the other mourners have not yet said Yihei shmei. But you should join the other mourners wherever they are in the kaddish and not start from the beginning on your own.
Boy less than 13 Years Old
A boy who has not reached 13 years of age may not be counted in a minyan, even if one day short of 13 years.
Selichot
You may say selichot by yourself.
Note You may only say the paragraph with God's 13 Attributes/Midot (beginning with El melech...) if you are praying with a minyan.
Where Mechitza Needed
A mechitza to separate men and women is needed only when praying in a place dedicated as a permanent location for regular Jewish prayer services with a minyan.  If not, no mechitza is needed, and any separation that prevents distraction between men and women is sufficient. Even if the women are just behind the men, that is sufficient, even without a physical barrier.
Wasting People's Time (Tircha d'tzibura)
You may not waste people's time or upset them (tircha d'tzibura).
Example A prayer leader should not:
  • Roll a Torah scroll during the minyan in order to get to the correct place for reading (it should have been done previously) unless necessary;  
  • Roll up his tefilin after taking them off for musaf on Rosh Chodesh, before hallel on chol ha'moed of Sukkot, or after hallel on chol ha'moed Passover. (Instead, he should take them off and leave them on the bima until the prayer service is finished, or roll them up during Torah reading).
Birkat HaMazon: How Many Men Needed for Baruch Hu U'Varuch Shemo
Say baruch hu u'varuch shemo before birkat ha'mazon even if only three men are present; you don't need a minyan
Note Only the leader (mezamein) says this, not the other two men.
Saying VaYechulu with Others
Friday night, it is a nice custom for men to say va'yechulu with at least one other man. It is best (but not required) to say va'yechulu with the entire minyan.
Reason The idea is that we are attesting (with other people, as in a court) to God's having created the world.
 
Shabbat: Candles: Earliest Time To Light
You may not light Shabbat (or Jewish festival) candles before plag ha'mincha. The candles must burn until at least dark (tzeit ha'kochavim) and someone must be there to see the light from the candles after dark.
SITUATION Mincha minyan begins at plag ha'mincha. You cannot light candles at home and still get to mincha minyan on time.
WHAT TO DO You must say mincha on your own (anytime from half an hour after mid-day until sunset). You will light candles after plag ha'mincha but before sunset and not join the mincha minyan.