Avraham was commanded to circumcise himself and all males in his household. From then on, all healthy Jewish males were to be circumcised when they reached 8 days old.
If there is any question about the baby's health, the circumcision is delayed or, in rare cases, not done at all.
The primary obligation to do the circumcision is on the boy's father. Since most people are not skilled surgeons, the actual cutting is usually done by a highly trained expert, called a mohel, who is appointed by the father. A festive meal is eaten after the circumcision.  A minyan is preferred, but not required, for a brit mila.
 

Say the morning amida by the first third of the day (by the 4^th 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).

What To Do

Just say the amida.

There are four mitzvot for Purim:
1. Shalach Manot (Gifts of food to promote friendship)
Send to one person at least two readily edible foods that will be appreciated by the recipient. Sending gifts of food (mishlo'ach manot) must be done on Purim day. The earliest time to send mishlo'ach manot is after hearing the morning megila reading (so that the commandment of giving gifts to friends is also covered by the blessing of she'hecheyanu over the megila).

2. Gifts to Poor People
Give some money to at least two poor people or to a fund designated to give to poor Jews on Purim. The earliest time in the day to give gifts to the poor on Purim is daybreak.

3. Hearing the Megila Twice (evening and morning)

• If you miss hearing a word or even syllable of the megila on Purim, say it to yourself and then catch up to the reader.
• If you are not near a minyan and do not have a megila scroll, you should read the megila from a book.  But you will not have fulfilled the commandment of reading the megila and so you do not say any of the blessings.

4. Eating at a Purim se'uda.

• The minimum amount to eat and drink for a Purim meal is at least 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup) of bread, any amount of meat (if you enjoy meat), and some wine (any amount more than you normally drink).
• The earliest time you may eat the Purim meal is from daybreak; the latest time you must begin is before sunset.  You must eat at least 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup) of bread and some wine (and meat if you enjoy it) before sunset. You may continue your meal after sunset as long as you ate the bread before sunset.

 

Tachanun is related to judgment. Tachanun is NOT said at times of din/judgment:

• At night,
• On Tish'a B'Av,
• In a house of mourning, and
• Yom Kippur.

Tachanun is also NOT said at times of simcha/happiness:

• Shabbat,
• Jewish festivals,
• Rosh Hashana, and
• Rosh Chodesh.

• Isru chag (the day after each of the Jewish festivals),
• Entire month of Nisan.

• All of Chanuka, Purim, Shushan Purim, Tu B'Shvat, Rosh Chodesh, and from Rosh Chodesh Sivan until the day after Shavuot.
• Tishrei from shacharit before Yom Kippur until after Simchat Torah (Shmini Atzeret in Eretz Yisrael). Resume saying tachanun:
  • Second day of Cheshvan, or
  • Day after isru chag of Simchat Torah (this is the more prevalent custom among Ashkenazim). Each person should follow his or her family or community custom.

• Mohel,
• Sandak, or
• Father of a boy having his circumcision.

Even though saying kaddish many times benefits the dead person's soul, there is no need--nor is it the custom--to attend multiple minyans each day in order to say kaddish for a dead person many times.

The synagogue (shul) prayer service may confuse the unfamiliar. Here is a brief guide to following the congregational prayers.
 
Ends/Beginnings of Paragraphs
Each individual says most of the prayers, but the leader sets the pace. He says out loud the last line or two of many paragraphs (and sometimes the next paragraph's first few words), to help others find where he is in the prayers.
Hint If you get lost, listen to the leader and try to find those words at the beginning or end of one of the paragraphs near where you think you should be!
 
Saying Amen
When the prayer leader/chazan says a blessing (Baruch ata adonai...) and finishes the final word, everyone usually replies amen.
 
Baruch Hu U'Varuch Shemo
It is common (but not required) to say baruch hu u'varuch shemo after hearing God's name (Adonai) when it is said in a blessing.
This list mainly includes the parts of the prayer service that are said together or when in synagogue, not those said individually or at home.
NoteIf you need to use the toilet between baruch she'amar and yishtabach, say asher yatzar after saying yishtabach and before saying yotzeir or.
 
The initial blessings beginning with asher natan... through the end of ven brit may be said at home.
 
Ma Tovu
Upon arriving in synagogue in the morning, say Ma tovu....
 
Talit
Married men (and also those with a tradition to wear a talit from bar mitzva age) normally put on their talit gadol on all days (except Tish'a b'Av morning).
For more details, see Talit (Gadol).
 
Tefilin
On weekdays, all men put on tefilin. They do not interrupt putting on tefilin to respond to other's prayers, not even to say amen. 
For more details, see Tefilin.
 
Birchot HaShachar/Initial Blessings
If you have not yet said the initial blessings beginning with asher natan... through the end of ven brit, say them once you are in synagogue and after you have put on talit/tefilin (if relevant).  
Everyone stands while the prayer leader reads the initial blessings aloud.  They say amen after each one. 
 
L'Olam Yehei Adam/Shema
L'olam yehei adam is said quietly, with everyone saying the shema line together.
 
Order of the Sacrifices
Some read (quietly) the order of the sacrifices.
 
13 Principles of Talmud Explanation/Kaddish

• The 13 principles of how the Talmud is explained are read quietly.
• Kaddish is said by any mourners.
• Everyone says, amen, yihei shmei raba...

 
Mizmor Shir/Kaddish

• Mizmor shir is read quietly.
• Another kaddish is said by the mourners.

Baruch SheAmar
            Baruch she'amar is said by everyone, standing.  The leader says the final blessing out loud.
 
Verses (Psukim)
The following several pages are verses (psukim) from various sources, said by everyone quietly.
Mizmor L'Toda/Yehi Chevod

• Everyone stands to say mizmor l'toda quietly (just for this paragraph).
• The next paragraph (yehi chevod) is read quietly.

 
Ashrei and 5 Psalms
Ashrei and the following five psalms (#146 to 150) are said quietly by everyone; the leader says the final line or two out loud.
 
Baruch Adonai L'Olam Amen v'Amen
Baruch adonai... is said by the leader.  
 
VaYevarech David
The next section (from va'yevarech David until after bar'chu) is said quietly by everyone while standing.
 
Shirat HaYam
Shirat ha'yam is read quietly by everyone.
 
Yishtabach/Kaddish
Yishtabach is said quietly by everyone together. The leader says the final line of yishtabach out loud and then kaddish.
 
Bar'chu

• The leader says Bar'chu et Adonai ha'mevorach.
• Everyone bows from the waist and replies (aloud), Baruch Adonai ha'mevorach l'olam va'ed (which is then repeated by the leader).
• Everyone says the blessing's ending ...u'vorei et ha'kol.

 
Shema and Its Blessings
The next paragraphs lead up to the shema:

• Leader says, “Et shem ha'el...”
• Everyone says aloud, together: Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh... and Baruch kevod Adonai mi'mkomo.
• Leader says the final line or two of La'el baruch ne'imot... and everyone responds amen.
• Everyone says ahavat olam quietly.
• Leader reads the final lines aloud.
  Note It is the custom to not say amen to the blessing before shema.
• Everyone says the first line of the shema together and aloud, but Baruch shem... silently. 
• Everyone reads the shema individually, and the leader repeats out loud Adonai eloheichem emet.
• Everyone reads the next paragraphs, through ezrat avoteinu, together, quietly.

 
Mi Chamocha
Stand for Mi chamocha until after the amida.

Adonai Yimloch
Everyone reads together and aloud: Adonai yimloch... until the final blessing before the amida.
Note At some time before completing that blessing, step back far enough (one large step is fine) so that you can take three small steps forward to begin the amida. If there is no room to step back, you may pray the amida without stepping forward.
 
The Amida
Amida: Details and Direction
For more details on saying the amida, see What To Pray: Set Prayers: Amida
For where to face during the amida, see Amida: Location: Where To Face
 
Stepping To Begin the Amida
After saying ga'al Yisrael, symbolically approach God by taking three steps forward (any size of steps is fine):

• Step forward with your right foot,
• Step forward with your left foot, and
• Step forward with your right foot.
• Bring your left foot to meet the right one, so that both feet are touching at the heels and at the balls (so that you are standing as if you had one leg, like the angels!)

Bowing in the Amida
Next, with your feet still together, do knee-bowing at the start and end of the first paragraph.  You will also be bowing at:

• Beginning of modim (waist-bowing).
• End of modim (knee-bowing at Baruch ata Adonai of the blessing ending u'lecha na'eh l'hodot).

           
Slach Lanu
In slach lanu, when saying ki chatanu and ki fashanu, hit your chest over your heart with your fist.
Reason We are saying that we sinned, so we strike our heart for leading us astray.
 
Ending the Amida
Symbolically take leave of God by taking three steps back after Adonai tzuri v'go'ali:

• Step back on your left foot,
• Step back on your right foot,
• Step back on your left foot (and then place your right foot next to your left foot).
• Bow to the left while saying Oseh shalom bi'mromav...,
• Bow to the right while saying Hu ya'aseh shalom alenu, and
• Bow to the middle (straight in front of you) while saying Ve'al kol yisrael v'imru amen.

Then pause for at least three seconds before walking forward or sitting down.
 
Reader's Repetition of Amida
At kedusha, everyone stands (even if they were sitting so far for the amida's repetition) with their feet together, again imitating the angels who only have one leg.

• The leader says nekadeish (in some places, everyone says nekadeish).
• Everyone says the next line together (kadosh, kadosh, kadosh...).

• After the leader says Halleluya, everyone else may move their feet (or sit down, if that is their custom).
• On fast days, the leader says an extra paragraph in shacharit (other paragraphs in mincha are said by everyone).

Tachanun

When To Say Tachanun
Tachanun is usually said on weekdays.

How To Say Tachanun
Tachanun is said differently, depending on if there is a Torah scroll in the room, as follows:

• Say Va'yomer David sitting down, while resting your head on your left arm (unless you are wearing tefilin on your left arm, in which case lean onto your right arm). 

• When you reach shomer Yisrael, lift your head up and sit normally while saying the paragraphs until v'anachnu lo neida ma na'aseh.
• Before saying “na'aseh,” stand up for the remainder of tachanun.

• Say tachanun standing until Va'yomer David... at which time, everyone sits down.
• Follow the directions above for the remainder of tachanun.

 

Hallel

• When hallel is said, most of the psalms are said quietly by everyone.  (In some synagogues, several of the psalms are sung in unison.)
• The lines beginning Hodu l'adonai... are read aloud by the leader.
• Everyone else responds aloud, Hodu l'adonai... and reads quietly the next line (which the leader then reads aloud when they finish).
• Similarly, Ana adonai is read responsively by the leader, followed by everyone else.

 
Kaddish
The leader says kaddish out loud.
 
Torah Reading (Mondays and Thursdays)

• Everyone reads quietly the phrases va'yehi be'nso'a... and brich shmei.
• The Torah is taken out and carried to the bima.
• As each man (called an oleh) is called up to the Torah:
  • The oleh says Bar'chu...
  • Everyone responds Baruch Adonai....,
  • The oleh repeats that line and says a blessing.
  • Everyone answers amen.
• After each reading, the oleh says one more blessing and everyone replies amen.
• After the third aliya, the Torah is lifted up.
• Everyone says, V'zot haTorah....
• The Torah is rolled and wrapped.
• Meanwhile, the leader reads four paragraphs beginning, Yehi ratzon mi'lifnei avinu...
• The final paragraph, Acheinu kol bet yisrael... is read by everyone aloud.
• The Torah is put back while everyone reads two psalms quietly.

 
Ashrei/U'va L'Tzion

• Everyone reads ashrei quietly, followed by la'menatzeiach and u'va l'tziyon.
• Everyone together says, Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh and Baruch kevod.

 
Kaddish
The leader says kaddish.
 
Alenu
Everyone says alenu together.
 
Kaddish
Mourners say kaddish.
 
Psalm for the Day
Psalm for that day is read by everyone.
 
Kaddish
One more kaddish is said by the mourners.
 
L'David

• During Elul and into Tishrei, L'David is read by everyone.
• One more kaddish is said by the mourners.

 
Praying Ma'ariv
 
V'hu Rachum
Everyone reads the two introductory lines of v'hu rachum.
 
Bar'chu

• Leader says bar'chu.
• Everyone else responds, baruch Adonai....
• The leader repeats that line.
• Everyone reads the next paragraph/blessing.
• The leader says that final line out loud.
• Everyone responds amen.

Note Don't say baruch hu u'varuch shemo at all during ma'ariv.
 
Shema and Its Blessings

• The leader repeats the final two words of the shema and the word emet.
• Everyone continues quietly saying the phrases until Mi chamocha.
• Mi chamocha is said by everyone together including by the leader, who then also reads the next line.
• Everyone says Adonai yimloch... together, continuing through the end of the next blessing, which is repeated by the leader.
• Everyone says hashkiveinu quietly.
• The leader says the blessing shomer amo Yisrael la'ad out loud.
• Baruch Adonai l'olam... is said through to the end by everyone quietly.
• The leader says the final line and the final blessing out loud.

Note Baruch Adonai l'olam is not said in Eretz Yisrael.
 
Kaddish
The leader says kaddish.
 
Amida
Everyone says the amida silently and individually.
 
Kaddish
The leader says kaddish.
 
Alenu
Everyone says alenu together.
 
Kaddish
Kaddish is said by any mourners.

 

There are many approaches as to when to start Shabbat:

Men
For men, whichever is first:

• At sunset, or
• When they light candles intending to begin Shabbat then, or
• When they say Mizmor shir l'yom haShabbat.

Women
For women, whichever is first:

• When they light candles intending to begin Shabbat then (most people light 18 minutes before sunset but local customs can vary; e.g., Jerusalem), or
• In case of urgent need, just before sunset if they have not lit candles.

 
Note Even if a husband has finished ma'ariv for Shabbat, his wife is not required to start Shabbat when he does, and she may still light her candles at the normal candle lighting time. The husband does not need to wait outside until she has lit. However, the ideal situation is for the home to be ready (including table set) by the time the husband has finished ma'ariv and has returned home from synagogue.
 
Community-Wide Considerations

• If an entire community begins Shabbat at any time earlier than sunset on Friday, EVERYONE must begin Shabbat at that time.
   
• If there are at least two minyans in any community, no one is required to start Shabbat with the earliest one (but if you associate yourself with one of those minyans, you must follow their custom).

Tanayim are written; an acquisition (kinyan) is made; and the tanayim are read. The mothers of the bride and groom break a china plate.
 

You may not acquire items (kinyan) on Shabbat unless they are needed for that Shabbat or for doing a mitzva. The classic example of doing something for Shabbat is bringing food or drink to a house for Shabbat lunch, which the house owner acquires on Shabbat for Shabbat. Other permissible kinyan on Shabbat:

•  Giving a siddur or chumash to use on that Shabbat.
•  Giving permissible medicine for use on that Shabbat.

You may not acquire items (kinyan) on Jewish festivals unless they are needed for that Jewish festival or for a mitzva. The classic example is bringing food or wine to a house for Jewish festival lunch, which the house owner acquires on the Jewish festival for the Jewish festival. Other permissible kinyan on Jewish festivals is giving:

• Siddur, machzor, or chumash to use on that day.
• Permissible medicine for use on that day. 

On bringing mail or a newspaper into your house on Jewish festivals, see Jewish Festivals: Bringing Mail inside House  and Jewish Festivals: Bringing Newspaper inside House.

The purpose of the rabbi at a wedding is to ensure that the extremely detailed wedding halachot, as set out by the Shulchan Aruch, are followed correctly. If not, the wedding might not be kosher.
 
A Jewish marriage includes: a written document (ketuba); a financial transaction (ring) in front of two kosher witnesses; and physical intimacy. 
 
Witnesses
 

• The witnesses must be shomer Shabbat Jewish men.
• The bride and groom should confirm verbally that these are the two (and the only two) witnesses that they want.  

 
Ring

• The groom must confirm that he acquired and owns the ring.
• The groom must say Harei at mekudeshet li ...  to the bride and place the ring on her (index) finger.

 
Ketuba

• The ketuba must be kosher.
• Before the chuppa, someone (anyone, including women) must fill in (no safrut is required for this):  the Hebrew names of the bride and groom; the date the wedding is taking place; the wedding location (city, etc.); and that a kinyan was made.
• The ketuba must be signed by two kosher witnesses.

You may bring a newspaper, magazine, or other reading material inside the house on Shabbat and read it if there is an eruv, unless it was:

• Brought from outside the techum Shabbat, OR
• Printed on Shabbat, OR
• Delivered by a Jew.

If any of these conditions apply, you may not use it in any way on Shabbat, even if all of the other conditions would have permitted its use. You may use it once Shabbat is over.

You may bring a newspaper, magazine, or other reading material inside the house on Jewish festivals and read it, UNLESS it was:

• Printed on Shabbat or a Jewish festival, OR
• Brought from outside the techum Shabbat, OR
• Delivered by a Jew.

If any of these conditions apply, you may not move it or use it in any way during the Jewish festival, even if all of the other conditions permit its use. You may use it once the Jewish festival is over.

Property may be given away in any manner and amounts desired during a person's lifetime. A Jew must give his property away before death if he does not want to make the inheritance according to Jewish law (such as double portion to a father's first-born son, etc.--consult a rabbi for details). A person should reserve some money to fulfill the Torah commandment of inheritance. Consult a rabbi.
Since a person cannot give away property after his/her death (since he/she does not own it anymore), an American will has no halachic validity. An American will should be written to keep the inheritance out of the hands of the government and lawyers. In order for a secular will to be effective under halacha, an acquisition should be made that starts to take effect beginning at the time of the kinyan and finalize one hour before the person's death. 
Rabbinic guidance is recommended.

The International Dateline (IDL), which is 180 degrees away from Greenwich, England, crosses the Pacific ocean from north to south and divides a region of safek/doubt as to which day is Shabbat. This region's eastern boundary is a line 180 degrees east of Jerusalem, which lies between Hawaii and the US mainland; the western boundary is east of Shanghai. All countries in this region of IDL safek/doubt are island countries.
 
In a region of doubt, such as Tasmania, keep normal Shabbat (Shabbat d'rabanan) on local Saturday and keep Shabbat d'oraita on:

• West of mainland USA, but
• East of the IDL, and
• Not attached to the mainland.

• West of the IDL, but
• East of Shanghai, and
• Not attached to the mainland.

Note In all cases, you must still observe regular Shabbat on Friday night/Saturday.
Situation
You are in a place near the International Dateline (IDL) in which you are not sure which day of the week it is halachically: Shabbat or, if you are east or west of the IDL, Friday or Sunday.
What To Do
On the Friday or Sunday in question, there is no shvut (d'rabanan prohibitions, including muktza), so you may do all melacha d'rabanan WITHOUT a shinui. You may:

• Ask or tell a non-Jew to do anything, including a melacha d'rabanan or d'oraita.
• Ride in a cab or car driven by a non-Jew.

• Use electricity--except for heat or light—including turning on a fan or air conditioner (heat and light are forbidden by the Torah).
• Use the telephone. (Using a cellphone may be permissible--ask a rabbi).

• Carry from a private domain (reshut ha'yachid) to another private domain, even through a public domain (reshut ha'rabim); but you may not stop walking in the public domain and you may not put the object down in the public domain unless you use a shinui.
• There is no practical way to light candles, even using a shinui, but a non-Jew may light them for you and and you may say the blessing on the candles.
• Swim, surf, scuba dive, climb, and play all games that do not use melacha. You may not wring out clothes and if you are swimming or scuba diving, your swimsuit or wetsuit must be clean.
• Walk any distance (there is no techum Shabbat d'oraita).
• Kinyan. You may acquire items.

• Fly, including check in and getting on plane if:
  • The pilot is non-Jewish, and
  • You don't do any melacha d'oraita (including any writing) without a shinui.
• Use a computer if it automatically goes to sleep after less than 24 hours of not being used.
• Shower. However:
  • You may not use an “instant on” hot water system in which the water is heated as you use it; you may only use the hot water if it has a holding tank.
  • You may use only liquid soap; hard soap is forbidden.
• Ingest medicine (but you may not smear it on skin).
• Use some make up, such as rouge, mascara, eye shadow. You may not use lipstick.
• Open a refrigerator with light (and all other psik reisha d'la neicha lei).

• You may buy necessities on Friday or Sunday as long as:
  • The store owner is not Jewish (or if he/she is Jewish, does not write or print a receipt),
  • You do not write, and
  • There is no reshut ha'rabim.

You may also do melacha d'oraita if:

• You use a shinui (non-normal way of doing that action--this is forbidden d'rabanan on Shabbat but is allowed on the Friday or Sunday in question), OR
• Two or more people do the melacha together.

 
D'oraita, you may not:

• Cook food.

• Turn on lights (but you may turn them off).
• Carry from domains.
• Boneh – building any permanent structure.
• Write two or more letters of the alphabet.
• Drive--there is no practical way to drive using a shinui.
• Shave--there is no practical way to shave using a shinui.
• Use toothpaste (but you may use tooth-cleaning powder).
• Use skin cream--you may dab it on without smearing it.

However, you may do these following actions with a shinui on the Friday or Sunday in question, as follows:

• Cook food. You must put food in the cooking utensil first, then turn on the heat with shinui. You may turn off the heat even without a shinui.
• Turn on lights (such as with your elbow).
• Stop along the way when carrying from a private domain (reshut ha'yachid) to another private domain, even through a public domain (reshut ha'rabim). As a shinui, you may carry the object in your mouth (as long as it is not food), etc.

Note Carrying something in your pocket is NOT a shinui.

• Tear paper (such as putting toilet paper across knees and moving the knees apart).
• Write (such as with the opposite hand).

Flying East From Australia on Sunday If You Cross IDL from Friday into Saturday