Search results for: ""Ma'ariv""
How To Count Omer before Dark
The ideal time and way to count the omer is to wait until dark, stand up, say the blessing, and then count the omer for that day.
SITUATION You want to count the omer before dark (as is often done in synagogues at the end of ma'ariv).
STATUSSince the correct practice is to count the omer after dark, you should:
SITUATION You want to count the omer before dark (as is often done in synagogues at the end of ma'ariv).
STATUSSince the correct practice is to count the omer after dark, you should:
- Count again with a blessing sometime after dark, or else
- Count during the following day (but before sunset) without a blessing.
Jewish Festivals: Earliest Mincha
The earliest permissible time to say mincha before a Jewish festival is one-half hour after halachic midday, as with all mincha prayers including before Shabbat.
Note You may begin the second day of any Jewish festival as early as plag ha'mincha. You should ideally say mincha before plag and then say ma'ariv after plag; but if you are praying with a minyan, you may say mincha anytime after plag and then say ma'ariv immediately afterward, just as on Shabbat.
Note However, there is nothing gained by saying mincha early before a Jewish festival:
Note However, there is nothing gained by saying mincha early before a Jewish festival:
- We don't want to start Rosh Hashana (Yom HaDin) early and no one wants to start Yom Kippur early.
- You may not start either seder until after dark on Passover.
- You could eat in a sukka before dark on either of the first two days of Sukkot, but you would not fulfill the requirement of eating in a sukka since it was not dark.
- Likewise, the first day of Shavuot does not begin until after dark.
- Since you may not say the blessing on eating in a sukka on Shmini Atzeret (which you would have to do if you eat before dark), there is nothing gained by saying mincha and ma'ariv early on that day, either.
Talit Gadol: Amida
A talit is required only when saying the amida prayer, but the universal custom (for men who wear talitot!) is to wear the talit during the entire shacharit service.
Note A talit is worn for shacharit, musaf, and all day and night on Yom Kippur; it is not commonly worn for mincha or ma'ariv (except on Yom Kippur).
Note A talit is worn for shacharit, musaf, and all day and night on Yom Kippur; it is not commonly worn for mincha or ma'ariv (except on Yom Kippur).
When To Say Psalm 27/L'David Adonai Ori V'Yish'i
Begin saying L'David Adonai ori v'yish'i (Psalm 27) on the first day (at night) of Elul, not the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul (the 30th of Av). The last day to say this Psalm is 22nd of Tishrei (Shmini Atzeret). This Psalm is recited twice daily, in shacharit after shir shel yom and in ma'ariv after alenu, including on Shabbat and Jewish festivals.
When Shabbat Starts: General
There are many approaches as to when to start Shabbat:
Men
For men, whichever is first:
Women
For women, whichever is first:
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
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).
Jewish Festivals: Candles: Earliest Time To Light
You may not light Jewish festival (or Shabbat) 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 may light a candle without a blessing, just so you can have a flame for after the festival has begun. You go to synagogue and after ma'ariv you return home and light the candles from the flame which was burning from before sunset. If you will not have a flame burning from before sunset, 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. Women should skip mincha and light candles either 18 minutes before sunset or have a flame burning from before sunset and light candles from that flame once the festival has begun (but she may not light from a new flame or a match).
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 may light a candle without a blessing, just so you can have a flame for after the festival has begun. You go to synagogue and after ma'ariv you return home and light the candles from the flame which was burning from before sunset. If you will not have a flame burning from before sunset, 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. Women should skip mincha and light candles either 18 minutes before sunset or have a flame burning from before sunset and light candles from that flame once the festival has begun (but she may not light from a new flame or a match).
Amida Errors: Chonein HaDaat/Yismach Moshe/Tikanta Shabbat/Ata Echad/Rashei Chodashim/Ata Vichartanu
What: Chonein HaDaat/Yismach Moshe/Tikanta Shabbat/Ata Echad/Rashei Chodashim/Ata Vichartanu
Where: Amida 4th paragraph
Error #1: You Said the Wrong Paragraph on Shabbat or Jewish Festival
Examples
-
You said the weekday version on Shabbat or Jewish festival--or the reverse.
-
You began to say the version for a different Shabbat service (say, it is Shabbat mincha and you said the version for Shabbat shacharit).
WHAT TO DO
1) If you erroneously began the fourth paragraph for weekday on Shabbat or Jewish festival ma'ariv, shacharit, or mincha:
Finish the erroneous blessing and then begin the correct version.
2) If you erroneously began the fourth paragraph for weekday at musaf:
Stop wherever you are and say correct fourth paragraph.
3) If you began to say the fourth paragraph from the wrong Shabbat service:
It is OK, b'di'avad.
Error #2 You Said the Wrong Paragraph on a Weekday or at any Musaf:
Example
You said the weekday fourth paragraph at musaf for Rosh Chodesh.
WHAT TO DO
Stop wherever you are and say correct fourth paragraph.
Introduction to Prayers
Prayer brings us closer to God. When we ask for things from God, even though God already knows what we want and need, we get merit (zechut) for the prayer.
Particularly in synagogue, a holy place, we must be always cognizant of God's presence and take special care to show respect to God in His house. This awareness is even more important than memorizing the halachot of prayer: those who speak in synagogue are showing disrespect to God as well as disturbing others and preventing them from praying with concentration (kavana).
The three daily prayer services--shacharit, mincha, and ma'ariv--are related to the three forefathers who instituted them. They partly take the place of—and are modeled after--the Temple sacrifices.
If you find you have made an error in saying a blessing or prayer, you may correct your error without having to repeat any previous parts if you do so within 2.5 seconds.
Particularly in synagogue, a holy place, we must be always cognizant of God's presence and take special care to show respect to God in His house. This awareness is even more important than memorizing the halachot of prayer: those who speak in synagogue are showing disrespect to God as well as disturbing others and preventing them from praying with concentration (kavana).
The three daily prayer services--shacharit, mincha, and ma'ariv--are related to the three forefathers who instituted them. They partly take the place of—and are modeled after--the Temple sacrifices.
If you find you have made an error in saying a blessing or prayer, you may correct your error without having to repeat any previous parts if you do so within 2.5 seconds.
Note Prayers (tefilot) are said at set times; blessings (brachot) are said whenever the correct situation occurs for them. Even though prayers contain blessings within them, blessings and prayers are in separate sections in this website.
When To Pray: Traveler's Questions: Crossing from Day-Night or Night-Day
Always say the prayer service based on the day and time where you are at the moment you are ready to pray.
Flying West
Situation
You fly west and take off before sunrise.
What To Do
If the sun will rise while you are flying, you may say shacharit from the time of alot ha'shachar on the ground below where you are when you begin to pray.
Situation
You fly west, taking off during the daytime.
What To Do
Say mincha whenever the sun has gone at least 30 minutes past the local midday where you are at that time.
Situation
You fly west into the night.
What To Do
Say ma'ariv. once it is night on the ground below you.
Note On a long west-bound flight, you might not have to say any prayer services, since you might still be covered by whatever prayer service you said before you took off.
Flying East
Situation
You cross the international dateline passing through the night and are now back in the day you already experienced.
What To Do
You ignore the fact that you said the prayer service on that day and say it again.
Situation
You fly from Australia on Tuesday, departing during the daytime. You will fly into the night of Monday and continue on back into Tuesday.
What To Do
You disregard the fact that you already said ma'ariv for Monday and you say ma'ariv again. If your flight continues until sunrise, you will also say shacharit for Tuesday again.
Situation
You fly from Australia on Tuesday morning and cross the IDL during the daytime of Tuesday and are now back into Monday.
What To Do
You do not say any prayer service until your flight crosses into night, whether that happens in flight or after you have landed. You will need to say mincha at some time during the day.
Situation
You fly east but you do not cross the international dateline.
What To Do
If you cross into the night, you will say ma'ariv as you normally would do. If you took off at night and cross into daytime, you will say shacharit.
Note When flying east from night into day, there is a very brief time period when you may say shema of the morning, since you may not say shema until alot ha'shachar and must say shema by the end of the third hour of the local day. When flying east, instead of having about 4 hours during which to say shema, you might only have two or so hours.
Note Regarding saying the shir shel yom (psalm for the day of the week), follow the local day.
Flying West
Situation
You fly west and take off before sunrise.
What To Do
If the sun will rise while you are flying, you may say shacharit from the time of alot ha'shachar on the ground below where you are when you begin to pray.
Situation
You fly west, taking off during the daytime.
What To Do
Say mincha whenever the sun has gone at least 30 minutes past the local midday where you are at that time.
Situation
You fly west into the night.
What To Do
Say ma'ariv. once it is night on the ground below you.
Note On a long west-bound flight, you might not have to say any prayer services, since you might still be covered by whatever prayer service you said before you took off.
Flying East
Situation
You cross the international dateline passing through the night and are now back in the day you already experienced.
What To Do
You ignore the fact that you said the prayer service on that day and say it again.
Situation
You fly from Australia on Tuesday, departing during the daytime. You will fly into the night of Monday and continue on back into Tuesday.
What To Do
You disregard the fact that you already said ma'ariv for Monday and you say ma'ariv again. If your flight continues until sunrise, you will also say shacharit for Tuesday again.
Situation
You fly from Australia on Tuesday morning and cross the IDL during the daytime of Tuesday and are now back into Monday.
What To Do
You do not say any prayer service until your flight crosses into night, whether that happens in flight or after you have landed. You will need to say mincha at some time during the day.
Situation
You fly east but you do not cross the international dateline.
What To Do
If you cross into the night, you will say ma'ariv as you normally would do. If you took off at night and cross into daytime, you will say shacharit.
Note When flying east from night into day, there is a very brief time period when you may say shema of the morning, since you may not say shema until alot ha'shachar and must say shema by the end of the third hour of the local day. When flying east, instead of having about 4 hours during which to say shema, you might only have two or so hours.
Note Regarding saying the shir shel yom (psalm for the day of the week), follow the local day.
Introduction to Fast Days
Introduction to Fast Days
The purpose of Jewish fast days is to make us reflect on our behavior and improve it by:
All fast days may be circumvented for health reasons. Consult a rabbi.
Fast days come in several varieties:
The Major Fasts
Yom Kippur and the Ninth of Av begin before sunset and are both slightly longer than 24 hours. Yom Kippur is a festive day while, on the Ninth of Av, Jews mourn for the destruction of both Jerusalem Temples (the first was destroyed by Babylonians; the second, by the Romans). On both fasts, it is forbidden to:
The Minor Fasts
The four minor fasts begin 72 minutes before local sunrise. They technically end at dark but functionally end after ma'ariv (and for the Fast of Esther, after hearing the megila). Unlike most times in the Jewish calendar, this 72 minutes is normal time and NOT based on the current length of the day (sha'a zmanit):
Note On a fast day that has been delayed for Shabbat, there may be leniencies for:
Fast for first-born males 13 years old and older, on the day before Passover. This includes first-born cohanim and Levites (levi'im). The fast begins 72 normal minutes before sunrise and ends with kiddush at the seder. However, the widespread custom is to attend a siyum on the day before the first seder so that the first-born men do not need to fast on that day.
Personal Fasts
Fast by a groom and bride on their wedding day is an example of personal fasts. This fast begins 72 normal minutes before sunrise and ends with drinking wine under the chuppa.
The purpose of Jewish fast days is to make us reflect on our behavior and improve it by:
- Eliminating negative actions and thoughts, and
- Taking more care in our observance of the commandments.
All fast days may be circumvented for health reasons. Consult a rabbi.
Fast days come in several varieties:
- Major fast days: Yom Kippur and the Ninth of Av (Tish'a B'Av).
- Minor fast days: There are four minor fast days; see below.
- Fast for First-Born
- Individual Fasts
The Major Fasts
Yom Kippur and the Ninth of Av begin before sunset and are both slightly longer than 24 hours. Yom Kippur is a festive day while, on the Ninth of Av, Jews mourn for the destruction of both Jerusalem Temples (the first was destroyed by Babylonians; the second, by the Romans). On both fasts, it is forbidden to:
- Eat or drink.
- Wear leather shoes (but you may wear any other clothing made of leather).
- Bathe (or even to wash anything more than fingers; you may not use a deodorant--not even a spray type--since it is similar to washing).
- Have marital relations.
- Use cosmetics or body scents.
The Minor Fasts
The four minor fasts begin 72 minutes before local sunrise. They technically end at dark but functionally end after ma'ariv (and for the Fast of Esther, after hearing the megila). Unlike most times in the Jewish calendar, this 72 minutes is normal time and NOT based on the current length of the day (sha'a zmanit):
- Fast of Esther (Ta'anit Esther): Day preceding Purim (or sometimes earlier).
- Fast of Gedalia (Tzom Gedalia): Usually the day after Rosh Hashana.
- Tenth of Tevet (Asara b' Tevet):
- Seventeenth of Tamuz (Shiv'asar b'Tamuz): Beginning of the Three Weeks of semi-mourning beforeTish'a b'Av.
Note On a fast day that has been delayed for Shabbat, there may be leniencies for:
- The mohel, sandak, and father of a baby getting a brit mila to eat after mincha.
- Pregnant or nursing women (this leniency applies to eating throughout the day).
Fast for first-born males 13 years old and older, on the day before Passover. This includes first-born cohanim and Levites (levi'im). The fast begins 72 normal minutes before sunrise and ends with kiddush at the seder. However, the widespread custom is to attend a siyum on the day before the first seder so that the first-born men do not need to fast on that day.
Personal Fasts
Fast by a groom and bride on their wedding day is an example of personal fasts. This fast begins 72 normal minutes before sunrise and ends with drinking wine under the chuppa.
Jewish Festivals: Ending: Before Havdala: Baruch HaMavdil
Say baruch ha'mavdil bein kodesh l'chol (without saying God's name!) if:
- It is already “dark” (you can see three medium-size stars--tzeit ha'kochavim), and
- You want to end the Jewish festival (and Shabbat) before saying ma'ariv's amida or havdala.
Note Saying this formula allows you to do melacha, but you may not eat or drink until you have said or heard havdala.
Note Men must still say the amida and men and women must say or hear havdala later even if they said baruch ha'mavdil bein kodesh l'chol. For how late you may say havdala after a Jewish festival, see Jewish Festival Havdala at Night or Next Day.
Note Men must still say the amida and men and women must say or hear havdala later even if they said baruch ha'mavdil bein kodesh l'chol. For how late you may say havdala after a Jewish festival, see Jewish Festival Havdala at Night or Next Day.
Baruch HaMavdil Bein Kodesh L'Chol To Do Melacha
After it is dark, say Baruch ha'mavdil bein kodesh l'chol (just those words--not God's name or any of the standard words used in blessings!) if you want to end Shabbat and do weekday activities (melachot) before saying ma'ariv's amida or havdala.
Reason This fulfills the commandment of “zachor” for Shabbat and allows you to do melacha.
Note But it does not allow you to eat or drink, once you have finished se'uda shlishit, until you hear or say havdala.
Note But it does not allow you to eat or drink, once you have finished se'uda shlishit, until you hear or say havdala.
Don't Answer Amen within 2.5 Seconds
Don't answer amen if you finish a prayer or blessing within 2.5 seconds after the prayer leader (cantor) finishes the same prayer or blessing as you are saying. However, in these three cases, you may say amen, even if you finish exactly together with the leader:
- End of yishtabach;
- End of Hallel;
- Ma'ariv's shomer amo yisrael la'ad.