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Late Shema: L'Olam Yehei Adam by Third Hour
Situation
You will not have time to say the morning shema by the end of the third hour of the day, but you will say l'olam yehei adam by then.

What To Do
Instead of saying the first line of shema, say:
•          El melech ne'eman.
•          Entire shema. Then
•          Paragraph that ends in mekadeish et shimcha b'rabim.
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.
If Arrive Late on Shabbat or Jewish Festival Morning
If you are late to minyan on Shabbat (or Jewish festival) morning, say:
  • Shacharit while the minyan is saying the musaf amida (as long as it is not yet too late to say shacharit), and then say
  • Musaf while the reader is repeating the amida.
 
Lakes or Ponds as Mikva
A lake or pond may be a kosher mikva if it is:
  • Fed from ground water (percolates through the soil); or
  • Primarily fed from a spring; or
  • Primarily fed from rain.
Note The rain must run into the lake or pond directly. If the water enters, or drains out, via pipes, it is not a kosher mikva. However, if the lake or pond gets rain from run-off from streets through pipes, it might be a kosher mikva. Consult a rabbi. 
Note A lake or pond that drains out through a river or stream may not be a kosher mikva. Consult a rabbi.
Note A lake or pond into which a river or stream empties, might be a kosher mikva. Consult a rabbi.
Note A lake or pond with a river running into it and then out of it is considered a river. For immersing in a river, see Rivers as Kosher Mikva.
Starting Shema before Prayer Leader Says
If you are late to shacharit or ma'ariv minyan and start the shema before the prayer leader has finished saying “emet” at the end of the shema, do not say El melech ne'eman.
 
Finishing Amida before Leader Says Kedusha
If you arrive late for any minyan (except ma'ariv) that is about to start the amida, try to finish saying your amida before the leader gets to kedusha, if you can.
If you know you will not be able to finish your amida in time to say kedusha with the minyan:
  • Wait for the leader to start the repetition of the amida.
  • Say the repetition of the amida word for word with the leader, including kedusha, until the end of the third blessing (ha'el ha'kadosh).
  • Once you and he have both finished saying the third blessing, you may continue at your own pace regardless of whether you will finish before or after him.
If for any reason you have not yet finished saying your amida by the time the leader begins saying the reader's repetition, do not say amen or any other replies to the prayer leader's repetition. However, when he begins to say kedusha or kaddish:
  • Pause in your own amida and listen without answering or saying anything.
  • Once the leader has finished kedusha (that is, he has said baruch kevod adonai mi'mkomo) or kaddish (that is, he has said da'amiran be'alma v'imru amen), resume your private amida.

Exception See Responding to Prayer Leader before Elohai Netzur.
Note For ma'ariv, if you arrive late and the minyan is about to start the amida, do not say shema and the other prayers that precede the amida but start immediately so you say your amida with the minyan and then return to say the parts you skipped.
What To Skip To Catch Up in Shacharit
If you arrive late for a shacharit minyan, or if you are lagging behind the leader, you may skip all of psukei d'zimra to catch up--except for:
  • Baruch she'amar,
  • Ashrei, and
  • Yishtabach.
You may also not skip any parts from yishtabach to the amida.
Note After you have said the amida, you do not need to return to say the rest of psukei d'zimra.
Note This should not be done routinely. It is better to pray alone or to say the amida along with the leader during the reader's repetition of the amida in order to allow yourself time to say the psukei d'zimra.
Mikva in Nature: Rabbinic Guidance
Rabbinic guidance is recommended when using a river, lake, or spring as a mikva due to:
  • Problems of mud, dirt, or sand, and
  • Difficulty in checking if the person is fully underwater,
  • It might not be a kosher mikva.
Note This section applies to the immersion of both utensils and people, since the same principles apply.
Chanuka: Customs: Foods
It is a non-binding custom to eat potato pancakes (latkes) on Chanuka; in Israel, it is also a non-binding custom to eat jelly-filled doughnuts (sufganiot).
Rosh Hashana: Tashlich: Where To Say
Tashlich should be said near a running natural stream or a lake but not at a mikva.
Chanuka: Candles: Wife May Light for Husband
A wife may light Chanuka candles for her husband if he is not home.
Note If your wife lit for you and you return late at night, you do not need to light for yourself.
When You May Eat Before Your Pet Eats
You must be very careful to feed your animals every day before you eat (otherwise you are violating a Torah commandment). If your animal only eats late in the day, you may eat before that.
 
Kiddush Levana: When To Say: Shabbat
You may say kiddush levana on Shabbat, if needed.
Examples
  • Shabbat is the last possible night that month to say kiddush levana.
  • The forecast is for clouds for the other nights until it will be too late that month to say kiddush levana.
 
Note On Shabbat, say only the blessing of kiddush levana, not the psalms or other phrases (psukim).
How Much Effort To Pray with a Minyan
Praying with a minyan is very important and you should travel up to 18 minutes away in order to get to a minyan.
Note If waking up early will mess up the rest of your day, you do not need to wake up to go.
Example You may pray by yourself if joining a minyan would cause you:
  • To be late to work,
  • To lose your job,
  • To interfere with your caring for a sick person or someone who needs attention,
  • To injure your health,
  • Financial loss, or
  • Shalom bayit problems.
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).

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.
Note Men who intentionally delayed saying shacharit past the fourth halachic hour of the day may not say that amida at all and may not say the mincha amida as tashlumin.
See Minyan: Keeping Pace: Shacharit Minyan.