Living the halachic process

How Many People Must Begin Shemoneh Esrei Together?

Beginning Shemoneh Esrei with fewer than ten men engaging in that central part of the tefilla, even if...

Saying Shemoneh Esrei Audibly

There are two matters to discuss here: whether the davener may act in this manner and what you...

Al HaMichya on a Fruit

The answer depends on which fruit you ate. Before we explain this answer, we will begin by summarizing...

Beracha Acharona on Fruit of Non-Jews in Israel

The two versions of the beracha of Al HaEtz appear in the gemara. The gemara initially states that...

Doubt Whether One Recited Birkat HaTorah

In general, when one has a doubt as to whether or not he is obligated in reciting a...

Responding to Devarim Shebekedusha‎‎ during One’s Beracha

There are two basic reasons why one should not speak external matters during a beracha: the disgrace to...

Stopping the Kohen Before the Second Aliya

The answer is that it depends how far the kohen has progressed in the second aliya. If he...

Answering Unsynchronized Birkat Kohanim

The gemara states that the congregation should not answer amen before the kohanim have completed each beracha. Is...

Calling “Kohanim” to an Under-Age Kohen

The halacha upon which your question is based – that we call “Kohanim” before Birkat Kohanim only when...

Chazan Starting with Chazarat HaShatz

The idea of a chazan starting chazarat hashatz without first reciting a silent Shemoneh Esrei is discussed in...

Saying Kaddish when Lacking Full Participation

A relatively similar case to those you ask about is what is called poress al Shema. This refers...

Waiting Between the Beracha and the Kri’at HaTorah

Many sources equate talking between a beracha and the food to which it relates with doing so between...

Dilemmas of a Chazan for Kedusha on Shabbat

Kedusha indeed consists of three (or four) introductory statements, each of which leads into a pasuk (from Yeshayahu,...

Practicing Saying “V’ten Tal U’Matar”

If one is unsure whether he remembered to cease saying “Mashiv haruach u’morid hageshsem” (=Mashiv) in a tefilla...

An Israeli Serving as Chazan Abroad Before December 5

In Israel, the request for rain in tefilla is inserted beginning on 7 Marcheshvan, several weeks before it...

Ma’ariv Around the Time of Chatzot

If one has time to recite only either Kri’at Shema or Shemoneh Esrei before chatzot, Kri’at Shema clearly...

Finishing Time for Mincha

The end of the day is composed of different stages. First there is sheki’ah, the end of definite...

Musaf or Hallel First at Day’s End?

Chazal consider a number of factors in giving one mitzva precedence over another, such as tadir (the one...

Reciting Aleinu Along with the Tzibbur

Let us trace the source of what you apparently heard regarding saying Aleinu with the tzibbur and then...

A Kohen and Others Joining for a Minyan “in” a Cemetery

Most of the halachic discussion regarding tziruf (joining together as a halachic group) for a minyan relates to...

Shehecheyanu on Shofar on the Second Day of Rosh Hashana

Shehecheyanu is recited at Kiddush on the second day of Yom Tov in chutz la’aretz, even though it...

Simanim on Rosh Hashana

There are various credible minhagim regarding these matters, and it is not our place to imply that one...

Missing the First Beracha of Havdala

Clearly, the most important beracha of Havdala is the final one, HaMavdil, which speaks about contrasts, especially between...

To What Does Havdala Relate?

The Rambam appears to have a clear stance on the matter, as he views Kiddush and Havdala as...

Eating before Kiddush

We will begin by examining the halachic indications in a situation in which there are no extenuating circumstances,...

Lighting Candles When One Needs to Leave the House

We will begin with a discussion of the possibilities and preferences as to what one should/can do when...

Kabbalat Shabbat of Part of the Community

The Shulchan Aruch rules, based on the Mordechai, that individual members of the community, even those who have...

A Husband Accepting Shabbat with his Wife

A community’s candle-lighting time is not the time that all community members are expected to accept Shabbat. The...

Automatic Payment on Shabbat or Yom Tov

Much of this answer is developed at length in a teshuva in BeMareh HaBazak IX:6. We will add...

When and How to Cut the Challa

The question of the timing of the cutting of a loaf of bread, roll, etc., is the subject...