Question: May one add one’s own personal requests into the Amida prayer? What is the correct custom regarding this matter? Answer: Our Sages (Berachot 34a) discuss whether or not one may add personal requests into one’s Amida prayer and said, as follows: “One may never ask for one’s personal needs during either the first…
Tag: Halacha Yomit
Kiddushin 40b
One Should Constantly View Himself as Half Innocent and Half Guilty Our Sages (Kiddushin 40b) teach us that one should always view himself as half innocent and half guilty. If one performs one Mitzvah, he is praiseworthy, for he has tipped the scale to the innocent side. If one transgresses one prohibition, woe unto him,…
The Month of Elul
Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l writes that Hashem bestowed a great kindness upon his Jewish nation by revealing to them that the Day of Judgment is on the First of Tishrei (for in truth, the other nations of the world are also judged on this day, but since they do not know about this,…
Laws and Customs of Selichot
Today, Tuesday, is Rosh Chodesh Elul (the first of a two-day Rosh Chodesh, today and tomorrow), which is the beginning of the month of mercy and forgiveness. The Source for the Significance of the Month of Elul It is taught in Pirkei De’Rabbi Eliezer: “For forty days on Mount Sinai, Moshe Rabbeinu would read the…
Is it impossible for one to repent?
Question: Is it possible that one can act so sinfully before Hashem that it will be impossible for one to repent? Answer: The Gemara (Chagiga 15a) recounts the story of Elisha ben Avuya, also nicknamed “Acher” (the other one), one of the teachers of Rabbi Meir Ba’al Ha’Ness. He was a tremendous genius in Torah…
Erev Shabbat
Leaving a Radio on From Erev Shabbat Question (By popular demand): May one leave a radio (or television) turned on before the onset of Shabbat in order for it to continue to operate on Shabbat? Similarly, may people in certain areas outside of Israel listen to Israeli radio after Shabbat has concluded when it is…
Sounds Heard
Sounds Heard on the Radio or Over the Telephone Question: Can one fulfill his obligation to hear a blessing, Torah reading, or Megillah reading by hearing these things on the radio? Similarly, may one answer Amen to a blessing one hears recited on the radio? Answer: We must first introduce this topic by discussing the…
Bar Soap on Shabbat
Bar Soap on Shabbat Question: May one use bar soap on Shabbat to wash one’s hands and the like or is this forbidden? Answer: In the previous Halacha, we have discussed the disagreement among the Rishonim regarding crushing ice on Shabbat and turning it into liquid, whereby according to the Sefer Ha’Terumah, this is prohibited…
Law Regarding Melting Ice on Shabbat
The Law Regarding Melting Ice on Shabbat In the previous Halacha, we have learned that it is permissible to make ice on Shabbat. The Gemara (Shabbat 51b) states: “Our Sages taught: One may not crush snow or hail on Shabbat; however, one may place it into one’s cup or dish and one need not be…
Gemara does not apply here?
Question: May one fill up an ice tray with water and place it in the freezer in order to make ice cubes on Shabbat? Answer: The Gemara (Shabbat 95a) states that one who makes cheese on Shabbat by clumping together milk flakes has transgressed the Torah prohibition of building on Shabbat. Some deduce from this…
Blessings of the Torah
The Law Regarding a Woman Who Forgets to Recite the Blessings of the Torah We have explained in the previous Halacha that if one forgets to recites the Blessings of the Torah and only realizes this after one has concluded Shacharit prayers, one may no longer recite these blessings, for one has already fulfilled his…
Morning Blessings
The Law Regarding One Who Forgets to Recite the Morning Blessings The Morning Blessings (“Birkot Ha’Shachar”) are the blessings recited every morning beginning from the “Elohai Neshama” blessing until the end of the Blessings of the Torah. Both men and women must recite these blessings, as we have discussed in the laws of the Morning…
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