Tefillah

Question 1

What is the optimum time for Shema and Tefillah?

What if you pray before that?

Answer 1

נץ החמה
If it is after עמוד השחר and you can recognize your friend from four amot (shema) and the eastern side is lit (tefillah) then you are yotzei.

Question 2

What is the end time for the Shema?

Tefillah?

Answer 2

3 halachic hours

4 halachic hours

Question 3

After חצות, can you pray morning tefillah?

Answer 3

No

Question 4

If you are studying Torah at home and it becomes נץ החמה what should you do?

Answer 4

Stop studying and say Shema and Tefillah.
It is forbidden to study Torah before you say Tefillah.
Unless you are used to going to synagogue or teaching people at home. THen you can stay keep studying / teaching.

Question 5

Is it more important to pray Shema or Tefillah at the proper time? Give one example.

Answer 5

Shema is more important to be prayed at the proper time.

If you ahve to go on teh road early, you should pray tefillah at home, then go and say shema on the road at its proper time. Also, it is better to do tefillah while standing still.

Question 6

Can you pray the amidah when standing on a chair?

Answer 6

No not even if the are super short.

Question 7

If you want to pray the amidah on an elevated place, what can you do?

Answer 7

YOu have to make sure the place is big enough to be its own domain – 3 tefach high, 4 amot by 4 amot.

Or if the place is surrounded by partitions thne it is ok.

Question 8

If there is a synagogue where the congregation is praying the amidah, can you pass by w/out going in?f

Answer 8

It can’t look like you are blowing off the amidah. So you have to be wearing tefillin, riding an animal, or something like that.

Question 9

Is it better to pray in a synagogue or a Beit Midrash?

Answer 9

Beit Midrash, since it is more holy.

Question 10

Should you pray in a different seat every time?

Answer 10

No, you should have a makom kavuah in synagogue.

Question 11

Can you sit behind a column in synagogue?

Answer 11

No, there shouldn’t be an interruption between you and the wall.

Question 12

Can you pray the tefillah near artwork?

What about a book that has drawings near the tefillah?

Answer 12

No. If you are near the artwork, close your eyes so you don’t get distracted.
Books should be free from artwork.

Question 13

Can you say the amidah near your teacher?

Answer 13

Yes, but it can’t look like you are bowing to them. Ie, you are both in makom kavuah in the synagogue.
Otherwise, move four amot away.

Question 14

What four things make a place unfit for reading the Shema or Tefillah?

Answer 14

1) excrement / urine
2) Bad smells
3) dead person
4) Naked person

Question 15

When you pray the Amidah, you should face Israel. If in Israel, you face the holy of holies. If you have no idea what direction these are in, what should you do?

Answer 15

Aim your hearts/ thoughts at “Father in Heaven” and turn your face to the side.

Question 16

If you are riding on a donkey, ship, or walking on a journey and it is time to pray tefillah what should you do?

Answer 16

Keep traveling and pray while you travel. Even on a donkey. , since once you stop your mind will be on the journey not the prayer. If you can stop and concentrate, do that.
Some say to stop for the Avot.

Question 17

IF you are riding an animal and you can’t get down to say the Amidah, how do you take three steps back?

Answer 17

Make the animal back up three steps.

Question 18

If one is sick and can’t get up to say the tefillah, how can you pray it?

Answer 18

If you can, roll on your side.

If you can’t speak, say it in your heart.

Question 19

CAn you say the Amida leaning on a wall?

Answer 19

No, you have to be standing on your own.

Question 20

If you say the Amidah sitting, what should you do?

Answer 20

When you can, stand and say it again.

Question 21

Position for starting the Amida? 3 things

Answer 21

1) Feet together, so you resemble an angel
2) Bow with eyes facing the ground
3) Hands clasped over your heart, right hand over left.

Question 22

Can you hold things while saying the Amidah?

What are two exceptions?

Answer 22

You shouldn’t hold things that you are concerned that you’ll drop ie money or food or an iphone.
Except lulav and a siddur, since we are holding those things for mitzvah sake, so we won’t be distracted.

Question 23

If a foreign thought comes to you during tefillah, what should you do?

Answer 23

be silent until the thought has ceased.

Question 24

Can you drink a glass of wine before you say the Shema or Amidah?
What about other prayers?

Answer 24

You shouldn’t. But if you are ok to speak to a king, then you can pray. If you aren’t sober enough to speak before a king, then your prayer is ‘an abomination’.

You can pray other prayers drunk. OH 99.1

Question 25

Should we be concerned if someone comes to shul after drinking a glass of wine?

Answer 25

No. People can regulate themselves. Especially if they are holding a siddur, we are not too concerned.

Question 26

What should you do if you say the Amidah, but didn’t say the Avot with intention?

Answer 26

Karo : go back and say the whole thing again

Rama : wait for the shatz repetition.

Question 27

What language do you need to say the Amidah?

Answer 27

When praying alone : Hebrew b/c that is what the angels understand. Some say Hebrew is necessary only for when you ask for something for yourself /someone to be healed.
Some say not to use Aramaic, because the angels do not like Aramaic.

In congregation : Any language that you understand perfectly, since God hears these prayers directly.

Question 28

What do you do if you didn’t pray the Scharit Amidah?

Answer 28

Pray Mincha Amida twice.

Question 29

What do you do if you didn’t pray the Mincha Amidah?
“” the Maariv Amidah?

What if you miss both Scharait and Mincha?

Answer 29

Pray Maariv Amida twice.
Pray Schararit twice.

Double up on Ma’ariv – once for Ma’ariv and once for Mincha. And that is it. If you want to voluntarily do something for Scharit ok, but it isn’t necessary.

Question 30

If you miss praying the Friday Afternoon Mincha Amidah, what should you do?

Answer 30

You should pray Shabbat Ma’ariv Amidah twice. Both wordings have the Shabbat Amidah.

Question 31

Praying the Amidah : What should you do if you start praying ya’aleh v ya’bo and it is just a normal non holiday?

Answer 31

Stop praying it. There is no need to go back and redo the Tefillah. This goes for any mistake where you say something relevant to a day that it isn’t.

Question 32

If you are pressed for time or in an unsafe place, what is the shortened Amidah called?
When can you not say Havineyu?

Answer 32

Havineynu..
Say the first three blessings, then havineyu then last three blessings.
Motzei Shabbat, Motzei Yom Tov, or during rainy seasons (bavli only. Yersualmi allows for us to modify the prayer)

Question 33

Can you say “amen” in between גאל ישראל and the Amidah?

Answer 33

Most say no.

Tur says yes.

Question 34

A shalicach tzibbur makes a mistake during the Amidah. Do we need to replace them

a) when he forgets a paragraph and goes back to correct it?
b) when he forgets the paragraph ברכת המלשינים
c) when he forgets a paragraph and does not go back to correct it

Answer 34

a) no
b) yes
c) yes