Halocho #2408 - Sky gazing

When seeing comets or falling stars one says the Bracha of "Oseh Ma'aseh Breishith" - "Who makes the work of creation".

 ברוך אתה ה' א-לקינו מלך העולם

 עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית

The Bracha on falling stars can only be said once per night even if one sees different meteors every time.

One can only say the Bracha once per comet, unless 30 days have passed since one last saw it.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 60:2

עַל הַזִּיקִים, וְהוּא כּוֹכָב הַיּוֹרֶה כַּחֵץ בְּאֹרֶךְ הַשָּׁמַיִם מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, וְנִמְשָׁךְ אוֹרוֹ כְּשֵׁבֶט, וְעַל הַכּוֹכָב שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ זָנָב וְשֵׁבֶט שֶׁל אוֹרָה, וְעַל רְעִידַת הָאָרֶץ, וְעַל רוּחוֹת שֶׁנָּשְׁבוּ בְּזַעַף, וְעַל הַבְּרָקִים, עַל כָּל אַחַת מֵאֵלּוּ מְבָרֵךְ, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית. 

וְאֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ עַל הַזִּיקִים, כִּי אִם פַּעַם אַחַת בַּלַּיְלָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרָאָה עוֹד כּוֹכָב אַחֵר רָץ. 

וְעַל הַכּוֹכָב שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ זָנָב, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבֵּרַךְ עָלָיו, אֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ עוֹד, אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁלֹּא רָאָהוּ עַד לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם. 

- Danny

Wednesday, 7 Iyar 5784 - 22nd day of the Omer

 Please daven for the full recovery of the seriously wounded soldier

 מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן בֶּן לֵאָה בֵּילָא 

לרפואה שלמה

Halocho #2406 - Oops, I (almost) forgot to count the Omer

If you forget to count the Omer at night, then you should count during the next day - but without a Bracha. You then continue counting (at night) as usual with a Bracha.

If you forgot to count during the night as well as the following day, then you should still continue counting the Omer each night, but you may no longer make the Bracha.

If you're unsure if you counted the previous night, you may continue counting with a Bracha.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 120:2

מִי שֶׁשָּׁכַח כָּל הַלַּיְלָה וְלֹא סָפַר, יִסְפֹּר בַּיּוֹם בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה, וּבַלֵּילוֹת שֶׁאַחַר כָּךְ יִסְפֹּר בִּבְרָכָה. 

וְאִם שָׁכַח גַּם כָּל הַיּוֹם, יִסְפּוֹר אַחַר כָּךְ בְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת בְּלֹא בְרָכָה. 

וְאִם נִסְתַּפֵּק לוֹ אִם סָפַר בַּלַּיְלָה אוֹ לֹא, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא סָפַר בַּיוֹם שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו, מִכָּל מָקוֹם יָכוֹל לִסְפּוֹר שְׁאָר הַלֵּילוֹת בִּבְרָכָה.

- Danny

Monday, 5 Iyar 5784 - 20th day of the Omer

Please daven for the full recovery of the seriously wounded soldier 
 מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן בֶּן לֵאָה בֵּילָא
 לרפואה שלמה

Halocho #2405 - What day of the Omer is it today?

Before making the Bracha on counting the Omer, one should know which day one is going to count.

If one has not yet counted the Omer, and somebody wants to know which day we're up to, you should tell them "Yesterday was day such-and-such".

If, instead, you replied "Today is such-and-such" you may not be allowed to make a Bracha on that night's count, since you already counted.

However, you should still count "properly" (without a Bracha) since you have to mention the weeks as well as the days.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 120:3

הַשּׁוֹאֵל מֵחֲבֵרוֹ בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת אוֹ אַחַר כָּךְ, כַּמָּה מוֹנִים הַיּוֹם, יֹאמַר לוֹ, אֶתְמוֹל הָיָה כָּךְ וְכָךְ. שֶׁאִם יֹאמַר לוֹ כַּמָּה מוֹנִים הַיּוֹם, אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לְבָרֵךְ אַחַר כָּךְ עַל הַסְּפִירָה.

- Danny

Sunday, 4 Iyar 5784 - 19th day of the Omer

Please daven for the full recovery of the seriously wounded soldier
מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן בֶּן לֵאָה בֵּילָא לרפואה שלמה

Halocho #2398 - Countdown!

From the second day of Pessach until Shavu'ot we count the 49 days of the Omer.

Counting is done after nightfall, but one can count all night. 

Before counting a Bracha is said:

ברוך אתה... אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בּמִצְוֹתָיו, וצִוָּנוּ עַל ספִירַת הָעוֹמֶר

One counts both days and weeks, as the Torah says (Vayikra 23:15-16):

וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם ... שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת ... תִּסְפְּרוּ חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם

"And you shall count ... 7 weeks ... you shall count 50 days."

Today is the 8th day of the Omer which is 1 week and 1 day.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 120:1

בְּלֵיל שֵׁנִי שֶׁל פֶּסַח, מַתְחִילִין לִסְפֹּר סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר. וְסוֹפְרִין מְעֻמָּד. הַמִּצְוָה הוּא לִסְפּוֹר תֵּכֶף בְּהַתְחָלַת הַלַּיְלָה, אַחַר צֵאת הַכּוֹכָבִים. וּבְדִיעֲבַד, זְמַנָּהּ כָּל הַלָיְלָה.

- Danny, in Jerusalem

Wednesday, 23 Nissan 5784 - 8th day of the Omer

Halocho #1800 - Bless the blossoms

During the month of Nissan, trees start to blossom (in the Northern hemisphere).

The first time a year that one sees edible fruit trees blossoming one says:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱ-לקינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם - Blessed are you Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe,

שֶׁלּא חִסַּר בָּעוֹלָמוֹ דָּבָר - for nothing is lacking in His universe,

וּבָרָא בוֹ בְּרִיוֹת טוֹבוֹת וְאִילָנוֹת טוֹבוֹת - and He created in it good creatures and good trees,

לְהַנּוֹת בָּהֶם בְּנֵי אָדָם- to cause mankind pleasure with them.

Once the flowers have fallen off and the fruit is visible then one can no longer say this Bracha.

One makes this Bracha only once a year.

Source: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 226:1,

- Danny
Wednesday, 2 Nissan 5770

Halocho #1029 - - Which Bracha comes first?

This Shabbat will be Tu B'Shvat and customarily lots of fruit will be served.

Which fruit should you choose as the one to hold and make the Bracha on?

- If one has a favorite fruit and it's being offered, it should be used to make the Bracha on.

- If one has no preference then one of the "7 species" has preference.

- If there are none of the 7 species, then one should pick a whole fruit, as opposed to a cut one.

- A Boreh Pri Ha'Etz has precedence over Boreh Pri Ha'Adama (e.g. strawberries and bananas)

The 7 species are (in order of Bracha-precedence): Bread from wheat, cakes from wheat, Wine, Olives, Barley (baked or cooked), Dates, Grapes (in solid form), Figs, Pomegranates.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 55:1 - 3

- Danny
Monday, 10 Shvat 5773

Halocho #992 - How early can one light the Chanuka Menora?

Chanuka lights can already be lit from Plug HaMincha, with the Brachot.

Plug HaMincha is 75 Halachic-minutes before sunset. In Winter this is closer to 60 minutes; on the first day of Chanukah this year in Jerusalem, Plug HaMincha is at 15:32 which is 63 minutes before sunset.

When lighting early, the Menora has to burn until 30 minutes after nightfall.

(As we already learned: there are 2 opinions regarding nightfall: Some say it refers to dusk, other say it refers to 3 stars appearing (like Motzai Shabbat). Everybody should follow their family custom.)

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 139:1, 10

- Danny
Wednesday, 14 Kislev 5773

Halocho #843 -The tourists' Bracha guide

When seeing the ocean one says the Bracha of "Baruch... Oseh Ma'aseh Breishith" - "... Who makes the work of creation".

ברוך אתה ה' אלקינו מלך העולם
עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית

When seeing mountains that are famous for their height one says the same Bracha.

These Brachot can only be said if one hasn't seen the ocean or that specific mountain for 30 days; excluding the day one last saw it and excluding the day of the current sighting.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 60:5, 12
- Danny
Monday, 9 Tamuz 5771

Halocho #842 - Sky gazing

When seeing comets or falling stars one says the Bracha of "Oseh Ma'aseh Breishith" - "Who makes the work of creation".

 ברוך אתה ה' אלקינו מלך העולם
 עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית

The Bracha on falling stars can only be said once per night even if one sees different meteors every time.

One can only say the Bracha once per comet, unless 30 days have passed since one last saw it.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 60:2

- Danny
Sunday, 8 Tamuz 5771

Halocho #838 - What Bracha does one make on Good News

When finding out joyous tidings or upon hearing good news from a reliable source, one says a Bracha.

If it only affects oneself, then one says Shehechiyanu; "... who has kept us alive, sustained us and permitted us to reach this occasion."

ברוך אתה ה' אלקינו מלך העולם
שהחינו וקימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה

If it affects a group of people then one says Hatov Vehametiv; "..Who is Good, and bestows good."

ברוך אתה ה' אלקינו מלך העולם
הטוב והמטיב

If one cannot say the Bracha right away - due to an unclean location or hands - then one can say it later, as long as one still feel the joy.

Even if the joyful event will probably cause one trouble at a later date, one still says the Bracha.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 59:1,3

- Danny
Monday, 2 Tammuz 5771

Halocho #804 - Mind your own business

One should not stare at a field that is ripe and ready to be harvested, so as not to cause damage by Ayin Hora.

(Ayin Hora: Being somewhat envious of other's success, triggering a heavenly judgement which causes that success to become a failure.)

Obviously one may not stare at other people with the intent of causing them an Ayin Hora.

Similarly one should not watch other people at work if they do not want to be watched.

The correct behavior when seeing busy people is to wish them success and bless them with prosperity.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 183:6

- Danny
Monday, 12 Iyar 5771 - 27th day of the Omer

Halocho #803 - Don't forget to count the Omer

If you forget to count the Omer at night, then you should count the next day - but without a Bracha. You then continue counting (at night) as usual with a Bracha.

If you forgot to count during the night as well as the following day, then you should still continue counting the Omer, but you may no longer make the Bracha.

If you're unsure if you counted the previous night, you may continue counting with a Bracha.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 120:2

- Danny
Sunday, 11 Iyar 5771 - 26th day of the Omer

Halocho #799 - Bracha on entering a cemetery

When entering a Jewish cemetery - or seeing Jewish graves, one says a Bracha.

This Bracha is  only said if one has not seen Jewish graves in the past 30 days.

The Bracha is:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', אֱלקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם

אֲשֶׁר יָצַר אֶתְכֶם בַּדִין, וְזָן וְכִלְכֵּל אֶתְכֶם בַּדִין

וְהֵמִית אֶתְכֶם בַּדִין, וְיוֹדֵעַ מִסְפַּר כֻּלְּכֶם בַּדִין

וְהוּא עָתִיד לְהַחֲיוֹתכֶם וְלַקַיֵם אֶתְכֶם בַּדִין

 בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְחַיֵה הַמֵּתִים

"Blessed are you Hashem, Our Gcd, King of the universe,
Who fashioned you with justice, nourished and sustained you with justice,
took your lives with justice, and knows the sum total of you all with justice,
and He will restore and resuscitate you with judgment.
Blessed are you Hashem, Who resuscitates the dead.

One then continues with:

אַתָּה גִּבּוֹר לְעוֹלָם, אֲד-נָי. מְחַיֵּה מֵתִים אַתָּה, רַב לְהוֹשִׁיעַ. מְכַלְכֵּל חַיִּים בְּחֶסֶד, מְחַיֵּה מֵתִים בְּרַחֲמִים רַבִּים, סוֹמֵךְ נוֹפְלִים, וְרוֹפֵא חוֹלִים, וּמַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים, וּמְקַיֵּם אֱמוּנָתוֹ לִישֵׁנֵי עָפָר. מִי כָמוֹךָ בַעַל גְּבוּרוֹת, וּמִי דוֹמֶה לָּךְ, מֶלֶךְ מֵמִית וּמְחַיֶּה וּמַצְמִיחַ יְשׁוּעָה. וְנֶאֱמָן אַתָּה לְהַחֲיוֹת מֵתִים

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 60:11

- Danny
Monday, 5 Sivan 5771 - 20th day of the Omer

Halocho #782 - Bless the blossoms

During the month of Nissan trees start to blossom (in the Northern hemisphere).

The first time a year that one sees edible fruit trees blossoming one says:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱ-לקינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם - Blessed are you Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe,
שֶׁלּא חִסַּר בָּעוֹלָמוֹ דָּבָר - for nothing is lacking in His universe,
וּבָרָא בוֹ בְּרִיוֹת טוֹבוֹת וְאִילָנוֹת טוֹבִים   - and He created in it good creatures and good trees,
לְהַנּוֹת בָּהֶם בְּנֵי אָדָם- to cause mankind pleasure with them.

Once the flowers have fallen off and the fruit is visible then one can no longer say this Brocho.

One makes this Bracha only once a year.

Source: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 226:1,

- Danny
Wednesday, 2 Nissan 5770

Halocho #766 - How do we publicize the miracle of Purim?

One of the Mitzvot of Purim is hearing Megilat Esther being read at night and again in the morning.

One needs to hear every single word to fulfill this Mitzva.

The Megila should be heard in a shul if possible; the bigger the crowd the bigger the publicity of the miracle.

Everybody needs to hear the Megila including men, women and children old enough to attend without disturbing.

The reading needs to be done from a Kosher Megila; one that is handwritten by a Sofer on parchment.

The entire Megila - some 20 columns in a standard edition - is unrolled and folded like a letter before it is read.

Three Brochos are recited before the Megila is read (both in the evening and the morning) and a single one after the reading.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 141:7, 9, 10, 11

- Danny
Monday, 8 Adar-II 5771

Halocho #753 - The Pidyon HaBen ceremony

[Comments in brackets are based on my observations,and are not in the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch]

On day 31 of a firstborn's life (if he was born naturally and neither parent is a Cohen or Levi) the Pidyon HaBen ceremony is takes place - along with a festive meal.

The Cohen washes and says haMotzi over bread, starting the festive meal.

The father then holds the baby [bedecked in jewelry on a silver tray] and says to the Cohen:
"This is my firstborn son; he is the the first issue of his mother's womb and Hashem has commanded me to redeem him as it says in the Torah: "And those who must be redeemed, from the age of a month you are to redeem... five silver Shekel of the sanctuary..." (Numbers 18:16)

He then sets the baby down [on the table] in front of the Cohen, and the Cohen asks [rhetorically]:
"What do you prefer? Your firstborn son or the 5 Shekels you need to redeem him?"

The father then answers:
"I want to redeem my son, as we are commanded in the Torah, and here is the cost of his redemption"

While still holding the money [in Israel they have specially minted silver coins with the exact weight of a Biblical Shekel] the father says the Brachot:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' , אֱלקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל פִּדְיוֹן הַבֵּן

"...Who has sanctified us with His Mitzvot and commanded us regarding the redemption of a son"

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' , אֱלקֽינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָינוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה

"...Who has kept us alive, sustained us and brought us to this occasion"

The father then hands the money to the Cohen.

While waving the money over the baby's head the Cohen says:
"This is instead of that; this is in exchange for that; this is pardoned because of that. May this son enter into life, into Torah and into fear of heaven. May it be Your will that just as he was redeemed so too shall he enter into Torah learning, marriage and doing good deeds."

The Cohen then adds the following classic blessings:

יְשִׂמְךָ אֱלקִים כְּאֶפְרַיִם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁה

(Genesis 48:20)

יְבָרֶכְךָ ה' וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ: יָאֵר ה' פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ: יִשָּׂא ה' פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם

(Numbers 6:24-26)

כִּי אֹרֶךְ יָמִים וּשְׁנוֹת חַיִּים וְשָׁלוֹם יוֹסִיפוּ לָךְ

(Proverbs 3:2)

 ה' יִשְׁמָרְךָ מִכָּל רָע יִשְׁמֹר אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ

(Psalms 127:7)

The Cohen then [hands the baby back to the father and] says the Bracha of HaGefen over a full cup of wine.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 163:4

- Danny
Wednesday, 19 Adar-I 5771

 

Halocho #735 - What Bracha to make on fruit pits?

If one eats fruit pits that are bitter and inedible, one does not make a Bracha when eating them.

If one improved bitter pits by roasting them (or otherwise), one says the Bracha of "Shehakol".

If one eats fruit pits that are naturally edible, one says the Bracha of "HaAdama".

If one eats the pits while eating the fruit , then they are included in the Bracha of HaEtz that one made on the fruit.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 52:10

- Danny
Sunday, 25 Shvat 5771

Halocho #732 - Bracha after eating grapes

After eating grapes, dates, pomegranates, olives and figs one says the "short 1-in-3 Birkat HaMazon" (often referred to as "Al HaMichya") with the עַל הָעֵץ ועַל פּרִי הָעֵץ  - "on the trees and the fruit of the trees" option.

If one ate grapes and mistakenly used the עַל הַגֶּפֶן ועַל פְּרִי הַגֶּפֶן -  "on the vine and the fruit of the vine" option, one does not need to correct it, since grapes are also the "fruit of the vine."

On all other fruit, the after-Bracha is "Boreh Nefashot".

Fruit eaten during a meal are covered by the Birkat HaMazon.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 56:1

- Danny
Tuesday, 20 Shvat 5771

Halocho #731 - HaGefen on grapes???

The correct Bracha before eating grapes is בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ - "who creates the fruit of the tree".

The correct Bracha before drinking wine is בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגֶּפֶן - "who creates the fruit of the vine".

If one mistakenly says בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגֶּפֶן on grapes, one can eat the grapes without making another Bracha, since grapes are also the "fruit of the vine."

If one mistakenly says בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ on wine, then one should try correct it immediately (within the time it takes to say 3 words). If one delayed longer than that, one can still drink the wine without another Bracha.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 56:1,3

- Danny
Monday, 19 Shvat 5771

Halocho #727 - Which Bracha comes first?

Thursday will be Tu B'Shvat and customarily lots of fruit will be served.

Which fruit should you choose as the one to hold in your right hand and make the Bracha on?

- If one has a favorite fruit and it's being offered, it should be used to make the Bracha. 
- If one has no preference then one of the "7 species" has preference.
- If there are none of the 7 species, then one should pick a whole fruit, as opposed to a cut one.
- A Boreh Pri Ha'Etz has precedence over Boreh Pri Ha'Adama (e.g. strawberries and bananas).

The 7 species are (in order of Bracha-precedence): Bread from wheat, Cakes from wheat, Wine, Olives, Barley (baked or cooked), Dates, Grapes (in solid form), Figs, Pomegranates

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 55:1 - 3

- Danny
Tuesday, 13 Shvat 5771

Please daven for Asher ben Gohar and David ben Mashiah for a complete recovery