If no cup is available for washing one's hands, one can immerse them into a river or into snow, if there's enough snow on the ground to fill a Mikve. (About 500 litres/130 gallons of water.)
Upon awakening one should wash one's hands from a cup, alternating between the right and left hand until each hand is washed 3 times.
Two reasons are given:
- You are starting a new day of serving Hashem; similar to a Cohen who had to wash his hands before serving in the Bet Hamikdash.
- Part of the soul leaves the body when one sleeps, therefore sleeping is considered a mini-death which generates impurity which needs to be washed away.
One should then wash one's face in honor of one's Maker, since the Pasuk says that man was created in Hashem's image.
One should be careful to dry one's hands and face, for health reasons.
One should also rinse one's mouth, in anticipation of saying Hashem's name during prayers.
On fast-days one may not rinse one's mouth.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 2:1, 3, 121:10
- Danny
Wednesday, 24 Menachem Av 5771
Today - Tuesday - is Erev Shavuot.
In honor of Yom Tov one should bathe in warm water and cut one's hair and nails on Erev Yom Tov.
In order not to spoil one's appetite for the Yom Tov meal, one should not eat a meal during the second half of the afternoon, on Erev Yom Tov.
Outside of Israel this also applies to the first day of Yom Tov; so as not to spoil one's appetite for the evening meal of the 2nd day of Yom Tov one should not eat a meal during the second half of the afternoon on Wednesday.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 103:2
Chag Shavuoth Same'ach
- Danny
Tuesday, 5 Sivan 5771 - 49th day of the Omer - Erev Shavuoth
This morning - Rosh Chodesh Elul - we started blowing the Shofar.
Starting tomorrow - Thursday - Sefardim say Selichot before Shacharit and continue doing so the entire month of Elul until Erev Yom Kippour.
This year Selichot - for Ashkenazim - start on Sunday (26 Elul / 5 September), 4 days before Rosh Hashana.
Selichot should be said before Shacharit, towards the end of the night. The end of the night is an "Et Ratzon"; an auspicious time when Hashem is more receptive to listening to ones prayers.
When arising for Selichot one should wash ones hands even if it's still night, and make the Bracha "Al Netilat Yadayim".
One should say the 2 Brachot of Birkat haTorah before saying Selichot.
After Selichot one should wash ones hands again (if the first washing was pre-dawn), but one does not repeat the Bracha.
One should preferably stand during Selichot; during the "Kel Melech Yoshev", 13 Middot and the Viddui one must stand.
The Chazzan for Selichot should preferably be a Torah Scholar, well liked and if possible married with children and over 30 years of age. However, any Jew can be a Chazzan as long as the community approves. The same applies to the Chazzan for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippour as well as the person blowing the Shofar.
Selichot are not said on Shabbat.
Source: Shulchan Aruch 581, 1
Ktiva Vechatima Tova; may all your prayers be answered,
Chodesh Tov
- Danny
Wednesday, 2nd day Rosh Chodesh Elul 5770
Upon awakening one should wash ones hands from a cup, alternating between the right and left hand until each hand is washed 3 times.
Two reasons are given:
- You are starting a new day of serving Hashem; similar to a Cohen who had to wash his hands before serving in the Bet Hamikdash.
- Part of the soul leaves the body when one sleeps, therefore sleeping is considered a mini-death which generates impurity which needs to be washed away.
One should then wash ones face in honor of one's Maker, since the Pasuk says that man was created in Hashem's image.
One should be careful to dry ones hands and face, for health reasons.
One should also rinse ones mouth, in anticipation of saying Hashem's name during prayers.
On fast-days one may not rinse ones mouth.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 2:1, 3, 121:10
- Danny
Wednesday, 24 Menachem Av 5770
Even when travelling, one needs to wash both hands with a cup of water before eating bread.
If there's water within 4 Km in the direction one is travelling, or 1Km behind one, then one has to go wash one's hands properly.
If one is scared to leave one's travelling companions, or if one cannot find water to wash before eating bread, one can cover one's hands or wear gloves.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 40:14
- Danny
Monday, 3 Shvat 5770
Spilling water onto fertile soil is forbidden because of "Zore'a" - planting, since the water could help things grow.
Therefore one should refrain from eating in the garden, since it's almost impossible that something won't be spilt onto the floor.
This is besides the problem that one cannot always carry into the garden unless there's a proper Eruv.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 80:28
Shabbat Shalom,
- Danny
Thursday, 18 Marcheshvan 5770
Today - Monday - more than 2,300 years ago, Esther and Mordechai dispatched the second royal decree informing the Jews that they may defend themselves against Haman's original decree of total annihilation.
When finding out joyous tidings or upon hearing good news from a reliable source, one says a Bracha.
If the good news 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 the good news 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 unwashed hands - then one can say it later, as long as one still feel joy.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 59:1,3
- Danny Monday, 23 Sivan 5769
Please daven for a complete recovery for Tamar bat Naama - תמר בת נעמה
Parshat Naso includes the Mitzva of the priestly blessing; it's a Mitzva for the Cohanim to bless the Jews with the Bracha as written in the Torah:
יְבָרֶכְךָ ה', וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ יָאֵר ה' פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וִיחֻנֶּךָּ יִשָּׂא ה' פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם
Before giving the blessing, the Cohanim remove their shoes.
Then they wash their hands - up to their wrists - from a cup, but do not say a Bracha on the washing.
It's the Levi's privilege to pour the water over the hands of the Cohanim.
If no Levi is present, a firstborn (from his mother; one who qualifies for Pidyon Haben) may wash the Cohanim's hands.
If no Levi and no firstborn is present, the Cohanim wash their own hands.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 100:1, 5-6 - Danny Tuesday, 10 Sivan 5769
Please daven for a complete recovery for Yosef Zalman ben Tamar Yael - יוסף זלמן בן תמר יעל who has meningitis.
Today - Thursday - is Erev Shavuot.
In honor of Yom Tov one should bathe in warm water and cut ones hair and nails on Erev Yom Tov.
In order not to spoil ones appetite for the Yom Tov meal, one should not eat a meal during the second half of the afternoon, on Erev Yom Tov.
This also applies to the first day of Yom Tov; so as not to spoil ones appetite for the evening meal of the 2nd day of Yom Tov - and the Friday-night Shabbat meal this year - one should not eat a meal during the second half of the afternoon on Friday.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 103:2
Do someone a favor: Call them and remind them to do ERUV TAVSHILIN!
Chag Same'ach and Shabbat Shalom
- Danny Thursday, 5 Sivan 5769, 49th day of the Omer - Erev Shavuoth
Please daven for a complete recovery for Michal bat Rachel - מיכל בת רחל who is undergoing a cardiac procedure (laser ablation) today
One of the differences between Yom Tov and Shabbat is the laws of lighting fire.
On Shabbat one may not light fires, nor extinguish them nor make them larger or smaller. One needs to light the fire before Shabbat and then leave it alone.
On Yom Tov one may light a fire from an existing flame, if there's a need. One may also make the fire larger.
One may light a flame or make an existing flame larger for:
One may not use matches nor a magnifying glass to light a fire on Yom Tov; one has to light the fire from an existing flame.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 98:29, 30, 31
- Danny Tuesday, 11 Iyar 5769, 26th day of the Omer
Please daven for a complete recovery for Tamar bat Naama - תמר בת נעמה
Before each of the daily prayers one should wash ones hands until the wrist. If one has touched a covered part of ones body or scratched ones head since last washing, one needs to wash again. If water is not readily available one should spend time finding some unless doing so would make one miss praying on time. In case of need one can clean ones hands with anything that cleans them including rubbing them with sand. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 12:5 - Danny Tuesday, 2 Shvat 5769
Various times the Torah gives precedence to the right hand. As a result we usually give precedence to the right. When washing one first washes the right hand. When getting dressed one first puts on the right hand side. When putting on shoes one first puts on the right shoe. Regarding Tefillin the Torah requires us to tie them on the left hand. As a result we give precedence to the left when it comes to tying things. When tying ones shoes one first ties the left one. Summary: Put on right shoe, then left shoe, then tie the left then tie the right. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 3:4 - Danny Sunday, 22 Tevet 5769
The Torah was given to us at Sinai in 2 parts: The Written Law (Torah) and The Oral Law (Mishna). Until the Mishna was written down less than 2,000 years ago, it was studied by-heart. Each student was expected to memorize the entire Oral Law. Since memorizing lots of Torah is important, the Kitzur mentions some things that are bad for your memory: - Be careful to dry your hands properly - and don't dry them on your clothes as it's bad for your memory. - Putting on 2 items of clothing at the same time is bad for your memory. - Eating the heart of animals and birds, and eating from that part of the food that a cat or mouse ate from, is bad for your memory. - Reading the inscription on tombstones if the letters are elevated (as opposed to engraved or flat), is bad for your memory. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 40:6, 3:5, 32:9, 128:13 - Danny Monday, 12 Marcheshvan 5769
We always make the Bracha before doing the Mitzva. The Bracha said on Shabbat candles ushers in the Shabbat, after which one cannot light candles. Therefore the candles are lit first, and then one hides them from sight by putting ones hands in front of ones face. One then says the Bracha and looks at the candles, seeing them for the first time on Shabbat. This is as close as one can get to saying the Bracha before "lighting" the Shabbat candles. Similarly, since one cannot make a Bracha with unwashed hands, one first washes, and then makes the Bracha of Al Netilat Yadayim and then dries ones hands. Since drying is an integral part of "washing", it's as close as one can get to saying the Bracha before washing. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 75:4, 40:5 Shabbat Shalom, - Danny
Help me answer Judaism-related questions on WikiAnswers
If no cup is available for washing ones hands, one can immerse them into a river or into snow, if there's enough snow on the ground to fill a mikve. (About 350 litres/90 gallons.) This applies to washing three times after arising as well as before eating bread. Sources: KSA 2:6, 40:7
