Guide to the Jewish Year and On Waking

אָב

Visible layers

308 During Minḥa both tallit and tefillin are worn.

309 Before Minḥa, the Daily Psalm, Mourner's Kaddish, אֵין כֵּאלֹהֵינוּ and the Rabbis, Kaddish (pages 191-207) are said. Minḥa then begins with Ashrei and Half Kaddish (page 223). The Torah is read: page 1166. Three men are called up; the third reads the Haftara: page 1166. After the Torah is returned to the Ark, the Shaliaḥ Tzibbur says Half Kaddish.

310 During the silent recitation of the Amida, the congregation says נַחֵם (page 237) as part of the fourteenth blessing (בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלָיִם) and עֲנֵנוּ (page 239) as part of the sixteenth blessing (שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה) (unless one is not fasting). During the Repetition of the Amida, the Shaliaḥ Tzibbur says עֲנֵנוּ between the seventh (גּוֹאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל) and eighth (רוֹפֵא חוֹלֵי עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל) blessings, נַחֵם as part of the fourteenth blessing, and the paragraph relating to Birkat Kohanim [שו״ע ורמ״א או״ח, תקנו:א]. Minḥa ends with Full Kaddish and Aleinu.

311 After Ma'ariv, Kiddush Levana is said (page 331). When Tisha B'Av begins on Motza'ei Shabbat, Havdala is said on Sunday night, preferably over a cup of wine or grape juice; no blessing is made over spices or a flame.

312 Although the fast is broken after nightfall, it is customary to continue the other mourning customs until midday of the 10th of Av. However, if the 10th of Av falls on Friday, one is permitted to bathe and otherwise prepare for Shabbat prior to midday [רמ״א או״ח, תקנח:א].

שַׁבַּת נַחֲמוּ

Shabbat Naḥamu (Shabbat following Tisha B'Av)

313 Named for the first word of the Haftara, נַחֲמוּ. The first of the seven Shabbatot (שבע דנחמתא) between Tisha B'Av and Rosh HaShana, on which a Haftara is read from Isaiah containing words of consolation.

טוּ בְּאָב

Tu B'Av (15th of Av)

314 According to the Mishna (Ta'anit 4:8), on the 15th of Av, the young women of Jerusalem would put on borrowed white dresses and dance together in the vineyards. Young men would come out to watch them, and the women would urge the men not to be swayed by beauty, but to be drawn to women of good family.

315 Taḥanun is omitted during Shaḥarit and Minḥa. If it falls on Shabbat, אָב הָרַחֲמִים is omitted during Shaḥarit, and צִדְקָתֶךָ during Minḥa.

תְּפִלָּה יוֹמִית

DAILY PRAYER

בְּהַשְׁכָּמָה

ON WAKING

316 The custom is to say מוֹדֶה אָנִי immediately on waking, even before washing hands [משנ״ב או״ח, א:ח].

בִּרְכַּת אֲשֶׁר יָצַר; אֱלֹהַי נְשָׁמָה

Laws of Washing Hands; Birkat Asher Yatzar; Elohai Neshamah

317 Upon waking, one is obligated to wash hands [שבת, קח:]. Some hold that one should not walk four amot (around six feet) prior to washing hands [משנ״ב או״ח, א:ב] (בשם הזוהר).

318 According to some authorities, there is a separate obligation to wash hands prior to prayer [ערוה״ש או״ח, ד:ה]. One who washes and says the blessing of עַל נְטִילַת יָדָיִם after waking, does not repeat the blessing when washing prior to prayer [רמ״א או״ח, ו:ב].

319 Hands should preferably be washed using a cup, but a cup is not required [שו״ע ורמ״א, או״ח: ד, ו]. The custom is to pour water from the cup onto the right hand, then the left, and repeat a total of three times [משנ״ב, שם: י]. Where water is unavailable, one may clean one's hands using any appropriate material; in that case, the blessing is changed to עַל נְקִיּוּת יָדָיִם [שו״ע או״ח, ד:כב].

320 The blessing of עַל נְטִילַת יָדָיִם may be said before drying one's hands or afterward [משנ״ב, ד:ב].

321 A number of reasons have been offered for washing hands upon waking. The Gemara states that, during the night, hands are enveloped by an "evil vapor," רוח רעה, which is removed by washing one's hands [שבת, קח:]. In addition, there is a concern that, while sleeping, one's hands may have touched an unclean part of