Daily Prayer

halachot t'filah limot hachol

הלכות תפילה לימות החול

Israeli: ' marks a reduced vowel that Israeli speech drops (b'rachah); when the vowel is pronounced it is written e (lefanecha). - separates syllables that would otherwise run together.

How to read the transliterations

348 A fixed interval exists every morning during which the Shema may be recited. The best time is immediately before sunrise, when enough light is assumed for recognizing an acquaintance four amot distant (around 6 feet). If necessary, the Shema may be recited from daybreak [שו"ע או"ח, נח:ג]. After sunrise, the earlier the Shema is recited, the better [שם:ב]. At the latest, the Shema must be recited in the day's first quarter (three halahkic "hours," in halahkic terminology, each hour representing 1/12 of the day; as to how a "day" is measured, see law 206) [שם:א]. Thereafter, one may recite the Shema with the blessings in the fourth halahkic "hour," namely, until the first third of the day has ended. Thereafter, the Shema may be recited without the blessings, yet this does not fulfill the mitzva [שם:ו].

349 Should one recite the Shema without the blessings that precede and follow it, the mitzva has still been fulfilled. Still, one should recite the blessings afterward, preferably repeating the Shema as well [שו"ע או"ח, ס:ב].

350 Concentration and awe must accompany recitation of the Shema [שו"ע או"ח, סא:א]. Every word and syllable should be enunciated correctly and carefully, without slurring consonants [שו"ע או"ח, סא:טו–כא].

351 Certain authorities ruled that one should recite the Shema with Ta'amei HaMikra. Nowadays, however, most people do not do so [שו"ע ורמ"א, שם:כד].

352 Custom is to cover the eyes with the right hand while reciting the first verse, lest one look at anything that might disturb one's concentration [שו"ע או"ח, סא:ה].

353 Custom is to prolong one's pronunciation of the letters ח and ד in the word אֶחָד to emphasize God's sovereignty over creation [שו"ע או"ח, סא:ו].

354 Quietly one recites the sentence בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, because it is not found in the Shema's biblical text [שו"ע שם:יג, משנ"ב, שם:ל].

355 As treated in law 337 above, custom is to touch the tefillin shel yad when reciting וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל־יָדֶךָ and to touch the tefillin shel rosh when reciting וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ [שו"ע או"ח, כה:א].

356 Should one enter the synagogue and hear the congregation about to begin reciting the Shema, one must join the congregation in reciting the Shema's first verse [שו"ע או"ח, סה:ב].

Laws of the Shaharit Amida

Halakhot of the Shaharit Amida

357 Each morning a fixed interval exists during which the Amida may be recited. Generally, the Amida should be recited at or after sunrise. At the latest, recite the Amida in the day's first third (four halahkic "hours"; see law 206 as to the measure of a "day"). Should the Amida have been recited between daybreak and sunrise, the mitzva has been fulfilled. If need be, it is permissible to recite the Amida once the first third of the day has passed, yet before midday [שו"ע או"ח, פט:א].

358 Whoever must depart for work (or a journey) before sunrise may recite the Amida from daybreak [שו"ע שם סע' ח]. Should one not have recited the Shaharit Amida prior to midday, one should recite the Minha Amida twice [משנ"ב, שם:ס"ק ז].

359 One should neither eat nor drink before reciting the Amida, although drinking water is permitted. Further, whoever must eat or drink so as to concentrate on his prayers may do so [שו"ע או"ח, פט:ג–ד].

360 One recites the Amida facing the site of the Temple in Jerusalem. Thus, one faces the land of Israel when outside Israel; Jerusalem when inside Israel; and the Temple Mount when inside Jerusalem [שו"ע או"ח, צד:א]. When in a synagogue, one should pray toward the Ark [משנ"ב, שם:ס"ק י].

361 Standing with feet together, one recites the Amida in imitation of the angels who, by tradition, appear as if they had only one leg [ברכות י, רש"י, ד"ה "ורגליהם"]. One should bow one's head and picture oneself standing in the Temple, as a servant before his master [שו"ע או"ח, צה:א–ב].

362 One traveling in a vehicle should, if possible, recite the Amida standing; if this cannot be done, one is permitted to sit [שו"ע או"ח, צד:ה].

363 While reciting the Shaharit Amida, one may not permit any interruption or disruption from when the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל ends until the Amida's introductory words [שו"ע או"ח, סו:ח, שם, קיא:א]. This covers remaining silent for Kaddish, Barekhu, Kedusha or Modim, though on Shabbat one may answer [רמ"א, שם]. One may also answer "Amen" upon hearing another conclude the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל [רמ"א או"ח, סו:ה].

Laws of Havinenu

Halakhot of Havinenu

364 When circumstances require, one may replace the thirteen middle blessings of the Amida with a special paragraph (Havinenu, page 1059). Only exceptional cases permit this, such as when one cannot concentrate during a full-length Amida or expects interruptions. This abbreviated form of the Amida is recited while standing, and the full-length Amida need not be repeated afterward. Havinenu is not recited during the winter months or on Motza'ei Shabbat [שו"ע או"ח, קי:א].