Daily Prayer

Sherutim

שֵׁרוּתִים

Visible layers

beginning and end of a service. It is said by one who is either (a) in mourning for a relative, or (b) commemorating the yahrzeit of a relative. When no such person is present, the Mourner's Kaddish is generally omitted, except after Aleinu at the end of Shaḥarit [רמ״א או״ח, קלב:ב], when it is said by one whose parents have died or whose parents do not object to their child saying the Mourner's Kaddish [שם].

402 Historically, the Mourner's Kaddish was said by one individual. A set of rules developed for allocating among different mourners the various opportunities for saying it [ביאור הלכה, שם; קונטרס מאמר קדישין, י]. Today, most congregations allow group recitation of the Mourner's Kaddish. In such cases, they should say the words in unison [סידור יעב״ץ].

דִּינֵי עֲמִידַת מִנְחָה

Laws of the Minḥa Amida

403 There is a set time period every afternoon during which the Minḥa Amida may be said. At the earliest, one may say the Amida one half of a halakhic "hour" from midday (a halakhic hour is 1/12 of the day measured from daybreak to nightfall). At the latest, the Amida must be said before nightfall. It is preferable to say the Amida at least 3½ halakhic "hours" after midday [שו״ע או״ח, רלג:א].

404 One should wash hands before saying Minḥa, even if they are not dirty; but if no water is available, one need not wash [שו״ע או״ח, רלג:ב]. No blessing is said on the hand-washing.

דִּינֵי קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שֶׁל עַרְבִית וּמַעֲרִיב

Laws of the Evening Shema and Ma'ariv

405 There is a set time period every night during which the Shema may be said. At the earliest, one may say the Shema from nightfall [שו״ע או״ח, רלה:א]. It is preferable to say the Shema before midnight (measured from nightfall to daybreak), but one is permitted to say the Shema until daybreak [שם:ג].

406 Some congregations hold Ma'ariv services early, with the result that the communal recitation of the Shema in Ma'ariv may take place too early to fulfill the halakhic obligation. Under such circumstances, one should repeat all three paragraphs of Shema after nightfall [שו״ע, שם:א].

407 If one enters the synagogue and hears the congregation about to begin saying the Amida, one should say the Amida together with the congregation, then afterward say the Shema with its preceding and following blessings [שו״ע או״ח, רלו:ג].

408 After the blessings of the Shema, the congregation says בָּרוּךְ יהוה לְעוֹלָם (page 279), except in Israel. One who begins Ma'ariv late should omit בָּרוּךְ יהוה לְעוֹלָם in order to say the Amida with the congregation, then say בָּרוּךְ יהוה לְעוֹלָם after Ma'ariv, without the final blessing [משנ״ב, שם:יא].

דִּינֵי קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע עַל הַמִּטָּה

Laws of Keri'at Shema al HaMita (the Shema Before Sleep at Night)

409 Keri'at Shema al HaMita should be said before retiring, when one is feeling sleepy [משנ״ב או״ח, רלט:ג], after which one should not eat, drink or speak [רמ״א, שם:א].

דִּינֵי נְטִילַת יָדַיִם, הַמּוֹצִיא וּבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן

LAWS OF HAND-WASHING, HAMOTZI AND BIRKAT HAMAZON

410 Before eating bread, one is required to wash one's hands [שו״ע או״ח, קנח:א]. After washing but before drying the hands, one says the blessing עַל נְטִילַת יָדַיִם; however, if one forgot, one may say the blessing after one's hands are dry [רמ״א, שם:יא]. One should dry one's hands carefully before touching the bread [שו״ע, שם:יב].

411 Hands should be washed using a cup or other container that holds at least a revi'it (about 4.4 ounces) of liquid [שו״ע או״ח, קנט:א]. Holding one's hands under flowing water is not valid [שו״ע, שם:ז].

412 One should wash each hand up to the wrist, although the minimum requirement is to wash the fingers up to the knuckle furthest from the nail [שו״ע או״ח, קסא:ד]. Hands should be free of dirt or other material that one normally removes. In addition, rings should be removed before washing [שם:א-ג].

413 If the hands are clean, it is sufficient to pour water once on each hand [שו״ע או״ח, קסב:ב], but twice on each hand is preferable [מ״ב שם, כא].

414 After washing, one should take care not to allow one's wet hands to touch the unwashed hands of another. If they do so, one must dry them and wash them again [שו״ע שם, ד].

415 If one makes the blessing הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ on bread, no blessing need be said on foods that are part of the meal. If one eats foods that are not eaten with bread or are not part of the meal, such as fruit eaten as dessert, they require a separate blessing [שו״ע, קעז:א].

416 If wine is served during the meal, the blessing בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן must be said, as the blessing on bread does not cover wine [שו״ע או״ח, קעד:א]. But if wine is drunk before the meal (or as part of Kiddush), the blessing need not be repeated when drinking wine during the meal [שם:ד].