Podcasts about tefilot

Welcome to our Daily Bitachon class. We are now on the Haggadah shel Pesach series, in the unit of Mitechila, Ovdei Avodah Zarah, Hayu Avoteinu. Originally our forefathers were idol worshipers, and Hashem brought us close to him. We quote a pasuk in Yehoshua ויאמר יהושע אל כל העם Yehoshua tells the people that going back in history,, , כה אמר יי אלהי ישראל: בעבר הנהר ישבו אבותיכם מעולם, תרח אבי אברהם ואבי נחור, ויעבדו אלהים אחרים. ואקח את אביכם את אברהם מעבר הנהר, ואולך אותו בכל ארץ כנען. J את זרעו ואתן לו את יצחק. Our forefathers lived on the other side of the river, Terach the father of Abraham and Nachor worshipped other gods, " And I took your father, Abraham, and I took him throughout the land of Canaan." V'arbe et Zaro , and I increased his seed, V'eten et Yitzchak, and gave him Yitzchak . V'Ekach/ Hashem took Abraham Avinu, throughout the land. It sounds like He was holding his hand, walking him through the land, but that's not really what happened. There were trials and tribulations. It was a lot more than just He took him, so to say, and brought him. Rav Yehezkiel Levenstein says that in life, there are many events that make things happen, whether it's a famine, or a wife being kidnapped, or a war with four kings and five kings, but what is really is going on is Ve'ekach / Hashem is taking us by the hand and bringing us step by step. V'arbe et Zaro . Now simply, V'arbe means to make many. Hashem made him have many children. But Rashi on this pasuk in Yehoshua ( 24,3) says that the word וארב V'arbe is spelled without a ה hey , and therefore could be read as V'arev , which means merivah , fights. Kama merivot v'nisyonot asiti imo . There were a lot of fights, a lot of tests, until I gave him children. So we see that Hashem is telling us a very important concept through Yehoshua. Look back at history. Look at the trials and tribulations and the tests that Abraham went through before he got Yitzhak . Why was that? Rav David Cohen quotes Rav Chaim Volozhin who tells us, in his commentary, Ruach Haim on Perkei Avot , Perel 5 Mishna 3 , that Asara Nisyonot nitnaseh Avraham Avinu / Avraham, our forefather, received ten tests. The Nefesh HaChayim asks, Why does it say Avinu here about Avraham, whereas in a previous Mishnah, when it talks about the ten generations from Noah to Avraham , he's not called Avraham Avinu ? Rav Chaim Volozhin tells us an important principle, which is that when a tzaddik toils and works on a certain middah , that Middah becomes natural for his children-with just a little bit of work, they'll get there. He says, Avraham Avinu's tests gave us a certain spiritual DNA. He says, for example, that it's natural for a Jewish person to die Al kiddush Hashem . We see that simple people have given up theirs lives, Al kiddush Hashem . Why? Because Avraham Avinu was ready to jump into the fiery furnace. Additionally, Avraham Avinu picked up and moved to Eretz Yisrael . That test, of Lech Lecha became inherited. The fact that we Jewish people say Kol Ma D'avid Rachmana L'Tav Avid/Everything that Hashem does is for the good, is because Avraham Avinu didn't question God when he had to leave the land after the famine. So we see an unbelievable concept- that Hashem purposely made Avraham Avinu go through these tests so that his spiritual genetics would be stronger, and he'd be able to pass that inheritance down to the Jewish people. This is not only true of Avraham Avinu. The Ruach Haim quotes a pasuk in Mishlei 20,7, מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֣וֹ צַדִּ֑יק אַשְׁרֵ֖י בָנָ֣יו אַחֲרָֽיו׃ / The Sadik goes in his simplicity . Fortunate are his children afterwards . According to this Nefesh HaChaim , this is a huge hiddush , that it's not just a zechut that the Sadik does something when he's 70 and it's going to help his children. That also might be true. But the Hodesh is the concept that you're bequeathing your accomplishments to your children. So, if a man gets married at 24 and went through a lot of tests before that and then has a child when he's 30 or 33 or 40, or if it's child number 8 that's born into old age, that child has in him all of the tests that the father and mother overcame. It's now built into him. So sometimes we have all kinds of tests and trials and tribulations. We don't realize what it's doing for us, and what is going into our spiritual makeup that we're going to pass down to our children. Everything Hashem does is measured. Avraham Avinu had to wait until he was 99 years old to have a child. Why did he have to wait so long? So one answer is that Hashem wants to hear the Tefilot of Sadikim . Another answer that is brought down in early sources, is that Avraham Avinu was Mekarev people, but he couldn't have a child until he had a brit milah , because he had to be perfect in that way first. And once he had a brit milah , he was somewhat separated from the rest of the world. So therefore, Hashem pushed it off as late as possible. There are all kinds of answers, but now we're hearing a new answer. Avraham Avinu had to be of that age because he went through so many tests, and then he was ready to give that spiritual DNA over to his future children, and future generations.

As part of the event of Matan Torah, when G-d revealed Himself to Beneh Yisrael and gave the Torah, Moshe constructed an altar and had sacrifices offered. We read that Moshe placed half the blood in basins, from which he later sprinkled blood on the people, and he poured the other half on the altar (Shemot 24:6). Rashi, surprisingly, comments that the division of the blood into two halves was done by an angel. It would be impossible for a human being to divide the blood in two precisely equal halves, and so an angel was sent from the heavens to do this. We must wonder, why did Hashem find it necessary to dispatch an angel for this purpose? Why was it so critical for the halves to be precisely equal? Would these sacrifices have been in any way deficient if one portion of blood was slightly larger than the other? Rav Yitzchak Hutner (1906-1980) answered this question by exploring the symbolism of the division of the blood at the time of Matan Torah. If we would ask most Jews to define the term "religious Jew," to describe the defining characteristics of people referred to with this term, most would likely mention things like Shabbat observance, modest dress, eating kosher, synagogue attendance and daily Tefilot. People generally tend to define "religious" as ritual observance. In truth, however, these rituals are only half the story. Ethical conduct, integrity, kindness and sensitivity to others are no less a part of Torah than praying three times a day, Shabbat, Kashrut, and Seniut (modesty). In fact, Rashi begins his comments to our Parasha, Parashat Mishpatim, by noting the significance of the first letter of this Parasha: "VE'eleh Ha'mishpatim" – "AND these are the statutes…" Rashi writes that this letter – the conjunction "Ve-" ("And") – indicates a connection between the end of the previous Parasha, which tells of the Revelation and the Ten Commandments, and the civil laws presented in Parashat Mishpatim. Just as the Ten Commandments were proclaimed at Mount Sinai, so were the laws of Parashat Mishpatim given at Mount Sinai. We can never draw a wedge between Torah and ethical interpersonal conduct. The laws of Parashat Mishpatim, which govern the way we treat our fellow, are no less a part of the Torah as any of the other Misvot. So crucial is this message, Rav Hutner explained, that Hashem sent an angel to divide the sacrificial blood at the time of Matan Torah into two precisely equal parts. It was critical to convey the message that neither half of Torah carries even slightly more weight than the other. The two areas of Torah life – our obligations to Hashem, and our obligations to other people – are of exactly the same level of importance, and we must never allow ourselves to prioritize or emphasize one over the other to even the slightest degree. It is likely no coincidence that Parashat Mishpatim, the section in which this point is expressed, is always read around the time of 25 Shevat, the Yahrtzeit of Rav Yisrael Salanter (1809-1883), founder of the Mussar movement. Rav Yisrael placed very strong emphasis on maintaining this balance, on not allowing our pursuit of spiritual excellence to result in compromises in our Middot (character traits). One famous example is the time when his students approached him before they went to bake Masot in preparation for Pesach, to ask which stringencies are proper for them to observe when baking Masot. "Be very careful not to yell at the woman in charge of cleaning the factory," Rav Yisrael replied. "She's a widow. Concern for her feelings is the most important stringency you should observe." Rav Yisrael feared that in the students' concern to maintain the strictest Halachic standards for the Masot, they might neglect the more basic religious obligation to speak to widows with sensitivity and respect. As we approach his Yahrtzeit, let us internalize this vitally important lesson, and ensure to ascribe the same degree importance to both parts of the Torah, because this is what being a complete Jew means.

In Siman 682, The Shulhan Aruch outlines the Halachot of inserting the special Hanukah addition of "Al Hanissim" in the Tefilot and Birkat Hamazon. One issue is whether it is permissible for the Shliah Sibbur to remind the congregation to insert "Al Hanisim" in the middle of Arbit. Does announcing "Al Hanisim", after the Kaddish before the Amidah, constitute a Hefsek (interruption) of the Tefila? In Siman 236:2, Maran rules that it is permissible to do so for "Ya'aleh V'Yavo" on Rosh Hodesh. The Mishna Berura (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933) there adds that this applies to "Al Hanisim" on Hanukah as well. The Ner Sion, agrees with this, according to the letter of the law, since it is done "L'sorekh Tefila"-for the purpose of prayer, it is not considered a Hefsek (interruption). The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) in Parashat Pekudeh brings down that this was the custom of some communities. However, the accepted custom is not to announce "Al Hanisim," but rather, the first person to reach "Al Hanisim" in the silent Amidah raises his voice to remind the rest of the congregation. If one forgot to insert "Al Hanisim" in the Amidah, he is not required to repeat the Amidah. The Poskim discuss whether it is better to skip "Al Hanisim" in order to complete the Amidah in time to recite the "Nakdishach," which according to some authorities is a fulfillment of the Torah obligation to sanctify God's name. Their conclusion is that one should continue to pray the full text of the Amidah and not skip "AL Hanisim" since that is the Misva that he is currently engaged in. If one inserted the "Al Hanisim in the wrong place, for example he said it in the beracha of "Reseh," where Ya'aleh V'Yavo is usually inserted, he must say it again in the correct place-the Beracha of "Modim." The Sha'ar Ha'siyun (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933) in 682:2 rules that the insertion of "Al Hanisim" in the wrong place does not constitute a Hefsek (interruption) that would require him to repeat the entire Amidah. The Hachamim did not institute a Hanukah insertion in Beracha "Me'en Shalosh"-the Beracha after snacks, and there is much discussion as to why that is. There are numerous variant versions of the text of the "Al Hanisim." Hacham Ovadia held that it should begin "V'Al Hanisim," whereas Hacham Bension held that the custom is to say "Al Hanisim." Some have the custom to say "Bimeh Matityah," without a Vav, instead of MatityahU. Some say "Matatyah," as is written in the Siddur "Kol Yaakov." However, our custom is to say "Matityah," which is the prevailing version. Some have the reading "L'Hashkiham," instead of "Le'shakeham." Some say "Toratach," as opposed to those who say, "MiToratach." Some say "Hashmona'ee," as opposed to those who read "Hashmonai." Each person should follow his tradition. SUMMARY One should not announce "Al Hanissim" during the Tefila to remind the congregation. "Al Hanisim" should not be skipped in order to finish the Amida in time to answer Nakdishach. If one inserted "Al Hanisim" in the wrong place, he must say it again in its proper place. There are many variant versions of the text of "AL Hanisim," and everyone should follow their tradition.

La fuerza de las Tefilot

The Torah in Parashat Vayera tells the story of Hashem's destruction of the wicked city of Sedom and its neighboring towns. Before annihilating the region, Hashem informed Abraham Abinu of what He was planning to do. Abraham, the paragon of loving kindness and compassion, pleaded on Sedom's behalf, asking G-d to spare the city if He would find fifty righteous residents. G-d agreed, whereupon Abraham went further, pleading that the city be spared if there were even just forty-five worthy inhabitants. Hashem again consented, and Abraham then continued, begging for the city to be saved in the merit of even just thirty righteous people – and then twenty, and then ten. In the end, not even ten righteous people were found in Sedom, and so it and four other cities in the region were destroyed. The question arises as to why Hashem allowed Abraham to continue praying after presenting his initial request that the city should be spared in the merit of fifty righteous residents. Quite obviously, Hashem knew from the outset that there were not even ten people in Sedom worthy of being saved, not to mention twenty, thirty, forty, or forty-five. And yet, He allowed Abraham to continue pleading on the city's behalf, lowering the number all the way down to ten. Knowing that there were not enough righteous people in Sedom to spare the city, shouldn't Hashem have told Abraham to stop at the very beginning? Didn't He know that Abraham was wasting his time by continuing to pray for Sedom? The answer is that this question is predicated on a woefully mistaken assumption about the value and significance of prayer. It presumes that the value of prayer lies solely in its effectiveness in bringing the desired result. If the person will not attain that which he prays for, according to this logic, the prayer is a waste of time. But this is a grave mistake. When we pray for somebody else, we exercise our sensitivity muscle, so-to-speak. We become kinder, more compassionate, more caring, and more empathetic. By beseeching G-d on our fellow's behalf, we build our characters, as we develop within ourselves greater sensitivity for the needs of other people. Hashem therefore allowed Abraham to continue praying – not for Sedom's benefit, as the city was going to be destroyed anyway, but for Abraham's benefit, as the experience of praying made him even greater than he already was. So often we are called upon to pray for an ill patient, for those struggling to find a marriage partner or to have children, for the IDF soldiers, for the Israeli hostages, or for other beloved Jews in need. Painfully, our prayers do not always yield the results we wish for. We have all had the agonizing experience of praying regularly and passionately for an ill patient, and then finding out that the patient did not make it, Heaven forbid. Naturally, we feel very disappointed. And, some people become discouraged by these experiences, and begin questioning the value of their Tefilot. We must remember that prayer is always precious and significant, even if our request was not granted – not only because of how it builds our connection to Hashem, but also because how it builds our character, helping us develop into kinder and more compassionate people, who are sensitive to the needs and concern of others.

RAB AMRAM ANIDJAR- RAJEL IMENU Y SUS TEFILOT by FOOD 4 OUR SOUL

RAB SALO ALFIE- ERRORES EN LAS TEFILOT DE SHABAT - 02 by FOOD 4 OUR SOUL

We examine what to do if a person switched the Amidah for another Shabbat Amidah. We then look at the subsequent tefliot of Friday Night

RAB MOY HILU- TEFILOT EN ARAMEO by TALMUD TORA MONTE SINAI

RAB RAFA HILU- PEDIR A NUESTRO REY QUE NOS RESPONDA LAS TEFILOT by FOOD 4 OUR SOUL

Sumérgete en la historia inspiradora de Rab Dob Berish Weidenfeld y su valiente misión para proteger a los jóvenes estudiantes de la Yeshibá en tiempos de guerra. En un pequeño pueblo de Europa del Este, cuando el país enfrenta desafíos cruciales, un sabio rabino revela una verdad fundamental a los oficiales militares: los estudios de la Torá y las Tefilot son las ruedas que mantienen en marcha a la nación. Con una narrativa cautivadora y lecciones profundas, este episodio te hará reflexionar sobre el verdadero valor de la sabiduría y la espiritualidad en Ben Israel. ¡No te lo pierdas, escucha ahora y déjate inspirar!

One of the greatest ways of empowering our tefilot is by believing in them more. When someone gets used to asking for the same thing day after day, even though he wants it so much, he tends to lose the energy and emotion that a good tefila requires. Sometimes, it gets to a point where tefila becomes just another box to check instead of the wondrous meeting between us and our creator that it's supposed to be. A few words of chizuk can go a very long way. People who have been praying for something for years by rote, who suddenly got the right inspiration, have boosted their tefilot immensely and seen amazing results. A man told me, when he was 22 years old, he lifted something too heavy and developed a severe back problem as a result. The pain was enormous and he was not able to function normally. He went from doctor to doctor, getting various shots and treatments, but nothing worked for more than a day or so. It came to a point where he realized there was really nothing else left for him to try, and so he accepted the fact that he was going to have to live his entire life with a bad back. Of course, he continued praying every day for his back to be healed, but deep down, he didn't fully believe it would happen. Over time, his back slightly improved, but he still was not able to do most things that people with a healthy back could do. One day, about 20 years after that incident, he went to a class on the topic of tefila. There, the rabbi spoke about the wonders of tefila and how much it could accomplish. The rabbi suggested to his crowd that when they ask for things from Hashem, they should ask with thoughts of how they are going to use what they're asking for towards avodat Hashem. The man became very inspired by that class. He thought of the different ways he would be able to improve in his service of Hashem if he had a good back. He began praying with those thoughts in mind. He said to Hashem, "Please, I want to be able to bow down when I say the Amida." He said to Hashem, "I want to be able to help my wife more, instead of being the one who always needs the help." Then he said his wife was about to give birth. He wanted to be able to bend over and lift the baby out of the crib. His prayers improved one hundred percent. Weeks later, he was on his way to work as usual, and the roads were slippery. All of a sudden, the car in front of him stopped short. He quickly slammed on his brakes and avoided an accident. The car behind him, however, was not as quick in stopping, and it crashed right into him. His first thoughts were about his back. He couldn't afford to injure it more than it was already injured. He attempted to get out of his car as usual. He lifted his hand to grab the assist grip in his car to lift himself up. It was always a process to get out of the car with his back the way it was. This time, he got out fairly easily. Before he even turned around to look at the accident, he attempted to bend over. Baruch Hashem, he was able to fully bend with ease. His back was healed! He then turned around and saw a six car pile up. The car behind him looked like an accordion, but Baruch Hashem, nobody was hurt. His car had no damage. When the police report came out a week later, his car wasn't even put on it. The only thing that resulted in his life from that car accident was that his back healed . Something no doctor could fix, Hakadosh Baruch Hu fixed in a very surprising way. Today, he is over 60, and Baruch Hashem his back has been fine for the last 20 years. Prayer can do wonders, but we must give it the respect that it deserves.

RAB SHAUL URFALI- POR DONDE SUBEN LAS TEFILOT by TALMUD TORA MONTE SINAI

MRC Pesach Yom Iyun 5784 - Miriam Spitz - Pesach Tefilot by Shapell's Rabbeim

In this episode Rabbi Shalom Rosner discusses the Halachot of Tefilat Shabbat Part 2. Follow along using Tzurba Volume 16 Shiur 6 pages 229-272Tzurba is a revolutionary Halacha sefer guiding the learner through the Halachic process from the Talmudic source through modern day halachic application. Each volume contains clear and concise color-coded sections with a modern English translation alongside the original Hebrew text.The Tzurba Hilchot Shabbat Program is a 2 year cycle in which one can master all of Hilchot Shabbat by learning weekly with Tzurba's signature seforim and style.Tzurba seforim are all available on Amazon worldwide (for those in Israel you can purchase on our website)Have a question for Rabbi Rosner? Want to sponsor a shiur? Contact us at neil@tzurbaolami.com or WhatsAppFollow us on social media for more content:WhatsAppInstagramTwitterYouTubeThis episode was Dedicated anonymously in honor of the soldiers fighting in Gaza May they succeed and return home safely.Learn more about The Lax Family Tzurba M'Rabanan Series

In this episode Rabbi Shalom Rosner discusses the Halachot of Tefilat Shabbat Part 1. Follow along using Tzurba Volume 16 Shiur 4 pages 193-222Tzurba is a revolutionary Halacha sefer guiding the learner through the Halachic process from the Talmudic source through modern day halachic application. Each volume contains clear and concise color-coded sections with a modern English translation alongside the original Hebrew text.The Tzurba Hilchot Shabbat Program is a 2 year cycle in which one can master all of Hilchot Shabbat by learning weekly with Tzurba's signature seforim and style.Tzurba seforim are all available on Amazon worldwide (for those in Israel you can purchase on our website)Have a question for Rabbi Rosner? Want to sponsor a shiur? Contact us at neil@tzurbaolami.com or WhatsAppFollow us on social media for more content:WhatsAppInstagramTwitterYouTubeThis episode was Dedicated anonymously in honor of the soldiers fighting in Gaza May they succeed and return home safely.Learn more about The Lax Family Tzurba M'Rabanan Series

One of the punishments that Adam HaRishon received for his sin was that the ground became cursed. The sefer Moshcheni Acharecha writes that before the sin of Adam, if he would've seeded the Earth, it would've produced 40 years' worth of bounty, and the crop would have been the most robust and tasty possible. After the sin, however, the ground would only produce after much effort on the part of Adam, and even after all of his efforts, it would only produce a small amount, and the crop would be much more inferior than it used to be. This was a terrible curse. Now Adam had to spend hours upon hours of his time working, and after it all, he would still get much less than he used to get when he only had to put in a little effort. The Chiddushei HaRim says this curse was given with an abundance of mercy, as illustrated from the following story: One of the Chiddushei HaRim's students had a prosperous business and was very wealthy. However, one day the business went sour, and the man lost all his money. In a short amount of time, he found himself struggling just to put food on the table. The man went to the Chiddushei HaRim, his Rebbi. The Rebbi told him, Hashem is big. Pray hard for help. The man said he would, but then he asked the Rebbi if he should get in touch with his relatives in America to ask them for help. They were extremely wealthy and could easily help him. The Rebbi told him, A bsolutely not . The man listened and continued praying for a yeshua , but the situation got even worse, so the man went back to the Rebbi, this time in tears, saying he couldn't continue on without money. He begged the Rebbi to allow him to send a letter to his relatives to ask them for help. The Rebbi stood his ground and once again told him not to. He then gave his student chizuk to turn only to Hashem for help. The man went back home and, seeing his hungry children, was not able to withstand the test, so he went against what his Rebbi told him and wrote a letter to his relatives in America. He described what had happened to his business and how dire the situation had become. When they received the letter, their hearts opened up and they sent him an exorbitant amount of money. He had enough to open a new business, and in no time it became successful. But then, a new issue arose. The man got sick and had to go to the hospital. While there, his condition kept worsening until the doctor said there was no hope. He called for the Rebbi to come to give him a beracha. When the Rebbi arrived, he said, “ I don't think I can help you. I knew that in Shamayim, it was decreed that you were supposed to die, but Hashem, in His infinite mercy, took away your business and your money instead. I told you not to go to your family for help because I knew what this kapara was doing for you.” Imagine, when this man was crying out day and night for help with his parnasa and never saw an answer, he must have felt that Hashem wasn't listening to his Tefilot . He may have even become angry seeing how his family was suffering. But little did he know, Hashem was giving him the ultimate help. He was giving him life, and that's the biggest blessing he could have gotten! Hashem told Adam that if he ate from the tree, he was going to die. But then instead, Hashem gave him a lot of kapara , including cursing the earth, and that enabled Adam to live for hundreds of more years. It seemed harsh, but it was filled with mercy. We don't know what's good for us. It is incumbent upon us to always pray hard for what we need, but at the same time, we must know that Hashem is always acting out of love and mercy, whether we get the salvations we're hoping for, or not.

Parashat Ki-Tabo begins with the Misva of Bikkurim, which requires landowners to bring their first ripened fruits to the Bet Ha'mikdash, and present them to a Kohen. The Torah commands, “Ve'samta Ba'teneh” – that the fruits must be placed in a basket. The Gemara in Masechet Baba Kama (92a) makes a startling comment about these baskets used for the Bikkurim. It teaches that the wealthy landowners would bring their Bikkurim in ornate baskets, which the Kohen would then return to them, whereas the poor farmers would bring their Bikkurim in simple, crude baskets made from reeds, and the Kohanim would keep these baskets for themselves. The Kohanim would not return these simple baskets to the underprivileged farmers. The Gemara points to this Halacha as the Biblical source for the Aramaic proverb, “Batar Anya Azla Aniyuta” – which, loosely translated, means, “The poor get poorer.” Whereas the rich, who could easily afford to buy a new basket, get their baskets back, the poor, who struggle to obtain a simple reed basket, forfeit their baskets. The obvious question arises as to why this should be the case. Why is it fair that the rich get their baskets back, whereas the poor do not? Why should the poor get poorer? One answer is that this is done for the purpose of saving the poor farmers from embarrassment. In order to return their baskets, the Kohen would need to remove the poor farmers' fruits from the baskets, and everyone present would see their produce, which, in all likelihood, was low-quality. Poor farmers could not afford the advanced equipment or extra labor needed to grow fruit of the highest quality, and they would therefore be embarrassed when the Kohen removed their fruits from their baskets. It was thus to their benefit that the Kohen kept the baskets, so that the fruits would not be exposed to the public. But there is also an additional explanation. Let us take a step back and imagine how the wealthy farmer and the poor farmer obtained their baskets. The wealthy landowner, most likely, walked into a high-end store selling exquisite bowls and other utensils, found one he liked, pulled out his wallet, paid, took the merchandise, and left. The poor farmer, of course, couldn't do that. He, in all probability, found some reeds along the riverbank, picked them from the ground, brought them back home, and spend hours together with his wife weaving the pieces of reed together to form a simple, makeshift basket. When the two bring their baskets of fruit to the Bet Ha'mikdash, the Kohen, representing Hashem, keeps the basket that the poor man spent hours making, but is not interested in the rich man's basket, which he easily purchased from a local store. The simple reed basket prepared by the underprivileged farmer with the sweat of his brow, into which he invested a great deal of work and effort, is far more precious than the luxurious bowl purchased by the wealthy man. G-d values not the final product, but the work and effort that we exert in the performance of Misvot. This work is truly a labor of love – effort that expresses our deep love for Hashem, and our passionate desire to fulfill His will. And so this is what G-d cherishes the most. As the Mishna in Pirkeh Abot (5:23) teaches, “Lefum Sa'ara Agra” – we are rewarded in accordance with the “Sa'ar,” the grueling work we put in. A Misva that was performed with pristine perfection, but that entailed no effort, is valued less by Hashem than a defective Misva which a person tried performing with all his might – because it is the effort that demonstrates the individual's love and commitment. I once saw an advertisement in a community publication by a catering service, promoting its readymade Shabbat food. The advertisement said: “Save yourself the hassle of cooking for Shabbat!” I do not approve of the message conveyed by this advertisement. Cooking for Shabbat is not a “hassle” that we should be trying to save ourselves from. It is a labor of love. It is an expression of one's love for Shabbat, and, by extension, of Hashem. As we enter the holiday season, let us remember this fundamental principle of religious life - that what matters most is the work we put in. We need to invest time, thought and effort into our Tefilot, into Teshuba, and into the holiday meals and all the Misvot associated with this time of year. We should feel fortunate and privileged to put in this work, and we should feel gratified over the effort we exert, regardless of the final outcome.

In Arbit on the night of Shemini Aseret, we recite the chapter of Tehillim "La'menase'ah Al Ha'sheminit" in place of "Ke'ayal Ta'arog Al Afikeh Mayim." The word "Ha'sheminit" ("the eighth") alludes to Shemini Aseret, which is the eighth day when counting from the beginning of Succot, and thus this Psalm is relevant to this holiday. Furthermore, the second verse of this chapter prays, "Hoshi'a Hashem Ki Gamar Hasid Ki Fasu Emunim Mibeneh Adam" ("Save [us], Hashem, for the righteous one is gone; for there are no more faithful ones among people"). The Midrash says that this prayer was recited by Yehoshua after the death of Moshe Rabbenu, who was the "Ne'eman" – the most faithful servant of God. Yehoshua begged the Almighty to save Beneh Yisrael after Moshe's passing, and this prayer is appropriate to recite on Shemini Aseret and Simhat Torah, when we read of Moshe's passing (in Parashat Vezot Haberacha).There are those who have the custom to stand for the recitation of Kaddish on the night of Simhat Torah. According to the view of the Arizal (Rav Yishak Luria of Safed, 1534-1572), however, this custom is incorrect. The Arizal understood that we stand for Barechu and Kaddish on Friday night because of the "Neshama Yetera" – the extra soul that we receive as Shabbat sets in. On Yom Tob, we do not receive a "Neshama Yetera," and therefore there is no reason to stand for Barechu or Kaddish on the night of Yom Tob.In the Amida prayer on both days – Shemini Aseret and Simhat Torah – we refer to the holiday as "Yom Shemini Hag Aseret Ha'ze." If one mistakenly recited "Yom Hag Ha'Succot Ha'ze," he must repeat the Amida. Shemini Aseret is a separate holiday, and not the eighth day of Succot ("Shemini Regel Bi'fneh Asmo"), and therefore one's prayer is invalid if he refers to the holiday as "Yom Hag Ha'Succot Ha'ze." If one realized his mistake before he completed the Amida, he returns to "Ata Behartanu." However, if he realized his mistake only after he recited "Yiheyu Le'rason Imreh Fi," he must recite the entire Amida again from the beginning. This applies to Kiddush, as well. If on the night of Shemini Aseret or Simhat Torah one mistakenly recited "Yom Hag Ha'Succot Ha'ze" in Kiddush instead of "Yom Shemini Hag Aseret Ha'ze" he must repeat the entire text of Kiddush.For the same reason, we recite the Beracha of "Shehehiyanu" at Kiddush on both nights. Since Shemini Aseret/Simhat Torah constitutes a new holiday, which is not part of Succot, we recite "Shehehiyanu" over the occasion of this new holiday.On the first night of the holiday, it is customary to wait until dark for the holiday to begin before reciting Kiddush. On the second night, too, one should wait until dark because otherwise he would be required to eat in the Succa, as we do on Shemini Aseret. Thus, on both nights Kiddush should be recited only after dark.Summary: In Arbit on the night of Shemini Aseret, we recite the chapter of Tehillim "La'menase'ah Al Ha'sheminit" in place of "Ke'ayal Ta'arog Al Afikeh Mayim." In Kiddush and the Amida on both Shemini Aseret and Simhat Torah, we refer to the holiday as "Yom Shemini Hag Aseret Ha'ze," and one who mistakenly recites "Yom Hag Ha'Succot Ha'ze" must repeat the Kiddush or Amida. "Shehehiyanu" is recited at Kiddush on both nights. Kiddush should not be recited on either night before dark.

This Saturday night we begin the special Tefilot of Selichot, composed to take advantage of the auspicious time of the High Holiday season. What is the origin and meaning of these prayers? Take Ten to find out. 

There are certain additions that are added to the Amidah throughout the day and the night of Tisha BeAv. Of course the most common addition that we add to all our Tefilot during fast days is ‘Anenu.' Our custom is to add the Anenu in all the Tefilot of Tisha BeAv beginning with Arbit, and of course the following day in Shacharit and in Mincha. Anenu is inserted in ‘Shomea Tefilah.' When the Chazan repeats the Amidah, he would insert this Anenu in between the Beracha of ‘Goel Yisrael' and ‘Rifaenu'.It should be pointed out that if one forgets Anenu, he does not have to repeat the Amidah. Missing Anenu does not invalidate the Amidah.There's another addition to the Amidah that is specifically applicable only on Tisha BeAv. We insert the Beracha of ‘Nachem' into the Amidah. ‘Nachem' is a special insert that is put into the Beracha of ‘Tishkon Bitoch Yerushalayim'. It's a special Tisha BeAv Beracha that talks about the destruction of Jerusalem, and how G-d, B'Ezrat Hashem, is going to console us with the rebuilding of Jerusalem. We end that Beracha with "Baruch Ata Hashem Menachem Tzion BiVinyan Yerushalayim."Now, there is a great Machloket as to how many times one must mention ‘Nachem'. According to Maran in Shulchan Aruch, the Beracha of ‘Nachem' is mentioned in all the Tefilot, starting with Arbit of Tisha BeAv, and continuing through Shacharit and Mincha. That's the opinion also of Rav Chida(Rav Chaim Yoseif David Azulai, 1724-1806), and that it seems was and is the Minhag of Eretz Yisrael, which again, is to say ‘Nachem' in all the Tefilot.The Ashkenazim however, follow the ruling of Rama (Rabbi Moshe Isserles, 1530 - 1572), who says to only say the Beracha of ‘Nachem' in Mincha of Tisha BeAv. He says this is because Mincha was the time exactly when the Romans came and lit the fire to burn the Bet HaMikdash. So it is at that point that we start to mention about the destruction of Jerusalem officially in the Amidah. Our Minhag is to follow the Ashkenazim on this, and we thus say ‘Nachem' only in Mincha of Tisha BeAv. Again, only Mincha Tisha BeAv, is where we say ‘Nachem.' Now if somebody forgot ‘Nachem', he has a few places where he can make it up. If he forgot it when saying ‘Tishkon Bitoch Yerushalayim', he can make it up in ‘Shema Kolenu'. If he forgot in ‘Shema Kolenu', he could make it up in ‘Ritze' in the place where you say ‘Yaale VeYavo' which is after the words ‘Avodat Yisrael Amecha.' Now, in that place you can not say the Beracha with a Chatima (ending) of ‘Baruch Ata Hashem Menachem Tzion BiVinyan Yerushalayim', but rather you would just say up until the Beracha and then continue ‘VeAta BeRachamecha'. If he still forgets to insert ‘Nachem' at that point, he can still make it before he finishes the Amidah after the second ‘Yehi Ratzon', right before the last part. Finally, if he forgets it there, he does not go back and repeat the Amidah. This is a once a year item. Therefore, everyone should prepare themselves and be ready to say the Amidah with the proper inclusions in the Amidah on Tisha BeAv. Specifically, don't miss out on the important addition of ‘Nachem' in Mincha. It's in the siddur, and one has to be cognizant while reading from the siddur. It's in the middle of ‘Tishkon', which is a Beracha that otherwise never sees an addition or insert. So be careful not to daydream, as it would be very easy to miss, since it is a once a year item. You can't make it up, so again, make sure to be aware and make the necessary additions as mentioned above to the Amidah on Tisha BeAv.

The Gemara in Masechet Berachot (9b) cites the testimony of Rabbi Yosef Ben Elyakim who reported a tradition among the Jews of Jerusalem that "whoever adjoins the blessing of Ge'ula to his prayer does not suffer any harm the entire day." This refers to the Halacha of "Semichat Ge'ula Li'tfila" – avoiding interruption between the Beracha of "Ga'al Yisrael" and the beginning of the Amida. After reciting this Beracha, one should immediately begin, "Ado-nai Sefatai Yiftah" and proceed with the Amida, without making any interruptions, including answering "Amen," responding to "Nakdishach," and even silently motioning or gesturing. The Gemara teaches that one who fulfills this requirement, and avoids all interruptions between "Ga'al Yisrael" and the beginning of the Amida, is protected from harm the entire day. (Some claim that the Gemara refers to protection from physical harm, whereas others claim that it refers to protection from spiritual harm.) The Gemara then adds that Rabbi Brona would smile the entire day after fulfilling this Halacha, confident that he had earned G-d's protection. Tosafot (commentaries by medieval French and German scholars; listen to audio recording for precise citation) raises the question of why the Gemara considered "Semichat Ge'ula Li'tfila" a source of such special merit and protection. After all, this is a Halacha that everyone observes. Why does one earn special protection for fulfilling this basic Halachic requirement of avoiding interruptions between "Ga'al Yisrael" and the Amida?Tosefot answers that the Gemara refers to one who prays exactly at sunrise, reciting the Beracha of "Ga'al Yisrael" just before sunrise, and then beginning the Amida right at sunrise. This is, indeed, a high level of Misva performance which only few people reach, and thus the Gemara extols the value of this practice and the merit one earns by praying in this fashion.This special protection is alluded to in the Book of Tehillim. Chapter 19 concludes with the Pasuk, "Yiheyu Le'rason Imreh Fi Ve'hegyon Libi Lefanech Hashem Suri Ve'go'ali" ("May the words of my mouth be accepted, and may the thoughts of my heart come before You, Hashem, my rock and my redeemer"). The final word in this chapter is thus "Go'ali" – "My redeemer" – and the next chapter begins with the promise that Hashem will assist us in times of distress – "Ya'ancha Hashem Be'yom Sara." This alludes to the fact that one who properly fulfills the Halacha of "Semichat Ge'ula Li'tfila" earns G-d's special protection.The Beneh Yissaschar (Rav Svi Elimelech Shapiro of Dinov, 1783-1841) comments that if one spends time studying Gemara before he prays in the morning, then four angels bring his prayers directly before the Heavenly Throne. These angels are Gabriel, Michael, Raphael and Uriel, and the first letters of their names spell the word "Gemara," alluding to the fact that they come through the study of Gemara. In light of what we have seen, we cannot even imagine the immense power of prayer recited right at sunrise when one has studied Gemara – such as Daf Yomi – before prayers. This is a formidable "1-2 punch," if you will, guaranteeing the acceptance of our Tefilot and G-d's bestowing His mercy and protection upon us throughout the day. By learning early in the morning and then praying at sunrise, we earn the fulfillment of the Pasuk, "They shall go from strength to strength; he shall be seen by G-d in Zion" (Tehillim 84:8).