brachot | Machon Shilo 2/3

The Bracha of haMechin Mitzadei Gaver/הַמֵּכִין מִצְעֲדֵי גָבֶר in the Morning

Question: Should I avoid talking after saying the birkat hashachar "haMechin Mitzadei Gaver", but before I have crossed the threshold of...

Bracha on When or After Covering One's Head

Question: Which birkat hashachar do I say as I don my kippah (yarmulke) in the morning? Answer: The bracha which ends in "Oter Yisrael...

Bracha on Shoes in the Morning

Question: Which bracha does one say when putting on one's shoes in the morning? Answer: One says שעשה לי כל צרכי which is one of ברכות...

Morning Bracha on Wearing Pants

Question: Which bracha of the Birkot haShachar do I say as I put on my pants in the morning? Answer: The Bracha that end withs Ozer...

Saying Malbish Arumin/מלביש ערומים

Question: When is it appropriate to say the bracha מלביש ערומים in the morning? Answer: As one puts on a major article of clothing or...

When and Where to Say Birkot haShachar

Question: When should I say Birkot haShachar? Should I say the brachot that appear at the beginning of the siddur consecutively in shul...

Davening Shacharit

Question: What is one halachically required to say each morning as part of Shacharit? Answer: 1. The following is the minimal halachic...

The Bracha "Elohai Neshema"/אֱלֹהַי נְשָׁמָה

Question: When should I say the bracha "Elohai Neshema"? Answer: One should say "Elohai Neshama" (ending with the bracha "haMahazir...

Enunciating Words During Tefillah and Other Brachot

Question: When davening, how much should I pronounce the words? Is it enough to, as the Rambam suggests, say them in my mind? Should I,...

Taking in Shabbat Early

Question: Can one make an early Shabbat? Answer: 1. Yes, making Shabbat early is entirely acceptable. 2. Most people who do this,...

Shabbat HaGadol: Bread or Matzah?

Question: We are aware of a tradition of not eating matzah just before Pesah. However we already turned over our kitchen and dining area...

Removing Tefillin After Sunset

Question: If I say Mincha with tefillin on and then when I take them off it is already after shkiah (sunset) should I still say the...

Bracha when Removing One's Tefillin

Question: Is there a bracha for when taking off tefillin? If so, what is it and when does one say it? Answer: 1. The bracha is "Asher...

When to Say the Bracha when Putting on Tefillin

Question: If I put on tefillin more than once on a given day should I say the brachot on them each time? Answer: The Talmud Yerushalmi...

The Bracha on Tallit Katan

Question: Which bracha should I make upon putting on my tallit katan? Answer: One should make the bracha "lehitatef betzitzit" upon...

Saying the Bracha on Tzitzit

Question: Should I say the bracha on tzitzit each time I put them on during the course of the day? Answer: If one takes off one's tzitzit...

The Brachot on Matzah

Question: When I lived in Israel I was taught that on matzot after Pesach one said mezonot before and birkat hamazon afterwards if the...

Mayim Achronim Before Birkat haMazon

Question: Must I wash mayim achronim before I say birkat hamazon? Answer: Yes, one should wash with a cup as one does before eating bread....

Bracha Upon Building One's Sukkah

Question: Should I say a bracha upon building my sukkah? Answer: Yes. In accordance with the Talmud Yerushalmi the appropriate bracha to...

The place of women in halacha

In his book On Changes in Jewish Liturgy: Options and Limitations, HaRav Professor Daniel Sperber reviews some of the criticism levelled...