Prayer/Berachot

Note: The questioner lives in a city where sunrise is as late as 08:44am (in early January). Dear Rabbi Simon I have a question. During the winter I daven before the halahic time because I can’t pray after the kids get up, I can’t go to shul (like my husband – as women don’t go in the morning), I’m not…

Dear Rabbi Simon I have a question about Kiddush Levanah.  I’ve got too much time to think with the new Work from Home regime. (Of course I am still working.) Often the moon is visible in the sky well before nightfall. In circumstances where due to prevailing weather conditions you have not been able to recite Kiddush Levanah after dark…

Dear Rabbi Simon My friend is sick in hospital. B”H two days ago the feeding tube was taken from his nose. He is now drinking and eating small amounts frequently. Because it is demanding, I forget to instruct him to recite the blessing. Does he need to bless every time? Thanks Rafi Dear Raphi Thank you for your question. If…

Dear Rabbi Simon If I oversleep and start my davening after z’man Keriyat Shema (latest time for morning Shema), do I omit the blessings of the Shema (two before and one after) since the time for fulfilling the mitzvah has passed? Ie, would these be “blessings in vain” (berachot le-vatalah)? In that case, in the summer Shabbatot when I need…

Dear Rabbi Simon, When we daven Maariv before nightfall (as is very common in the summer months), are we supposed to say (repeat) the Shema at earliest opportunity possible after the stars are visible?  Is one supposed to not eat dinner before saying the Shema? I presume that if you’re davening a late Maariv ie 10:30pm, it’s permissible to eat…

Dear Rabbi Simon, If you eat a meal of pasta or cereal, do you say birkat ha-mazon (full grace after meals) afterwards? How do you know if it’s benching (that is, birkat ha-mazon) or beracha me-‘eyn shalosh (the shorter, one-paragraph “condensed” blessing; see Artscroll siddur p. 200)? Baruch Dear Baruch Pasta, ravioli, spaghetti, porridge, many cereals, etc are mezonot before…

Dear Rabbi Simon, I attended a shiva house and there was a liberal service which may be charitably described as “interesting”. It was more like a sermon where the person leading read out a mash-up of parts of Shema, jumping between Hebrew/English, and then parts of the Amidah which felt so far away from our version with things chopped out…

Dear Rabbi Simon, What is ideal time and latest-time to say an after-beracha? Sometimes I’m eating and working (or learning, or other activity 🙂), and lose track of time. Thank you, Baruch Dear Baruch, Losing track of time…I know the feeling. Ideally one should say a beracha acharona promptly when s/he finishes eating. However, one also should avoid a gratuitous…

Dear Rabbi Simon, I hope you don’t mind if I pose a question regarding davening apparel. I daven at home regularly and I was curious as to what the halakhic etiquette is in terms of attire and footwear. The way I approach this, which is not based on anything specific, is that when I pray I make sure I am…