Prayer/Berachot

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…

Dear Rabbi Simon, Should the mitzvah of prayer in a minyan be canceled at a time of danger of being in a dangerous place or being persecuted by non-Jewish authorities, for example, going to prison? This means a danger that may come true (and many people, not only Jews, take it seriously), but it may not happen either. Eli Dear…

Dear Rabbi Simon, Could I have your thoughts please on how long one must keep names on davening lists for? I have several names of holim that aren’t recent, and I have no way of knowing if they still need my tefillot. Do you think I should continue to mention them in my prayers? Many thanks in advance. Lisa Dear Lisa, Thank…

Dear Rabbi Simon In a recent “Ask Rabbi Rashi” column, re yahrzeit, you said that if there is an option of sponsoring the kiddush or providing food and drink at some level, this would also be a source of “elevation of the soul”. My question is, Would it not be better to give money to charity than sponsoring a kiddush?…