1) After thirty days of saying "V'Sein Tal U'Matar" in the winter, or saying "V'Sein Bracha" in the summer we assume that one's brain is already used to saying the proper text.
Thus, if after this time period one doesn't remember if the proper text was said, we assume that indeed it was and we do not require him/her to repeat Shemona Esrei.
2) The magical "thirty days" is not so much due to its being a month, rather it is due to having ninety Tefilos prayed in that period, and once something is said or done ninety times, it becomes "second nature".(In fact, something that is done, or not done, for ninety days, is scientifically proven to become easier to maintain. This is true for breaking addictions as well as for changing other human habits etc.) (See Mishna Berura Siman 114:37)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers.
These Q&A are taken from the Q & A pages on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Gmail.com
Reader's Question:
I've been trying to find a makor (source) for the direction one turns during "Bo-ee V'shalom" during kabalas Shabbos. It would seem that one should turn to one's right, just like any other mitzvah; however, I seem to recall seeing in a Sefer that EVERYONE should actually turn towards his LEFT, but I don't recall why (I think he was quoting the Munkatcher Rav?)
In any case, can you help provide me with a makor?
Answer:
During the recitation of the last verse of the Lecha Dodi, Bo'ee V'Shalom, the Pri Megadim and other Seforim say to turn to Maariv, westward, which is to the back of the shul.
In the Siddur of Rav Yaakov Emden Zatzal he says in the name of his father the Chacham Tzvi Zatzal that when saying the first "Bo'ee Kallah" he would bend his head to his left, which is to the right of the Shechina and when he said the second "Bo'ee Kallah" he would bend his head to the right.
See also Ben Ish Chai, second year Parashas Vayeira Siman 2 for a detailed discussion about this.
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CHIZUK CORNER
This section is dedicated L'Ilui Nishmos the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Chaim Yaakov Stein Zatzal and the Mir Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Noson Tzvi Finkel Zatzal. May we all strive to follow in their ways and may they both be Melitzei Yosher for all of Klal Yisroel.
We will B'Ezras Hashem post here each day a short inspirational thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
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THANK YOU AND תזכו למצות!
זכר צדיקים וקדושים לברכה
THE DAVENING CORNER - Part II
This segment, which we will post weekly B'Ezras Hashem, was compiled by daily readers, Moshe Weiss, S. Weiss, and E. Willner of Brooklyn, NY.
For those of you who missed the original segments and are interested in reading them, please e-mail mw@mosheweiss.com and they will email it to you.
Rabbi Pesach Krohn was once speaking about the importance of keeping quiet in shul especially during Chazaras Hashatz (repetition of Shemoneh-Esrei.) He explained that the person at the amud is acting as our defense attorney in a court of law. He is pleading for Hashem's mercy to give us blessings in our lives. Imagine someone convicted of murder and facing death row sitting in court as his attorney is trying to defend him and prove that he is not guilty. If he started talking to the person behind him or talking on his cell phone, it would look like he doesn't give any credence or respect to the person trying to get him acquitted of the serious charges against him. If he shows the court that he does not care about his own future, why should the jury or judge care about him either?
By ignoring our defense attorney, who is the chazzan in our case, and talking when he is pleading our case, we are showing that we don't care about our future. So then, why should Hashem, the ultimate Judge in this world, listen to the words of our shaliach tzibbur? It is important for our defense attorney to represent us to the Ribono Shel Olam correctly, by clearly saying the correct words. This approach is extended to ba'alei keriah as well. Not correcting a mistake or mispronunciation which would change the meaning of a word could invalidate the keriah. The strictness applied to them to properly pronounce the words they lein should be applied by individuals to their own tefillos as well.
GENERAL RULE: Emphasis (shown here by bold and italics) is usually on the last syllable. Look for a vertical line in (most) siddurim if the emphasis is on a different syllable.
WEEK ONE:
In the birchos hatorah every morning, when saying "asher bachar banoo mikol ha-ameem venasan lanoo es toraso," we are praising and thanking Hashem that He chose us from all the other nations and gave us the Torah. This berachah is also said when a man gets an aliyah to the Torah.
Banoo with the accent on the first syllable means in us. Banoo with the accent at the end means they built. Mispronounced, this would mean "he chose 'they built' from all the other nations."
Likewise, lanoo with the accent on the first syllable means to us. Lanoo with the accent at the end means they slept.
This shows us that the berachah loses its proper meaning when pronounced incorrectly.
Important Numbers
