Tuesday, September 27, 2016

The Kaparot Service

The Kaparot Service
Day: Tuesday
Date: September 27, 2016
Parshat: Nitzavim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 605


The custom to do Kaparot has been accepted among almost all Jews. It is an ancient custom dating back to the days of the Geonim (approximately years 590-1040). Ideally white chickens should be used. A rooster is used for men and boys and a hen is used for women and girls. For a pregnant woman the custom is to use two hens and a rooster, one hen for herself, and the others so that whether she is having a boy or girl the child will be covered. One who cannot afford separate chickens for each person can use one chicken for entire family. If one is doing the Kaparot service for others he should do it for himself first and afterward for the others. While doing the Kaparot it is important to think about Teshuva and that everything that will happen to the chicken should really happen to him but because he is doing Teshuva HaShem will save him. If one is keeping the animals at his home he must ensure to feed them daily before he himself eats.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Monday, September 26, 2016

Changes to the Amida During Aseret Yemei Teshuvah Part 2

Changes to the Amida During Aseret Yemei Teshuvah Part 2
Day: Monday
Date: September 26, 2016
Parshat: Nitzavim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 602


During the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah there are four inserts added to the Amida. They are:
1. "Zochrenu lihayim..." At the end of the first beracha.
2. "Mi chamocha av harachaman..." At the end of the second beracha.
3. "Uchtov lihayim..." During Modim.
4. "Uvisefer hayim..." During Sim Shalom
If one forgot to say zochrenu lihayim (the first insert) and remembered before saying the name of HaShem at the end of the beracha he should go back and say the insert and continue from there. If he remembered only after saying HaShem's name he should not go back and he should not insert it at the point. Instead he may say it during Shema Kolenu, before the words "ki ata shome'a tefilat kol peh". If he forgot to say it at that point he can say it at the end of the amida. If he forgot to say the second insert he can not insert it later on since it is a praise of HaShem and not a request. If he forgot either of the last two inserts and remembered before saying HaShem's name at the end of the beracha he must go back to the insert and continue from there. However if he remembered after finishing the beracha he should add the insert at the end of Elokai Netzor.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Changes to the Amida During Aseret Yemei Teshuvah Part 1

Changes to the Amida During Aseret Yemei Teshuvah Part 1
Day: Sunday
Date: September 25, 2016
Parshat: Nitzavim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 602


When saying the amidot during the Aseret Yemei Teshuva we end off the blessing of Ata Kadosh by saying "hamelech hakadosh" instead of the usual "hakel hakadosh". We also amend the beracha of Hashiva by ending off with the words "hamelech hamishpat" instead of the usual "melech ohev tzedaka umishpat". If one accidentally said hakel hakadosh instead of hamelech hakadosh he must start the amida again. However if he realized his mistake immediately and right away corrected it by saying hamelech hakadosh he does not need to begin again. If he is not sure whether or not he said hamelech hakadosh he must start the amida again since he most probably did not say it.

If one forgot to say hamelech hamishpat at the end of Hashiva, as long as he hasn't finished the amida yet he must go back to the beginning of the beracha of Hashiva. Even if he already bowed for Modim and then he remembered or he was unsure whether or not he said hamelech hamishpat he stops where he is and goes back to Hashiva. If he only remembered after finishing the amida that he didn't say hamelech hamishpat he should say "if I am required to repeat the amida, this will be my repetition. If I am not required, this will be a nedava" and then he should repeat the amida. Outside of Eretz Yisrael the custom of most Ashkenazim is to not go back to Hashiva if they remember during the amida. If they remember afterward they follow the procedure above.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Tashlich

Tashlich
Day: Thursday
Date: September 23, 2016
Parshat: Ki Tavo
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 584


After mincha on the first day of Rosh Hashana we do tashlich. The tashlich service should be recited next to a river, stream, or the ocean etc. The reason we say it next to water is as a remembrance to the midrash regarding the Akedat Yitzchak. The midrash tells us that when Avraham and Yitzchak were on there way to the Akeda the satan caused a river to flow directly in their path to stop them. Avraham and Yitzchak were undeterred and walked into the river until the water was up to their necks. At that point Avraham prayed to HaShem and HaShem instructed the satan to remove the river. The Zohar tells us that this happened on Rosh Hashana. Therefore, in order to invoke the merit of the Akedat Yitzchak, we recite tashlich next to a body of water. If one did not say tashlich on the first day of Rosh Hashana he should say it on the second day.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

The Second Night of Rosh Hashanah

The Second Night of Rosh Hashanah
Day: Wednesday
Date: September 14, 2016
Parshat: Ki Teitzei
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 600


On the second night of Rosh Hashana shehehyanu is said during kiddush just like on the first night. If possible, one should try to have a new fruit on the table or wear a new garment and have that in mind when saying the beracha. However if that is not an option he should still say shehehyanu. On the second we do the Simanim again the same way as the first night.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

The Procedure for the Simanim on Rosh Hashanah

The Procedure for the Simanim on Rosh Hashanah
Day: Tuesday
Date: September 13, 2016
Parshat: Ki Teitzei
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 583


When doing the Simanim service, the proper way is to first say the beracha on the item, take a bite, and then say the Yehi Ratzon and eat the rest. If one has not partaken of the fruit since the previous season he should say shehehyanu as well. When saying shehehyanu the following procedure should be used. First the beracha on the fruit should be said. Immediately afterward one should say shehehyanu. Only after both berachot have been said should the fruit be enjoyed. One should make sure that the new fruit is not on the table when he says shehehyanu during kiddush or at the very least he should cover it and have in mind that the shehehyanu during kiddush should not cover the new fruit. It is proper to answer amen to the Yehi Ratzons.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Monday, September 12, 2016

The Simanim on Rosh Hashanah Night

The Simanim on Rosh Hashanah Night
Day: Monday
Date: September 12, 2016
Parshat: Ki Teitzei
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 581


The proper time to eat the Simanim is either at the beginning of the meal after hamotzi, or at the end of the meal after birkat hamazon. When doing the Simanim during the meal, no blessing is said on any cooked vegetables since cooked vegetables are routinely eaten as part of a meal. One of the Simanim is dates. The beracha should be said on dates first since dates are part of the seven species of Erez Yisrael and also since in the order of the species they precede pomegranates. When saying the ha'etz one should have in mind that it is also for any other Simanim with the same beracha. 


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Customs for Erev Rosh Hashanah

Customs for Erev Rosh Hashanah
Day: Sunday
Date: September 11, 2016
Parshat: Ki Teitzei
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 581


Some people have a custom to go to the cemetery on Erev Rosh Hashanah and pray at the graves of tzadikim. One who does this must ensure that he does not pray to, or make requests of, the deceased. Rather, he should pray to HaShem to have mercy on him in the merit of the tzadik buried there. Obviously Kohanim are forbidden from going to the cemetery to pray. The accepted custom is to get a haircut on Erev Rosh Hashanah and to wear nice fresh clothing on Rosh Hashanah itself. The reason for this is to show that we are confident that HaShem, in his infinite kindness, will grant us a favorable judgement. Our custom is for men to go to the mikvah before Rosh Hashana. A man who is unable to go may pour 9 kav (about 3 1/4 gallons) of water over himself instead. A three minute shower would suffice.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Friday, September 9, 2016

The Proper Way to do Teshuva

The Proper Way to do Teshuva
Day: Friday
Date: September 9, 2016
Parshat: Shoftim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 581/602


The most important part of teshuva is for a person to completely stop the sin he is doing teshuva for and resolve to not return to his sinful ways. One should also feel regret for what he has done. Another component is verbally admitting to HaShem that one has sinned. More than anything, the constant study of Torah causes HaShem to forgive a person. The Midrash Raba tells us (Vayikra Parsha 25) "A person who has committed severe sins and is sentenced by the heavenly courts to death can save himself. What should he do? If he normally studies one page of Torah, he should study two. If he normally learns one chapter of Mishnayot, he should learn two chapters. If he is not able to study Torah, he should raise money for charity and in so doing he will live." Our Hachamim have also taught us that one who sinned and does teshuva is considered even greater than a person who never sinned. The reason for this is because the one who sinned was confronted by an overbearing yetzer hara and yet still managed to break free.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Guidelines for Saying Selihot Without a Minyan

Guidelines for Saying Selihot Without a Minyan
Day: Thursday
Date: September 8, 2016
Parshat: Shoftim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 581


One who is saying the selihot on his own without a minyan should omit the parts in Aramaic. The reason is because when no minyan is present our prayers are brought to HaShem by angels and since the angels don't understand Aramaic they don't bring those prayers to HaShem. However when there is a minyan the Shechina of HaShem is present and the assistance of angels is unnecessary. Obviously this is a very deep concept not to be taken at face value. When saying the thirteen midot one should not count them on his fingers as is done when saying the ingredients in the ketoret. This is because it is not quite clear which words in the pasuk are separate midot. 


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org