Thursday, August 31, 2017

The Simanim on Rosh Hashana

The Simanim on Rosh Hashana
Day: Thursday
Date: August 31, 2017
Parshat: Ki Tetzei
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 583

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Before eating each Siman on Rosh Hashana we say a short prayer (a Yehi Ratzon) which contains a pun with the name of the food. A theoretical example would be to eat a raisin and some celery and to say "may we have a raise in salary."
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.
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. 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. One should 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

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

The Rosh Hashana Candles

The Rosh Hashana Candles
Day: Wednesday
Date: August 30, 2017
Parshat: Ki Tetzei
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 583

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The proper text to say when lighting the candles before Rosh Hashana is "lehadlik ner shel Yom Tov." One should not mention Yom Hazikaron. As always, when lighting the candles one should first say the blessing and then light the candles. Not the other way around. The beracha of shehehiyanu should not be said at the time of lighting. Instead, everyone should listen and fulfill their obligation with the shehehyanu that is said during kiddush.


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

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Customs for Erez Rosh Hashana

Customs for Erev Rosh Hashana
Day: Tuesday
Date: August 29, 2017
Parshat: Ki Tetzei
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 581

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Some people have a custom to go to the cemetery on Erev Rosh Hashana 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 that is buried there. Obviously Kohanim are forbidden from going to the cemetery to pray. The accepted custom is to get a haircut on Erev Rosh Hashana and to wear nice fresh clothing on Rosh Hashana 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 mikveh 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

Monday, August 28, 2017

How to do Teshuva

How to do Teshuva
Day: Monday
Date: August 28, 2017
Parshat: Ki Tetzei
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 581/602

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The bottom line of teshuva is for a person to completely stop the sin for which he is doing teshuva and resolve to not return to his sinful ways. One should also feel regret for what he has done. Another component is verbally acknowledging to Hashem that he 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

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Guidelines for Saying Selihot Without a Minyan

Guidelines for Saying Selihot Without a Minyan
Day: Sunday
Date: August 27, 2017
Parshat: Ki Tetzei
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 581

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One who is saying the selihot on his own without a minyan should omit the parts in Aramaic. The reason for omitting those parts 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 we do 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

Friday, August 25, 2017

Must Everyone Get Up Early for Selihot?

Must Everyone Get Up Early for Selihot?
Day: Friday
Date: August 25, 2017
Parshat: Shofitim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 581

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Torah teachers, Yeshivah students, and people that are not self employed, who feel that they will not be able to perform their jobs to par if they get up early for selihot may skip some days of selihot. They should still go to selihot at least on Mondays and Thursdays and during the aseret yeme teshuva. If possible they should say the missed selihot sometime in the afternoon or at night after hatzot. Tikun hatzot should also be said before going to sleep and if one can only say one or the other it is better to say tikun hatzot. One who is saying the selihot without a minyan may not say the thirteen midot as a prayer. Instead he should read it with the tune as it is read from the Torah.


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

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

The Ideal Time to Say the Selihot

The Ideal Time to Say the Selihot
Day: Wednesday
Date: August 23, 2017
Parshat: Shofitim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 581

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The ideal time to say the selihot is from hatzot and onward until the morning. During that time it is more likely that our prayers will be answered as it is an "et ratzon." Before hatzot one may not say the thirteen midot or other parts of the selihot. If one hears others saying them he should not join in. Instead, he should gently explain to them that what they are doing is incorrect. It is more important for a person to remain awake and alert during shaharit than it is to say the selihot early. Therefore one who feels that by getting up early to say selihot he will not be able to focus on his prayers, should say the selihot later on in the day.


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

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

The Reason for Saying Selihot

The Reason for Saying Selihot
Day: Tuesday
Date: August 22, 2017
Parshat: Shofitim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 581

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The Sephardic custom is to begin reciting selihot from the day immediately after Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kippur. The reason for this is because we have a tradition that Moshe Rabenu went up Har Sinai to receive the second set of Luhot on Rosh Chodesh Elul and descended on the day that became Yom Kippur. These days are traditionally days of mercy for us. On that original Yom Kippur Hashem forgave us for our sin of the golden calf and therefore Yom Kippur was designated as the day of atonement for every year thereafter.


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

Monday, August 21, 2017

When to Say Hagomel

When to Say Hagomel
Day: Monday
Date: August 21, 2017
Parshat: Shofitim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 219

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One who is required to say Hagomel should ideally say it within three days and in the presence of a Minyan. It is not necessary to say the beracha during the reading of the Torah or even when the Torah is out. It is certainly not proper to wait for an opportunity to say it when the Torah is out and thereby let three days pass. One who didn't say it within three days may say it anytime afterward. One who becomes required to say Hagomel just before a Yom Tov should say during that yom Tov.


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

Sunday, August 20, 2017

May a Child Say Hagomel?

May a Child Say Hagomel?
Day: Sunday
Date: August 20, 2017
Parshat: Shofitim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 219

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The correct text of the beracha of Hagomel is "hagomel lahayavim tovot, shegimalani kol tuv." We thank Hashem "who graciously gives good even to those who are guilty and has given me all good." The common custom therefore is for a boy under 13 or a girl under 12 to not say Hagomel. The words "lahayavim tovot" - "good even to those who are guilty" does not apply to a minor since a minor is not yet considered guilty for his sins. It is not possible to omit those words since we cannot change the text that the hachamim set up for us and the father may also not say it for the child. There are some poskim who do allow a child to say Hagomel once he is of an age that he understands what he's saying, however in practice it is not done.


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