Davening Tips, Part 1

Congregation Rodef Shalom

Davening Review Session

May 11, 2014

By way of general introduction …

• those who do not feel well and run the risk of passing sickness to others should feel excused from service attendance, and are encouraged to stay home
• when driving conditions might pose a danger to safe passage, please err on the side of caution
• cell phones should, ideally, be left at home, but if brought to synagogue they should be silenced upon entry to the synagogue building.

Issues Germane to the Prayer Services:

1. 1.Listening to the Beracha vs. Saying the Beracha

            In general, we answer Amen to the blessings of another Jew, regardless of whether it is being        said on our behalf or if we have already recited the blessing.  The normative practice in            davening is to recite the blessings ahead of the prayer the leader, and then wait to listen and    recite Amen to the leader's recitation of the chatimah, or conclusion of the blessing.  so that     others do not hear multiple voices saying the words. Listening to multiple voices in the    recitation of a blessing is problematic from the standpoint of answering Amen; those who are             davening more slowly and wish to catch up to the leader are advised to recite the concluding        blessing in its entirety with the leader, but in an undertone.

1. 1.Concept of Hefsek / Baruch Hu u'Varuch Sh'mo

            Generally speaking, one answers "Baruch Hu U’Baruch Shemo" upon hearing God's Name as       part of a Beracha.

            There are sections of the prayer service (between Baruch She'amar and Yishtabach and between   Barchu and the end of the personal Amidah recitation,in which a hefsek, or disruption should   not disrupt the flow of the prayers; hence one does not answer "Baruch Hu U’Baruch Shemo"             within these intervals.

            One should not answer "Baruch Hu U’Baruch Shemo" when he listens to a Beracha through         which he fulfills an obligation, such as the early Morning Blessings or Kiddush.

            In cases where the congregation has recited the Amidah silently and the prayer leader repeats it    aloud, it is proper to answer each of the leader's blessings with "Baruch Hu U’Baruch Shemo"            and Amen.

1. 2.How to Perform the “Heiche Kedusha” version of the Amidah

            “Heicha" is the Litvish pronunciation of "hoiche" which means "loud". Perhaps it means that        the beginning of the Shaliah Tzibbur's Amidah is said aloud by him … One starts over for       Musaf, but for Shacharit there is Smichat geulah l'tefilah, that is to say that one should continue        straight from barchu through the end of the Amidah without a break. Therefore for Shacharit            you should say all aloud with the chazzan and not say Amens, including for kedushah, but for         Musaf you should say Amen to exclude yourself and then repeat individually from the beginning.

1. 3.Mourner's Kaddish

            We find this version of the Kaddish, which is designated for those observing either a period of     mourning or a yahrzeit, at the end of major sections of the service.  Unlike certain other prayers,       such as the Amidah, a missed Kaddish does not have to be “made up,” and hence when there is   no minyan during earlier Kaddish opportunities, we simply utilize the later opportunities within           the same service, once a minyan has been achieved.  Sometimes, such as Shabbat Morning, the            leader may choose to postpone the Psalm of the Day for later recitation in order to preserve the           rectiation of the Mourner's Kaddish that would ensue.

            When it has been concluded that no minyan will be achieved, there are some substitute     readingsthat may be recited by the mourners that do not recquire a minyan.

For Future Discussions:

• Gathering and Kissing the Tzitzit
• How to perform Tachanun