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Introduction to Torah Study
Studying Torah is a basic requirement for all Jews and such study is considered to be a prestigious commandment (Torah study is as important as doing all the other mitzvot: talmud Torah k'negged kulam). Setting time for Torah study (k'viat zman l'Torah) means that we show how important Torah study is by setting a specific time each day and a specific duration for such study.

But all commandments that you must do (mitzvot aseh) take precedence over studying Torah. That is, you may NOT ignore the need to do another positive commandment because you are studying!

Minimum Required Torah Study
The minimum requirements for Jews to learn:
  • Men:  All parts of the Torah plus whatever halacha is relevant for them.
    Note The most important subjects for men to study are whatever is practical for them in their lives
  • Women:  All halachot relevant for them, and hashkafa.
 
Shacharit: Might Return To Sleep and Miss Latest Time To Say Shema
SITUATION You wake up after daybreak, but you might go back to sleep and thereby miss the time for saying mekadeish et shimcha ba'rabim and shema (both of which must be said by the third halachic hour of the day).
WHAT TO DOYou should say at least the:
  • Blessing on washing your hands,
  • Blessings on studying Torah, including Elohai neshama and all other related sayings, and
  • Complete shema--with the condition that:
    • If you sleep past the latest time for shema (sof zman kriat shema), this shema fulfills your obligation; but
    • If you do not go back to sleep, this shema does not fulfill your obligation.
    Then, whether you go back to sleep or not, having made the condition allows you to say the full blessing of mekadeish et shimcha ba'rabim, including God's name, if you get to l'olam yihei adam... before the third hour of the day.
    NOTE If you said the shema when you woke up but did not made the condition, you would not be able to say the concluding blessing mekadeish et shimcha ba'rabim with God's name when repeating the shema (but you may say it without using God's name: see When To Say Mekadeish et Shimcha BaRabim).
    NOTE If you go back to sleep, don't repeat the blessings on washing hands and studying Torah when you wake up.
Chanuka Candles: Light Left to Right; Add Right to Left
Light Chanuka candles from left to right, as you face it, not as it will be seen from outside the window. Add the new candle from right to left.  For example, on the first night, put the candle on the extreme right of the menora.
To set up and light Chanuka candles:
  • Set up the candles starting from the right side of the menora.
  • Light the shamash candle and hold it while you say the blessings:
    • Lehadlik ner shel Chanuka.
    • She'asa nisim l'avoteinu ba'yamim ha'heim ba'zman ha'zeh.
    • (And on the first night, add) She'hecheyanu.
  • Light the left-most candle first and proceed to the next candle on the right, and so on.
  • Once you have lit the first candle each night, say ha'neirot hallalu (this is a halacha).
Note Once the menora has been lit, you may not turn or move it, even to the window.
Note Saying Ma'oz Tzur is a widespread custom but is not required.
Introduction to Passover
Introduction to Passover: Passover Names

Passover celebrates the seven or eight days starting with the 14th of Nisan, when God took the Israelites out of Egypt about 3300 years ago. The holiday has several names:
  • Chag HaPesach--Holiday of "Skipping Over" (reflecting that God passed over the Jewish homes and did not kill the first-born sons, unlike those of the Egyptians);
  • Chag HaAviv--Festival of Spring (the Jewish calendar is based on the moon and is adjusted to the solar cycle so that Passover always comes in the spring);
  • Chag HaMatzot--Holiday of Unleavened Bread; and
  • Zman Cheiruteinu--Time of our Freedom.

Introduction to Passover: Passover Observance

Passover observance includes removal of chametz, the Passover sacrifice and its reminders, and the Passover seder:

Chametz

Chametz Gamur and Ta'arovet Chametz

The Five Grains, once fermented into items such as bread or beer, are genuine chametz (chametz gamur) and are forbidden on Passover by the Torah (d'oraita).  Ta'arovet chametz (a mixture containing chametz) includes foods such as breakfast cereal and are also forbidden on Passover.

Rules for Chametz

  • You may not own or see (your own) chametz during the entire period of Passover.
  • You may not benefit in any way from chametz during Passover, whether it belongs to a Jew or to a non-Jew. If the chametz was owned by a Jew during Passover, you may not benefit from that chametz even after the holiday has ended.

What To Do with Chametz

Ideally, any chametz should be used up before Passover, given to a non-Jew, or destroyed. But if the chametz has significant value, the custom is to sell that chametz to a non-Jew. You do not need to sell kitniyot, but you must sell any genuine chametz and any mixtures of chametz (ta'arovet chametz).

Passover and Nullification by 1/60th

During the year, 1/60th or less of an undesired substance is considered to be inconsequential and nullified by the other substances. But on Passover, any amount of leaven mixed in food is forbidden.
However, the chametz in food acquired before Passover can be nullified before Passover, but ONLY if:
  • It is 1/60th or less of the total volume of food,
  • The food is liquid mixed in other liquid, or solid in other solid, AND 
  • The chametz/non-chametz elements cannot be easily separated from each other.

Four Steps To Eliminating Chametz

There are four means of eliminating chametz:
  • Bedika: Searching
    You try to find any chametz.
  • Bitul:  Verbal and Intentional Nullification
    Since you may have overlooked some chametz during bedika, declare that any chametz in your possession is not important to you and has no value.
  • Bi'ur: Burning
    By burning and therefore destroying the chametz, we fulfill the Torah
    commandment of “tashbitu” (making it cease to exist).
  • Mechira: Selling
    By changing the ownership, we no longer own chametz on Passover and we create the opportunity to re-acquire the chametz after Passover has ended if the non-Jewish buyer agrees.

Chametz Symbolism

Fermented grains represent (among other things) arrogance and pride:  the puffing up of fermented grains is symbolic of people puffing up themselves. In Judaism, one way to get rid of a bad personal trait is to utterly destroy it and so we symbolically remove and destroy any fermented grain foods from our houses and ownership.

Destroying chametz is not a violation of “do not destroy” (bal tashchit) since it is done to perform a commandment.

What Are Kitniyot

Kitniyot are foods that look similar to the five chametz grains or that could be ground into a flour that could look like flour from those grains, such as beans, peanuts, rice, corn, mustard seeds, and other food plants that are grown near the Five Grains.

What To Do with Kitniyot

Kitniyot may not be used on Passover but do not need to be sold or removed from one's ownership. Kitniyot should be stored away from kosher for Passover food.

Passover Sacrifice

In Temple times, the Passover sacrifice was to be eaten with one's family and possibly with neighbors, depending on the number of people present. The only two instances of kareit (being cut off spiritually) for not doing a positive commandment are for not doing a brit mila and not bringing a Passover offering (in Temple times).

Seder

The Passover seder (order) was prescribed in ancient times as a means for helping all Jews, of all ages and both genders, to re-experience the transition from having been slaves to becoming free and from having ascended from idol worshippers to being monotheistic.

Cemetery Blessings

Once inside a cemetery, after not having been in one for at least 30 days, say:

 

Baruch ata adonai eloheinu melech ha'olam

asher yatzar etchem ba'din, v'zan v'chilkeil etchem ba'din,

v'heimit etchem ba'din, v'yodei'a mispar kulchem ba'din,

v'hu atid l'hachazir u'lhachayot etchem ba'din.

Baruch ata adonai mechayeh ha'meitim.

 

Then say Ata gibor l'olam adonai (the 2nd paragraph of the amida) to the end of the paragraph. Omit the blessing at the end as well as mashiv ha'ruach and morid ha'tal.

Man's Head Covering for Prayers or Torah Study
See Attire: Man's Head Covering for Prayers or Torah Study.
Mesh Man's Head Covering
Wearing a mesh head covering (kipa) is OK if the threads cover more area than the spaces. 
Attire: Man's Head Covering Indoors
It is customary for men to wear a head covering always, even indoors.  This is a custom, not a halacha. When praying or saying blessings or studying Torah or when in a synagogue or bet midrash, men must wear a head covering.
Attire: Man's Head Covering for Prayers or Torah Study
Wearing a hat for prayer (for men) is formal wear that shows honor to God. Men do not need to wear a hat but must have some type of head covering when saying blessings, when praying, or when studying holy texts (this is halacha). If a man said a blessing or prayer without a head covering, b'di'avad, it is OK and he does not need to repeat the blessing or prayer.     
 
Jewish Man or Woman Making Kiddush
As on Jewish festivals, any adult Jew, male or female, may say kiddush for him/herself and also include any other Jews of any age or gender.
Reason Any person who may fulfill the mitzva of kiddush may say it for another person.
Note Women are obligated to say (or have said for them) Shabbat morning kiddush.
Jewish Man or Woman Making Kiddush
Any adult Jew, male or female, may say kiddush for him/herself and, as long as he/she still needs to say kiddush for him/herself, may include any other Jews of any age or gender.
Any Jewish male, 13 years old or older, may say kiddush for anyone else, either gender and any age, even if he has already fulfilled his personal requirement of saying kiddush.
Any Jewish female, 12 years old or older, may say kiddush for any other females but not for men, except that on the 2 Passover seder nights, a Jewish female who is at least 12 years old may even say kiddush for men, if the men are not able to say it for themselves. (Women may also say kiddush for men on Shabbat evening).
Reason Any person who is obligated to fulfill the mitzva of kiddush may say it for another person.  It is questionable whether women are obligated to say (or have said for them) Jewish festival morning kiddush.
 
Size of Man's Head Covering
Minimum head covering (kipa) size should be large enough to be considered a head covering:  a 3-inch diameter would be reasonable.
Sleeve/Hand as Man's Head Covering
You may use your sleeve or someone else's hand (but not your own hand) to cover your head to say a blessing if you are not wearing a head covering.
Shacharit: Shema: El Melech Ne'eman

Situation

You are not with a minyan. You begin saying the shema and you realize you had forgotten to say El melech ne'eman before beginning the shema.

What To Do

Finish the shema; do not go back to say El melech ne'eman (and your saying the shema is still valid).

Lulav: Husband and Wife
A man's wife does not own the lulav with him (and a wife's husband does not own her lulav), but it is assumed that each gives their lulav to the other (on the first and second day of Sukkot) as a gift with a condition that the recipient will give the lulav back to the other spouse as a gift once finished.