- Say the blessing, and then
- Light candles.
If a man forgets to light the Chanuka candles, he may still light them until sunset or until he says Mizmor shir l'yom haShabbat, whichever comes earlier.
But women start Shabbat when they light the Shabbat candles and so they may not light Chanuka candles after lighting Shabbat candles.
- if for a different purpose than what men use them for, and
- if not for the purpose of looking like a man.
- Women may not correct themselves, but
- Men may say the correct blessing and light the candles.
- Extinguish the candles,
- Say the correct blessing, and then
- Light again (assuming he has not yet started Shabbat and that it is not yet sunset).
Examples
- Doctor and patient.
- Massage therapist and patient.
- Lifeguard and swimmer.
-
A Jewish man may catch a Jewish girl or woman on the flying trapeze.
Reason This is not intimate contact.
- Real physical structures—whether natural (such as tree trunks, bushes) or man-made (buildings, fences, cars);
- Natural topographic features (such as slopes); and/or
- Presumptive doorways (often made of poles and wires or strong string).
Two structures (regardless of how thick or wide they are) within 10.5 inches of each other are considered to be halachically solid and constitute a single structure; this is called lavud.
NoteA halachically solid wall may have gaps of more than 3 tefachim (10.5 in.) high or wide (i.e., in either dimension) as long as the other dimension is less than 3 tefachim wide.
Examples
A halachically solid wall can be made of a:
-
Wide mesh of ropes or strings; the cross strings are very far apart, as long as the vertical strings are within 10.5 inches of each other.
-
Picket fence; each vertical slat must be within 10.5 inches of the adjacent slat OR each horizontal piece that connects the vertical slats must be within 10.5 inches of the adjacent horizontal piece.
-
Chain-link fence.
Height
All vertical eruv components must be at least 40 inches high. There is no maximum height for the eruv if it is a halachic doorway (tzurat ha'petach--two uprights and a horizontal bar above and connecting the two).
Width
A solid component (for example, a board, wall, house, etc.) must be at least 12 inches from side to side.
Non-solid components (for example, a series of narrow bushes, a series of trees with trunks less than 12 inches across, various types of fences, etc.) must be within 10.5 inches of each other and of the ground, both horizontally and vertically, for the entire distance between adjacent trees/bushes. They must be at least 40 inches high or wide.
Connectors
Vertical components, such as poles, that are connected above or below in the following ways are also halachic walls, regardless of how far apart they are:
- Connected above, such as with a board or string that rests across the tops of vertical poles, and which are at least 40 inches above the ground at all points along its course, or
- Connected below within 10.5 inches of the ground, such as bushes or small trees with branches that come within 10.5 inches of the ground at all points (even at the attachment point to the trunk). Components must reach up to at least 40 inches above the ground.
You will not have time to say the morning shema by the end of the third hour of the day, but you will say l'olam yehei adam by then.
What To Do
Instead of saying the first line of shema, say:
• El melech ne'eman.
• Entire shema. Then
• Paragraph that ends in mekadeish et shimcha b'rabim.
Shabbat havdala consists of:
-
Beverage: Wine, Grape Juice, or Chamar Medina
Wine is always the preferred beverage for all havdalas because it is prestigious. -
Spices
The extra soul we are given on Shabbat leaves after Shabbat is over, so we sniff a pleasant odor to cover for that loss. -
Flame
The Shabbat havdala flame commemorates that Adam HaRishon (the first man) created fire after the first Shabbat.
Note There is a difference of opinion as to whether women are required to say the blessing on fire, but the common practice is for women to say it. If a woman says havdala for a man, he must still say borei me'orei ha'eish for himself.
“First” applies to:
-
First-Born/Petter Rechem
- First-born male children/petter rechem (redeemed with money; see Introduction to Pidyon HaBein).
- First-born male kosher domestic animals (calf, lamb, kid)/petter rechem (in Temple times: sacrificed on altar; now, permanent holy status--see Selling Mother Animal before Birth of Petter Rechem.
- First-born male donkeys/petter rechem chamor (redeemed with sheep/goat; holiness of both the donkey and the sheep or goat then disappears).
- Dough/Challa
- First Fruits/Bikurim
- First Shearing/Reishit HaGeiz
Non-Kli
You may not use a kli for sukka schach.
A kli is any item created with the intention of being used as a tool or utensil to make an activity easier.
Examples
-
Bamboo if it had been used for any other purpose.
-
Wooden ladder.
-
Walking stick.
Non-Edible
A sukka's covering (schach) must consist of non-edible branches, leaves, or other materials of plant origin such as boards. You may use wooden boards (such as 2” x 4”s) to hold up schach, even though lumber is intended to be used for construction.
Size
Boards or tree trunks—whether used as schach or used to hold up schach--must be not more than 15 inches (38 cm) wide. A board--whether used as schach or used to hold up schach--more than 15 inches wide invalidates the area below it and you would have to sit under kosher schach in order to fulfill the mitzva. In the case of a board more than 15 inches wide: If the sukka has only three walls, the board may invalidate the sukka. Consult a rabbi.
Fresh
You may not use branches whose leaves will dry up in less than 8 days, intending to replace the branches with fresh ones during chol ha'moed; the custom is to use evergreen leaves only if you want to use leaves as schach.
Fasteners
Schach on the sukka must stay by itself without fasteners or connectors, even in a place with normally high wind. Any man-made fasteners--such as plastic, metal, or even hemp cord or rope--will invalidate the schach. If the schach will stay without them, then you may use fasteners or connectors as reinforcements.
Year-Round Structures
You may use a pergola, gazebo, or other type of awning frame or roof structure that exists year-round for a sukka as long as the other conditions (size, slope, materials, timing, etc.) are kosher. You must first remove any permanent roof coverings before putting on the schach.
Note The slope of the sukka roof must be less than 45 degrees from horizontal.
Charity/Tzedaka: To Whom: General Rules
Charity: Family First
Give charity first to family; then to your local or nearby community. Only then may you give to remote communities, especially if the remote communities are in Eretz Yisrael.Who Qualifies To Receive Charity
A person may receive charity if he or she has so little money that he or she must worry about having sufficient funds to buy a non-luxury item.
An institution is needy if it does not have enough money for basic needs (repairing buildings, maintenance, utilities...).
There is no need to donate to people or institutions if their basic needs are covered.
Charity/Tzedaka: To Whom: Beggars
Charity to a Jewish Beggar for Himself
If a Jewish beggar asks for money for him/herself, and you know him/her to be needy, you should at least give something, but it does not need to be much.
Charity to a Beggar for Jewish Institution
If a beggar asks for money for a Jewish institution, you do not need to give.
Charity/Tzedaka: Assumed Beggar at Door
If someone knocks on your door and you assume that he or she is a beggar, you do not need to answer the door.
Charity/Tzedaka: To Whom: Purim
Charity on Purim
On Purim, give money to anyone who asks.
Note If for an institution, you are not required to give.
Charity/Tzedaka: To Whom: Poor Brides/Hachnasat Kalla
Charity/Tzedaka: Poor Brides (Hachnasat Kalla): How Much
Hachnasat kalla means helping a poor woman pay the expenses to hold a wedding and set up a household for married life. The minimum required is enough so that she is not embarrassed. It does not include paying for an opulent wedding. There is not any absolute amount of money that you should give per guest and even the quality of the food, decorations, and any entertainment are dependent on the individual.
Hachnasat Kalla for Women and Men
Hachnasat kallaalso applies to a poor man who needs money to pay the expenses to get married.