Prayer and Blessings
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Bowing
Why do we bow, specifically during the “barchu” prayer? The Mishna Brura (in his Be’ur Halacha, 113 “”hakoraya.”) writes that the source is the verse in Divrei Hayamim (Chron.) 1, 29; 20 where it says “And (King) David said to…
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Lineage Through the Father or the Mother
Why when we pray for someone’s health we mention their mother’s name, and when we call someone up to the Torah we mention their father’s name? Generally a person is called by the name of his father, which in essence…
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Using a Prayerbook
Can you please tell me if when I`m praying it makes any difference if I read from the siddur or if I don`t look and do it by heart? There are two distinct questions here: One question is to the…
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Health, Prayer, and Teffilin
What can bring good luck and health? What should one do when facing health issues? Can wearing tefilin for someone who hasn’t worn tefelin in many years make a difference in health and or good luck? It is always essential…
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Candlelighting
what is the prayer a woman recites while lighting the shabbot candles? To find out the Shabbat candle lighting prayer, please see this website. It has Hebrew, English and English transliteration.
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Communicating with God
I frequently wonder if God created man or did man create God. Although I go to services nearly every day (I’m saying Kaddish), I get very little out of the services. I’d really like to “believe” but sometimes I think…
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Feeling down
Where does one go for answers in the torah when they have gotten cheated and are feeling down about it? Hello my friend, We all have good days and bad days and we all have difficult relationships to a certain…
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Adding a hebrew name
What is the basis for adding a new Hebrew name to an existing name for someone who has a serious illness? “Rav Yitzchak said: Four things tear up the decree against a person, and these are them: Tzedaka (charity); crying…
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How to bless a musician
Which Brachah (formal blessing) can be recited for hearing a talented person play music for the first time? There is no specific bracha. Wish the person much success in using his/her talent to do mitzvos (G-d’s commandments). All the best,…