Question Every day, I catch Mincha at a shtiebel. There are a lot of minyanim going on simultaneously, and each minyan can hear what is going on in the other one. I have the following questions: 1. If I hear the minyan next door reciting Kaddish or Kedusha, but I have already started Shemoneh Esrei by saying “Hashem sefosai tiftoch,” can I answer Kaddish or Kedusha and then go back to my Shemoneh Esrei, or is it forbidden for me to answer? 2. If after reciting “Hashem sefosai

Question I often find myself coming late to tefillah and, as a result, I have to skip most of Pesukei Dezimra. How much effort should I spend reciting Pesukei Dezimra in full? Thank you. Yanky Rav Auerbach The Mishnah in Brachos (30b) notes that the Chassidim Harishonim would spend an hour preparing before and after each of the three tefillos, and then spend an hour davening, nine hours in total. Even though nine hours is a significant amount of time spent davening, the Gema

Question I am working at a camp this summer where there is only one minyan for Mincha. Sometimes, due to the nature of my job, I find myself without a hat and jacket during the time for that one Mincha minyan. Should I daven with that minyan without a hat and jacket, or should I daven later with a hat and jacket (as I do at all other times) without a minyan. Tuvia Rav Auerbach You would never even consider going in front of a king without the proper attire. In the same lig

Question This week, the weather reports are predicting that there will be a snowstorm here in Yerushalayim. My children are very excited about the possibility of snow and have been davening with great passion for the weather forecasters to be right and that there should be a snowstorm. One of them asked me if they could say mashiv horuach umorid hasheleg to daven for snow instead of the regular wording of mashiv hiruach umorid hageshem. Thanks. G. Y. Rav Auerbach The chach

Question My son is very sick and cannot speak. Is it better for him to be yotzei tefillah by listening to chazoras hashatz or by thinking the words in his head? Thank you. Rav Auerbach In your case, it is better to daven through shomei’a k’oneh than through hirhur . If one davened with hirhur , he may still daven again regularly.

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