http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/ Daily Halachah Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:26:09 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1130 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1130 When we speak of the bowing and bending that we are obligated to do four times during Shemonah Esray, there is a specific method of how this is to be done. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:18:36 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1129 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1129 We have learned that we may bend our knees and bow in the middle of a brachah. However, at the beginning of each brachah, and when nearing the end of the Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:07:43 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1128 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1128 We have learned that although we may not bend our knees or bow at the end of a brachah except at the times instituted by Chazal, we may nevertheless do so in Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:00:53 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1127 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1127 As we heave learned, there are four specific times during Shemonah Esray that we must bend our knees and bow. These all occur either at the end of a brachah, Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:34:21 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1126 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1126 There are four places during Shemonah Esray when we must bend our knees and bow. In the first brachah, the Birchas Avos, we do this at the very beginning, and Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:57:19 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1125 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1125 The actual text of the chasimah, the closing, of the first brachah, "Shield of Abraham," is based on the verse, "After these events, God's word came to Abram Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:53:38 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1124 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1124 If we begin the brachah with "G-d of Abraham, G-d of Isaac, and G-d of Jacob," why do we end it with "Shield of Abraham," and not mention Isaac and Jacob at Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:53:00 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1123 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1123 If we begin the brachah with "G-d of Abraham, G-d of Isaac, and G-d of Jacob," why do we end it with "Shield of Abraham," and not mention Isaac and Jacob at Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:12:54 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1122 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1122 Though most brachos (blessings) begin "Boruch Attah Hashem, E-lokeinu Melech Ha'olam..." (Blessed are You Hashem our G-d, King of the world..." Shemonah Esray Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:34:20 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1121 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1121 Interestingly enough, the Medrash Tanchuma on this week's parshah (portion of the Torah Reading), Parshas Vayeira, begins with a discussion of the Halachos we Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:08:31 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1120 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1120 The Talmud tells us that the arrangement of Shemonah Esray was taken, at least in part, from Psalm 29, as we mentioned. The first brachah (blessing) in Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:43:08 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1119 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1119 What is so significant about the number 18, that there are so many allusions to it, and that Shemonah Esray was originally formed with 18 blessings? The Talmud Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:12:46 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1118 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1118 The Talmud (Brachos 28b) tells us that the eighteen brachos correspond to the eighteen times that King David mentions Hashem's Name in Psalm 29. The Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:40:11 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1117 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1117 Today's Daily Halachah is dedicated to my son Dovid Aryeh, who today becomes a Bar Mitzvah (i.e., today he has become thirteen years old), and who thus joins Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:16:24 GMT Mordechai Housman http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1116 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyHalachah/message/1116 The Orchos Chayim adds several more reasons for Chazal (our Holy Sages) choosing to have 18 blessings in Shemonah Esray: He cites Rebi Shmu'el bar Nachman (A