Kiffel on Tefillah Posts

It is essential to recite Birchas HaTorah with joy and gratitude for the privilege of engaging in Torah Study (Mishnah Berurah 47.4). If one forgets to say Birchas HaTorah and remembers during Pesukei DeZimrah, they should recite them between the p…

Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, Who chose us from among all the peoples and gave us His Torah. Blessed are You, Hashem, Giver of the Torah. In chronological order, it would seem more appropriate to initially express gratitud…

 וְהַעֲרֶב נָא יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ אֶת־דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָתְךָ בְּפִֽינוּ וּבְפִי עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְנִהְיֶה אֲנַֽחְנוּ וְצֶאֱצָאֵֽינוּ וְצֶאֱצָאֵי עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלָּֽנוּ יוֹדְעֵי שְׁמֶֽךָ וְלוֹמְדֵי תוֹרָתֶֽךָ. לִשְׁמָהּ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה הַמְלַמֵּד תּוֹרָה לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל And please, Lord, our God, make the words of Your Torah pleasant in …

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּ֒שָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה:  וְהַעֲרֶב נָא יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ אֶת־דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָתְךָ בְּפִֽינוּ וּבְפִי עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל. Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments and comm…

Hilchos Asher Yatzar: Any time one goes to the restroom (urinating or moving one's bowels), one is obligated to say the bracha of Asher Yatzar, even if it is a minute amount. (SA 7.1/4) If someone is ill or experiences the urge to use the bathroom…

 Asher Yatzar insight גָּלוּי וְיָדֽוּעַ לִפְנֵי כִסֵּא כְבוֹדֶֽךָ  "It is obvious and known in the presence of Your glorious throne." Everything in the world is "obvious and known" before Hashem, so what is the significance of mentioning this specificall…

After Netilas Yadayim in the morning, one says Asher Yatzar as part of Birchas Hashachar. Avudram writes that one should say it even if he didn’t use the bathroom.  The Beis Yosef asks, since the bracha was instituted to be said after re…

Correct Procedure for Netillas Yadayim in the morning: • One should wash with a cup. This is due to Rashba's opinion that weare washing just as the kohen washed his hands with a utensil everymorning. (SA 4.7, Pri megadim MSZ 1.) • You sh…

Netilas Yadayim After saying Modeh Ani, one must wash Netilas Yadayim. (Although many siddurim print Reishis Chochma right after Modeh Ani, there is a machlokes as to whether or not you are allowed to say pesukim like this before Birchos HaTorah. …

The phrase "מודה אני" is structured differently from the literal translation of "I thank Hashem" (אני מודה). Why do we seem to say it backward? One perspective, as shared by Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman, suggests that by placing "אני" (I) after "מוד…