Wednesday, March 25, 2020 – 8:30pm ONLINE Pre-Pesach Haggadah Workshop click here for more information HALACHA OF THE WEEK: Davening Vatikin As we approach the very first week when our beloved shul is closed and we are all davening without a minyan, it is important to consider the ideal times for davening. According to the Talmud, and common practice is that the ideal time for Shacharit is when we recite shema moments before sunrise and begin shemoneh esrei exactly as the sun rises over the horizon. Others rule that shema should be recited as the sun rises above the horizon and the shemoneh esrei is recited after [Aruch Hashulchan 58:2, Piskei Teshuvot 58:5] This time is called "vatikin" [Brachot 26a, Orech Chaim 58:1].
While the Talmud notes that one who is able to recite shacharit at vatikin is assured to receive great rewards [Brachot 9b], if doing so regularly will cause unwelcome consequences, such as being too tired to work and the like then a person should daven later [Piskei Teshuvot 58:5].
Of course, it is perfectly acceptable to recite shacharit prayer after sunrise. In fact, the permissible time for reciting shacharit actually begins at the crack of dawn and extends right through to midday [Rama Orech Chaim 89:1] However, shema, must be recited before the end of the third hour each day [Aruch Hashulchan Orech Chaim 58:6]
Finally, while davening vatikin is the most meritorious way of doing so, it does not take priority over davening with a minyan. In fact, davening prayer with a minyan will almost always take precedence over davening alone [Ishei Yisrael 18:8, Tefilla K'hilchata 3:35, Shraga Hameir 2:66]. Unless if one regularly davens vatikin but is occasionally unable to attend his regular minyan. Such a person is permitted to daven vatikin alone and is not required to attend a minyan at a later hour [Biur Halacha 58:1, Ishei Yisrael 18:8].
DVAR TORAH “And they brought the Tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets” (Shmot 39:33)
This week's parasha marks the conclusion of the building of the Tabernacle. According to the midrash, G-d caused a miracle to happen, so that when everything was built and ready to assemble, no one was able to lift the beams into place. Therefore, the people brought the Tabernacle to Moshe, fulfilling G-d's wishes that he too play an active role in its construction.
It was then, records the midrash, that G-d told Moshe to do what no one else could do, to lift the beams and assemble the building. But Moshe protested saying that it was too heavy even for him. Said G-d, that he must nevertheless try - "make it appear as if you are trying to erect it." Moshe made the effort and miraculously, the Tabernacle rose into place.
The late Rav Meir Rubman (Rosh Yeshiva in Haifa) in his book Zichron Meir explained that we can learn a very important lesson from this midrash - that regardless of the difficulty of the task, we must still make the effort. For while it is true that in most other areas of life one is only given credit for accomplishing a task, when it comes to Torah, G-d is not only interested in results; He is also interested in the effort.
MAZAL TOV * to Shoshie & Benjamin Neikrug on the birth of a daughter, Rachel. Mazal tov to grandparents, Rabbi and Mrs. Matanky and great-grandparents, Trude Matanky and Dr. Oscar and Bernice Novick.
* to Rikki & Aaron Jacoby on the engagement of their daughter Eliana to Yosef Frenkel
* to Chaim and Judy Reich on the birth of a granddaughter, born to Shira and Moti Ninio.
* to Mimi Stein on the engagement of her son Izzy to Chaya Kops. Mazal tov to grandmother, Susie Robinson.
* to Hillel and Leah Shapiro on the upcoming marriage of their son Zevi to Sheva Miller and on the engagement of their daughter Lani. Mazal Tov to grandparents Mrs. Eva Gertzfeld and Rabbi Meir and Elizabeth Shapiro.
REFUAH SHLAIMA * to Ephraim Rimel and Itai Rimel * to Shifra Yehudis Orlian * to Irv and Lynne Shapiro * to Joe Samuels who is recuperating at home.
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