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The Latest Time for Mincha Prayer
Sources discuss the halakhic deadline for praying the afternoon service (Mincha), including the distinction between preferred times and the final permissible moment before sunset, and the various opinions on how to calculate this endpoint.
תְּפִלַּת הַמִּנְחָה עַד הָעֶרֶב
The Latest Time for Mincha Prayer
These sources establish the halakhic parameters for praying Mincha in the afternoon, discussing the distinction between the preferred time before sunset and the permissible endpoint extending toward nightfall. The sources present both the Talmudic debate and the later codified practice regarding communal and individual prayer.
זְמַן מִנְחָה קְטַנָּה מִתֵּשַׁע שָׁעוֹת וּמֶחֱצָה עַד שֶׁיִּשָּׁאֵר מִן הַיּוֹם שָׁעָה וּרְבִיעַ
Latest Time for Mincha Prayer
Sources discuss the halakhic boundaries for reciting the Mincha prayer, distinguishing between the preferred time before sunset and the latest permissible time before nightfall. The passages address both the ideal practice and the practical limits for fulfilling this daily obligation.
זמן מנחה קטנה מתשע שעות ומחצה עד שישאר מן היום שעה ורביע
Women and the Mitzvah of Tefillin
Jewish legal sources address the exemption of women from tefillin as a time-bound positive commandment, and discuss the permissibility and status of voluntary observance. The sources span from tannaitic law through medieval and early-modern rabbinic codes.
נָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים וּקְטַנִּים פְּטוּרִין מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּמִן הַתְּפִלִּין
The Chazan's Recitation of Hashem Sefatai Tiftach
Sources address whether the chazan recites 'Hashem sefatai tiftach' aloud when beginning the repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei, and discuss its status as part of the prayer itself.
החזן כשמתחיל י"ח בקול רם חוזר ואומר ה' שפתי תפתח
Kaddish Yatom: Sources and Customs
These sources address the origins and observance of Kaddish Yatom (the Orphan's Kaddish), including when it may be recited, its application to mourning for parents, the timeframe for recitation, and the spiritual benefit it confers on the deceased.
וכל שכן אם הבן מקדיש בעד אביו
Chazakah Rights When Synagogues Merge
Sources address whether an established shaliach tzibbur retains his established position when communal circumstances change, including the interplay between an individual's chazakah on the amud and the broader community's authority over public prayer leadership.
אין מסלקין חזן מאומנתו אא״כ נמצא בו פסול
Chazakah of the Yamim Noraim Prayer Leader
Sources address the establishment and protection of a shaliach tzibbur's position through chazakah (established practice), the community's authority to appoint or remove a prayer leader, and the specific application of these principles when communal circumstances change, such as a merger of congregations.
אין מסלקין חזן מאומנתו אא״כ נמצא בו פסול
The Torah Obligation of Reciting Shema
Sources establish that the recitation of Shema is a Torah-level commandment (deoraisa), based on the biblical passage in Deuteronomy and elaborated through rabbinic interpretation and halakhic codes. The sources address the obligation's timing, the requirement of proper intention, and the consequences of doubt regarding its fulfillment.
קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע הִיא מִן הַתּוֹרָה
Replacing a Congregational Prayer Leader
Jewish law addresses the conditions under which a congregation may replace its appointed prayer leader (shaliach tzibbur). The sources discuss the qualifications required for the role, the distinction between removing an established chazzan and appointing a new one, and whether communal dissatisfaction alone justifies replacement versus actual unfitness or transgression.
אין מסלקין חזן מאומנתו אא״כ נמצא בו פסול
Removing a Cantor: Halakhic Grounds
Jewish law addresses the qualifications required of a prayer leader and the circumstances under which a congregation may replace him. Sources examine the cantor's required fitness, communal acceptance, and the congregation's authority to make such changes.
שיהא ריקן מעבירות ומרוצה לעם
Bar Mitzvah on Rosh Chodesh: Minyan Status
Sources examine whether a boy who reaches bar mitzvah age on the second day of a two-day Rosh Chodesh is counted as an adult member of the minyan for communal prayer. The sources address the calculation of majority age and the conditions required to be included in a quorum for matters of sanctity.
מי שנולד בראש חודש נעשה בר מצוה בראש חודש