Efrat Shel Ma’alah
Updates from the Religious Council – Mid-Year Report

Marriage Department
We are pleased to report that marriage registrations at the Religious Council continue to increase. In the past six months, approximately 100 couples have registered in our office. We extend warm congratulations and blessings for a faithful home to all.

Kashrut
The Religious Council reminds residents: food stands must display a valid kashrut certificate from the Efrat Religious Council. If a vendor does not have such a certificate, it means there is no supervision of the food’s kashrut. Please check carefully and ensure proper certification.

Mikvaot
Women’s Mikveh in Zayit – We hope that by the end of 2025, the Ministry of Religious Services will approve renovations of the Zayit women’s mikveh, the only one in town that has not been renovated in recent years.
Women’s Mikveh in Rimon – The heating system was recently replaced at a cost of about 50,000 NIS. In addition, daily cleaning across all mikvaot has been upgraded, with new standards emphasized for the cleaning staff.

Cemetery
Thanks to the dedication and generosity of Mr. Bob Lang, construction has begun on a new beit tahara (purification building) and restroom facilities at the cemetery. This project is funded entirely through donations. We are deeply grateful to all partners in creating a facility that honors both the deceased and the staff. Thank you, Bob.

Obituaries – With the town’s continued growth, the Religious Council no longer prints obituary notices. Instead, families can prepare obituaries independently through a link on the local council website, under the Religious Council library in the Chevra Kadisha section. We thank Amnon Vahav for establishing and organizing this service for the benefit of all Efrat residents.
Link: https://app.web.kadisha-chevra.obituary-an-create

Eruv
With God’s help, and with the support of the Ministry of Religious Services, we are exploring the possibility of including Givat HaEitam within Efrat’s eruv. More details will follow.
• The eruv map is available on the council website.

Genizah
There are seven genizah collection bins located throughout the neighborhoods, marked on the updated map on the council website. The Religious Council oversees their removal, carried out by Genizat Kodesh.
We remind residents that, according to rulings by Rabbi Riskin and other rabbis, newspapers and Shabbat pamphlets do not require genizah and should instead be recycled.
Each bin has a notice with a QR code for convenient mobile payment. Payments may also be made directly at the Religious Council office.

Torah Programming
Summer Activities – The council invested about 50,000 NIS in Torah programming during the summer vacation, offering activities for all ages. Thank you to all the organizers and partners who made this possible.
Siddurim and Chumashim – As in previous years, the council purchased a first siddur for every first-grade child. Mazal tov to all the children.

Religious Council Website
The Religious Council’s site can be accessed through the Efrat Local Council website. With God’s help, we will soon also launch an updated English-language version.
Website: www.efrat.muni.il
The Religious Council’s Facebook page has also been renewed and can be accessed at:
https://www.facebook.com/profile?id=100064259786838&mibextid=d4Q

Efrat Shel Ma’alah
Updates from the Religious Council – Mid-Year Report

 

The Laws of the Holidays of Tishrei

2025

HaRav Eytan Weisz

Secretary of the Religious Council

In this booklet (as in previous years), I have tried to bring the sources of Halacha both for independent study and for parents to learn together with their children.

The year 5786 is the fourth year of the Shemitah cycle – the year of Ma’aser Sheni (Second Tithe).

When the Beit HaMikdash stood (and with God’s help when it will be rebuilt soon), the fruits of Ma’aser Sheni had to be eaten in Jerusalem within the city walls. Fruits of Ma’aser Sheni that could not be brought up to Jerusalem were redeemed onto a coin.

Unlike the redemption that was practiced in the time of the Temple, the value of the coin used for redeeming the produce today can be very small. After the redemption, the holiness essentially “transfers” from the fruits to the coin, and the fruits are then permitted to be eaten outside Jerusalem. However, the coin itself must be treated with sanctity.

Ma’aser Sheni is in fact the only tithe that is still observed today without change, and therefore fruits of Ma’aser Sheni must be redeemed onto a coin after reciting the order of separation of Terumot and Ma’asrot.

To make the process of redeeming the tithes easier, one can purchase a subscription with a Ma’aser Fund of various organizations, so that the fruits are redeemed onto a coin kept by them.

The Month of Elul

On Rosh Chodesh Elul, Moshe Rabbeinu ascended Har Sinai. After 40 days, on Yom Kippur, Moshe came down from the mountain with the second set of the 10 Commandments, and Hashem forgave the Jewish people for their sin with the golden calf. From the beginning of Elul through Yom Kippur our repentance is more readily accepted by Hashem than during the rest of the year, and so the Jewish people increase their repentance, prayers and supplications during this time. God fearing members of the Jewish Community accept upon themselves special practices, such as increasing Torah learning and prayer. These practices are a proper way to prepare for the upcoming holy days of Tishrei.

Selichot

  1. The Ashkenazi custom is to blow the shofar from the beginning of the month of Elul until the 28th of Elul after Shacharit. On Erev Rosh Hashanah the shofar should not be blown. The Sepharadi custom is to blow the shofar when saying the 13 Middot during Selichot. 
  2. Selichot are said in the month of Elul. Sephardim begin saying Selichot on the second day of Elul, and Ashkenazim begin saying Selichot on the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah. 
  3. The ideal time to say Selichot is before dawn. However, those who cannot wake up at this time are allowed to say Selichot after dawn and even during the day, but they must be finished before the stars come out. 
  4. If one is saying Selichot in the morning (after dawn), the words b’ashmarot haboker, bi’zaakam b’od layil and chatzot lilah licha kamo  should be omitted, as these phrases pertain to the pre-dawn hours.
  5. According to most opinions, one is permitted to begin the Selichot service if there is no minyan. Once a minyan has formed, they should say the Kaddish that was not said at the beginning of Selichot, and continue from the place where they stopped.
  6. Those who are short on time or who are late in arriving to Selichot and must therefore skip some of the service should give preference to the following sections:
  1. Viduy and E-l Melech yoshev with the 13 middot. 
  2. The paragraphs that are between the sections of E-l Melech yoshev
  3. Nifilat Apayim
  4. HaBakashot
  5. The remaining Selichot
  1. When necessary, in special cases Rav Feinstein allowed the recitation of Selichot at about two hours before midnight.
  2. If a group of ten men begins to say Selichot together and some leave in the middle, it is permitted to say the kaddish at the end of Selichot so long as at least six men remain. 
  3. When Selichot are said at night, the Ashkenazi custom is that the Chazzan should wrap himself in a tallit that does not belong to him, and he should not make a bracha on it. But if they begin to say the Selichot after the time to put on tzitzit (in the morning), he should make a bracha on his own tallit, as usual.
  4. Tachnun and Nefilat Apayim are said during Selichot, but if a circumcision is taking place in the synagogue then Selichot are not said at Shacharit. There are differing opinions on whether Tachnun should be said If a groom is in the synagogue. 
  5. It is best to stand while saying Selichot, but one is allowed to sit if standing is difficult, except during E-l Melech, the 13 middot, and viduy. 
  6. Ashkenazim have the custom to say the 27th chapter of Tehillim, L’David Hashem Ori after Shacharit and Maariv, and for Ashkenazim that daven nusach Sefard, after Shacharit and Mincha until Hoshana Rabbah.

Saying Selichot as an Individual

  1. One who is praying individually without a minyan, is permitted to say Selichot, however the Aramaic phrases of mahi u’messi should not be said. Individuals should not say the 13 middot, unless the individual can say them in the proper tune with which they are read in the Torah, or in the tune which that individual uses when he is learning. 

Selichot and Mourning

  1. A mourner is forbidden to leave his house to enter the synagogue in order to hear Selichot, except on Erev Rosh Hashanah and Erev Yom Kippur.
  2. According to the Ashkenazi custom, a mourner who is sitting shivah may not lead Selichot (Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu says that if there is no one else present who can lead, then the mourner is permitted to lead). A mourner who is within twelve months of the passing of his father or mother is allowed to be the chazzan, and some permit him to be the chazzan even if he is within thirty days of the passing of a parent. According to the Sephardi custom, during shivah he may not lead Selichot (Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu says that if there is no one else present who can lead, then the mourner is permitted to lead). Within thirty days of the passing of his parent or other relatives he is allowed to lead Selichot.

Erev Rosh Hashanah

  1. On Erev Rosh Hashanah we increase the recitation of Selichot, and even a mourner is permitted to leave his home in order to say Selichot with a minyan, though he is not permitted to leave his home for this reason on other days. 
  2. The Selichot for Erev Rosh Hashanah include Tachnun and Nifilat Apayim, but Tachnun is not said during the other prayers of the day.
  3. It is the custom to annul one's vows (Hatarat Nedarim) on Erev Rosh Hashanah. Sephardim do Hatarat Nedarim in front of 10 men, and Ashkenazim do it in front of 3.
  4. There is a custom to visit gravesites in order to pray.
  5. There is a custom for men to immerse in the mikvah on Erev Rosh Hashanah and Erev Yom Kippur. The Rama and the Yalkut Yosef say that it is possible to make do with a shower of at least 12.5 liters of water. 
  6. One should light candles and say 2 brachot at the start of the holiday. On the second day, too, one should say both Lihadlik ner shel yom tov (if either of the days of rosh hashana are also shabbat then you recite Lihadlik ner shel shabbat ve’yom tov) and shehecheyanu. It is also customary to wear new clothes and eat a new fruit.

Rosh Hashanah Night

  1. It is worthwhile to read through the Machzor before the holiday in order to become familiar with the various prayers and poems and to understand the meaning of the words.
  2. At the Rosh Hashanah evening meal it is customary to eat a variety of foods called ‘simanim’ that signify blessings for the upcoming year, such as apple with honey, pomegranate seeds, dates, lamb's head, etc. The simanim each have a special prayer, ‘yehi ratzon’, that is said prior to eating them.
  3. Although the custom of simanim appears in the Talmud, it does not take precedence over any other halakhah. Therefore, if one of the simanim may contain insects, it should not be eaten. Also, eating the simanim does not exempt one from partaking in the holiday meal.

Praying Musaf as an Individual

  1. If one is praying the Rosh Hashanah Musaf prayer without the presence of a minyan, he should not begin until three hours into the day. During the first three hours of the day Hashem judges the world, and if one is praying alone at that time he may be singled out for judgment. 

Laws of Blowing Shofar

  1. A shofar blower must be appointed before Rosh Hashanah. It is his responsibility to learn the laws of shofar blowing well, in order that he will blow properly and help the congregation fulfill their obligation to hear the shofar. 
  2. A Sephardi blower will not say Shehecheyanu on the second day (unless the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat), even if he is blowing for Ashkenazim. In this case, one of the Ashkenazi listeners will say Shehecheyanu before the shofar blower begins.
  3. It is acceptable for one to hear the shofar in a style that is not his own. For example, a Temani who hears the shofar blown according to the Ashkenazi custom has fulfilled the mitzvah. 
  4. If one who has already fulfilled his obligation to blow the shofar blows shofar for others who have not yet fulfilled their obligation, he is permitted to make the bracha on their behalf, and they will answer with amen. Although for Sepharadim, it is preferable that someone who has not yet fulfilled his obligation be the one to say the bracha.
  5. Neither the blower nor the listeners may speak between the brachot and the shofar blasts.
  6. If one was speaking, and as a result did not hear a shofar blast, he must hear the entire series of blasts from the beginning, but he should not make another bracha.
  7. If one heard the brachot on the shofar, and then had to leave before the blasts, he should make another bracha when he returns and then listen to the blasts. 
  8. If one must leave for any reason during the first 30 shofar blasts, he must be sure to hear the blasts that he missed. If he does not remember where he was in the order when he left, he must hear all the thirty blasts again without making a new bracha. 
  9. If one left after hearing thirty blasts, it is preferable for him to complete the process of hearing one hundred blasts when he returns. 
  10. If the blower is unable to continue blowing, he should be replaced by someone in the congregation who will pick up where the original blower left off, and the substitute should not make a new bracha, provided he heard the bracha from the original blower. 
  11. A congregation who has limited time and cannot hear 100 blasts must hear 30 blasts.
  12. One who arrives at the synagogue after the brachot have been made but still hears 30 blasts has not fulfilled his obligation. 
  13. It is a mitzvah for one who knows how to blow the shofar to blow for others, even if he misses a public prayer because of it. 
  14. As a rule, one should not eat before shofar blowing, however if one feels weak, or not eating will make it difficult to daven properly, he is allowed to eat a little before the shofar is blown. 
  15. If one only gains access to a shofar after sunset before the stars come out, he should blow without a bracha. For Sepharadim - on the first day of Rosh Hashanah one should say a bracha in this scenario if less than 13 minutes have passed since sunset, but on the second day he  should not make a bracha. 

 

How to Blow Shofar

  1. Types of blasts:

Tekiah - a simple, straightforward sound.

Shevarim - at least three sounds in one breath .

Teruah - nine consecutive sounds in one breath.

  1. The length of the tekiah in the Tekiah-Shevarim-Tekiah series must be at least as long as the length of the shevarim in this series. The tekiah in the Tekiah-Teruah-Tekiah series must be at least as long as the teruah in the series.  In the Tekiah-Shevarim-Teruah-Tekiah series, the tekiah must be at least as long as the shevarim-teruah, which means that it must be longer than a regular tekiah.
  2. Ultimately, a tekiah is valid as long as it was the length of 9 short blasts. 
  3. The length of each part of the shevarim should be equal to the length of three segments of the teruah. Ultimately he has fulfilled the mitzvah even if the length of the shevarim was only as long as two segments of the teruah, and also if he made a longer shevarim sound.
  4. If one of the blasts (tekiah, shevarim, or teruah) was shorter than what is required, the same blast should be sounded again. If the sound changes from a thick sound to a hoarse sound there is no need to redo it.
  5. If he is unsure whether he has properly sounded the shevarim or teruah, he should not repeat the same sound, but he should return to the beginning of the series.
  6. If he accidentally makes the incorrect sound, ie he blows a teruah during a Tekiah-Shevarim-Tekiah series, or if he misses one part of a blast, he must repeat the order from the beginning. 
  7. In a tekiah-shevarim-teruah-tekiah series if he accidentally blows a teruah in the middle of the shevarim he should go back to the shevarim and not to the tekiah. If he is unsure whether the shevarim was sounded properly, or if he made a mistake and blew the teruah before the shevarim, or if he added an extra teruah, or if he blew two shevarims in a row, or he blow an extra shevarim-teruah, or if he paused too long for breath in between the shevraim and teruah, in all of these situations he should go back to the first tekiah in the series. 
  8. If the first tekiah in the series is spoiled in any way, he only needs to repeat that tekiah.

But if the tekiah at the end of the series is spoiled by another sound, the whole series is spoiled and he must go back and redo it from the first tekiah. 

If he does not make all the sounds of a shevarim and teruah in one breath, he has not fulfilled his obligation, and he must go back to the first tekiah in the series. 

  1. While the blasts are sounded, both the blower and the listener should stand without leaning on anything.

 

Tashlich

  1. There is a custom on the first day of Rosh Hashanah (or on the second day, if the first day falls out on Shabbat) to say Tashlich after Mincha, before sunset. The practice of the Gr’a was not to say Tashlich. 

When the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat –
Ashkenazim recite Tashlich on the second day of Rosh Hashanah. For Sephardim: if Tashlich is recited in a place where there is an eruv, they recite it on Shabbat. But if Tashlich is to be recited in a place without an eruv, they recite it on the second day of Rosh Hashanah.

  1. Tashlich is said near a river (preferably one with fish) or a well, but it can also be said near a tub of water, a running tap, or any other water source.
  2. It is forbidden to go out of the T’chum Shabbat (which also applies on Yom Tov) in order to say Tashlich. 
  3. When both days of Rosh Hashanah fall on weekdays, one who did not say Tashlich on the first day is permitted to say it on the second day. 

Tashlich may be recited throughout the Aseret Yemei Teshuva. 

  1. It is a custom not to sleep on Rosh Hashanah, at least until midday. 

Mourning on Rosh Hashanah

  1. According to Ashkenazim, the shofar blower should not be a mourner who has lost his father or mother within the past 12 months, unless he has blown shofar for several years or if there is no one else who can blow as well as he can. Sepharadim permit him to blow shofar.

The 10 Days of Repentance (Aseret Yemei Teshuva)

One who made a mistake and forgot to make the appropriate changes/additions to daily prayers during during Aseret Yemei Teshuva can act according to the following table:

When did you remember? 

Zochreinu l’chaim, mi chamocha, u’chtov, ub’sefer

HaMelech HaKadosh

HaMelech HaMishpat

You have not yet said the name of G-d at the end of the blessing

Go back and repeat to the beginning of the addition

--------

---------

You said the name of G-d at the end of the blessing

Don’t go back

--------

---------

You remembered as you were finishing the blessing

Don’t go back

Say HaMelech HaKadosh immediately 

Say HaMelech HaMishpat immediately

You remembered after you finished the blessing 

Don’t go back

Go back to the beginning of the Amidah and repeat

Ashkenzim - do not go back and repeat.

Sephardim - go back to the beginning of the bracha 
 

 

The Laws of Yom Kippur

Erev Yom Kippur

  1. Yom Kippur does not atone for sins between people, so individuals must reconcile for the hurt that they caused others during the year. One can not achieve complete atonement without seeking forgiveness from those he has harmed.
  2. It is a mitzvah to increase one's eating on Erev Yom Kippur. (A person can even limit his Torah learning on Erev Yom Kippur in order to eat and drink.)
  3. Tachnun and Nifilat Apayim are not said at Shacharit and Mincha of Erev Yom Kippur because it is considered a Yom tov.
  4. For Ashkenazim, Selichot are shorter than usual, and viduy is only said once. 

Sepharadim say the regular format of Selichot, but if they are reciting Selichot after sunrise they omit Tachnun.

  1. Lamnatzeach is not said on Erev Yom Kippur.
  2. Ashkenazim do not say Avinu Malkeinu, and they omit Mizmor LTodah. 
  3. It is customary to do Kapparot for the purpose of giving tzedakah to the poor.
  4. There is a custom for men to immerse in the mikvah on Erev Yom Kippur. The Rama and the Yalkut Yosef say that it is possible to make do with a shower of at least 12.5 liters of water. 
  5. Viduy is said at Mincha, as it appears in the Machzor. Viduy must be recited prior to eating the pre-fast meal, and therefore some people daven Mincha early.

 

The Pre-Fast Meal and the Beginning of the Fast

  1. A meal should be eaten before the fast begins - this meal is called Seudat HaMafseket. It is customary to eat chicken and fish at this meal, and to have two loaves of Challah just like on other holidays. 
  2. Even those who are exempt from fasting for any reason should try to eat Seudat HaMafseket, because there are other reasons for eating on Erev Yom Kippur aside from strengthening oneself for the fast. 
  3. Seudat HaMafseket must be completed in plenty of time before Yom Kippur begins, so that there is enough time to prepare for Yom Kippur.
  4. If one finishes eating the meal long before sunset, prior to saying Birkat HaMazon he is permitted to say that he still intends to drink and eat until the fast begins. Sepharadim may continue to eat and drink even without making this statement. 
  5. Candles should be lit and the bracha of Lehadlik ner shel Yom HaKippurim should be said. Most opinions agree that the bracha of Shehecheyanu should also be said. 
  6. Many people light a memorial candle that will burn throughout Yom Kippur, and they will then use this candle to light the havdalah candle at the end of Yom Kippur. Some people light an additional memorial candle in memory of their relatives.

 Erev Yom Kippur

  1. Ashkenazim customarily arrive at the synagogue early so that they would have time to say Tefilat Zaka and Kol Nidrei before the sun sets. Sepharadim say Kol Nidrei at night.
  2. Those who are married and those who wear a tallit all year round must wrap themselves in the tallit and make the bracha before sunset.
  3. The Sefer Torah is taken out - the Ashkenazim take out two Torahs - and say the text that appears in the Machzor. The bracha of Shehechayanu is said, and one who already said this bracha while lighting candles does not repeat it now. 
  4. Maariv is said, followed by the Selichot that appear in the Machzor.

The Five Afflictions

The Torah says five times that one should afflict his soul on Yom Kippur. From this it is learned that on Yom Kippur there are five types of afflictions: eating and drinking, washing, annointing, wearing leather shoes, and engaging in sexual relations. (Of course we are also not allowed to do any of the creative acts that are forbidden on Shabbat.)

Prohibition of Eating and Drinking

  1. It is forbidden to eat and drink on Yom Kippur, and one who eats any amount of food violates the Torah prohibition. One who eats intentionally at the rate 1 kotevet haGasa (some say a weight of 32 cc and some say 38/48 cc) in the time span of kedei achilat pras (a time span of 2-9 minutes) is deserving of the punishment of Karet. And one who intentionally drinks more than a melo lugmav, a cheek-full, (an amount that fills more than half of his mouth   this amount varies from person to person, but on average it is approximately 42 grams of water) is deserving of Karet.
  2. An ill person whose doctor tells him that his life will be endangered if he does not eat or drink must eat and drink on Yom Kippur. Similarly, one should consult with a rabbi on the subject and not come to conclusions or God forbid unnecessary stringencies on one's own.
  3. The ill person must eat and drink in specifically rationed amounts. For solid foods, the ill person is permitted to eat about 30 grams of food every 9 minutes. If this is too difficult for him, he may  wait only 4 minute intervals between eating 30 grams. When needed he may eat up to 38 and even 48 grams.
  4. In order to measure the rations for eating, one can use a small matchbox as a guide. The amount of food that fits in the matchbox is less than a kotevet haGasa, and if the food is airy, it must be squished down to fit in the matchbox. 
  5. The ill person must also drink in specifically rationed amounts. To drink according to halakhic standards, he is allowed to drink as much as a cheek-full of liquid every 9 minutes. If this is too difficult, he can wait even less time in between sips.
  6. In order to measure the amount of liquid for drinking: One should fill his mouth with water to the greatest possible extent. Then, empty his mouth into a glass, and pour out a little more than half of the liquid. Draw a line at the water level on the glass, and this is the amount that is allowed.
  7. Measuring amounts of food and liquid is permitted on Yom Kippur. Ideally one should complete these measurements the day before, especially when marking the amount in the glass.
  8. If the doctor ordered the ill person to eat and drink as usual, he should listen to the doctor and not ration his food and drink.
  9. One who eats in the rationed amount may say the bracha over his food once, and he does not need to repeat the bracha before eating at each interval so long as he remains undistracted while eating. He should not say a bracha achrona on the food or the drink.
  10. Those who need to eat on Yom Kippur do not have to make kiddush. If Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat, they do not need to have a meal with 2 challot. 
  11. One who is eating bread should wash their hands in the usual way, but Sepharadim do not say the bracha of netilat yadayim. 
  12. If one eats enough bread that he is required to say Birkat HaMazon, he should include Yaale ViYavo with the words BaYom HaKippurim HaZaeh. Sepharadim also add the words U’bayom selichat haAvon HaZaeh, and if Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat one should include all the parts that are generally said on Shabbat. 
  13. One who forgot to say Ritzeh or Yaale ViYavo, and remembered after he said the bracha of Boneh Yerushalayim  should not go back and say it. 

The Prohibition of Washing

  1. It is forbidden to bathe on Yom Kippur. Washing that causes pleasure, whether in hot water or cold water, and even washing one's finger with water is forbidden. However it is permitted to wash dirt that is found on the body or on the hands.
  2. One should wash their hands for netilat yadayim in the morning, but be careful to wash only up to the knuckles and not the palm, even after leaving the bathroom.

The  Prohibition of Annointing

  1. It is forbidden to annoint one’s body on Yom Kippur. Annointing is considered more severe than washing. Therefore, we do not use deodorant or cosmetics of any kind.

Prohibition of Wearing Leather Shoes

  1. It is forbidden to wear shoes made of or covered in leather.
  2. If one lives in a place where there is a fear of snakes and scorpions, leather shoes are permitted.

Prohibition of Sexual Relations

  1. All the harchakot must be observed as in the days of niddah, including separating the beds.

The Tefilot of Yom Kippur

Musaf 

  1. During the repetition of the Amidah of Musaf, the Avodah (the service of the Kohen Gadol) is said. It is customary to kneel and bow on the floor while saying: VihaCohanim VihaAm, and also Aleinu Lishabeach at the part of ViAnachnu Korim. A piece of cloth or a towel should be spread out on the floor so that the individual is not kneeling directly on the floor. 

Tefilat Neilah

  1. One should begin saying Neilah about half an hour before sunset, and finish shortly before the stars appear. But do not rush those who finish Neila after the stars come out.
  2. Do not start Neila before an hour and a quarter before sunset.
  3. The Kohanim say Birkat Kohanim during Neila. One should take care to complete Birkat Kohanim a few minutes before sunset. If the Kohanim did not have time to say the bracha before sunset, they can complete the bracha up until thirteen and a half minutes after sunset.
  4. At the end of Neila the shofar is blown. 

Motzei Yom Kippur

  1. Maariv should not be delayed too much so as not to cause pain to those who are    fasting. 
  2. One who mistakenly said HaMelech HaKadosh or HaMelech HaMishpat should not go back and repeat the brachot. 
  3. Atah Chonantanu should be said during Maariv, and there is a custom to say Kiddush Levana.
  4. Havdalah is said over wine, but spices are not used, even if Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat. The bracha of Borei Meorei HaAish is said over a candle that was lit on Erev Yom Kippur, and not on a candle that was lit once Yom Kippur has ended.
  5. On Motzei Yom Kippur one should eat and rejoice. It is considered like a Yom Tov.
  6. Some people start building the sukkah (if one is weak, he can at least learn the laws of sukkah, or discuss building the sukkah). Be sure not to disturb the neighbors.
  7. In the days between Yom Kippur and the end of the Sukkot, Tachnun is not said, one should not do Nefilat Apayim, and one should not fast.

Mourning on Yom Kippur

On Erev Yom Kippur, when the custom is to immerse in the mikvah, a mourner is permitted to  bathe (even in hot water) and to immerse in the mikvah prior to the beginning of the holiday. During the pre-fast meal he is permitted to sit on a chair.

May we soon merit merciful atonement for all the people of Israel, and may we merit to see the Kohen Gadol in the Beit Hamikdash.
 

Sukkot

The holiday of Sukkot gives us the opportunity to return to nature. 

Throughout the year we live in permanent houses made of artificial materials, but on the holiday of Sukkot we take shelter in the shade of branches, and we recognize the nature around us. 

The sages referred to the sukkah as "Tzila Damhimnota" - the shade of faith, because it is reminiscent of the clouds of honor that led us through the desert.

The sukkah brings us back to our original nature, breaking down the artificial partitions that separate Jews from one another.

It is precisely the temporary walls of the sukkah that emphasize that there is no substance to the things that separate us. “All of Israel deserves to sit in one sukkah" (Sukkah 27:2). The concept of Jewish unity is underscored when we realize that we cannot fulfill the mitzvah of the four species until we have each element bundled together. 

By strengthening our unity, we pray that we merit the complete building of the fallen Sukkah of David.

Wishing you a Chag Sameach 

Laws of Sukkot

Building the Sukkah

1. It is a mitzvah to start building the sukkah on Motzei Yom Kippur. It is advisable to complete the work by the next day.

2. The mitzvah of "love your neighbor as yourself" obliges us not to build the sukkah at a time when it will disturb the neighbors.

3. The sukkah must be located outdoors, in a place without a bad smell, strong winds, flies or mosquitoes, or any other type of disturbance

4. The length and width of the sukkah shall not be less than seven by seven tefachim (56 by 56 cm), and its height shall not be less than ten tefachim (80 cm) and not more than twenty cubits (9.6 meters).

In a pressing situation 2 walls and a partial wall on the third side can be sufficient for a sukkah.

• With two adjacent walls – a third wall at least 8 cm wide should be added, less than 24 cm away from one of the walls. In addition, a post must be placed at the corner, along with a tzurat hapetach (form of a doorway) above (marked here in red). If the post and the narrow wall extend all the way to the sechach, a tzurat hapetach above is not required.

• With two opposite walls – a third wall at least 32 cm wide should be added, less than 24 cm away from one of the walls, and a tzurat hapetach should be placed above.

The Sides of the Sukkah

5. The sides of the sukkah can be made of any material, even from materials that are not suitable for schach.

6.Do not use a wall that will sway in a common wind. If you still decide to use sheets or something similar, you should attach branches or wires to the bottom of the wall at a distance of less than 24 cm from each other.

7. The wall should be at least 80 cm high. If the wall does not start from the floor or does not reach the schach, and the distance between the wall and the floor / schach is less than 24 cm, the wall is considered kosher.

8. Do not place the schach directly on top of anything that can become tamei.

Therefore, if the entire frame of the sukkah is made of metal, the schach should not be placed directly on top of the metal.  Rather, wooden beams should be placed over the metal along the length and width of the sukkah, and the schach will rest on top of the wood. Although if it is not possible to obtain wooden beams, the schach may be placed on the metal beams.

To conclude this section, here are the words of the Shulchan Aruch and the Rema:

Shulchan Aruch – “One should not make all the walls from linen sheets without poles. Even if they are well tied, they may loosen without one noticing, and the wall will not be able to withstand a normal wind. One who wishes to use sheets should weave poles into the walls with gaps of less than three handbreadths.”

Rema – “The custom today is to make complete walls, since not everyone is knowledgeable in the detailed laws of partitions. If one does not have enough material for all four walls, it is preferable to build three complete walls rather than four incomplete ones.”

This ruling is especially important in places where winds are common during this season. Therefore, anyone using fabric sheets for walls must secure them firmly or apply the principle of lavud.

Schach

9. The schach must come from the ground and be detached from the ground, and it must be made of something that does not become tamei. Things that can become tamei are mostly  tools used by man, such as: a ladder, chair, bench etc.

10. The Sages forbade schach that is made of the following things: 

• Boards that  are 24 cm wide, even if they are laid on their side.

• Bundles of straw or branches that are  tied together.

• Something that in the past could have become tamei, though now it can no longer, such as broken vessels.

• Schach that smells bad.

• Schach made of leaves that are quick to fall, dry, or wither. 

11.The schach should cause the sukkah to have more shade than sun. Therefore, if the schach causes the sukkah have equal sun and shade, the sukkah is not kosher.

12.  The stars should be able to be seen through the schach at night. But if the schach is thick and the stars cannot be seen, he has still fulfilled the mitzvah. But if the schach is so thick that even heavy rain does not get through, some say that the sukkah is not kosher because it resembles a house, so very thick schach should be avoided.

13. Schach that is very thin and has a lot of holes, but the width of each hole is less than 24 cm, and in total the shade it provides is more than the sun, the whole sukkah is kosher. But if the schach has a hole 24 cm wide or more, some say that the entire sukkah is not kosher. In any case, one should not eat while seated under this hole.

14. If in the middle of the sukkah there is invalid schach that is 32 cm wide or more, and it is placed along the entire length or width of the sukkah, then the sukkah is not kosher. But if the invalid schach is on the sides of the sukkah, it is disqualified only if it is 4 cubits (1.92 meters) wide or more. In any case, one should not eat or sleep under the invalid schach.

15. The schach should not be attached or positioned on things that can become tamei, for example: the schach should not be nailed to the boards below it. An iron mesh or metal pipes should not be placed around it to keep it from flying away.  If one has no other means to arrange the schach, he is permitted to do this. 

16. The schach should only be put on the sukkah after the walls have been erected, otherwise the sukkah is not kosher.

17. Using a pergola: In order to use a pergola for a sukkah, a number of things must be checked. First, do the beams fit the criteria to be considered schach? Is the width of the beams less than 32 cm? Will more beams be added so that there will be more shade than sun in the sukkah? Are the beams not completely adjacent to each other, so that the sukkah will be considered temporary and not a permanent home? 

The pergola has a number of additional problems which must be resolved in the following steps: If the pergola does not have sides: arrange the sides, then remove the pergola screws, lift the roof beams and put them back in place without the screws, then the sukkah is kosher. 

Or if the pergola is not attached with screws there is no need to remove them and lift the beams. Instead, just lift one beam (must be 8 cm wide). 

If the pergola has sides: if it is known that the roof beams were laid separately one by one, it is not necessary to lift all the beams, but only one beam, as mentioned above.

18.  On Chol HaMoed it is permitted to rearrange schach that has blown off. On Yom Tov or on Shabbat it is forbidden to arrange or bring back schach that has blown away. It is permitted for a non-Jew to return or rearrange the schach.

19. On Chol HaMoed, sukkah decorations may be removed provided that they will not be used for something other than the sukkah. But on Shabbat and Yom Tov, the decorations are considered muktza, so you can move them on Shabbat and Yom Tov only if it was your intention to do so. 

If you do remove the decorations on Shabbat and Yom Tov, be careful not to do anything that violates Shabbat/Yom Tov such as loosening knots, removing nails, etc. 

20. If you cover your sukkah with schach made of branches that are still attached to the ground, and then you cut the branches, the schach is not kosher, unless you raise the schach piece by piece and rearrange it. 

 

The Mitzvah of Sitting in the Sukkah

21. For the 7 days of Sukkot, one should make his house his temporary dwelling and his sukkah his permanent dwelling, that is: he should eat, sleep, and dwell in the sukkah as he dwells in his house all year.

22. If one is davening alone he should daven in the sukkah. 

23. Foods such as fruits or sweets, or grains or breads with a volume of less than 57.6 cc (according to the GR”A), if they are not considered a meal, do not have to be eaten in the sukkah. One is permitted to be strict and eat these foods in the sukkah.

It is permitted to drink outside the sukkah.

24. On the first night of Sukkot one should start eating in the sukkah even if it is raining.

In the case of rain on the first night, one should make kiddush and eat a kezayit of bread (25.6 cc- according to the GR”A) inside the sukkah, and then continue to eat inside the house. But he should not make the bracha of leshev basukkah.

25. One should eat the meal when it is night. If he began to eat before the stars came out, he must go back to the sukkah and eat again, but he should not recite the bracha of leshev basukkah a second time. 

26. On the night of Sukkot, four brachot are made during kiddush in the following order: Hagafen, mikadesh Yisrael vihazamanim, leshev basukkah, shehecheyanu. 

27. It is forbidden to sleep outside the sukkah even for a nap. If one accidentally falls asleep outside the sukkah he should still go into the sukkah if he wakes up and wants to continue sleeping. 

28. If he ate or slept in the sukkah and went inside due to the rain, he is not obliged to return to the sukkah when the rain stops.

Exemptions from the Sukkah

29. Women are exempt from the mitzvah of sukkah. The Shulchan Aruch ruled that women should not make the bracha of leshev basukkah, and the Rama ruled that they can make the bracha. Therefore, Ashkenazi women say the bracha of leshev basukkah when they eat in the sukkah.

30. If it rains in the sukkah, and the rain is enough to spoil the food, one should go into the house. Heavy rain exempts everyone from eating and sleeping in the sukkah, and one who stays in the sukkah despite heavy rains is not rewarded.

31. One who is sick, even if he is not in danger, but he has a headache or eye pain, etc., is exempt from sitting in the sukkah if it is difficult for him to do so. And a person who relies on assistance from others is also exempt.

32. One who is in pain is exempt from the sukkah. Therefore, if being in the sukkah is difficult for someone due to bothersome conditions such as flies and mosquitoes, strong wind, extreme cold, etc, he is exempt from sitting in the sukkah.

33. Travelers are exempt from the sukkah.

34. Is it permissible to go on a trip to a place where there is no sukkah? Most poskim seem to allow this, but R. Moshe Feinstein ruled that one who has no choice but to travel to a place without a sukkah may do so, but one should not do so simply for a pleasure trip. 

35. Guards are exempt from the sukkah so long as they are busy doing their work as guards. 

36. Those who are engaged in a mitzvah and those who are traveling must eat and sleep in a sukkah if they have access to one without any hassle.

 

Laws of the Four Species

Obligations of the Four Species

1. Every Jewish man is obligated to take the four species with a bracha on every day of Sukkot, except for Shabbat.

2. Women are exempt from taking the four species, but if they want to they are permitted. Ashkenazi women customarily say the bracha when taking the 4 species, but Sephardic women refrain from saying the bracha.

 

Time and Place of the Mitzvah

3. According to the Torah, we are commanded to take the four species only on the first day of Sukkot, but the sages decided that we are to take the lulav on all days of Sukkot.

4. The four species are not taken on Shabbat, even when the first day of Sukkot falls on Shabbat.

5. One may take the four species anytime during the day, but not at night. 

6. We are commanded to shake the lulav during the recitation of Hallel, and some have the custom to say the bracha on the four species in the sukkah and shake the lulav prior to saying Hallel, and then shake it again during Hallel.

7. It is forbidden to eat before taking the four species, and we should be strict about this unless someone is in great need of food. Tasting is permitted prior to taking the four species. 

Taking the Four Species

8. One cannot fulfill this mitzvah using a stolen set of four species. Therefore, one should purchase the four species from a trusted source.

9. The four species should be taken in the same direction as they grow: the head should be held upwards and the lower part should face downwards. For an etrog, the pitum should be held facing upwards, and its stem facing downwards. One who holds them incorrectly does not fulfill the mitzvah.

10. A lulav should be taken in the right hand and an etrog in the left. If one made a mistake and did the opposite he has still fulfilled the mitzvah, and he should try to redo it without making another bracha. 

11. The spine of the lulav should face the one who is taking it. 

12. It is customary to tie the hadasim on the right side of the lulav, and the aravot on the left side. Some have the custom to tie one of the hadasim on the right, one on the left, and one in the middle, and one arava on the right, and one on the left. Both ways are permitted.

Brachot of the Mitzvah

13. As with all mitzvot, one should say the bracha before doing the mitzvah. Therefore, the one who is taking the four species must say the bracha before taking the etrog in his hand, or he should hold the etrog upside down (with the pitum facing down) while saying the bracha, and immediately he should flip the etrog so that the pitum is facing up, and then he can shake it. 

14. The bracha of al netilat lulav should be said, and on the first day that he takes the four species one should also say the bracha of shehecheyanu. Therefore, when the first day of Sukkot falls on Shabbat (when we do not take the four species) one should say shehecheyanu on the first day when the species are taken.

 

The Lulav

15. A lulav whose spine is smaller than four tefachim (32 cm) is invalid.

16. The lulav should protrude above the heads of the hadasim and aravot by at least one tefach (8 cm).

17. A lulav that is curved toward its back, next to the spine, is kosher. But a lulav that is curved toward the front side where the leaves are, or to one side is invalid.

16. If the middle leaf of the spine of the lulav is divided into two parts, according to the Ashkenazi custom, the lulav is invalid. But Sepharadim do not disqualify the lulav when the middle leaf is divided, except if a majority of the leaves of the lulav are divided.

17. If the head of the lulav is cut or cracked, and the spine is bent or the upper leaf is not doubled from the beginning of its growth, the lulav is invalid.

The Etrog

18. An etrog that is smaller than a kibeitzah (57.6 cc) is invalid.

19. An etrog that is perforated from side to side, an etrog that has a perforation that is 2.3 cm in size, an etrog that is completely smooth, cracked, peeled, or has a missing pitum or stem is invalid.

20. A etrog that is dried out, has a black or white appearance, is mottled, rotten, boiled, or round as a ball is invalid.

The Hadasim (Myrtle)

21. It is said in the Torah "and take for yourself ... a thick tree branch", and sages learned that since the Torah wrote this description in three words, three stalks of hadasim are needed for the observance of the mitzvah (and some add more).

22. A hadas with a stem that is shorter than three tefachim (24 cm) is invalid.

23. Look for a hadas where all three leaves come out of one place, (a 'triangular hadas’), and if most of it is a triangle it can be used. A hadas that is not triangular at all is invalid.

The Aravot - Willow

24. It is said in the Torah: "And take for yourselves ... an Aravei Nahal, and the sages learned that two stalks of willow should be taken for this mitzvah.

25. An arava with a spine shorter than three tefachim (24 cm) is invalid.

26. The poplar (a tree that resembles an arava) is invalid, and one must be careful to use only aravot. 

27. A dry arava whose head has been cut, broken, or most of the leaves have dropped off is invalid.

Differences Between the First Day and the Other Days of the Holiday

28. The sages learned that the four species should be complete on the first day of the holiday, but on the other days if they are blemished or have defects they are still kosher.

Order of Shaking

29. There are two methods regarding the shaking of the four species:

a. The Shulchan Aruch method (and Ashkenazim also practice this way) - rotate to the right (clockwise): east (actually east, not in the direction of Jerusalem!), South, west, north, up, down. B. The method of the Ari (which is the practices of the Hasidim) - south, north, east, up, down, west.

31. When do you shake the lulav during Hallel?

A.The Ashkenazi custom: The chazan shakes twice: in hodu Lashem and in yomer na Yisrael, and the congregation shake four times: in each hodu Lashem. The chazan and the congregation shake twice in ana Hashem hoshia na, and twice more in hodu Lashem at the end of Hallel. 

B. The Sephardic custom (and the custom of Ashkenazi Hasidim): The chazzan and the congregation shake once in hodu Lashem, twice in ana Hashem hoshia na, and once in hodu Lashem at the end of Hallel. 

C. It is important to note that most important shaking is during the bracha, and shaking during Hallel is a custom. If you make a mistake when you shake the lulav you have still fulfilled the  mitzvah.

32. Regarding a bracha on the lulav for Sephardic women - there is a difference of opinion. (HaRav Ovadiah forbids women to say the bracha and HaRav Eliyahu allows them.)

33. Additional laws: 

A. There is no need to look for defects and dots in an etrog with a magnifying glass. The measure is whether the defect is visible to ordinary eyes from the distance at which the etrog is generally taken.

B. One must buy an etrog that has been certified as kosher to make sure that it is not actually a lemon, (in fact all the four species need kosher certification, but special care must be taken with etrogs). 

 

The Laws of Chol HaMoed

The Mitzvah of Chol Hamoed

1. Just as it is a mitzvah to honor and delight in Shabbat, so too it is a mitzvah to honor and delight in Chol HaMoed by wearing special clothing and eating and drinking special foods. 

2. During Chol Hamoed, clean clothes must be worn, and it is preferable to wear Shabbat clothes.

3. It is a mitzvah to be happy and in good spirits on Chol HaMoed, we therefore eat meat, drink wine, and enjoy good foods. 

4. It is a mitzvah to have a seudah in the morning and evening of Chol HaMoed, but it is not obligatory.

5. In Birkat Hamazon, Yaaleh Veyavo is added. If one forgot to say Yaaleh Veyavo and has already begun to say the next bracha, he should not repeat Birkat Hamazon. 

6. At Shacharit, Mincha, and Maariv, Yaaleh Veyavo is added to the Amidah. If he forgot before he took the steps at the end of the prayer, he should go back to the bracha of retzeh. If he remembers after taking the steps, he should return to the beginning of the prayer.

7. In the morning, after the repetition of the Amidah, the complete Hallel is said.

Prohibitions of Working

8. In order to differentiate Chol HaMoed from a regular weekday, some work is forbidden

9. Routine activities that are not bothersome, such as talking on the phone, driving a car, etc., are permitted, even if they are not being done for the purpose of the holiday.

10. Writing, commerce, and other kinds of work that take even a little effort must not be done on Chol HaMoed if they are not being done for the purpose of the holiday. But if they lend any benefit or pleasure to the holiday (such as solving crossword puzzles), or if the work is very likely to be needed, it is permitted to do. 

11. Doing work (aside from cooking) on Chol HaMoed is allowed only when it was not possible to do this work before. If one purposely postponed his work in order to do it on Chol HaMoed, he may not do it.

12. For the sake of the public it is permissible to do work that does not require skill, even if it will not bring benefit or pleasure to the holiday itself.

13. Work that requires training or skill (such as construction work) may not be done on Chol HaMoed even for the sake of the holiday, except in the following cases:

• Preparing meals for the holidays, as well as repairing the kitchen utensils that will be used for preparing the meals.

• Doing what is required for the needs of the body, such as: repairing the shower that will be used during the holiday.

• Preventing financial loss or damage to one's health

• Doing work that is for the sake of the public 

14. It is forbidden to shave or get a haircut on Chol HaMoed, as everyone is encouraged to show honor to the holiday by doing these things before the holiday begins.

15. Similarly, doing laundry on Chol HaMoed is not allowed, However, ironing is permitted.

16. Cleaning a stain on a garment is allowed, if the garment got dirty during the holiday, or if the individual does not have another garment to wear (in this case he can clean it even if it got dirty before the holiday).

17. It is permitted to wash socks and other clothes that typically get dirty frequently, if they got dirty during the holiday and there are no others that can be used. If one is washing this type of clothing, it is permissible to put additional clothes that will be needed during the holiday into the  washing machine.

18. It is forbidden to buy or sell on Chol HaMoed, but it is permitted to buy/sell things that will be  needed during the holiday. It is also permitted to buy/sell if one has an opportunity for a lucrative deal that will be difficult to come by once the holiday is over. It is permitted to spend money that will add to the joy of Yom Tov.

19. Any work that is forbidden to do on Chol Hamoed must a