Abudarham אבודרהם Sefaria Community Translation https://www.sefaria.org Abudarham Introduction First Gate; Laws of Kriat Shema Second Gate; Prayer Third Gate; Blessings on Commandments The reason women are exempt from time-triggered positive commandments is that a woman is subjugated to her husband fo rthe fulfillment of his needs. If she were obligated to perform time-triggered commandments, it might happen that just when she is performing the commandment her husband will command her to do his bidding. If she were to fulfill the command of the Creator and ignores his [her husband's] command, woe to her from her husband! And if she were to fulfill his command and ignore that of the Creator, woe to her from her Maker! Therefore the creator exempted her from his commandments, so that she can be at peace with her husband. Weekday Prayers Bedtime Recitation of Shema Morning Blessings A person blesses these three blessings each day: the first is who has not made me a gentile, since "All nations are as naught in His sight; He accounts them as less than nothing" (Isaiah 40:17). The second is who has not made me a [Canaanite] slave since the slave is not commanded in positive commandments which are caused by time, and further, that they have no merit of ancestry, since their ancestors did not stand at Mount Sinai. And further, that we do not believe them, since "the more slaves, the more theft" (Pirkei Avot 2:7). And further, that it is forbidden for a slave to marry a Jewish woman, and that a slave is close to a gentile. The Rama"h questions if a convert blesses "who has not made me a gentile" and if a captive blesses "who has not made me a slave", and replies that so we have seen, the blessing applies specifically to the beginning of the creation of man, and as such a convert does not bless "who has not made me a gentile" except when they were entirely born and bred (pregnancy and birth) in holiness [Judaism]. But the captive blesses "who has not made me a slave", since this blessing was not established for slavery itself but rather since the slave is not obligated in commandments like a Jew, and is not fitting to enter the community [marry into it], and is unsuitable for many things. And the third blessing is who has not made me a woman, since she is not commanded in positive commandments that are caused by time as we have explaned in the introduction to this book. The man is similar to a labourer who enters a field and plants with permission, and the woman is similar to one who enters a field without permission. And further, that the fear of her husband is upon her and she is unable to perform even that which she is commanded in. And women are accustomed to bless instead of "who has not made me a woman", "who has made me according to His will", like one who justifies the Judgement regarding the evil that has come upon them. Blessings on Torah Tzitzit Tefillin Mishnah on the Location of the Sacrifices Baraita of Rabbi Ishmael Songs of Praise Kaddish and Barchu Blessings on the Shema Amidah Amidah Repetition Laws of Prayer Post Amidah Torah Reading Afternoon Service Evening Service Hashkiveinu Avinu L'shalom (Help us to lie down, father, in peace) - the word 'avinu' is like a father who comforts his son by lying him down between his legs. So too here, You should lay us down in the shade of the wings of peace. V'ha'amideinu malkeinu l'chayim u'lshalom (and rise up, our King, to life and peace) - We say "our Father" and add "for life", for the one who returns our souls to us in the morning... Ufros Aleinu (Spread over us) - means that God spread a cloud... Compensatory Prayer (Tashlumin) Shabbat Prayers Shabbat eve Evening Service Mishna of 'Bameh Madlikin' Kiddush Morning Service Torah Reading Musaf Day Meal Afternoon Service Three Meals of Shabbos The Conclusion of Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Chanukah Purim The Purim office: [On the] evening of 14 Adar we pray Maariv like other days, and the precentor reminds the congregation to say "For the miracles . . ." and says it in the prayer at Thanks. Some say it when we come to "which at all times -- evening, morning, and noon" and some say it at "always have we relied on you." And so it is in the offices of Amram b. Sheshna and Saadiah b. Yosef. "For the miracles etc." until "in this time" already have been explained supra. "In the days of Mordecai and Esther in the capital Susa, when Haman the wicked stood against them" recalls "On the day that you stood from afar" (Obadiah 1:11) which referred to Esau his ancestor. "Sought to ruin, to murder, and to destroy all the Jews etc." is obvious in the Book of Esther. And it says "sought to ruin etc." i.e. "Haman sought to ruin Israel" even though it was in their hands to their merit. For his blessed Holiness gave that [Israel] could destroy the gentiles to the very last. "To their merit in their hands," as it is said in Tanḥuma, "And on that day will I seek to destroy all the gentiles that come upon Jerusalem" (Zachariah 12:9) -- this speaks of Israel before his blessed Holiness the master of the world. Pesach Month of Nissan Evening Service First Part of the Seder The Haggadah Second Part of the Seder These are the verses that I found [with] the signs of the Pesach Seder: Make kiddush and wash/ eat karpas; break/ tell; the washing/ make hamotzi, matzah/ maror; eat korech/ have a meal/ hidden; bless/ say hallel; it was wanted. And another one: Make kiddush and self-sanctify; dipped, and cut and expound; wash and slice and [the] rule [of] matzah guard; maror is eaten, and korech; and [eat] bread on your side; and your sustenance over a cup [of wine]; and finish your hallel. And another one: Sanctify, purify, and karpas and split in two; and explain, and rinse for bread and matzah; and maror and korech, and eat a piece; and being clean, invite [for birkat hamazon] and say hallel in happiness. And another one: make the hands of the man sacred, and dip his morsel; he will tell through wine, a hand took out, matzah; maror and dip also the sandwich, he will be satisfied; matzah, and through the meal, and hallel - he fulfilled his obligation. And another one: Make kiddush in the first cup and with the vegetable of your garden/ dip, and tell with the second cup, say, bless over me the bread and the matzah and/ the maror, and over the sandwich, say hallel, finish, and eat your meal, and find it, and lest/ you should eat after the afikoman, make sure you guard [yourself against it] and on the third cup you say your needed birkat hamazon/ bless, and over the fourth cup remember [to] complete hallel/ to the One Alive in Tzion you will make your Pesach; going up to the place of thistles, incense plants and myrrh. And another one: Remember the day and clean the hand for karpas / break the bread and ask about law / and dip a second time to bless the piece [of bread] / eat the guarded and arranged matzah / and [with] maror make korech together with matzah / like Hillel and do not say a blessing / and the pleasure of your table will be filled with grace / distribute matzah from the folded cloth / over that you will bless birkat hamazon, [the]Rock you will praise / and if you yearn, read the prepared song / lie down in certainty and do not be afraid nor fearful / isn't this the long night that heals? And another mnemonic: KN"K BHN"H MM"K ShM"H- meaning Kiddush, Netilah [washing hands], Karpas; Break bread (Hebrew begins with yud), Haggadah, Netilah, Hamotzi; Matzah, Maror, Kerichah; Guarded, Mazon, Hallel. Festival Prayers People are accustomed to reading the Song of Songs on the Festival of Matzot because it speaks about the salvation from Egypt, which is the beginning of the subjugation of Israel and their first redemption. As it is stated (Song of Songs 1:9), "To a mare in Pharaoh’s chariots." And they are also accustomed to read Ruth on the Festival of Weeks (Shavuot), because it is written in it (Ruth 1:22), "at the beginning of the barley harvest" - and [Shavuot] is the the time of the harvest. And there is another reason: Because our ancestors only accepted the Torah and entered the covenant through circumcision, immersion and the sprinkling of blood [at that time], as it is found in the chapter [entitled] HaCholetz; and Ruth also converted, as it is stated (Ruth 1:16), "for where you go, I shall go." And from the answer of Ruth, we know what Noami said to her. As she said to her, "It is prohibited for us [to go beyond] the Shabbat perimeter." [She answered,] "Where you go, I shall go" (Ruth 1:16). "Isolation [with a stranger of the opposite sex] is forbidden to us." "Where you lodge, I shall lodge" (Ruth 1:16). "We are commanded to observe six hundred and thirteen commandments." "Your people are my people" (Ruth 1:16). "Idolatrous worship is forbidden to us." "Your God is my God" (Ruth 1:16). "Four types of capital punishment were handed over to the court." "Where you die, I shall die" (Ruth 1:17). "Two burial grounds were set up for the court, one for those burnt and stoned and another for those executed and strangled." "And there I shall be buried" (Ruth 1:17). So is it found in the chapter [entitled] HaCholetz (Yevamot 47b). And we are hence accustomed to reading Ruth on the Holiday of Weeks. And also on the Festival of Shemini Atzeret (Assembly of the Eighth), it is customary to read Ecclesiastes, because in it, it is written (Ecclesiastes 11:1), "Distribute portions to seven or even to eight" - these [correspond to] the seven days of the Festival (Sukkot) and the Festival of the Assembly of the Eighth. I mean to say, because it is the holiday of the reaping, to warn about the tithes and the priestly tithes and the pledges, such that they not transgress, "you shall not delay," [past] the three festivals. And there is another reason - because King Shlomo said it on the Festival (Sukkot) during the assembly (hakhel). As it is written (Deuteronomy 31:10-12), "at the appointed time of the year of remission, during the Sukkot festival; When all of Israel comes to be seen, etc. Assemble (Hakhel) the people; the men and the women and the infants, etc." And it is [also] written (I Kings 8:2), "they assembled before King Shlomo in the month of Etanim during the festival, etc." So he said it then in the assembly, to rebuke Israel. Hence it is fit to say it during [this] festival. All of this was written by Ibn HaYarchi (R. Avraham ben Natan). And they said in Tractate Soferim (14:3), "One who reads from Ruth, the Song of Songs, Lamentations and from the Scroll of Esther must [recite the blessing that concludes], 'concerning the reading of the Megillah' - even though it is included in the Writings. One who reads from the Writings must recite, 'Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, [who has sanctified us with Your commandments and has commanded us] to read in the Holy Writings.'" The reason God commanded us to count the Omer is because each person was busy with their personal harvests, and everyone was separately spending time in their own granaries - and might have forgotten to join the rest of the nation in Jerusalem for the holiday. The commandment to count the Omer reminds everyone to go up to Jerusalem for the holiday. Customs for the Days of the Counting (Sefirah) Shavuot Fasts Prayers Tishah B'Av Rosh HaShanah Prayers Blowing the Shofar Rav Saadia Gaon writes that there are 10 reasons why the Exalted Creator commanded us to blow the shofar on Rosh Hashana. 1. This day is the beginning of creation when God created the world and ruled over it. At the beginning of a king's reign, they sounds the trumpets and shofars, to promulgate in all locations that the new reign has begun; likewise, we accept upon ourselves God's reign on this day [by sounding the shofar]. This is also why King David said (Ps. 98:6) "with trumpets and the blast of the horn raise a shout before Ad-nay, the King".2. Rosh Hashanah is the 1st of the 10 Days of Teshuva, and we blow the shofar in order to announce that all those who wish to do teshuva, should do so, and if not, there is no excuse. This is like what the kings do, that warn the people regarding a decree, and whoever transgresses the decree after the warning has no claim. 3. The shofar reminds us of the shofar at Mt. Sinai, when we accepted the Torah, as it is written "and a very loud blast of the shofar" (Exodus 19:16), and our ancestors accepted upon themselves "we will do and we will listen" (Exodus 24:7). 4. The shofar reminds us the words of the Prophets, who are compared to the tekiot of the shofar, as it is written " If anybody hears the sound of the horn but ignores the warning, and the sword comes and dispatches him, his blood shall be on his own head. Since he heard the sound of the horn but ignored the warning, his bloodguilt shall be upon himself; had he taken the warning, he would have saved his life." (Ezekiel 33:4-5). 5. The Shofar reminds us of the destruction of the Holy Temple and the cries of war, as it is written "Oh, the walls of my heart! My heart moans within me, I cannot be silent; my soul hears the teru'ot of war." (Jeremiah 4:19). When we hear this sound, we will beseech God to rebuild the Temple. 6. The shofar reminds us of the Binding of Isaac, who was ready to give his life for the sake of Heaven; likewise, we should also dedicate ourselves to sanctifying His name, and He will surely recall us for the good. 7. When we hear the sound of the shofar, we will tremble, be in awe and see our brokeness. This is the nature of the sound of the shofar, it causes one to tremble with trepidation, as it is written "When a ram’s horn is sounded in a town, do the people not take alarm?" (Amos 3:6). 8. The shofar reminds us of the ultimate Day of Judgment, as it is written "The great day of Ad-nay is approaching, approaching most swiftly... a day of shofar blasts and alarms" (Zephaniah 1:14-16). 9. The shofar reminds us of the Gathering of the Exiles when the shofar will be sounded, and this causes us to yearn for that time, as it is written "And in that day, a great ram’s horn shall be sounded" (Isaiah 27:13). 10.The shofar reminds us to believe in the resurrection of the dead, as it is written "all you who live in the land, and inhabit the earth, when a flag is raised in the hills, take note! When a ram’s horn is blown, give heed!" (Isaiah 18:3). Musaf Yom Kippur Yom Kippur Eve Kol Nidrei Confession "Indeed we have sinned". Even though the viddui was composed in accordance with the 'aleph bet' it is said at the beginning "we have sinned" before the rest of the confessions as it says Midrash Tanchuma "the people came before Moses and said 'we have sinned'" because they said "we have sinned" they were forgiven immediately. And it says in another place [Midrash Tanchuma Warsaw ed. Parshat Balak 10] that "anyone who sins and says 'I have sinned' an angel is not permitted to harm them. There are those who interpret 'aval' to mean 'alas' we have sinned and there are those who interpret it as 'indeed we have sinned' (Gen. 42:21). "We and our ancestors" is in the manner of "confessing the sins that we Israelites have committed against You, sins that I and my father’s house have committed." (Nehemiah 1:6) and in the manner of "stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers" (Nehemiah 9:2). And it is written "For we have sinned against the LORD our God" (Jeremiah 3:25). [He then goes on to give a citation every word in the Viddui] We and our fathers from our youth to this day" Prayers Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret First Days Hoshana Rabba And on the fifth day of the intermediate days of the festival (Chol HaMoed) - which is Hoshana Rabbah - we pray like on the other intermediate days of the festival. But there are some places where they are accustomed to add, "Praise the Lord, call in His name" (Psalm 105), to say the addition (yotzer) of Shabbat and to say, "Keter," in the additional service, even though it is a weekday. And it is a proper custom. The reason is because it is the end of the holiday and of the circling, and the completion of the seventy bulls [sacrificed over the course of Sukkot]. Moreover, it is because this day is the actual sealing that we requested from the Creator on Yom Kippur, to seal us for life. Hence we are accustomed to add, "Praise the Lord, call in His name" (Psalm 105), to say the addition (yotzer) of Shabbat and to say, "Keter," in the additional service - since we consider it to be like a holiday. And when we bring back the Torah scroll [to the ark], we are accustomed to say, "For the leader, a psalm of David - a song. Praise befits You, etc." (Psalm 65). That is because it mentions pleadings about water in it, which is from the day's theme. For on the morrow, we begin to request rain in our prayers. And we also say, "Our transgressions, You atone for them," since [this day] is the actual sealing, as we said. And we circle the ark seven times, corresponding to the seven firmaments. But there are some that say it is corresponding to the seven times that they circled Jericho. And there is support for this from the Masorah (the documentation of the Bible's precise text). For you will find [the phrase], "and I will circle," twice in the Masorah - and these are them: "I will rise and I will circle the city" (Song of Songs 3:2); and "and I will circle Your altar, O Lord" (Psalms 26:6). That is to say, corresponding to that which I circled the city of Jericho seven times, I will circle Your altar [seven times]. And we say many supplications and pleadings about water and hold a willow [branch], other than the willow that is in the lulav (as one of the four species of Sukkot). And that is in memory of the Temple, since they would circle the altar inside it with a willow on this day. Shmini Atzeret On the night of the ninth [day of the holiday], we pray [the same prayers] as on the night of the eighth [day]. And we recite kiddush and [include the blessing over] time (shehechiyanu). And on the morrow, we take out three Torah scrolls. Five [congregants] read the Parashah of Zot HaBerakhah from the first one. [The reader] reads with the [first] four until, "while you tread on their high places" (Deuteronomy 33:29). And then he goes back with the fifth - who is the last one - from the beginning of Zot HaBerakhah until, "in the eyes of all of Israel" (the last verse in the Parashah and in the Torah). And the reason for this Parashah [being read on this day] is based on King Solomon having blessed Israel on the eighth day of the festival, as it is stated (I Kings 8:14), "and he blessed all of the congregation of Israel, etc." That is why we read the blessing that Moshe blessed Israel on the ninth day, about which there is a doubt that it is the eighth day. And in the second [Torah scroll], the reader begins [Parashat] Bereishit until, "which God had created to make" (Genesis 2:2). And in the third [Torah scroll], he reads the final selection (maftir) like yesterday; and he concludes (recites the haftara) with the beginning of Joshua, "And it was after the death of Moshe," until, "for the Lord, your God, is with with wherever you shall go" (Joshua 1:9). And this day is called Simchat (the Joy of the) Torah, because we finish [reading] the Torah on it, and it is fitting to rejoice about its completion. And the reason we begin Genesis immediately is in order that the Satan not have a chance to open his mouth, saying they have already completed it and don't want to read anymore. Or the reason is that in the same way that we have merited its completion, so too should we merit its beginning. Hebrew Calendar Introduction And the start of its renewal is called the birth of the moon. Yet it would have been fitting to call it the renewal of the moon. However the Sages, may their memory be blessed called it the birth, since every month the moon is hidden for about two days or a little less before it attaches itself to the sun, and it afterwards begins to be born and gather light. But its light does not [then] have the power to be seen by people. So that is like the matter of a newborn, since it does not have the power to act like the custom of [other] people, to walk and move like other animals. And according to the words of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, that is the moment that the sun and the moon attach themselves to each other in their median path in one of the parts of the sky; and this is the same in all of the world. So that is the beginning of the next month and the end of the past month. And it would have been fitting to designate this as the start of the month, according to the path of the luminaries, were it not that the [precise] time of this birth is not visible to people, such that the only way to arrive at is by way of calculation and reasoning. But both of these are difficult for most of the world and questions come about them, such that the thoughts of people do not come to a single opinion. And because of that, the Holy One, blessed be He, was not stringent and did not command us to observe the start of the months from their beginning in the sky, which is the time of the [moon's] birth. Rather, He granted us leeway about the thing and give us permission to set the month according to the counsel of the sages, since we have no sign that testifies to us about its beginning in the sky, whereas its beginning according to our eyesight - which is what is revealed to us - is not the same in every person's eyes. And because of that, it requires assistance and control. So the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the right and the power over this to the hands of our sages, so that they could control it according to their opinion and their wisdom. And that is why the verse made the festivals depend on proclamation, in its stating (Leviticus 23:4), "These are the festivals of the Lord, holy gatherings, which you shall proclaim in their seasons." That is to show that we have permission to set the festivals [by way of proclaiming the new months]. Gate of Moladot (Initial Appearances) Gate of Designations and Postponements Gate of Designations of the Years Order of Parashiot and Haftarot Calendar Patterns Gate of Seasons (Tekufot) Laws of Blessings Introduction First Gate; Blessing on Bread Second Gate; Mezonot (Grain Products) Third Gate; Shehakol (Everything) Fourth Gate; Ha'adama (Fruit of the Ground) Fifth Gate; Ha'etz (Fruit of the Tree) Sixth Gate; Food During and After the Meal Seventh Gate; Blessings on Scents Eighth Gate; Blessings of Praise and Thanksgiving Ninth Gate; Blessings on Commandments Circumcision Redeeming a Firstborn Redeeming Neta Revai Betrothal Blessing Marriage Blessings Mourning Mezuzah, Parapet, Covering Blood and Separation of Challah Eruvin Havinenu and Short Prayer Nail Cutting Concluding Poems