Chapter 76 : The Laws of the Prayers on Shabbos and Yom Tov

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§1

It is customary to pray the Maariv prayer of Shabbos earlier than on weekdays. It is proper to do so in order to usher in the Shabbos as early as possible — so long as it is done from Pelag haMinchah onwards. And even those accustomed to praying Maariv on time during weekdays, which is when the stars appear, may pray earlier on Shabbos. Although sometimes on weekdays the Minchah prayer is said at the same time at which Maariv will now be said, it does not matter with regard to the Maariv prayer of Shabbos, for it is a mitzvah to add time to the holy [Shabbos.]

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§2

The berachah of Hashkiveinu is not concluded the same as on weekdays i.e., "Who guards His people Israel." This berachah encompasses the entire nation of Israel, and the entire nation of Israel does not require protection on Shabbos because the Shabbos itself protects us. But we say instead "Spread [over us]" and conclude: "Blessed are You Hashem, Who spreads the shelter" etc. The same law applies to Yom Tov. If you mistakenly concluded the berachah as on a weekday, and you remember immediately after saying the word lo'ad [forever], you should immediately say: Haporeis sukkas shalom, "Who spreads the shelter of peace" etc. But if you didn't remember until after kedei debur you need not say it again.

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§3

It is the custom to say in the Maariv prayer, "and may (Israel) rest 'thereon,'" and in the Shacharis and Mussaf prayers, "and may (Israel) rest 'thereon– and in the Minchah prayer, "and may (Israel) rest 'thereon.'"

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§4

After the Maariv Shemoneh Esrei Friday night, (the entire congregation) says "Vayechulu" together. This is said while standing, because this passage is our testimony that the Holy One Blessed is He — created the world, and witnesses must give their testimony while standing.

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§5

After this the chazzan recites the abridged form of the seven blessings [of the Maariv Shemoneh Esrei] which is: Baruch atta Hashem [Blessed are you Hashem] Elokeinu Velokei avoseinu [our God and God of our fathers etc.], Magein avos [Shield of (our) fathers etc.), Elokeinu velokei avoseinu etc., and concludes Baruch atta Hashem "Blessed are You, mekaddeish haShabbos [Sanctifier of the Shabbos."] The congregation should stand when the chazzan recites this berachah and they should listen attentively. It is customary to say with him Magein avos [Shield of (our) fathers] until zeicher lema'aseih vereishis... [in commemoration of the work of creation.] One who prays alone may also say the prayer of Magein avos until zeicher lema'a5eth vereishis but not further.

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§6

On all Shabbosos of the year this berachah is said, even on Yom Tov, and even on Shabbos which occurs at the close of Yom Tov. But when the first night of Pesach falls on Friday night it is not said.

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§7

It is not said unless there is a permanent minyon. But in a place where ten people pray only on occasion as in the house of a bridegroom, or in the house of a mourner, it is not said. If a place was established wherein ten Jews would pray for several weeks, as at a market-fair, Magein avos is said.

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§8

In these countries it is customary for the chazzan to recite the "Kiddush" in the synagogue on Shabbos and Yom Tov evenings, (except on the first two nights of Passover). Since he does not fulfill the mitzvah with this Kiddush, and it is forbidden for him to taste the wine before Kiddush, therefore in order that his berachah not be in vain, the wine is given to a child who has reached the age of chinuch. When the child hears the berachah from the chazzan, he is exempt from saying a berachah, and thus the chazzan's berachah was not in vain. (For it is permitted to feed a child before Kiddush, as will be explained later on in chapter 165.) And if there is no child in the synagogue, the one who recites the Kiddush or another person should have in mind to fulfill his mitzvah of Kiddush with this Kiddush, and drink the amount of a revi'is in order to recite the concluding berachah. And even so he may recite the Kiddush again in his house to exempt his wife and household, if they are unable to recite Kiddush themselves. The mitzvah of Kiddush is fulfilled with the Kiddush which is recited in the Synagogue, even though [the rule is that] Kiddush is not valid unless it is accompanied by a meal, because in time of pressing need, we rely on the "Poskim" who hold that it is sufficient to drink a whole revi'is from the cup. And it is best to drink a revi'is in addition to the mouthful [that is swallowed], so that the mouthful is counted for Kiddush and the revi'is for the meal.

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§9

We are accustomed to recite the chapter entitled Bameh madlikin, [on Friday evening]. It is not said when Yom Tov falls on Shabbos, nor when Yom Tov falls on Friday, and not on Shabbos Chol Hamoed.

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§10

It is customary not to arise as early on Shabbos to go to the synagogue as during weekdays, since sleep is one of the pleasures of Shabbos. This custom is supported by a Scriptural verse; concerning the daily offering on weekdays it is said: "In the morning," but concerning the Shabbos offering it is said: 'And on the Shabbos day," which indicates a later time (in the day). However you must be careful not to delay the reading of Shema and Shemoneh Esrei [beyond the proper time, see chapters 17, 18.]

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§11

The time for the Mussaf service is immediately after the Shacharis service. And it must not be delayed later than the end of the seventh hour. The person who recites Mussaf after seven hours is called a transgressor, but nevertheless his obligation is fulfilled because the time (for reciting Mussaf) is all day.

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§12

If you must pray two prayer services, the Minchah service, and the Mussaf service, for example if you delayed praying Mussaf until six and a half hours, you should first pray Minchah and after that Mussaf, because Minchah is recited more regularly [daily], and it is an established rule: that when a regular practice conflicts with an occasional practice, the regular practice takes precedence. However, in congregational prayers, this rule is not followed.

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§13

In the Kedushah of Mussaf when the congregation says: Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad. "Hear Israel Hashem is our God Hashem is One," and the congregation immediately says: Echad hu Elokeinu "One, He is our God," etc., it is a mistake, for it is forbidden to say the word "One" twice consecutively; but the congregation should say "Hashem is One," "He is our God." etc. But the chazzan who pauses while waiting for the congregation may begin with the word "One" (Echad] since he paused between [the two Echads].

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§14

At Minchah before reading the Torah we say: Va'ani sefilasi "But as for me, may my prayer etc." This is in accordance with the interpretation of our Sages of blessed memory of the verse: "They talk of me, those who sit in the gate, and (about me) are the songs of drunkards." And immediately thereafter it is written: "But as for me, may my prayer...", etc. King David said before the Holy One Blessed is He, "Master of the Universe, this Nation is not like other nations of the world. Other nations of the world when they drink, they get drunk, and become boisterous, but we are not like that, for even though we drink, we say 'But as for me, may my prayer...' etc." Therefore this verse is recited before the reading of the Torah to give thanks to our Creator that He has not assigned our portion like theirs for even the ignorant among us come to hear the reading of the Torah. On Yom Tov which occurs on a weekday, since the Torah is not read, Va'ani sefilasi is not said. But on Shabbos even though there is no Seifer Torah from which to read, nevertheless it is said. In such an event it is said before the Half Kaddish in order that there be no interruption between Kaddish and Shemoneh Esrei.

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§15

After the repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei we are accustomed to say "Tzidkasecha tzedek . . ." ["Your righteousness is righteousness everlasting"] which consists of three verses that are similar to "Tzidduk Hadin." [These verses express our acceptance of Divine decree] on the death of three Tzaddikim [pious souls] who passed away at this time [Shabbos afternoon]: Yoseph, Moshe and Dovid. If Shabbos occurs on a day where if it were a weekday Tachanun would not he said, Tzidkassecha tzedek is not said. But when praying with a congregation in the house of a mourner, it is said, for if it would not be said it would be a public demonstration of mourning and public mourning is not permitted on Shabbos.

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§16

If you made a mistake on Shabbos or Yom Tov and began saying the intermediate portion of the weekday Shemoneh Esrei, and reminded yourself in the middle of the berachah, you must complete the entire berachah that you began, and afterwards begin the intermediate berachah of the Shabbos or Yom Tov (Shemoneh Esrei). The reason being that halachically it would have been appropriate to enact that even on Shabbos and Yom Tov the intermediate berachos be recited as on weekdays, and the holiness of Shabbos be mentioned in the berachah of Retzei as is done on Rosh Chodesh and Chol Hamoed, but due to the honor of Shabbos and Yom Tov, the Sages did not want to burden us and thus enacted that only one intermediate berachah be said for the holiness of the day. But since you began the weekday berachah you must complete that berachah since it is fitting that it be said now according to halachah.

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§17

Even if you started to say only one word of the [wrong] berachah, and remembered instantly, you must complete the berachah except in the berachah of Attah chonein. In this berachah, if all you said was the word attah, since the Shabbos prayers of Maariv and Minchah also begins with attah, therefore in the Maariv or Minchah prayers, even though you forgot that it was Shabbos and you began (with) the word attah with intention to say attah chonein but you remembered immediately that it is Shabbos, you need not complete the berachah, Attah Chonein, but continue by saying kidashta at Maariv and echad at Minchah. If, however, this happens at Shacharis [then it depends]: if you erred because you thought it was a weekday you must complete the berachah Attah chonein. But if you knew it was Shabbos and were supposed to say Yismach Moshe, but through a slip of the tongue, due to habit, you said the word attah, you need not complete the berachah Attah chonein, rather say Yismach Moshe; for since there are in the Shabbos prayers other prayers that begin with attah, it is as though you mistakenly substituted one Shabbos prayer for another, since you knew it was Shabbos and you only said the one word.

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§18

If you did not realize [your error] until you began saying the concluding berachos, (that is from Retzei [be pleased] and further) you should stop in mid-berachah, at the place you remembered, and begin (the berachah) of Shabbos or Yom Tov, and conclude (the prayer) in its (proper) order. If you did not realize until after you started to say: Yiheyu leratzon [may they be acceptable], you must start from the beginning of the Shemoneh Esrei.

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§19

If you erred in the Mussaf prayer and said the weekday berachah in the middle of Mussaf you must stop in the middle of the berachah in which you remembered your error, and begin the middle berachah of the Mussaf prayer, because for the Mussaf prayer there was never a halachic consideration to include all the middle berachos of the weekdays, but only the one berachah of Mussaf.

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§20

If one errs and begins the weekday Shemoneh Esrei on Shabbos it is a bad omen for him, and he should examine his deeds during the coming week and repent.

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§21

If you erred in the middle berachah of the Shabbos Shemoneh Esrei substituting one berachah for another, [e.g., you said in Shacharis, Atta kidashta (You sanctified) instead of Yismach Moshe (Moses will rejoice)] if you remember before you said the Name (of Hashem) at the conclusion of the berachah, you must repeat from the beginning of the berachah which you should have been praying. But if you did not remember until after you said (the Name of) Hashem, you should conclude and say Mekadeish Hashabbos [Sanctifier of Shabbos.] By doing so you will fulfill your obligation, because the principal part of the middle berachos is Retzei na bimenuchaseinu [be pleased with our rest] which is uniform in all the prayers (of Shabbos).

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§22

The above rule applies only to Maariv, Shacharis, and Minchah Shemoneh Esrei but as for Mussaf, if you substitute another prayer, you have not fulfilled your obligation, since you did not mention the Mussaf offering. Similarly, if instead of the Maariv, Shacharis, or Minchah Shemoneh Esrei you prayed the Mussaf Shemoneh Esrei you have not fulfilled your obligation, for since you mentioned the Mussaf offering you uttered an untrue statement before Hashem.

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§23

If you erred in the Yom Tov prayers, and instead of concluding Mekadeish Yisroel vehazemanim, [Sanctifier of Israel and the Seasons,] you concluded with Mekadeish Hashabbos, [Sanctifier of the Shabbos,] if you retracted within the time of kedei dibbur and said Mekadeish Yisroel vehazemanim, you fulfilled (your obligation). And if not, you must go back and start (again) from attah vechartanu.