Chapter: 11 – The Times of Keriat Shema and Shacharit

The first time of the day that has halachic significance is known as “amud hashachar” or “alot hashachar” (dawn). In a case of extenuating circumstances, one may begin reciting Shema and praying the Amidah from the time of amud hashachar, … Continue reading →

According to many, the time difference between amud hashachar and netz hachamah in Israel is the time it takes to walk a distance of four mil, which is approximately 72 minutes. This means that in the months of Nisan or … Continue reading →

The time to recite Shema in the morning is learned from the expression that appears in the Torah passage regarded the Shema, “u’vekumecha,” “when you get up,” meaning the time when people normally wake up. There are people who rise … Continue reading →

Anshei Knesset HaGedolah instituted praying three prayers every day, and established their times to correspond to the Tamid offerings. The morning Tamid was brought starting from amud hashachar, and based on that, the time of praying Shacharit l’chatchilah should begin … Continue reading →

As we mentioned, the most praiseworthy time to recite Shema and to pray the Amidah is as the devoted ones prayed, at vatikin. They would recite Shema slightly before netz hachamah and begin to pray the Amidah at netz hachamah. … Continue reading →

Netz hachamah is the time when the sun rises, and even though this definition is presumably clear and simple, in actuality, it is rather complex. First, the duration of the sun’s ascent, which begins from the second we can see … Continue reading →

L’chatchilah, a person should not recite the Amidah before vatikin because, according to a number of poskim, the time to pray l’chatchilah begins at netz hachamah and lasts four hours. The ideal time to pray the Amidah is immediately at … Continue reading →

In a case of extenuating circumstances, one may recite Birkot Keriat Shema from the time of amud hashachar, which is 72 minutes before sunrise (in the months of Nisan and Tishrei).1 However, as long as it is possible to recite … Continue reading →

The Acharonim disagree over what is preferable: praying vatikin individually, or praying in a minyan after the time of vatikin? Some say that since the Chachamim praise the person who prays vatikin and teach that no harm befalls him the … Continue reading →

The time of Keriat Shema lasts for the first three hours of the day and the time of the Amidah for four hours. “Hours” refers to proportional hours. That is to say, the day is divided into twelve equal parts, … Continue reading →

The time to recite Keriat Shema lasts for the first three hours of the day, for until then people are still waking up. In that way, one indeed fulfills the mitzvah of reciting Shema “u’vekumecha,” (“when you get up”) – … Continue reading →

Since the Chachamim instituted the recital of Shema together with its berachot, and established praying the Amidah immediately following, l’chatchilah the time of Shacharit should be set to allow people to succeed in reciting Shema before the first three hours … Continue reading →