04. The Time to Recite Al Netilat Yadayim

The correct time to recite “al netilat yadayim” is immediately after washing and before drying one’s hands. However, the general rule regarding all berakhot recited upon the performance of mitzvot, is to recite the berakha first and then perform the mitzva. Hence, we make a berakha on the separation of the ĥalla (hafrashat ĥalla) before separating and make a berakha on the mezuza before affixing it to the doorpost. Yet, regarding netilat yadayim, the law is different. Since it is inappropriate to recite the berakha while one’s hands are unclean, its recitation is delayed until after the washing. Therefore, immediately after washing, even before drying one’s hands, the berakha must be recited.

In actuality, the berakha is usually not recited immediately following the first washing upon waking. This is because people generally need to relieve themselves upon waking up and one should not recite a berakha while having to tend to one’s bodily needs. Furthermore, according to Rosh, the washing was instituted to prepare the person for prayer; therefore, one is obligated to recite a berakha on netilat yadayim before praying. Hence, after relieving oneself in the morning, one washes her hands again but need not wash three times alternating, since the ru’aĥ ra’ah was removed the first time she washed. She then recites the berakha before drying them. One who does not need to relieve herself in the morning should recite the berakha on the first washing immediately upon waking up (SA 6:2; MB 4:4). ¹

Le-khatĥila it is preferable to recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and the Amida soon after waking up. First, it is proper to thank God by reciting Birkhot Ha-shaĥar at the very beginning of the day. Likewise, it is best to pray the Amida before becoming involved in other matters (see below, 8:4). Additionally, it is not appropriate to have a long break between the berakha of al netilat yadayim and the Amida, for some poskim maintain that the washing was essentially instituted as preparation for prayer (Rosh). Even a woman who does not pray in the morning because she is involved in household concerns should at least recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar immediately after rising and washing her hands, so that her netilat yadayim will be considered preparation for Birkhot Ha-shaĥar.

A woman who wakes up before dawn must wash her hands, recite al netilat yadayim, and then recite all Birkhot Ha-shaĥar. This is if she wakes up after ĥatzot (halakhic midnight). However, before ĥatzot it is forbidden to recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar, and therefore she may not recite al netilat yadayim either. Instead, she waits until after ĥatzot, and after she uses the bathroom she washes her hands and recites al netilat yadayim as well as the remaining Birkhot Ha-shaĥar. ²

05. One Who Did Not Sleep All Night

The poskim disagree about the status of one who stayed up all night. In practice, SA 4:13 states that such a person must wash her hands before prayer without a berakha. That way, on one hand, she fulfills her obligation according to the opinion that she must wash her hands, but on the other hand, she avoids possibility of having recited a berakha le-vatala.

According to MB 4:30, it is best for one who did not sleep all night to use the bathroom before prayer. After touching body parts that are normally covered, she can wash her hands with a berakha according to all opinions. This is the Ashkenazic custom.

In sum, according to Ashkenazic custom, one who did not sleep all night but is preparing to pray the Amida of Shaĥarit must use the bathroom before praying and subsequently wash netilat yadayim with a berakha. According to the Sephardic practice, even in this situation a woman does not recite the blessing after washing her hands (Kaf Ha-ĥayim 4:49; see below, 6:7 and 7:7, for the laws regarding Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and Birkhot Ha-Torah).

06. Hand Washing Three Times after Daytime Sleep

Why exactly does the ru’aĥ ra’ah linger specifically on one’s hands? Is it the mere state of sleep, when one’s consciousness abandons her and she is left without the ability to function? If so, even one who sleeps during the day would be required to wash her hands three times upon awakening. Or does the night, when the whole world ceases its activities, cause ru’aĥ ra’ah, in which case even one who was awake all night must wash her hands three times?

In practice, when both factors converge and one sleeps a regular slumber (at least half an hour), the ru’aĥ ra’ah rests upon her in full force. In such a case, immediately upon rising one must hurry to wash her hands three times and refrain from touching her bodily orifices or food prior before washing.

If one slept a regular slumber during the day, it is proper to be stringent and wash her hands three times alternately, but it is unnecessary for her to rush to do so since the ru’aĥ ra’ah is not in full force. Also, there is no prohibition on touching bodily orifices before washing.

If one remained awake all night, it is best for her to wash netilat yadayim three times after dawn, as there are those who maintain that the night itself, or its end, causes ru’aĥ ra’ah to descend upon the hands. Likewise, it is proper for one who arose in the middle of the night and already washed her hands three times when she woke up to wash her hands again at dawn, (Peninei Halakha: Prayer, ch. 8 nn. 4-5).

07. Waking in the Middle of the Night to Tend to a Baby or for Any Other Reason

A woman who wakes up in the middle of the night in order to cover her child or give him a pacifier need not, technically speaking, wash her hands before doing so, although she must be careful not to touch her child’s mouth or any other bodily orifice.

However, if she wakes up to prepare food for the child or change the child’s diaper, it is proper for her to wash her hands beforehand, so that she does not touch food or one of her child’s orifices with unwashed hands. Likewise, it is proper that a woman who wakes up in the middle of the night to nurse her child wash her hands before starting. However, if it is very difficult for her to go wash her hands, she may rely on lenient opinions that do not netilat yadayim of those who wake up in the middle of the night (Eshel Avraham [Buczacz] 4:1; see also section 3, which mentions that some say that nowadays the ru’aĥ ra’ah does not exist). In any case, according to all opinions, no berakha is recited on netilat yadayim performed in the middle of the night, because the Sages instituted a berakha only on the morning washing, which prepares us for prayer and the new day.

Le-khatĥila, one wakes up in the middle of the night to drink something should preferably wash her hands three times without a berakha before reciting She-hakol. Similarly, one who wakes up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom should preferably wash her hands three times so that she can touch her bodily orifices without concern. After relieving herself, she must wash her hands so that she may recite Asher Yatzar. If she wishes, she need not wash her hands prior to using the bathroom in the middle of the night, relying on the opinion that one only needs to wash her hands three times after rising in the morning. However, after relieving herself, she must wash her hands in order to recite Asher Yatzar. If she does not have water, she must clean her hands by rubbing them on her shirt and then recite Asher Yatzar (SA 4:22). ¹

08. Food Touched by Unwashed Hands

We learned (section 2 above) that because ru’aĥ ra’ah rests upon one’s hands in the morning, one must not touch food or drink before netilat yadayim. If a Jew touched food without washing her hands, the ruling is as follows: If it is a dry, washable food, like fruit, she should rinse it under water three times. Just as the washing of each hand three times purifies them, so too it will cleanse the fruit. However, if she mistakenly touched drinks or food that will become ruined when washed, some rule stringently that the food must be discarded out of fear that ru’aĥ ra’ah rests upon them (Od Yosef Ĥai, Toldot 6), but according to most poskim, even those foods that cannot be washed may be eaten.

There are two reasons for this: first, according to most poskim, the ru’aĥ ra’ah on one’s hands does not have the ability to render food unfit for eating (Ĥayei Adam 2:2; MB 4:14; AHS 4:15). Regarding alcoholic beverages, there are poskim who are stringent, but it is the consensus of most poskim that all other foods do not become invalidated by the touch of unwashed hands (BHL 4:5 s.v. “Lo”). Furthermore, as we have seen (section 3 above), some maintain that ru’aĥ ra’ah has been eradicated from this world and thus need not be feared. Therefore, one should not discard or waste food touched by unwashed hands.

Similarly, it is permissible le-khatĥila to buy bread or other food from off a store shelf, even though there is concern that it was touched by Jews who did not wash their hands in the morning. This is because, as we have already learned, according to most poskim, food is not invalidated by the touch of unwashed hands. Additionally, there is doubt as to whether these foods were actually touched by someone who did not wash his hands in the morning. Moreover, almost all people usually wash their hands in the morning, and it is said in the name of Arizal (Od Yosef Ĥai, Toldot 8), that even washing one’s hands once effectively weakens the power of ru’aĥ ra’ah.

09. Minors

Several major Aĥaronim write that it is important to ensure that even small children wash their hands in the morning. Even though they have not yet reached school age (gil ĥinukh), since they touch food, their hands must be washed so that the food is not damaged by the ru’aĥ ra’ah on their hands (Ĥida; Pri Megadim, Mishbetzot Zahav 4:7; MB 4:10). Additionally, there are some who practice the extra-pious custom of washing even a newborn’s hands (Ben Ish Ĥai, Toldot 10), for by doing so, the children are raised in purity and sanctity.

However, in practice, most people are not strict about washing their children’s hands three times after they wake up, because according to some prominent Aĥaronim, ru’aĥ ra’ah only lingers on the hands of girls who are at least twelve years old and boys who are at least thirteen. This is because the spirit of impurity affects those who can connect to holiness and act to repair the world. Hence, the ru’aĥ ra’ah does not rest on the hands of gentiles, for they are not obligated to perform mitzvot. Similarly, ru’aĥ ra’ah does not rest in full force on the hands of children who have not been initiated into the duties of mitzvot. Still, there is a mitzva educate minors in mitzva observance, and once they start connecting to mitzvot, ru’aĥ ra’ah lingers upon them a bit as well. Therefore, from the time they reach the age of education and are capable of comprehending how to wash their hands, one is obligated to educate them and accustom them to washing (based on SAH 2:4:2; Eshel Avraham [Buczacz] 4:3; Tzitz Eliezer 7:2:4). 

In conclusion, there is a mitzva to habituate children in netilat yadayim from the time they reach the age of education, and it is an obligation to wash their hands starting from the age of mitzvot, meaning twelve years old for a girl and thirteen for a boy. Some are strict and wash their baby’s hands from the time he touches food (MB 4:10). Additionally, there are individuals who enhance the mitzva by washing their baby’s hands from the time of his brit mila or even from birth, for even then Israel’s unique holiness begins to appear (cited parenthetically in SAH ad loc.; see also Kaf Ha-ĥayim 4:22).

01. Berakhot of Thanksgiving

The Sages instituted the recitation of many blessings immediately upon awakening in the morning. The purpose of these blessings is to thank God for the good that He bestows upon us every day. The Talmud (Berakhot 60b) teaches that when one wakes up, she thanks God and says: “My God, the soul which you have placed within me is pure… Blessed are You, Lord, Who restores souls to dead bodies” (Elokai Neshama). When she hears the crow of the rooster, announcing the arrival of a new day, she says: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who gives the rooster understanding to distinguish between day and night” (Ha-noten La-sekhvi Vina). Upon opening her eyes, she recites, “…Who gives sight to the blind” (Poke’aĥ Ivrim). When she stretches her limbs and sits on her bed, after being held captive in the shackles of sleep, she declaims: “…Who releases the imprisoned” (Matir Asurim). When she dresses, she says: “…Who clothes the naked” (Malbish Arumim). When one stands on her legs, she recites: “…Who straightens the bent” (Zokef Kefufim). When placing her feet on the ground, she says: “…Who spreads the earth upon the waters” (Roka Ha-aretz al Ha-mayim). When she puts on her shoes, she says: “…Who has provided me with all my needs” (She-asa li Kol Tzorki).  As she begins to walk, she declaims: “…Who prepares a person’s strides” (Ha-mekhin Mitzadei Gaver). When she fastens her belt, she says: “…Who girds Israel with strength” (Ozer Yisrael Bi-gevura). When she puts on a head covering, she recites: “…Who crowns Israel with glory” (Oter Yisrael Be-tifara). When she washes her hands, she recites Al Netilat Yadayim. When washing her face, she recites: “…Who removes sleep from my eyes” (Ha-ma’avir Sheina).

Life’s routine generally erodes our awareness of all the bounty that God showers upon us. As a result of this ingratitude, even the blessings that God bestows on one daily fails to delight her, and her life becomes dull and empty. In order to emerge from this desolation, she seeks various pleasures. The Sages instituted Birkhot Ha-shaĥar so that we will not be ungrateful. In these blessings, we thank our Creator for all things, big and small, that help us function in this world. By expressing our gratitude, we are able to contemplate the world in its richness and fullness. We learn that every single element in our lives has godly value, and this in turn arouses our desire to add goodness to the world with every new day. 

Women and men alike must recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar in order to thank God for all the good that is renewed daily. ¹

02. She-asani Ki-rtzono – For Having Made Me According to His Will

The Sages instituted three special berakhot of thanksgiving within Birkhot Ha-shaĥar. They are: “…for not having made me a gentile” (She-lo Asani Goy), “…for not having made me a slave” (She-lo Asani Aved”), and “…For not having made me a woman” (She-lo Asani Isha). Women recite, “…Who made me according to His will” (She-asani Ki-rtzono).

There are two interpretations of this berakha. According to one interpretation, it is a sort of acceptance of a harsh judgment (hatzdakat ha-din), of the fact that even though women do not have as many mitzvot, they bless God “for having made me according to his will” out of faith that everything is for the good (Tur 46:4). In contrast, the second interpretation emphasizes women’s superiority in this world. In this blessing, the innate additional virtue of women is brought to fruition, for women are inherently more in tune with God’s will. Therefore, only they can say “…Who made me according to His will.” The fact that women must fulfill less mitzvot than men is because by nature they are more refined and therefore require less mitzvot to improve themselves. Man was created from dust of the earth, whereas woman was created from a more sublime substance, man’s rib. In other words, women are a manifestation of a more advanced stage of development than men (Siĥot Ha-Ritzya, Bereishit pp. 77-78; Shemot p. 380; Olat Re’iyah vol. 1, pp. 71-72).

It is no coincidence that the simple interpretation shows favor to men and the deeper meaning to women. Indeed, at first glance, men have greater virtue. The virtue of women can only be recognized by means of a more profound analysis. Therefore modesty, a trait which emphasizes one’s inner virtue is more significant for women.

In practice, Ashkenazic women have the custom to recite this berakha in full: “Barukh Ata Hashem Elokeinu Melekh Ha-olam She-asani ki-rtzono” (“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who made me according to His will”), whereas Sephardic women recite this berakha without God’s name: “Barukh She-asani Ki-rtzono” (“Blessed is He Who made me according to His will”).  Even though SA 46:4 rules that God’s name should be uttered in this berakha, most Sephardic women customarily omitted it for fear of reciting a berakha le-vatala, as this blessing is not mentioned in the Talmud (Kaf Ha-ĥayim 46:41).

In the berakhot of She-lo Asani Goy and She-lo Asani Aved, Sephardic women customarily use the feminine forms of the berakha’s objects: “goya” and “shifĥa.” In contrast, Ashkenazic women customarily to recite these berakhot as they are said by men, because the words “goy” and “eved” can include both men and women.

03. The Order of the Morning Blessings

As we have learned, the original institution of the Sages was to bless and give thanks for each and every act immediately upon enjoying it: as one wakes up, she thanks God for the soul He placed within her and says Elokai Neshama; as she opens her eyes, she recites, Poke’aĥ Ivrim; as she stretches her limbs, she recites, Matir Asurim; and so on with all the blessings in that manner. However, today the custom has changed and we recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar consecutively.

Why did this custom change? It is obviously more appropriate to thank God immediately upon enjoying His bounty. In that way, the process of awakening attains profound significance, as blessings of thanksgiving to God accompany each and every stage. Indeed, Rambam rules that all Birkhot Ha-shaĥar must be recited exactly as mentioned in the Talmud, each berakha at its appropriate time. There are some Yemenite Jews following this ruling even today.

However, as noted, the prevailing custom is to recite all Birkhot Ha-shaĥar at once. The reason for this is that if they are recited in the process of waking, there is concern that one berakha or more will be forgotten; however, if they are recited consecutively, it is more likely they will all be remembered. Moreover, we want to enhance the mitzva and recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar in the most respectful manner, that is to say, with clean hands and while properly dressed, and therefore we delay the recitation of the berakhot until after all the preparations for prayer are finished. Furthermore, some people find it very difficult to concentrate immediately upon waking up, and only after they dress and wash their faces are they able to recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar with kavana (based on SA 46:2 and Seder Ha-yom).    

04. Birkhot Ha-shaĥar for One Who Does Not Derive Pleasure

There is a dispute among prominent Rishonim about whether one may recite one of the Birkhot Ha-shaĥar from which she does not derive direct personal pleasure. For instance, may a blind person recite Poke’aĥ Ivrim?

According to Rambam (MT, Laws of Prayer 7:9), only one who derives pleasure from something may recite a berakha on it. Therefore, one who slept in her clothes does not recite Malbish Arumim, as she does not get dressed in the morning. A cripple does not recite Ha-mekhin Mitzadei Gaver. A paralytic does not recite Matir Asurim or Zokef Kefufim. Some people of Yemenite descent follow Rambam’s opinion. SA 46:8 considers this opinion and rules that these berakhot are recited without God’s name.

In contrast, according to the Ge’onim including Rav Natronai Gaon and Rav Amram Gaon, one must recite all Birkhot Ha-shaĥar in order, whether or not one enjoys the object of the berakha, because they were instituted based on the general pleasures of the world. Furthermore, the fact that others derive pleasure from something can be indirectly useful for someone who does not directly derive pleasure from it. Thus, a paralytic blesses God for all the other people who can help her. A blind person recites Poke’aĥ ivrim for the fact that others are able to see, show her the way, and tend to her needs. This is how Rema rules (46:8).

Likewise, the opinion of Arizal is that every Jew must recite all of the Birkhot Ha-shaĥar to thank God for all the general good that He showers on the world. Sephardic practice generally follows Arizal on matters of prayer, and therefore Sephardim also recite all Birkhot Ha-shaĥar in order. ¹

05. Until When May One Recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar?

Le-khatĥila, Birkhot Ha-shaĥar should be recited as close as possible to the time one wakes from her sleep, for they were essentially established to be recited as part of the awakening process. Although we customarily recite them later consecutively, it is not proper to delay their recitation further.

Whoever did not recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar upon waking must try to recite them before the time to pray Shaĥarit lapses, since some poskim link the time of their recitation to the time of the Shaĥarit prayer. In other words, one should try to say them within the first four seasonal hours of the day, and be-di’avad until ĥatzot (midday). However, if one does not manage to recite them before ĥatzot, be-di’avad she may recite them the whole day. The reason for this is that according to most poskim, the time to say Birkhot Ha-shaĥar differs from the time to recite Shaĥarit, because Birkhot Ha-shaĥar are blessings of thanks for the good things from which people derive pleasure throughout the day (see Peninei Halakha: Prayer, ch. 9 n. 3).

A woman who recited Birkhot Keri’at Shema and prayed the Amida and then realized that she forgot to recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar must make up all the missed berakhot with the exception of Birkhot Ha-Torah and Elokai Neshama. This is because according to many poskim, even without intending to do so, she fulfilled her obligation of Birkhot Ha-Torah with Ahavat Olam before Shema and fulfilled her obligation of Elokai Neshama with Meĥayei Ha-metim in the Amida (SA 47:7; MB 59:9; see below 7:5, and Peninei Halakha: Prayer, ch. 9 n. 2).

06. The Time to Recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar when Waking Up in the Middle of the Night

As noted, le-khatĥila, all the blessings should be recited as close as possible to the time one wakes up, and it is not necessary to say them specifically after dawn. Therefore, one who arises before dawn in order to work or learn, or for any other purpose, must recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar immediately upon waking up. However, Birkhot Ha-shaĥar may not be recited before ĥatzot. Therefore, one who wakes up before ĥatzot must wait until after ĥatzot, and once she relieves herself, she recites Al Netilat Yadayim as well as the remaining Birkhot Ha-shaĥar. If she recites them before ĥatzot, she does not fulfill her obligation (the time of ĥatzot, or midnight, fluctuates depending on location and season; most locales have calendars specifying the relevant times; MB 47:31, Kaf Ha-ĥayim 29; Peninei Halakha: Prayer, ch. 9 n. 4; above 5:4.)

One who wakes up after ĥatzot for a few hours with the intention to go back to sleep until morning should say Birkhot Ha-shaĥar after her main waking. If her main waking is the one in the middle of the night, and her sleep after that before morning is like a nap for her, then it is then best that she recites Birkhot Ha-shaĥar after her initial waking. However, if her main waking is in the morning, she must recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar after the second rising. ¹ That is the way she should practice regarding Birkhot Ha-Torah as well (see below 7:7). 

07. One Who Was Awake All Night

As a general rule, even one who stayed up all night recites Birkhot Ha-shaĥar. As we learned (section 4 above), these berakhot were instituted on the basis of general enjoyment, and therefore, even if one does not personally derive pleasure from something, she still recites a berakha on it. However, there are differing customs regarding the number of berakhot recited.

With regard to netilat yadayim, according to Sephardic custom one does not recite a berakha (Kaf Ha-ĥayim 4:49). According to the Ashkenazic custom, if one is getting ready to pray the Amida, it is best that before praying, she goes to the bathroom and touches a part of the body which is normally covered, thereby necessitating netilat yadayim with a berakha (MB 4:30; see above, 5:5).

There is a dispute about whether or not one must repeat Birkhot Ha-Torah with the dawn of a new day. Therefore, it is best that the woman praying recites Ahavat Olam, which in addition to being one of the Birkhot Keri’at Shema, can take the place of Birkhot Ha-Torah. One who does so must take care to recite the Shema following the berakha in order to learn Torah after its recitation. ¹

Likewise, there is doubt concerning Elokai Neshama and Ha-ma’avir Sheina, since some say that only one who has slept may recite them. In order to avoid uncertainty, it is best to hear these berakhot being recited by someone who has slept with intent to fulfill her obligation. If there is no one around to recite them, according to Sephardic practice and some Ashkenazic poskim, she may recite them herself (Peninei Halakha: Prayer 9:6 and n. 6; however, those who follow MB do not recite them).

01. Women’s Connection to Torah

The Torah belongs to all of Israel, men and women alike. When we recite “Who has chosen us from among all the nations” in Birkat Ha-Torah, we mean that God chose all of Israel, men and women, and consequently “gave us His Torah.” There is an accepted tradition: If even one Jewish maidservant would have been absent at the time of the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, the giving would have been delayed. Likewise, the mitzva of hak’hel (the assembly at the Temple at the end of the Shemita year, at which the king would read part of the Torah to all Israel) applies to men, women, and children (Devarim 31:12). 

Nevertheless, women are exempt from the mitzva to study Torah, as it is written: “You shall teach them to your sons, to speak them [– words of Torah]” (Devarim 11:19). The Sages extrapolate: “Your sons and not your daughters” (Kiddushin 29b).

However, when it comes to the general connection to the Torah, we find that women precede men. For example, when the Torah was given Moshe was instructed to address the women first. It is written: “Thus you shall say (tomar) to the house of Yaakov and tell (tageid) the sons of Israel” (Shemot 19:3). The Sages teach, “The house of Yaakov” (“Beit Yaakov”) refers to the women, who he must address in a gentle voice. “The sons of Israel” refers to the men, to whom he must speak more harshly, telling them of punishments and particular details. The word “tageid” alludes to the body’s tough sinews (“gidin”), connoting harshness. Further, the Sages derive from the introductory phrase “Thus you shall say” that God instructed Moshe to be meticulous about this sequence, namely, first the women and then the men (Mekhilta, cited in Rashi).

Moreover, we learn about proper respect for the Torah and respect for Torah scholars from the Shunamite woman, who would visit the prophet on Shabbat and Rosh Ĥodesh (2 Melakhim 4:23; RH 16b). It is no coincidence that respect for the Torah is learned from the example of a woman, because women have more of a connection to the sublime general aspect of the Torah (Siĥot Ha-Ritzya, Shemot pp. 178-181).

That is, there are two ways to connect to the Torah. One is intellectual: the mitzva for men to study Torah. The second is a general attachment, which pertains more to women. In daily life, the mitzva for men to study Torah is clearly more prominent; however, over the long-term, the holistic manner with which women relate to faith and to the Torah has a greater impact. This is the meaning of the Sages’ dictum: “Greater is the promise that God made to women than to men.” The Sages explain that women received an extra guarantee by virtue of the fact that they send their sons to study Torah and encourage their husbands to study in the beit midrash, waiting happily for them to conclude their studies without pressuring them to come home soon (based on Berakhot 17a).

It is the very exemption of women from the scrupulous study of the Torah’s details that allows them to absorb the general, morals-oriented aspects of the Torah, thereby better enabling them to encourage their husbands and sons to study Torah and thus perpetuate the Torah among Israel. There is no doubt that men also have a profound connection to the holistic aspect of the Torah, for all the details and particular nuances stem from the Torah as a whole. By the same token, women, too, must know the parameters of the fundamentals of faith as well as practical halakha, as will be clarified in the next section. However, as a rule, men more easily connect to the Torah’s precise definitions, whereas women connect to the general expression of the Torah in life. Through men and women together, the Torah is expressed in its entirety.

02. The Mitzva of Torah Study for Women

There is a fundamental difference between the mitzva of Torah study for men and for women. The men’s mitzva is to study Torah, whereas the mitzva for women is to know the mitzvot of the Torah so that they can life accordingly. In other words, a woman who knows all of practical halakha, as well as all the fundamentals of faith and ethics on the level and with the profundity necessary to guide her through life, has no further mitzva to continue studying. However, a man who already learned the entire Torah, even if he were to know it by heart, is still required to continue studying and delve deeper into the Torah.

Hence, there are two parts of Torah study. The first is to understand the Torah’s instructions, in halakha and faith, in order to live a full life. Men and women are equally obligated in this aspect. The second part inclines toward in-depth scrutiny, analysis, and abstraction. Men are obligated in this, but not women. Men and women therefore have different curricula. The most important part of the women’s syllabus is to know all the fundamentals of faith, ethics, and halakha, whereas, the men’s syllabus, in addition to the study of halakha, faith, and ethics, should emphasize learning Gemara and its commentaries. Nevertheless, women who wish to delve into the Torah for God’s sake may study Gemara in-depth as well, on condition that they first learn thoroughly the fundamentals of faith, morality, and the laws that they must know. In particular, intellectually sophisticated women must study extensively and internalize the fundamentals of faith and halakha before delving into the Gemara, so that their reverence for God precedes their wisdom.

For women who do not possess an especially strong desire to delve deeply into the Torah, the Sages’s general guideline is: do not engage in theoretical debates about differing opinions; rather, study a clear, practical summary of the halakhot and their reasons, and delve deeply into the principles of faith and ethics.

There were eras in which it was sufficient for women to learn the laws relating to the household and family on a rudimentary level and then hear a bit of moral admonishment. This was enough to instill an identity within them and generate the proper dedication to fulfilling the Torah and leading a Jewish life. However, in recent generations, with the increase in leisure time, the development of general education, and professional specialization in various fields, it is obvious that women must learn much more than they had in the past. Indeed, under the guidance of prominent rabbinic leaders of recent generations, educational and religious institutions for girls and women have been founded. One prominent example is the “Bais Yaakov” movement, established in Poland by Mrs. Sarah Schenirer, with the encouragement and support of eminent Polish rabbis.

These modern changes do not negate the fundamental halakhic difference between men, who are commanded to study Torah as a theoretical and intellectual endeavor, and women, who are not obligated to do so. Rav Kook explains that it is precisely this distinction between men and women that allows for the emergence of a state of harmony between analytic intellectualism and the vibrant and natural emotion that unites and establishes the words of Torah in real life (Ein Ayah, Berakhot 7:46). ¹

03. The Content of Birkhot Ha-Torah and Their Pertinence to Women

Birkhot Ha-Torah are comprised of three parts. In the first part, we bless God Who sanctified us with His mitzvot and commanded us to occupy ourselves with words of Torah. In the second, we request that the Torah, which God taught His nation of Israel, be sweet for us, that we study it with relish, and that we and our descendants have the privilege of knowing the Torah. ¹

In the third part, we bless and thank God for choosing us from among all the nations and giving us His Torah. The Sages say (Berakhot 11b) that this is the choices of all berakhot because it mentions Israel’s uniqueness – that God “chose us from among all the nations” and consequently “gave us His Torah.” This is the nature of Israel’s soul: it cleaves and clings to God and His Torah, and so only Jewish people can receive the Torah and with it illuminate the world. Among the nations of the world, there may be righteous and devout gentiles, but this is a personal piety of individual people who lack the ability to repair the entire world. As is apparent from our long history, only the Jewish people can serve God within a national framework and strive to rectify the world in the path of truth and ĥesed.

The second and third parts of Birkhot Ha-Torah certainly pertain to women. In the third part, we praise and thank God Who chose us from among all his nations and gave us His Torah. In this regard, men and women are equal, as noted (section 1). The second part, too, pertains to women, for women also pray that the Torah be pleasant in our mouths and in the mouths of our descendants. However, regarding the first part, a question arises: How can women recite “Asher kideshanu be-mitzvotav ve-tzivanu” (“Who has sanctified us with His mitzvot and commanded us”) on engaging in Torah when they are exempt from the mitzva of Torah study? Some maintain that women may recite a blessing on any mitzva from which they are exempt, because the phrasing of the berakha is not “ve-tzivani” (in singular person) – that they themselves as individuals were commanded – but rather “ve-tzivanu” (in the plural), meaning the entire Jewish people. This includes Birkhot Ha-Torah (Rabbeinu Tam, Ran, Rema). Others say, as a rule, that women may not recite a berakha on mitzvot from which they are exempt (Rambam, Or Zaru’a, SA), but nevertheless they may recite Birkhot Ha-Torah, since, as we have seen, women must learn practical halakhot and the fundamentals of faith; they may therefore recite the words “Asher kideshanu be-mitzvotav ve-tzivanu.” ²

04. The Value of Birkhot Ha-Torah

After the decimation of Eretz Yisrael and the exile of the Jewish people, a major question arose, reflected in the words of the prophet (Yirmiyahu 9:11): “Why has the land been lost?” Everyone certainly understood that we were exiled from our land because of our sins; they were asking which sin was at the root of the spiritual collapse that led to the destruction. The Sages, the prophets, and the ministering angels were asked this question and did not know how to answer, until God Himself explained. “God says: ‘Because they abandoned My Torah which I had given them’” (ibid. 9:12). The Sages of the Gemara interpret this to mean that they did not recite the berakha on the Torah before engaging in its study (Nedarim 81a). That is, although they studied Torah, they did not relate to it as divine instruction. Because of this, they were considered to have forsaken the Torah of God. For anyone who learns Torah as if it is just another discipline of human wisdom is not considered to be one who studies Torah. However, when we recite Birkhot Ha-Torah properly, we indeed approach Torah out of faith and attachment to its Giver. 

The Sages further inquire (Nedarim 81a): Why is it that not all the children of Torah scholars continue in their parents’ paths and become Torah scholars themselves? Presumably, the parents made efforts to educate their children to follow in their footsteps and become engrossed in Torah all their lives. If so, why did they not all succeed? Moreover, in those days, it was widely accepted that every son continued in his father’s profession; sons of carpenters became carpenters, sons of farmers became farmers, and so on. Consequently, the Gemara’s question is all the more perplexing – why don’t a relatively large percentage of sons of Torah scholars become Torah scholars themselves? The Gemara offers several reasons, the last of which is that of Ravina: it is because they do not recite Birkhot Ha-Torah before studying. That is, the sons of Torah scholars often study Torah only because they saw their fathers doing so; as sons like to mimic their fathers, they too make efforts to study Torah. However, Torah can only be acquired by studying for God’s sake, out of a personal attachment to its Giver. Therefore, those sons who study out of habit or by mimicking their fathers do not succeed in their studies.

05. Whether the Recitation of Birkhot Ha-Torah is a Biblical Mitzva and the Status of Birkat Ahavat Olam

“R. Yehuda says in the name of Rav: whence do we derive that a berakha prior to Torah study is of biblical origin? As it is written: ‘When I call the Lord’s name, ascribe greatness to our God’ (Devarim 32:3)” (Berakhot 21a). The meaning of this passage is that the Torah is comprised entirely of God’s names (Zohar 2:87:1; Tikunei Zohar §10), for He is completely concealed from us, and through the Torah God is revealed to the world. Thus, the Torah is God’s “names” – the way He is made manifest in the world. That is the meaning of the verse, “When I call the Lord’s name” – before studying Torah, “Ascribe greatness to our God” – recite a berakha to its Giver.

In practice, the Rishonim are divided concerning the meaning of this derivation. Most Rishonim, among them Ramban and Rashba, understand these words straightforwardly: there is a biblical mitzva to recite Birkhot Ha-Torah. Consequently, when one is uncertain about whether he recited Birkhot Ha-Torah, he must be stringent and recite them, in keeping with the principle that we we are stringent concerning matters of biblical uncertainty. This is the Ashkenazic custom (MB 47:1; Peninei Halakha: Prayer 10:3). However, according to Rambam and SA (209:3), Birkhot Ha-Torah are a rabbinic enactment, and the extrapolation from the verse is a mere asmakhta (reference). Accordingly, in a case of uncertainty, one must be lenient and not recite the berakhot. This is is the custom of the Sephardim (Kaf Ha-ĥayim 47:2).

Nonetheless, all agree that a woman who is not sure whether she recited Birkhot Ha-Torah does not repeat the berakhot. If she wishes to avoid uncertainty, she should recite the berakha of Ahavat Olam (Ahava Rabba in the Ashkenazic version) and make sure to recite Shema afterwards, so as to study a passage of Torah after having recited the berakha on it. ¹       

The reason that one who recites Ahavat Olam fulfills her obligation, be-di’avad, of Birkhot Ha-Torah is because Ahavat Olam incorporates within it all the content of Birkhot Ha-Torah (SA 47:7). Although the Torah is not mentioned in its conclusion at all, since it mentions Israel as the chosen people – “Who chooses His people Israel with love” – and the Torah and Israel are intertwined, it is as if the Torah is mentioned. Likewise, we see that the most important of the Birkhot Ha-Torah states “Who chose us from among all His nations and gave us His Torah,” which illustrates that the subjects of Israel and the Torah are interconnected and co-dependent.

06. Before What Type of Learning Must the Berakhot Be Recited?

One must recite Birkhot Ha-Torah before studying any part of the Torah (SA 47:2). In other words, even one who only intends to learn Midrash or halakha on a particular day must recite Birkhot Ha-Torah at the onset of that day. The reason for this is that the entire Torah – whether the Written Torah or the Oral Torah, halakha and theology – was all given from God to Moshe at Sinai (y. Pe’ah 2:4), and when studying them, one must recite, “Who chose us from among all His nations and gave us His Torah.”

The poskim disagree about whether Birkhot Ha-Torah must also be recited before thinking Torah thoughts. For example, one who arises in the morning with the desire to ponder a few ideas of Torah, according to most poskim does not need to recite the berakhot. Still, there are those who disagree. In order to avoid uncertainty, one who wakes up and wishes to reflect upon words of Torah should first recite Birkhot Ha-Torah and immediately afterwards recite a few verses. However, one who temporarily wakes from her sleep in the middle of the night and wants to contemplate Torah ideas until she falls back to sleep need not recite Birkhot Ha-Torah beforehand. Those who listen to Jewish music when they wake up in the morning or in the middle of the night do not need to recite Birkhot Ha-Torah since they do not have intention to learn (Peninei Halakha: Prayer 10:4 and n. 4).

One may recite Birkhot Ha-Torah and Birkhot Ha-shaĥar while standing, sitting, lying down, or walking. Nevertheless, there are those who insist that Birkhot Ha-Torah be recited while standing or walking, not while sitting or lying down (ibid. ch. 10 n. 5).

07. Birkhot Ha-Torah for the Whole Day

Birkhot Ha-Torah recited by a woman in the morning remains effective all day. Even if she goes to eat and to work afterwards, she does not need to repeat the berakhot upon returning to her studies.

The poskim disagree about whether men must repeat Birkhot Ha-Torah after regular sleep (ibid. 10:6). However, it is a matter of consensus that women only recite Birkhot Ha-Torah once in a 24-hour period and do not repeat them after a regular sleep. Therefore, a woman who wakes up after midnight and intends to go back to sleep a few hours later recites Birkhot Ha-Torah and Birkhot Ha-shaĥar after her main rising (as explained above, 6:6). ¹

The poskim disagree about whether a man who was awake all night must recite Birkhot Ha-Torah (Peninei Halakha: Prayer 10:7). However, a woman who was awake for a full 24-hour period does not recite Birkhot Ha-Torah in the morning; instead, she says Birkat Ahavat Olam and afterwards recites the first paragraph of Shema, thereby fulfilling her obligation of Birkhot Ha-Torah (see above, ch. 6 n. 4).

If a woman sleeps a regular sleep during the day prior to the night she stayed awake, she recites Birkhot Ha-Torah the following morning (MB 47:28; Peninei Halakha: Prayer, ch. 10 n. 9).

01. The Time of Shaĥarit

As we learned (above, 2:2-5), according to most poskim, women must pray the Amidot of Shaĥarit and Minĥa every day, and this is the proper practice le-khatĥila. Hence, it is important to know when the times of Shaĥarit and Minĥa are. Even the many women who recite only one daily Amida, be it Shaĥarit or Minĥa, must familiarize themselves with the prayer times so they can gauge the proper time for Shaĥarit or Minĥa.

The times of the prayers were fixed by the Men of the Great Assembly on the basis of the corresponding Tamid offerings: Shaĥarit with the morning Tamid and Minĥa with the afternoon Tamid. The time for Minĥa is explained below (18:1); we will now explain the time for Shaĥarit.

The morning Tamid could be brought starting from dawn (“amud ha-shaĥar,” when the first light appears in the east), and the time for praying Shaĥarit should begin at dawn le-khatĥila. Nonetheless, the Sages said that it is proper to recite the Amida after sunrise (“hanetz ha-ĥama”), as it is written: “They shall revere You along with the sun” (Tehilim 72:5; Berakhot 9b). Be-di’avad, if one recites the Amida after dawn but before sunrise, she fulfills her obligation because she prayed at the time when the morning Tamid offering was brought (SA 89:1; and see Peninei Halakha: Prayer, ch. 11 n. 4). The most praiseworthy time to pray is when the early saints, the “vatikin,” who would recite the Amida at the moment of sunrise to fulfill “They shall revere You along with the sun.” ¹

The time to pray the Amida lasts four seasonal hours, for that is the last time that the morning Tamid offering may be brought. Be-di’avad, a woman who did not manage to pray during the first four hours of the day may pray Shaĥarit until ĥatzot. Although she does not receive reward for praying on time, nevertheless, she does receive reward for the prayer she recites (SA 89:1). However, a woman who wishes to recite Birkhot Keri’at Shema must not say them after four hours have passed, even be-di’avad.

A woman who customarily prays the Amida once a day, be it Shaĥarit or Minĥa: if four hours have passed and she has not yet prayed Shaĥarit, it is best that she pray Minĥa on that day. However, if she is concerned that she might forget to pray Minĥa, she may pray Shaĥarit until ĥatzot. ²

02. Seasonal Hours and the Calculation of the Morning Times

The hours referred to by the Sages are seasonal hours (“sha’ot zemaniyot”). That is to say, the day is divided into twelve equal parts, and each part is called a “seasonal hour.” In the summer, when the days are long, so are the hours, and in the winter when the days are short, the hours are short too.

The question is: When do we begin to calculate the day? According to Magen Avraham, the hours of the day are calculated according to the hours of light. That is, the calculation begins from dawn and lasts until total darkness. According to Gra, the calculation is based on the hours that the sun is visible, meaning from sunrise until sunset. This explains the two different times that appear in calendars. The earlier time follows Magen Avraham’s approach, which begins the calculation of the day from dawn, whereas the later time is in keeping with Gra’s opinion, which begins the calculation from sunrise (Peninei Halakha: Prayer, ch. 11 nn. 13-14).

In practice, most poskim follow Gra. Additionally, since the time of prayer was established by the Sages, the halakha follows the lenient opinion, and therefore the latest time for Shaĥarit is calculated according to Gra. ¹

03. Order of Preference in the Shaĥarit Service

A woman who is preoccupied with raising her children may fulfill her obligation to pray by reciting Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and Birkhot Ha-Torah. In extenuating circumstances even a woman without that burden may fulfill her obligation by reciting only those berakhot (above, 2:4-6). However, a woman who wishes to fulfill the mitzva of prayer in accordance with the main thrust of the halakha recites Birkhot Ha-shaĥar, Birkhot Ha-Torah, the first two verses of Shema, and Shemoneh Esrei (above, 2:5).

If she wants fulfill the mitzva more meticulously, she mentions the Exodus, in order to fulfill her obligation according to the poskim who maintain that a woman must commemorate the Exodus daily. If she wishes to perform the mitzva of remembering the Exodus in the best may, she recites the berakha of Emet Ve-yatziv and adjoins the Amida to the berakha on redemption (see below, 16:3).

One who has more time and wants to enhance the mitzva even further recites the main parts of Pesukei De-zimra: Barukh She-amar, Ashrei until the end of the Halleluyot (six psalms), and Yishtabaĥ (below, 15:4). One who wants to add more prayers recites Shema and its berakhot. Beyond that, she may add the passages of the Tamid and the incense before Pesukei De-zimra (below, 15:1-2). If she wishes to say more, she may completes all of Pesukei De-zimra.

Nonetheless, it must be reiterated that the mitzva of prayer for women in accordance with the halakha is fulfilled in its totality by reciting Birkhot Ha-shaĥar, Birkhot Ha-Torah, the first two verses of Shema, and the Amida. Beyond that, women are not obligated. The woman praying must take care not to allow her desire to enhance the mitzva by adding more passages and berakhot to ruin her kavana in the main passages of prayer. Therefore, if she is concerned that increasing the quantity of her prayer will diminish her kavana, she should recite the obligatory prayers without adding to them.

However, in educational institutions, girls should be taught to pray the whole prayer service: Birkhot Ha-shaĥar, Birkhot Ha-Torah, the passage of the Tamid offering, Pesukei De-zimra, the Shema and its berakhot, and the Amida. Since these girls are single and in an organized framework, it is good that their prayers, too, possess an enhanced structure and that they become familiar with the entire prayer service. Still, after the girls have learned the order of the prayers and are accustomed to it, care should be taken to ensure that the essence of their prayers is kavana and the request for mercy. If the teachers see that lengthy prayers detract from kavana, it is proper to let the girls who wish to shorten their prayer to say what they are obligated to say without additions. ¹ a plea for mercy and supplication before God.” Similar words are written in m. Berakhot 4:4. Women especially must be meticulous about this, as explained above (3:8-9). For me, the structured framework of prayer has become more important than kavana and sadly overshadowed it, and consistency has prevailed over supplication; yet, this is the customary practice, as it establishes and institutionalizes sanctity within communities. However, there is no reason to impose this upon women as well. Therefore, if extra prayers will detract from her kavana, it is a case of subtraction by addition. Everything we have written about prioritizing extra prayers applies to one who will not lose kavana by taking on additional prayers.

The prioritization is established in accordance with two principles. The first principle is the extent of women’s obligation, and the second is the individual significance of each part of prayer. Thus, a biblical commandment is of greater priority than a rabbinic requirement. Thus, most important is the recitation of Birkhot Ha-shaĥar (including Birkhot Ha-Torah) and the Amida, for they are obligatory. Although it is uncertain whether or not there is a full obligation to recite Birkhot Ha-Torah, it is clear that women customarily recite them every day, as explained in SA 47:14. Additionally, according to most poskim, they have a biblical basis. Moreover, they are brief and there is no burden in saying them. Therefore, they must be recited with Birkhot Ha-shaĥar. Concerning the first verses of Shema, although there is no obligation to recite them, SA 70:1 rules that it is proper to recite them (see below, 16:1). Since they have a biblical basis, their significance is well known, and they do not take a long time to say, they take priority over other prayers. Next in importance is the commemoration of the Exodus, for according to MA, women are obligated to remember the Exodus. Although most poskim disagree with MA, there is a great mitzva in doing so, for it is a biblical commandment, and it can be fulfilled with the recitation of just one verse at the end of Va-yomer (the third paragraph of Shema). If she wishes to enhance the mitzva, she can mention the Exodus from Egypt in the recitation of Emet Ve-yatziv, thereby also gaining credit for adjoining the berakha of redemption to the Amida, as explained below, 16:13. Next in virtue is Pesukei De-zimra, for there are poskim who maintain that women must recite them. Although it is evident that, according to most poskim, women are exempt from Pesukei De-zimra, their recitation is a rabbinic command, and the halakha follows the lenient opinion (below, 15:4). Still, all agree that their recitation is preparation for prayer, and therefore they precede other passages. One should recite the essential parts of Pesukei De-zimra, that is, the berakhot and the six Halleluyot.

Next in priority are the rest of the Shema and its berakhot. Although some poskim maintain that women must recite the Tamid passage, in practice it is clear that they are not obligated to do so, as explained below (15:2). Moreover, this is a matter of uncertainty concerning a rabbinic command, in which case the halakha follows the lenient opinion. Therefore, it is preferable that whoever has extra time recites Shema and its berakhot. Although it is clear that women are exempt from them, there is great virtue in the recitation of both Shema and its berakhot. Next in priority is the Tamid passage, a prayer which some poskim maintain that women should preferably recite. Next in importance is the recitation of verses of the incense that are connected to the Tamid passage, as explained below (15:1-2, n. 1).

Next in priority are the remaining passages and verses of Pesukei De-zimra, which are not the main part of Pesukei De-zimra (see below in 15:5 and Peninei Halakha: Prayer, 14:2 n. 3). There are women who wish to enhance the mitzva even more and say the whole prayer service in order, from the passage of Akedat Yitzĥak in the beginning of Korbanot until Aleinu, as brought by Kaf Ha-ĥayim 70:1.

Perhaps we can suggest that instead of the verses of Birkat Kohanim and the beraita recited after Birkhot Ha-Torah, women can recite a verse mentioning the Exodus and perhaps the Tamid passage as well, thereby fulfilling the obligation according to those poskim who maintain that women are required to recite them. After all, it is necessary to study Torah right after Birkhot Ha-Torah, but it is not necessary to recite specifically that beraita and those verses. Perhaps a verse that mentions the Exodus and the Tamid passage should be printed in siddurim instead.

Berur Halakha (Zilber) 1:70 and Ishei Yisrael 7:18 present a different order regarding three things. First, they state next in priority after Emet Ve-yatziv is are Barukh She-amar, Ashrei, and Yishtabaĥ and only then should Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and Birkhot Ha-Torah be recited. This is very difficult to explain, for according to practically all of the poskim the recitation of Birkhot Ha-shaĥar is obligatory (see above, ch. 6 n. 1). Likewise, regarding Birkhot Ha-Torah, women are so accustomed to saying it that it is considered an obligation (SA 47:14; see above, 7:3 n. 3). In contrast, women are exempt from the recitation of Pesukei De-zimra according to virtually all poskim, as explained below, 15:4 n. 2. Additionally, it is always proper to say Birkhot Ha-shaĥar, for in extenuating circumstances, a woman may fulfill her obligation to pray by reciting them, as explained above, 2:5. If they are not recited first, in extenuating circumstances one will not recite anything. The second change mentioned by Berur Halakha and Ishei Yisrael pertains to Pesukei De-zimra and is explained below, 15:7 n. 5. The third change is that they maintain that Pesukei De-zimra takes priority over the first verse of Shema. From my words above, it is clear why I do not concur.  ]

04. Prohibitions Prior to Prayer

When dawn breaks and the time to pray Shaĥarit arrives, one must stand before his Creator in prayer. He should not place his own honor before God’s honor. Therefore the Sages teach that a man is prohibited from working, traveling, and eating before he prays. Additionally, one must not put his friend’s honor before God’s honor, and therefore he must not go to his friend’s house and speak to him before praying.

In principle, this pertains to women as well; however, any woman who is accustomed to acting leniently by fulfilling the mitzva of prayer with Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and Birkhot Ha-Torah alone must be careful not to perform these actions before reciting these berakhot. A woman who follows the opinion of most poskim and prays the Shaĥarit Amida every morning must refrain from performing these acts before praying the Shaĥarit Amida. However, in times of need, even a woman who is accustomed to praying the Amida of Shaĥarit every morning may rely on the lenient poskim and may work and travel after reciting Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and Birkhot Ha-Torah.

Even a woman who sometimes prays the Shaĥarit Amida and other times prays the Amida of Minĥa should try to make sure that on the days that she prays Shaĥarit she refrains from performing those actions before praying. In times of need, she may be lenient and perform them after she recites Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and Birkhot Ha-Torah. ¹   

05. Greetings Before Prayer

A woman who is about to pray Shaĥarit must take care not to address her parents or friends prior to doing so. If she does, she sins, as she ascribes more importance to their honor than to God’s honor, for rather than standing in prayer before God, she first goes to greet another person (Berakhot 14a).

If a woman’s parents require assistance and she has not time to pray beforehand, she may go to their aid before prayer, for in doing so she fulfills the mitzva of honoring her parents; however, she must first recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and Birkhot Ha-Torah. Likewise, when it is necessary to help people who are ill, and she will not be able to pray beforehand, she may assist them before prayer.

This prohibition is to visit a friend to to ask her how she is; however, if her friend comes to her house, she may greet her. If her friend does greet her, it is best that she responds “good morning” and not “Shalom” so as to remind herself that she has not yet prayed. Similarly, girls who pray at school and along their way meet their friends are permitted to address them and talk to them, although it is best to say “good morning” and not “Shalom.”

When it is necessary to call someone on the phone, be it to ask a question or relay a message, one may make a phone call before praying. However, it is forbidden to conduct an ordinary friendly phone conversation before prayer (see Peninei Halakha: Prayer, 12:1 n. 2).

It is proper that a woman who does not intend to pray Shaĥarit refrains from greeting her friend before she recites Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and Birkhot Ha-Torah.

06. One May Not Work or Travel Before Prayer

As we have learned, a woman who is about to pray Shaĥarit must le-khatĥila follow the same laws as a man, and from the break of dawn she may not become involved in her work or do any traveling until she prays. The Sages say (Berakhot 14a), “Anyone who prays and then goes on his way, God grants him what he desires.”

Nevertheless, one may perform small tasks or make short trips before prayer. There is an opinion that if the trip lasts less than 72 minutes, it is allowed before prayer. If the entire trip is for the sake of prayer, for example, traveling to pray at the Kotel, one may go, even if the travel time will be more than 72 minutes (Responsa Or Le-Tziyon 2:7:6; Peninei Halakha: Prayer 12:5).

Before dawn, one may begin a large project or embark on a long trip, for since the time of Shaĥarit has not yet arrived, she is not considered one who puts her needs before prayer. She must be strict in saying Birkhot Ha-shaĥar before that, because the time to recite them is immediately upon waking up. Since she started her work or departed on her journey before the time to pray began, she may continue even after dawn, on condition that she prays before the time to pray lapses (SA 89:7; Peninei Halakha: Prayer 12:2).

It is proper that a woman who does not normally pray Shaĥarit strictly refrain from occupying herself with work or departing on her way before reciting Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and Birkhot Ha-Torah.

07. Actions Permitted before Prayer

A woman may engage in mitzva acts before praying, for this is no affront to God’s honor since these acts are not done for one’s personal needs. Therefore, it is permissible and it is a mitzva to bathe and clothe children and to prepare food for them before they leave for preschool and elementary school. If the house lacks essential breakfast foods, it is permissible to purchase them before praying. Similarly, if a woman is concerned that after she finishes her prayer there will not be enough food left in the store for Shabbat, she may buy food before praying (MB 250:1; Kaf Ha-ĥayim 89:25). However, it is forbidden to buy even one item if it is not for the purpose of a mitzva.

Minor activities are permissible before prayer. For example, one may make her bed before praying and she may take the garbage from her house to the public garbage bin. Similarly, she may read the newspaper a bit and do a little exercise before prayer. She may put laundry that is already sorted into the machine and turn it on, since this is considered a minor act. However, it is prohibited to sort the laundry and then put it into the machine (Halikhot Shlomo 2:5).

It is forbidden to cook or bake before praying; however, one may light a fire under a pot that was prepared the day before or place a previously prepared food pan into the oven. Nevertheless, one should make an effort to recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and Birkhot Ha-Torah as soon as possible after waking up, and it is best to refrain from even minor activities and mitzvot before then.

This law forbids engaging in one’s own needs before prayer, including getting a haircut and entering a bathhouse (MT, Laws of Prayer 6:7). Likewise, it is forbidden to go swimming or take a pampering bath before prayer. However, oone is obligated to wash her hands before prayer. One should also preferably wash her face and brush her teeth before praying (SA 4:17; 46:1). Similarly, one may take a shower and cleanse oneself with soap as preparation for prayer (Peninei Halakha: Prayer 12: 3-4).

08. Eating and Drinking Before Prayer

From the break of dawn, it is forbidden to eat or drink before praying. The Sages support their words (Berakhot 10b) on the verse (Vayikra 19:26), “Do not eat upon the blood,” which they interpret as, “Do not eat before praying for your ‘blood.’” Further, they teach, “Anyone who eats and drinks first and [only] afterwards prays, Scripture says of him (1 Melakhim 14:9), ‘You have thrown Me behind your body (“gavekha,” the word used for “your body,” alludes to “ga’avatekha” – your pride).’ God said, ‘After this person acts arrogantly he accepts upon himself the yoke of heaven?!’”

However, one may drink water before praying because there is no element of pride in drinking it. Similarly, one may eat food and drink beverages that are medicinal, as there is no element of pride in taking medicine (SA 89:4). For example, someone who is suffering from constipation may eat prunes before prayer, since she is eating them as medicine (see MB 89:24).

A woman who is so hungry that she cannot concentrate on her prayer may eat before praying, because she is considered like a sick person who must eat; her eating does not contain any element of pride (SA 89:4; and see MB 26).

It is proper that women who generally fulfill the obligation of prayer with the recitation of Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and Birkhot Ha-Torah (as explained above, 2:4) be strict not to eat or drink before saying those berakhot, in addition to reciting them as soon as possible after they wake up.

09. Eating at Home if one will Pray at School

Girls who normally pray Shaĥarit in school and who will go hungry and will jeopardize their health or adversely affect their concentration on studies and prayers unless they eat and drink at home may do so. If a small meal without bread is sufficient, that is preferable; at their first recess they can wash their hands and eat bread. The argument should not be made that it is better that they pray Shaĥarit at home and not eat before Shaĥarit because the consistency of prayer in school edifies the students and validates the status of prayer. Still, it is best to recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and Birkhot Ha-Torah before eating and drinking. ¹

Minors who have not yet reached the age of mitzvot – twelve for girls and thirteen for boys – may eat before prayer. Although we generally train minors not to eat forbidden food, this applies when the food itself is forbidden because it is not kosher. However, when the Sages prohibited eating before prayer or before kiddush, they did so as a safeguard. Since the food itself is not forbidden, minors need not abide by that safeguard. Nevertheless, le-khatĥila it is proper that they do not eat before prayer, though when it is necessary they are permitted (MB 106:5; Yabi’a Omer 4:12:15; Kaf Ha-ĥayim 106:11).

10. When may a Married Woman Eat before Prayer?

Often, a woman must care for her children and cannot pray immediately after waking. Much time will pass before she finishes tending to her young, and if she does not drink coffee or tea, her mind will remain unsettled. This woman may drink coffee or tea before she prays because her drinking does not display arrogance; rather she drinks out of the need to settle her mind and enable her to properly take care of her children. If she must eat a piece of fruit or some cake lest she feel weak and incapable of caring for her children properly, she may eat, because the purpose of her eating is to strengthen herself, and there is no display of arrogance. Nevertheless, she should try to recite Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and Birkhot Ha-Torah before drinking and eating.

If the husband of a woman who usually prays Shaĥarit arrives home from the synagogue before his wife had a chance to recite Shaĥarit, she should recite Birkhot Ha-Torah, which contain a short prayer, and then eat with with her husband. She later completes her prayer by reciting Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and praying the Amida. This is because a healthy and halakhic family context dictates that a woman eats with her husband. Therefore, so as not to keep him waiting, she eats with him and makes up Birkhot Ha-shaĥar and the Amida after the meal. If possible, she should try to say Birkhot Ha-shaĥar before the meal, since one must try to say those berakhot immediately upon waking up. This applies if the husband is hurried or pressured. However, when possible, it is better for the woman to first recite Birkhot Ha-Torah, Birkhot Ha-shaĥar, and the Amida, and then they can eat together. ¹

01. Netilat Yadayim

One who prays the Amida must cleanse herself; it is therefore a mitzva to wash one’s hands before prayer. However, there is a distinction between a situation in which she knows that her hands are sullied and the normal case where she does not know whether her hands have been dirtied.

For example, if one knows that her hands are dirty because she relieved herself or touched body parts that are normally covered – areas that soiled from perspiration – she must wash her hands before praying. Le-khatĥila, she should pour water over her entire hand with a vessel, as one washes before a meal. However, be-di’avad, if she rinses her hands with water without a vessel, she fulfilled her obligation of preparing herself for prayer, because most important is that her hands are clean before she prays.

If there is no water nearby, she must take the trouble to walk up to the distance of a mil (912 m). If there is no water even within a mil, or there is water but the designated time for prayer will pass if she treks to it, she may rub her hands with sand or on her clothing in order to remove any trace of dirt from them – and then she may pray (SA 92:4; MB 92:20, Peninei Halakha: Prayer, 5:2 n. 1). ¹ the [normally] covered parts of one’s body, because they contain beads of sweat. For instance, scratching one’s head [is considered touching a dirty place].” This refers to rubbing the roots of one’s hair, but if someone only touches the top of her head, she does not need to wash her hands (SAH; MB 162:58, 164:10).

Concerning a woman who knows that her hair is clean, for example, one who just recently washed her head, in the opinion of some Aĥaronim, she does not need to wash her hands even is she scratches the roots of her hair (Tzitz Eliezer 7:2:14). One may rely on this opinion as long as she feels that this area is clean from the washing, although when her hair is covered, sweat accumulates there faster. See Peninei Halakha: Prayer, ch. 5 n. 2.

Concerning one who touches other normally covered parts of the body: If her body is washed clean and does not have beads of sweat on it, the Aĥaronim disagree as to whether or not she must wash her hands. Eshel Avraham (Buczacz) 4:21 is stringent, and Yabi’a Omer, part 5, 1:4-5, cites poskim who are lenient.

Touching earwax and mucus is considered touching a normally covered part of the body (Rema 92:7 and Peninei Halakha: Prayer, ch. 5 n. 2).

With regard to Torah study and reciting berakhot, one who normally touches covered parts may be-di’avad rub her hands on her clothes and then study Torah or recite berakhot (SA 4:23 and MB 4:61).  ]

Under normal circumstances, that is, when a woman did not wash her hands recently but does not remember touching something dirty or body parts that are normally covered, the poskim disagree about whether she must wash her hands before prayer. Hence, if there is water available, she should wash her hands. However, if there is no water near her, she does not need to wash her hands and may rely on the poskim who maintain that hands under normal circumstances need not be washed before prayer. To dispel uncertainty, she should preferably rub her hands on her clothing (SA 92:5, 233:2; MB 92:26; BHL s.v. “Ve-im”).

One who leaves the bathroom after having washed her hands and is then careful not to touch the parts of her body which are normally covered need not wash her hands again before praying. However, if she was not mindful of that, she must wash her hands. If no water is available, since she is not certain that her hands are unclean, she may pray without washing. 

02. Preparing One’s Body for the Amida

The Sages teach that one who needs to use the bathroom, be it to urinate or to defecate, may not pray (Berakhot 23a). There are two reasons for this: 1. The need for relief is likely to disrupt one’s kavana (Rambam); and 2. It is not proper to come to pray before God when the body is made repulsive by the excrement inside it (Hagahot Maimoniyot). Even if one is uncertain as to whether or not she needs to use the bathroom, the Sages say that le-khatĥila one should use the bathroom (Berakhot 15a). The Sages support their statement with the verse (Amos 4:12), “Israel, prepare to meet your God.” It is also written: “Guard your foot when you go to the House of God” (Kohelet 4:17), which they interpret to mean that one should ensure that she does not need to relieve herself when she gets up to pray.

One who has a cold should wipe her nose before praying so that she need not do so while praying. If the phlegm in her throat bothers her, she should expel it before praying so that it does not distract her during prayers (SA 92:3). If she must wipe her nose while praying, she should do so in the most polite way possible. Similarly, if she needs to yawn, she should cover her mouth with her hand, because one who stands in prayer must be very careful to show honor to heaven, and all actions that are considered impolite before people are also prohibited during prayer (see SA 97:1-2).

03. One Who Must Relieve Herself While Praying

There are two levels of need: 1) a need so pressing that the person praying estimates that it is impossible to wait even the amount of time it takes to walk a parsa (approximately 72 minutes); 2) a need to relieve oneself, but which can be held in for longer than 72 minutes. We will now describe the particular laws of each level.

If one begins to recite the Amida when she will not be able to hold in the need to defecate for 72 minutes, her prayer is considered abominable and she does not fulfill her obligation. She must repeat her prayer after relieving herself. If she recites the Amida when she when she will not be able to hold in the need to urinate for 72 minutes, though she clearly acted improperly, there is a dispute among Aĥaronim about whether her prayer is considered abominable. Since this ruling remains in doubt, she is not obligated to repeat her prayer, but one who wishes to avoid uncertainty may repeat the Amida as a voluntary prayer (tefilat nedava) (Peninei Halakha: Prayer, ch. 8 n. 7).

If one is able to control herself for 72 minutes and she recites the Amida, her prayer is considered valid because her need to relieve herself is not so urgent.  Le-khatĥila, even one who can wait 72 minutes should not pray. If the time to pray will pass if she goes to the bathroom, she should pray immediately so that she will not miss praying altogether (SA 92:1; MB 92:5).

The determination of how long one can hold it in depends on the person. If one initially thought she could wait 72 minutes after praying realizes that she cannot hold out that long, her prayer is still considered valid since at the time she started to pray she believed that she could contain her need (BHL 92:1, s.v. “Shi’ur Parsa”). ¹

04. One who Needs to Relieve Herself in the Middle of the Amida

If one began praying when she had no need to relieve herself but a great need arose in the middle of her prayer, since she began praying in a permitted state, she may continue her prayer for as long as she can hold it in. Even if she knew ahead of time that she needs the bathroom, but she thought she could hold it in for 72 minutes, but when she started praying she suddenly felt that she could no longer control herself for 72 minutes, although le-khatĥila she should have relieved herself before praying, since she began praying with the thought that she would be able to wait, she may finish praying.

If her need to relieve herself is so urgent that she cannot wait any longer, she should go immediately. If the interruption in her prayer lasts long enough that in that time she could have prayed the full Amida prayer from beginning to end, she must start the Amida again. But if the interruption lasts less time, she continues from the berakha at which she stopped. ¹ 

05. The Status of One Who Needs to Relieve Herself vis-à-vis Other Sacred Matters

Just as one who needs to relieve herself and cannot wait 72 minutes is forbidden to pray, so too she may not recite berakhot, say Shema, or study Torah, for it is not proper to engage in sacred matters when one’s body is offensive. Yet there is a significant difference between the Amida and other sacred matters (“devarim she-bikdusha”). During the Amida, we are like subjects standing before the King. If one does not pray in the proper manner, she disgraces the honor of heaven, and her prayer is an abomination. Therefore, when the person reciting the Amida cannot control her need for 72 minutes, her prayer is invalid. This is not so regarding other matters of sanctity. While saying them, one is not considered to be standing before the King. Hence, be-di’avad, if she recites berakhot or Shema even when she is not able to control her need for 72 minutes, she fulfills her obligation (MB 92:6; BHL s.v. “Afilu Be-divrei Torah”; Kaf Ha-ĥayim 3).

One who can wait 72 minutes, according to most Aĥaronim, is permitted le-khatĥila to recite berakhot and study Torah, though there are those who say that it is preferable for her to relieve herself first (MB 92:7). However, if she must exert herself in doing so, she is not required to relieve herself.

One who begins studying Torah when she does not need to relieve herself, but in the course of studying feels a need, to the point where she can no longer wait 72 minutes, should le-khatĥila go and relieve herself. If she is in the middle of a topic, some say that she may continue to learn until she completes it (BHL 92:2 s.v. “Koreh”; Yalkut Yosef, vol. 2, p. 338), whereas others say that she should relieve herself immediately (Kaf Ha-ĥayim 3:48).

If she is teaching Torah, she should finish her class and then relieve herself, for human dignity (kevod ha-briyot) is so great that it overrides the rabbinic prohibition of “bal teshaktzu” (MB 92:7). Likewise, it is proper that a student in a class waits and does not leave in the middle out of respect for the class, as long as the need to relieve herself is not that great. If, out of respect for the class, we are lenient regarding the prohibition of “bal teshaktzu,” we certainly refrain as much as possible from going in and out of the class for other reasons, and it is certainly forbidden to disrupt the class by talking.

06. One Who Is Drunk or Tipsy

One must be clearheaded when she prays. Unlike many idol worshipers, who perform their rituals using drugs and alcohol to attain a state of ecstasy, our petitions to God are achieved through seriousness and deep thought. That is why the Torah commands the kohanim not to enter the Temple and perform the Divine service while inebriated (Vayikra 10:8-11). The Sages derive from this that one who is drunk or tipsy may not pray.

“Tipsy” (“shatui”) describes one who is slightly under the influence of alcohol, and finds it somewhat difficult to concentrate and focus her thoughts, but is still capable of talking before the King. “Drunk” (“shikor”) describes one who drank so much that she cannot properly speak before the King.

A drunken person who mistakenly starts to pray must stop immediately, for the prayer of one who is intoxicated is an abomination. Even if she concludes her prayer, she does not fulfill her obligation. If she becomes sober before deadline to pray, she must repeat the prayer properly (SA 99:1). However, be-di’avad, one who prays while tipsy fulfills her obligation, since she is able to speak before the King. Likewise, if she begins praying and then remembers that she is tipsy, she may finish her prayer (Eliya Rabba; Kaf Ha-ĥayim 99:2). ¹

A tipsy person may le-khatĥila recite other berakhot, for example, Birkhot Ha-nehenin (the berakhot one recites from deriving pleasure from something) and Asher Yatzar, but a drunken person should not recite them. Nevertheless, even a drunken person should recite berakhot that she can only recite at that time. For instance, if she became drunk at a meal, she should still recite Birkat Ha-mazon (Grace After Meals). Similarly, if she relieves himself, she recites Asher Yatzar (Rema 99:1; MB 11).

One who has reached a state of intoxication such as Lot, and is unaware of what is happening to her, is considered a shota (a deranged person) and is exempt from performing all the mitzvot. Even the berakhot that she did recite are considered invalid (MB 99:11).

07. The Status of a Nida

A nida (a woman who has menstruated and not yet purified herself by going to the mikveh) is obligated to recite all the berakhot and prayers and may study Torah, for words of Torah cannot become impure, as it is written: “Indeed, My word is like fire” (Yirmiyahu 23:29). Just like fire cannot become impure, the words of Torah do not contract impurity (Berakhot 22a).

There are women who customarily act stringently at the time of menstruation by refraining from entering the synagogue and touching the Torah scroll. Although in principle there is no explicit prohibition against this, these women customarily separate themselves out of respect for the synagogue. Nonetheless, the widespread custom is that women enter the synagogue during the time of menstruation, but only refrain from looking directly at the letters of the Torah scroll when it is lifted (hagbaha). ¹

As an aside, we shall mention that there are various customs regarding women going to a cemetery. Some say that it is not proper for women to go to a cemetery at all, some say that women who are nidot and have not yet purified themselves in the mikveh may not go to a cemetery, some say that only during menstruation women should not go, and others permit going any time. Some women refrain from going to a cemetery when they are pregnant, whereas others do not. Every woman should practice according to her family’s or her husband’s family’s custom. Even those who are customarily stringent may practice leniency in times of need. For example, permission to be lenient and go to a cemetery is granted to one who will regret not going to her parents’ graves on their yahrzeit (the anniversary of a death). Also, one who is concerned that her absence will upset others, or a woman who is afraid that people might deduce from her absence that she is menstruating, may be lenient. If possible, though, she should make an effort not to get close to the graves. ²

01. Mental Preparation

The Sages teach (Berakhot 31a; SA 93:2), “One should not stand to pray while in a state of sadness or ennui.” Prayer elevates people. Therefore, one must approach prayer out of happiness, knowing that she is about to be uplifted and brought closer to God.

The Sages further teach (ibid.), “One should not pray out of laughter,” because laughter negates one’s reverence for God, and one must pray out of a sense of awe and submission. “Nor amidst conversation,” because conversation distracts one from her inner world, and prayer is supposed to emerge from the depths of one’s soul. “Nor from frivolity and idle chatter,” because prayer is based on the recognition of one’s ability to do great things with her speech, and if she approaches prayer with idle words, she demonstrates that she does not value her speech (see Olat Re’iyah vol. 1, p. 29).

In the prayer service for men, the Sages instituted the recitation of joyful and heartwarming words prior to reciting the Amida in order to settle the mind; before Shaĥarit and Ma’ariv, we recite the berakha of “Ga’al Yisrael” (“Who redeemed Israel”), and before the Minĥa Amida we say Ashrei (SA 93:2). Although women are not obligated to recite these prayers, it is at least incumbent upon every woman to pause for a few seconds, about the amount of time it takes to walk the distance of four amot, before praying, in order to settle her mind.

The pious people of yore (“ĥasidim rishonim”) would greatly augment their preparations for prayer, spending a full hour directing their hearts toward their Father in heaven before praying (Berakhot 30b; SA 93:1; MB 1). 

If a woman plans on giving tzedaka, whether by putting money in the tzedaka box in her house  or by writing a check for a donation, it is best that she does so before praying, so that she enters her prayer with the joy of having performed a mitzva (SA 92:10). ¹ Furthermore, when one beseeches God for kindness and compassion, it is appropriate that she first give something of hers to the needy. Arizal recommends reflecting, before prayer, on the mitzva to love your fellow as yourself, which is a great Torah principle, as all the prayers are formulated in the plural as we pray for the nation as a whole.

02. Preventing Possible Disruptions in Prayer

While reciting the Amida, one may not hold an object that she fears will fall, such as a book, bowl, or knife, because her concern that it may drop will disrupt her kavana (SA 96:1). However, one may hold a siddur, because it is necessary for prayer (ibid. 1-2). Even while reciting other parts of the prayer service it is good to be careful about this. Le-khatĥila, one should not hold anything in her hand while reciting the Amida, not even a valueless object, about which one is not concerned for it is not respectful to stand in front of God while holding something extraneous (see MB 96:1 and 5).

Before praying, one must turn off  her cellular phone. In a synagogue or where there are siddurim available, one should not use her hand-held device as a siddur so that it does not distract her and so that she does not appear to be reading messages during prayers. One who does not have a siddur available and must therefore use a device should first disable the possibility of receiving calls or messages. One who must be available for urgent calls may leave the device on, but should set it to vibrate, so that its ringing does not disrupt prayer.

Le-khatĥila, one should not recite the Amida with a knapsack on her back, for that is not a respectful way to appear before important people, and all the more so, it is not respectful to pray in that manner. However, if she is already traveling with a knapsack on her shoulders and it is more comfortable to leave it on, she may pray with it on her it weighs less than four kabin (c. 5.5 kg or 12 lbs, 1.5 oz). If the knapsack is heavier than four kabin, she may not pray while wearing it, as it is liable to impair her kavana (SA 97:4).

Additionally, if someone holding a wallet full of money or other expensive objects fears that if she puts these items down they will be stolen, and she does not have pockets in which to put them or a friend there to watch them, it is preferable, be-di’avad, to keep them in her hands while praying, so that she will be less troubled (MB 96:6; Kaf Ha-ĥayim 7). Likewise, if someone carrying a heavy knapsack on her back is worried that it will be stolen and she has no other choice than to carry it, she may pray while wearing it.

A woman may not pray while holding a baby in her arms, because the child requires constant attention to make sure he does not fall. Furthermore, the baby is likely to disturb her kavana. Even when the baby is wrapped inside an infant carrier or sling, it is not respectful to pray with him on her. Still, if no other option exists and the woman praying knows that she will be able have kavana in her prayer while holding the baby, she may pray with him on her. When there is concern that she will not be able to have kavana, she may not pray in that manner; instead, she fulfills her obligation by reciting Birkhot Ha-Torah and Birkhot Ha-shaĥar, which may be recited even while holding a baby.  ¹

03. Appropriate Attire for Prayer

One must prepare herself for prayer, revere God’s majesty and glory, and rejoice at the opportunity to stand before the King of kings in prayer. This preparation should also be apparent in her dress; one’s clothes should be respectable, fitting for one who stands before the King.

The laws of prayer are not like the laws of other matters of sanctity. Regarding all other matters of sanctity, such as Birkhot Keri’at Shema, as long as one’s nakedness is covered, they may be recited (SA 74:6). However, regarding prayer, since one is standing before the King, she must dress in a respectable manner (SA 91:1). With regard to women, as long as her clothes are modest in accordance with the halakha, they are indeed valid for prayer. ¹

Le-khatĥila one should enhance the mitzva by wearing respectable clothing for prayer, so that one honors God at least as much as one honors human beings. Just as one is careful to wear dignified attire when meeting important people, so too, she must dress at least as respectably for prayer. Indeed, one who goes out once in her life to greet a king makes sure to wear her nicest clothing. However, one who sees the king every day does not wear her fanciest garments; but she does make sure to wear clothes that suit her profession and status. Similarly, we come before the King three times a day, and we therefore dress nicely for prayer, but save our finest apparel for Shabbatot, festivals, and joyous celebrations.