In Kerias Shema at bedtime, these two evenings only, we say only the blessing of Hamappil and the first parasha of the Shema. We delete the other related paragraphs as this night is leil shimurim, when we are subject to special Divine protection.
Tuesday morning: Shacharis for Festivals with Festival Amida. Some say the Yotzros as found in the Machzor, followed by whole Hallel, and we then remove two Sifrei Torah from the Ark. We recite the 13 Middos, Ribbono shel Olam, Berich Shemeih, etc. In the first Torah scroll we read Parashas Bo (Shemos 12:21-51) from “Vayikra Moshe, Mish’chu…” until “Tziv’osam” and call five Aliyos. In the second scroll we call the Maftir. We read in Parashas Pinchas (Bamidbar 28:16-25), “U’Vachodesh Harishon” until “Kol meleches avoda lo sa’asu.” We read the Haftara in Yehoshua (5:2-6:1, 6:27), Vayomer Yehoshua. In the blessings of the Haftara we mention the Festival. The chazzan then chants Kah Keili.
Musaf: The Chazzan dons a kittel and intones the half-Kaddish to the special Nusach for Tal. Some have the Gabbai announce Morid HaTal before the silent Shemoneh Esreh and thus Mashiv Haruach Umorid Hagashem is not recited from this day and on. (Others do not announce it before the silent Shemoneh Esreh and thus they stop saying Mashiv Haruach from the Mincha tefilla and on). The chazzan recites the prayer for Tal (dew) in the nusach of the Yamim Nora’im. The Chazzan then continues with Kedusha. After Retzeh, we recite Ve’se’arev and the Kohanim duchan (as it is not Shabbos, with the Ribbono Shel Olam tefilla included). We conclude the service as usual.
At Mincha we say the usual Festival Shemoneh Esreh.
Tuesday evening: candle lighting is delayed until the first day of Yom Tov has concluded. We then bless Le’hadlik ner shel Yom Tov and Shehecheyanu. Some wait as long as 72 minutes after shekiah to light the candles, while others light at the earliest 45 minutes after shekiah (N.Y.C. 8:20 p.m. E.D.T.) At that same time we are allowed to begin cooking preparations for the Seuda of Yom Tov Sheni.
We delay Maariv as well in order to begin [the counting of] Sefiras HaOmer. Otherwise Maariv is the usual Festival text (Nusach Sefarad add whole Hallel at the conclusion of the Shemoneh Esreh). We count the Sefira, preceded by the blessing Al Sefiras HaOmer). At home we repeat the Seder procedure of the previous night.
Wednesday morning: Shacharis of Festivals (Shalosh Regalim) like the preceding day. Some say the Yotzros as found in the Machzor. We remove two Sifrei Torah from the Ark. In the first we read in Parashas Emor (Vayikra 22:26-23:44), from “Shor o kesev” until “Mo’adei Hashem el Bnei Yisrael” and call five Aliyos. We place both Torah scrolls on the Bima and the Reader recites half-Kaddish. We then call the Maftir to read in the second Sefer in Parashas Pinchas (Bamidbar 28:16-25), from “U’Vachodesh Harishon” until Kol meleches avoda lo sa’asu.” We recite the Haftara (II Kings 23:1-9, 21-25) from “Vayishlach Hamelech” until “Va’yetzav Hamelech” (we delete 12 verses) and conclude with “Lo kam kamohu.” We conclude with Musaf of Festivals in which the Kohanim duchan.
Mincha is the usual Festival prayer.
Maariv: Yom Tov concludes at 8:24 p.m. E.D.T. NYC; usual weekday Tefilla with inclusion of Ata Chonantanu, Ya’aleh VeYavo. This is our first weekday Shemoneh Esreh and we now substitute Ve’ten Beracha for Ve’ten Tal Umatar in Mevarech Hashanim. No Viy’hi Noam or Ve’Ata Kadosh. This is followed by Kaddish Tiskabbel, Aleinu and Kaddish Yasom, and we count Sefiras Haomer. Havdala at home as usual.
Thursday morning, first day of Chol HaMo’ed, Shacharis – some don tefillin and others do not, each according to his custom – but without a beracha – and yet others recite the blessing in a whisper (see Rema, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 31:2; also Mishna Berura ad loc. s.v. She’ein Mevarchim, for advisable procedure.) In Pesukei De’zimra we omit Mizmor Le’Toda. Usual weekday Shemoneh Esreh with Ya’aleh VeYavo and again in chazzan’s repetition we say Ya’aleh Veyavo. We then say half-Hallel followed by the chazzan reciting Kaddish Tiskabbel. We remove two Torah scrolls from the Ark. In the first we call up three Aliyos and read in Parashas Bo (Shemos 13:1-16) from “Kaddesh li kol bechor” until “Hotzianu Hashem mimitzrayim.” For the Maftir we call an additional aliyah and read from the second scroll in Parashas Pinchas (Bamidbar 28:19-25) from “Ve’hikravtem” until “Kol meleches avoda lo sa’asu.” We put down both Torah scrolls and the Ba’al Keriah says half-Kaddish. We return the scrolls to the Ark. We then say Ashrei, Uva LeTziyyon, half-Kaddish.
