Vol. LXIII No. 39 5773
New York City
CANDLE LIGHTING TIME
September 28, 2012 – 12 Tishrei 5773
6:22 p.m. NYC E.D.T.
Sabbath Ends: 7:26 p.m. NYC E.D.T.
Weekly Reading: Ha’azinu
Weekly Haftara: VaYedabber David (II Samuel 22:1-51)
Daf Yomi: Berachos 58
Mishna Yomit: Nedarim 8:7-9:1
Halacha Yomit: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 128:25-27
Rambam Yomi: Hilchos Tum’as Tzara’as, chap. 8-10
Earliest time for Tallis and Tefillin: 5:55 a.m. NYC E.D.T.
Latest Kerias Shema: 9:48 a.m. NYC E.D.T.
Shabbos: All tefillos as customary, except we do not say Av HaRachamim nor do we make Ke-l Moleh Rachamim, nor Tzidkos’cha, and at Maariv, Motza’ei Shabbos we do not say Vi’yehi Noam v’Atah Kadosh.
Sunday, erev Sukkos: Aside from our erev Yom Tov preparations, we have to make sure that the sukka we will use is finished and ready to accommodate us for fulfilling the mitzva of eating and sleeping in the sukka. This is also the last opportunity to acquire the Four Species: esrog, lulav, hadassim and aravos. These should preferably be of exceptional quality – mehuddarim – but have to satisfy, at the very least, the minimum requirements qualifying them as kosher to fulfill the mitzva (see Orach Chayyim 645‑650, Hilchot Lulav).
We light candles at 6:21 p.m., N.Y.C. E.D.T. that is, 20 minutes before shekiah (sunset), and recite Lehadlik ner shel Yom Tov as well as Shehecheyanu. Mincha: Usual weekday tefilla. Maariv: Usual service for Yom Tov, as found in the Machzor. The Shemoneh Esreh is that of Shalosh Regalim. At the conclusion of the Shemoneh Esreh the chazzan says Kaddish Tiskabbel, Aleinu, LeDavid Hashem Ori (Sefarad have said LeDavid Hashem Ori following Mincha) and their respective Mourner’s Kaddish recitals.
In congregations where it is the custom to recite Kiddush in the synagogue after Maariv, Kiddush can only be publicly recited in synagogues where a sukka is available.
Eating in the sukka: Upon returning home we do not tarry but go straight to the sukka (lest it rain later on). We recite the appropriate Ushpizin (lit. invitation of guests) to welcome to our sukka the seven faithful shepherds of the people of Israel – Avraham, Yitzhak, Yaakov, Yosef, Moshe, Aharon and David Hamelech. On each of the seven days one of them is the guest of honor leading the others, starting with our Patriarch Avraham on the first night. We then recite the Kiddush of Yom Tov. We say four berachos: Borei pri hagafen, Mekaddesh Yisrael ve’hazemanim, Leishev basukka, and Shehecheyanu.
On the first night one is duty‑bound to eat in the sukka even if it involves tza’ar (pain). This does not apply on the other nights and days, when one who is extremely uncomfortable (due to rain, or extreme cold, etc.) is relieved of this obligation (see Orach Chayyim 640:4 and Rema ad loc., who qualifies this halacha; see also 639:2, Rema, regarding sleeping in the sukka).
If it rains on the first evening (and the rain is such that it is not likely to stop), we make Kiddush in the sukka, we wash (for bread) and eat a kezayit (olive‑size) piece of challah in the sukka, and then return to the house to eat the rest of the meal. (Commenting on a discussion regarding how long one is required to wait for the rain to stop, the Mishna Berura (O.C. 639:5) notes that it is proper to wait no longer than until midnight.)
In Birkas Hamazon we say Ya’aleh VeYavo and HaRachaman hu yakim lanu es sukkas David hanofales during the seven days of Sukkos. Each meal (or snack) requires the blessing of Leishev basukka as well as the appropriate berachos for the various foods.
Shacharis, Monday morning: Pesukei DeZimra, and chazzan chants from HaKeil. Kerias Shema follows the weekday pattern, then the silent Shemoneh Esreh of Shalosh Regalim, followed by the chazzan’s repetition.
Lulav and Esrog: We take the lulav (to which 3 hadassim are bound on the right side and 2 aravos on the left side – see Mishna Berura, Orach Chayyim 651:1) in our right hand and the esrog (upside down, the pitom facing downside) in our left hand and recite the beracha “Al netilas lulav …” in a manner oveir le’asiyasan, that is, before we have physically accomplished the taking of the lulav and esrog. We next recite Shehecheyanu with the esrog in an upright position (the pitom facing upward) and wave the lulav in six directions.