Prayer

Barchu acts as a call to prayer at Shacharit and Maariv services. Why is there no Barchu at Mincha service?

The Six Remembrances (Ashkenazi) are read during Weekday Morning services. 1. Where exactly can I find these remembrances in the Schacharit prayer service? 2. Do all prayer books contain these remembrances?

Shalom aleichem Rabbi Lauffer. Thank you for answering my last question. On pages 290-291 of the book "Festivals in Halachah" volume 2, Rabbi Zevin makes what appears to be a gross error. He writes "However, HaLevi goes too far when he asserts that 'with regard to the wording of the prayers, no innovations at all were made after the Churban during the era of Yavneh, the only innovation dating from that period is the bircas haminim.' Further, claims this author, not only the 18 weekday blessings and the 7 for Shabbos and Yom Tov, but also 'the musaf prayer for Rosh Chodesh, Chol Hamoed, Shabbos and Yom Tov had all been entirely formulated and established since the day of the men of the Great Assembly.' Now can it really be that in Temple days they prayed the musaf which laments: 'and because of our sins we have been exiled from our Land and which requests 'Build Your House as in former times, establish Your Temple on its site'? It is reasonable to assume that this formulation was first produced in the era of Yavneh. And even when we turn to the 18 blessings of the weekday prayer-- could it be that the blessing 'And may our eyes behold Your return to Zion' with its conclusion 'Who returns His presence to Zion,' was recited in Temple times?" Thus far Rabbi Zevin's words. They are, however, false. The Talmud informs us that the Shechinah was not present during the Second Temple, refuting Rabbi Zevin's assertion that it is impossible that Chazal would have written "may our eyes behold Your return to Zion" and "Who returns His Presence to Zion" when the Temple was still in existence. How could Rabbi Zevin have made such a gross mistake? Was he willfully lying due to his warped Zionist hashkafah, or did the ma'amar Chazal informing us that the Shechinah was not present in Bayis Sheni simply slip his mind, or am I simply missing something? Thanks a lot. Chag kasher v'sameach.

What is the importance of wearing tefilin during prayer?

Shalom aleichem Rabbi Lauffer. Thank you for answering my last question. If one davens the shacharis shemoneh esrei just before the b'dieved chatzos deadline, and it is now after chatzos, would he still be able to say tachanun, or would this not be said because tachanun is considered part of shemoneh esrei, and shemoneh esrei itself can't be said after chatzos. Thanks a lot.

Hi Rabbi, what is so important about the prayer of Shema? Thanks.

Dear Rabbi, I am a doctor. Is it appropriate for me to say any special prayers for the good health of my patients, besides of course treating them medically to the best of my ability? Thank you very much.

Dear Gateways Rabbi, what is so important about the prayer of saying the “Shma Yisrael”?

Shalom aleichem Rabbi Lauffer. In some Ashkenazi siddurim the line in "l'olam yihei adam" is written זֶרַע יִצְחָק יְחִידו. שֶׁנֶּעֱקַד עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ In other siddurim, the same line is written with "al gav hamizbeiach," not "al gabei." Again, in some siddurim the line in Tehillim 150 is written הַלְלוּהוּ בְּצִלְצְלֵי שָׁמַע. הַלְלוּהוּ בְּצִלְצְלֵי תְרוּעָה while in others it is written with a veis in the first "b'tziltzilei" and a beis in the second one. Lastly, in some siddurim it is written in the first blessing before Shema on Shabbos shacharis "שֶׁבַח יְקָר וּגְדֻלָּה. יִתְּנוּ לָאֵל מֶלֶךְ יוצֵר כּל. "La'el" is written, with a kometz under the first lamed, while in other siddurim a sh'va is under the same lamed. Which girsaos does Rabbi Lauffer use in his davening? Thanks a lot.

Hi Rabbi, what are the selichot prayers that are said around Rosh Hashana time, and when do we begin saying them this year? Thanks and Shana tova!