Bar/Bat Mitzvah Archives | Rosh Yeshiva Responds

5 11, 2023

Reciting Shehechiyanu on Joyous Occasions Not Mentioned in Shulchan Aruch

November 5th, 2023|Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Berakhot, Kiddushin and Ketubah, Lifecycles, Orach Chayim, Sheva Berachot|

QUESTION

Toronto, Canada

What are your thoughts about saying shehechiyanu for occasions not mentioned in Shulchan Aruch? For example, can it be recited by parents at shul for the 3rd birthday of a child whose wimpel will be used for gelilah. What about other lifecycle events such as benei mitzvah, or weddings?

There’s certainly simchat ha’lev, which SA OH 223:4 says is the underlying basis for making the berakhah, but on the other hand, are we makpidim (particular) not to extend the berakhah into other experiences?

ANSWER

The first big question here is weddings. Why is

20 04, 2021

Does Someone Who Becomes Bar Mitzvah During Sefirat HaOmer Count With a Berakhah?

April 20th, 2021|Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Berakhot, Orach Chayim, Sefirah|

QUESTION

Baltimore, MD

Assuming counting the omer is one mitzvah for the entire period, if you turn 13 in the middle of the counting, are you allowed to say the blessing since there was no obligation to count prior to turning 13? What if you know ahead of time that you will miss a day of counting in the future (could be because you are flying across the world which will make you miss a day), should you be saying the blessings prior to missing a day knowing you will not perform the mitzvah in its entirety?

ANSWER

If you think about it, it comes

24 10, 2020

Conjugating Chazak Chazak veNitchazeik in the Feminine

October 24th, 2020|Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Keriat HaTorah, Orach Chayim|

QUESTION

New York, NY

If calling up a Bat Mitzvah for the maftir aliyah, should you change חזק to חזקי? Is it a command? Or is it an adjective and should be חזקה? Or is it an adverb/exclamation and should just stay חזק?

ANSWER

I’m assuming you mean at the end of a sefer. It’s a command wish, “Be strong!” So yes, it should be חזקי (for those women who read Torah at women’s Torah readings or partnership minyanim), based on the pasuk שמואל ב י:יב,

(יב)

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