Mishneh Torah, Prayer and the Priestly Blessing Chapter 10

Chapter 10

א מִי שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל וְלֹא כִּוֵּן אֶת לִבּוֹ יַחֲזֹר וְיִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכַוָּנָה. וְאִם כִּוֵּן אֶת לִבּוֹ בִּבְרָכָה רִאשׁוֹנָה שׁוּב אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ. מִי שֶׁטָּעָה בְּאַחַת מִשָּׁלֹשׁ בְּרָכוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת חוֹזֵר לָרֹאשׁ. וְאִם טָעָה בְּאַחַת מִשָּׁלֹשׁ בְּרָכוֹת אַחֲרוֹנוֹת יַחֲזֹר לַעֲבוֹדָה. וְאִם טָעָה בְּאַחַת מִן הָאֶמְצָעִיּוֹת חוֹזֵר לִתְחִלַּת בְּרָכָה שֶׁטָּעָה בָּהּ וּמַשְׁלִים תְּפִלָּתוֹ עַל הַסֵּדֶר. וְכֵן שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר שֶׁטָּעָה כְּשֶׁהוּא מִתְפַּלֵּל בְּקוֹל רָם עַל דֶּרֶךְ זוֹ הוּא חוֹזֵר:

1 If one has recited the Amidah without devotion, he should recite it again devoutly. If he, however, concentrated his attention during the recital of the first blessing, he need not read the prayer again. If one committed an error in one of the first three blessings, he has to turn back to the beginning of the Amidah. If he made a mistake in one of the last three blessings, he turns back to the blessing relating to the restoration of the Temple Service. If he made a mistake in one of the intermediate blessings, he turns back to the beginning of the blessing in which he made the mistake, and then continues the Service in regular order to the end. The reader, if he makes a mistake when reading the Amidah aloud, follows the same rules.

ב אֲבָל אִם טָעָה שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר כְּשֶׁהוּא מִתְפַּלֵּל בְּלַחַשׁ אֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר וּמִתְפַּלֵּל פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה מִפְּנֵי טֹרַח צִבּוּר אֶלָּא סוֹמֵךְ עַל הַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁמִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּקוֹל רָם. וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא טָעָה בְּשָׁלֹשׁ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁאִם טָעָה בָּהֶם לְעוֹלָם חוֹזֵר כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַיָּחִיד חוֹזֵר:

2 But if the reader made a mistake while silently reading the Amidah, he does not, in my opinion, recite it silently a second time, so as not to incommode the congregation. He relies on his repetition of the Amidah which he will recite aloud. This is so if he had made no mistake in the first three blessings. If however the mistake was in one of these, he turns back to the beginning of the Amidah, like any layman.

ג שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר שֶׁטָּעָה וְנִבְהַל וְלֹא יָדַע מֵהֵיכָן יַתְחִיל וְשָׁהָה שָׁעָה יַעֲמֹד אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו. וְאִם טָעָה בְּבִרְכַּת הָאֶפִּקוֹרְסִין אֵין מַמְתִּינִין לוֹ אֶלָּא מִיָּד יַעֲמֹד אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו שֶׁמָּא אֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת נִזְרְקָה בּוֹ. וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא הִתְחִיל בָּהּ אֲבָל אִם הִתְחִיל בָּהּ מַמְתִּינִין לוֹ שָׁעָה. וְלֹא יְהֵא הַשֵּׁנִי סַרְבָן בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה:

3 If a reader, having made a mistake, became confused and did not know where to resume, another person, after awhile takes his place. If he made a mistake in connection with the blessing concerning heretics, the congregation does not wait for him, but another person immediately takes his place, for possibly he may have become tainted with heresy. This rule holds good if he had not yet begun reciting this blessing. But if he had commenced it, the congregants wait for him awhile.

ד וּמֵהֵיכָן הוּא מַתְחִיל, מִתְּחִלַּת בְּרָכָה שֶׁטָּעָה בָּהּ רִאשׁוֹן אִם טָעָה בְּאַחַת מִן הָאֶמְצָעִיּוֹת. אֲבָל אִם טָעָה בְּאַחַת מִן הַשָּׁלֹשׁ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת מַתְחִיל הַשֵּׁנִי מִן הָרֹאשׁ. וְאִם טָעָה בְּאַחַת מִן הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת יַתְחִיל הַשֵּׁנִי מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה:

4 The person asked to act as substitute should not decline. At which part of the Amidah does the substitute start? At the beginning of the blessing in which the first reader had made the mistake, provided that it had occurred in one of the intermediate blessings. If the mistake had been made in one of the first three blessings, the substitute starts at the beginning of the Amidah. If the mistake occurred in one of the last three blessings, the second reader begins with the blessing relating to the restoration of the ancient Temple service.

ה הָאוֹמֵר אֵינִי יוֹרֵד לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבְּגָדַי צְבוּעִים אַף בִּלְבָנִים לֹא יַעֲבֹר בְּאוֹתָהּ תְּפִלָּה. אָמַר אֵינִי עוֹבֵר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּרַגְלִי סַנְדָּל אַף יָחֵף לֹא יַעֲבֹר:

5 If one says: I will not proceed to the reading desk as my garments are coloured, he is not permitted to act as reader in that service even when robed in white vestments. If one says: I will not proceed to the reading desk because I wear shoes, he does not act as reader even when he is barefoot.

ו מִי שֶׁנִּסְתַּפֵּק לוֹ אִם הִתְפַּלֵּל אִם לֹא הִתְפַּלֵּל אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר וּמִתְפַּלֵּל אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן מִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלָּה זוֹ עַל דַּעַת שֶׁהִיא נְדָבָה. שֶׁאִם רָצָה יָחִיד לְהִתְפַּלֵּל כָּל הַיּוֹם תְּפִלַּת נְדָבָה יִתְפַּלֵּל. מִי שֶׁהָיָה עוֹמֵד בִּתְפִלָּה וְנִזְכַּר שֶׁכְּבָר הִתְפַּלֵּל פּוֹסֵק וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּאֶמְצַע בְּרָכָה. וְאִם הָיְתָה תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית אֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק שֶׁלֹּא הִתְפַּלֵּל אוֹתָהּ מִתְּחִלָּה אֶלָּא עַל דַּעַת שֶׁאֵינָהּ חוֹבָה:

6 Whoever is uncertain whether he has or has not recited the Amidah, does not repeat it unless he has the intention of reciting it as a voluntary offering; for a private person may, if he wishes, recite the Amidah the whole day as a free will offering. If one, during his recital of the Amidah, recalled that he had already read it, he stops even in the middle of a blessing. This however is not the rule in regard to the Evening Amidah because, from the outset, he only recited it with the understanding that it was not obligatory.

ז מִי שֶׁטָּעָה וְהִתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁל חֹל בְּשַׁבָּת לֹא יָצָא. וְאִם נִזְכַּר וְהוּא בְּתוֹךְ הַתְּפִלָּה גּוֹמֵר בְּרָכָה שֶׁהִתְחִיל בָּהּ וְחוֹזֵר וּמִתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁל שַׁבָּת. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּעַרְבִית אוֹ בְּשַׁחֲרִית אוֹ בְּמִנְחָה. אֲבָל בְּמוּסָף פּוֹסֵק אֲפִלּוּ בְּאֶמְצַע הַבְּרָכָה. וְכֵן אִם הִשְׁלִים תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל חֹל עַל דַּעַת שֶׁהוּא מוּסָף חוֹזֵר וּמִתְפַּלֵּל מוּסָף. אֶחָד שַׁבָּת וְאֶחָד יוֹם טוֹב וְאֶחָד רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ:

7 If one, in error, recited the week day Amidah on the Sabbath, he has not fulfilled his duty. If he realizes his mistake, while still engaged in the Amidah, he concludes the blessing which he has already begun and then recites the blessing appertaining to the Sabbath. This rule applies to the evening, morning and afternoon services. If the error occurred in the additional service, he stops even in the middle of a blessing. So it is also, if he concluded the Week day Amidah, under the impression that it was the additional service for the Sabbath, Festival or New Moon as the case may be.

ח מִי שֶׁטָּעָה בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים וְלֹא אָמַר מוֹרִיד הַגֶּשֶׁם וְלֹא מוֹרִיד הַטָּל חוֹזֵר לָרֹאשׁ. וְאִם הִזְכִּיר הַטַּל אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר. וְאִם טָעָה בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה וְאָמַר מוֹרִיד הַגֶּשֶׁם חוֹזֵר לָרֹאשׁ. וְאִם לֹא הִזְכִּיר טַל אֵין מַחְזִירִין אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁאֵין הַטַּל נֶעֱצָר וְאֵין צָרִיךְ בַּקָּשָׁה:

8 If one, in the winter, erroneously omitted both phrases, "Who causeth the rain to descend" and also "Who causeth the dew to descend", he should turn back to the beginning of the Amidah. If he recited the phrase referring to the dew, he does not turn back. If, in the summer, one said, in error, "Who causeth the rain to descend", he turns back to the beginning of the Amidah. If he omitted the phrase referring to the dew, he is not directed to read the Amidah again from the beginning, because the dew is never withheld and does not need a special petition.

ט מִי שֶׁשָּׁכַח שְׁאֵלָה בְּבִרְכַּת הַשָּׁנִים אִם נִזְכַּר קֹדֶם שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה שׁוֹאֵל אֶת הַגְּשָׁמִים בְּשׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה. וְאִם אַחַר שֶׁבֵּרֵךְ שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה חוֹזֵר לְבִרְכַּת הַשָּׁנִים. וְאִם לֹא נִזְכַּר עַד שֶׁהִשְׁלִים כָּל תְּפִלָּתוֹ חוֹזֵר לָרֹאשׁ וּמִתְפַּלֵּל שְׁנִיָּה:

9 If one forgot to include the petition "Give dew and rain" in the blessing relating to prosperity for the year and became aware of his omission before reciting the blessing which concludes, "Who heareth prayer", he recites the petition for rain in the latter blessing. If he only became aware of the omission after reciting this blessing he turns back to the blessing relating to prosperity for the year. If he did not become aware of his omission till he had completed the entire Amidah, he turns back to the beginning and recites the whole of it a second time.

י טָעָה וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר יַעֲלֶה וְיָבוֹא אִם נִזְכַּר קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּשְׁלִים תְּפִלָּתוֹ חוֹזֵר לַעֲבוֹדָה וּמַזְכִּיר. וְאִם נִזְכַּר אַחַר שֶׁהִשְׁלִים תְּפִלָּתוֹ חוֹזֵר לָרֹאשׁ. וְאִם הָיָה רָגִיל לוֹמַר תַּחֲנוּנִים אַחַר תְּפִלָּתוֹ וְנִזְכַּר אַחַר שֶׁהִשְׁלִים תְּפִלָּתוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּעֲקֹר רַגְלָיו חוֹזֵר לַעֲבוֹדָה:

10 If one made a mistake and did not recite the paragraph beginning, "May our memorial ascend and come etc." (specially recited on New Moons and festivals) and became aware of his omission before he had concluded the Amidah, he turns back to the blessing relating to the restoration of the Temple service and includes the paragraph omitted. If he became aware of his omission after he had concluded the Amidah, he turns back to its beginning. If he was wont to add propitiatory prayers after the Amidah, and became aware of his omission of them after he had completed the Amidah but before he had stepped back at its conclusion he turns back to the blessing relating to the restoration of the Temple service.

יא בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּחֻלּוֹ שֶׁל מוֹעֵד אוֹ בְּשַׁחֲרִית וּבְמִנְחָה שֶׁל רָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים. אֲבָל עַרְבִית שֶׁל רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ אִם לֹא הִזְכִּיר אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר:

11 These rules apply to the Amidah on the intermediate days of the festivals as well as the morning and afternoon Amidah of the New Moon. But if one did not recite this paragraph in the Amidah of the evening service of the New Moon, he does not turn back.

יב כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהַיָּחִיד חוֹזֵר וּמִתְפַּלֵּל שַׁ״ץ חוֹזֵר וּמִתְפַּלֵּל אִם טָעָה כְּמוֹתוֹ בְּעֵת שֶׁמִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּקוֹל רָם. חוּץ מִשַּׁחֲרִית שֶׁל רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁאִם שָׁכַח שַׁ״ץ וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר יַעֲלֶה וְיָבוֹא עַד שֶׁהִשְׁלִים תְּפִלָּתוֹ אֵין מַחְזִירִין אוֹתוֹ מִפְּנֵי טֹרַח צִבּוּר. שֶׁהֲרֵי תְּפִלַּת הַמּוּסָפִין לְפָנָיו שֶׁהוּא מַזְכִּיר בָּהּ רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ:

12 In all cases where an individual praying for himself has to recite the Amidah a second time, the reader of the congregation does likewise, if he committed a similar error when reciting the Amidah aloud. The morning service on the first day of the month forms an exception. If on such a day, the reader forgot to recite the added passage beginning, "May it ascend and come", till he had concluded the Amidah, he is not to read it a second time, so as not to incommode the congregation. The reason is that he has still to read the additional service which contains a reference to the first day of the month.

יג עֲשָׂרָה יָמִים שֶׁמֵּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה עַד יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים טָעָה וְחָתַם בָּהֶם בִּבְרָכָה שְׁלִישִׁית הָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ חוֹזֵר לָרֹאשׁ. טָעָה וְחָתַם בְּעַשְׁתֵּי עֶשְׂרֵה מֶלֶךְ אוֹהֵב צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט חוֹזֵר לִתְחִלַּת הַבְּרָכָה וְחוֹתֵם בָּהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמִּשְׁפָּט וּמִתְפַּלֵּל וְהוֹלֵךְ עַל הַסֵּדֶר. וְאִם לֹא נִזְכַּר אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁהִשְׁלִים כָּל תְּפִלָּתוֹ חוֹזֵר לָרֹאשׁ. אֶחָד יָחִיד וְאֶחָד שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר:

13 During the ten days from the New Year to the Day of Atonement, if, by mistake, one concluded the third blessing with the phrase, "the holy God" (instead of "the holy King"), he turns back to the beginning of the Amidah. If by mistake, one concluded the eleventh blessing, "King who loveth righteousness and judgment" (instead of King of judgment) he turns back to the beginning of this blessing, and concludes it with the phrase "King of judgment". He then continues the service in the regular order. If he did not become aware of the error till he had concluded the entire Amidah, he turns back to its beginning. This rule applies to an individual praying for himself and to the Reader of the congregation reciting the Amidah aloud.

יד טָעָה וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר הַבְדָּלָה בְּחוֹנֵן הַדַּעַת מַשְׁלִים תְּפִלָּתוֹ וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר. וְכֵן מִי שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּיר עַל הַנִּסִּים בַּחֲנֻכָּה וּבְפוּרִים וַעֲנֵנוּ בִּתְפִלַּת תַּעֲנִית אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר וּמִתְפַּלֵּל. אֶחָד יָחִיד וְאֶחָד שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר. וְאִם נִזְכַּר קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּעֲקֹר אֶת רַגְלָיו אוֹמֵר עֲנֵנוּ כִּי אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה פּוֹדֶה וּמַצִּיל בְּכָל עֵת צָרָה וְצוּקָה (תהילים יט טו) ״יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי״ וְגוֹ׳‎:

14 If, in the fourth blessing ending, "Who graciously grantest knowledge", one has omitted, by error, the passage referring to the distinction between sacred and profane, he concludes the Amidah and is not bound to repeat it. So too, if one forgot on the Feast of Lights or on the Feast of Lots, to recite the passage beginning, "For the miracles", or, on a fast day, the prayer beginning, "Answer us", he does not recite the Amidah a second time. This rule applies to an individual praying privately and to the Reader of the congregation. If, [on a fast day] one becomes aware of the omission before he steps back at the conclusion of the Amidah, he says, "Answer us, for Thou hearest prayer, delivering and saving us at all times of trouble and distress. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before Thee, etc.".

טו שָׁכַח וְלֹא הִתְפַּלֵּל מִנְחָה בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת יִתְפַּלֵּל עַרְבִית שְׁתַּיִם שֶׁל שַׁבָּת. וְכֵן בְּיוֹם טוֹב. שָׁכַח וְלֹא הִתְפַּלֵּל מִנְחָה בְּשַׁבָּת אוֹ בְּיוֹם טוֹב מִתְפַּלֵּל בְּמוֹצָאֵיהֶן עַרְבִית שְׁתַּיִם שֶׁל חֹל. מַבְדִּיל בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה וְאֵינוֹ מַבְדִּיל בַּשְּׁנִיָּה. וְאִם הִבְדִּיל בִּשְׁתֵּיהֶן אוֹ לֹא הִבְדִּיל בְּאַחַת מֵהֶן יָצָא. אֲבָל אִם לֹא הִבְדִּיל בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה וְהִבְדִּיל בַּשְּׁנִיָּה חוֹזֵר וּמִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלָּה שְׁלִישִׁית מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָרִאשׁוֹנָה לֹא עָלְתָה לוֹ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִקְדִּימָהּ לִתְפִלַּת עַרְבִית. וְכָל הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל שְׁתֵּי תְּפִלּוֹת אֲפִלּוּ שַׁחֲרִית וּמוּסָף לֹא יִתְפַּלֵּל זוֹ אַחַר זוֹ אֶלָּא יִשְׁהֶה בֵּין תְּפִלָּה לִתְפִלָּה כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּתְחוֹנֵן דַּעְתּוֹ עָלָיו:

15 One who forgot to recite the afternoon service on the eve of the Sabbath should recite the Sabbath Amidah for the Friday evening twice. There is a similar rule in the case of the eve of a festival. One who forgot to recite the afternoon service on a sabbath or festival, recites the Amidah in the evening service after the close of the festival twice—both Amidahs being those recited on a week day. The passage referring to the distinction between sacred and profane is included in the first, not in the second. If it was included in both or omitted from both, he has fulfilled his duty. But if it was omitted from the first recital and included in the second, he has to recite the Amidah a third time, the first recital not being counted, as it took place before the Amidah proper to the evening. When one recites two services, even the morning and additional services, one should not recite the second immediately after the first but pause between, so as to obtain a proper frame of mind.

טז אָסוּר לוֹ לַמִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּצִבּוּר שֶׁיַּקְדִּים תְּפִלָּתוֹ לִתְפִלַּת הַצִּבּוּר. הַנִּכְנָס לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וּמָצָא צִבּוּר שֶׁמִּתְפַּלְּלִין בְּלַחַשׁ אִם יָכוֹל לְהַתְחִיל וְלִגְמֹר עַד שֶׁלֹּא יַגִּיעַ שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר לִקְדֻשָּׁה יִתְפַּלֵּל. וְאִם לָאו יַמְתִּין עַד שֶׁיַּתְחִיל שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּקוֹל רָם וְיִתְפַּלֵּל עִמּוֹ בְּלַחַשׁ מִלָּה בְּמִלָּה עַד שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר לִקְדֻשָּׁה וְעוֹנֶה קְדֻשָּׁה עִם הַצִּבּוּר וּמִתְפַּלֵּל שְׁאָר תְּפִלָּה לְעַצְמוֹ. וְאִם הִתְחִיל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל קֹדֶם שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר וְהִגִּיעַ שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר לִקְדֻשָּׁה לֹא יַפְסִיק וְלֹא יַעֲנֶה קְדֻשָּׁה עִמָּהֶן. וְכֵן לֹא יַעֲנֶה אָמֵן יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא מְבֹרָךְ וְהוּא בְּאֶמְצַע הַתְּפִלָּה וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בִּשְׁאָר הַבְּרָכוֹת:

16 Whoever joins in public worship is forbidden to say his prayers in advance of the congregation. A person entering a synagogue and finding the congregation silently reciting the Amidah should also recite it, provided that he can begin and conclude it before the Reader, in his repetition, reaches the Kedushah. If he is unable to do so, he should wait till the Reader begins the repetition and then silently recite the Amidah with the Reader, word for word till the latter comes to the Kedushah, when he should join in the congregational responses to the Kedushah after which he recites the rest of the Amidah for himself. If he commenced the Amidah before the Reader began to recite it aloud, and the Reader reaches the Kedushah, he should neither stop nor utter the responses in the Kedushah. So too, he should not utter the response "Amen. May His great name be blessed; and, needless to add, he should not do so if the Reader is reciting other blessings.

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