Kaddish, U'Va L'Tzion, Hallel and Birkat HaChodesh

Richard B. Aiken

Responding to Mourner's Kaddish

When answering mourner's kaddish, respond after the person who you hear first.

Late in Joining Mourner's Kaddish

Situation: All mourners should say kaddish in unison. You are a mourner. When you go to minyan, the other mourners are already saying mourner's kaddish.

WHAT TO DO: You may join in as long as the other mourners have not yet said Yihei shmei. But you should join the other mourners wherever they are in the kaddish and not start from the beginning on your own.

Kadosh in U'Va L'Tzion with the Minyan

Say kadosh three times in u'va l'tzion together with the minyan in order to mimic the angels who say kadosh together with other angels.

Note: You should interrupt what you are saying as long as it is permissible to do so, such as before baruch she'amar or after you have finished your amida.

Saying Hallel with a Minyan

When saying half- and full Hallel:

  • It is preferable to say half-hallel with a minyan.
  • You do not need to say full hallel with a minyan.

Order of Prayers with Hallel

To say hallel on Shabbat and Jewish festivals:

  • You do not need to say full hallel immediately after shacharit.
  • You may say musaf and/or hallel after mincha.
  • Once it is time for mincha, you must say mincha before saying musaf or hallel (if you have not said musaf or hallel yet).

Timing of Hallel and Musaf

You may say hallel and musaf until sunset.

Hodu in Hallel

In hallel, the congregation repeats the line “Hodu…” after each of the four lines that the prayer leader says.  Then the congregation says the next line before the prayer leader says it.

Note: The congregation does not say the line "Hodu... before the leader first says it.

Announcing the New Month

Each month (except before Rosh Hashana), we say the blessing over the new month (birkat ha'chodesh). On Shabbat morning preceding the new moon, at the end of Torah reading, we announce the coming of the new month (Rosh Chodesh), including:

  • The name of the month.
  • The day and time the new moon will appear in Jerusalem.
  • The day of the week that begins the new month (and sometimes the last day of the previous month).

We say some prayers that ask for good health, prosperity, and other good things.

Announcing Two-Day Rosh Chodesh Starting Shabbat

If Rosh Chodesh will be two days starting next Shabbat, say “Yihiyeh b'yom Shabbat kodesh ul'macharato b'yom rishon.”

Copyright 2015 Richard B. Aiken. Halacha L’Maaseh appears courtesy of www.practicalhalacha.com Visit their web site for more information.