Halachah 1 — The Mitzvah to Write a Torah Scroll It is a positive commandment for every Jewish man to write a Torah scroll for himself. Even if one inherited a Torah scroll, he is still obligated to write his own. One who writes a Torah scroll by hand is considered […]

Halachah 1 — Ten Conditions Required for Mezuzah Obligation A dwelling obligates its resident in mezuzah only if all ten conditions are met: Minimum size of four by four cubits Two doorposts A lintel A roof Doors Doorway height of ten handbreadths Not consecrated property Intended for human habitation Used as […]

Halachah 1 — Writing the Mezuzah A mezuzah is written with the two passages Shema and V’hayah im shamo’a on one piece of parchment in a single column, with a small space left above and below. It is valid if written in two or three columns, but invalid if written: tail‑shaped, circular, or […]

Halachah 1 — Placement of the Head Tefillin The head tefillin are placed: at the beginning of the hairline toward the face, on the part of the skull where an infant’s brain pulsates. They must be centered on the head, aligned “between the eyes.” The knot of the head tefillin rests […]

Halachah 1 — Eight Sinaitic Requirements for Tefillin There are eight requirements for the manufacture of tefillin, all of which are halachot transmitted to Moshe at Sinai. Failure to fulfill any one of them renders the tefillin invalid. They are: Squareness, Shin embossed on the batim, Wrapping in fabric, Winding of […]

Halachah 1 — Writing and Arrangement of the Tefillin The head‑tefillin contain the four parashiyot written on four separate parchments, each rolled individually and placed into four separate compartments, all covered by a single leather housing. The arm‑tefillin contain the four parashiyot written on one parchment in four columns, rolled like […]

Halachah 1 — The Four Parashiyot of Tefillin Tefillin contain four specific Torah passages: Kadesh Li and V’hayah ki y’viacha from Exodus, Shema and V’hayah im shamo’a from Deuteronomy. Each passage must be written separately, placed in leather compartments, and worn on the head and arm. Any defect in even a single point of a letter […]

Halachah 1 — Disqualification Due to Faulty Pronunciation A priest who cannot pronounce the words of the priestly blessing correctly may not recite it. This includes those who confuse similar letters (e.g., alef and ayin, shibbolet and sibbolet), stutterers, or anyone whose speech is unclear and not understood by all. Halachah 2 […]

Halachah 1 — When Birkat Kohanim Is Recited The priestly blessing is recited during: Shacharit, Musaf, Ne’ilah. It is not recited during Minchah, because people may have eaten and priests may have consumed wine, which invalidates the blessing. Even on fast days, Birkat Kohanim is not recited at Minchah, to avoid confusion with […]

Halachah 1 — The Annual Torah Reading Cycle The universal custom of Israel is to complete the Torah reading in one year, beginning with Bereishit on the Sabbath after Sukkot and concluding on Sukkot of the following year. Although some communities once used a three‑year cycle, this practice is not widespread. […]

Halachah 1 — Institution of Public Torah Reading Moshe Rabbeinu instituted public Torah reading on Shabbat, Monday, and Thursday, so that no three days pass without Torah. Ezra added Shabbat Minchah reading for shopkeepers and ordained that on Mondays and Thursdays: three people read, at least ten verses are read. Halachah 2 […]

Halachah 1 — Obligation to Establish a Synagogue Wherever ten Jews reside, they must establish a place for communal prayer, called a Beit Knesset. The inhabitants of a city may compel one another to build a synagogue and to acquire Tanakh scrolls (Torah, Prophets, and Writings). Halachah 2 — Location and Structure of […]