Dinim questions for final

1. What are the three major categories of ברכות? Give examples.
a. ברכות הנהניו- we say before we get pleasure from something in this world.
i. Foods
ii. Smelling בשמים
b. ברכות המצוות- we say before we do a מצוה.
i. ברכות התורה
c. ברכות שבח והודעה
i. ש''ע
ii. ברכת המזון
2. Fill in the blanks: As a general rule, if a person has a doubt if he/she stated a ברכה, whose obligation is דאוריתא then he/she must repeat it. But if the obligation is דרבנן then it is not repeated.
3. Who developed the language of the ברכות? עזרא and the אכה''ג.
4. What is the prefix of a ברכה? פתיחה- ברוך אתה ה'
What is the suffix of a ברכה? חתימה- end of the ברכה.
What is the subject of a ברכה? נוסאי- what the ברכה is talking about.
5. What is a ברכה קצרה? A ברכה with a פתיחת הברכה and נוסאי.
What is a ברכה ארוכה? A ברכה with a פתיחת הברכה, נוסאי and חתימת הברכה.
6. Write five (with dashes to break up the name) of the seven names of השם.
a. יקוק
b. ל' אדנות
c. אלוקים, אלוקנו
d. קל
e. אהקה
f. שקי
g. צבקות
7. What parts of the prefix of a ברכה are necessary for the ברכה to be valid?
a. It has to have a ל' of ברוך.
b. It has to have a שם ה'.
c. It has to have a ל' of מלך.
8. When will a ברכה ארוכה not need a prefix and why? When you have a ברכה סמוך לחברתא- series of ברכות, each ברכה doesn’t need its own prefix because they are all connected.
9. When an individual in error changes some of the language of a ברכה, what three conditions must be met in order that the ברכה remain a valid one?
a. The prefix has to have all three elements mentioned in Question 7.
b. What was left out can’t be something which חז''ל said must be stated.
c. The ברכה can’t be changed from a ברכה ארוכה to a ברכה קצרה or from a ברכה קצרה to a ברכה ארוכה.
d. It must be the appropriate ברכה for that situation.
10. A person said אשר יצר and did not end with a ברכה. Is it valid? Why? This ברכה is not valid because the individual changed it from a ברכה ארוכה to a ברכה קצרה.
11. A Russian immigrant who does not understand Hebrew or English says a ברכה in English. Is it a valid ברכה? Why? If a person doesn’t understand what he’s saying, he can not be יוצא in a different language.
If he says a ברכה in Hebrew, is it a valid ברכה? Why? Yes. Because in ל' הקודש, even if you don’t understand what you are saying, you are יוצא.
12. A person thought (but did not say) the appropriate ברכה before drinking a glass of milk and has not yet drunk the milk. What should he/she do and why? If the same person already drank the milk, what should he/she do and why? You must recite a ברכה because you are not יוצא by thinking. ? He should say a ברכה on the rest. ?
13. What מצוות are transgressed when a person states an incomplete ברכה? (Quote פסוקים if applicable)
a. ''את ה' אלוקיך תירא''
b. ''אם לא תשמר לירא הם הנכבד והנורא''
14. What מצוות are transgressed when a person states the word “רחום” in vain? (Quote פסוקים if applicable) This questing is unclear, but if anyone knows the answer, please let me know. Thank you!
15. When one of the שמות של השם is mentioned in vain, we say “ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו וכו'”. How does this help? (ב שיטות)
a. רמב''ם- it gives context to the non- context.
b. One is showing appropriate כבוד for the שם and asking מחילה.
16. If a person said the “בורא פרי העץ” on a potato, what transgression has he/she committed? ברכה לבטלה כפשוטו
17. What is the difference between a ברכה לבטלה and מזכיר שם שמים לשוא? מזכיר שם שמים לשוא is saying the שם השם with no context. A ברכה לבטלה is a complete phrase, but is inappropriate for the situation.
18. Give three examples of ברכה שאינה צריכתה.
a. Fruit bowl- you make a ברכה on an apple and then the same ברכה again on a peach.
b. סעודה- if you take a drink of water before you wash and then you go wash.
c. You ate a מזונות and something that’s על העץ and then you made to separate ברכה אחרונה.
19. Some פוסקים hold that when a person mentions a ברכה לבטלה, he/she transgresses only an אסור דרבנן. Why? Because ''לא תשא את שם ה' אלוקיך לשוא" is only דאורייתא by a שבועת שוא and a שבועת שקר.
20. If a female eats her fill at a bread meal, is her obligation to bench דרבנן or דאורייתא? Discuss. There is a מחלוקת as to whether ברכת המזון is a דאורייתא form woman or not. Many woman are נוהג that ברכת המזון is a דאורייתא.
21. If a man has eaten (at a bread meal) his fill and is doubtful if he recited ברכת המזון, what should he do? He must repeat it.
22. A woman ate her fill at a bread meal. However, she is in doubt whether she had recited ברכת המזון or not, what עצות does she have? Many woman are נוהג that ברכת המזון is a דאורייתא, therefore she is like a man in this situation and she must repeat it.
23. If one had eaten some grapes and is in doubt whether he recited the ברכה אחרונה, what should he do? Really, they are דרבנן so if someone has a ספק, they don’t repeat. However if there is a doubt:
a. Make a ברכה again on the same fruit and make a ברכה אחרונה on both.
b. Make a ברכה on a different fruit and make a ברכה אחרונה on both.
c. Eat a כזית of מזונות and combine the ברכה אחרונה.
d. If all else fails, he does not repeat.
24. If a person is in doubt whether he/she said a ברכה ראשונה on some cake, what three ways can he/she recite the ברכה ראשונה without running into the risk of a ברכה לבטלה?
a. Think the ברכה in your mind and don’t say it.
b. Say the ברכה but don’t say the שם ה'.
c. Say the ברכה and think the שם ה'.
25. Esther said a ברכה on a slice of apple and before eating it the apple fell from her hand. What should she do? If she set aside a part in her hand to make the ברכה on, since it’s elevated to a higher status, she should:
a. Try to salvage it.
b. If it’s too disgusting, eat from something else.
c. If that’s all she had, she says “ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו וכו'”.
26. What should a person do in the following instances:
a. If one recited a ברכה, then before eating remembered it’s a fast day? Allow the ברכה to become a ברכה לבטלה.
b. If one recited a ברכה on some meat, then before eating remembered it’s the nine days?
i. Try to find something else to fill the ברכה.
ii. If he only has meat, he should eat a little bit of the meat so that the ברכה doesn’t become a ברכה לבטלה.
27. Esther was about to participate in a bread meal. She removed her rings and placed them in between her teeth, washed her hands and said the appropriate ברכה. What did she do wrong and why? (Quote פסוקים if applicable) Her rings shouldn’t have been in her mouth when she recited the ברכה because it says, “ומלא פי תהילותיך”.
28. What is the appropriate size of a yarmulke?
a. כסוי רוב ראש
b. Big enough that when in its proper place it can be seen from all angles.
29. What are the five areas of a woman, if exposed a “טפח”, a man may not say a ברכה in her presence?
a. Neckline- collarbone and down.
b. Arms- from the elbow and upwards.
c. Leg-
i. From the knee and upwards.
ii. Some hold from the ankle and upwards.
d. Hair of a married woman.
e. קול זמר of a woman.
30. From what age does a woman have to be careful of the above mentioned exposed areas?
a. 3
b. 7 or 8- depends on her maturity.
c. 12
31. In the following instances, what should a person do if he/she wants to daven facing east (מזרח)?
a. There is uncovered waste in the same room to the right (south side)? We have to cover the waste, estimate where the bad smell ends and distance ourselves 4 אמות. When it comes to davening ש''ע, we can’t see the rotting material.
b. There is uncovered waste in the same room to the left (north side)? We have to cover the waste, estimate where the bad smell ends and distance ourselves 4 אמות. When it comes to davening ש''ע, we can’t see the rotting material.
c. There is exposed waste in the same room on the eastern side of the room? We have to cover the waste, estimate where the bad smell ends and distance ourselves 4 אמות. When it comes to davening ש''ע, we can’t see the rotting material- stand in a position where the waste would be behind you.
32. There was some rotting meat in one room. However, the odor reached the adjacent room. What is the הלכה if someone wants to daven in the adjacent room? We just have to get out of the smelly area.
33. Certain picnic areas have the old fashioned bathrooms hat do not have plumbing in them; what does one have to be careful of in terms of תפלות וברכות? The walls of these old bathrooms have the דין as if it’s the dirt itself:
a. We have to distance ourselves from the walls.
b. If there is a bad odor, it’s considered a רוח רע שיש בו עיקר so we have to move four אמות.
c. If it’s in the מזרח, you have to make sure you don't see it when davening.
34. Sara said a ברכה on a glass of water, but before drinking it she told her younger brother to be quiet. What is the הלכה and why? Since she was מפסיק with דברי חול, it invalidates the ברכה.
35. Sara said a ברכה on a piece of cake and before eating it she answered ''אמן'' to her friend’s ברכה. What is the הלכה and why?
a. Some hold that it isn’t considered an interruption because it’s on the same level .
b. Others hold that one shouldn’t say anything- even though it’s on the same level, it’s different areas, so it’s considered an interruption and he has to repeat.
c. כף החיים- לחתכילה one shouldn’t interrupt, but if he already did, ספק ברכות להקל because it’s a דרבנן.
36. In the following instances what preparation, if any, should be done to the food before saying a ברכה and eating from it (be specific):
a. Hot cocoa drink- put some on a spoon, blow on it and only when it’s cool enough should he make a ברכה.
b. A loaf of bread (weekdays)- When making a ברכה on a full roll, cut two-thirds of the way down, but enough that the roll should still be שלם. Make a ברכה, break off a piece, and eat.
c. Candy bar (in wrapper)- take the food out of the packaging, or at least expose enough that you could eat it immediately after reciting a ברכה.
d. Peanuts (shelled)- open up at least one and make a ברכה only after it’s shelled.
37. As a general rule, what actions are permissible after a person had recited a ברכה on a bread meal and had not yet begun to eat?
a. Salt- it’s a מצוה מדרבנן to dip our חלה in salt. If someone made the ברכה and sees that they need the salt, they can לחתכילה say, “please pass the salt”.
b. There’s a חיוב on a person to feed his animals before himself. If he made a ברכה and it was time to feed the animals, he can ask someone to go feed the animals. If there is no one else to feed the animals, he should eat a כזית and go feed the animals.
c. If someone is approaching the table, but did not yet wash their hands, and the ראש סעודה is making המוציא, he can listen, answer אמן, go wash his hands and then eat.
d. If someone washed their hands, made a ברכה and is about to make המוציא and someone says that he touched his hands, since it’s a ספק, he should go wash again to remove the ספק and then he can eat.
38. Sara remembered after saying “המוציא” but before she ate from the bread that she had not washed her hands appropriately. What should she do and why? Since it’s a ספק, she should go wash again to remove the ספק and then she can eat.
39. If one had drunk some water and while it is still in the mouth remembered that he did not make a שהכל ברכה; what should he do now?
a. If he doesn’t have any more of that drink on the table, he should swallow it without a ברכה.
b. If he has more, he should spit it out and make a ברכה on what he has.
40. If one had eaten a piece of cake and while the cake was still in the mouth realized that he did not make a ברכה; what should he do now?
a. If it’s not disgusting, he should take it out and make a ברכה.
b. If it’s disgusting, he should move the food to the side of his mouth and make a ברכה before swallowing.
41. What is the הלכה in the following cases: (state reason)
a. A person had stated a ברכה until (and including) the word “מלך” and answered “אמן” to his friend’s ברכה: He has to repeat the ברכה.
b. A person was in the middle of a ברכה ארוכה and answered “אמן” to his friend’s ברכה: By a ברכה ארוכה, once a person gets into the נושאי, if they interrupt so long as they don’t have הסך הדעת, it doesn’t invalidate the ברכה.
42. May a person recite a ברכה, even if he does not know if his hands are spiritually clean or not? No. He should wash or rub his hands.
43. Explain what are the two sides of the rule ספק ברכות להקל? When we are in doubt whether we need to recite a ברכה or not, we go according to the lenient view and do not say the ברכה. When a person is in doubt, he is in a predicament: if he does say it, he’ll be saying a ברכה לבטלה, which is a דאורייתא. If he doesn’t say the ברכה, he’ll be עובר on a דרבנן. Rather we should be עובר on the דרבנן, so we do not repeat. By a חיוב דאורייתא, this כלל doesn’t apply.
44. If one has not yet washed his hands for a המוציא; however he heard the head of the table recite המוציא on the חלה is he or she יוצא with the ברכה of the head of the household? Explain. If someone is approaching the table, but did not yet wash their hands, and the ראש סעודה is making המוציא, he can listen, answer אמן, go wash his hands and then eat.
45. What suggestions do the חכמים make in terms of having the proper כוונה when reciting a ברכה?
a. Hold the thing that you’re making the ברכה on in your right hand.
b. Do not occupy yourself with anything else.
c. “ומלא פי תהילותיך”
d. Say the ברכה aloud.
46. If a man is in doubt whether he said ברכת התורה and he is davening that day; which ברכה of the three ברכת התורה does he recite? The ברכה of “אשר בחר בנו” because it encompasses the others.
47. If a woman forgot to say ברכת התורה, what can she do to be ברכת התורה יוצא?
a. In אהבה רבה, you think that you should be יוצא. When you finish davening, you should learn a little bit.
b. She can ask someone else to be יוצא her.
48. If Rachel came late to shul on שבת and was in the middle of ברכת קריעת שמע when the ש''ץ started קדיש (יתגדל ויתקדש שמיה רבא). What parts of קדיש does she answer to? She can answer to ''אמן. יהא שמי רבה...''
49. In the same instance as above, however, the ש''ץ said קדושה (נקדש את שמך), to what does she answer? By קדושה, we only say the sentence of ''קדוש קדוש קדוש'' and we’ll say ''ברוך כבוד ה' ממקומו''.
50. In the same instance as above, the ש''ץ reached מודים אנחו לך, to what does she answer? When the חזן says ''המחזיר שכינתו לציון'', we don’t answer ''אמן'', but we do bow down and say the words ''מודים אנחנו לך''.
51. What is the proper כוונה that one should have when saying the following שמות of ה':
a. אדונ-י'- הי' הווה ויהי' אדון העולמים
b. אלקים- ה' is the One who encompasses all the כוחות in the world- He’s הכל יכול.
c. בורא- the Creator and the מקיים- he sustains.