Insights and Halachot from Maran Harav David Yosef SHLITA

Here’s some food for thought: in a way, we could be the smartest we’ve ever been.

We have all the accumulated knowledge of the previous generations available to us. Therefore, a real talmid chacham who studies everything can become incredibly knowledgeable and come up with insights and chiddushim.  

When Do You Repeat a Blessing in the Amidah?

Regarding the Amidah, when there is a question of whether to repeat a blessing, you can find yourself between the concern of a berachah levatalah and a berachah levatalah.

You have to lachzor on birkat hashivah, because that way you are yotze. Also, we learn that there is no berachah levatalah in Tefillat Shemoneh Esrei.

HaMelech HaKadosh

If you accidentally said HaKel HaKadosh, everyone agrees that you need to return and say HaMelech HaKadosh, because you did not say Melech.

If you realize your mistake toch kedei dibur,  basically within about one second, you can correct yourself immediately.

However, if you realize at any point afterward, or you already began the next blessing,  you have to begin the tefillah all over again. Why? Because the first three blessings are considered like one blessing.

HaMelech HaMishpat

If you missed HaMelech HaMishpat, go back to that blessing whenever you realize and repeat it.

If you already finished and said Yihyu LeRatzon, Maran Harav Ovadia said to finish the tefillah and then make a tenai: If the ones of the opinion that you must repeat the Amidah are correct, then I am doing the tefillah again now; however if the others are correct in that I don't need to repeat the tefillah, then this is a tefillat nedavah. This way, you are yotze according to all opinions.

What If You Forgot Tal U’Matar, in General?

If you missed Tal U’Matar in Barech Aleinu, say it in Shema Koleinu.

But if you only realized after saying Shema Koleinu, you are told to return to Barech Aleinu.

What If You Missed Zochrenu or Mi Kamocha?

If you missed Zochrenu or Mi Kamocha and realized before saying Hashem’s name, go back and say it.

However, if you realized after saying Hashem’s name, continue. You lost the opportunity to say it and cannot go back or insert it somewhere else.

“Lo Rechokah Hi” — Teshuvah Is Not Distant

The mitzvah of teshuvah is “Lo Rechokah Hi” — it is not distant from you.

And there is an extraordinary gift in teshuvah from ahavah: it deletes the wrongdoing and turns it into a mitzvah. Your aveirot turn into mitzvot!

How could you not accept this prize?

May we all merit to return in complete repentance before Hashem, Amen!