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Siman 117 – Birkas Hashanim

  • During the rainy season we must add into Birkas Hashanim “v’sayn tal umottar”. In chutz la’aretz we begin by Maariv of the sixtieth day after the Autumn equinox. (the day of the equinox being day one). (ShA 1 – MB 3)
  • In Eretz Yisroel we begin at Maariv of 7 Cheshvan. In both cases the appointee announces after Kaddish before Shemoneh Esray “Tal umottar !” But add in v’sayn tal umottar even if there was no announcement. (ShA 1 – MB 3)
  • A ben Eretz Yisroel in chutz la’aretz (or the opposite) who is there for the year should begin asking for rain according to the place that he is in now even though his family is back home. (MB 5)
  • If he intends on returning within the year there is a machlokes about when to begin asking for rain. (MB 5)
  • From after Mincha on erev Pesach everyone discontinues praying for rain. (ShA 1)
  • If you, personally, need rain in the dry season, ask for it in Shomaya Tefilla – not in Birkas Hashonim. (ShA 2)
  • If you mistakenly mentioned mottar in the dry season, and you caught yourself before you ended the beracha – go back to the beginning of Birkas Hashonim. The same applies as long as you catch your mistake before you uprooted your feet. After that, you must go back and daaven again from the beginning of Shemoneh Esray. (ShA 3 – MB 14)
  • If you caught your mistake of saying “v’sayn tal umottar…” and corrected yourself by saying “v’sayn beracha”, you are yotzay b’dieved. L’chatchila you should have gone back to the beginning of Birkas Hashonim even if you caught yourself toch keday dibbur. (BeH “im sho’al”)
  • You didn’t ask for rain in the rainy season: 

a: If you caught your mistake before you said the chasima, go back to “v’sayn tal umottar livracha” and continue in order from there.

b: If you ended “mevaraych hashonim” already, add “v’sayn tal umottar livracha” into Shomaya T’filla.

c: If you remembered just after Shomaya T’filla, say “v’sayn tal umottar livracha” before beginning R’tsay. 

d: If you remembered only after beginning R’tasy, go back to Birkas Hashonim.

e: If you remembered only after you uprooted your feet, go daaven again from the beginning of Shemoneh Esray. (ShA 4,5, MB 15)

  • Your feet are considered uprooted once you say Yihyu l’ratzon after Elokai N’tzor. (MB 18)