What bracha do I say before I take off my tefillin for the last time on a given day?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim
"Asher kideshanu b'mitzvotav vetzivanu lishmor chukav"

If I say Mincha with tefillin on and then when I take them off it is already after shekiah (sunset) should I still say the bracha "asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu lishmor chukav"?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim
Yes, one should say this bracha before one removes
one's tefillin for the last time on a given day regardless
of whether one does so before or after shekiah.

Should I avoid talking after saying the birkat hashachar hameichin mitzadei gaver but before I have crossed the threshold of the entrance to my home?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim
So long as one is walking on his way out one may talk as one does so. The very act of walking is a fulfillment of the action on which you have said the bracha.

If I am davening Shacharit with a minyan and I am in the middle of saying Ashrei before Uva Letziyon, but the minyan is davening very fast and has already begun saying Uva Letzion, should I stop saying Ashrei and begin saying Uva Letzion?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim

Under the circumstances which you describe you should
continue to say Ashrei at a pace which allows you to have
kavannah. One should  pause from saying Ashrei for the three
points at which the tzibbur must pronounce in unison with
the shaliach tzibbur-1.) after veatah kadosh-"kadosh, kadosh, kadosh"
2.)after vatisaeni-"baruch kevod adonai mimkomo"
3.) after berich yekara-"adonai yimloch leolam vaed."

Thus, one continues to say Ashrei and joins in unison with the
tzibbur at the appropriate points which I have described.

Must a woman daven maariv?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim
Yes, a woman should daven the shmone esre of
Maariv, just as she should daven the shmone esre of
Shacharit and Mincha.

I read in the kitzur shulchan aruch that a kohen should avoid being chazan during a tefillah in which birkat hakohanim must be said. Is this the halacha?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim
Yes-this halacha is based on a mishna in the fifth chapter
of masechet brachot. Under ordinary circumstances a
kohen should indeed avoid being the shaliach tzibbur.

Should the person who gets an aliyah to the Torah also layn (read from the Torah)?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim

It is not logical that the person getting an aliyah should
make the bracha for another person to layn. It is proper
that he who makes the bracha should also be the
one to layn. Most people do not realize that this is in fact
the way that the Torah should be read according to the Rambam.

See Rambam, Hilchoth Tefillah, Chapter 12, Halacha 5.
 http://www.mechon-mamre.org/i/2212n.htm

This unfortunately is not the common
practice in most minyanim, but this is
indeed the practice at Beth Midrash
Machon Shilo's Nusach Eretz Yisrael minyan.

Must I say tachanun (nefillat apayim) during the period between Yom HaKippurim and Succot?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim

 

As a rule, nefillat apayim is obligatory and constitutes
an extension of the shmone esre. Nefillat Apayim must
be said unless specifically stated otherwise by an authoritative source.
There is no ancient authoritative source which states that
one should not say nefillat apayim during the period
between Yom HaKippurim and Sukkoth. Therefore, one must
indeed say nefillat apayim during this period. Clearly, if one is
davening in a minyan which does not say nefillat apayim during
this period then one should excercise due discretion when one
says it.

Regarding the times when one does not say nefillat apayim
see Rambam, Hilchoth Tefillah, Chapter 5, halacha 15.

What are the minimum obligations of a woman regarding davening in the morning?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim
A woman must say birkoth hashachar and shmoneh esre,
including nefillat apayim. It should be noted that nefillat apayim
is an extension of shmoneh esre which is why a woman must also say it.

I live in Eretz Yisrael. Have I fulfilled the mitzvah of tefillah if I use one of the Bavli nusachim, such as nusach Ashkenaz, as opposed to nusach Eretz Yisrael?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim

For various reasons we encourage Jews to use nusach Eretz Yisrael.
However, one has fulfilled one's obligation of tefillah if one davens
one of the Bavli nuschaoth.

I would also like to point out-just as the value of 
mitzvoth in general can be much more appreciated by
the practicioner than the mere theoretician, so too regarding
nusach Eretz Yisrael. Once you start using it-you are likely to not want to stop!

Is it obligatory to say the entire tachanun as printed in the siddur?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim

 

Nefillat Apayim is on the one hand a
hovah (obligation), yet the individual may
choose what the content will be.
Essential elements of nefillat apayim are
pesukim (verses) which relate to techinnah (supplication),
selichah (request for forgiveness), and vidui (confession).
It is important to note that the Breslov concept of
hitbodedut (personalized prayer) is an
essential aspect of nefillat apayim. One should
insert at least one or two lines of either personal or national requests.

In line with the above, there is no obligation to read the
whole text of the nefillat apayim as it appears in the siddur.
One may say a few lines of what is printed and then immediately
afterwards add a line or two of request.

Do I say the birkath hashachar "hameichin mitzadei gaver" if I do not leave my home on a given day?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim
If one does not leave one's home at all on a given
day then one should not say the bracha.

May I switch nuschei tefillah on a daily basis? For example, may I daven nusach Ashkenaz today, nusach Eretz Yisrael tomorrow, and nusach HaRambam the next day? I find that alternating nusachim helps me keep my tefillah fresh and directed towards Hashem.

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim
One may use a different nusach tefillah every day.
The Avudrahim and Rashba are two Rishonim who
support such a mode of conduct.

How should I conduct myself during the chazarath hashatz of the shaliach tzibbur?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim
One should obviously not be speaking or communicating in any
fashion with anybody else. In addition, one's feet should be together
as they are during the tefillah belachash, and one should be focusing
on the words of the shaliach tzibbur.

I am a Kohen. If I am not allowed to move from my place while standing during the chazarath hashatz, then how do I wash my hands in preparation for birkath hakohanim?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim

 

This is an excellent question. Firstly, one must remember that
so long as one has not had a hesech hadaath from one's hands
after netilath yadayim then one may rely on the netila which one did
in anticipation of tefillath shacharith in the morning. If one has had a
hesech hadaath then one must again do the netillah with a bracha.
However, as your question implies, the time for doing so is not during
the chazarath hashatz, but rather at some earlier point.

Must I say "Alaynu LeShabeach" at the end of davening?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim

The saying of  "Alaynu Leshabeach" at the end of davening
is not obligatory, since this is a minhag (custom). If one does
choose to perform this beautiful minhag then one should do so with kavannah.

May one answer "yehe shme rabah mevorach" during kaddish in Hebrew?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim

One may indeed answer in Hebrew-"Yehi Shmo Hagadol Mevorach
LeOlam UleOlmei Olamim". The last part "LeOlam UleOlmei Olamim"
may be omitted if  one so wishes since this is in accordance with
the original minhag in both Eretz Yisrael and Bavel.

If one chooses to answer in Hebrew then one should
do so softly enough so as to not attract undue attention
assuming that the rest of the tzibbur is answering using the generally used Aramaic. 

Must I wash with a cup in the morning before saying birkoth hashchar?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim
No, the only parts of the tefillah which require washing
with a cup (netillah) before saying them are kriath shema
and shmone esre.

If I am davening alone must I say "kel melech neeman" before kriath shema?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim
No.

Must I say shir shel yom at the end of davening Shacharith?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim
No, shir shel yom is a minhag and is not obligatory.

Should I say the birkoth hashachar which appear at the beginning of the siddur consecutively in shul at the beginning of davening or at home?

Written by Rav Bar-Hayim

Birkoth hashachar should be said as one performs or