What to say when: Accumulated information (annual re-post)

"Here's some information concerning prayers and other rituals that I've picked up, and written down, over the years in an attempt to allay my own confusion. Perhaps it'll help some of my readers, as well.  Yes, I've posted this before, but a rerun right before Rosh HaShanah never hurts."

Here you are.

Fall Holidays section:

Services on Yamim Noraim and Shalosh R’galim (and other information re rituals)

• Yaaleh V'Yavo is for all major holidays, including Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur in addition to the Shalosh R’galim (Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed) and Rosh Chodesh. October 2, 2008 update:  Yaaleh v’Yavo is said during the Amidah of not only Shacharit, but also of Minchah and Arvit/Maariv.
• October 2, 2008 update:  The Malchuyot, Zichronot, and Shofarot sections of the Musaf Amidah are recited on Rosh HaShanah only (not on Yom Kippur). Mnemonic device for remembering the correct order:  HaMelech Zocher et haShofar (The King Remembers the Shofar).
• October 18, 2011 update:  Yom Kippur’s “Long” Vidui/Confessional (“Ah Chet”) is recited for the last time during Minchah.  Only the “Short” Vidui/Confessional (“Ashamnu”) is recited during Neilah.
• October 18, 2011 update:  The Neilah Service includes not only a full Amidah, but also a Chazarat HaShaTz (repetition of the Amidah by the ShaTz/Shaliach Tzibbur). I can’t think of any logical halachic reason for even reciting the Amidah at Neilah, much less repeating it, since there was no sacrifice at that time of day, but I can think of a good logistical one—it’s a great time-killer, which is necessary in order to delay end of the service until well after sunset, when one is permitted to blow the shofar.

From the comments to this post:

 Larry Lennhoff said...

I believe (without a source to back me up) that the 5 amidot of Yom Kippur correspond to the 5 immersions of the Kohain Gadol that day. An immersion happened every time he changed vestments, and IIRC each of those changes were related to something sacrificial - whether clearing ashes from the alter, perfoming the two daily sacrifices, the special sacrifices for YK, the ritual of the two goats (which involved sacrificing one of them, etc.).

Again all this is form memory, so I may have some details wrong.

TUE OCT 18, 01:21:00 PM 2011  

• Amidah for Rosh Chodesh and Chol HaMoed
• Shacharit, Mincha, and Maariv/Arvit (Nov. 2, 2011 update)—regular weekday or Shabbat version, to which one adds Yaaleh V’Yavo.
• Musaf—Rosh Chodesh or Shalosh R’galim version (each of which includes Shabbat additions).
• During the Amidah prayer of the Maariv/Arvit/Evening Services that mark the end of the first day(s) of Yom Tov and the beginning of Chol HaMoed, one recites Atah Chonantanu, after which one is permitted to do necessary work during Chol HaMoed.
• October 22, 2008 update:  On Chanukah and Sukkot, including Chol HaMoed Sukkot, Hallel is always Full Hallel—there’s never a Half-Hallel during Sukkot or Chanukah. September 18, 2009 update:  Hallel is not recited on the Yamim Noraim.
• Aliyot
• Shabbat:
• If Rosh Chodesh, any of the Yamim Noraim, or any of the Shalosh R’galim, including Chol HaMoed, fall on Shabbat, they always have the 7 aliyot that are standard on Shabbat.
• Weekdays:
• Rosh Chodesh and Chol HaMoed—4;
• Shalosh R’galim and Rosh HaShanah—5;
• Yom Kippur—6.
• October 2, 2008 update:  Tashlich is recited on the first day of Rosh HaShanah (if possible), unless the first day falls on Shabbat (in which case it’s delayed until the second day).
• October 18, 2011:  I think I overhead [my husband] confirming with Cantor [X] that the Hoshanot of Sukkot and Hoshana Rabbah can only be recited if one has a minyan.  (Is this true?  Today's [Sept 22, 2014] update:  It's probably true--I've since heard this from other reliable sources, including an Orthodox rabbi who works in the organization that employs me.)
• October 19, 2011 update:  Hoshana ends with the letter Aleph, while Rabbah ends with the letter Hay, so, according to the rules of transliteration (such as they are), Hoshana should not be written with an H at the end, but Rabbah should be written with an H at the end.
• April 8, 2012 (post-havdalah) correction:
• For the 1^st 2 days of the Shalosh R'galim Sukkot, the reading from the 1^st Torah scroll is Leviticus 22:26-23:44, from Parshat Emor (leave the corners of the field for the poor; commandments re lulav and etrog, sukkah, etc.). 
• For Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot, the reading from the 1^st Torah scroll is Sh'mot/Exodus 33:12-34:26, from Parshat Ki Tisa.
• For Hoshana Rabbah, the reading is B'midbar/Numbers 29:26-34, from Parshat Pinchas (the source of all maftir readings for Shalosh R'galim and the Yamim Noraim).
• For Sh'mini Atzeret, the reading from the 1^st Torah scroll is D'varim/Deuteronomy 14:22-16:17, from Parshat R’eh (same reading as on 8^th/last day of Pesach and 2^nd/last day of Shavuot, if they fall on Shabbat).  (“V’samachta b’chagecha…”).
• For Simchat Torah (the 2^nd day of Sh'mini Atzeret in Galut/the Diaspora), the reading from the 1^st Torah scroll is D'varim/Deuteronomy 33-34, which is the entire Parshat V'Zot HaTorah; the reading from the 2^nd Torah scroll is B'reshit/Genesis 1-2:3, the beginning of Parshat B'reshit.

. . .

[Snip]

. . .

And now for something completely different:  HOSHANA RABBAH

In addition to doing seven Hoshanot, as opposed to the usual one Hoshana, and beating the aravot/willows:

• We use the the Shabbat and Yom Tov version of P’suké D’zimra, rather than the weekday (Chol) version.  October 18, 2011 update (thanks to Larry Lennhoff’s comment here:  We do say Mizmor L’Todah, which we usually don’t say on Shabbat or Yom Tov, but we don’t say the Shabbat and Yom Tov section starting with Nishmat Kol Chai and concluding with U-v’makalot—we continue the service again at Yishtabach.

 Larry Lennhoff said...

Re Hoshana Rabba: We actually do a synthesis of the weekday and Yom Tov pesukei d'zimra. In particular, we say Mizmor L'Todah, which we don't say on Yom Tov.

Hoshanna Rabba is a last chance Yom Kippur which is why the baal Musaf wears a kittle and we say kadosh v'norah shemo as we do on YK. We also use the nusach of YK in various places.

TUE OCT 18, 01:25:00 PM 2011

• We use the Shabbat and Yom Tov version of Seder Hotzaat HaTorah, rather than the weekday (Chol) version.
• We recite “Adoshem, adoshem kél rachum v’chanun” as we do on Yom Tov, rather than omitting it as we would usually do during Chol HaMoed.  October 2, 2008 update:  I think this prayer is only recited if there’s a minyan.
• During Seder Hotzaat haTorah, we recite “kadosh V’NORAH sh’mo.”
• The baal tefillah wears a kittel during Musaf.
• We recite the Musaf K’dushah for Yom Tov, not the one for Chol haMoed.
• We sing Ein Kelokénu and Adon Olam.  (Is this an optional minhag?)
• Some have the minhag to recite HaShem Ori V’Yishi for the last time of that Yamim Noraim season at the Shacharit of Hoshana Rabbah.  I don’t know what the alternate custom is.  October 2, 2008 update:  I think the alternative custom is to recite HaShem Ori V’Yishi for the last time of that Yamim Noraim season at the Shacharit of Shemini Atzeret.
• October 18, 2011 update:  I think I overhead [my husband] confirming with Cantor [X] that the Hoshanot of Sukkot and Hoshana Rabbah can only be recited if one has a minyan.
• October 19, 2011 update:  Hoshana ends with the letter Aleph, while Rabbah ends with the letter Hay, so, according to the rules of transliteration (such as they are), Hoshana should not be written with an H at the end, but Rabbah should be written with an H at the end.

I have heard people wish one another a “good kvittle.”  Even Rabbi [X] doesn’t know what that means.  I guess I’ll just have to swallow the old pride—time to admit to ignorance and ask.  October 2, 2008 update:  I’ve heard that a kvittle is what some people call those little notes that one leaves in the cracks of the Kotel, or, for those who believe in doing such a thing, at the grave of a tzaddik—personally, I’m not fund of the custom of asking the dead to intervene for me in heaven, since I think that praying through the dead, as it were, is a bit pagan.) 

October 18, 2011 update, quoting JDub’s comment here:

 jdub said...

. . . Nope, nothing to do with it. A kvitl is a piece of writing. So, a good kvittel means the same as "may you be inscribed in the book of life". And, technically, it would be a gut kvittel since it's a yiddish expression.

TUE OCT 18, 01:56:00 PM 2011  

From: [me]

To: [deleted]

Subject: Halachic head-scratcher (as in, "Huh?!")

Date: Friday, October 17, 2003 3:00 PM

According to one of my co-workers, it's assur (prohibited) for Jews (in her community, this probably refers to men only) to eat any foods requiring a blessing "fancier" (higher in halachic status?) than "shehakol" during Sukkot unless they're eating in a sukkah, which would pretty much limit me to tuna and chocolate for lunch.  (Any excuse for chocolate will do :).)  [My husband] tells me that one of his frummer colleagues from his Federal gov't days would simply not eat at all if there were no sukkah available.  Talk about conflicting halachot,

  a.. how on earth can you possible "rejoice in your festival" ("v'samachta b'chagecha") when you're fasting,

  b.. and isn't it assur/forbidden to fast on a Yom Tov?

(My perception is that Yom Kippur is the exception that confirms both rules.)