Weekly Tefilah Focus

 This segment is being written during a particularly challenging time for klal Yisrael. Because of the outbreak of the coronavirus, our lives have been affected in almost every area – spiritually, socially, financially, and emotionally, to name just a few. One of the most disconcerting impacts has been that almost all of us at this point are not able to daven with a minyan. Instead, we have been forced to daven at home individually. This is something that I don’t think any man who has been davening all his life in shul with a minyan ever dreamed could happen.

Question: May one make a shalom zachar in a shul, or must it be in the house with the baby?

 Short Answer: Ideally, a shalom zachar should only take place in the house of the newborn and with the baby present. However, if that is difficult, there is certainly room to be lenient and hold the shalom zachar in a shul or another location. Accordingly, if the parents of the newborn and the newborn are still in the hospital, some have the custom to still make a shalom zachar without them.

Hashem Echad U’Sh’mo Echad

V’hayah Hashem l’melech al kol ha’aretz; ba’yom ha’hu yihyeh Hashem echad u’shmo echad.

Then Hashem will be King over all the world; on that day Hashem will be One and His Name will be One.

T’vi’eimo v’sita’eimo b’har nachalas’cha…

You shall bring them and implant them on the mount of Your heritage, the foundation of Your dwelling-place, which You, Hashem, have made: the sanctuary, Hashem, that Your hands established.

Hashem yimloch l’olam va’ed

Hashem shall reign for all eternity.

…ad yaavor amcha, Hashem, ad yaavor am zu kanisa

…until Your people passes through, Hashem, until this people You have acquired passes through.