Shulchan Arach:
Halachos of a person's morning preparation:
- Note that the
Rama is in brackets [ ]
- Laws of awakening in the morning ( 9 chapters )
- One
should strengthen himself like a lion to get up in the morning to serve
his creator. He should get up
early enough to welcome in the dawn.
[ And at least not after the Z'man Tefilah (time for praying) in
which the congregation prays.
Scripture says, "I placed Hashem before me always". This is a great
concept in the Torah and is a paramount attribute for the Tzadikim
(righteous people) who walk in the way of G-d. For the way in which a person sits, moves around, and
carries out his daily activities while he is alone his house is not the
same way he should engage in these activities while standing before a
great King. In addition, the way
one speaks while amongst those in his home and the conversations he
partakes with his relatives is not the same manner in which he would speak
while in the presence of a mortal King.
Surely when one considers in his mind that the mighty King, The
Holy One blessed be his name, where the whole world is filled with his
glory, stands before him and sees his deeds, as it states: "If a man will
conceal his secrets and I will not see it, states Hashem; immediately the
fear and the proper awed train of thought of Hashem will descend upon him
and he will always be embarrassed before G-d. And one should not be ashamed before people who mock his
service to Hashem. Also, when one
is in private and when one lies on his bed, he should know before whom he
is lying and immediately his should arise with enthusiasm to
serve his creator and he will get up.]
- One
who wishes to get up early and pray before his creator should try to do so
at the times where the angels change shifts. This occurs after one third of the night, after two thirds
and after the night is over. The
prayer that one prays at those times should be concerning the destruction
of the Beis Hamikdash ( Holly Temple ) and on the exile.
- It is proper
for every G-d fearing person to be aggravated and worried about the
destruction of the Beis Hamikdash.
- It is
better for one to say only a few supplications with concentration then to
say many supplications without concentration.
- It is
a good idea to say the section on the binding of Yitzchak, the section
concerning the manna, the ten commandments and the chapter on the burnt offering (עולה
Olah), gift offering (מנחה Mincha), peace offering ( שׁלמים Shlamim), sin offering ( חטאת Chatas ) guilt offering ( אשׁם Asham).[ Only when one is alone it is permitted to say the ten commandments
whenever he wants but it is forbidden to say it in front of ten or more
men. ]
- The karbanot parshiot ( chapters of the
sacrifices) are only said during the day.
- When one finishes the the section of the
Olah, he should say "may it be your will that this should be considered
and accepted as if I brought an Olah."
Similarly, one should say a similar expression after reading the
section of the Mincha and the Shelamim since these can be brought by a
Nedava ( volunteerally ).
- One should recite after the sections of the
sacrifices the verse "And slaugher it on the side of the alter northward
before Hashem"
9. There are those who are
accustomed to saying the Parsha (chapter) of the Kiur ( washing basin ) followed by the parsha of the
Tamid ( continual offering ) and then the parshat of the offering of the Kitoret (Spice offering) and the Parsha of the making of the
Kitoret and its ingredients.
Translated by Jay Dinovitser. Free to distribute as long as you are not
making any profit off of it. I forbid posting this material on web
sites other than my own site. Anyone must link directly to my main
page. Although I have an extensive Yishiva background, I am not a Rabbi
nor the son of a Rabbi. If any difficulty should come up with the
accuracy of this translation, ask your local rabbinic authority and
notify me of any mistakes I made.
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