How to daven at home on Shabbos

Dear Beth Tfiloh,
 
I hope everyone is doing well. Below are guidelines for what tefillot (prayers) you should say when davening by yourself on Shabbat. Please remember that although it seems we are praying separately, we are in fact coming together as a community, praying the same words at the same time. The good news is that most of davening can be recited individually. The major exceptions are Torah reading, Kaddish, Barchu, and the repetition of the Amidah, including Kedushah.
 
Friday evening
We will be davening Mincha together at 6:30 pm but if you need to bring Shabbat in earlier, please make sure Kabbalat Shabbat begins after 6:04 pm.
 
  • For Kabbalat Shabbat, everything is recited as usual. I would encourage all of you to sing as much of Kabbalat Shabbat as you know, especially Lecha Dodi.
  • For Maariv, everything is the same until we finish the Amidah. After the Amidah, recite the next paragraph of Vayechulu, but afterwards skip to Aleinu. You may sing Yigdal.
 
Shabbat morning
 
  • Regular davening until Torah reading. Anim Zmirot is skipped without an Aron Kodesh (an Ark). 
  • As mentioned above, Torah reading is only an obligation when there is a minyan present, but it is worthwhile to read through it either in Hebrew if you can, or English. (I realize that it is a double parshah with a special maftir of HaChodesh, but again this part is optional. The Haftorah of Hachodesh is also optional.)
  • Of the three paragraphs which we recite after the Haftorah, beginning with Yekum Purkan, the second two are definitely not recited without a minyan because they refer to a community, but the first is a debate amongst the rabbis. If you wish to recite it, kudos to you!
  • The Av Harachamim paragraph is usually recited even when davening alone, but because this is a special Shabbos with a second Torah reading, this paragraph is skipped.
  • Continue with Ashrei and Musaf. You may sing Adon Olam at the end.
 
Shabbat afternoon
  • Regular Mincha without Torah reading.
  • We do recite the Va-ani Tefilloti line that we usually recite before removing the Torah. Please make sure mincha is completed by 7:20 pm.
 
Motzaei Shabbat (Post-Shabbat) davening:
 
  • Regular davening with Havdallah. Ideally, Maariv should be recited after 8:03.
 
Lastly, I encourage those of you who may in the past have skipped all or some of davening to daven a little bit more from now on. Those of you who have been reciting the entire davening, take a little bit of extra time and say the words slower and with more feeling.

Please remember that the Beth Tfiloh clergy is here and would love to hear from everyone Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Wishing everybody a healthy, restful, and wonderful Shabbos!
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Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School

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Baltimore’s only Jewish independent preparatory school serving PreSchool through Grade 12.