07 Sep Changes These Yomim Tovim Due to Covid-19

1. Shuls that must abridge Davening due to Covid-19

May suffice with the primary requirement to blow only 60 shofar blasts and not the final 40 at the end of Mussaf. La’Menatzeach can be said once before shofar and all Piyutim in Chazaras HaShatz on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur may be omitted; Viduy and the Avoda on Yom Kippur may not be omitted. Hineni may be said by the chazan quietly.

2. Without a Minyan, shofar is not blown at all during one’s private Shemona Esrei. When possible, it is preferable for Shofar to be blown before beginning Musaf, rather than aft erwards.

3. One who cannot attend Selichos with a Minyan may recite the 13 Midos Rachamim with a Minyan via Zoom.

4. Due to Covid-19 and a potential overcrowding, the minhag for men to use the mikvah before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur may also be fulfilled by taking a shower at home (this leniency would not apply to women who have to use the mikvah).

5. Hataras Nedarim may be done via Zoom, as long as the three members of the Beis Din who are matir neder are in the same location. The Beis Din members should be able to see who is requesting hatara, or at least be aware of how many people have approached them and are on Zoom requesting Hatara before they begin.

6. In a pressing situation (such as due to Covid-19), a minyan be be convened on Shabbos afternoon to Daven Mincha immediately before Plag HaMincha and Maariv immediately after Plag, although Melacha is still forbidden until the actual conclusion of Shabbos regardless. This can be done if it will be difficult for a Maariv Minyan to be convened outside in the dark. The local rabbi must determine if this is an appropriate practice for his community as it may mislead participants to believe that Shabbos has already concluded and melacha is permitted.

Sukkos Topics: Shifts in Communal Sukkahs, Eating Before Night the First Days of Sukkos (2020)

It is expected that an individual begin to plan and prepare the necessary arrangements for performance of any mitzvah thirty days in advance. If one has no shofar, machzor or sukkah locally, one must plan accordingly to ensure that they have the opportunity to fulfill these mitzvos. Due to the important consideration of social distancing, there are many communal sukkos that will be arranging multiple shifts for their membership to have a chance to eat in the sukkah. On the first two nights of Sukkos, we generally do not make kiddush or eat the meal before tzais hakochavim. However, this year there is room to be lenient to allow the first shift to accept Yom Tov early and make kiddush following davening. Ideally, the first shift should be sure to eat a kzayis of bread in the sukkah after tzais hakochavim. However, if it is necessary to begin the second shift before tzais hakochavim, one may be lenient to complete the meal entirely before tzais hakochavim. If there are many who need to use a communal sukkah and the shift s must be very short, each shift may make kiddush, eat bread and bentch, leaving the rest of the meal (fi sh, meat, vegetables, etc.) to be eaten inside at home (without bread). If one shift must wait a very long time for its turn, the delay may cause a situation of mitzta’er, and members of that shift are potentially exempt from sukkah. However, this would not apply on the first two nights of Sukkos, when even a mitzta’er must eat in the sukkah. Should there be rain, or a similar uncomfortable situation (on the first two nights of Sukkos) that affects the experience while sitting in the sukkah itself, the bracha of Leisheiv B’Sukkah should not be recited.