Revised Halachos of Davening Alone

Davening Alone

We are all aware that due to the present situation, we are without the ability to daven in Shul with a minyon. Here are some halachos about living in our new reality.

1. Try to either daven k’vasikin (what you get to Shmona Esrai at sunrise) or continue to daven at your normal minyon time (this is a good Mussar idea to keep on schedule for the time iy”h, when the situation is resolve).
2. Though we are davening privately, we should still dress properly as befits Tefilla (wearing foot wear, no torn or ripped clothes etc) .
3. When saying Shma, say El Melch Neeman (according to minhag Ashkenaz) before starting Shma.
4. When saying the Kedusha whether before Shma or in U’Va L’Tzion – it is better to say it with the “trop” (for Kadosh Kadosh it’s in Yishaya 6:3, for Boruch Kevod it’s in Yechezkel 3:12, HaS Yimloch is Shemos 15:11).
5. Say Tachanun while sitting (do not “fall” Tachanun unless there is a Torah present). As usual stand up when you get to V’anachnu lo nayda”.
6. For Mincha and Maariv one should not eat or work once the Tefilla time arrives. To avoid an issue, one should appoint a “shomer” (someone who has either davened already or one who technically does not have to daven) to remind one to daven.
7. Any part of davening which is in Aramaic, like Yekum Porkan on Shabbos, should be omitted.
8. On Shabbos we daven as normal. Of course we do not have Krias HaTorah so one should go over the parsha using a Chumash instead to whatever degree possible). Mussaf should be said as usual, same applies to Mincha.
9. One can recite Birchas HaChodesh on Shabbos Mevarchim (Shabbos before Rosh Chodesh)

Though we are presently under these circumstances , HaS desires our Tefillos, and our Tefillos are more important in these times. We should rise to the occasion and intensify our kavana so that when this is over we can daven b’tzibur with our new, increased kavana.