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May 26, 1998 - 01:30 -

I have a question:
A couple of questions: 1. In our minyan, we recite aloud the following:
Y'hei sh'mei ra-ba m'va-rach l'a-lam ul'al-mei al-ma-ya. [Yit-ba-rach]
Yit-ba-rach v'yish-ta-bach, v'yit-pa-ar v'yit-ro-mam v'yit-na-sei, v'yit-ha-dar v'yit-a-leh v'yit-ha-lal, sh'mei d'ku-d'sha, b'rich hu, (b'rich hu) .

1. Should we stop at "Yit-ba-rach," or is acceptable to continue until "b'richu?"
2. Is it acceptable/appropriate to read from a transliterate suddur during services?
3. During the Amidah, where is the part where you gently beat three times over your heart?
Thank you.    

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1. Should we stop at "Yit-ba-rach," or is acceptable to continue until "b'richu?"

The congregation stops at Yitbarach. The congregation then repeats "brich hu" after the Reader (The Cantor or the Mourners) says it. (Except that Sephardim and Chassidim say "Amen" rather than repeating "brich hu".)  

2. Is it acceptable/appropriate to read from a transliterated suddur during services?

Yes, as long as the prayers are sincerely offerred, and as long as the Hebrew text is also available so that the use of the transliteration is not seen as a satisfactory permanent alternative to learning the alphabet. In fact it is common for mourners to recite the kaddish from a transliteration, and similarly for the Torah-reading blessings.

Ideally, one should consult a translation at some point to insure that one has an idea of what one is saying when praying in Hebrew (with or without a transliteration).

3. During the Amidah, where is the part where you gently beat three times over your heart?

During the sixth benediction of the weekday Amidah (beginning "S'lach la-nu..."); to express repentence while requesting the ineffectuality of our past errors; at the words, "cha-ta-nu" (We have sinned.) and "fa-sha-'nu" (We have transgressed.).

--- Jordan