A woman’s obligation in tefilah

A woman is exempt from saying Kriyas Shema because it is a time-bound mitzvah. She should, however, be mekabel ol malchus shomayim daily by saying the pasuk of Shema Yisroel. Some poskim encourage women to say the entire Shema. Women do have tefilah obligations, including Birchos Hashachar, Birchos HaTorah, Pesukei D’Zimrah and Shemoneh Esrei. According to some Achronim, women are also obligated to mention yetzias Mitzrayim. This opinion holds that women are obligated to recite the after-brochos of Shema (both daytime and nighttime), since these brochos were instituted as part of the mitzvah of zechiras yetzias Mitzrayim as well as the mitzva to connect geulah to tefila. Other Achronim say that mentioning yetzias Mitzrayim is a time-bound mitzvah, and a woman is exempt from it. It would follow that she is also exempt from the brochos after Shema. In any case, a woman may choose to daven the entire davening--even the passages that she is exempt from.

סעיף א, ס"ק ב, ד ו־ה, ושעה"צ ס"ק ג ו־ד; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו 3,8,13,15,17,18

Does a child have to wake up early to say Kriyas Shema?

The Rishonim disagree about whether there is an obligation of chinuch for the mitzvah of Kriyas Shema. Some say that there is not, since a child is not usually with his father during the nighttime and early morning hours that he recites Kriyas Shema.   Although the halacha follows the lenient opinion, one should try to be stringent. Birchos Kriyas Shema has the same status as Shema with respect to this halacha. Once a child is twelve, all agree that there is an obligation of chinuch. Aside from the mitzvah of Kriyas Shema, a father is obligated to teach his son the pasuk of Shema Yisroel from the time that he knows how to speak. This is part of a father’s responsibility to teach his son Torah. Chazal singled out this pasuk in order to implant the foundations of emunah in children.

סעיף ב, ס"ק ו-ט, וביה"ל ד"ה קטנים ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 19 ו־22

Does a child have to daven?

All opinions agree that there is an obligation of chinuch for the mitzvah of tefilah. For most mitzvos, chinuch begins when a child reaches the age of six or seven. Regarding tefilah, however, the poskim say that that we do not take an exacting approach. A child is not expected to fully daven at that age; instead, the obligation only begins when he knows how to daven. Knowing how to daven means being able to say each word, without adding to or subtracting from the davening. A child of six or seven generally does not have the acumen to daven in such a fashion. Children can be taught how to daven incrementally, according to their abilities and the teaching skill of their parents. A young child should be taught to answer Amen when hearing a brocha.

ס"ק ט; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 27-26

• A person who arrived late to shul and did not hear Kaddish, Borchu or Kedusha may daven Pesukei D’zimrah together with Yishtabach, and--if there are still nine people in shul--he can then recite Kaddish and Borchu.

• If a person arrives late but does not think that nine people will wait for him to say the entire Pesukei D’zimrah, he should say a shortened version--consisting of Boruch She’amar, Ashrei and Yishtabach. If people will not even wait for that, he should say a few pesukim and go directly to Kaddish and Borchu.

• If there is a shul which always has a primary minyan and occasionally a second minyan, the chazan of the second minyan should not stand in the place of the chazan of the first minyan if there are still people remaining from the first minyan. 

• When is it forbidden to eat before Mincha?

• May one complete a task before reciting Kriyas Shema?

• Is a public servant exempt from Shema?