At home

This page contains Minhagim “at home”. These cannot be found in the older Seder Hazzanut books nor in the recordings, as these were made by Chazzanim, focusing on the communal services.

Recordings: NN (tape 6a), AAV, DZB, SRP, NRP, DNN, JBS

*Note: Due to the fact that Bendigamos may be considered as a Portuguese version of Bessam (Birkat haMazon; it has all aspects required) we only sing it after the Bessam. Mind that a similar reasoning can be held for the Ashkenazi song צור משלו, which is sung by certain groups only after the Benching. See the paper with Bendigamos, as brought to Holland in the 1950’s from NY by HPS, found in a Moadim book from my mother ז”ל.  Remarkable, it has both צור משל and Bendigamos.
*Remark: The melody for Betset Yisrael and Tefilat Tal is very similar to the melody of Hatikvah. According to some, this melody from the 17th century is (one of) the source(s) for Hatikvah. Probably Nabarro (NN) got a little confused. The second recording is correct. Listen to sample NN for Tefilat Tal with the right melody.

Some general rules

	We keep one hour between meat and milk, but both must be in separate meals (see חולין ק”ה א תוספות ד”ה לסעודתא וכן שו”ע יו”ד פ”ט סעיף א ברמ”א)
	On Sukkot, the Berachah לישב בסוכה is only recited when bread is eaten, just after the המציא. On Shabbat and Yom Tov, when Kiddush is made, לישב בסוכה is said after the Kiddush, but must be followed by המציא later.
	On Shemini Atzeret we eat all meals in the Sukkah with an open roof but without the Berachah לישב בסוכה. Although not mandatory, we do make המציא at the communal Kiddush after the serves.
	See also Portuguese Minhagim (Amsterdam Portuguese customs, in Dutch, Haham Pereira – SRP) and copy of original