Laws of rising in the morning — and it contains 9 seifim: One should strengthen himself like a lion (yitgaber kaari) to rise in the morning and serve his Creator, to the point of being the one who awakens the dawn. — Hagahos HaRama: In any case, one should not delay past the time the tzibbur prays (Tur). — Rama: "I place Hashem before me at all times" (שויתי ה' לנגדי תמיד) is a great principle of the Torah and a level of the tzaddikim: a person's bearing when alone at home is not that which he would have before a great king; all the more so when he sets in his heart that the great King, the Holy One blessed be He, whose glory fills the whole earth, stands over him and sees his deeds — at once awe and humility come upon him (Moreh Nevuchim III:52). And as soon as he awakens from his sleep, let him rise with alacrity (zerizus) for the service of his Creator, blessed and exalted be He (Tur).
The 4 levels of study — Siman א׳, 9 seifim
01
Available
רמת המתחיל
Level 1 — Beginner & Intermediate
Vocalized Hebrew text of the 9 seifim with fluent English translation. Pedagogical explanation: rising with strength for the service of the Creator, the principle shiviti Hashem lenegdi tamid, tikkun chatzos, and the order of the morning korbanos. Modern practical cases.
In-depth pilpul: shiviti Hashem lenegdi tamid as the yesod of yiras shamayim (Moreh Nevuchim, Mussar, Chabad/Tanya), zerizus in avodah and the Rama's "do not delay the tefilah", the meaning of the mishmaros and tikkun chatzos, me'at be-kavanah versus quantity, and the order of amiras korbanos (the be-yachid ruling for the Ten Commandments per the Rashba).
Structured summary for review and memorization: the chain of rising (yitgaber kaari → zerizus → zman hatefilah), the great principle shiviti Hashem lenegdi tamid, the hours of the mishmaros, the quality of kavanah, and the order of the morning parshiyos (Akeida, Mann, Aseres haDibros, korbanos). Practical cases and conduct le-maaseh.
The Choulhan Aroukh HaRav of the Admour HaZaken on Orach Chaim siman 1: full text, the originality and strength of the psak relative to the Mechaber and the Rama, the chiddush unique to the Rav, the yesod of shiviti Hashem lenegdi tamid developed in the way of Chabad (Tanya, avodah she-balev), and conduct le-maaseh.
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To strengthen oneself like a lion for the service of the Creator; to be "the one who awakens the dawn" and to rise with zerizus. The Rama: do not delay past the time the tzibbur prays.
שִׁוִּיתִי ה' לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד
Constant awareness
The great principle (kelal gadol) of the Torah: a person's conduct when alone ≠ before a great king; all the more so before the King whose glory fills the earth (Moreh Nevuchim III:52).
תִּקּוּן חֲצוֹת · מִשְׁמָרוֹת
Watches of the night
To aim for the hours when the mishmaros change (third, two-thirds, end of the night); the tefilah over the churban and the galus is favorable. Every God-fearing person grieves over the churban.
מְעַט בְּכַוָּנָה
Quality of kavanah
"Better a little supplication with kavanah than much without kavanah." The foundation of avodah she-balev: the quality of intent outweighs quantity.
אֲמִירַת פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת
Akeida · Mann · Ten Commandments
It is good to say the Akeida, the parashas haMann, and the Aseres haDibros. The Rama: the Ten Commandments only be-yachid, not be-tzibbur (Rashba siman 184).
פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת
The order of the korbanos
Olah, Mincha, Shelamim, Chatas, Asham — by day only (cf. siman 47:13). The "yehi ratzon" after the parashas haOlah; "u-neshalmah parim sefateinu".
Structure of the Siman — the 9 seifim
Seif
Subject
Theme
Detail
א׳
יתגבר כארי
Strength upon rising
To strengthen oneself like a lion; the Rama: shiviti Hashem lenegdi tamid, a great principle, and not to delay the tefilah of the tzibbur.
ב׳–ג׳
משמרות · חורבן
Tikkun chatzos
To aim for the hours when the mishmaros change; the tefilah over the churban and the galus is favorable; to grieve over the churban of the Beis haMikdash.
ד׳
מעט בכוונה
Kavanah
Better a little supplication with kavanah than much without kavanah.
ה׳–ו׳
אמירת פרשיות
Akeida · Mann · korbanos
It is good to say the Akeida, Mann, Aseres haDibros, and the korbanos; the Ten Commandments be-yachid (Rashba 184); the korbanos by day only (siman 47:13).
ז׳–ט׳
סדר הקרבנות
✦ The order of the morning
"Yehi ratzon" after the parashas haOlah, likewise Mincha/Shelamim (nedavah); "ve-shachat oso... tzafonah lifnei Hashem"; minhag to say the Kiyor, terumas hadeshen, haTamid, and samanei haketores.
Shiviti Hashem lenegdi tamid — the development of the yesod
Source
Register
Contribution
Central idea
מורה נבוכים ח״ג פנ״ב
Thought — Rishonim
The Rama's source
The constant awareness of standing before the great King immediately gives rise to awe and humility.
הרמ״א
Halacha — opening of the Choulhan Aroukh
A great principle of the Torah
Private conduct should be that which one would have before a great king: the foundation of yiras shamayim in daily life.
תניא · אדמו״ר הזקן
Chabad — avodah she-balev
✦ Daat HaRav
The yesod of "melo chol ha-aretz kevodo" developed in the way of Chabad: the constant awareness of the Presence as the avodah of thought. See Level 4 (Daat HaRav).
Frequently asked questions — Siman א׳
What does Siman 1 of the Choulhan Aroukh require upon rising in the morning?
According to the Choulhan Aroukh, Orach Chaim 1:1, one should strengthen himself like a lion (yitgaber kaari) to rise in the morning and serve his Creator, to the point of being the one who awakens the dawn. As soon as he awakens from his sleep, he rises with alacrity (zerizus) for the service of his Creator. The Rama adds that in any case one should not delay past the time the tzibbur prays.
What does "שויתי ה' לנגדי תמיד" mean and why is it a great principle of the Torah?
The Rama (in the name of the Moreh Nevuchim III:52) teaches that "שויתי ה' לנגדי תמיד" ("I place Hashem before me at all times") is a great principle (kelal gadol) of the Torah and of the conduct of the tzaddikim. A person's bearing when alone at home is not the same as before a great king; all the more so when he sets in his heart that the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, whose glory fills the earth, stands over him and sees his deeds — from which awe and humility immediately arise.
What is tikkun chatzos and the hours of the משמרות (mishmaros)?
One who rises early to entreat his Creator (Orach Chaim 1:2) aims for the hours when the watches of the night (mishmaros) change — at the third of the night, at two-thirds, and at the end of the night. The tefilah said at those hours over the churban of the Beis haMikdash and the galus is favorable. The Choulhan Aroukh adds (1:3) that it befits every God-fearing person to grieve over the churban of the Temple.
Which parshiyos are said in the morning, and why are the Aseres haDibros only be-yachid?
It is good (Orach Chaim 1:5) to say the parashas haAkeida, the parashas haMann, the Aseres haDibros, and the parshiyos of the korbanos (Olah, Mincha, Shelamim, Chatas, Asham). The Rama specifies that the Aseres haDibros are said only individually (be-yachid), not in public (be-tzibbur) — based on the teshuvah of the Rashba siman 184 — so as not to give credence to the notion that only the Ten Commandments are the Torah.
Are the korbanos said only by day, and what is said after the parashas haOlah?
The parshiyos of the korbanos are said only by day (Orach Chaim 1:6; cf. siman 47, seif 13). After the parashas haOlah, one says the "yehi ratzon": that it be considered and accepted as if one had offered an olah; one does the same after the Mincha and Shelamim, which come as a voluntary offering (nedavah). One also says with the korbanos the verse "ושחט אותו על ירך המזבח צפונה לפני ה'".