Mishna Berura for kids

Siman 1, se’if by se’if

• Se’if 1

  יתגבר כארי לעמוד בבוקר…

  He should strengthen himself like a lion to get up in the morning…

  The very first rule in the Shulchan Aruch is about waking up! It says to be brave and strong like a lion, even when you feel sleepy and want to stay in bed.

• Se’if 2

  המשכים להתחנן לפני בוראו…

  One who rises early to plead before his Creator should aim for the times when the watches change, which are at the end of the first third of the night, at the end of the second third of the night, and at the end of the night. For prayer that a person prays at those times over the destruction of the Temple and over the exile is especially favored.

  The night is split into three parts, called "watches." Some people wake up at those special times to pray that the Beit HaMikdash will be rebuilt and that the Jewish people will come home. Prayers said then are especially dear to Hashem.

• Se’if 6

  פרשיות הקרבנות לא יאמר…

  The passages of the korbanot should be said only…

  Se'if 6 starts here. It's about when to say the parts of the Torah about the korbanot (offerings).

• Se’if 7

  כשיסיים פרשת העולה יאמר…

  When he finishes the passage of the olah, he should say: "May it be Your will that this be considered and accepted as if I had brought an olah." And he should say the same after the passages of the minchah and the shelamim, because they…

  Se'if 7: after saying the olah passage, we ask Hashem to count it as if we really brought the korban!

• Se’if 8

  יאמר…

  (Se'if 8:) He should say…

  Se'if 8 starts here. It tells us one special pasuk to add.

• Se’if 9

  יש נוהגין לומר פ'…

  (Se'if 9:) Some have the custom to say the passage of the kiyor (the washing basin), then the passage of terumat hadeshen (removing the ashes), then the passage of the tamid (the daily offering), then the passage of the altar for burning the ketoret, and the passage of the spices of the ketoret and how it was made.

  Some people add even more Torah passages in the morning: about the kohen washing his hands, clearing the ashes, the daily korban, and the special incense called the ketoret. That's the order the kohanim did their jobs in the Beit HaMikdash every morning!