Reply To: Popa is Brave

You have Shabbos Pesukei D’zimra down?

Uhhh. Let’s just say I don’t need a siddur for the parts I come early enough to say. I think I actually know the mizmorim by heart, but sometimes need a prompt for which one is next.

And what about B’rich Shmeh?

I’ve known that since I was like 10.

What about Rosh Hashanah Mussaf?

No. But I know maariv, shachris, mincha.

Also, if you said V’yiten Lecha I guarantee you that you would pull out a Siddur every Motzai Shabbos

I would know it. I’ve read it a time or two, it doesn’t seem very complicated.

(what about Kiddush Levana, by the way).

Kiddush levana is the best example. It is so much easier not to have to hock around getting the card, and then taking it back inside. I’ve been saying that by heart for years.

Interesting, V’al Hanisim you have no problem saying by heart, although you do not say it from year to year.

However Tachnun which is said twice each week you take a siddur.

Certain things are harder than others. Tachanun is very confusing, since it is very repetitive, and shares similar prompts with other parts of davening. You can start in tachanun and end up saying psukei dzimra, or benching, or tashlich, or shiluach haken.

You don’t want to absentmindedly start shooing imaginary birds during tachanun.