6079 – Give us Understanding?
Q. ברשות הרב הנחמד. Con el amable permiso del rabino.
I understand a person should avoid davening the prayer of (Havinenu) הביננו, but if a person knows that he can't make davening Shmonah Esrah on time, as being close to chatzos (midday), is it better for him to say that Habinenu short prayer, or even just to say Shmonah Esrah without saying pesokei dezimrah is better?
A. Havinenu (often transliterated as Habivenu (give us love) or Havineinu) (give us understanding), is a condensed version of all the middle 13 blessings of the weekday Amidah, (the central standing prayer in Jewish common praying).
It is to be used as an emergency or short-form prayer when a person was short on time, in a dangerous location, or lacks the concentration needed to recite the full Shemoneh Esrei. (19 blessings) It was used mainly in the early times of the Gemara, when in cases of great need, one would say the abridged Shmoneh Esrei called Havinenu.
See next question.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by, Horav Shlomo Miller, Horav Yaakov Hirschman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit’a, and Horav Dovid Bartfeld consulting, Horav Hagaon Rav Yitzchak Berkowitz Shlit’a
Reviewed by: Hagaon Rav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
Published: September 6, 2026