DECEMBER 4 (OR 5) BEGIN SAYING V'SAYN TAL U'MATAR

1. Beginning in the Ma'ariv of December 4 (and some years on December 5) we include a special appeal for adequate rain in the weekday Sh'mone Esray. V'tayn tal u'matar is inserted within the b'racha of Barech Alaynu and is said throughout winter up until the first day of Pesach.

2. Most years we begin saying v'tayn tal u'matar in the Ma'ariv of December 4. When the next calendar year will be a leap year we begin on December 5.

3. Care should be exercised to meticulously rely on the printed word of the Siddur for one month beginning with December 4 (or 5) since a mistaken omission of v'tayn tal u'matar necessitates returning to the point of the omission, and, if realized only after the completion of the Sh'mone Esray, the entire Sh'mone Esray would have to be repeated.

4. If the omission is caught before the end of the Barech Alkaynu b'racha, return to v'tayn tal u'mater and complete the b'racha.

5. If Barech Alaynu was already concluded, the insertion may yet be made in Sh'ma Kolaynu b'racha, immediately before the words ki ata shomaya .