Nefillat Apayim and the Prayers of Supplication / The Uniqueness of the Nefillat Apayim Prayer

After the conclusion of the Amidah, it is customary to “fall on one’s face” (Nefillat Apayim) and recite prayers of supplication (Tachanun) before Hashem. By doing so, we fulfill the mitzvah of prayer in all of its positions – Birkot Keriat Shema while sitting, Shemoneh Esrei while standing, and the prayers of supplication that follow, in prostration. We learn this from Moshe Rabbeinu, who prayed in those three positions on behalf of the nation of Israel after the sin of the Golden Calf, as it is written, “I sat on the mountain” (Deuteronomy 9:9);  “I stood on the mountain” (ibid., 10:10); and  “I threw myself down before Hashem” (ibid., 9:25). So too, we in our prayers, after having prayed while sitting and standing, are left with a feeling that we have not yet expressed everything, that we have not yet broken down the barriers completely, so we  prostrate ourselves in submission to the Master of the Universe (see Tur 131).

Nefillat Apayim possesses a special power and is the most effective prayer in times of trouble. An illustration of this can be found in the dispute of Korach and his followers, when Hashem told Moshe and Aharon, “Separate yourselves from this group and I will destroy them in an instant.” They immediately understood the need to pray intensely. Therefore, they prayed in prostration, as it is written, “They fell on their faces and prayed, ‘Omnipotent God of all living souls, if one man sins, shall You direct Divine wrath at the entire community?’” (Numbers 16:21-22). From the intensity of their prayer recited in prostration, the decree was overturned.

Nefillat Apayim is so powerful because it expresses one’s complete surrender  towards the Creator until a person reaches total sacrifice of his soul. It is as if the person is saying to the Master of the Universe, “All my senses and organs are void before You. Do to me as You will, for I am all Yours.” Therefore, with the prayer of Nefillat Apayim it is possible to repair flaws which cannot be rectified through regular prayer (see Zohar Numbers 120:2).

In Nefillat Apayim, there is also an expression of shame towards Heaven. After having prayed the Amidah, in which we were engaged in the greatness of the Blessed One, and in which we presented all our requests, here we are, embarrassed to show our faces. How did we dare stand before Him in prayer? Therefore, we fall on our faces. Furthermore, Nefillat Apayim conveys the sorrow which derives from repentance, for due to the anguish over our wrongdoings, we cannot lift our faces (see Rabbeinu Bechaye Numbers 16:22).

Nefillat Apayim and the Prayers of Supplication / The Custom of Its Recital

Despite its great virtue, the Chachamim did not establish Nefillat Apayim to be an obligatory prayer, and they did not institute a set wording for it. Anyone who so desired would add prayers of supplication in prostration after reciting the Amidah. Perhaps specifically because of its superior value, being that it expresses total submission to the Creator, May He Be Blessed, it is befitting that it emanates from the heart, from one’s most inner resolve.

During the period of the Geonim, a permanent wording for Nefillat Apayim, and the prayers of supplication after the Amidah, began to take shape. In the time of the Rishonim, the wording became established, until all Jews accepted upon themselves the obligation to recite certain specific supplications. Seemingly, as a result of the suffering of the Diaspora, which continued to intensify, our hearts were dulled. This necessitated the introduction of a permanent wording of supplication. Because the nusach of the supplications became widespread only after the scattering of the exiles, the differences between the Sephardic and Ashkenazic wordings are more pronounced.

The Nefillat Apayim prayer expresses heartbreak, manifested by the submission of one’s body and sacrifice of one’s soul. Therefore, it is not recited on holidays, or days of joy due to the celebration of a special mitzvah like a brit milah. The kabbalists explain that all the tikkunim (rectifications) performed on regular days via the Nefillat Apayim prayer are achieved on days of a mitzvah celebration purely through the joyous sanctity of the day (Kaf HaChaim 131:54). Additionally, when those celebrating such a joyous mitzvah are present in the synagogue, prayers of supplication are not recited (as explained in halachot 7 and 8). We have already learned that, in principle, there is no obligation to recite Tachanun, and therefore in any situation in which there is doubt as to whether Tachanun should be said, the instruction is not to recite it.¹

footnotes: ¹ The Tur section 131 writes in the name of Rav Natrunai Gaon that since Nefillat Apayim is voluntary, it is customary not to recite it in the house of a chatan (groom), as writes Shut HaRivash 412 in the name of Rav Sar Shalom GaonRabbi Yitzchak Ibn Giat proves this with the story from Bava Metzia 59b about Imma Shalom, Rabbi Eliezer’s wife, who would not let Rabbi Eliezer say prayers of supplication after the Amidah so as not to cause harm to her brother, Rabban Gamliel. It is from here we learn that it is not an obligatory prayer. Other Rishonim and Acharonim have written this as well. Birkei Yosef 131:13 and Sha’ar HaTzion 131:15 write that in any case of uncertainty, it is better not to recite Nefillat Apayim, since it is voluntary.

Similarly, in a house of mourning, it is customary not to recite Tachanun, since the Divine attribute of judgment (midat hadin) is present there, and care should be taken not to amplify it (Mishnah Berurah 131:20). The idea behind this is that the person praying Nefillat Apayim demonstrates to himself that his existence is dependent on Hashem, and that he is null and void in relation to Him. Since a mourner already has an acute sense of this, it is unnecessary to add to it.

Nefillat Apayim and the Prayers of Supplication / What Is Nefillat Apayim?

At first, it was customary to perform the Nefillat Apayim prayer by prostrating or by bowing down. Prostration means that the person drops his whole body to the ground, and spreads out his hands and feet. Bowing means that the person gets down on his knees, bends his head forward, and rests it down on the ground (Berachot 34b; Rambam Tefillah 5:13-14).

However, due to a number of concerns, the custom to pray Nefillat Apayim by bowing down or prostrating oneself on the ground was annulled. Some of the reasons are halachic, dealing with the prohibition against prostrating oneself on a stone floor; and the prohibition of an important person falling on his face before the congregation without a guarantee that he will be answered like Yehoshua bin Nun.²

footnotes: ² The basis for the prohibition to prostrate oneself on a kneeling stone is brought in Megillah 22b and it is cited by the Rama 131:8. The Mishnah Berurah 131:40 explains that the biblical prohibition entails prostrating oneself on a stone floor, as it is written (Leviticus 26:1), “Do not place a kneeling stone in your land upon which to prostrate yourselves.” This prohibition has two conditions: 1) prostration, and 2) a stone floor. The Chachamim instituted a prohibition even when only one condition exists, meaning that prostration is forbidden even on a floor that is not made of stone, and even just bowing down on a stone floor is forbidden. Chazal do permit bowing down on a floor that is not made of stone. If there are stones there, one may bow by leaning on his side, or by making a separation between his head and the floor, with a towel or the like. Likewise, it is permissible to prostrate oneself on a floor without stones provided that one leans slightly on his side. There is uncertainty as to whether one may prostrate oneself on a stone floor using a separation. See Sha’ar HaTzion 44.Further, Chazal write in Megillah 22b that a prominent person is forbidden to fall on his face unless he knows for certain that he will be answered as was Yehoshua bin Nun, and that is how the Shulchan Aruch 131:8 rules. However, when he is alone, the Tosafot write based on the Yerushalmi, that it is permissible, and so writes the Beit Yosef in the name of some Rishonim. Similarly, the Mishnah Berurah 38 rules that the prohibition applies when he is the only one falling on his face in front of the congregation, like Yehoshua bin Nun. In a situation such as that one, were he not answered, he would feel ashamed, for those who see him would think he is not worthy. Still, it can be inferred from the Rambam that the prohibition for a prominent person applies even when he is alone. The Meiri explains that this prohibition is to prevent one from considering himself overly pious. See Yad Peshutah on Rambam Tefillah 5:14 where he brings the responsa of Rav Sherira Gaon and Rav Hai Gaon, which implies that when the congregation would prostrate themselves or bow down on the ground, the rabbis would elevate themselves slightly from the floor and turn their faces to the side, and the most prominent rabbis would not bow down at all. Perhaps also for this reason, the custom not to prostrate oneself or bow down, spread throughout the rest of the nation.

Still, the main reason is written in the Zohar (Numbers 121:1), which greatly reinforces the virtue of Nefillat Apayim, during which the person praying must sacrifice his soul to Hashem and view himself as if he has left the world, thereby atoning for all his sins. “This restorative act must be performed with great kavanah of one’s heart. Then HaKadosh Baruch Hu has mercy on him and absolves his sins. Great is the person who knows how to entice his Master and eagerly serve Him with kavanah of the heart. Woe to the one who entices his Master with a distant heart bereft of desire. As it is written (Psalms 78:36-7), ‘They beguiled Him with their mouths and lied to Him with their tongue, for their heart was untrue to Him.’ He says, ‘I lift my soul up to You’ (Psalms 25:1), but his words emanate from a distant heart, and that causes him to leave this world before his time.” Since we are concerned that perhaps we are unable to have the necessary full kavanah and are unworthy, we refrain from prostrating ourselves, or from bowing down.

In practice, it is the custom of all Ashkenazim and some Sephardim to bend down and cover their faces on the shirtsleeve of their arm. By doing so, one maintains a certain aspect of Nefillat Apayim, for that is a type of bow, yet it is not a complete bow, and there is no fear of prostration on a stone floor (Bei’ur Halachah 131:1). Perhaps so as not to encounter the danger mentioned in the Zohar, Ashkenazim were accustomed not to recite the psalm “Eilecha Hashem Nafshi Essa” (“I lift my soul up to You”) (Psalm 25), which is explained in the Zohar to mean the surrender of one’s soul, and instead they recite Psalm 6 (Magen Avraham 131:5). Those who follow the Ben Ish Chai are careful not to fall on their faces at all, and that is how many people from Eidot HaMizrach practice.³

footnotes: ³ The Ben Ish Chai Ki Tisa 13, writes that perhaps just resting one’s head on his arm is to a certain degree what the Zohar intended, that whoever does not have the proper kavanah is endangering his life. Therefore, “It is good that every person refrain from placing his face on his arm and he should not change his position in any way.” So writes the Yechaveh Da’at, part 6, end of section 7. However, the Shulchan Aruch 131:1 rules that one must fall on his face, and that is the opinion of the Chida as well. Even the Kaf HaChaim 131:31 writes that anyone who does not intend to lower his soul to the forces of evil in order to purify them, but rather solely intends to surrender his soul for the sake of Torah observance and the fulfillment of mitzvot, does not endanger himself. It is written in the SiddurOd Avinu Chai (based on Rav Rakach) that the minhag of all the North African ethnic groups (Spanish emigrants) was to fall on their faces. In practice, every person should follow his own family’s minhag

Nefillat Apayim and the Prayers of Supplication / How to Perform Nefillat Apayim

As mentioned, according to the Ashkenazic minhag, and of some Sephardim, Nefillat Apayim is performed by lowering one’s head and leaning it on the arm. In the opinion of the Shulchan Aruch, one always falls on his left arm. According to the Rama, in the morning, when one’s tefillin is placed on his left arm, he falls on his right arm, and at Minchah, he falls on his left arm – this is the Ashkenazic custom (Shulchan Aruch and Rama 131:1; Mishnah Berurah 6).

When falling on the left arm, we tilt our faces slightly to the right, so as not to point them straight down to the floor. Similarly, when we fall on the right arm, we tilt our faces slightly to the left. We practice this just as it was practiced when people were accustomed to actually prostrating themselves on the ground, for in those times, they tilted their faces as a “fence” against the prohibition of prostrating oneself on a stone floor (Mishnah Berurah 131:40; Bei’ur Halachah 131:1).

It is customary to cover one’s face with clothing. It is not sufficient to conceal one’s head with his arm, since the arm and the face are one body, and the body cannot cover itself (Mishnah Berurah 131:3). The main purpose of this covering is for the sake of modesty, like that of a person who hides his face from Hashem out of trepidation and shame. One who is wearing short sleeves, and has a handkerchief, should place it on his arm and place his face on it. However, if he does not have a handkerchief, he may fall on his bare arm, but not on his palm, since it is impossible to hide one’s face with one’s palm. If there is a table there, he rests his arm and head on it, and the table is considered the main cover for his face.⁴

footnotes: ⁴ The Bei’ur Halachah 131:1 clarifies that with the way we fall on our faces today, there is no concern of transgressing the prohibition of prostrating oneself on a kneeling stone, since our heads are very far away from the floor. Therefore, even if the floor is made of stone, it is not forbidden, since there are two differences here from the biblical prohibition: 1) this is not prostration, and 2) one’s face is not touching the ground. If so, the custom to lean on one’s side exists to remember the minhag when people were accustomed to bowing down completely on the ground, and if the floor was stone, they would have to bow with their head to the side. According to this, even the covering of one’s face does not serve as a separation between one’s face and the ground; rather the falling on one’s face is to hide his face in shame. Perhaps even the covering of oneself with clothing is to remember the fact that they used to bow down completely on the ground, for then if it was a stone floor, one could either turn his face or make a separation between himself and the floor. However, from the Magen Avraham 131, paragraphs 2 and 20, it can be inferred that even when one’s face is far from the ground, it is still considered bowing down, and therefore he is obligated to lean on his side or make a separation between his face and the ground. The Bei’ur Halachah questions this, and it is his view that nowadays, the custom to lean exists only to remember the custom of bowing down.If so, when one does not have a sleeve or piece of fabric, it seems that he may cover his face with his bare arm, for not having fabric does not prevent one from fulfilling his obligation. If there is a table or lectern (shtender) there, it is best that one rest his head on his arm far into the depth of the table, so that the table can also be considered a cover for his face. Some lean on their watches and use them as a separation, though there is no reason for this, since a watch cannot cover one’s face. Even according to the Magen Avraham it is not considered to be a separation due to its small size. On the contrary, the kabbalists maintain that one must not lean on the palm of his hand at all, for on it are recorded all of his sins (Kaf HaChaim 131:47; Piskei Teshuvot, note 34), and one’s watch is close to his palm.See Piskei Teshuvot 131, note 31, where he writes that according to the Magen Avraham, who maintains that the cover is intended to separate between one’s face and the floor, it is not enough to rest one’s forehead on his sleeve, for if he does, he will be facing the floor without a separation. Instead, one must cover his face with his arm. If there is a table there, he may lean his forehead on his arm and then the table is considered a separation between his face and the floor. Further, according to the Magen Avraham, it is permissible to hold a siddur between one’s face and the ground which would effectively divide between them. Still, we learned that the Mishnah Berurah rules that there is no need for a divider here; rather it is merely a continuation of a custom from the time that people actually bowed down on the floor. However, concerning a covering, it is, indeed, proper that the main part of one’s face be covered.

It is customary to perform Nefillat Apayim only in places where a Torah scroll is present, or even other printed sifrei kodesh (sacred texts). In a place in which there are no sacred texts, the prayer is recited while sitting, without falling on one’s arm.

When Nefillat Apayim is performed in the rooms adjacent to the synagogue, which do not contain a Torah scroll or sacred books, if it is possible to see the aron kodesh (holy ark) from there, one falls on his face. However, when the aron kodesh cannot be seen, the prayer is recited while sitting.⁵

footnotes: ⁵ The Roke’ach 324 writes that Nefillat Apayim is only performed in a place where there is a Torah scroll, but the Beit Yosef questions his words. The Chida concludes from this that it is the opinion of the Shulchan Aruch that one may fall on his face even in a place where there is no Torah scroll. (In practice, however, many Sephardim are accustomed to not falling on their faces at all.) The Rama 131:2 rules like the Roke’ach. In the rooms adjacent to the synagogue, if the aron kodesh can be seen, one falls on his face (Mishnah Berurah 13). Even sifrei kodesh can be considered like a Torah scroll according to the majority of Acharonim, as written in Siddur Olat Ra’ayah  p. 302, paragraph 4.

In Jerusalem, it is customary to perform Nefillat Apayim even in a place without sacred texts, since the sanctity of the city serves as a substitute for the texts.⁶

footnotes: ⁶ According to Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, this only applies to the Old City. Still, Rav Tikochinsky writes this about the entire city of Jerusalem, as is written in Siddur Olat Ra’ayah p. 302. Since we learned that there are poskim who completely disagree with the Roke’ach, and according to them there is no need for a Torah scroll at all, in every case of uncertainty concerning this law, it is permissible to follow those who maintain that one may fall on his face, especially since that is the opinion of the majority of poskim.

In a place where it is impossible for someone to recite the Nefillat Apayim prayer while sitting, such as in a place without a chair, or in a place in which another person is praying the Amidah directly behind him and he cannot go elsewhere, he may stand (Mishnah Berurah 131:10). It is best that one leans against a wall in such a way that without it he would fall, so that his prayer is considered to be recited partially sitting and partially in the position of Nefillat Apayim (Kaf HaChaim 38).

Nefillat Apayim and the Prayers of Supplication / The Thirteen Attributes of Mercy

After Hashem forgave Israel for the sin of the Golden Calf, and even agreed that Israel would be favored among all the nations in its special connection with Him, Moshe Rabbeinu implored, “Please let me have a vision of Your glory.” Hashem replied, “I will make all My good pass before you, and reveal the Divine Name in your presence,” meaning, I will disclose to you My Holy Name that is revealed to the world; however, it is impossible to grasp My essence, “For a person cannot see Me and live” (Exodus 33:18-20). “Hashem descended in a cloud, and stood there with Moshe, and he (Moshe) called out in Hashem’s Name. Hashem passed before him and proclaimed (Hashem called out and revealed His Names to Moshe), ‘Hashem, Hashem, merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, with tremendous kindness and truth. He remembers deeds of kindness for thousands [of generations], forgiving sin, iniquity, and error, and He cleanses’” (Exodus 34:5-7). These are the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy.

Rabbi Yochanan said, “Were the verse not written, it would be impossible to say it. This teaches us that HaKadosh Baruch Hu wrapped Himself like a chazan and demonstrated to Moshe the order of the prayer. He said to him, ‘Any time that Israel sins, let them perform before Me this procedure and I will forgive them’” (Rosh HaShanah 17b).

With the acceptance of faith on the most supreme level, attained by reciting the Thirteen Attributes, we connect to Hashem in such a profound and exalted manner that our sins become marginal and exterior. In that state, atonement is achieved.

Therefore, in Selichot, on fast days and Yom Kippur, the Thirteen Attributes are recited numerous times in the prayer service. The customs vary regarding their recital on weekdays. According to the Ashkenazic and Yemenite (Baladi) minhagim, they are recited only on Mondays and Thursdays since those are the appropriate days for saying prayers of supplication. According to the Sephardic minhag (including Sephard-Chassidi), based on the Ari, they are recited every time there is Nefillat Apayim.

The recital of the Thirteen Attributes is considered a matter of sanctity and therefore necessitates a minyan. One who prays individually is not permitted to recite them; however, he is allowed to read them with cantillation signs as one reading the Torah (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 565:5; Mishnah Berurah 12). Whoever has not yet succeeded in finishing “Kel erech apayim” before the congregation reaches the Thirteen Attributes must stop and join in with the congregation. As long as the congregation has not yet finished reciting the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, he may still join them. However, if they have already finished, he is considered to be reciting them as an individual (Ben Ish Chai, Ki Tisa 4).

Nefillat Apayim and the Prayers of Supplication / The Passages of Supplication and Nefillat Apayim

It is proper not to interrupt by talking between Shemoneh Esrei and Tachanun, because when the recital of the prayers of supplication is linked to Shemoneh Esrei, the prayers are more favorably accepted (Shulchan Aruch 131:1; Mishnah Berurah 1).

Concerning the nusach of Tachanun, there are differences between the various ethnic groups. The reason for this is that when most Jews lived in Israel or in Babylon, each person would recite prayers of supplication in his own tongue. Only later on, in the time of the Rishonim, when the exiles dispersed, certain set wordings took shape. Additionally, approximately four hundred years ago, some changes were made in Nusach Sephard, based on Kavanot HaAri.

According to Kavanot HaAri, it is customary to recite Vidui (confession) and the Thirteen Attributes of mercy before the Psalm of Nefillat Apayim, so that after achieving atonement from the recital of Vidui and the Thirteen Attributes, one arrives at the pinnacle of these prayers, Nefillat Apayim (Kaf HaChaim 131:5). According to the Ashkenazic and Yemenite (Baladi) minhag, we open with Vidui and the Thirteen Attributes only on Mondays and Thursdays, the days when we recite numerous prayers of supplication. However, on the remaining days, we say Nefillat Apayim immediately following the Amidah, because it is best to adjoin Nefillat Apayim to the Amidah as much as possible.

In Nefillat Apayim, according to the Sephardic Nusach, Psalm 25 is recited, whereas those who follow Nusach Ashkenaz and Sephard-Chassidi say Psalm 6.

On Mondays and Thursdays, additional prayers of supplication are recited, since those days are days of Divine grace when prayer is more graciously accepted. They are said while standing (Shulchan Aruch and Rama 134:1). The prayer “V’Hu Rachum” was compiled by three elders exiled from Jerusalem, as explained in the writings of the Rishonim (Abudraham, Ra’avan, Manhig, Kolbo 18). Distinctions in wording between the various customs are slight, except that the Sephardim add more prayers of supplication before it and the Ashkenazim add prayers of supplication after it.

Another difference is that in Nusach Sephard the additional prayers of supplication of Mondays and Thursdays are recited after Nefillat Apayim, whereas in Nusach Ashkenaz they are recited before Nefillat Apayim.

A person who practices according to one nusach and prays in a place in which most people are praying in another nusach is permitted to pray as he wishes. If he decides to follow his own custom, he should not make his different minhag noticeable. If the chazan is reciting the Thirteen Attributes, even one who does not have the custom to recite them must join the congregation. Someone reciting a longer nusach when the chazan starts saying Kaddish, must stop his prayers of supplication, respond to Kaddish, and continue on to the next stage of the prayer service. The reason for this is that the exact wording of the prayers of supplication does not prevent a person from fulfilling his obligation, and anyone who recited even a few prayers of supplication has already fulfilled his obligation. If he so desires, he may finish the prayers of supplication after the prayer service.⁷

footnotes: ⁷ See earlier in this book in the laws of the wordings and the customs of the different ethnic groups, 6:5. The Igrot MosheOrach Chaim 4:34 advises that one who is accustomed to saying Vidui but prays in a place in which it is not said, says it without beating his chest, so that it will not be noticeable. In a place where people praying with different wordings (nusachim) pray together, it is best they follow the custom of the chazan. Nevertheless, those who wish to say Vidui are permitted to beat their chest, for there is no concern of “Lo Titgodedu” (fragmenting the nation into divergent groups with different practices) or causing dissension, because everyone knows that concerning Vidui there are various customs. However, one must calculate the time in such a way that he will succeed in finishing Nefillat Apayim before Kaddish, because after Kaddish, he will have to continue on to say Ashrei with the congregation.

Nefillat Apayim and the Prayers of Supplication / Days on Which Tachanun Is Not Recited

The Nefillat Apayim prayer is one that expresses sorrow concerning our errors and shortcomings, which prevent us from standing before Hashem. Instead, we fall on our faces. For that reason, it is not proper to recite it on days of joy. Since, in its essence, the Tachanun prayer is voluntary, it is therefore customary not to recite Tachanun even on days that are deemed uncertain as to whether or not they should be defined as days of joy (the sources for these laws can be found in Shulchan Aruch 131:6-7 and in the commentaries).

On the following days, Tachanun is not recited: Shabbat, Festivals, Chol HaMo’ed, and Rosh Chodesh. The remaining days are presented in the order of the calendar year: Shacharit of Erev Rosh HaShanah; Shacharit of Erev Yom Kippur; from the 11 of Tishrei until the end of the month of Tishrei, since those days surround the Festival of Sukkot; Chanukah; Tu BiShvat; the two days of Purim, and in leap years also on the 14 and 15 of Adar I; the entire month of Nisan, since most of it possesses sanctity, for the dedication of the Tabernacle was held in the beginning of the month and the holiday of Pesach follows; the 14 of Iyar, which is Pesach Sheni; Lag BaOmer; from Rosh Chodesh Sivan to the 12 of Sivan, since the supplementary sacrifices for Shavuot were offered until that time; Tish’ah B’Av (either because of mourning or because it is called a mo’ed); and Tu B’Av. Additionally, at the Minchah service preceding all these days, Tachanun is not recited, except for Minchah of Erev Rosh HaShanah and Erev Yom Kippur, when many people recite Vidui then, but not Tachanun.

Today, ever since Hashem began to bring forth our redemption, Tachanun is not recited on Yom HaAtzma’ut (Israel’s Independence Day), and on the 28 of Iyar, Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Liberation Day), nor at Minchah before each of them.

Nefillat Apayim and the Prayers of Supplication / Chatan, Ba’alei Brit, and Other Ba’alei Simchah

Tachanun is not recited in a minyan in which ba’alei simchah (those celebrating a joyous mitzvah celebration) are praying. Therefore, Tachanun is not recited in a minyan in which a chatan (groom) within his seven days of festivity is praying. However, in Shacharit and Minchah before his wedding, Tachanun is recited, although if Minchah is prayed close to the ceremony at the wedding hall, Tachanun is not recited.⁸

footnotes: ⁸ Some poskim disagree and maintain that Tachanun is not recited the whole day of the wedding. However, the primary opinion is that it is recited, for many are accustomed to fasting on that day. That is what the Mishnah Berurah 131:21 implies and what Yabia Omer 3:11-12 writes as well.On the eighth day, as long as seven consecutive 24-hour days have not passed from the wedding ceremony, Tachanun is not recited, as written in Mishnah Berurah 131:26, Yalkut Yosef 131:21, and Piskei Teshuvot 22. However, regarding the recital of sheva berachot, we go according to the days, and someone who got married before sunset already finishes his first day after sunset. This is because with regard to uncertainty concerning berachot, we are lenient (safek berachot l’hakel), whereas concerning the matter of Tachanun, we follow seven full 24-hour days.

Similarly, in a minyan in which one of the ba’alei habrit is praying, Tachanun is not recited. The ba’alei habrit are: the father of the baby being circumcised, the mohel, and the sandak. This exemption lasts from the morning until the celebration meal (seudah); that is, if the brit is held in the morning, Tachanun is not recited in the Shacharit service. If the brit is held after Minchah, Tachanun is omitted in both Shacharit and Minchah (Mishnah Berurah 131:22; and see Piskei Teshuvot 19).

Not only in a minyan in which one of the ba’alei habrit is praying is Tachanun not recited, but even in the synagogue in which the brit is held, Tachanun is not recited. In a building in which there are a number of prayer halls, Tachanun is omitted only in the particular hall in which the brit will be held.⁹

footnotes: ⁹ Even if the brit will be conducted at Minchah time, Tachanun is omitted there in Shacharit as well. Additionally, even when there are a number of minyanim for Shacharit, Tachanun is not recited in any of them. (In the past, there was a custom that on the day of a brit, the whole community where the brit was taking place did not recite Tachanun, and perhaps even today it is proper to practice that way in relatively small and close-knit communities, where everyone shares in the joyous occasion.) If the brit is conducted in the morning, some have the minhag to recite Tachanun at Minchah (Piskei Teshuvot 131:17, note 103) and some have the custom not to (Yalkut Yosef 131:27-29).

Bar Mitzvah: many are accustomed not to say Tachanun in a minyan in which a youth who is reaching the age of mitzvot on that day is praying, though some do recite it.

Pidyon HaBen: many are accustomed not to recite Tachanun in a minyan in which the father of the son is praying, yet some do.

Likewise, in a prayer service adjoined to the ceremony of a conclusion of a tractate (siyum), or the presentation of a Torah scroll (hachnasat sefer Torah), many are accustomed not to recite Tachanun, though some do.¹⁰

footnotes: ¹⁰ See the sources brought by Piskei Teshuvot 131:24 and in the notes there. As a rule, in all the cases of uncertainty mentioned, those who pray in Nusach Sephard (Sephardim and Chassidim) tend not to recite Tachanun, whereas those who pray in Nusach Ashkenaz have more of a tendency to say Tachanun, as is written, for example, in Ishei Yisrael 25:26 concerning pidyon haben.

We already learned that when there is doubt as to whether or not to say Tachanun, the correct way to practice is not to recite it (as brought in halachah 1).

On days of public celebration in memory of prominent Jewish rabbis and righteous people (Yahrtzeit or Hilulah), the opinion of the absolute majority of poskim is that it is necessary to say Tachanun, and that is the custom. The Chassidic poskim maintain that those who follow in the ways of a particular righteous person, engross themselves in his teachings throughout the year, and prepare a feast in his honor on the anniversary of his passing from this world, do not recite Tachanun on that day. However, on the remaining celebration days in memory of other righteous people, Tachanun must be recited.¹¹

footnotes: ¹¹ Many poskim outspokenly argued against the minhag of the Chassidim not to recite Tachanun on the days of the passing of prominent Jews. Rav Feinstein and Yabia Omer 3:11 taught that one who prays in such a minyan is obligated to recite Tachanun, and he should not concern himself with yohara (arrogance) or “Lo Titgodedu.” However, the Beit Baruch 32:191 writes that it is preferable not to separate oneself from the congregation. Regarding the rulings of the Chassidic poskim, see Piskei Teshuvot 131:24.