Wartime Tehillim & Taanis – Responses to Community Turmoil

• Adding Avinu Malkeinu
• Adding and Extra Shabbos Candle
• Tehillim on Shabbos
• Establishment of a New Fast Day

-For more, see The Use of Radios & T.V. on Shabbos, & T.V. on Shabbos.

Rabbi Moshe Taub

December, 2023

Part 1

1. Decisions, Decisions    

     It is a testament to the restless nature of klal Yisroel, to our inherent ideal of kol yisroel areivim zeh l’zeh, to our essence being rachmanim bnei rachmanim, that we never idle when our brethren are suffering.
However, when the emails, texts and calls seem interminable – and when time, money and effort are finite resources – tough decisions have to be made. This, of course, can lead to disagreement at best and infighting at worst. The satan always has a plan at his ready; especially when klal yisroel is at the cusp of magnanimity, ready to perform great deeds. 

        Rav Yisroel Salanter once noted how people have within them the cognitive dissonance to run down the elderly in their alacrity to perform a mitzvah”.
Both rabbanim and balla battim must never allow their earnest desire to offer gashmiyus aid and/or ruchniyus support for and toward eretz yisroel to become transformed into the vehicle for disharmony and discord closer to home.

       The complexities of how to react to the current crisis in eretz yisroel commenced as soon as the news trickled into shul on that fateful shemini atzeres.

What do we do on such a simchas torah? Dance and sing?

Shorten the length of the hakafos?

Sing slower songs of hergesh?

There were also more painful questions. Members of my shul have children and family in the IDF or living in the south. Would amira l’akum on the second day of yom tov -asking a goy to call and check-in with their family on their day of chol – be allowed?

      As I was pondering these questions after mincha of the first day -as well as the potential reaction and misunderstandings any decision I make may have –the gabbei of a nearby sefardi shul ran in. Their rav was away. “Rabbi Taub, should we dance and celebrate like any other simchas torah tonight?” I answered him with faux confidence, recalling the words of the Mir mashgiach, Rav Yechetzkel Levenstein, which he famously shared with his yeshiva, “It was the zechus of your singing on Simchas Torah that lead to their 2^nd of marcheshvan escape from Russia, through Vilna, to Kobe, Japan and then Shanghei”.

After yom tov I discovered the decisions of other rabbanim.

• Some poskim arranged for a quick -five minute -seven-hakafa set, and then demanded everyone say tehillim;
• Others sang for each hakafa one song of gladness, and then one slow niggun of teffila, such as simcha l’artzecha.
• Others demanded that it being yom tov our mitzvah is to continue the standard minhagim of the day, and only following this to then recite tehillim, etc.

       It is irrelevant to share here what I chose to do in the end -as I have changed my mind since then, back-and-forth, and many times. Of course, I would have rather asked daas torah rather than have to decide on my own.

    While I have not gotten negative feedback, other rabbanim were not so lucky. One rav shared with me that while no one challenged his decision, a few of the balla battim were in a heated exchange about how the shul should respond and are still at odds with eachother weeks later.          

    It is only natural to desire some type of control -of anything –in a time of chaos; to confuse our anger, fear and insecurity of these past three-weeks with our small dissatisfactions, minor disagreements, and petty disputes. Let us seek to avoid that at all costs.

II. A New Fast Day?

     A few people shared the same request: “Why don’t we make a special taanis?” After all, a large section of gemara and halacha is dedicated to unique taanisim imposed during an eis tzara l’yaakov.

     There is much to say on this matter, but I will try to be frugal with sources. The Shulchan Aruch codifies certain comforts to be avoided and discomforts to take on when there is  trouble in klal yisroel (siman 240, and siman 574). However, during World War 1 and during certain war in Israel, that could take some time, the poskim urge these be reserved for anshei segulah (special and lofty people –shu”t Keren L’Dovid, siman 62, shu”t Beis Yisroel, siman 152) “One who is able to take on a fast and withstand it is called kodosh/holy, but one who sits in a fast who is not strong, or not healthy, is called a choteh/sinner” (Shulchan Aruch, siman 571:1).

     Even when it comes to taanisim, the poskim are very hesitant in our day to establish a new one (see new edition, Piskei Teshuvos, siman 571 for many sources). According to some, even if one is privately repenting for the most severe sins, one mustn’t fast (Igros Moshe in several places; Iggeres Teshuva from the Baal HaTanya, ch. 3, etc.). This is due to our relative weakness, and for other reasons (see Aruch Hashulchan to siman 576:9, and Chazon Ish as brought in Toras HaMoadim, siman 575:5, and shu”t Igros Moshe, y’d vol. 4, siman 57, os, 11, inter alia. See also Biur Halacha to siman 571 at length).

     Certainly, the poskim teach, the special berachos and added teffilos mentioned by chazal (see Taanis 15a) are to be avoided in our day when we are without classic musmachim.  The Mishneh Berrura adds that it is better to starve oneself from speech than food (sif 2).

      But even if there is reason to create a new taanis, rabbanim have a higher burden beyond the visible halachos. They must consider the diabetic who is guilted in to fasting, the anorexic who will relapse, and the older gentleman whose heart is weak. To be frank, too many people who shouldn’t already fast on the ‘zecharia’ taanisim (8:19, where all fasts -save for the d’oraissa fast of Yom Kippur and the minhag of taanis esther –are listed). I am certainly not about to impose new ones.     An example of this was during the height of Covid, when some were demanding some type of taanis as well. While well-meaning, the reason why so many poskim were against it is simple, at least in hindsight: at a time when our immune systems need their strength, when many elderly people are alone and therefore emotionally ill, would this be wise?”

    As the Chofetz Chaim alluded to above, preventing what goes in our mouths is not as vital as what may come out.

      Speaking to poskim, there is one more concern to keep in mind: In 1918, journalist Arthur Ransome fashioned a portmanteau of hungry/angry –‘Hangry’. The irritability often caused from one’s lack of food is well established.  Shalom bayis, talmud Torah, teffila, etc. THESE are what we need, not that which may come to stifle them.

     IN the words of the Netziv (realting to a different subject): “We musnt run from a fox into the mouth of a lion”. Our goal should be two steps forward, and never taking on a mitzvah that may, regrettably, tale us three steps back.

     Below, iy”H, we will investigate more popular ideas and segulos that have been spreading, their sources, and both sides of such a decision, from behind the rabbi’s desk.

Part 2

III. Tehillim & Avinu Malkeinu

      “Rabbi, I’ve been missing my ride to the city each morning because of the extra tehillim we are adding for the matzav in eretz yisroel. Should I continue to stay behind and say them with the tzibbur? Maybe the shul can just switch the order: have the daily dvar halacha be said before the tehillim so that I, at least, won’t miss the kaddish dereabanan…”

    This was a real request/question I received this week and demonstrates the point we made last week: No idea or middas chassidus exits in a vacuum. Rarely is an entire shul privy to the reasons behind their rav’s –sometimes peculiar looking – final decision. As a point of reference, the Vilna Gaon did not sanction the addition of L’Dovid Hashem Ori to be said by the tzibbur at the end of davening throughout elul due to the issue of tircha for those who need to get to work (Maaseh Rav, 53; 5770 ed.). It is always easy to disagree, yet to do so without the hassle of any burdens or considerations to weigh.

   From time-immemorial, the minhag Yisrael has been to turn to tehillim during an eis tzara. Chazal warn that to use pesukim as a form of magic or healing can diminish one’s share in olam haba (Shavuos 15b).    The Rambam codifies this, “Should someone recite a pasuk as an incantation for a wound, or so that a child should stop crying, or he places tefillin next to a child so that he will sleep, not only is he in violation of the [prohibition against] forbidden incantations, but he is a denier of the Torah, for he makes the Torah into a healer of bodies when it is there to mend souls… However, a healthy person may recite pesukim or Tehillim to protect against future sufferings and prevent them from arising” (Hilchos Ovdei Kochavim 11:12).

    Meaning, one may indeed recite pesukim to prevent danger or tragedy, but not to change it. Nevertheless, our common practice is to say tehillim even for a yeshuah for that which already exists.

    Rav Moshe Sternbuch explains that it must be that when we recite tehillim for an eis tzarah, we are asking Hashem to aid us in the zechus of our Torah study, not simply because of the power of the pesukim (Shu”t Teshuvos V’hanhagos 1:121). For this reason, he explains, one should omit the line in the yehi ratzon that follows many tehillims where it states (translation): “In the merit of tehillim, of the verses, words and letters”. Rather, one should replace that with: “In the merit of our davening to You through Tehillim, its pesukim, words and letters”. This way, we clarify that our intent is not to use the pesukim as a “magic potion.”

 Similarly, the Tzitz Eliezer (17:30) writes that one may learn Torah or for the benefit of the recitors own neshama, even if he also wishes to heal a physical condition, malady, or world problem.

    This may explain the Midrash Tehillim which famously teaches how Dovid hamelech davened that our recital of tehillim should be equal in Hashem’s eyes as is our learning nega’im v’ohalos—the most difficult portions of torah sh’baal peh.

   In addition, some poskim remind us that we lack the ability to form proper teffilos of our own to Hashem. For this same reason do chazal share in detail how the nineteenth beracha of shemoneh esreh came to be composed – even though it was long after the period of nevuah and/or the anshei knesses hegedolah (berachos 28b). Because of this yerida/weakness in and of the generation, we turn to tehilim, for Dovid hamelech had in mind all of the needs of all future generations as he composed and curated this sefer. Due to this reasoning, many achronim, such as Rav Yonasan Eibeishitz, urge us to -at the very least -understand and contemplate the meaning of the words we are saying, and only then letting the teffilos Dovid take care of the rest (see ‘Tehillim, Mesivta edition, hakdama’ for a variety of sources on these points).

    The last line in the Tzitz Eliezer is most critical. “Hanach lahen l’Yisrael, im ein nev’iim heim, bnei nevi’im heim—leave bnei Yisrael as they are, for if they are not prophets, then they are at least the children of prophets.”(See yarchon ‘Ohr Yisroel’ #15, Rav Greenwald, for how long the Jewish people have been reciting tehillim for those in need and as a zechus).

IV. Avinu Malkeinu

While many shuls in eretz yisroel immediately began adding avinu malkeinu daily after their daily shachris and mincha, this seems rarer in chutz l’aretz.

      This tefilla began as a supplication created by none-other than Rebbe Akiva.

     Many in my shul urged me to begin adding it. Our minhag is not to say tachanun in tishrei, and for this and other reasons I was hesitant. I explained, “Even on a Shabbos yom kippur -when we are davening for our lives in this world and the next -we omit this teffila, save for neilah”

     One member shared a teshuvah from one prominent posek who posited it should be said, and even in shuls where tachanun is now omitted, “For now is like Yom Kippur by neilah”.

     A talmud muvhak of the above posek refrained from adding it. He explained two reasons. “For one, when do we stop? Once we start, it will then lead to a fight and claims of insensitivity whenever we choose to return to omitting it. Secondly, I fear that many are not as sophisticated so as to understand the significance of this teffila; requesting, in the future, that we add it by other important-yet-not-as-critical junctures”.

    Speaking of avinu malkeinu, Rav Moshe Feinstein writes something fascinating (Igros Moshe, o’c, 3:18). He states that this that we reserve this teffila for special times -and omit it at other times -is a ‘hekera b’alma/a demonstration to show that certain teffilos are unique. In fact, he goes on to share that some kehillos would say it on a Yom Kippur that falls on Shabbos (see Aruch Hashulchan 619:8 and Rivash 512). He then shares that others argue that avinu malkeinu does indeed have special halachos, although not because of its meaning or its words, but rather due to its placement following the chazaras hashatz.

      Years ago, in my first year of rabbanus, I kept a little notebook on me at all times. One of the matters I would keep track of was the sources of and halachos regarding avinu malkeinu; if it had the status of tachanun, etc. I do not know what compelled me to do this (and the above sources are less than a fraction of what I recorded therein), but it has certainly come in handy of late.

PART 3

V. Shabbos Requests and Halachic Myths

Compiling a list of popular halachic myths would compromise more than one full column, but a few examples will prove helpful.

–           Although giraffes have simanei kashrus, kosher signs, we don’t eat them because we don’t know where on the neck to shecht it.

–           Although certain utensils require tevilah, one may use them the first time without toiveling them.

–           We don’t daven the regular Shemoneh Esrei on Shabbos because we are not allowed to make personal requests on Shabbos.”

    All these statements are false, or severly misleading.

A giraffe’s long neck would make shechitah easier, not harder! How did this ficticious halachic rumor come about? Well, the real reason we don’t eat this mammal is because we generally avoid eating any land or air creature that does not have a tradition of being eaten by Jews. (This is aside from the impracticality of its consumption due to their expense and difficulty of finding and raising them.)

Among many concerns, without a mesorah, we may not be aware of issues that are unique to the animal in question, such as whether it should be classified as a chayah or beheimah, how to treiber (devein) it, how to deal with its forbidden fats, and whether certain signs of diseases render it treif.

A rav who is asked this question may explain succinctly, “We simply wouldn’t know how to shecht it.” Hearing this, one may incorrectly assume that the rav is referring to the animal’s most notable feature—its neck.

As for tevilah, whether it’s a vessel’s first use or its 465th, the halachah is the same -tevilah is required before use. I understand how this myth is perpetuated because I once saw it develop in real time. I was once explaining during a shiur that disposable pans do not require tevilah as long as they will only be used once, and an attendee commented, “Do you mean to say that first-time use never requires tevilah?”

No! But now understood where the confusion comes from. There are a number of factors that warrant tevilah; the utensil must be one that will be used directly with ready-to-eat food, and it must be made out of certain materials, etc. But first and foremost, it must be classified as a kli, a vessel, something of significance. Many poskim therefore posit that a flimsy item that is intended for one-time use is not a kli to begin with and hence would not require tevilah. (Some poskim even allow these disposables to be used two or three times before requiring tevilah.)

This is as opposed to a fancy, expensive dish, which is automatically considered a kli. In any event, it is easy to mistake the “one-time” halachah for the “first-time” myth.

The final common halachic myth -relating to bakashos on Shabbos -is much more nuanced is connected to the subject of war, which we have been discussing these past few weeks.

While most would explain the absence of the regular Shemoneh Esrei on Shabbos as being due to not making personal requests on Shabbos, this is not the reason Chazal give (cf. Yerushalmi, Shabbos, 15:3 and Brachos, 5:2). Nor is it so simple that bakashos are generally not allowed on Shabbos; after all, we say Sim Shalom, Yekum Purkan, and the Yehi Ratzon for cholim—not to mention bentching and many other tefillos that remain unchanged on Shabbos. Consider as well Birchas Hachodesh, which is only said on Shabbos and is full of personal requests!

The background for these halachos is fascinating, and it relates directly to the way we should respond to an eis tzarah on Shabbos and as a kehillah.

The Gemara states that the reason we shorten the Shemoneh Esrei from 19 brachos during the week to seven on Shabbos is in order not to burden people (Brachos, 21a). Although the intention seems to be that Chazal wanted to shorten davening, it is clear from the rest of our Shabbos liturgy and leining that this is not the case.

Instead, the poskim explain that Chazal were referring to emotional tirchah. Our prayers, when recited with conviction, should awaken painful realities, and on Shabbos we are given a break from some of them (see Tanchuma, beginning of Vayeira, and Sefer Hamanhig, Shabbos, siman 11).

Knowing this is not simply academic Torah l’shmah but also affects halachah. For example, if one accidentally says even the first word of a weekday Shemoneh Esrei blessing on Shabbos (for example, “Atah Chonein” or “Refa’einu”), he must finish that brachah and then return to the Shabbos Shemoneh Esrei (Shulchan Aruch, siman 268; this is true even if he realizes his error before uttering Hashem’s name). The reason for this is precisely due to the fact that one is technically allowed on Shabbos to make a bakashah that he recites consistently.

However, it is true that Chazal also say that we must avoid certain types of bakashos on Shabbos (e.g., Bava Basra, 91a). Clearly, the prayers that were composed just for Shabbos—such as the Yehi Ratzon after candle-lighting and Birchas Hachodesh—and those for Yomim Tovim that happen to fall on Shabbos, such as Rosh Hashanah, are allowed (see Shulchan Aruch Harav, siman 288:8; shu”t B’tzeil Hachamah, 5:41; Bnei Yissas’char, Shevat 2:2; and Magen Avraham, siman 128:70). Last week we mentioned a view that even allows Avinu Malkeinu to be said when Yom Kippur falls on Shabbos.

What emerges from all of this is that daily tefillos may be recited on Shabbos, except for the middle blessings of Shemoneh Esrei. All other constant prayers, such as Elokai Netzor, may be recited. Special tefillos, even if they are bakashos, may also be said, especially those such as Yekum Purkan and Mi Shebeirach, which many see as a brachah and not a tefillah (Ohr Zarua, 2:89, and Shulchan Aruch Harav, siman 284:14). All other unique personal tefillos should not be said (Shulchan Aruch, 288:9).

However, if there is a sakanah, even for one choleh, one may daven for that person on Shabbos as long as he does not do so in a public way (ibid. 8, with Acharonim; see also Piskei Teshuvos, p. 489).

Now we arrive at our main question. May a shul hold a public Tehillim recitation for the current crisis? On the one hand, it’s sakanas nefashos, but on the other hand, although unique prayers are allowed in a dangerous and time-sensitive situation, doing so with others in a public way is not.

The Steipler ruled that when Eretz Yisrael is at war, Tehillim should be recited just as on a weekday (Orchos Rabbeinu Vol. I, p. 124). Some have said that during World War II, the special Yehi Ratzons and Acheinu that are recited on Mondays and Thursdays were said publicly on Shabbos after leining (shu”t Tiferes Adam 3:18).

A few weeks ago, a friend sent a group an email with a list of the hostages, asking that each person he sent it to take one hostage’s name and dedicate a perek of Tehillim to that person. He ended, “Chazal share that when one saves a life, it is as if he has saved the world (Sanhedrin 37a).”

This is certainly true, and has practical application when it comes to a physical act of salvation. However, obviously, we would not be allowed to be michallel Shabbos so as to purchase a Tehillim from which to daven!

Rather, when it comes to divrei ruchniyus and tefillah, we must yield to the Torah and halachah and allow Hashem to do the rest.

May Hashem accept our tefillos, save us from michshol, and enable us to defer, always, to halachah.

VI. Extra Candles

On this issue I feel strongly, yet also understand that I am likely in the minority.

• Many people do not know the main reason why we light candles for Shabbos. Some may even assume it is simply spiritual in nature, similar to Chanukah lights. Lighting an extra candle could therefore lead to questions of neder for future weeks.

• Women invented kenassos in case they were to be negligent by this mitzvah. Meaning, this is not the mitzvah or the best time to risk taking on, or indeed taking on, new obligations.

• More, if this ‘war’, or ‘hostage’, or ‘victim’ candle is indeed not seen as a part of the Shabbos neros then why not light it/them on Tuesday night? I just never understood it. Hanach mitzvos. It reminds me of the birthday gift I gave my wife whose card said “This is also for our anniversary”.

• Lighting a candle for a niftar -especially one killed for being a Jew -is certainly an understandable and moving gesture, but to do so on a Friday night that already has its own, unrelated, obligation seems -humbly -as diminishing an existing mitzvah when so many other times are available. Indeed, the halacha of lighting extra candles for those that passed away was known to the Shulchan Aruch, and is mentioned only by Yom Kippur, thus making his silence by Shabbos loud. While this could have been to save people fuel costs, this doesn’t seem to me to be his reasoning. Rather, on Yom Kippur we do not eat and will have less of an opportunity to use the illumination from this candles in more standardized ways, etc. On Shabbos, keshushas and oneh Shabbos is the key.
• More, why create a memory on Shabbos for a negative event? Shabbos hi m’lizok, and unless it can be demonstrated that this is a teffila or zechus then perhaps Shabbos is not the time.