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Rabbi Hershel Schachter Tachanun and Tisha B’Av

that if Rabbi Eliezer were to recite Tacha- nun, her brother, Rabban Gamliel, would be harmed. On one occasion, she failed to interrupt him, and on that day, since Rabbi Eliezer’s tefillot were fully accepted, Rabban Gamliel died. From this Gemara, we see that when we recite Tachanun immediately after Shemoneh Esrei, our tefillot are more read- ily accepted. On Tisha B’Av, we have the ּתִ תְ קַ בַ ּ ל צְ ל ֹ ו תְ ה ֹ ו ן ,minhag to omit the phrase -May the prayers and supplica“ – ּובָ ּעותְ הוֹן tions be accepted,” from the Kaddish after Shacharit, since the Gemara in Berachot (32b) teaches, “From the time the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, the heavenly gates of prayer were locked.” The Gemara’s source is the pasuk cited earlier in reference . גַ ּ ם כִ ּ י אֶ זְ עַ ק וַ אֲ שַׁ וֵ ּ עַ שָ ׂ תַ ם ּתְ פִ לָ ּ תִ י ,to the Churban Illustration courtesy of Ron Segalovitz ([email protected]) courtesy of Ron Segalovitz Illustration Perhaps we refrain from reciting Tachanun on this day to demonstrate that our tefillot are not answered to the same extent they would be if there was a Beit HaMikdash (See Nefesh HaRav, 1994 ed., p. 200).

any have the impression that That is why, as a result of churban HaBayit, ■ Adapted from Rav Schachter on Tefillah. גַ ּ ם ,the main function of the Beit our situation is described by the pasuk Though I would“ – כִ ּ י אֶ זְ עַ ק וַ אֲ שַׁ וֵ ּ עַ שָ ׂ תַ ם ּתְ פִ לָ ּ תִ י .HaMikdash is to offer korbanot cry out and plead, He shut out my prayer” However, when Shlomo M (Eicha 3:8). HaMelech offered his famous tefilla upon the dedication of the Beit HaMikdash, he did The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 559:4) not mention the offering of korbanot. rules that we do not recite Tachanun on Tisha B’Av, since this day is referred to as He described the Beit HaMikdash as the a moed. Rabbi Hershel Schachter is Rosh makom tefilla, that everyone, Jews and Yeshiva and Rosh Kollel at Rabbi Isaac Rav Soloveitchik suggested an additional non-Jews alike, should come to daven to Elchanan Theological Seminary of reason for the omission of Tachanun based ָ .Yeshiva University ּוְהִתְפַ לְ ּלו וְהִתְחַ נְּ ּנו אֵלֶ יך בַּ בַּ יִ ת :G-d in this place And they will pray and supplicate on the Gemara in Bava Metzia (59b) that“ – הַ זֶ ּ ה to You in this Temple” (Melachim I 8:33). stresses the special efficacy of reciting Tachanun immediately after the Shemoneh All prayer is supposed to be directed Esrei. towards the Beit HaMikdash. The Gemara recounts that from the time This is the “office” in which the prayers that Rabban Gamliel placed Rabbi Eliezer, may be accepted. Yeshayahu (56:7) also his brother-in-law, in cherem, the wife of Scan here for a special shiur by Rabbi referred to the Beit HaMikdash in this way Rabbi Eliezer made a point of interrupt- Schachter on Bein HaMetzarim. ing Rabbi Eliezer after he completed his כִּ י בֵ יתִ י בֵּ ית ּתְ פִ לָּ ה יִקָ ּ רֵ א לְ כָל ּהָעַמִ ים ,when he said – “for My House will be called a House of Shemoneh Esrei, thus preventing him from A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau Prayer for all the peoples.” reciting Tachanun immediately. She feared mizrachi.org/speakers

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