Question: When Shema Koleinu is recited during the High Holidays season, the cantor skips several lines during the responsive repetition. What is the reason?
A Reader
Wilkes Barre, PA
Synopsis: Last week we underscored the concept that although it is possible to repent at any time, a special time of the year has been designated in the Torah (Vayikra 16:29-34) as propitious for repentance. This is substantiated by Rambam, who notes that Yom Kippur effects forgiveness for most sins, except extremely grievous ones for which only repentance at the time of death effects forgiveness.
Shema Koleinu, our plea to Hashem to accept our prayers, originated as one of the Eighteen Benedictions (the Shemoneh Esreh) which we recite three times a day on weekdays (Megillah 17b). It subsequently became, with the addition of several verses, a focal point of our Selichot prayers.
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Answer: The Gemara (Megillah 17b-18a), referring to the 120 Elders, among them many prophets, who established the order of the Eighteen Benedictions, asks about the Scriptural sources of these benedictions, and proceeds to outline the pesukim involved. For the 16th benediction, where we ask for the acceptance of our prayers (tefillah), it cites the prophet Yeshayahu (Isaiah 56:7), “Va’haviotim el har kodshi ve’simachtim b’veit tefillati” – I will bring them to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My House of Prayer. The second part of that pasuk in Yeshayahu is the Scriptural source for the next benediction, the Temple service (Retzeh, i.e., the avodah): “Oloteihem ve’zivcheihem l’ratzon al mizbechi” – Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted on My altar.
This verse in Yeshayahu concludes with another reference to prayer, “Ki [b]eiti beit tefilla yikkarei lechol ha’amim” – For My house shall be called a House of Prayer for all the nations. Interestingly, this is the verse that is the lead-in for Shema Koleinu in the Selichot prayers. It would seem, therefore, that Shema Koleinu is, indeed, a focal point which generates a great degree of fervor and vocal expression in our Selichot prayers.
It is important to note here that most of our prayers year-round – especially the Shemoneh Esreh – are said by each individual silently. In this regard, the Yamim Nora’im are an exception, because praying aloud, “b’kol ram,” is conducive to an increase in our concentration and in the intensity of our prayer (see Mishna Berura ad loc.) But even during the Days of Awe, one must take care not to raise one’s voice above that of the chazzan (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 582:9, and Sha’arei Teshuva ad loc.).
Hence, the practice of not saying several verses of Shema Koleinu aloud – namely, “Amareinu ha’azina, Hashem,” which most people say quietly, and “Yih’yu l’ratzon,” which all say quietly – requires an explanation.
The concept of Selichot prayers (lit. prayers asking for forgiveness) is intimately tied with the first such prayer by Moshe Rabbeinu asking for forgiveness for the Children of Israel following the sin with the Golden Calf (Parashat Ki Tissa, Shemot 32:11): “Va’yechal Moshe et pnei Hashem elokav va’yomer… Shuv me’charon appecha ve’hinnachem al hara’ah le’amecha” – Moshe implored Hashem, his G-d, saying, ‘Turn away from Your fierce anger, and relent from this evil against Your people.’ The result of that intense prayer was, “Va’yinnachem Hashem al hara’ah asher dibber la’asot le’amo” – Hashem relented of the evil which He had declared He would do to His people. Moshe was pleading for the very lives of his people, and his supplications were effective in that Hashem accepted his repentance on their behalf.
Thus, when we recite the Selichot prayers, we are cognizant of the fact that our lives are on the line, and we use all means at our disposal – imploring, shouting, crying – in addition to heartfelt, sincere repentance in order to assuage Hashem and merit His forgiveness.
In a conversation on this topic that I had some years ago with the late Cantor Macy Nulman, z”l, an expert on Jewish liturgy and author of the well-known Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer (Jason Aronson), he noted that in his own discussion on the subject, he had referred, among others, to Responsa of Modern Judaism by my uncle, HaRav Sholom Klass, zt”l (Vol. II p. 63). My uncle quoted HaMeiri (by R. Meir b. R. Yitzhak Arama) to the effect that “Yih’yu l’ratzon,” like several of the phrases in this prayer, is based on a pasuk in Tehillim, but with the singular person changed to the plural. This particular psalm (19:15) is part of King David’s plea to Hashem to forgive him in regard to the episode of Bat-Sheva. And it is in deference to this righteous king that we say it quietly.
Cantor Nulman notes that the phrase includes the words “Ve’hegyon libbenu,” the thoughts of our hearts, and the preceding phrase, starting with “Amareinu,” includes the words “bina hagigenu,” perceive our thoughts. Both refer to inner processes of the mind, and there is no need to say them aloud since (ibid. 94:11), “Hashem yode’a machshevot adam” – G-d perceives the innermost thoughts of man.
Cantor Nulman also quotes Matteh Ephraim (581:18) who states that four verses until Al ta’azvenu are recited responsively aloud: Shema koleinu; Hashivenu; Al tashlichenu (milfanecha); and Al tashlichenu (le’et zikna). Many congregations have a tradition to say a fifth verse, Al ta’azvenu, aloud as well. This is not necessarily in contradiction with the opinion of Matteh Ephraim, since this verse is a conceptual continuation of the previous one and repeats the last words of that verse. Moreover, Matteh Ephraim’s instruction of “until ‘Al ta’azvenu’” may mean the inclusion of that verse.
There are obviously various traditions. Thus we find that some say the verse “Amareinu” aloud (see the Nusach Sefarad ArtScroll siddur, Tefillat Shlomo Hashalem, May 1992 edition). However, in the ArtScroll Nusach Ashkenaz siddur (Kol Yaakov, January 1987), the verses of the prayer are arranged differently. “Amareinu” and “Yih’yu l’ratzon” are placed at the end, and the instructions are to recite the first five verses, from Shema Koleniu until Al ta’azvenu, in a responsive manner.
Rabbi Sholom Klass quoted in his Responsa a passage of the Yerushalmi (Ta’anit 2:1) explaining Reish Lakish’s statement that the repentance of the people of Nineveh was an insincere repentance (namely, it was based on fraud): “R. Chuna said in the name of R. Shimon b. Chalfuta that the people of Nineveh separated the newborn animals from their mothers and thus both the suckling animals and the nursing animals let out great wails. The people of Nineveh then argued with G-d, ‘If You do not have pity on us, we will have no pity on them,’ and they were forgiven. Thus wailing, combined with a solid argument, and added, of course, to repentance, is seen as successful in achieving forgiveness.”
However, we have to keep in mind that we should not draw a comparison between people and beasts, although we do share some traits with them. As stated in Tractate Chagiga (16a), human beings are like ministering angels in three aspects and like beasts in three other aspects. As animals do, human beings eat and drink, propagate, and relieve themselves. But we are also compared to angels because we are endowed with understanding, we walk erect, and we can talk in the holy tongue. (This refers to the ability to learn to speak Hebrew. As the Maharsha notes ad loc., it does not exclude those who do not speak Hebrew, but points to the fact that the ministering angels do not have the ability to comprehend Aramaic and understand only Hebrew.)
Those who say “Amareinu” aloud rely on the fact that crying out loud and wailing is effective because it is common to all creatures, but speaking and saying the prayers puts us on a higher plane where we are compared to angels. But we still say “Yih’yu l’ratzon” quietly in deference to King David.
