Rabbi David Chai HaCohen, the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Netivot Yisrael, spiritual leader of Orot HaTorah congregation, a neighborhood rabbi in Bat Yam and co-founder of the national religious group “Rabbis of the Good Land” on Wednesday morning ruled that Jews should not say the Tachnun (supplications) portion of the morning and afternoon prayer service.
The Tachnun, or Nafilat Apayim is a collection of prayer fragments that are said after the Amidah Prayer (in a shul minyan it follows the Chazarat HaShas – the repetition of the prayer by the cantor). Tachnun is recited on most weekdays of the year, but not on happy days, such as holidays, Rosh Chodesh, when a recent groom is part of the minyan when a circumcision is performed, and now – when Nazi terrorist leaders are eliminated, thank God.
Rabbi HaCohen cited the verse, “When the righteous prosper the city exults; When the wicked perish there are shouts of joy” (Proverbs 11:10).
He then referenced a passage in II Chronicles when the people of Amon and Moab set out to attack Judah, King Jehoshaphat Declared: “O our God, surely You will punish them, for we are powerless before this great multitude that has come against us and do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” (II Chronicles 2:12).
King Jehoshaphat “stationed singers to God extolling the One majestic in holiness as they went forth ahead of the vanguard, saying, ‘Praise God, for His steadfast love is eternal (Hodu l’Hashen ki tov, ki le’olam hasdo). As they began their joyous shouts and hymns, God set ambushes for the men of Ammon, Moab, and the hill country of Seir, who were marching against Judah, and they were routed. The Ammonites and Moabites turned against the men of the hill country of Seir to exterminate and annihilate them. When they had made an end for the men of Seir, each helped to destroy his fellow. When Judah reached the lookout in the wilderness and looked for the multitude, they saw them lying on the ground as corpses; not one had survived.” (Ibid 21-24)
In the opinion of the Rambam, reciting the supplication after the Amidah prayer is part of the obligation of the prayer, but if one skipped it, his prayer counts. The more accepted opinion is that the recitation of the supplication is not an obligation but merely a custom, and therefore there are days when it is customary not to say it. Accordingly, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef allowed people rushing to work to skip saying the supplication.
And when Israel, with God’s help, eliminates the chief of staff of Hezbollah and Satan’s chief of Hamas within the same 24 hours – who has the head to supplicate?
