Q & A: Selichot Restrictions (Part 3)

Question: The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch states that an individual praying without a minyan is not allowed to recite the Thirteen Middot in Selichot. Additionally, the Selichot prayers that were composed in Aramaic may only be recited with a minyan as well. What is the reason for these restrictions?

Moshe Jakobowitz

Brooklyn, N.Y.

Synopsis: First we discussed the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch’s requirement for a minyan when reciting the Thirteen Middot as a prayer or supplication (Topic 128:9 Hilchot Chodesh Elul). The Beit Yosef on the Tur (Orach Chayyim 565) explains that the Thirteen Middot is a communal prayer and thus a davar she’b’kedusha, a matter involving great holiness. The Mishna in Tractate Megillah (23b) enumerates the parts of the service that incorporate davar she’b’kedusha and thus require a minyan, including communal prayer.

Then, last week, we discussed whether it is permitted to pray for the sick in Aramaic, since, according to R. Yochanan (Tractate Shabbos 12b), the Ministering Angels do not understand Aramaic. This statement of R. Yochanan is at odds with the opinion that these angels are said to know the innermost thoughts of man (see Tosafot ad loc.). We concluded that praying for the sick is different, as the Talmud (loc. cit.) states that the Divine Presence comes to help the sick in their suffering, and thus there is no need for the aid of the angels.

We then raised the question of why the intercession of angels is necessary at all, since we address our prayers directly to G-d. We also pointed out that there is a difference between individual prayer (tefillat yachid) and congregational prayer (tefillat hatzibbur), for the latter is assured of acceptance.

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Answer: Shiltei HaGibborim on the Rif (Berachot, beginning of Ch. 2, “Ha’ya korei baTorah”) offers a reason for permitting individuals to pray in a language other than Hebrew. If an individual does not know Hebrew, we must find a way for him to pray in the language he knows (even if it is Aramaic). This is in accordance with the wording in Tractate Berachot (3a): “Whenever Israelites convene in synagogues and houses of study and respond, ‘Yehe shmei (or shemo according to the Maharsha) hagadol mevorach’ – May His great Name be blessed, the Almighty nods and says, ‘Happy is the king who is thus praised in his house.’” Rashi comments that the “house” refers to the Beit HaMikdash, for the statement concludes with, “Woe to the father who had to banish his children, and woe to the children who had to be banished from the table of their father!”

Tosafot remark that this Hebrew response is the equivalent of the Aramaic liturgy that is part of the Kaddish, “Yehei shemei rabbah mevorach” – May His exalted Name be blessed. They dispute the opinion of those who maintain that this beautiful prayer of praise was instituted in Aramaic so that the angels would not fathom it and thus would not cast a jealous eye upon us. Tosafot note that there are many other beautiful liturgical passages in Hebrew. Rather, Tosafot explain, in the Talmudic period, Kaddish used to be recited at the conclusion of lectures given for the populace at large, amongst whom were many amei ha’aratzot (the uneducated – lit. “people of the land”) who did not understand Hebrew. That prayer was therefore instituted in Aramaic, which was the commonly spoken language at the time.

But even this explanation of Tosafot does not answer our question as to why individuals are not allowed to pray in Aramaic.

The Tur (Shulchan Aruch, O.C. 101, Hilchot Tefillah) quotes his father’s statement that an individual may recite prayers in any language except in Aramaic. The Beit Yosef (ad loc.) explains that the angels have an aversion to Aramaic, which is not the case with any other language. Chochmat Shlomo, commenting on the Mechaber’s ruling in the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayyim loc. cit.) that prayers may be recited in any language, notes that the angel of each of the 70 nations intercedes for that nation in its own language, and therefore an individual should not pray in a language that his nation’s angel does not speak. Michael, the angel of Israel, uses Hebrew, so Israelites should pray only in Hebrew. This statement contradicts the rulings of the Tur and the Mechaber. Chochmat Shlomo goes even further, cautioning against those who have instituted prayers in any language other than Hebrew. He refers here to “formally structured communal prayers” recited to fulfill our daily obligations of tefillah, not personal supplications.

(To be continued.)