A ruling for Rosh HaShanah 5782.
Though rarely spoken about, one of the more fascinating themes of Rosh Hashanah is that of tears. The haftarah of the first day recounts the story of Elkanah and his wives Chana and Penina. Each year, they make the trek to Shilo to bring offerings to God, and each year Chana is mocked by Penina for not having children. Eventually, Chana falls into despair and feels she has no hope. She turns to God, prays, and cries. The tears continue in the haftarah read from Jeremiah on the second day. The prophet describes that the various remnants of the Jewish people will be gathered in the Land of Israel. New fields will be planted and the mourning of exile will be turned into joy. But until that day, Rachel Imeinu continues to cry for her children. Her tears fall, and she will not be comforted. For some Jews, tears were not just part of the liturgy, but rather they were given a place of prominence in the prayer service itself. Chazzanim were hired based on their ability to rouse the congregation to tears at the proper moments. It is even said about the famed Roedelheim mahzor that at certain parts of the prayer service it instructed the reader to “bokhim kan”—cry here.
Are tears, however, appropriate for Rosh Hashanah? Is it not a yom tov, a day of rejoicing, and if so, doesn’t the act of crying go against the spirit of the day? Rav Ovadia Yosef, one of the leading halakhic authorities of the 20th century, addresses this question in Yichaveh Daat (2:69). These teshuvot were originally delivered orally in response to questions presented to him on Israeli radio and then later transcribed and published. For Rav Ovadia Yosef, the true character of Rosh Hashanah is revealed not through the haftaroth of each day, but through the narrative of Ezra and Nechemiah.
When the Jewish people return from exile, Ezra leads a religious revival and reads publicly from the Torah. In hearing the words of the covenant, the Jewish people realize they have deviated from the tradition, and they break out in tears. Ezra, however, tells them that tears are not appropriate, for the day is in fact Rosh Hashanah, a holiday. Instead, he instructs the people to go home and celebrate the day with food, drink, and rejoicing. From this, many halakhic authorities argue that it is not permitted to fast on Rosh Hashanah, and as a result, Rav Ovadia concludes that one should not cry on Rosh Hashanah. Instead, the prayers should be recited “pleasantly and with joy.”
How, then, does Rav Ovadia respond to the custom of shedding tears on Rosh Hashanah, a practice done by many rabbis including the Ar”i, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria? He explains that crying is permitted on Rosh Hashanah, but only if it emerges naturally from the midst of one’s prayers. One should not try to force it or seek to bring it about in an artificial fashion. While not stated explicitly, Rav Ovadia appears to acknowledge that outbursts of religious emotion are often performative and frequently done only to gain the admiration of others.
After the difficulties of the past year and the uncertainty of the year ahead, many of us may not quite be sure what to feel this Rosh Hashanah, and given this situation, Rav Ovadia’s words are particularly relevant. We must do our best to focus on the meaning of the prayers and recite them pleasantly, and with joy. We must remember that Rosh Hashanah is, at its heart, a day of rejoicing. In doing so, we remain hopeful that we, along with the Jewish people and the world, will merit a good new year.
שו”ת יחוה דעת חלק ב סימן סט שאלה: האם ראוי להתפלל התפלות של ראש השנה מתוך שמחה וחדוה, כפי שנאמר עבדו את ה’ בשמחה. או משום חרדת הדין ראוי להתפלל בבכיה, כי שערי דמעה לא ננעלו? תשובה: בספר עזרא מסופר, כי בשוב העם מן הגולה, והיה עזרא הסופר קורא לפניהם מספר התורה ביום ראש השנה, היו כל העם בוכים על שנכשלו ועברו על מצוות התורה מחוסר ידיעה, ושם נאמר (בנחמיה פרק ח’ פסוק ט): ויאמר נחמיה הוא התרשתא ועזרא הכהן הסופר לכל העם, היום קדוש לה’ אלהיכם אל תתאבלו ואל תבכו, כי בוכים כל העם כשמעם את דברי התורה, ויאמר להם לכו אכלו משמנים ושתו ממתקים ושלחו מנות לאין נכון לו כי קדוש היום לאדונינו ואל תעצבו כי חדות ה’ היא מעוזכם, וילכו כל העם לאכול ולשתות ולעשות שמחה גדולה כי הבינו בדברים אשר הודיעו להם. ובספר אור זרוע חלק ב’ (סימן רנז) כתב, שמכאן למד רבינו חננאל שאסור להתענות בראש השנה, שהרי נאמר בנחמיה בענין ראש השנה, לכו אכלו משמנים ושתו ממתקים ושלחו מנות לאין נכון לו. ושכן כתב רבינו האי גאון… ושלא כדברי רב נסים גאון שמתיר להתענות בראש השנה. ע”כ. גם הרא”ש במסכת ראש השנה (פרק ד’ סימן יד), הביא תשובת רב שר שלום גאון, שאסור להתענות בראש השנה, שהרי שמחה נוהגת בראש השנה, שנאמר וביום שמחתכם ובמועדיכם ובראשי חדשיכם, ודרשו חז”ל בסוכה (נה ע”א) ובראשי חדשיכם זה ראש השנה… וכן פסק הטור (/או”ח/ סימן תקצז) שאוכלים ושותים ושמחים בראש השנה, ואין מתענים בראש השנה כלל…וכן פסק מרן בשלחן ערוך שם… ועוד. ולפי זה יש ללמוד גם כן שאין לבכות בראש השנה, ואדרבה ראוי לומר התפלה בנעימה ובשמחה. וכן נהגו בכל תפוצות ישראל שהשליח צבור מתפלל בראש השנה בניגון ובנעימה מיוחדת לכבוד החג, אלא שהקדיש והקדושה נאמרים בניגון הסליחות והפיוטים של הימים הנוראים, בבחינת אומרם בברכות (ל:) וגילו ברעדה, במקום גילה שם תהיה רעדה. אמנם רבינו חיים ויטאל בשער הכוונות (דף צ ע”א), העיד בגדלו על רבינו האר”י שהיה נוהג לבכות הרבה בתפלות ראש השנה, אף על פי שהוא יום טוב, ומכל שכן בתפלות יום הכפורים, והיה אומר כי מי שאין בכיה נופלת עליו בימים אלה, היא הוראה שאין נשמתו שלימה והגונה. ע”כ. וכן הובא בכף החיים (סימן תקפב ס”ק ס). אולם במעשה רב (סימן רז) נאמר בשם רבינו הגר”א מוילנא, שאין לבכות ביום ראש השנה, וכמבואר בנחמיה (פרק ח’ פסוק ט’… ונראה שאין סתירה לדברי האר”י ממקרא מפורש בנחמיה הנ”ל, שאף שאין לאדם להביא עצמו לידי בכיה ועצבות, מפני קדושת החג, אבל המתעורר מעצמו לבכות בתפלותיו מחמת התלהבות דקדושה, לרוב דביקותו וכוונתו בתפלות הימים הנוראים, אין בזה שום איסור כלל. וכמו שכתב כיוצא בזה הטורי זהב באורח חיים (סימן רפח סק”ב), שמצינו באגדה, שתלמידיו של רבי עקיבא מצאוהו שהיה קורא שיר השירים ובוכה בשבת, ואמר להם שאף על פי שאסור לבכות בשבת, שנאמר וקראת לשבת עונג, מכל מקום כיון שעונג הוא לו בבכיתו, מותר, והסביר הטורי זהב, שנראה שמרוב דבקותו של רבי עקיבא בהשי”ת, וכשהיה אומר שיר השירים היה מבין בעומק דעתו הגדולה והקדושה עד היכן הדברים מגיעים, לכן היו עיניו זולגות דמעות, וכן מצוי הדבר בתלמידי חכמים צדיקים שמתפללים בכוונה. ע”כ… והוא הדין לכל אדם שבכיה נופלת עליו מאיליו בימים הנוראים, על ידי התפלות הקדושות שמעוררות רשפי אש שלהבת יה, בבחינת עד שתהיה שלהבת עולה מאיליה… אבל להביא עצמו לידי בכיה על ידי קול בכי וכדומה אין להתיר… המורם מכל האמור, שאין לבכות בראש השנה. והתפלות של ראש השנה יש לאומרם בשמחה ובנעימה קדושה, ומתוך כוונה רבה, כי תפלה בלא כוונה כגוף בלא נשמה. ומכל מקום אדם שמתעורר מעצמו בבכיה ומתפלל בדמעות שליש, אין בזה שום חשש איסור כלל. ותבוא עליו ברכה. והשי”ת יקבל תפלתינו ברצון ונזכה כולנו יחד עם כל בית ישראל לשנה טובה ומבורכת כתיבה וחתימה טובה. | Rav Ovadia Yosef- Yichaveh Daat 2:69 Question: Is it appropriate to recite the Rosh Hashanah prayer with joy and gladness, as it says, “Worship God with joy,” or because of the fear of judgment it is appropriate to pray with tears because the gates of tears are never locked? Answer: In the Book of Ezra is tells that when the Jewish people returned from exile, Ezra the Scribe read before them from the Torah on Rosh Hashanah. The entire people cried because they realized that in their ignorance, they had transgressed many of the mitzvot of the Torah. It says there (Nechemiah 8:9-11): “Nehemiah the Tirshatha, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were explaining to the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the LORD your God: you must not mourn or weep,’ for all the people were weeping as they listened to the words of the Teaching. He further said to them, ‘Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad, for your rejoicing in the LORD is the source of your strength.’ Then all the people went to eat and drink and send portions and make great merriment, for they understood the things they were told.” It is written in Or Zarua (2:257) that Rabbeinu Chananel ruled it is forbidden to fast on Rosh Hashanah [because of Nechemiah 8:9-11]: “He further said to them, ‘Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad, for your rejoicing in the LORD is the source of your strength.’” So too wrote Rabbeinu Hai Gaon…And not like the words of Rabbeinu Nissim Gaon who permitted one to fast on Rosh Hashanah. Also Rosh (Rosh Hashanah 3:14) brings the words of Rabbi Sar Shalom Gaon that it is forbidden to fast on Rosh Hashanah because we act joyfully on Rosh Hashanah. As it says (Bemidbar 10:10): “And on your joyous occasions—your fixed festivals and new moon days.” The rabbis interpreted this verse as referring to Rosh Hashanah… And so it was ruled in Tur (Orech Chaim 597) that one eats and drinks and rejoices on Rosh Hashanah and does not fast at all… and so ruled Shulkhan Aruch…According to this, one learns that is not appropriate to cry on Rosh Hashanah. On the contrary, it is appropriate to say the prayers pleasantly and with joy. This was the practice in all Jewish communities and the one leading the prayers on Rosh Hashanah would use a special and pleasant tune in honor of the holiday. The kaddish is recited in the tune of selichot and the piyutim of the High Holidays in the fashion that it says in Berachot (30b), “Rejoice with trembling”: Where there is rejoicing, there is trembling. However, Rabbeni Haim Vital (Shaar Kavannah 90a) testified that the Ari (Rabbi Yitzchak Luria) had the practice of crying extensively during the prayers of Rosh Hashanah even though it was a holiday, and all the more so during the prayers of Yom HaKippurim. He would say that one who does not succumb to tears during these days, it is a sign that their soul is not whole and complete. So too it is brought in Kaf HaChaim (582:60). However, in Maaseh HaRav (207), it is said in the name of the Vilna Gaon that one should not cry on Rosh Hashanah as it says in Nechemiah (8:9)…It appears there is no contradiction between the words of the Ari and the verses in Nechemiah for even if one is not supposed to bring himself to tears and sadness because of the holiness of the holidays, it is still appropriate to be aroused to tears spontaneously and cry during the prayers because of one’s enthusiasm for holiness according to the devotion and intention in the prayers of the High Holidays. This is not prohibited at all, as it is written in Taz (Orech Chaim 288:2): Rabbi Akiva’s students found him reading Song of Songs and crying on Shabbat. He said to them that even though it is forbidden to cry on Shabbat, as it says, “You shall call the Shabbat holy,” since it was enjoyable for him to cry it was permitted. Taz explains that because of Rabbi Akiva’s extensive devotion for God, when he recited Song of Songs, he would understand the words in the depth of his great and holy knowledge, and this is why his eyes were flowing with tears. So too we find with righteous Torah scholars when they pray with intention…So too the ruling is for all people that if tears or crying falls upon a person on the High Holidays [of their own] because the holy prayers inspire wisps of divine flame, as if the flame rises on its own… however to bring oneself to tears through actively pushing oneself to cry is not permitted… From all this we can say that one should not cry on Rosh Hashanah, and the prayers of Rosh Hashanah should be said with joy and a pleasant holiness with great intention because prayer without intention is like a body with a soul. Nevertheless, if one feels inspired to cry and pray with tears [without forcing oneself to do so] there is no prohibition in this and he should be blessed. May God receive our prayers and accept them, and we should all merit together with the entire house of Israel for a good and blessed year, to be inscribed and sealed for good. |
שו”ת
All of the content in The Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies is released with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. It is open for reuse with the following attribution: "Authored by [name of author] from The Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies at YCT.
Rabbi Zachary Truboff ('10) is the coordinator of the International Beit Din Institute, which seeks to educate rabbis about halakhic solutions to the agunah problem. His writings on contemporary Jewish thought and Zionism have appeared in the Lehrhaus, Arutz Sheva, Akdamot, and Zerufim. His first book, Torah Goes Forth From Zion: Essays on the Thought of Rav Kook and Rav Shagar, will appear in the coming year. Before making aliyah, he served for nearly a decade as the rabbi of Cedar Sinai Synagogue in Cleveland. Under his leadership the synagogue grew substantially and became known for its inclusive community and innovative programing. In 2015, he was chosen by the Cleveland Jewish News as one of the 18 Difference Makers, a select group honored for their contributions to Jewish communal life in Northeast Ohio. He has taught in a variety of adult education settings such as the Wexner Heritage Program, the Torat Tzion Kollel, and the Hartman Institute. . He received semikha from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg and Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. He and wife, Jen, live in Jerusalem with the four children Nahum, Elihai, Shaiya, and Orya.
3700 Henry Hudson Parkway, 2nd Floor
Riverdale, NY 10463
Phone: (212) 666-0036
Fax: (212) 666-5633
Email: office@yctorah.org
Click here to sign up to receive updates from YCT straight to your inbox.
