Siman 293

We delay the praying of Arvit on the conclusion of Shabbat, as Rabbi Yosei said: May my portion be among those who bring in Shabbat in Tiberias and those who escort out Shabbat in Sepphoris (119b), for Tiberias was in a valley and night appeared earlier, and Sepphoris stands on a mountain and it appeared to them as broad daylight until the emergence of the stars, and they would delay significantly on the conclusion of Shabbat. The time of night is when three small stars are seen, and even though according to the law medium ones suffice—nevertheless we are not experts in medium ones. It is stated in the Yerushalmi at the beginning of Berakhot that it is necessary that they not be scattered but rather consecutive together, and if it is a cloudy day—one should wait until the doubt is removed from his heart, and therefore to pray Arvit—one waits until after that in order to add from the profane onto the holy. And we are accustomed to wait from the setting of the sun one hour and twelve parts of an hour, where each part is one-sixtieth of an hour, for with this we have exited from all doubts, and then melakhah is permitted. However, when the sky is full of stars—no other sign is necessary.

And afterward the shatz stands and begins "Vehu Rachum Yekhaper Avon" and "Barekhu," and he extends the words of "Vehu Rachum" and "Barekhu" with melody and a weeping voice. And so it is found in the Bahag at the end of the laws of tzitzit: "And a person needs to extend (a term of continuation) in Barekhu and in Barukh Hashem HaMevorakh (so it should be said) at the conclusion of Shabbat, so that he may be saved from the damage of that Shabbat." Thus far his words. Meaning, that he should be saved from damages in this week. And in the Or Zarua HaGadol (end of siman 89) he wrote, and this is his wording: "My teacher, the Riva of Worms, wrote: On Saturday night after they say 'Vehu Rachum'... 'Hashem Hoshia'... immediately the chazzan says 'Barekhu' with great extension, because the souls return to Gehinnom after this, and as long as he extends—they do not return. And furthermore, because of the escorting of the Shabbat, for one must escort the King—one should extend. And furthermore, because of the delay in escorting out the Shabbat one must extend... And so I heard that Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbana Meshullam HaGadol was a chazzan, and he would extend 'Barekhu' with all his strength. And so it is found in the order of prayer of Rabbana Amram: On Saturday night the chazzan should extend 'Barekhu'." Thus far his words. And this is what our teacher, the Rema, wrote: "And it is the custom to say 'Vehu Rachum' and 'Barekhu' with a lengthy melody, in order to add from the profane to the holy." Thus far his words. And although there are other reasons—he did not concern himself with explaining them all, and the custom of Israel is Torah, and one must not change any custom that the ancients established.

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote: "One who is under duress, such as one who needs to wait until dark at the techum for the purpose of a mitzvah—he may pray the prayer of the conclusion of Shabbat from plag hamincha and onwards and perform havdalah immediately, but he shall not recite the blessing over the candle, and likewise it is forbidden to perform melacha until the emergence of the stars." Thus far his words. And he shall wait to recite the Shema until the emergence of the stars, even though he will not join redemption to prayer (Magen Avraham); that is to say, he shall pray the Shemoneh Esrei, and the Shema and its blessings he shall recite afterwards. And this is specifically when he will not have wine in the place where he waits until dark at the techum (ibid.), or if he will need to pray while he is walking (ibid.). However, in siman 89 it was explained that it is better to join redemption to prayer and to pray while walking; see there. Nevertheless, in our days we have not seen nor heard of doing such a thing, and one should not do so, for it is a matter that is bewildering to the masses, and especially in our time when we pray Mincha until evening, and so the great authorities agreed (Rashal and Bach and Magen Avraham).