Siman 565

The individual says "Anenu" in "Shome'a Tefillah." It makes no difference whether it is a private fast or a public fast. And even if he prays in private, such that he will not hear the blessing from the shaliach tzibbur, for a blessing unto itself was only instituted for the shaliach tzibbur, as will be explained in the next siman. And even the shaliach tzibbur in the silent prayer includes it in "Shome'a Tefillah," and says it before "For You hear...". And he should not conclude with the blessing "Who answers in time of distress," but rather when he reaches "in every time of distress and straits" he says "For You hear...". And there is one who says that he should also not say "in every time of distress and straits" (Eliyah Rabbah), but it is not the primary view. And such is the simple custom, and one should not change it. And it is simple that a shaliach tzibbur who is fasting a private fast—he is not to mention "Anenu" in the repetition of the shaliach tzibbur. (And that which the Be'er Heitev wrote in subsection 1 in the name of the Knesset HaGedolah—it is a bewildering matter.)

It is a simple matter that on a public fast day, one who is not fasting should not say "Anenu," and such is the simple custom. There is one who says that he should say "Anenu," since it is now a fixed prayer for the community, but he should not say "on the day of our fast" but rather "on this fast day" (Bach). But in our days we have not heard of anyone who conducts himself so. And know that seemingly, on a private fast, he should not say "Anenu, Hashem, on the day of our fast" but rather "on the day of my fast," and so wrote the great authorities (Bach and Taz, subsection 1). However, our teacher, the Rema, wrote in section 1 that he should not deviate from the established formula, but should say "on the day of our fast." Thus far his words, just as with one who sets out on a journey above in siman 110, who says "that You should lead us in peace" because there are several others setting out on a journey. And here too, it is impossible that there are not others in the world fasting (Magen Avraham, subsection 1, and see Taz). And such is the custom.

If one forgot to say "Anenu" in "Shome'a Tefillah," and remembered when he said "Blessed are You, Hashem…" – he should not interrupt in the middle of the prayer, and he should say it after his prayer before he has uprooted his feet. And it appears to me that he may say it even before "Yihyu leratzon…". And it is no worse than other supplications, which some say before "Yihyu leratzon." And if he did not remember until he uprooted his feet – they do not make him return, for this is not an absolute requirement, like "Al HaNissim" on Chanukah and Purim. And also when he says it after his prayer before he has uprooted his feet – he should not say it with a concluding blessing, but rather as he says it in "Shome'a Tefillah."

The opinion of the Geonim is that an individual does not say "Anenu" except during Mincha and not during Shacharit, for perhaps a bulmos will seize him and he will need to eat, and he will be found a liar in his prayer. And even though by the law of the Gemara one says "Anenu" even in the preceding Maariv, nevertheless, we who are weak—there is cause for concern, but during Mincha there is no concern. And even when he prayed Mincha Gedola—in any case he must say "Anenu," for even if a bulmos seizes him, he has at least fasted until midday (Magen Avraham, subsection 4). But the shaliach tzibbur says it even in the Shacharit prayer during the repetition of the shaliach tzibbur as a blessing unto itself, because it is impossible that some of the congregation will not be found who are fasting. Therefore, even if he himself is not fasting—he must say it, for it is the prayer of the congregation.

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 3, and this is his wording: And on the four fasts even the individual says it in all his prayers, for even if a bulimus seizes him and he eats—it is still appropriate to say "Answer us on this day of the fast of this affliction," since the sages established it as a fast. Thus far his words. And I do not know if he used this wording precisely so that he should not say "on the day of the fast of our affliction" since he himself perhaps will not fast, or if he did not use it precisely. It appears more likely that he used this wording precisely. However, our teacher, the Rema, wrote regarding this: That the custom on all fasts is not to say it except at Mincha, aside from the shaliach tzibbur who says it also at Shacharit when he prays aloud. Thus far his words, and such is our custom. And one may say the reason: that since one must change the version from "the fast of our affliction" to "this day of the fast of this affliction" as I have written—it is not worthwhile.

And it is good to say in the supplications after the prayer of Mincha, after "My God, guard...": "Master of all worlds, it is revealed and known before You that when the Beit HaMikdash existed, a person would sin and bring a sacrifice, and they would only offer from it its fat and its blood. May it be Your will that my fat and my blood which have been diminished from me today in this fast, be as if I offered..." And they have not accustomed now to say this, and I do not know why. And it is proper to say it, as so it is in Berakhot (17a) and in the Tur and Shulchan Aruch section 5, see there.

An individual is not to recite the thirteen attributes in the manner of prayer and a request for mercy, for they are a matter of sanctity and require ten. And so it implies explicitly in Rosh Hashanah (17b) that the Holy One, Blessed be He, wrapped Himself like a sheliach tzibbur in the thirteen attributes, see there. However, if he comes to recite them in the manner of mere reading, with melody and cantillation marks – he is permitted. And when saying "and He called out with the name of Hashem" – one must pause between "with the name" and "Hashem," for the tipcha is on "with the name." And in "with the name" – the bet is soft, unlike "and he called out with the name of Hashem" in parashat "Lech Lecha," see there. And before midnight one is not to recite the thirteen attributes, nor any selichot, except on Yom Kippur. Also "Ha'aderet Veha'emunah" is not to be said except on Yom Kippur (Magen Avraham, subsection 5). But the Sephardim recite this every Shabbat, even as an individual. And an individual is not to recite selichot in the middle of the prayer, and only afterward may he recite them, and only when he speaks of the matter of the thirteen attributes shall he skip them. And one who fasts and praises himself to others – is punished for this. And only when they ask him may he say so, and he does not need to lie since he is not saying it in the manner of boasting, and it is not proper to tell a lie (see Taz, subsection 6, and Magen Avraham, subsection 7).