Siman 582

For Arvit they enter the beit knesset, and recite Kriat Shema with its blessings, and conclude with "u-fros," and say the verse "Tiku va-chodesh shofar." And there are places that do not say this. And they say "Chatzi Kaddish" with a melody, and they pray. And the world is accustomed to pray in a loud voice, and even though the sages are not pleased by this—nevertheless they are accustomed so. And they add several things in the Tefillah, namely: in the conclusion of "Atah Kadosh" they conclude "ha-Melekh ha-Kadosh," and if he said "ha-El ha-Kadosh"—he has not fulfilled his obligation and returns to the beginning. And similarly in the blessing of "Hashivah"—he concludes "ha-Melekh ha-Mishpat," and if not he returns, as I wrote above in siman 117. And they further add in the blessing of Avot "Zokhrenu l'chayim." And they say "l'chayim"—the lamed with a sheva, and not with a patach, for if so it would imply: not for life. And it contains eleven words, corresponding to the number of words in the verse "He-chafotz echpotz mot rasha" (Tur), and fifty letters (corresponding to the fifty gates of binah). And in "Atah Gibbor" they add "Mi khamokha Av ha-rachamim" etc. And it contains eight words corresponding to the verse "Va-yizkor ki vasar hemah" etc. (ibid.). And in "Modim" he adds "U-kh'tov l'chayim tovim" etc., and in "Zokhrenu" he does not say "tovim," for such is the way of the world to first request a small thing, and afterwards a large thing (ibid.). And in "Sim Shalom" they add "Be-sefer chayim brakha ve-shalom" etc.

These four things: "Zokhrenu," and "Mi Khamokha," "U-khtov," and "U-v'sefer" – were not mentioned in the Gemara, and they are from the tradition of the Geonim. And even though in the first three and the last three [blessings] one does not request requests, this is specifically regarding the needs of an individual, and not regarding the needs of the community (Tur). And so we learned in Masekhet Soferim (chapter nineteen, halacha 8): Just as the signatures of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are different from other festivals – so too is their prayer. And one does not mention zikhronot in the first three and in the last three, except etc.; thus far his words. And "zikhronot" means: what we say "Zokhrenu l'chaim... zokher yetzurav l'chaim b'rachamim," "Nizakher v'nikatev" etc. And according to this, these things have a foundation in Masekhet Soferim, which are baraitot from the sages of the Shas.

And behold, Ri, the author of the Tosafot, wrote in the first chapter of Berakhot (12b) that one returns for these matters if he did not say them, just as for "the Holy King." And the Rosh wondered about him, for since they were not mentioned in the Gemara, why do we make him return? See there. And according to what I have written, the opinion of Ri is simple, because they were mentioned in Massekhet Soferim, as I have written. However, the opinion of most of our teachers is like the Rosh, and so it is explained from the Rambam. And so we hold: that if he forgot them – we do not make him return, since ultimately they were not mentioned in the Gemara.

And in the blessing "Who blesses His people Israel with peace" – we do not change on Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur, and during the Ten Days of Repentance, but rather it is like the rest of the year. But the custom of Ashkenaz is to change, and to conclude "Who makes the peace." And many and great ones have already wondered: how is it possible to change the version on our own? Therefore, many and the greats of the world say "Who blesses" etc. And that which is found in the early authorities to say "Who makes the peace" – their intention was not regarding the blessing, but rather regarding "Who makes peace" that is at the end of the Shemoneh Esrei and at the end of Kaddish, because there is in this an allusion to these days. Nevertheless, it seems in my humble opinion that one should not rebuke them, for in truth this blessing of "Who blesses" – we do not find its version explicitly in the Shas, but rather in the Rambam and in the poskim. And we find at the end of Tractate Derech Eretz that their version was "Who makes the peace," as it says there: Great is peace, for all the blessings and the prayers conclude with peace; the Recitation of Shema "and spread the shelter of Your peace," the Priestly Blessing "and grant you peace," all the blessings conclude with peace "Who makes the peace," see there. Behold, such was their version. And the Sephardim do not change the version.

If he did not say "ha-Melekh ha-Kadosh," or if he is in doubt whether he said it, if he did not say it—he returns to the beginning, for presumably he did not say it according to his habit. And here it does not avail that he say it ninety times, as with "mashiv ha-ruach" in siman 114, for behold he cannot say the Name, and how shall he habituate himself (Magen Avraham subsection 1)? And likewise regarding "ha-Melekh ha-Mishpat," if he did not say it, or if he is in doubt—he returns. However, since this is in the middle berakhot, if he has not yet uprooted his feet—he returns to the berakhah of "Hashiva." And if he uprooted his feet—he returns to the beginning. And what is called "uprooted his feet"—it was explained above in siman 117. And according to our nusach, that even during the rest of the year we say "Melekh ohev tzedakah u-mishpat," if he did not say "ha-Melekh ha-Mishpat"—some say that he does not return, since he mentioned "Melekh," and some say that he returns. And in siman 118 this was explained; see there that it is good that he return and pray as a voluntary prayer (Taz subsection 1).

If one said "ha-El ha-Kadosh," and within the time of a continuous utterance he remembered and said "ha-Melekh ha-Kadosh," he does not need to return, and he has fulfilled his obligation. And similarly regarding "ha-Melekh ha-Mishpat." And even if he did not know beforehand that these were the days of repentance, and did not remember until afterward (Magen Avraham, subsection 2). And on the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, or Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur that fall on Shabbat – they say in the blessing of "Magen Avot" "ha-Melekh ha-Kadosh." However, in this case, if he said "ha-El ha-Kadosh" – he has fulfilled his obligation (see Sha'arei Teshuvah). And he concludes with the blessing of Shabbat alone, for this blessing was only instituted for Shabbat.

It has already been explained that if one did not say "Zokhrenu" and "Mi Khamokha Av HaRakhamim," and likewise "U-khthov" and "Be-sefer Khayim" – we do not make him repeat. However, if he remembered before he finished the berakhah, meaning that he had not yet mentioned the Name from the berakhah – he says it there. For example, if he said "Melekh ozer u-moshia u-magen. Barukh attah" and remembered that he did not say "Zokhrenu" – he returns to "Zokhrenu" until "Elokim khayim," and says "Melekh ozer" etc. But if he mentioned the Name – he does not return. And so it is with all of them, and it is forbidden for him to return. And he says "le-khayim" with a sheva as I have written, and not with a patah. And specifically on Rosh Hashanah is there a meticulousness, and not throughout the whole year. (See Magen Avraham subsection 4. And regarding what he wrote that "Zokhrenu," "Kothvenu" are with a khataf kamatz – I do not know his intention.)

Some are accustomed to pray on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur while bowing, and they must straighten at the end of the blessings before saying "Baruch," because it is forbidden to bow during a blessing except in the places established by the sages. The Sephardim are accustomed to say "Shir HaMa'alot MiMa'amakim" between "Yishtabach" and "Yotzer" throughout the Ten Days of Repentance. And so too in the Arvit of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur after the Shemoneh Esrei, they say "LeDavid Mizmor L'Hashem Ha'aretz U'melo'ah." The Ashkenazim do not practice this. In the Kaddish, they double "Le'ela Le'ela." And one does not say "U'le'ela," but rather "Le'ela Le'ela." And when one uproots his feet, they say "Oseh HaShalom," and so too at the end of Kaddish. And they say "ShehaShaltan" with a kamatz under the second shin. And one does not say "Be'ahavah mikra kodesh," but rather "Zichron teruah, mikra kodesh," for there is no love in judgment. And they say "U'devarcha emet" and not "U'devarcha malkenu emet," for in the blessing they conclude with "Melech al kol ha'aretz." And "emet" is also like "melech," as I wrote in section 13.

And we add on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the blessing of "Atah Kadosh" three times "U-vekhen," namely: "U-vekhen ten pakhdekha," "U-vekhen ten kavod," "U-vekhen tzaddikim," etc. And the matter is: behold, on the twenty-fifth of Elul the world was created, and man was created on Rosh Hashanah, and the purpose of the creation of man is that His name, may He be blessed, shall be magnified and sanctified through him. And this was the intention of the creation, except that through the sin of the Tree of Knowledge matters were corrupted, and the waste increased over the food, and the husk over the fruit. And at the giving of the Torah it was rectified, and with the Calf it was corrupted. Therefore, the world will not be rectified according to the initial intention until after the coming of the redeemer, and for this we pray in all the prayers: "Yitgadal ve-yitkadash shemeh raba."

Therefore, all the prayers of Rosh Hashanah were established upon the sanctification of His Name, may He be blessed. And this is the essence of the middle blessing: "Reign over the entire world in Your glory," etc., "that every creature may know," etc., "and everything that has breath in its nostrils shall say: Hashem, the God of Israel, is King, and His kingship rules over all." And this is the essence of our prayer on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and for this reason the Men of the Great Assembly preceded the blessing of "You are holy" with those three "And so too" [U-vekhen] passages: since we conclude with "the Holy King," which is also for this intention, that His kingship, may He be blessed, shall be revealed in actual practice before the entire world. Therefore, the obligation is upon us to mention "King" during these days. And the blessing is for the holiness of the Holy One, blessed be He; therefore we say, "And so too, place Your fear," etc., "and may they all become a single bundle to perform Your will with a perfect heart," for this is the purpose of creation and the purpose of our hope.

And afterward we say "And so, grant honor, Hashem, to Your people" – this is against the exile of the Torah, for there is no honor except Torah, that the horn of the Torah and the horn of Israel shall be uplifted, and then "the righteous shall see and rejoice." And as for why they chose the phrasing of "And so" (uvchen), the Tur wrote that since it is now the Day of Judgment, and we are coming before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. And this is the phrasing of the verse: "And so (uvchen) I will go to the king." "Bchen" equals seventy-two, a hint to the Name of seventy-two, and the Name of four rolls in its combination; thus far his words. That is to say, that the Name Havayah in its fullness with Yud-in equals seventy-two (Beit Yosef). And because the Name of seventy-two rolls three times, forward and backward and forward, as Rashi and Tosafot explained in Sukkah (45a) corresponding to the three verses of "And he traveled," "And he came," "And he stretched," see there – therefore we say "And so" (uvchen) three times. And the Sephardim add further "And so, let Your Name be sanctified." (And it seems to me because four times seventy-two equals "And He passed" [Vaya'avor] – 216 [is] 72 [times 3]. And examine and you will find it easy.)

And one says in the prayer "this day of Remembrance," for thus the Torah called it, "a remembrance of sounding the shofar, a holy convocation," because through the tekiot and the teruot we are remembered before Hashem for good, as it is written (Numbers 10:9-10): "And you shall sound a teruah with the trumpets, and you shall be remembered before" etc., "and you shall sound the trumpets" etc., "and they shall be for you a remembrance" etc. — behold, the teruot and the tekiot bring about remembrance, and that is what we request. Therefore we call it "this day of Remembrance," whether in the prayer or in the kiddush. And one does not mention Rosh Chodesh on Rosh Hashanah in any overt manner, but only by allusion, for Rosh Chodesh is also included in the day of Remembrance, as it is written: "And on the day" etc., "and on your New Moons" etc., "and they shall be for you a remembrance." And so too in "Ya'aleh V'Yavo" we say the language of "remembrance," and the reason is because the moon is still hidden. And regarding this it is written: "at the hidden time for our festival day," meaning: that we conceal the overt mention of Rosh Chodesh.

If it falls on a weekday, one says "a day of teruah." And if it falls on Shabbat, when one does not blow, one says "a remembrance of teruah." And on Shabbat one says "be pleased with our rest." (That which the Magen Avraham wrote in subsection 6 in the name of the Levush – the custom is not so, see there.) And one does not say "festivals for gladness, holidays and seasons for joy," because they are days of judgment. And similarly, one does not say "v'hasienu," for even though Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur were also included in the passage of "these are the festivals of Hashem" – nevertheless, the blessing of "Your festivals" applies only to the three regalim in which one ascends for the festival. And similarly in Musaf in "and because of our sins" – one does not say "and we are unable to ascend and appear," but rather "and we are unable to perform our obligations," for the reason that has been explained. And if it falls on Shabbat – one mentions that of Shabbat as on all the Yamim Tovim, and one concludes "and Your word is true," and seals with "King over all the earth," whether in the prayer or in the kiddush. And it seems to me the reason is that since in Musaf one includes the sanctity of the day with Malchuyot, and then one is forced to seal with "King over all the earth," therefore they established it so in all the prayers. And automatically the seal of the kiddush is equal to the prayer, as on Shabbat and Yom Tov, and therefore one also concludes "and Your word is true" which is similar to the seal, for the seal of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is truth. And for this one says "for You are God of truth, and Your word is true." And truth is like kingship, and therefore one does not need to say "and Your word our King is true," for this would be like a repetitive expression.

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 9: Even though throughout the year we pray in a whisper, on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur it is customary to say it in a loud voice. We are not concerned about causing error, since machzorim are common in their hands. Thus far his words. And we have already written that several great authorities—their minds are not at ease with this, and prayer is only in a whisper. And it is customary that each person says to his fellow on the first night after the evening prayer: "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year," and his fellow answers him likewise—so, or says to him "you as well" (see Turei Zahav subsection 4, and Magen Avraham subsection 8).