Q&A: Tachanun
Tachanun
Question
Peace to his honored eminence, may he live long!
I wanted to investigate what the definition of “Tachanun” is, since in the Talmud it appears that there is supposedly no clear definition of what it is, for throughout the Talmud it appears many times that each person supposedly did whatever he wanted (in Megillah 22b, Bava Metzia 59a; see there at length).
And likewise the Jewish law that if a circumciser is present, etc. (see Shulchan Arukh 131:6–7), where this matter also seems not to be clear.
What is his honored eminence’s opinion on this matter?
Thank you very much!
Answer
I didn’t understand the question.
The custom is not to fall on one’s face, but there is no prohibition against doing so. The custom is whatever people practice—what is there to investigate here? From the wording in the Talmud and in the Shulchan Arukh there, it straightforwardly emerges that this is talking about nefilat apayim (falling on one’s face).
Discussion on Answer
Indeed, the definition is not clear, and it is not supposed to be clear. What people customarily do is what they do. Even in Jewish law, when it is not just custom, the definitions are not always clear. Life is complicated. But with customs, all the more so—there is no point in looking for criteria.
Right, but what is different about Pesach Sheni as opposed to a bridegroom? Why is it that when only a circumciser is present in the synagogue—or some even say when there will be a circumcision there—they still do not say it? Seemingly the definition is not clear..