Are Yotzros a Hefsek in Davening
27. The poskim discuss whether saying piyutim and yotzros is a hefsek in davening or an addition to davening, and, accordingly, whether it is proper to say them in their place.
In Birchos Krias Shema
28. Some say mutar. The fact that some of the great Rishonim instituted the recital of piyutim within Birchos Krias Shema proves they held it is not a hefsek in Birchos Krias Shema. Despite the rules of “Where they said to be brief, one may not be lengthy” (ברכות דף י''א ע''א ) and “Whoever alters the fixed nusach of brachos established by the Chachamim is not yotzei” (ברכות דף מ' ע''ב ), some Rishonim hold that is only in the wording of the bracha itself, not in the sections between the brachos (ר''ת ספר הישר שו''ת סי' ס''ג, תוס' ברכות דף י''א ד''ה מקום, מרדכי שם סי' כ''ה, ראב''ד הובא בטור סי' ס''ח, מהרש''ל בשם כמה גאונים, מהרי''ל ).
29. The Rama concludes that the minhag in all places is to say them in the spot they were established to be said. However, one who is meikel and does not say them does not lose out (רמ''א סי' ס''ח ).
30. One should be careful not to miss zman Krias Shema due to the piyutim. If one sees the tzibbur will miss zman Krias Shema, he should skip the piyutim and say Krias Shema with its brachos by himself and then wait after saying Shema for the shliach tzibbur to catch up (מ''ב סי' קי''ב סק''ד ).
31. Some say assur. However, many Rishonim hold one may not interrupt Birchos Krias Shema based on the above Gemara (28) that one may not be lengthy where Chazal said to be brief, and because one may not alter the nusach established by Chazal (הרמ''ה הובא בטור שם ). This is the conclusion of the Mechaber (שו''ע סי' ס''ח ). Another reason is that it leads to idle talk (טור שם ).
32. Thus, many poskim hold they should not be said in Birchos Krias Shema, and this is the minhag of many communities today, including some Ashkenazi communities (שו''ת שער אפרים סי' י''ג, שו''ע הרב סי' ס''ח, ערוך השלחן שם ).
33. In a place where they are said. If one who personally does not say yotzros is in a place where they are said in Birchos Krias Shema, he may sit quietly and not say them. He should not interrupt with speech – not even words of Torah (רמ''ה הובא בטור), and certainly not idle speech – but he may think in Torah. If he sees he will end up speaking, it is better to say yotzros together with the tzibbur (רמ''א שם ).
34. Thinking the words. Similarly, he can read the words of yotzros without saying them. Since that is just thinking, it does not constitute a hefsek.
35. Saying them after Shemoneh Esrei. Due to the concern for hefsek in Birchos Krias Shema, some have the minhag to say the yotzros for Birchos Krias Shema after Shemoneh Esrei, before Chazoras HaShatz (הגר''נ אדלר מנהגי הגר''נ אדלר פ''ב אות ט''ו, חת''ס ).
In Shemoneh Esrei
36. There is also a machlokes haposkim about saying yotzros in Chazoras HaShatz, and there are different minhagim.
37. Some say assur. Some say it is assur based on the Gemara (ברכות דף ל''ד ע''א ), “One should never ask for personal needs in the first three or last three brachos of Shemoneh Esrei; only in the middle ones.” Altering the nusach of the tefilla with a piyut is a problem of asking for personal needs (תשובות הגאונים ). This is the psak of the Mechaber in Shulchan Aruch (סי' קי''ב ס''ב ).
38. Some say mutar. However, many Rishonim say it is mutar. Of course the ones who composed the piyutim to be said in Chazoras HaShatz allow it, and other Rishonim do as well. The reason is because the issur to ask for personal needs in the first three brachos is only for an individual; one may ask for communal needs (תוס' ברכות שם, תוס' ע''ז ח . ד''ה אם, הגאונים ור''ת הובא בשבלי הלקט סי' כ''ח ). The basis for the minhag to say yotzros in the first three brachos is that they are communal needs. Also, the fact that the public needs Hashem is a form of praise and honor for Him (מ''ב שם סק''ב ). This is the psak of the Rama, who writes that the minhag in all places is to say them (רמ''א שם ס''ב ).
39. Although most communities do not say yotzros in the middle of Birchos Krias Shema (above 32), many Ashkenazi communities say yotzros in Chazoras HaShatz (שו''ת חוות יאיר ). This is especially so nowadays that the shliach tzibbur is not motzi anyone, and the only question is about the shliach tzibbur himself, but there is no issue with the rest of the tzibbur saying them (שפע חיים דרשות חורש''י פ' נצבים וילך שנת תשל''ט ). Those with Chassidishe minhagim also say them.
40. If one is in a place where yotzros are said, he should say them with the tzibbur so as not to separate himself from the tzibbur. He certainly should not talk idly while yotzros are said. Yotzros should be said patiently and with kavana (above, 26).
41. Saying them after Chazoras HaShatz. Some are concerned about saying them in Chazoras HaShatz due to the issue of adding onto the first brachos (above, 37). Instead, they say them after Chazoras HaShatz and before Krias HaTorah. This was the minhag of the Gra for the yotzros of Shacharis (ס' שערי רחמים, מעשה רב אות נ''ז ).
