On Rosh Hashona and Yom Kippur, many communities add Piyutim (liturgical poems) to their prayers. Some Kehillos also add Piyutim on special Shabbosim such as the four Parshiyos and to the davening of the Shalosh Regolim.
Customs vary greatly for community to community regarding on which day Piyutim are recited. There are also differences in how many and which Piyutim are said and where they are inserted into the davening.
The Piyutim do not form part of the essential text of the Tefillos composed by the Anshei Kneses Hagedola. They were added at later times as a Minhag.
The Piyutim are inserted into the Chazzan’s repetition of the Amidah for Shachris and Musaf and in some communities are also added to the Birchos Krias Shema. These Piyutim are often referred to as Yotzros. Technically this name refers to the Piyutim inserted into the Birchos Krias Shema which begins Yotzer Or. The Piyutim added into the Amidah are referred to as Krovetz (an acronym for קול רינה וישועה באהלי צדיקים ) or as Krovos.
The Pri Megadim writes that the Piyutim are called Krovos, related to the word קרוב meaning close, because they draw the hearts of the Jewish people closer to Hashem.
Piyutim as Hefsek
The question is whether or not they constitute a hefsek, a problematic interruption in the davening. The Poskim distinguish between where the Piyutim are inserted.
Piyutim in Birchos Krias Shema
In the Birchos Krias Shema, the Mechaber rules that the Piyutim do constitute a hefsek and the custom of saying them should be stopped. This is the view of the Rambam. The Ram”o however brings the opinion of the Rashba and Rabbeinu Yonah that the Piyutim in Birchos Krias Shema are not problematic and are a widespread practise. They argue that it is permissible to add to the middle of the blessings as long as the beginning and end of the blessings remains intact. The Ram”o however does conclude that one who does not say these Piyutim does not lose out.
Piyutim in Chazoras Hashatz
In Chazoras Hashatz there is stronger grounds for reciting Piyutim since in the Amidah one may technically add to each Bracha if it is related to the Bracha. However, there is discussion whether one may insert Piyutim into the first three blessings of the Amidah. These are blessings of praise for Hashem and one is not supposed to make personal requests or supplications. Nonetheless the Poskim permit Piyutim to be inserted into the first three blessings since they are not personal requests but are for the needs of the community. The Rosh, as quoted in the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch brings support for this permissibility from the fact that Rabbi Elazar Hakalir, perhaps the greatest of Paytanim composed Piyutim to be inserted into the first three blessings of the Amidah.
If the Chazzan left out one of the Piyutim and had already concluded the Bracha, the Piyut may not be added at that or a later point. It is advisable to recite the omitted Piyut after davening. An individual davening on their own cannot add any Piyutim in the Brachos of their Amidah.
The Piyutim may be said even if one does not understand them. Nonetheless, the Rebbe advised Baalei Tefillah to look over the Machzor and learn their meaning.
The Alter Rebbe rules that when Rosh Hashona falls on Shabbos one should not extend davening past Chatzos. On a weekday, one may extend the davening with Piyutim, but not merely with Chazzonus and nigunim.
Changing Minhagim in Tefillah
On this topic, the Poskim address the ability to change customs of davening. The Alter Rebbe adds that one should not change their family minhogim of Tefillah. This ruling is based on the Ariza”l who explains that there are twleve gates in heaven through which the Tefillos of each tribe ascend according to their minhog.
The Mahari”l records that when he lost a daughter (r”l) he attributed it to having changing the minhag hamokom (custom of the community) regarding the reciting of the Piyutim. The Bach also records how someone who tried to cancel the custom of reciting Piyutim did not live out the year. The son of Rav Chaim Vital attests that despite his father’s opinion against the reciting of the Piyutim, when he served as the Shliach Tzibbur in a community whose custom it was to say them, he did recite them.
Rabbi Elozor Hakalir
Rabbi Elazar Hakalir was a Tana who lived in Eretz Yisroel in Kiryas Sefer. The Rosh identifies Rabbi Elazar Hakalir as the son of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. He is called Hakalir according to the Aruch, because when he started to learn he was given a cake with pesukim on it as a segulah which enabled his eyes to be opened. Kalir means a small cake in ancient Greek. Others, including the Rashba, suggest that he was the Tana Rabbi Elazar ben Arach.
The Alter Rebbe, based on Shaar Hakavanos of the Ariza”l, writes that there are those who will only recite the Piyutim composed by the early Payatnim such as the Kaliri, as they were composed in the way of truth. It is said that they were composed with Ruach Hakodesh and contain secrets of Torah.
In Practice
The Alter Rebbe did not include Piyutim in Birchos Krias Shema and was also very select and limited about the Piyutim included in the Chazoras Hashatz for the Yomim Noraim. This is also Shitas Hagr”a. Most communities do not recite Piyutim in the Birchos Krias Shema.
It is recorded that the Baal Shem Tov would not add Piyutim even in Chazoras Hashatz except the Tefillah of Tal, Geshem and the Four Parshiyos.
The Chasam Sofer was displeased by the practise in his community to add Piyutim in Birchos Krias Shema but did not nullify the custom. Concerning the Piyutim in the Amidah he writes that they were important and that Gedolei Yisroel would ensure to finish any Piyutim skipped by the Tzibbur after davening.
Shibolei Haleket writes that it is a Mitzvah to recite the Piyutim.
While the Chazzan recites the Piyutim one should follow along reciting it together with the Chazzan. One should certainly not speak during that time and should not even learn, even if just looking into a Sefer without actually reading.
Pri Chadash warns that the reciting of the Piyutim should not cause one to miss zman Krias Shema.
1. OC 68:1
2. Teshuvah Pe’er Hador 64 and 129
3. OC 68:1
4. Teshuvos 1:469
5. Brachos Perek Ein Omdin
6. Shulchan Aruch Harav OC 68:2. See Tur OC 112 and Rosh Brachos 5:21.
7. ibid. See Ram”o OC 112:2
8. Brachos 5:21. See also Maadanei Yom Tov.
9. Teshuva 1:469
10. Piskei Teshuvos
11. ibid
12. Mishna Berura 68:4
13. Ram”o 68:1
14. Mishna Berura 68:6
15. Shulchan Aruch Harav OC 584:6
16. 68:2 based on the Magei Avraham. Also quoted in the Mishna Berura 68:4. Concerning changing from Nusach Ashkenaz to Nusach Ha’Ariza”l which represents the 13th gate which receives all Tefillos, see Igros Kodesh 14:91 and 391.
17. Seder Yom Hakippurim
18. Mishna Berura 68:4. See also Shaarei Teshuvah 68:1
