Prayers

Prayers

The prayers on a fast day include the following additions:

• Selichot, recited after the repetition of the Amidah. Sefardim and some Chassidim recite Selichot before the prayers.
• The Chazan says Anienu in the Repetition of the Amidah of both Shacharit and Mincha.
• If the chazan forgot to recite Aneinu before the blessing of Refa’enu, he should add it to Shome’ah Tefillah as is done during the silent Amidah and finish the bracha with the following ending: ha’oneh be’et tzarah veshome’ah Tefillah. Some say he should finish the bracha as usual, with the words Shome’ah Tefillah.
• If the chazaan only remembered after finishing Shome’a Tefillah, he should add Anienu as an additional bracha after the final bracha of the amidah – Sim Shalom.
• If the Chazzan began the Refa’enu blessing and did not yet say G-d’s name at the end of the blessing, he may go back to Aneinu and continue from there.
• The Sefardic custom is for the entire congregation (that is fasting) to recite Aneinu in Shacharit as well.
• Aneinu is added to the Amidah in the Mincha prayer by both the chazan and the congregation. Only one who is fasting should say Aneinu. If one forgot to say it in Shema Koleinu, he should say it when he finishes the Amidah before the final Yihiyu Leratzon.
• One who is praying the silent Amidah together with the Chazan who is doing the repetition, should recite Aneinu during Shema Koleinu and not together with the Chazan (who recites a separate blessing (before Refa’enu, see above).
• Avinu Malkeinu is recited in Shacharit and Mincha (morning and afternoon services).
• If there is a sandek, mohel, father of a baby having a bris or a chatan in shul, Tachanun and Avinu Malkeinu are omitted, but the Selichot should be recited, starting with “Selach Lanu” (page 409 in the new Chabad siddur).
• There is a special Torah reading in Shacharit and Mincha. The Torah reading of Mincha also includes a Haftorah.

The Torah Reading

• One who is not fasting the entire fast (whether he has already eaten or is planning to eat) should not be called for an aliyah, nor should he be the Ba’al Koreh or the Chazzan.
• If there is only one Kohen and he is not fasting, he should leave the shul so as not be called up for an aliyah.
• One who was called up to the Torah and is not fasting should decline to receive the aliyah. If the Aliyah was given to a Torah scholar who is embarrassed that he’s not fasting and feels that announcing it would be a chillul Hashem (a desecration of G-d’s name), he may accept the Aliyah. In years when the fast falls out on a Monday or Thursday , one who is called up may take the aliyah in Shacharit even if he is not fasting.
• Despite this, the Gabbai need not ask the potential olim (people receiving aliyot) whether they are fasting or not.
• One who is not fasting may open the Ark (peticha) and lift or wrap the Torah (hagbah and gelilah).
• The Chazan should recite the Birkat Kohanim in the repetition of the amidah of Mincha. In Sefardic congregations (and in Israel), the Kohanim give their blessing during Mincha of fast days.

The Purpose of the Fast

On the fast days, it is important to mourn over the tragedies that occurred on that day and pray to G-d that He redeem us from this bitter exile. One should do an honest reckoning of their actions and rectify whatever needs rectification in order to correct the sins which caused the tragedies that occurred to warrant this fast.

• In earlier times it was customary for the Rav or spiritual leader of a congregation to speak inspirational words (after Minchah) on a fast day. The Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged the revival of this custom.