DVAR HALACHA 31

DVAR HALACHA 31

The Shulchan Aruch in siman reish ayin alef, se’if yud, says that Vayechulu should be said standing as part of Friday night Kiddush. The Mishnah Berurah in se’if kattan mem hey explains that, as we discussed last week, saying Vayechulu is considered a form of eidus that HaKadosh Baruch Hu created Shamayim va’Aretz, and eidus is given standing.

The Mishnah Berurah brings from the Tur that although Vayechulu was already said in Shemoneh Esrei, it is repeated in Kiddush in order to be motzi one’s children and other members of the household who may not have said it in davening. The Mishnah Berurah in siman reish samech ches, seif kattan alef adds that the fact that Vayechulu will be said again in Kiddush is one reason that someone who omitted it from Shemoneh Esrei does not need to repeat the tefillah.

The Mishnah Berurah also brings from the Rokeach, in the name of a Midrash, that there is a special significance to saying Vayechulu three times: once in Shemoneh Esrei, once after Shemoneh Esrei, and once over the kos of Kiddush. The Eliyah Rabbah in siman reish samech ches, se’if kattan yud beis brings three explanations for this practice.

The Midrash notes that the word “asher” appears three times in the parshah of Parah Adumah, which teaches the process through which a person becomes tahor, and also appears three times in the pesukim of Vayechulu. This connection teaches that one who says Vayechulu three times receives a kaparah.

The Eliyah Rabbah then brings from the Tzror HaMor that the three recitations correspond to the three realms of Creation: the olam ha’elyon, the olam ha’emtza’i, and the olam ha’tachton. Through the three recitations of Vayechulu, we give eidus that HaKadosh Baruch Hu created all three.

Finally, he brings from Rabbeinu Yerucham that repeating something three times strengthens and establishes it within a person. By proclaiming Vayechulu three times, we strengthen within ourselves the emunah that Hashem is the Creator of the entire world.

The Rema writes that the minhag is to sit even while reciting Vayechulu. The Mishnah Berurah in se’if kattan mem zayin explains that since Vayechulu was already said standing in shul, there is no need to insist on standing again during Kiddush.

In siman reish samech ches, se’if kattan yud tes, however, the Mishnah Berurah brings from the Pri Megadim that the minhag is to say Vayechulu in Kiddush standing, even when it was already said standing in shul.

The Dirshu Mishnah Berurah brings that the Chofetz Chaim himself said Vayechulu during Kiddush while sitting. The Chazon Ish and the Steipler as well as Rav Chaim Soloveitchik and the Brisker Rav also used to sit while saying vayechulu in kiddush.

Rav Moshe Feinstein, however, writes in Igros Moshe that l’chatchilah one should stand while saying Vayechulu and then sit for the remainder of Kiddush.

Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Reuven Eidlitz

Yeshiva Eitz Chaim, Monsey NY 

This dvar halacha is l’zchus refuah sheleima for Avraham ben Chaya Leah and Shmuel Avigdor ben Rivka b’soch sha’ar choley Yisroel

DVAR HALACHA 30

DVAR HALACHA 30

The Shulchan Aruch in siman reish samech ches, se’if zayin, says that after everyone finishes Shemoneh Esrei on Friday night, the tzibur repeats Vayechulu together, standing.

The Mechaber explains that although Vayechulu was already said in Shemoneh Esrei, Chazal instituted that it be repeated because of a situation in which Yom Tov falls on Shabbos. On such a night, the Yom Tov Shemoneh Esrei is said in place of the regular Shabbos Shemoneh Esrei and does not contain Vayechulu. Chazal therefore established that Vayechulu should be recited after Shemoneh Esrei so that even on such a Shabbos this proclamation of Ma’aseh B’reishis would not be missing. The Mishnah Berurah explains that once Vayechulu was established at this point in the tefillah, the takanah remained in place every Friday night, even when it had already been recited in Shemoneh Esrei.

The Mishnah Berurah in se’if katan yud tes, explains that the reason the Mechaber specifically says to say Vayechulu standing is because in doing so we are considered, so to speak, as being me’id that HaKadosh Baruch Hu created the world. Since testimony is given while standing, as the pasuk says, “V’amdu shnei ha’anashim,” we stand while saying Vayechulu as well.

The Mishnah Berurah adds from the Magen Avraham that it is preferable to say Vayechulu with a minyan of ten. The basic model of eidus is two witnesses, as indicated by the pasuk of “V’amdu shnei ha’anashim.” Vayechulu, however, is an eidus for HaKadosh Baruch Hu regarding the Creation of the world, and Chazal derive from the pasuk “V’nikdashti b’soch Bnei Yisroel” that an eidus of this magnitude should be proclaimed with ten.

The Biur Halacha, citing the Pri Megadim, writes that one should therefore be careful not to unnecessarily lengthen his Friday-night Shemoneh Esrei if doing so will cause him to miss the opportunity to say Vayechulu together with the tzibur.

Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach rules that if one is still davening Shemoneh Esrei when the tzibur begins Vayechulu, but has already reached the final section of “Elokai netzor…”, he may pause there and say Vayechulu together with them.

The Da’as Torah, cited in the Dirshu Mishnah Berurah, adds that even if one does not actually begin Vayechulu until within toch k’dei dibur of the chazzan finishing it, this is still considered as though he said Vayechulu together with the tzibur.

If one did miss saying Vayechulu with the tzibur, the Mishnah Berurah says that he should preferably find another person with whom to say it. Although he has missed the preferred recital with an eidah of ten, saying it together with another person retains the basic format of shnei eidim.

The Chazon Ish and Divrei Yatziv disagree and hold that although there is a preference to say Vayechulu with ten, if one missed the tzibur there is no particular accomplishment in specifically arranging to recite it with another person. The prevalent minhag, however, follows the Mishnah Berurah, and one who misses Vayechulu with the tzibur should preferably find another person with whom to say it.

The Mishnah Berurah also discusses the case of one who is davening b’yechidus and has nobody else with whom to say Vayechulu. He brings two opinions.

The Taz holds that an individual should not say this Vayechulu alone. Since Chazal gave its recital the character of eidus, a single individual cannot give testimony, just as regular eidus cannot be given by a lone witness.

The Eliyah Rabbah, however, holds that a yachid should still say Vayechulu. The original takanah was instituted because of Yom Tov that falls on Shabbos, when Vayechulu is absent from Shemoneh Esrei. That purpose remains even when one is davening alone, despite his inability to give it its full character of eidus.

The Mishnah Berurah concludes that a yachid should indeed say Vayechulu, but rather than saying it as one who is giving eidus, he should say it simply as one who is reading pesukim from the Torah.

Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Reuven Eidlitz

Yeshiva Eitz Chaim, Monsey NY 

This dvar halacha is l’zchus refuah sheleima for Avraham ben Chaya Leah and Shmuel Avigdor ben Rivka b’soch sha’ar choley Yisroel

DVAR HALACHA 29

DVAR HALACHA 29

The Shulchan Aruch in siman reish samech ches, se’if alef rules that we say Vayechulu as part of the Friday night Shemoneh Esrei. The Mishnah Berurah in se’if katan alef adds that if one accidentally omitted Vayechulu, he does not repeat the Shemoneh Esrei.

The Mishnah Berurah quotes the Gemara in Shabbos daf kuf yud tes amud beis, where Rav Hamnuna teaches that whoever says Vayechulu in the Friday night tefillah becomes a "partner with HaKadosh Baruch Hu" in Ma'aseh Bereishis.

The Maharsha explains that although Hashem created the world, the purpose of Creation is only realized when mankind recognizes Him as its Creator. Since Hashem created the world through dibur, when we verbally proclaim Vayechulu, affirming that Hashem created the world and rested on the seventh day, we become partners in fulfilling the very purpose of Creation.

The Bnei Yissaschar, quoted in Ta'amei HaMinhagim, develops this idea even further. The Torah says, "Ki sheishes yamim asah Hashem..." rather than "Ki b'sheishes yamim." He explains that Hashem established a template of six days followed by Shabbos. The six days themselves are not the ultimate goal; they lead to Shabbos, when we recognize Hashem as the Creator and continuous Mashgiach over the world.

Every week, by observing Shabbos and proclaiming Vayechulu, we reaffirm the purpose of Creation and provide justification, for the beginning of another week. If there were to chas v’shalom be a week where nobody kept Shabbos, the world would cease to exist. In this sense, one who recites Vayechulu is truly a shutaf with HaKadosh Baruch Hu in Ma'aseh Bereishis, helping bring Creation to its intended purpose and justifies the creation of the next sheishes yamim.

Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Reuven Eidlitz

Yeshiva Eitz Chaim, Monsey NY  

This dvar halacha is l’zchus refuah sheleima for Avraham ben Chaya Leah and Shmuel Avigdor ben Rivka b’soch sha’ar choley Yisroel