By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

“What are you talking about? He is for sure Yotzeh!”

“No he’s not. He said the wrong Shmoneh Esreh.”

“But so what? He mentioned Shabbos.”

By this time most readers have probably figured out that the argument mentioned above is about someone who accidently davened the Shacharis Yom Tov Shmoneh Esreh with Shabbos additions instead of the Shabbos morning Shmoneh Esreh with Chol HaMoed additions as the Shulchan Aruch instructs us to do (OC 663:2).
So what is the halacha?

It is clear that if he made no mention of Shabbos he must repeat the Shmoneh Esreh. But if he did mention Shabbos, must he repeat the Shmoneh Esreh? Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l (Igros Moshe OC IV 21:3) rules that he must repeat it.

The Eliyahu Rabbah (OC 490:8), however, writes that if the person erroneously recited Attah Vachartanu he does not have to rerecite it. The Kaf HaChaim and Rav Yair Bacharach (Mekor Chaim 490:9) rule likewise.

So what should be done in the case of such a Machlokes? Many Poskim rule that a person who is stuck and unsure whether to repeat the Shmoneh Esreh or not is considered as if he is an “Aino Baki – someone not fluent in the Tefilos.” It was for an Aino Baki that the entire Chazan’s repetition of the SHmoneh was established. Thus, it may be a good idea to have in mind that the Chazan would be Motzi him. Of course, the question should be posed to the Rav, but usually there is no time to do so when one forgets after Shmoneh Esreh.

The question can be posed afterward, however. “Rabbi, I had in mind to be yotzeh with the Chazan. Do I have to repeat it?”

The author can be reached at [email protected]