by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com

There is no question that we should be davening with much greater intent this year with a mageifah all around us.  Some people think that since it is so much harder to attend our minyaning – we should curtail BaHab this year.

Others, including this author, think the exact opposite – we should be saying BaHab with even greater intensity.

BaHaB is bentched this coming Shabbos, of course, and is observed on the Monday, Thursday, and Monday after the Shabbos after the Rosh Chodesh after Sukkos.  It is also observed after Pesach following the same formula.  The word BaHaB is an acronym of letters where the Gematria is 2,5,2 referring to the second day of the week, the fifth day of the week, and the second day of the week again.  It is not observed, for some reason, after Shavuos.

The Sefer Torah is not held when the Chazan bentches BaHaB.  According to the Mishna Brurah (284:15) it should be said right before Ashrei.

MANY FAST

Many people not only recite Selichos during these three days, but they also fast.  The reason why it is the Monday following the Shabbos after the Rosh Chodesh after the holiday is to give the shul an opportunity to “Bentch BaHaB” — to bless those people that will be observing this custom.  It is done the previous Shabbos by the Chazan after the Torah reading and before Mussaf.

WHAT ARE THE REASONS?

But what exactly are the reasons for this practice?

A quick look at the meforshim reveals no less than six different reasons.  These reasons are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

The Baalei Tosfos (Kiddushin 81a “Sakva”) explain that during the Yom Tov — there is inappropriate mixing that occurs when men and women both attend the Rav’s drasha.  Historically, the Rav usually did not address the entire kehillah evert Shabbos.  The Rav usually spoke only twice or three times a year.

The Maharil explains that feasting and joyous occasions are also opportunities, infortunately, for people to sin.

The Eliyahu Rabbah explains that the Slichos and the fasting on BaHaB is to atone for violations of Chol HaMoed that occurred on these two holidays.  It is forbidden to perform Malacha, work, on the intermediate days of the holidays, unless it fits into one of five exceptions.  Unfortunately, many people are in violation of this law and just go about their business with no change.

Rabbi Mordechai Jaffe, the author of the Levush, provides a different reason.  He writes that this is the period that there are changes in the weather and people are apt to get sick.  The purpose of the BaHaB is to pray for the welfare of our people that they not get sick.

The Raavyah, also known as the Avi Ezri, cited in the Mordechai (Tractate Taanis #629) provides an entirely different explanation.  He states that it has nothing to do with Teshuvah or penance.  His opinion is that the fasts were initiated on account of the harvests.  We are fasting and praying that the weather should not adversely affect them.

One contemporary author, suggests an entirely different explanation.  He writes that there were actually two different customs of fasting that somehow got combined together.  He suggests that the BaHaB after Passover has nothing to do with Passover but rather commemorates the fasts of Esther.  They just could not be held during the month of Nissan, so they were pushed off to the month of Iyar.  He suggests that Meseches Sofrim 17:2 clearly indicates this.

So what about the fast after Sukkos?  There the author agrees with the Raavyah that it was initially a harvest oriented fast.  According to this, the reason why it was not initiated on Shavuos is thus clear.

Most of the reasons for BaHaB are concerned with either the physical or spiritual welfare of the nation of Israel.  May we all merit to increased health and spirituality – especially during this time. Amain.

The author can be reached at [email protected]