HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Zilberstein, member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, said in his drasha on Shabbos after Seudas Shlishis that Klal Yisrael should begin reciting Aneinu Borei Olam on Sunday morning due to the lack of rain, B’Chadrei Chareidim reported.
“It’s true that on Wednesday morning, we were happy to see that it began to rain, but it stopped within a few minutes and the clouds disappeared,” HaRav Zilberstein said. “And Am Yisrael needs rain…”
“We’re already in the middle of Kislev, after the year of Shemita, and we need a shefa from Hakadosh Baruch Hu which is called gishmei bracha and we still haven’t been zocheh to it. And therefore in my opinion we should begin the recitation of Aneinu Borei Olam tomorrow [Sunday] morning. Each person should say it quietly in tefilla and also the Shaliach Tzibur in Chazras HaShas, to plead with Hakadosh Baruch Hu Sheyitain Tal U’Mattar L’Bracha…”
“Also, we need to know why the rains stop,” Rav Zilberstein said, reciting the Gemara in Taanis which lists a number of reasons why the rains stop, due to not separating terumos and maasros, due to those who speak lashon hara, due to those who are brazen, due to bittul Torah, due to the sin of gezel – and the takana is to increase tefillah – and due to the deeds of the generation, that they are corrupt.
“Therefore, we must strengthen ourselves in all these, and especially increasing our midah of rachamim, and as it says in the Gemara in Chullin that a person should honor his wife and children more than what he has for they are dependent on him, and he is dependent on the One that said and the world was.”
“And in the zechus of midas harachamim, which is k’neged the brazenness in the world, we’ll soon be zocheh to gishmei ratzon and bracha, like the good years. And Hakadosh Baruch Hu wil decree on us good gezeiros, and like it says in tefillas Aneinu – ויגולו רחמיך על .מידותיך, ותתנהג עם בניך במידת הרחמים, וקבל ברחמים וברצון את תפילתנו”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
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How can anyone say that “Klal Yisrael should begin” saying this addition to the shmoneh esrei? Only those who are in Eretz Yisrael need rain, so only they should say it. Those of us who are elsewhere have no need for rain and should not say this. Also, how can the shliach tzibur say it? Where is the heter for that? In what community has that ever been the custom? On the contrary, my siddur says explicitly that the shliach tzibur may not say it aloud, and that is what I recall from shulchan aruch.
Also, the addition is “Va‘aneinu”, not “Aneinu”.
If part of the reason rain does not come is because of brazenness you have just compounded the problem. Is that the way to address the statement of one of the Gedolei hador?? Shouldn’t one present in a question form with a sense of yirah and kavod??
By the way……….. if only Klall Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel needs rain and it is past the time and we are also saying Vsain Tal Umatar……… is it wrong to daven for achienu in Eretz Yisroel. Are not our fates intertwined?
@RABBAIM – You are quick to judge others instead of seeing the simple explanation.
@Milhouse – Don’t get too fixated on the wording of the report. Note that you are reading an editorialized translation of an article in an Israeli site that is not known for being a stickler to accurate quotes, and is reporting on hearsay – since no one was there to actually record Rav Zilberstein’s words on Shabbos…
Especially due to the venue in which it was presented, it’s obvious that Rav Zilberstein wasn’t issuing a sweeping psak. For him to say “Klal Yisroel” is really saying “the Yidden in Eretz Yisroel” since Va’aneinu is recited ONLY in where the rain is needed, and is rarely said anywhere outside EY, as the definitions of the rainy seasons given by Chazal pertain only to EY. The non-quote does not say Rav Zilberstein said “All Yidden around the world” should say Va’aneinu, so I’ll choose to understand it in a way that makes sense.
As for the Shliach Tzibbur – again, we have no actual quote or recording to rely on, so who says this is actually what Rav Zilberstein said? So long as we don’t have a clear statement written by Rav Zilberstein or any other Godol, I choose to believe that somewhere between the hearsay of the hearsay and the translation, some details were misquoted.
We’re already in the middle of Kislev, after the year of Shemita More importantly, following a Hebrew Leap year, which already makes everything even later on secular calendar:- But this was probably simply too profound fr Rabbi Zilberstein to realize.
due to those who are brazen By breaking up Shiduchim and even worse:- By breaking up good marriages, and chaining עגונים children from their Fathers.
As someone who lives in EY, I can confirm that in fact, ועננו is said in the chazaras hashatz, at least in my experience. I’m certainly no expert but this article provides a pretty through treatment of the topic with mekoros.
https://www.toraland.org.il/%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%94-%D7%95%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%94/%D7%AA%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%94/%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%A0%D7%A0%D7%95-%D7%91%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%90-%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%9D/
Other than the report about HaRav Silverstein I have not yet heard any psak that it should be recited this year, so i don’t know how many kehillos are reciting it as of now.
Sefaradim anyway say an expanded ברך עלינו during the winter, which contauns much of the nusach of ועננו, so as far as I know, they never add it to שמע קולנו.
Excuse the typo *HaRav Zilberstein*
Alex- too quick??? Was his language appropriate for an adam gadol??? Its not about speed and it was not written on the spur of the moment. I feel a lack of kavod HaRAv in the way he wrote and that is the issue I primarily addresses, no?