HALACHA OF THE WEEK: Can a Chazan Repeat Words in the Davening?
The Mishna [Berachot 33b] writes that one who says “Modim modim” is silenced, because it appears as if one is addressing two deities. However, the Beit Yosef [Orech Chaim 61] rules that the problem of looking like addressing two deities does not apply to most passages of Shema and Shemone Esrei. Yet, many poskim write that it is derogatory to unnecessarily repeating words. [Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz often illustrates this via a story of a person approaching the president of the United States and greeting him in the following manner: "Hello, President, President, Hello, President, Obama, Obama Obama, Hello"!] The Maharam Schick [Orech Chaim 31] further objects to repeating words, because it may be a "hefsek" (an unnecessary interruption) during a part of davening where such interruptions are prohibited.
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein [Igrot Moshe, Orech Chaim 22] while objecting to repeating words, says that is not a "hefsek", as long as one keeps the order of words intact. However, he does rule that if one repeats out of order and the meaning of the phrase changes, it is a "hefsek" which requires one to restart the prayer. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef [Yabia Omer 6 Orech Chaim 7:4-5] after reviewing all of the opinions, concludes that it is clearly a bad practice to repeat words and one who has the power to stop it, without embarrassing the chazan, should do so. [See also Responsa Sheilat Shlomo 1:24; and 7:32]
The Aruch Hashulchan [Orech Chaim 338:8] does find justification for the common practice that does seem to contradict halacha. He suggests that perhaps the problem of repeating words applies only in the places the Talmud mentions explicitly (e.g. modim and shema). In addition, the 17th century sage, Rabbi Yehuda (Leon) Modena, in his responsa, Ziknei Yehuda [131] who does permit repeating words if the chazan does so, only in order to enhance the kavanah of the davening.
Nevertheless, it is the custom of our K.I.N.S. community not to repeat words during davening, especially in the course of brachot and other sections of the tefillah where added or repeated words would be considered a “hefsek”.
DVAR TORAHThis week's parsha describes that when Pharaoh's daughter saw the basket floating on the river "She opened it and saw the boy, and behold! A youth was crying. She took pity on him and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrew boys.’” (Shemot 2:6)
Interestingly, if one were to consider why Pharaoh's daughter took pity on Moshe, it would seem to be for three reasons: 1. he was a baby; 2. he was crying; and most significant of all 3. he was from a threatened nation - a Hebrew boy. Yet, reason number three appears after the Torah says that she took pity and not before!
Rav Nissan Alpert, ztz"l, explained that this unusual order teaches us an important lesson, one which we can all apply to our personal lives. Upon seeing someone in pain, or even an organization in serious need, people typically have two immediate reactions either a desire to help or the question if help is possible - i.e., can I make a difference?
Pharaoh's daughter chose the former option without considering the latter. She immediately took pity and did not bother to care that a Hebrew child was an anathema, reviled by the country and the focus of her own father’s decree of infanticide. Rather, she wanted to help without regard to the outcome or the risks involved. Indeed, as Rav Alpert taught, this, too, was Moshe's nature - when he saw a Jew in trouble, he intervened without thinking of his own danger.
There are always “reasons,” not to take action. But what Pharaoh's daughter teaches is chesed, kindness, should always precede emet - the realities of a situation. We should first act and then face the music – later – after we have acted compassionately and saved a life, family, or organization.
