[Avodah] Tachanun

[Saul Mashbaum]

RMBerger discussed the relationship of tachanun to t'filla.

RYBS discusses this topic in Al HaTshuva,in the Chapter "Tshuva and B"Chira
Chofshit",
pp 244 -249, in the section entitled "The prayer of the public and the
prayer of the individual". The concluding passage is as follows:

>>>
There are two forms of prayer according to Chazal. One form is the universal
prayer, the prayer of Everyman. All people need food, health; all need
forgiveness for their sins; man feels loneliness and turns to the Almighty
to redeem him. This prayer is the same for all, great and small alike, as
the Rambam puts it "[Chazal instituted a fixed text for the Amidah] so that
all people's prayers should be well-formulated, and the prayers of those of
poor speech the same as those of fine expression".
In this prayer, one prays with the congregation, and asks for those needs
everyone has. This is tfilat ha-amidah, the silent, communal prayer.

This is another form of prayer, the individualistic one. In this prayer the
uniqueness of the
individual is reflected; and this is the supplication (tachanun) *after*
prayer. Chazal did not set a fixed text for this form of prayer, since they
sought to preserve in this form of prayer the essential independence of the
individual supplicant.

These  two forms of prayer are a mirror of the wondrous paradox of the human
existence. On one hand, each person is like all others, and on the other
hand he is unique, lonely, independent, separate from all others. He is like
a sefer Torah [discussed above by RYBS.
SM] - all have exactly the same text, but each is in a different handwriting
...

>>>

The next section of this drasha is titled "Man's uniqueness". Ayen sham.

Saul Mashbaum
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