[Avodah] German siddur questions

[Zev Sero]

Michael Kopinsky wrote:

> 1)  In the middle of the bracha of S'lach Lanu (right before "ki 
> mochel..."), it has a note saying "An Fasttagen schaltet man hier im 
> Morgengebet die Slichos ein," which according to my best approximation 
> (and Google Translate), means, "On fast days, insert the slichos here in 
> the morning prayers."
>  
> What minhag is this referring to?  Slichos in the middle of shemoneh esrei?!

Yes, in chazarat hashatz.  This is the German minhag, and also the
Italian one.  It was probably the original minhag in all of Europe,
and then at some point most communities moved the slichot to after
chazarat hashatz because of the hefsek.  For some reason we have no
problem saying selichot inside chazarat hashatz on Yom Kippur, so
why not on other occasions?

Checking my Italian siddur, I find that there's a different chazarat
hashatz for each fast day, including not only selichot in Selach Lanu
but also short topical piyutim in each bracha, much like the "krovetz"
of Purim.  It also has all the kinot of Tish'a B'av inside the bracha
of Veliyrushalayim.

But before the chazarat hashatz of Tish'a B'av there is the following
not: "Some protest against all the additions that are written in the
machzorim in the tefillot of all the fast days, and especially in the
first and last three brachot, because according to the gemara one
should say the brachot properly, and then add afterwards even like
the order of Yom Kippur, as the community wishes."

And in the bracha of Veliyrushalayim, before the kinnot, it says:
"Some communities skip from here to 'Rachem' and finish the whole
tefilla, and then sit on the ground and start the kinnot from here,
and it is a good custom, so as not to interrupt the tefillah so
much with speech and action."

Presumably these two notes reflect the movement that in Eastern Europe
was taken to its ultimate conclusion, with all the additions moved from
inside the tefillot to after them.



> 2)  Before maariv, it has Shir Hamaalos Hinei Barchu... and Hashem 
> Tz'vakos..., prefaced by the comment "Wenn man an Wochentagen Maariv 
> Bizmano betet, sagt man folgende Verse vor V'hu Rachum."  (Google: "When 
> weekdays "Maariv bizmano" prays, says the following verse before "v'hu 
> rachum")
>  
> a) What is Maariv Bizmano?  Is it saying that you only say these pesukim 
> if you're davening maariv after tzeis?

That sounds to me like a reasonable interpretation.


> b) I thought only chassidim say Shir Hamaalos before Maariv.  Does 
> hardcore nussach Ashkenaz (the siddur doesn't have mizmor shir before 
> psukei d'zimrei - I think that classifies it as hard core NA) also?

My Italian siddur has it.  It also says that the custom is to flog
the sinners between mincha and maariv, and then the chazzan immediately
gets up and recites "vehu rachum yechaper avon...".   Also, it says
that some say the shir shel yom before shir hamaalot.


> 3)  In the bracha of birchas Hashanim, it has the following note:
> Vom abend des 59. Tages nach Tekufas Tishrei an, der entweder auf den 5. 
> oder 6. Dezember fallt, bis Pesach wird hier "Tal Umattar" 
> eingeschaltet. (Google translation: From the evening of the 59th Day 
> after Tekufas Tishrei, either on the 5th Or 6 December fall until Pesach 
> is here, "Tal Umattar" turned on.)
> We all know that in Chu"l you start saying v'sein tal umattar on the 4th 
> or 5th of December.  Why does this siddur say the 5th or 6th? 

It means the evening before the 5th or 6th.  Using the Jewish method
of the night preceding the day, even though it's referencing goyishe
dates.

-- 
Zev Sero               Something has gone seriously awry with this Court's
zev at sero.name          interpretation of the Constitution.
                       	                          - Clarence Thomas