[Avodah] Tachnun

[Cantor Wolberg]

Akiva Miller wrote: I find the word "until" to be very ambiguous. If a  
siddur says to skip tachanun "until the 13th", does that mean "skip it  
for a while and start again on the 13th", or does it mean "skip it  
until and including the 13th"?

"Until" the 13th in this case does not mean "including" the 13th.

When the Beis Hamidash stood and all Jews would come there for the  
Shalosh Regalim, Sivan 12 was the last of the seven days allotted for  
the korbonos brought in conjunction with the Shavuos pilgrimage  
(unlike the 7-day festivals of Pesach and Succos, Shavuos consists  
only of one day; hence the additional six days of tashlumin).

Thus we do not recite the tachnun and the other prayers omitted on a  
festival or joyous commemoration, from the 1st of Sivan until and  
including the 12th, as all these days bear a connection with the  
festival of Shavuos.  We resume the tachnun, therefore, on the 13th.  
(However, I believe there are places that "include" the 13th).

ri