ימי חול, תפילת שחרית, אחר העמידה, תחנון, והוא רחום 1
Siddur Ashkenaz · Weekday, Shacharit, Post Amidah, Tachanun, For Monday and Thursday, Chapter 1
1
נוהגים להרבות בתחנונים בשני וחמישי משום דאמרינן במדרש דמרע"ה עלה בחמישי לקבל לוחות אחרונות וירד בשני. ואומרים והוא רחום. ויש במדרש דג' זקנים תקנוהו. שתפשם מלך אחד ונתנם בג' ספינות בלא מנהיג. ושלחם לים ונתפזרו למרחקים. ולמקום שבאו הציר להם מאד ועמדו בתפלה וכל אחד יסד מקצת. ובכל חלק י"ח שמות כנגד תפלת י"ח. וימת אותו מלך שהציר להם בתחלואים רעים. ושלחו תפלתם בכל תפוצות ישראל לאמרה בשני וחמישי (ע"פ מחזור מכל השנה)
This group of somber plaints, known as the “long Vehu Rachum” is recited in the morning service on Mondays and Thursdays, except on days when Tachanun is omitted. The origin of these seven prayers is shrouded in legend. It has been suggested that they were composed during the terrible persecutions at the hands of the Goths in seventh-century Spain. It has been said, “Whoever can read this ‘long Vehu Rachum’ prayer without emotion has lost all feeling for what is great and noble.” Despite all the repetition in these cries for forgiveness, mercy, help, and protection, the effect is not tiring; because here it is not merely an individual soul, but the soul of an entire people that utters these laments and supplications, that gives voice to this woe of nearly two thousand years. Moses ascended Mount Sinai to receive the Second Tablets on the fifth day of the week, and he returned to the people on the second day of the week, bringing them the new tablets as a security for the Divine covenant and as confirmation of God’s atonement for their transgression. Ever since, the second and fifth day of each week, Monday and Thursday, have been days of summons to the Jewish people to assemble anew before God and to reaffirm their sincere “return” to the Law of God. Our regular service is therefore augmented on these days by these additional supplications.
נוהגים להרבות בתחנונים בשני וחמישי משום דאמרינן במדרש דמרע"ה עלה בחמישי לקבל לוחות אחרונות וירד בשני. ואומרים והוא רחום. ויש במדרש דג' זקנים תקנוהו. שתפשם מלך אחד ונתנם בג' ספינות בלא מנהיג. ושלחם לים ונתפזרו למרחקים. ולמקום שבאו הציר להם מאד ועמדו בתפלה וכל אחד יסד מקצת. ובכל חלק י"ח שמות כנגד תפלת י"ח. וימת אותו מלך שהציר להם בתחלואים רעים. ושלחו תפלתם בכל תפוצות ישראל לאמרה בשני וחמישי (ע"פ מחזור מכל השנה)
This group of somber plaints, known as the “long Vehu Rachum” is recited in the morning service on Mondays and Thursdays, except on days when Tachanun is omitted. The origin of these seven prayers is shrouded in legend. It has been suggested that they were composed during the terrible persecutions at the hands of the Goths in seventh-century Spain. It has been said, “Whoever can read this ‘long Vehu Rachum’ prayer without emotion has lost all feeling for what is great and noble.” Despite all the repetition in these cries for forgiveness, mercy, help, and protection, the effect is not tiring; because here it is not merely an individual soul, but the soul of an entire people that utters these laments and supplications, that gives voice to this woe of nearly two thousand years. Moses ascended Mount Sinai to receive the Second Tablets on the fifth day of the week, and he returned to the people on the second day of the week, bringing them the new tablets as a security for the Divine covenant and as confirmation of God’s atonement for their transgression. Ever since, the second and fifth day of each week, Monday and Thursday, have been days of summons to the Jewish people to assemble anew before God and to reaffirm their sincere “return” to the Law of God. Our regular service is therefore augmented on these days by these additional supplications.