On Rosh Chodesh, Chol HaMoed, and Chanukah, Hallel is recited. On Fast Days (Monday—Thursday—Monday, Tenth of Teves, Fast of Esther, Seventeenth of Tamuz) Selichos are recited. On days when Tachanun is omitted (see below) the chazzan continues with Half Kaddish. (14 and 15 Adar Rishon in a leap year); the entire month of Nissan; Pesach Sheini (14 Iyar); Lag BaOmer; 1-8 Sivan; 9 and 15 Av; and 29 Elul. When Tachanun is omitted on these days, it is also omitted at the preceding Mincha (afternoon service).
Tachanun is also omitted in the presence of a bridegroom, in the house of a mourner during the week of mourning, and on the occasion of a circumcision if the father, the sandak or the mohel is present. The worshipper recites the Tachanun in a sitting position, while resting his brow on his arm. During the morning service, when the hand-tefillin is on the left arm, he leans his brow on his right arm, but at the Mincha service he leans his brow on his left arm. This "falling on one's face" symbolizes complete submission to God and the committing of our destinies into His hands. It is mentioned in the Talmud (Maseches Megillah 22b), and originates with Moses, who "Fell down before God" (Deuteronomy 9:18) and was followed by Joshua, who "Fell on the earth upon his face before the Ark of God" (Joshua 7:6)
אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֺהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ Our God and God of our fathers,
תָּבֹא לְפָנֶֽיךָ תְּפִלָּֽתֵֽנוּ, let our prayer come before you
וְאַל־תִּתְעַלַּם מִתְּ֒חִנָּתֵֽנוּ and do not ignore our supplication.
שֶׁאֵין אָֽנוּ עַזֵּי פָנִים For we are not so brazen-faced
וּקְשֵׁי עֹֽרֶף and stiff-necked
לוֹמַר לְפָנֶֽיךָ to say to you,
יְהֹוָה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ וֵאלֺהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ Adonoy, our God, and God of our fathers,
צַדִּיקִים אֲנַֽחְנוּ וְלֺא חָטָֽאנוּ We are righteous and have not sined.
אֲבָל אֲנַֽחְנוּ וַאֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ חָטָֽאנוּ: But, indeed, we and our fathers have sinned.
אָשַֽׁמְנוּ. We have trespassed [against God and man, and we are devastated by our guilt];
בָּגַֽדְנוּ. We have betrayed [God and man, we have been ungrateful for the good done to us];
גָּזַֽלְנוּ. דִּבַּֽרְנוּ דֹּֽפִי. We have stolen; We have slandered.
הֶעֱוִֽינוּ. We have caused others to sin;
וְהִרְשַֽׁעְנוּ. We have caused others to commit sins for which they are called רְשָׁעִים, wicked;
זַֽדְנוּ. We have sinned with malicious intent;
חָמַֽסְנוּ. We have forcibly taken other's possessions even though we paid for them;
טָפַֽלְנוּ שֶֽׁקֶר. We have added falsehood upon falsehood; we have joined with evil individuals or groups.
יָעַֽצְנוּ רָע. We have given harmful advice;
כִּזַּֽבְנוּ. לַֽצְנוּ. We have deceived; We have mocked;
מָרַֽדְנוּ. We have rebelled against God and His Torah;
נִאַֽצְנוּ. We have caused God to be angry with us;
סָרַֽרְנוּ. We have turned away from God's Torah;
עָוִֽינוּ. We have sinned deliberately;
פָּשַֽׁעְנוּ. We have been negligent in our performance of the commandments;
צָרַֽרְנוּ. We have caused our friends grief;
קִשִּֽׁינוּ עֹֽרֶף. We have been stiff-necked, refusing to admit that the cause of our suffering is our own sins.
רָשַֽׁעְנוּ. We have committed sins for which we are called רָשָׁע [raising a hand to hit someone].
שִׁחַֽתְנוּ. We have committed sins which are the result of moral corruption;
תִּעַֽבְנוּ. We have committed sins which the Torah refers to as abominations;
תָּעִֽינוּ. We have gone astray;
תִּעְתָּֽעְנוּ: We have led others astray.
סַֽרְנוּ We have turned away
מִמִּצְוֹתֶֽיךָ from Your commandments
וּמִמִּשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ הַטּוֹבִים and from Your good laws,
וְלֺא שָֽׁוָה לָֽנוּ. and we have gained nothing from it.
וְאַתָּה צַדִּיק And You are the Righteous One
עַל כָּל הַבָּא עָלֵֽינוּ. in all [punishment] that has come upon us;
כִּי אֱמֶת עָשִֽׂיתָ for You have acted truthfully
וַאֲנַֽחְנוּ הִרְשָֽׁעְנוּ: and we have acted wickedly.
אֵל אֶֽרֶךְ־אַפַּֽיִם אַתָּה. You are Almighty, Slow to anger,
וּבַֽעַל הָרַחֲמִים נִקְרֵֽאתָ. Lord of Mercy, You are called,
וְדֶֽרֶךְ תְּשׁוּבָה and the way of repentance,
הוֹרֵֽיתָ: You have taught us.
גְּדֻלַּת רַחֲמֶֽיךָ וַחֲסָדֶֽיךָ. The greatness of Your mercy and kindness,
תִּזְכֺּר הַיּוֹם וּבְכָל־יוֹם remember this day and every day
לְזֶֽרַע יְדִידֶֽיךָ: for the descendants of Your loved ones.
תֵּֽפֶן אֵלֵֽינוּ בְּרַחֲמִים. Turn to us with compassion
כִּי אַתָּה הוּא בַּֽעַל הָרַחֲמִים: for You are the Lord of Mercy.
בְּתַחֲנוּן וּבִתְ֒פִלָּה With supplication and prayer
פָּנֶֽיךָ נְקַדֵּם. we approach Your Presence,
כְּהוֹדַֽעְתָּ as You made know
לֶעָנָיו מִקֶּֽדֶם: to [Moses,] the modest one of old.
מֵחֲרוֹן אַפְּ֒ךָ שׁוּב. From Your fierce anger turn,
כְּמוֹ בְּתוֹרָתְ֒ךָ כָּתוּב: as it is written in Your Torah:
וּבְ֒צֵל כְּנָפֶֽיךָ In the shadow of Your wings,
נֶחֱסֶה וְנִתְלוֹנָן. may we be sheltered and lodged,
כְּיוֹם as on the day [of which it is said:]
וַיֵֽרֶד יְהֺוָה בֶּעָנָן: When Adonoy descended in the cloud.
תַּעֲבֺר עַל־פֶּֽשַׁע Remove [our] transgression,
וְתִמְחֶה אָשָׁם. and blot out [our] iniquity,
כְּיוֹם as on the day [of which it is said:]
וַַיִּתְיַצֵּב עִמּוֹ שָׁם: And He stood with him there.
תַּאֲזִין שַׁוְעָתֵֽנוּ Give ear to our cry
וְתַקְשִׁיב מֶֽנוּ מַאֲמַר. and listen to our speech,
כְּיוֹם as on the day [of which it is said:]
וַיִּקְרָא בְשֵׁם יְהֹוָה, And He proclaimed in the Name, Adonoy
וְשָׁם נֶאֱמַר: And there it is said:
Congregation and Chazzan:
וַיַּעֲבֹר יְהֺוָה עַל פָּנָיו And Adonoy passed before him [Moses]
וַיִּקְרָא: and proclaimed:
יְהֺוָה יְהֺוָה Adonoy, Adonoy,
אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן Almighty, Merciful, Gracious,
אֶֽרֶךְ אַפַּֽיִם Slow to Anger,
וְרַב־חֶֽסֶד וֶאֱמֶת: and Abundant in Kindness and Truth.
נֹצֵר חֶֽסֶד Keeper of kindness
לָאֲלָפִים for thousands of generations,
נֹשֵׂא עָוֹן וָפֶֽשַׁע Endurer of iniquity and transgression,
וְחַטָּאָה and sin,
וְנַקֵּה: and Acquitter of those who repent.1Exodus 34:5-7.
וְסָלַחְתָּ לַעֲוֺנֵֽנוּ וּלְ֒חַטָּאתֵֽנוּ And pardon our iniquity and our sin,
וּנְ֒חַלְתָּֽנוּ: and take us for Your inheritance.2Exodus 34:9.
סְלַח־לָֽנוּ אָבִֽינוּ כִּי־חָטָֽאנוּ. Pardon us,our Father, for we have sinned,
מְחַל־לָֽנוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ כִּי־פָשָֽׁעְנוּ: forgive us, our King, for we have transgressed.
כִּי־אַתָּה אֲדֺנָי For You, my Master,
טוֹב וְסַלָּח are good and forgiving,
וְרַב־חֶֽסֶד and abounding in kindness
לְכָל־קוֹרְ֒אֶֽיךָ: to all who call upon You.3Psalms 86:5.
The following supplication is recited while resting your brow on your arm.
וַיֹּֽאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־גָּד And David said to Gad (II Samuel 24:14),
צַר־לִי מְאֹד I am greatly distressed;
נִפְּ֒לָה־נָּא בְיַד־יְהֹוָה let us fall into the hand of Adonoy4David had sinned by counting the Jews. And his heart was crushed with remorse when the prophet Gad, at God's command, offered him a choice of three punishments: seven years of famine, or three months of defeat in war, or three days of pestilence. David chose the last of these three, explaining that he preferred to trust in God's compassion rather than be at man's mercy. Indeed, the pestilence lasted only half a day instead of three.
כִּי־רַבִּים רַחֲמָיו for His mercies are great,
וּבְ֒יַד־אָדָם אַל־אֶפֹּֽלָה: but into the hand of man let me not fall."
רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן Merciful and gracious One,
חָטָֽאתִי לְפָנֶֽיךָ I have sinned before You;
יְהֹוָה מָלֵא רַחֲמִים Adonoy, full of mercy,
רַחֵם עָלַי have compassion upon me
וְקַבֵּל תַּחֲנוּנָי: and accept my supplications.
יְהֹוָה אַל־בְּאַפְּ֒ךָ תוֹכִיחֵֽנִי Adonoy, do not rebuke me with Your anger,5In this psalm (6:2-11) David willingly accepts Divine punishment. He asks only that it not be inflicted on him at once in a sudden, unbearable burst of fury. Rather, he pleads, that it be meted out gradually so that he can withstand the suffering.—Radak
וְאַל־בַּחֲמָתְ֒ךָ תְיַסְּ֒רֵֽנִי: nor chastise me with Your rage.6Rebuke is offered with kind words, while chastisement, is often accompanied by harsh punishment.—Malbim
חָנֵּֽנִי יְהֹוָה Be gracious unto me, Adonoy,
כִּי אֻמְלַל אָֽנִי for I am desolate,
רְפָאֵֽנִי יְהֹוָה כִּי נִבְהֲלוּ עֲצָמָי: heal me Adonoy, for my bones are terrified.
וְנַפְשִׁי נִבְהֲלָה מְאֹד My soul, [too,] is utterly terrified,
וְאַתָּה יְהֹוָה עַד־מָתָי: and You Adonoy, how long?
שׁוּבָה יְהֹוָה חַלְּ֒צָה נַפְשִׁי Return Adonoy, free my soul,7Since all physical illness stems from blemishes and sins of the soul, the Talmud (Maseches Nedarim 41a) states that a person does not recover from his illness until all of his sins are forgiven, as it says, “Who forgives all your sins. Who heals all your ailments” (Psalms 103:3). David first requests that God free his soul by forgiving his sins; only then can his shattered body be healed.—Imros Tehoros
הוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי deliver me
לְמַֽעַן חַסְדֶּֽךָ: for the sake of Your lovingkindness.
כִּי אֵין בַּמָּֽוֶת זִכְרֶךָ For in death there is no mention of You;
בִּשְׁ֒אוֹל מִי־יוֹדֶה לָּךְ: in the lower world who will thank You.
יָגַֽעְתִּי־בְּאַנְחָתִי I am worn out with my sighing,
אַשְׂחֶה בְכָל־לַֽיְלָה מִטָּתִי every night I cause my bed to float;
בְּדִמְעָתִי עַרְשִׂי אַמְסֶה: with my tears, I melt my couch.8During the twenty-two years the Holy Spirit departed from him, David shed a cupful of tears and drank it every single day.—Yalkut (Samuel 165)
עָשְׁ֒שָׁה מִכַּֽעַס עֵינִי My eye is dimmed from anger,9David was angry because his enemies rejoiced over his illness.—Radak
עָתְ֒קָה בְּכָל־צוֹרְ֒רָי: it has aged because of my tormentors.
סֽוּרוּ מִמֶּֽנִּי כָּל־פֹּֽעֲלֵי אָוֶן Depart from me, all you evildoers,
כִּי־שָׁמַע יְהֹוָה for Adonoy has heard
קוֹל בִּכְיִי: the voice of my weeping.10Weeping is the eloquence of sorrow, and our tears are liquid prayers.
שָׁמַע יְהֹוָה תְּחִנָּתִי Adonoy has heard my supplication,
יְהֹוָה תְּפִלָּתִי יִקָּח: Adonoy will (also) accept my prayer.11Prayer seeks spiritual purification and proper understanding.—S.R. Hirsch
יֵבֽשׁוּ וְיִבָּהֲלוּ מְאֹד Ashamed and utterly terrified12My enemies, who hoped for my death, will be ashamed and terrified when they see that my health has been restored.—Radak
כָּל־אֹיְ֒בָי will all my foes be,
יָשֻֽׁבוּ they will return
יֵבֽשׁוּ רָֽגַע: and be instantaneously ashamed.13When they witness my recovery, they will regret their animosity and seek peace with me. At that moment they will be ashamed to face me.—Radak