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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman קי״ב · Not interrupting in the first 3 and last 3 berakhot
שלא להפסיק בג׳ ראשונות ובג׳ אחרונות — one does not ask for personal needs in the first three berakhot (praise) or the last three (thanksgiving), only in the middle ones; but communal needs are permitted; one does not say piyyutim or « קרובץ » — but some permit and so the custom is
סימן קי״ב · ב׳ סעיפים
שלא להפסיק בג׳ ראשונות ובג׳ אחרונות
🌱 Introductory level · Beginners
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This siman teaches that one does not ask for his personal needs (צרכי יחיד) in the first three berakhot of the Amida (which are שבח, praise) or the last three (which are הודאה, thanksgiving) — only in the thirteen middle ones (בקשת פרס, the request). But the needs of the community (צרכי צבור) are permitted there. And one does not say piyyutim or « קרובץ » in the Amida — but some permit, and so the custom is. Hebrew text, fluent English translation and explanation of the ב׳ seifim, with a section of practical cases.
Topic: Not interrupting in the first 3 and last 3 berakhot — צרכי יחיד, צרכי צבור, piyyutim and קרובץ
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן קי״ב · ב׳ סעיפים
Compiled by: רב יוסף חיים סממה
DAAT · daattorah.com
Our Sages taught (ברכות ל״ד.): שלש ראשונות דומה לעבד שמסדר שבח לפני רבו, אמצעיות דומה לעבד שמבקש פרס מרבו, אחרונות דומה לעבד שקבל פרס מרבו ונפטר והולך לו — the first three berakhot are like a servant who sets out the praise of his master, the middle ones like a servant who requests a gift, and the last ones like a servant who has received his gift and departs. Hence: one does not ask for his personal needs in the first three or the last three. We study here at the level of principle; for personal conduct, one refers to the custom and to the ruling of the Rav.
📑 Study outline
A. The ב׳ seifim — צרכי יחיד in the first 3 and last 3, and צרכי צבור שרי (seif 1), פיוטים וקרובץ (seif 2)
1. Practical case — adding a personal supplication in the first 3 / last 3 berakhot
2. Practical case — praying for a communal need (צרכי צבור שרי)
3. Practical case — saying piyyutim and the « קרובץ » (the custom)
+ Comprehension questions and going further
A. The first 3 and last 3 berakhot — the ב׳ seifim
שָׁלֹשׁ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת · שָׁלֹשׁ אַחֲרוֹנוֹת — the first three and the last three berakhot — the 18 (19) berakhot of the Amida fall into three: the first 3 are שבח (praise), the 13 middle ones are בקשת פרס (the request), and the last 3 are הודאה (thanksgiving). This is the mashal of the servant: he first sets out his master's praise, then requests a gift, then takes his leave after receiving it. Hence: one does not mix personal requests into the praise and the thanksgiving — only into the request, in the middle.
Seif 1 — צרכי יחיד and צרכי צבור: the requests in the Amida
אַל יִשְׁאַל אָדָם צְרָכָיו בְּג׳ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת וְלֹא בְּג׳ אַחֲרוֹנוֹת, וְדַוְקָא צָרְכֵי יָחִיד, אֲבָל צָרְכֵי צִבּוּר שָׁרֵי.
Seif 1: a person should not ask for his needs in the first three berakhot or the last three; and this only for the needs of an individual (צרכי יחיד), but the needs of the community (צרכי צבור) are permitted.
Two distinct places. The first 3 (praise) and the last 3 (thanksgiving) are not the place for personal requests: their place is in the 13 middle berakhot, which are the request (cf. siman 119). But this prohibition concerns only צרכי יחיד — the need of an individual. The צרכי צבור (needs of the community) are permitted even in these berakhot, for « עבודה » and « שים שלום » — which are among the last three — are themselves requests for the רבים (the many).
Seif 2 — פיוטים וקרובץ: the liturgical poems
אֵין לוֹמַר פִּיּוּטִים וְלֹא קְרוֹבֵץ בַּתְּפִלָּה. הַגָּה: וְיֵשׁ שֶׁמַּתִּירִין הוֹאִיל וְצָרְכֵי רַבִּים הֵם, וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין בְּכָל מָקוֹם לְאָמְרָם.
Seif 2: one does not say piyyutim or « קרובץ » in the Amida. Rama (הגה): some permit since they are communal needs (צרכי רבים), and so the custom is everywhere to say them.
The « קרובץ » is the acronym of קול רנה וישועה באהלי צדיקים; these are the piyyutim (liturgical poems) inserted into the repetition of the Amida on the solemn days. According to the מחבר, a priori one does not say them — just as one does not mix personal requests into the tefila. But the רמ״א reports that some permit, for these piyyutim are צרכי רבים (communal needs, like seif 1), and so the custom is everywhere to say them.
The siman in one sentence: one does not ask for personal needs (צרכי יחיד) in the first 3 berakhot (praise) or the last 3 (thanksgiving) — only in the middle ones; but the needs of the community (צרכי צבור) are permitted there; and one does not say piyyutim or « קרובץ » in the Amida, but the Rama and the custom permit them (צרכי רבים).
Practical cases
Case 1 — Adding a personal supplication
Situation: during the first 3 or the last 3 berakhot of the Amida, he wants to add a personal prayer (for a sick person, for his livelihood…). Is it permitted?
Conduct: no — אל ישאל אדם צרכיו בג׳ ראשונות ולא בג׳ אחרונות. These berakhot are praise (שבח) and thanksgiving (הודאה), not the place for personal requests. The place of personal needs is in the middle berakhot (בקשת פרס). For the manner and the particular cases, one follows one's Rav.
Case 2 — Praying for the community
Situation: he wants to pray for a communal need (Klal Yisrael, rain, the sick of the people) in the last 3 berakhot. Is it permitted?
Conduct: yes — צרכי צבור שרי. The prohibition concerns only צרכי יחיד. The needs of the community are permitted even in these berakhot, for « עבודה » and « שים שלום » are already requests for the many. For the concrete wording, one follows one's Rav.
Case 3 — The piyyutim and the « קרובץ »
Situation: in the synagogue, piyyutim (« קרובץ ») are inserted into the repetition of the Amida on the solemn days. Should one object?
Conduct: the מחבר writes that a priori one does not say them; but the רמ״א reports that some permit — הואיל וצרכי רבים הם — and so the custom is everywhere to say them. One therefore follows the custom of one's community and the ruling of one's Rav.
Comprehension questions
Check your understanding:
- Why does one not ask for personal needs in the first 3 and last 3 berakhot (seif 1)?
- In which berakhot is the place of the request, and to what does the servant mashal correspond?
- What is the difference between צרכי יחיד and צרכי צבור, and why are the latter permitted?
- What is the « קרובץ », and what does the מחבר say about it (seif 2)?
- What does the רמ״א report, and what is the custom?
Going further
If you wish to deepen this siman:
📖Join the khavroutha
- 📚 Level 2 — Lamdan: for the pilpoul — משל העבד (ברכות ל״ד.), ג׳ ראשונות שבח וג׳ אחרונות הודאה ; גדר צרכי יחיד וצרכי צבור, למה עבודה ושים שלום שרי ; הפסק בפיוטים וקרובץ בתפלה, מחלוקת המחבר והרמ״א והמנהג
- ✨ Level 3 — Synthesis: for review and quick memorization
- 👑 Level 4 — Daat HaRav (the Alter Rebbe): the shitah of the Shulchan Aroukh HaRav — משל העבד, צרכי יחיד וצרכי צבור, ומנהג הקרובץ