The Rav as a Mechadesh
Halacha:

One Small Example From Shabbat Rosh
Chodesh

Michael J. Broyde

In the Koren Rav siddur, in the minhagim of the Rav, in the
section dealing with the halachic rules of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, זצ”ל it
is written:

The Rav
posited that if one forgot to recite Ya’aleh VeYavo on Rosh Hodesh
during Shaharit, one should not repeat the Amida, but should rather rely upon
the reference to the holiday that will be made in the Musaf prayer. The Gemara
in Shabbat (24a) states that one who forgot to recite Ya’aleh VeYavo must
indeed repeat the Amida and include Ya’aleh VeYavo in that second
recital; but the Gemara in Berakhot (30b) qualifies this ruling,
teaching that it is not necessary if one intends to recite Musaf subsequently,
since the required reference to the special status of the day will take place
during Musaf. Even though Rashi there (s.v. betzibbur) cites those who
maintain that this dispensation applies only to the Leader in order to avoid
any unnecessary delay to the start of the Repetition of the Amida, the Rav felt
that we should follow the opinion of the Magan Avraham (Orah Hayyim 126:3)
that even an individual should not repeat the Amida of Shaharit and should rely
on his subsequent recitation of Musaf.

The
rationale behind this view is as follows: When one forgets to recite Ya’aleh
VeYavo, the need to repeat the Amida is only in order to be able to make
reference to the special day within the context of the prayer. The obligation
to recite the Amida per se, however, has in fact already been fulfilled. This
second Amida therefore has the status of a tefillat nedava – a voluntary
prayer, as it is recited not to fulfill any obligation to pray, but rather only
to provide the needed context for the reference to the special day made through
Ya’aleh VeYavo. Since it has become the practice to refrain from
offering this form of voluntary prayer nowadays, Rav Hayyim Soloveitchik ruled
that it is preferable not to repeat the Amida, but to rely upon the recitation
of Musaf, if it will be done at the proper time. In light of this
understanding, the Rav suggested that when Rosh Hodesh falls out on Shabbat, it
would actually be prohibited to repeat the Amida if one forgot to recite Ya’aleh
VeYavo, since it is prohibited to offer a tefillat nedava on
Shabbat. [Eretz HaTzvi, pp. 43-44.] (Emphasis added)

And one is not surprised to find that
this exact recitation is found in R. Tzvi (Hershel) Schachter, Eretz HaTzvi
(Yeshiva University Press: New York, 1991).

While at first glance this note is
not surprising – it appears that the Rav and his grandfather are adopting the
ruling of the Magen Avraham over his peers — upon further examination it is
clear that this is an exceptionally innovative ruling, in fact.  Furthermore, the expansion of this ruling by
the Rav himself (“the Rav suggested that when Rosh Hodesh falls out on Shabbat,
it would actually be prohibited to repeat the Amida if one forgot to recite Ya’aleh
VeYavo”) is unprecedented, but logically compelling.

A review of the sources is needed.

The Talmudic Sources, the Rishonim
and the Codes.

The Gemera in Shabbat 24a recounts
rather directly:

דתני רבי אושעיא: ימים שיש בהן קרבן
מוסף, כגון ראש חודש וחולו של מועד – ערבית ושחרית ומנחה מתפלל שמונה עשרה, ואומר
מעין המאורע בעבודה, ואם לא אמר – מחזירין אותו

R. Oshaia taught: On
those days when there is a mussaf, such as Rosh Chodesh and Chol Hamoed
at the Evening, Morning and Afternoon services, the shemona esrai is
recited, and the nature of the day is inserted in the avoda blessing [ya’aleh
veyavo] and if one does not insert it, one repeats the Shemona Esrai.

And the gemera in Brachot 30b recounts
rather directly what appears to be a slightly different rule.

והתניא: טעה ולא הזכיר של ראש חודש
בשחרית[1]
– אין מחזירין אותו מפני שיכול לאומרה במוספין, במוספין – אין מחזירין אותו מפני
שיכול לאומרה במנחה! – אמר ליה: לאו איתמר עלה, אמר רבי יוחנן, – בצבור שנו.

If one forgot and did
not recite yaaleh veyavo in the morning [tefillah], he is not made to repeat
[the prayer], because he can say it in mussaf if he forgot it in musaf, he is
not made to repeat, because he can say it in mincha? — He said to him: Did you not
leave out the rule of Rabbi Yochanan: This applies only to prayer said in a
congregation?

Rashi (aware of the possible
contradiction between these two sources) seeks a simple resolution with his two
sided comments. Rashi in Brachot 30 b states:

בצבור שנו – דאין
מחזירין, משום דשמע ליה משליח ציבור, ואיכא מקצת הזכרה, אבל ביחיד צריך לחזור,
ובהלכות גדולות מפרש לה בשליח ציבור משום טירחא דצבורא, אבל יחיד הדר.

In a
Congregation: One does not repeat davening, since one can hear it from the
chazzan, and that is some partial recitation, but an individual must repeat;
The Bahag explains that the chazzan is different since otherwise the community
will be delayed, but other than the chazzan, one must repeat.

And one of these two resolutions of the contradiction (or both) is
– as far as I can see – accepted by every single rishon who comments on
the gemera.  Rambam (Tefillah 10:10-12)
states directly:

טעה ולא הזכיר יעלה ויבא אם נזכר קודם שישלים תפלתו חוזר לעבודה
ומזכיר, ואם נזכר אחר שהשלים תפלתו חוזר לראש,* * * *. במה דברים אמורים בחולו של מועד או
בשחרית ובמנחה של ראשי חדשים, אבל ערבית של ראש חדש אם לא הזכיר אינו חוזר.כל מקום שהיחיד חוזר ומתפלל ש”ץ
חוזר ומתפלל אם טעה כמותו בעת שמתפלל בקול רם, חוץ משחרית של ראש חדש שאם שכח
ש”ץ ולא הזכיר יעלה ויבא עד שהשלים תפלתו אין מחזירין אותו מפני טורח ציבור,
שהרי תפלת המוספין לפניו שהוא מזכיר בה ראש חדש.

Rambam Tefillah 10:10-12

If
one errs and forgets to mention Ya’aleh veyavo — if one remembers
before one has finished one’s amidah, one should return to retzey, and
recite it. If one remembers after one has concluded one’s amidah, one must
repeat the amidah from the beginning.  *
* *When does this rule apply? On Chol Hamo’ed or in the morning or Mincha
amidah of Rosh Chodesh. However, in the evening service of Rosh Chodesh, if one
failed to mention it one need not repeat one’s prayers. In every case in which
an individual is required to repeat his prayers, the chazzan is also required
to repeat his prayers if he made that mistake while praying out loud, with the
exception of the morning service of Rosh Chodesh, where if the chazzan failed
to mention Ya’aleh v’yavo before completing the amidah, he is not
required to repeat the amidah because of the delay this would cause the
congregation, since the Musaf service is still to be recited and Rosh
Chodesh will be mentioned there.

And the same rule is codified in the Shulchan Aruch, with the
addition that one can also adopt the approach of the Bahag as quoted by Rashi
and instead of praying again, one can hear the prayers from the chazzan.  Shulchan Aruch OC 124:10 codifies the rule
in Shabbat 24a and Shulchan Aruch OC 126:3 codifies the exception in Brachot
30b.

שולחן ערוך
אורח חיים הלכות תפלה סימן קכד סעיף י

מי ששכח ולא אמר יעלה ויבא בר”ח או בחולו של מועד או בכל דבר
שצריך לחזור בשבילו, יכוין דעתו וישמע מש”צ כל י”ח ברכות מראש ועד סוף כאדם
שמתפלל לעצמו; ולא יפסיק ולא ישיח

Shulchan Aruch OC 124:10

One for
forgets and does not recite yaaleh veyavo on Rosh Chodesh or chol Hamoed or any
other cases where one must repeat the amidah due to the omission, he can focus
himself during the repetition and hear the words from the chazzan of all
Eighteen blessings, from beginning to end, like a person who is himself praying
without interruption or digression.

שולחן ערוך
אורח חיים הלכות תפלה סימן קכו סעיף ג

כל מקום שהיחיד חוזר ומתפלל, ש”צ חוזר ומתפלל, אם טעה כמותו
כשמתפלל בקול רם, חוץ משחרית של ר”ח, שאם שכח ש”צ ולא הזכיר יעלה ויבא
עד שהשלים תפלתו, אין מחזירין אותו, מפני טורח הצבור, שהרי תפלת המוספין לפניו
שהוא מזכיר בה ר”ח.

Shulchan Aruch OC 126:3

In every case in which an individual is required
to repeat his prayers, the chazzan is required to repeat his prayers if he made
that same mistake while praying out loud, with the exception of the morning
service of Rosh Chodesh, where if the chazzan failed to mention Ya’aleh
v’yavo before completing the amidah, he is not required to repeat the
amidah because of the delay this would cause the congregation, since the Musaf
service is still to be recited and Rosh Chodesh will be mentioned there.

So far, the halacha is clear and simple.  One must repeat the amidah if one forgets yaaleh veyavo (either
by actually repeating it or through listening to it recited by another) except
for the rare situation of the Shacharit chazzan who forgets during his
repetition.

The Alternative of the Rama MePano: A Different Rule

Rama MePano 25:5 understands the basic flow of the sources in a
different way and adds something quite new to the codification of the
halacha.  He states:

יחיד ששכח ולא הזכיר קדושת היום בתפלת שחרית ואחר שהתפלל מוסף חזר
והתפלל שחרית, ודאי אינו צריך לחזור ולהתפלל מוסף, שאפי’ בקרבנות גופייהו אם הקדים
את שאינו תדיר מה שעשה עשוי. ואי לאו דמסתפינא אמינא דלא אמרו בגמרא להחזיר את
היחיד שטעה אף על פי שיש לפניו תפלת המוספין אלא קודם שהתפלל מוסף כיון שבידו לתקן
יתקן לגמרי, הא אם התפלל מוסף הרי הזכיר קדושת היום ואין צורך לחזור ולהתפלל
שחרית, דלא גרע דיעבד ליחיד ממאי דשרינן לכתחלה לרבים, ודברים של טעם הם להלכה
מהתם, הגע עצמך שש”צ יהא נזקק להוציא עשרה שאינן בקיאין ידי חובתן ושכח ולא
הזכיר שחרית מעין ר”ח ועם תפלת מוסף פוטר עצמו וחבריו לכתחלה ולא אחד בהם
חוזר ומתפלל שחרית, לא יהא יחיד הבקי בדיעבד אלא כעשרה שאינן בקיאין ולכתחלה.

An
individual, who forgets and does not recite the mention of the day in the
Shacharit amidah and then he recites musaf, returns to recite Shacharit.  Certain he does not have to return to recite
musaf again, since even with the Bet Hamikdash sacrifices themselves, if one
did them out of order, and sacrificed the infrequent first, that which was
done, was done.  If I were not
uncertain, I would say that that the gemera does not direct an individual who
errors to repeat the amidah, only before he has recited musaf, since he can fix
this matter, he should do so completely. 
But, if he already recited musaf, he has already recited the proper
sanctification of the day and he does not have to recite Shacharit again, since
the after the fact rule for a single prayer is no worse than that which we
permit ideally for the many.  This seems
logical and normative as a matter of halacha: Consider for yourself that the
chazzan who is connected to the obligation to fulfill the obligation for ten
who cannot pray when they are not experts, and yet when he forgets to recite yaalah
veyavo in Shacharit, he can fulfill his and others obligations in musaf
perfectly. And not of them have to go back and recite Shacharit again.  A single person who can pray for himself
after the fact, is no worse than ten who are not experts ideally.

The Rama mePano understand the sources in a new and novel way:
really according to the formulation in Brachot 30b (which the halacha follows)
one can rule that if one already prayed the proper mussaf before one realized
that one forgot to recite ya’aleh vehavo in Shacharit, one need not pray
again, since one can be no worse that the chazzan mentioned in the gemera
above. And this view is adopted by the Magen Avraham (OC 126:3) as well, who
states:

כל מקום – כ’ מ”ע סי’ כ”ה אי לאו דמסתפינא הייתי אומר יחיד
שלא הזכיר ר”ח בשחרית והתפלל מוסף אין צריך שוב להתפלל שחרית דלא גרע דיעבד
ליחיד מלכתחלה לרבים ודברים של טעם הם להלכה ע”כ, ול”נ דנכון למעשה שלא
יתפלל דלא יהא אלא ספק [כ”ה סימן תכ”ב]:

3            Any
place.  It is written in the Rama Mepano
25 that if he were not so uncertain he would say that a person who forgets to
recite yaaleh veyavo in Shacharit and then recites musaf he does not
have to again go back and recite shacharit another time, since the after the
fact rule for a single person is not worse that the ideal rule for the
many.  This approach has much merit as
normative halacha.  In my view, it is
proper lemaseh that one should not recite shacharit again, since the
matter is in doubt.

Magen Avraham seems to agree with the tentative rule of the Rama
mePano and thus decides that if one already recited musaf, then one does
not have to say shacharit again.  Magen
Avraham, however, does not claim that one can decide not to recite Shacharit
again and intend it rely on this subsequent recitation of musaf.

An Explanation of the Rav’s View

As quoted above, this was not the Rav’s view.  Rather (as the Koren siddur notes) “the Rav
posited that if one forgot to recite Ya’aleh VeYavo on Rosh Hodesh
during Shaharit, one should not repeat the Amida, but should rather rely upon
the reference to the holiday that will be made in the Musaf prayer.” Notice the incredible chiddish
the Rav puts forward.  He expands the
Rama mePano and Magen Avraham to include the case where one is eventually
going to recite musaf, but has not yet done so, and he adds to this that on
Shabbat one must adopt this rule, since a teffilat nedava is
prohibited.  This chiddish –
which to the best of my knowledge is completely unfound in any Rishon at all —
is I think built on a totally different approach to the two Talmudic sources
from any Rishon and even quite distinct from the Magen Avraham and Rama mePano,
although related and derived from it.

Consider
how to explain the three basic views adopted:

All Rishonim: Either Brachot 30b is addressing the
unique situation of the chazzan or is because one can hear it correctly from
the chazzan, but it never applies in the case of a person who is davening alone
without a minyan present.  Shabbat
24a is the rule – one who leaves out Ya’aleh
VeYavo has to repeat the amida. 
No distinction is made between weekday and Shabbat.

Rama MePano and Magen Avraham: Shabbat 24a is the rule,
but Brachot 30b is the exceptional rule for the chazzan in order to not delay
the community.  One who is not the chazzan cannot rely on
Brachot 30b.  If one has already prayed
mussaf, then one has no choice but to follow the Brachot 30b rules, since he
has already after the fact fulfilled his obligation.  Again, no distinction is made between the weekday and Shabbat.

Rabbi Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik: Brachot 30b and Shabbat
24a are in tension since one directs one to repeat amida and one directs one
not to.  The halacha follows the rule
of Brachot 30b in that one who skips Ya’aleh
VeYavo in Shacharit never really has to repeat the amida, except
as a voluntary prayer, and when voluntary prayer is prohibited (such as on
Shabbat), such a repetition is prohibited too. 
This is based on the insight of the Rama MePenao, but is quite an
expansion of it.

Allow me to suggest, as a proof to Rabbi
Soloveitchik’s understands of the basic Talmudic sources, that one can focus on
three basic aspects of the two sugyot to support this chiddish.  First is the fact that that the gemera in
Shabbat can reasonably be limited to weekdays (chol) cases where 18
blessings is said, which is why it used the language of shemonah esrai –
and on such days, a tefillat nedavah is possible.[2]  Second, the Brachot sugya can
reasonably be limited to Shabbat, since it discusses forgetting that it is Rosh
Chodesh but yet reciting musaf: when can one forget that it is Rosh Chodesh and
yet still recite musaf?  Almost never
during the weekdays (since if one did not remember it was Rosh Chodesh, one
would not say musaf as a factual matter) but only on Shabbat, when no tefillat
nedavah is possible, and yet musaf is recited, even if it is not
Rosh Chodesh![3]  Parsing the two sources in their context
allows one to see that Shabbat 24a directive is the suggestion for a tefillat
nedava and the Brachot 30b rule is actually the rule – no repetition is
permitted when no tefillat nedavah is possible.[4]

Finally, it is not difficult to divide the
Brachot sugya into two thoughts along a line similar to the Rama MePano (but
not identical). The first is the general rule that no repetition for ya’aleh
veyavo is needed when one says a subsequent amidah (musaf), and the
second view is that of Rav Yochanan that in a tzibbur is different, since one
does not actually have to wait until the next amidah to fulfill one’s
obligation, but one can fulfill it by listening to the chazzan repeat this
davening (as per the main view of Rashi). 
Of course, this view concedes, according to Rabbi Soloveitchik, that
when one cannot hear it from the chazzan, one still does not repeat the amidah,
except when a teffilat nedavah is acceptable (which nowadays is
never).  In fact, the Rav must have
ruled that whether or not the halacha adopts Rav Yochanan’s view, the rest of
the Brachot sugya is correct. 
This also makes the Brachot sugya (the “on topic” gemera)
normative (lehacha), and the Shabbat sugya (the “off topic”
gemera) not normative (shelo lehalacha) – a more compelling read of the sugyot.

It is worth noting that if this explanation of
the Rav’s view is correct, another chiddish seems also to be
correct.  On Shabbat Rosh Chodesh, when
one is davening by oneself without a minyan, and one forgets that it is Rosh
Chodesh for both Shacharit and Musaf, and remembers after mincha, one does not
repeat musaf again, since one can follow the formulation of Brachot 30b thatבמוספין – אין מחזירין אותו מפני שיכול
לאומרה במנחה! and a tefillat nedava is not possible.  The same is true if one forgets it is Rosh
Chodesh on Shabbat mincha, but had previously remembered at shacharit and
mussaf.