Shemoneh Esrei 42: Shema Koleinu
שמע קולנו
Due to the importance and tremendous opportunity of adding personal tefilos within (and outside the context of) our Shemoneh Esrei, we will very briefly discuss the halachos of when and where one may add these tefilos. We once again make clear that one should not rely on our writing to determine actual halachah, but should rather use this piece as a springboard to discuss personal tefilos inside and outside of Shemoneh Esrei with his or her rav or rebbe.
Each time we turn to Hashem to ask for a personal need, especially for the small stuff, we are strengthening our bitachon that all is controlled by Hashem and that He is the only address we can turn to for anything and everything.
Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim siman 119 discusses the addition of personal tefilos within Shemoneh Esrei. There are three areas where one may add. For simplicity sake, we will discuss only adding tefilos for an individual, whether for ourselves or for another individual for whom we are davening. One may add within any of the middle request brachos (from “אתה חונן” through “שומע תפלה”). For all of these brachos, except שומע תפלה, one may only add something within the topic of that brachah, it must be a current need and not a general request for the future, and it should be kept short. The place to add a personal tefilah is after we start the actual text of the brachah but before the Baruch at the end. It seems that the most appropriate place to add is right before the “חתימה–chasimah,” which is the ending before the Baruch at the end of the brachah. For example, if one wants to add a personal request for wisdom, one can add it right afterאתה חונן לאדם דעת ומלמד לאנוש בינה. If we look at the יהי רצון in many siddurim in the brachah of רפאנו or the added tefilos in שמע קולנו, we will notice the same type of placement there.
The second place where one may add a personal tefilah is in the brachah of Shomei’a Tefilah. Here, one may add any type of request, and it may be for the future as well. Some say that one should not make these requests too lengthy.
The third place to add a personal tefilah is at the end of Shemoneh Esrei, before the second ”יהיו לרצון–Yihyu l’ratzon” (for those who say it twice). Here one may add any type of request, and it may be as long as we like, according to all opinions. The Mishnah B’rurah advises us to make our requests here, but only when davening with a minyan, in order to get to a point where one can respond to “Amein, Y’hei Shmei Rabba…” and other such דברים שבקדושה. It seems that if one is davening without a minyan, there may be a preference to make the requests in Shomei’a Tefilah rather than at the end. There are others who favor making the requests in Shomei’a Tefilah even when davening with a minyan. This was the practice of the Sheivet HaLevi.
Personal requests and tefilos outside the context of Shemoneh Esrei are covered in siman 230, based on the Gemara in B’rachos (daf 60). An example is to say “יהי רצון שיהא עסק זה לי לרפואה” before taking medication. This is just an example. The more we get into the practice of establishing a brief tefilah to Hashem as the first hishtadlus (effort) in any endeavor, the more we will be exercising our bitachon in Hashem.