From the Rav’s Desk: Davening Maariv again as Nedava on Friday night if forgot Yaaleh Veyavo

1. Question: [Sunday, 2^nd Iyar, 5783]

I forgot to recite Yaaleh Veyavo this past Friday night in my Shabbos Shemoneh Esrei, which was also Rosh Chodesh. I asked someone in Shul who is learned as to what I should do, and he said that I should Daven Shemoneh Esrei again as a Nedava. Later, however someone told me that what I did was wrong. What is the Halacha?

Answer:

It is not possible for one to Daven a Nedava on Shabbos, and hence you were misinformed and should not have repeated Shemoneh Esrei.

Explanation:

If one forgot to say Ya’aleh Veyavo within Maariv Shemoneh Esrei he fulfills his obligation and is hence not required to repeat the Amidah. The reason for this is because the month is never sanctified at night and thus, the holiness of Rosh Chodesh was never applied to the night. Nonetheless, during regular weekdays one may choose to repeat Shemoneh Esrei as a Nedava to make up for the missed Ya’aleh Veyavo. However, on Friday nights this may not be done, as one may never Daven a Nedava on Shabbos being that also in temple times it was not possible to offer a Nedava on Shabbos. Hence, if one forgot to recite Ya’aleh Veyavo within Maariv Shemoneh Esrei of Shabbos Rosh Chodesh, then nothing can be done, and Shemoneh Esrei is not to be repeated at all not even as a Nedava, as the later individual properly corrected you. This can be deduced from the ruling in the Poskim regarding an even more severe example of one forgot to recite Yaaleh Veyavo in Mincha of Rosh Chodesh which is also Erev Shabbos, in which case there is a dispute as to whether he is to repeat Maariv twice for Tashlumin if that night is no longer Rosh Chodesh, and the ruling is that he should not do so on Friday night being that he cannot Daven as  Nedava to escape the doubt. Hence, certainly in our case where there is no dispute at all, it is not allowed for one to repeat Shemoneh Esrei as a Nedava on Friday night.

From all the above we can once again understand the importance and necessity for every Rav and person to research the answer to a question prior to giving instruction to an individual, and not to trust his gut feeling and memory which may be affected by forgetfulness.

Sources: See regarding the lack of need to repeat Shemoneh Esrei if forgot Ya’aleh Veyavo by Maariv of Rosh Chodesh: Michaber 422:1; Admur 188:10 and 15; Brachos 30b; Siddur Rebbe Amram; Rif; Rambam; Rosh; See regarding the allowance to nonetheless repeat it as a Nedava: M”B 422:2; Admur 294:7 regarding Veata Chonantanu; See regarding the negation of Davening a Nedava on Shabbos: Admur 107:1; Rabbeinu Yona on Brachos 21a; Rosh Brachos 3:15; Rambam Hilchos Tefila 1:10; Beitza 20b; See regarding the negation of Davening Maariv a second time on Friday night as Tashlumin for a missed Yaaleh Veyavo by Mincha: Admur 108:17; Michaber 108:11; Shaareiy Teshuvah 108:17; M”B 108:36; Ketzos Hashulchan 28:7 regarding Tal Umatar; See Likkut Dinei Rosh Chodesh 6 footnote 29 regarding if one can be Yotzei with Meiyn Sheva