Question:

Is one supposed to not say Tachanun on Yud Shevat? I don’t remember Tachanun ever being skipped in the past, but recently I’ve noticed many minyanim skipping it on Yud Shevat. What is the correct practice?

Answer:
Tachanun is to be recited as usual on Yud Shevat, in line with the directives of the Rebbe Rayatz and our Rebbe, and in line with the long established practice of doing so by the Rebbe’s own Minyan.

In the event that you find yourself in a minyan where the chazzan decides to skip Tachanun, I would not make a great commotion about it, as doing so could lead to issues of causing embarrassment or creating unnecessary strife. However, you should still say Tachanun yourself quietly. The fact that the chazzan may be making a mistake by skipping Tachanun does not exempt the rest of the congregation. Each individual is still obligated to say it, and one can easily recite it discreetly without disrupting the minyan.

Explanation:

My own experience is that Tachanun was always recited on Yud Shevat. This follows the general rule in Chabad that Tachanun is said on the yahrzeit of one of the Rebbeim, unlike the custom of some other Chassidic groups. In fact, this itself is a directive of the Rebbe Rayatz, and the Rebbe himself states in a letter, and I quote “Regarding what you asked me earlier—whether our custom is to say Tachanun on the day of the passing of righteous individuals—surely you know that even on Yud Shevat we say Tachanun. Once, I asked the Rebbe (the Rebbe Rayatz), and he answered me: “When is there such a good time to beseech and request as in these days?”

Indeed, in the Rebbe’s own minyan, Tachanun was said on Yud Shevat, and we even have a picture of the Rebbe, and everyone else present, saying Tachanun in 770 with the tallis over the face, performing nefilas apayim as usual.

The reason that some minyanim today choose to skip Tachanun seems to be based on an emotional expression of joy and connection, since Yud Shevat is also the date on which the Rebbe accepted the leadership. They feel it is appropriate to omit Tachanun out of joy on that day.

I personally do not agree with this approach for several reasons:

• The Rebbe in his letter directly states that we say Tachanun on Yud Shevat. How can a Chassid go against the Rebbe’s own directive, in the name of being his Chassid!

• We have no precedent in history for omitting Tachanun on the day of a Rebbe’s passing simply because a new Rebbe later assumed leadership.

• The Rebbe actually became Rebbe on 11 Shevat, not 10 Shevat, since the farbrengen formally accepting leadership took place the evening after Yud Shevat. If so, why should Tachanun be omitted specifically on Yud Shevat?

• The traditional halachic basis for omitting Tachanun on days such as Yud‑Tes Kislev or Yud Beis–Yud Gimmel Tammuz is that these are days of geulah—days when someone was actually redeemed from imprisonment or when a clear public miracle occurred for the Jewish people. These are days of salvation, celebrated as “yomei geulah,” and therefore Tachanun is not said. By contrast, the process of a Rebbe accepting leadership is not classified in halacha as a “day of redemption” or a miraculous salvation, and therefore does not meet the criteria that would exempt Tachanun.

• Additionally, this touches on a broader and somewhat concerning trend:
  People are becoming very quick to dismiss Tachanun simply because they dislike the prayer or prefer a shorter davening—especially on Mondays and Thursdays. Of course, this underlying motivation is not something praiseworthy. Anyone who considers skipping Tachanun should honestly examine their intent:
  Is it truly because of deep and genuine joy over the events of Yud Shevat, or merely because they want to shorten the service?

• There is another important point that many overlook: Tachanun carries tremendous spiritual benefit. It is a powerful time for heavenly mercy, for atonement, cleansing, and rectification. In fact, the Rebbe himself, in the name of the Rebbe Rayatz, explained that this is precisely why Chabad does say Tachanun on a yahrzeit, unlike some Chassidic groups—because the day of a Rebbe’s yahrzeit is a uniquely auspicious day for spiritual elevation and teshuvah. Those who choose to skip Tachanun on Yud Shevat should consider that by doing so, they forfeit this powerful opportunity on a day when it is especially needed and especially beneficial.

• There is also another aspect worth considering. When people choose to omit Tachanun on the day of the Frierdiker Rebbe’s histalkus on the grounds of “joy” because the Rebbe later became Rebbe, this can come across as inappropriate or even insensitive to the Frierdiker Rebbe himself. Across all generations, Chabad has said Tachanun on the yahrzeit of a Rebbe. To suddenly refrain from doing so on this particular yahrzeit can be viewed as diminishing its dignity—almost as if, G‑d forbid, we are expressing joy over the circumstances of the histalkus simply because it ultimately led to the Rebbe’s acceptance of leadership. Of course, I certainly do not believe that anyone who chooses to skip Tachanun intends in any way to slight, minimize, or ignore the solemnity of the Frierdiker Rebbe’s yahrzeit. However, since such a choice could be interpreted that way, even unintentionally, perhaps extra caution and sensitivity are warranted.

• It is also important to remember that the very Chabad custom of saying Tachanun on the yahrzeit of a Rebbe is itself a directive from the Frierdiker Rebbe. This makes the situation even more ironic: specifically on the yahrzeit of the Rebbe Rayatz—the one who instructed us to say Tachanun on such days—some choose not to follow his own directive. This alone should give us pause and encourage greater care in maintaining the established practice.

Final Conclusion

All in all, people should not create new practices on their own initiative or nullify established minhagim and parts of davening without a clear and authoritative basis. We already established that the directive of the Rebbe, and the established Chabad custom followed in public by the Rebbe has always been to say Tachanun on Yud Shevat, and that is how it appears in all Chabad luachot that I am aware of, and hence Tachanun is not to be skipped.

Summary of All the Reasons to Say Tachanun on Yud Shevat

1. Direct directive from the Rebbe
2. The Rebbe’s own practice
3. No historical or traditional precedent
4. Incorrect date of leadership assumption
5. Not a halachic “day of redemption”
6. Concern about dismissing Tachanun too casually
7. Loss of Tachanun’s spiritual benefits that are applicable specifically on a Yom Hillula
8. Sensitivity to the Frierdiker Rebbe
9. Contradiction to the Rebbe Rayatz’s own directive

Sources:

See regarding the Chabad custom to recite Tachanun on the day of our Rabbeims passing: Ketzos Hashulchan 24 footnote 19; Sefer Haminhagim p. 16 based on a directive of the Rebbe Rayatz; Igros Kodesh 7:311 that “certainly you know that also on Yud Shevat we say Tachanun”; Toras Menachem 9:115; 15:129; Sichos Kodesh of 11^th Nissan 5722; 5727 Achrei Mos; 5730  Parshas Vayechi; Sichas Chaf Menachem Av 5710 1:172; Reshimos Choveres 69:9; For the customs of other sects see: Ketzos Hashulchan ibid; Avodas Efraim 2:25

See regarding saying Tachanun on Yid Shevat: Igros Kodesh ibid; Hiskashrus annually; Luach of Beis Din of Crown Heights

See regarding the general custom of omitting Tachanun on a day on which a miracle took place: Lev Chaim 150; Kaf Hachaim 218/9; Tzitz Eliezer 10/10;

See regarding 18^th of Elul: See Heichal Menachem Vol. 3 p. 47 for the Maaneh of the Rebbe; Hiskashrus 840; Otzer Minhagei Chabad p. 21-22; When asked in 1989 whether Tachanun is to be recited on Chaiy Elul the Rebbe responded that regarding matters dependent on feeling one is not to ask. [Otzer ibid] Obviously this refers to a true feeling of joy and not a feeling that simply comes as a result of reading this response. [ibid]