Singing Avinu Malkeinu when Rosh Hashanah [or Yom Kippur] falls on Shabbos?

Question:

I have heard that we do nothing the tune of Avinu Malkeinu on Shabbos including even when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos. Is this accurate?

Answer:              

While there is no Halachic prohibition against doing so, the Rebbe was accustomed not to sing it on Shabbos even when Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbos, and he likewise motioned for the Chassidim not to sing it.

Explanation: The Chabad custom is to sing the Niggun of Avinu Malkeinu prior to the start of Maariv, as well as prior to all the other prayers on Rosh Hashanah.  This custom was initiated by the Rebbe. Now, Ashkenazi communities do not recite the prayer of Avinu Malkeinu on Shabbos. This is due to one of two reasons: 1) As it is forbidden to request one’s needs on Shabbos. 2) The entire reason that we recite Avinu Malkeinu is in correspondence to the middle blessings of Shemoneh Esrei that are omitted on Rosh Hashanah during the week. Seemingly, the same way we do not wish to say the prayer and Shabbos so too we should not sing the prayer on Shabbos, in which the same words are being mentioned.

Sources: See regarding the Rebbe not singing it on Shabbos: Orchos Menachem p. 68-69; See regarding the general custom to sing the tune of Avinu Malkeinu prior to the start of the prayers on Rosh Hashanah:  Hisvadyos 1984 1 p. 26-27 “The reason for the custom to sing the Niggun of Ainu Malkeinu of the Alter Rebbe prior to each prayer on Rosh Hashanah is in order to mention the merit of our forefathers, the merit of the Alter Rebbe”; Otzer Minhagei Chabad p. 58; Regarding Maariv: The Rebbe ibid stated in 1984 “Now that we are coming closer to the redemption, in which the Avoda of action is emphasized, there is no place for singing Avinu Malkeinu prior to this prayer being that Avinu Malkeinu is not recited during this prayer. For this reason Avinu Malkeinu was not sung before Maariv.” Nevertheless, there was not one year similar to the next after this Sicha, in some years it was sung before Maariv and in others it was not. In 1992 it was only sung before Maariv on the second day of Rosh Hashanah. [Otzer Minhagei Chabad p. 58] See regarding omitting Avinu Malkeinu on Shabbos: Admur 584:5; 602:2; Rama 584:1; 602:1; Rivash 512; Kneses Hagedola 584:2; Peri Chadash; Kisei Eliyahu 584:3; Other opinions: Many Poskim rule that Avinu Malkeinu is to be recited even on Shabbos. [Rashbatz 3:186 brought in Beis Yosef; Hatanya; Mateh Yehuda 584; implication of Arizal in Shaar Hakavanos; see Kaf Hachaim 584:8] Based on the Arizal ibid it appears that one is to recite all the stanzas of Avinu Malkeinu, with exception to the one’s that mention sin, even on Shabbos Shuva, and so is the custom of the Beis Keil community in Jerusalem. [Kaf Hachaim 582:16] The Kaf Hachaim 584:8 concludes: It seems that the Ashkenazi custom is to omit it while the Sephardic custom is to say it and for this reason the Michaber omitted this ruling from his Shulchan Aruch. Each community is to follow their custom.