Q.6 DAY WAR & TISHA BAV? Question: Since the liberation of Jerusalem in the Six Day War, shouldn’t we make some changes today updating the “Nachem” prayer said at Mincha on Tish’a B’Av, for Yerushalayim is no longer “destroyed… deserted without her sons… desolate without inhabitants… swallowed by legions, conquered by idolators…”?! Liba

A. Hi Liba, nice question, as always! We know how important it is to speak honestly, and how much more so when speaking to Hashem during prayer. We even go so far as to change the wording in Ne’ila on Yom Kippur, “the day has passed” if said after sunset, instead of “is passing”, (Mishna Brura, 623, Sh. Tz. 6), and ashkenazim don’t say Anenu.. b'yom tzom ta'aniteinu (“our fasting”) in the morning, because “maybe” we won’t finish the fast! In fact, the situation of Jerusalem, is no longer “destroyed… deserted without her sons… desolate without inhabitants… (and surely not:) swallowed by legions, conquered by idolators…”, for Midreshet HaRova and thousands of Jews live, even in the old city! There are three approaches among the poskim: Rav Shlomo Goren zt"l, as chief rabbi, reworded the Nachem bracha based upon alternative ancient rabbinical versions that are presently more accurate, praying for the Temple, parts of the old city, spiritual revival, the soldiers killed in the 6 Day War, and those aspects of redemption we have yet to merit, despite the many stages we’ve already seen fulfilled and for which we must thank Hashem in our times, as follows: נחם ה' א-להינו את אבלי ציון ואת אבלי ירושלים, ואת העיר האבלה החרבה וההרוסה. ציון במר תבכה וירושלים תתן קולה. לבי לבי על חלליהם, מעי מעי על הרוגיהם. ולישראל עמך נתתה נחלה ולזרע ישורון ירושה הורשת. נערה ה' א-להינו מעפרה והקיצה מארץ דויה, נטה אליה כנהר שלום וכנחל שוטף כבוד גוים. כי אתה ה' באש הצתה ובאש אתה עתיד לבנותה, כאמור: ואני אהיה לה נאום ה' חומת אש סביב, ולכבוד אהיה בתוכה. ברוך אתה ה', מנחם ציון ובונה ירושלים. A second, more conservative approach, that of Rav Ovadia Yosef zt"l, former chief rabbi, opines not to make changes in the wording, but to concentrate on the unfortunate “spiritual” situation in Jerusalem, which, despite housing more yeshivot than any time in history, is far from ideal. Similarly, Rav Soloveichik zt"l held that as long as the Beit HaMikdash isn’t built, we should continue saying the original wording for one can still say most of the wording (“destroyed… deserted without her sons”) regarding the Temple Mount (and so I heard in the name of Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook zt"l). A third approach, that of Rav Chaim David HaLevy zt"l, former chief rabbi of Tel-Aviv, and Rav Aharon Lichtenstein zt"l, rosh yeshiva of Har Etzion, is to simply add one word: “shehayta…” (in the past-tense: “which was”… destroyed & swallowed by idolaters, etc.). On the other hand, this turns the bracha from one of "request" to one of thanks, something which is worthy, but "thanks" is the third section of the amida, while Nachem is still situated in the second section, that of "request", because there definitely are some aspects of redemption still lacking. Because of this difficulty, as well as the literal inaccuracy of the second opinion (the prayer refers to Jerusalem, not just Har HaBayit- “desolate without ‘inhabitants’”- and even if referring to the Temple Mount, chas v'shalom to say that she is “swallowed by legions, conquered by idolators”), as well as the importance of Hakarat HaTov (thanking and not ignoring God's recent kindness), I personally recite and recommend Rav Goren’s version of Nachem. Let’s pray for complete redemption, both spiritually & nationally, speedily in our days! With Love of Israel, Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)