Jerusalem is no longer ‘destroyed and desolate’ — three different answers.
Q. Since the liberation of Jerusalem in the Six Day War in 1967/תשכ”ז, shouldn’t we make some changes updating the “Nachem” prayer on Tish’a B’Av to be more relevant?
We know how important it is to speak honestly, and how much more so during prayer to G-d. In fact, one who is not fasting cannot say “the day of our fast”. Similarly we must pray honestly, for the situation of Jerusalem, is no longer “destroyed… deserted without her sons… desolate without inhabitants… swallowed by legions, conquered by idolators…”. There are three legitimate approaches among the poskim: Rav Shlomo Goren, as chief rabbi, reworded the Nachem bracha (see Google) based upon alternative rabbinical versions that are presently more accurate, praying for the Temple, spiritual revival, and those aspects of redemption we have yet to merit, despite the many prophecies we’ve already seen fulfilled.
A second approach, that of Rav Ovadia Yosef, 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.
A third approach, that of Rav Chaim David HaLevy former chief rabbi of Tel-Aviv (and R. Aharon Lichtenstein), is to simply add the word “shehayta…” (“which was”… destroyed 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 prayer, while Nachem is still situated in the second section, of request. Because of this difficulty, as well as the literal inaccuracy of the second opinion, I personally recite Rav Goren’s version of Nachem.
Let’s pray for complete redemption!
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