Av HaRachamim

Av HaRachamim was composed sometime at the end of the 11th Century or beginning of the 12th Century in response to the Crusades. It is a memorial prayer written for martyrs. It asks God to remember with compassion “the pious, the upright and the blameless – holy communities who sacrificed their lives for the sanctification of God’s name.” Originally the prayer was said only on the Shabbat preceding Shavuot in order to commemorate the original massacre for which the prayer was written. It is also included in the yizkor service as a concluding prayer for all Jewish martyrs. Early traditions also said the prayer on Shabbat Chazon (the Shabbat preceding Tisha b’Av) because of the many tragedies commemorated on that day. As more tragedies befell the Jewish people, Av HaRachamim was adopted on a more regular basis until it became a regular part of Shabbat prayers. Nowadays the norm in most synagogues is to say Av HaRachamim on every Shabbat, except for those when Tachanun would not be said during the weekday because of a festive occasion such as Rosh Chodesh, a bris or aufruf. However, an exception to this rule is made in many communities (including Beth Tfiloh) to say Av HaRachamim on every Shabbat of the Omer. The reason for this is that it was during this time of the year that the Crusaders massacred Jews and destroyed Jewish communities as they made their way across Europe to Jerusalem. In fact, there are many who feel that the intensification and widespread acceptance of the mourning practices of the Omer took hold only in light of the Crusades.

At first glance, Av haRachamim is an inappropriate prayer for Shabbat. We generally refrain from public displays of mourning on Shabbat and avoid sad things that would take away from the joy of Shabbat. The inclusion of Av HaRachamim highlights that some tragedies are too pervasive. Shabbat is a joyous day but it is also a day when the community comes together and seeks comfort from crises. The conclusion of the prayer emphasizes that God is just and will ultimately punish those deserving punishment and avenge those who gave up their lives by sanctifying God’s name.