S.A.L.T. - Sunday

          Upon being confronted by Korach and his followers, Moshe "hears and falls on his face" (16:4). Rabbenu Bechayei (among others) writes that Moshe's reaction serves as a Biblical allusion to the later institution of "nefilat apayim," the service to which we often refer as "tachanun."  While reciting this prayer, we lower our faces onto our arms – similar to Moshe's having "fallen on his face" in response to Korach's challenge. 

         If, indeed, as Rabbenu Bechayei claims, Moshe's reaction here serves as a basis of sorts for the recitation of tachanun, then we may perhaps gain a deeper understanding of the nature of this prayer by inquiring as to the nature of Moshe's reaction. Once Rabbenu Bechayei has drawn this parallel between Moshe's falling on his face and our lowering of our faces for tachanun, then we might want to explore the meaning behind Moshe's response in order to better understand our practice of leaning for tachanun.

         On the simplest level, as the Rashbam and Netziv explain, Moshe fell on his face in prayer to God, asking His assistance in dealing with the most recent crisis to confront his leadership.  Naturally, then, Chazal concluded on this basis that lowering one's face is a form of prayer, an expression of a desperate appeal to God, and therefore instituted that we lower our faces when asking forgiveness in the tachanun prayer.

         In other commentaries, however, we find different approaches as to the nature of Moshe's response.  Rabbenu Yosef Bekhor Shor explains that Moshe fell on his face out of sheer embarrassment, having been wrongly accused of sly, nepotistic maneuverings in establishing the nation's leadership.  Midrashic sources likewise indicate that Moshe fell on his face because he was accused of adulterous relationships, to the point where all men suspected their wives of sleeping with Moshe.  What emerges, then, is that falling on one's face is an expression of embarrassment and humiliation.  For this reason, perhaps, Chazal instituted that we fall on our faces when appealing to God for forgiveness through the recitation of tachanun.  They wanted us to experience – or attempt to experience – the same shame and humiliation as one feels when others cast embarrassing allegations about his conduct, when his reputation is tarnished and his personal life is exposed in distorted form to the public's ear.  When approaching the Almighty to beg forgiveness, we must feel genuinely ashamed at our unacceptable conduct and misdeeds.

         Rashi, citing the Midrash Tanchuma, explains this verse differently: "He fell on his face because of the dispute; this was already the fourth crime [committed against God]." In the previous three instances when God became incensed at Benei Yisrael – the golden calf, the mitonenim, and the scouts – Moshe felt capable of intervening on their behalf and pleading their case before God.  Here, the fourth time the nation angered God, Moshe felt helpless, he no longer felt he had a legitimate argument with which to save the nation from God's decree. Out of a deep sense of despair and hopelessness, he falls on his face.

         This, too, may reflect a central theme of tachanun – the hopelessness of our efforts.  When bringing our case before the Almighty, we must feel a sense of despair, knowing that we are hardly deserving of divine compassion.  Why should we earn atonement, if we should have known better and avoided making the mistakes we committed?  Just as Moshe Rabbenu felt unable to soothe God's anger when confronted by Korach's rebellion, so must we feel a sense of hopelessness at the prospect of earning God's favor.

         We introduce the tachanun prayer with the verse "Vayomer David el Gad" from Sefer Shemuel II (24:14).  Understanding the context of this verse may help us appreciate how it introduces the tachanun prayer, particularly in light of what we have seen regarding the nature of this prayer.  King David sinned against God by conducting a census of Benei Yisrael (we will not discuss in this context the nature of this sin), and God poses to David, through the prophet Gad, three options for his punishment.  David's kingdom would have to face either seven years of famine, three months under the pursuit of his foes, or three days of divine plague. David tells the prophet, "I am in great distress.  Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for His compassion is great; and let me not fall into the hands of men."  David decides upon the punishment that leaves him most directly under God's providence, which most allows for the possibility of the decree's revocation.  Indeed, though the devastating plague killed seventy thousand people among Benei Yisrael, God had compassion on the nation and stopped the plague before it wrought even more destruction.

         In this verse, then, we find the opposite side of the coin, so-to-speak, the concept that allows for the recitation of tachanun despite the hopelessness of our cause.  Although we, like Moshe, have little faith in our merit, we nevertheless, like David, place our trust in divine compassion.  Unworthy as we are of forgiveness and atonement, we turn to the Almighty nonetheless, knowing that "His compassion is great," and He hears our prayers even when we are undeserving.

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