Praying for Personal Needs on Shabat \ Parashat Ba'halotecha
In this week's Parsha we read the Mitzvah of the חצוצרות, “the Trumpets.” According to some opinions (see Ramban in Sefer Hamitzvos and the Smak) this passuk (10, 9) is the source of a Torah Mitzvah to call out too Hashem in time of distress. On Shabbos though there is a prohibition of asking one's needs in Tefillah. It is important to explore what exactly is included in this prohibition and what is indeed permitted.
The Yerushalmi in Shabbos (end of 15th perek) says that one may not be תובע צרכיו on Shabbos, meaning that he may not ask for his needs. The Gemara then asks, yet one may say רעינו פרנסינו in Bentching, a request for blessings of livelihood? The Gemara responds that being that it is part of the regular nusach of the Brachah one may say it on Shabbos as well. Based on this, that the regular nusach of Tefillah is permitted on Shabbos, the Rishonim explain a Gemara in Brachos that technically one may say the middle Brachos of Shemonah Esrei on Shabbos, as well, and the only reason that Chazal shortened the Tefillah is so that they do not cause “unease.” The difference being that if one mistakenly began a weekday Brachah on Shabbos he should in fact finish it before returning to the Shabbos nusach.
The question which requires clarification, though, is what is included in “needs” that may not be Davened for on Shabbos. It is apparent from the above Yerushalmi that the beginning of the third Brachah, רחם ... על ישראל עמך ועל ירושלים עירך וכו', was never a matter of question as the Gemara considers it obvious that it isn’t included in the prohibition of asking for needs. Also, the Ohr Zarua says that the Tefillah וכל החושבים עלי רעה מהרה הפר עצתם וכו' that we say in אלקי נצור is only permitted to say because it is part of the usual Nusach. It seems apparent from his words that the beginning of the tefillah, אלקי נצור לשוני מרע ושפתי מדבר מרמה וכו', is anyways not considered “needs” for this Halachah and was therefore never a question in the first place.
This needs explanation, why these Tefillos are not included in the prohibition or איסור . Another example in question is in the Magen Avraham in Hilchos Shavuos (ה, תצד) where he writes that the Minhag to place trees in Shul and home is because that on Shavuos we are judged about the fruits of the tree and this reminds us to Daven about them. He permits doing so even though this is not part of the established Nusach of Tefillah.
The Maharam Mintz, in שו"ת מהר"ם מינץ סי' פ"ז, brought by the Magen Avraham (סי' רפ"ח ס"ק י"א), says that the restriction of asking for needs on Shabbos is only with regard to a specific need which brings about distress on a given day, as opposed to general needs that are worthy of Davening for daily which are not included in this prohibition. [It seems from his words that פרנסה is considered something specific to each day to itself, and we can say the same as far as וכל החושבים עלי רעה כו' (although there does seem to be a difference of opinion between the Ohr Zarua and the Maharam Mintz ע"ש)]. This would address the question above, why both נצור לשוני מרע וכו' and רחם על ישראל עמך וכו' are not included in the איסור of בקשת צרכיו as these are not specific immediate needs rather general בקשות. The Halachah of the Davening for the fruits of the tree is also understood according to this.
An additional exception in the Poskim is that צרכי רוחניות, spiritual needs, are also not included in this איסור (see ספר אשי ישראל פ' ל"ו ס"ק ס"ג בשם הרב אלישיב זצ"ל).
A few weeks ago erev rosh Chodesh Sivan fell out on Shabbos. Many are accustomed to saying the special 'Tefillas HaShalah' toward the success of one's children and future descendants on that day and the question arose is it permitted to do so on Shabbos. Based on the above, it would seem to conclude that any request of רוחניות would certainly be permitted, and as far as the בקשות that are for physical sustenance it would seem that any בקשה for the general future and not for an immediate need would not be included in the איסור. As far as Davening for children, it would seem to also be dependent on whether it’s a presently relevant need or a general tefillah for the future. Maybe one can bring a proof, though, that Davening for a child is always permissible from Chanah who Davened for a child on Yom Tov (see Rashi שמואל א' פרק א', ד'). However, this may be refutable as it could be that in a case of such pain it was permitted for her to Daven just like it was permitted for her to cry, because in such a situation this was עונג for her, see שו"ת תורה לשמה סימן ק"ג.
Maran HaRav Chaim Kanievsky shlita, though, is quoted as saying that one shouldn’t say the Tefillas HaShalah on Shabbos, rather on motzaei Shabbos instead.
