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New System Informing if there is a Choson in 770

Crown Heights, Brooklyn — Thursday, a new system has just been installed in 770 informing if there is a Choson in shul, so you would know if you have to say Tachnun or not.

More pictures in the Extended Article

If you are a Choson during sheva brochos, you are kindly asked to walk up to the umud and choose the amount of time they will be in 770 and the light will remain on till you leave. In an event that you leave earlier you can go and shut it off.

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56 Comments

  • ashirah

    this is unbelievable! using technology for kedusha – moshiach times!

  • mendel

    and how do you know that yankel der shiker is ging to turn in on?
    2. if more chassanim are in shul then when the first chassan goes out(and turns it off) and the rest are still in then every-one will say tachanun?
    3.why make chassanim run to the amud and back and foward and always keep an eye that another chassan or some shiker does not turn it of(maybe just put a guard by the light)

  • mendel

    anyways it a big heter that the whole shul shouldn’t have to say tachanun(especially when he’s not in your minyan and you don’t see him)
    so why extand the heter and if theres a meshugene in 770 who will run around 770 for20minutes not to say tachanun that is 1minute should just go out of 770 to say tachanun
    ohh 1 and formost reasen not to did it if someone comes in to 770 and does not know of the light or is lazy to walk up there and says tachanun and someone will hear that someone else is saying tachanun he will start screaming and shouting(and in 770 theres more that needed shouting[i mean yechi])and this will onlt increes machlokes

  • CHer

    If there are 2 chasanim you use one no-tachnun that day, and you have one credit which you may “cash in” at a later date when there are no chasanim. :)

  • ch resident

    whats so interesting
    its a good idea
    but whats so great about this system
    it looks like a light bulb
    i can do it myself
    i can put a light bulb in m,y shu and when a chosson walks in ill turn it in

  • Joshua

    Wow, I never thought of this, but this is a good idea. Thanks for this tip.

  • Is this appropiate?

    Does the Chosson have to be part of your Minyan, for you to be exempt from saying Tachanun?

  • Yehudah Laufer

    How can we do something that was not done prior to Gimmel Tamuz?!?!?!

  • Married Guy

    I was under the impression when I was a chooson that only a minyan that your answering amen to does not say tachnun (which is why everyone wanted to give me an aliya)

  • Ch Resident

    Thank You Sholom Goldstein for another brilliant Idea, and for always looking to make things better at 770.

    Hashem should bless you with Kol Mishalos Libcha Litova.

  • Yossi

    Thank You Sholom Goldstein and Michael Goldhirsh of Melborne, Australia for this great Invention.

  • pessimist

    theres always gonna be the prankster who will turn the thing on even though theres no chosson around. 770 will be saying a lot less tachnun!

  • Chaim

    For your information: This idea is old…it is used till today for many years in Washington Heights (the Breuer (Yaka) Community) – (though not as sopisticated as this – just a simple bulb)

  • Tachnun

    What’s with the widespread aversion to saying Tachnun? Are we really in such a hurry, that the 2 minutes we save will make a difference? Based on the times that people around here daven, no one even has a job.

  • Optimist

    To CHer #1:
    If you read the article, you’ll know that the light doesn’t detect the chosson; he turns it on.

  • Optimist

    To mendel:
    Answer to 1): Stop being so pessimistic. If Yankel Der Shiker decides to turn it on, it’s his fault that the minyan didn’t say tachnun, and he’s responsible.
    Answer to 2): If more Chassanim are in the shul, they will hopefully notice it went off, and they’ll turn it back on! (And if they’re in middle of shmoneh esrei when it gets turned off, it’s not the end of the world.)
    Answer to 3): We’re not making Chassanim run back and forth, or keep on eye on anyone. We’re just doing them a favor so that if they want to be counted in the minyan as a chosson, and not say tachnun, they let everyone know — and this is an easy, smart, and convenient way.

  • Optimist

    To CH Resident (#1):
    What’s so interesting about it is exactly the fact that it’s so easy. It’s amazing that someone THOUGHT of it.
    Yes, you can put a lightbulb anywhere, but did you?

  • Optimist

    To Yehudah Laufer:
    We haven’t been around for 13 years after Gimmel Tammuz just to sit around and do nothing. Just the oppostite! We’re supposed to do everything we could ESPECIALLY now to bring Moshiach.
    This includes installing lightbulbs in 770 that make it easier for the minyan to know whether to say tachnun or not.

  • BrookAve

    Forget about knowing this vital information. I want to know how high above sea level we are. Where is THAT gauge?

  • Concerned yid

    were the Rabonim asked about this, I have some concerns about this davar “chodosh” 1) what haapens if the choson leaves the shul before the light goes out, a choson has many things on his mind and perhaps can forger to close the light, 2)what if the choson goes upstairs or has to leave the room for a short while and forgets to shut off the light,

    I think that we are taking a great Achrayus and exempting so many yiden form saying tachanun while they should be saying it. in Chabad we are mdaiyek not to look for hatairim reasons not to say tachanun.

    I thinks that one of the rabonim should go over this and make sure that we are covered from all angles.

  • mn

    how about if we give each choson a proximity card that is read automatically when he enters and leaves shull, and the system could know how many chasanim are in and automatically turn it on when the first choson enters and turn it off when the last one leaves.

  • chrup!

    i think we should implant everyone with RFID chips so this way when they walk in through the doors of 770, the sensors pick up the change in their body heat,hormones etc,recognizing that their chassanim ergo turning on the light. when they leave,it sends a signal to turn the light off! GENIUS!!!

  • 55 year old Chassan

    To all previous posters except BrookAve…

    You’re ALL NUTS!!

    who cares…I’v been married over 30 years my wife is still my Kallah.

    So I guess I’m a Chassan no Tachanun in MY minyan;))

  • chaim

    interesting. the AR in SA hilchos nefilas apayim writes clearly that the not saying tachanun applies only to the monyian that the choson is davening in. so how is this contraption halachicaly correct?

  • Old Resident

    1) Halachic issues, such as which Minyan does not say Tachanun, if Chasan left for a minute, if Kallah comes to shull, there is a Chupah outside, Bris Millah, Mohel – ask a competent Rabbi. Rabbi Bruk is resigning (see http://crownheights.info/in…) so you can find one quicker .
    2) There are already Ladigayers (Bored souls) who would be to happy to update the system.
    3) A more likely scenario is for a pessimistic to shut the light if he does not see the Chassan on top of the light. How many times do you have to say tachanun for saying tachanun when you do not have to say tachanun? If you know a Rabbi that will give a competent answer then please post.

  • AGBAG

    answer to the question whether we should say tachnun if the choson does not actually daven with your minyan:

    The Rebbe – at mincha of yom hachupah of a choson – would not say tachnun even though the choson was not actually davening with the minyan, but was just standing in the shul.

    (the choson would daven alone after the rebbe’s mincha where he says “al chayt”.)

    —-

    Thank you SHAW
    From LAY

  • OT chai

    we finally caught up to the yekkies.
    They have had this system for the last 150 yrs-where they have a menorah in the front of the shul.Depending on how many candels are lit , you know if you dont have to say tachnun, say hallel , yale V Yavo etc

    better late than never….

    Good idea anyway though…

  • to agbag

    To agbag
    There is no proof from what you are saying, because the choson was PARTICIPATING with the minyan by answering amen – kedusha – boruch hu uvorech shemo- modim . Just becuase he (the choson) did not actually daven the shemone asrai does not mean he was not participating in the tefiilah, in fact he can be counted as part of the 10 required since you only need 6 to daven shemoneh esrai with the minyan.
    the question is do you NOT say tachnun if thre is a choson in the room (shul) just by being there and not PATICIPATING in the actual minya that needs or not needs to say tachnun?

  • Chaim check your facts

    Did you check the AR Shulchan Aruch before posting? Can you read Hebrew? There is clearly one stipulation: That the Chosson be at the Shul. (There is no need that the chosson be davening with the Tzibbur.)

    So Chaim, learn the Halachos of Nefillas Apayim before broadcasting your ignorance.

    (Chaim — Whats your full name?)

  • anon

    kids will be making pranx. and then peo[ple wont be saying tachnun when they r meant to. people just ignore the light

  • just wondering

    could a ba’al bris, mohel and sandek use this system too???

  • oichadayezogor

    The AR in SA states clearly that tachnun is “tolui b’minhag”. Several years ago I davvenned mincha every day with a minyan that did not say tachnun “poilishe chassidim”. I asked a prominent rav in CH if I should say tachnun myself during Chazoras hashatz and he pointed out the AR’s ruling. The same can be (IMHO) applied to a chosson draying zich in 770 and not part of the minyan. Since the minhag in 770 is not to say tachnun, yesh lomar this is minhag hamokom and the chosson does not have to be actually davvening with your minyan

  • I Remember

    I remember many years ago making a minyan in the Colel Building behind 770 on Union Street, shortly before afternoon seder. There was a Choson talking to people outside the side door. Rabbi Dworkin OBM was asked if we should say Tachnun. He responded “even if the Choson is in the chotzer ha citzoneis (outter courtyard) of the shul, no Tachnun is to be recited.”

  • To Mr. check your facts and others

    Please read the shulchon aruch where the alter Rebbe gets it from and then the taz, and the baer heitev.

    The taz and the beir heitiv both agree that a chosun should NOT come into a beis keneses during the seven days in order so that he should not hold back the people from saying tachnun.

    So now (this lamp) is not only holding back his tzibur but the entire tziburim that are davening in the beis keneses.

    Also there are some that hold that when the shulchan oruch says choson, it means only the day of the chupah and not the entire seven days (see machtzis hashekel)

    So what we get from all this that it is not that poshut and I hope the people that placed the light in the rebbes shul asked the rabonim

    Ah guten shabbos
    jw

  • melbournian

    actually this idea is used in melbourne australia where the menoras in front of shul are lit whenever there is no tachnun
    and the thing was sponsored by an australian

  • australia

    i’m not sure what to write about this it’s interesting that’s foresure, i agree with yehuda laufer though is not saying tachanun a halachic requirement if there is a chosson or we are allowed to say tachanun nevertheless?

  • magen chaim

    since chaim didn’t learn it yet it would be loshon hora to say his last name.
    i didn’t know that alte rebbe also says that if the chassan is in shul we don’t say tachanun i only think it’s a heter of R’ zalmen shimon(i don’t know where he was a rav)say that if you don’t give this heter than they will puul the chassan in 7parts before he gets out 770

  • Thanks SBG

    I this its a wonderfull idea – i just ope that 2 of the poeple that poseted here dont get into a fight over which minyan the chosson is in V’Chulu.

    my 2nd Q is how does yankel the shikur know if he is a chosson or a meshechist who wears a kapote all day every day?

  • observer/ousider

    wow-u guys really think ur tzadikim or something-why cant u uys just say tachanun lyk normal jews,its not like u dont do any aveiros,if uve never did an aveira its 1 thing-but if ur looking for every little thing possible in order to get out of saying tachanun -i think thats disgusting

  • Cat In The Hat

    I heard from chashuver anash, that mikvah and tachanun have the same m’kor – this is why days when tachnun isn’t said min ha’din, there’s a stronger inyan for mikvah. Mikvah is the inyan of tachanun m’simcha, when the day is so high, that it’s beyond day to day avodah.

    This light looks like a real chap. Sh’koah!

    If Yankel the Shiker may have been messing with our obligations, it’s still m’chasa min ha’ayin, so make a l’chaim, grab a quick dip, and enjoy the free ticket for an even higher day. (But keep an eye out for Yankel up to his mischief, cause we’re not really looking for a free ride).

  • FYI

    Attn: magen chaim:

    FYI R’ Zalmen Shimon was the Rav of CH for many years (the Rebbe’s Rov)

  • to CAT IN THE HAT

    what if the choson is M’chasa min ha’ayin and the minyan around all say “the light is on”, what do you then?

  • Rephoel of KAJ

    There’s nothing new or novel about this. In K’hal Adath Jeshurun (Breuers) they maintain their old minhag of switching on special ‘no tachanun’ lights for all occassions that tachanun is skipped. The gabbai in charge makes sure the correct lights are on (or off). A chosson must be present in the shul for tachnun to be skipped.The congrgation shares in the simcha only if the baal simcha is in shul.