Falling behind in Monday and Thursday tachanun

Question:

I say the Monday and Thursday tachanun much slower than the tzibbur does.
1) I understand that I can continue saying tachanun whilst the sefer Torah is taken out of the aron and all the way until it is opened on the bimah. I.e. this would mean I don’t say ‘vayehi binsoa’, baruch shmeh etc. It also means I would not answer ‘vatem hadvekim etc’. Is that correct? If it is correct, shall I say those tefillos at the end of davening to ‘make them up’?
2) If I still have not finished tachanun, can I continue to say it bein guvra l’guvra (between the aliyahs), whilst the gabai is calling up other people or saying refuah shleimas etc. If this is allowed, would it only be allowed if the sefer Torah is shut?
3) If I still have not finished tachanun, shall I say ‘vsos ha-torah’ during hagbah?
4) If I still have not finished tachanun, can I continue to say it during the ‘yehi ratzons’ and not say ‘acheinu’? If so, shall I say acheinu at the end of davening to ‘make it up’?
5) If I still have not finished tachanun, can I continue to say it whilst the sefer Torah is returned to the ark and therefore not say ‘hodo al eretz’ etc. If so, shall I say ‘hodo al eretz’ etc at the end of davening to ‘make it up’?
6) If I still have not finished tachanun when the tzibbur starts ashrei, shall I continue tachanun and say ashrei after? Or should I say ashrei and finish tachanun when I finish davening?

Thank you

Answer:

1. There is a halacha that we should not talk and involve ourselves with other things between shemona esrei and saying tachanun. The reason for this is that tachanun is essentially a continuation of shemona esrei, and by talking out, it hampers the effect of the tachanun[1]. The poskim[2] write that if one sees that he is not going to finish saying tachanun (Racum v’chanun…) before the tzibbur finishes, skip part of the v’hu rachum, and say tachanun, and finish it afterwards. If you haven’t yet finished saying tachanun, you don’t say vayehi bnisoa[3], brich shei, etc. however you have to answer things that are considered davar sh’bkidusha, such as amein yehei shemei rabba, borchu, kedusha. This being the case we will address your question, from the angle that you already said tachanun and you are in middle of saying v’hu rachum.
2. It is controversial if one is allowed to learn by himself[4] between aliyos. You can continue saying vhu rachum between the aliyos, but you must stop when the oleh starts saying borchu, (and according to others from when they open the sefer torah to say the bracha).
3. Since you are in middle of saying vhu rachum, you shouldn’t be mafsik for anything that is only a minhag and not an obligation[5]. Therefore, you would not say vayehi binsoa, baruch shmeh, vatem hadvekim, vsos ha-torah, acheinu, hodo al eretz, etc. Regarding making these things up after davening, I haven’t seen anything on it, but my assumption is that these things are for saying specifically when the sefer torah is being taken out and put back, therefore saying it later won’t help.
4. See 3.
5. See 3.
6. Regarding ashrei uva l’tzion, you can continue finishing vhu rachum, however you should stop to say kidusha dsidra (the pesukim of kaddosh, boruch, etc and their translation) together with the tzibbur. Then continue rom where you were holding.

Have a kesiva vchasima tova

Sources:

[1] Taz and M:B 131-1.

[2] Eishei Yisroel 25-5 and ftnt. 22 in the name of R’ C. Kanievsky shlt”a.

[3] Shevet Halevi 7-12(2),

[4] M:B 146-6, 4, Poskim

[5] Poskim