Tachanun on Bar Mitzva Day

Question: I was davening in a chassidishe shul, and they skipped tachanun due to a Bar Mitzva. Is this the correct practice?

Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 131:4) states that tachanun is omitted in a shul when there is a chassan present or on the day of a bris.

R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer OC 1:27; 4:14; Yechave Daas 2:15) expands this ruling to include the day of a Bar Mitzva, comparing it to the joy of a chasuna or a bris. He cites R’ Ben Zion Meir Chai Uziel, who explains that this minhag underscores the importance of becoming Bar Mitzvah and the significance of beginning to wear tefillin.

However, R’ Eliezer Waldenberg (Tzitz Eliezer 11:17) disagrees, arguing that omitting tachanun does not necessarily encourage people to appreciate the mitzva of tefillin. Similarly, R’ Nosson Gestetner (Lehoros Nosson 10:16) points out that the Shulchan Aruch does not mention Bar Mitzva as a reason for skipping tachanun because it is not considered as joyous an occasion as a chasuna or bris.

R’ Yitzchok Yaakov Weiss (Minchas Yitzchak 8:11) notes that while the Minchas Elazar would omit tachanun for a Bar Mitzva, he himself did not endorse this as standard practice. R’ Binyamin Zilber (Az Nidberu 11:48) adds that the Ashkenazi custom, particularly in Eretz Yisrael, is generally to recite tachanun even on Bar Mitzva days (see Rivevos Ephraim 1:337; 3:86; 4:44:57; Ishei Yisrael 25).

In conclusion, while some Sefardim and Chassidim omit tachanun in shul on the day of a Bar Mitzva, the prevalent Ashkenazi practice is to recite it as usual.