Why the silence?

 

יהיו לרצון אמרי פי Why, During סליחות when reciting the שמע קולינו the Chazzan says the stanza of יהיו לרצון quietly? There were some Gedolim who were bothered by this question and didn't have an answer. Perhaps, we can attempt to answer this question. The רמ"א (O.Ch. 123:6) writes,  "The Chazan at the end of חזרת הש"ץ does not say.יהיו לרצון אמרי פי" The Mishna V'rurah says the reason is because he relies on the תתקבל of the Kaddish, he will be saying  after ובא לציון. (not to be repetitive)   The M.V. also quotes the של"ה and the גאון who argue and hold that the Chazzan should say it. The Minhag is to say it quietly, not to offend the Psak of the רמ"א. Perhaps* the same reasoning would apply during סליחות at שמע קולינו. Since the Chazan ends the סליחות with the Kaddish w תתקבל. It would  sound repetitive to say both יהו לרצון & תתקבל, therefore, they instituted to  say the יהיו לרצון quietly. אמבצי