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This is a question specific to Ashkenazim (Nusach Ashkenaz, Nusach Ari, and Nusach Sefard).

On Shabbat, after the Torah Reading and before Mussaf, 3 prayers, (2 Yikkum Purkans and a Mi Sheberach) are recited. On Yom Tov that falls out on a weekday, we are instructed to skip those prayers.

Why skip Yikum Purkan and the Mi Sheberach for the congregation on a holiday that falls out on a weekday?

There doesn't appear to be any Shabbat specific text, so why omit it?

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Rabbi Ari Henkin’s musings quotes the Siddur Harashban 20b to say that

Yekum Purkan is not recited on a weekday Yom Tov in order to allow for the already lengthy services to end that much earlier, so that people can get home and prepare their Yom Tov meal.[3] Indeed, it is reserved especially for Shabbat, as it is primarily a prayer for those who study the Torah, which was given on Shabbat.[4] It is also suggested that Yekum Purkan is recited only on Shabbat in order to recall that the Exilarch[5] would be present in the synagogue on Shabbat morning and reciting it then was considered to be a gesture of honor towards him.[6]

[3] Siddur Harashban 20b; Rokeaich 53.
[4] Ziv Hashabbat p.183.
[5] See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exilarch.
[6] Sefer Yuchsin p.121; Safra Chadeta p. 91 cited in Rite and Reason p. 252.

I do not know why the Exilarch didn’t, as implied, come to synagogue on Yom Tov.

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  • 2
    The early Exilarchs were likley making aliyah b'regel on yontiv. Jun 11, 2013 at 16:46
  • What about the Mi Sheberach?
    – Menachem
    Jun 24, 2013 at 21:25
  • Who is Rashban?
    – Double AA
    Jan 7, 2014 at 8:51
  • @DoubleAA I have asked your question of Rav Henkin. Watch this space. Jan 7, 2014 at 18:10
  • @DoubleAA The front page says Sidur Raschban von Salomon Schuck, Bezirksrabbiner Karczag. See hebrewbooks.org/21467. Could he be the Maharam Schik? More than this I do not know. Jan 8, 2014 at 16:51

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