Preparing for Selichot: 2 Important Halachot to Know

As Elul begins and the High Holy Days draw closer, Jewish communities around the world prepare for a season of teshuvah, prayer, and spiritual reflection. But alongside the inspiration of these days are practical halachot that guide how we approach them. Here is today’s thought for reflection, followed by two important laws about Selichot.

Daily Quote

“A person’s actions are not evaluated and judged solely according to their own nature, but also according to the time and circumstances in which they are performed: the era and generation, the place and environment. All of these play an important role in determining the significance and value of a person’s actions.

“A person who rises above the influences of their generation, who is capable of saying ‘no’ to prevailing public opinion, greatly elevates the value of their actions.

“As a result, those actions take on immeasurably greater significance than similar deeds performed under different circumstances, when there is no need to struggle against outside opinions and influences.

“A righteous person who stands firm within a wicked generation merits to receive the reward of them all.”

(Mikdash Mordechai, Yalkut Lekach Tov)

2 Halachot a Day

From Behalacha UveAggadah, based on the rulings of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt”l.

When Do We Begin Saying Selichot?

The custom among Sephardic Jews is to recite Selichot from the beginning of the month of Elul, with the exception of Rosh Chodesh, until Yom Kippur.

The Ashkenazic custom is to begin reciting Selichot on the Sunday before Rosh Hashanah. However, when Rosh Hashanah falls on a Monday or Tuesday, Selichot begin on the Sunday of the preceding week.

Ashkenazic Jews also have the custom of sounding the shofar from Rosh Chodesh Elul following Shacharit, in order to awaken people to teshuvah, as the verse says: “Will a shofar be sounded in a city, and the people not tremble?”

What Should We Be Careful About When Getting Up for Selichot?

Those who rise while it is still night to recite Selichot should be careful not to disturb other members of the household who are still sleeping.

All the more so, they should not wake someone else simply to prepare tea or coffee for them. Doing so turns an act intended for a mitzvah into a situation in which another person is unnecessarily disturbed. In such a case, the loss outweighs the gain.