בן אדם מה לך נרדם קום קרא בתחנונים שפוך שיחה דרוש סליחה
For Ashkenazim, when they look at the Sefardi Pesach menu, they would like to broaden their restricted diet.
For Sefardim, especially those who like to sleep late, they would be happy to follow Ashkenazi traditions for Selihot.
SELIHOT are best said before sunrise. In many Jewish communities in the Middle East, a man made the rounds calling out S-LI-HOT and depending on the local custom, banging on doors or shutters or ringing a bell.
Interestingly enough, Chabad, which often follows Sefardi/Mizrachi customs aligns itself with its fellow Ashkenazim for an “abbreviated” Selihot period. (http://tinyurl.com/y792ted5 )
Chabad’s Selihot are even shorter. From Chabad.org: According to Chabad custom, however, Selichot are not said during these days (בעשי’’ת), with the exception of the third of Tishrei, when Selichot are recited as part of the commemoration of the Fast of Gedaliah.
This year, Elul begins on Shabat Re’eh, 11 August 2018 at 7:33 p.m. and 9 chalakim, according to TorahCalc (http://www.torahcalc.com/molad/ ).
Most Sefardi congregations in my neighborhood wrap Selihot together with the usual morning service. The largest Sefardi congregation schedules Selihot at 6 a.m., with the regular morning service at 7 a.m.
And then, when the 10 days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippor roll around (בעשי’’ת) Selihot become much longer.
I thought to use Birnbaum’s English rather than to offer my own translations, but the two works are so radically different – and the Birnbaum work is for the first day only.
There ARE similarities and some verses found in one are found in the other, but an Askenaz wandering into a Sefardi minyan – or vice versa – probably would feel out of place. (He would not be “out of place” of course; every Jew’s place is in a minyan of Jews, regardless of minhag.)
Yeshiva.com explains why the Ashkenazim do as they do.
The reason that Ashkenazic Jews recite Selichot for at least four days before Rosh HaShannah is that there is a custom to observe ten days of fasting before Yom Kippur for the purpose of repentance. And since during the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur there are four days on which it is impossible to fast - i.e., the two days of Rosh HaShannah, one Sabbath, and Yom Kippur eve on which one is obliged to eat - four days are set aside before Rosh HaShannah for fasting. This being the case, Selichot are recited on these days. And even though today most people do not actually fast on these ten days, it none the less remains customary to get up early for Selichot for at least ten days - i.e., the four days before Rosh HaShannah, and six days during the Ten Days of Repentance.
While the “best” time for Selihot is just before dawn ("Ashmoret HaBoker" - i.e., the very end of the nighttime), some communities have instituted the custom of reciting Selihot in the evening or at night. Again, citing Yeshiva.com, the accepted practice has become to rise for Selichot about an hour or a half-hour before morning prayers. Though it is no longer dark outside it is still permissible to recite Selichot. Hence, if a person feels that by rising early his work will suffer, it is preferable that he rise for Selichot a half-hour before the normal time.
According to Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, in a situation where one has no alternative, it is even possible to recite Selichot before midnight. If a community is unable to manage getting up early in the morning for Selichot, its members are permitted, as an emergence measure, to gather for Selichot at ten o'clock in the evening. By arranging Selichot at such an hour, everybody is able to come, and their sleep hours remain unaffected. Yet, according to many Kabbalists and authorities in Jewish law, such practice is completely unacceptable. According to them, the time for reciting Selichot is only after midnight, for this is the time of Divine mercy.
The website Hardcore Mesorah (http://tinyurl.com/y9gdyzlt ) lists Selihot available in PDF format:
* New Chabad Selichot in Hebrew – this is a new typesetting with instructions, there is no English translation. According to the tradition of Chabad chassidus. (http://www.chabad.org/media/pdf/56/JODh562118.pdf)
* Classic Chabad Slichot in English – this text also has the facing Hebrew pages, however the person who digitized it scanned the Hebrew upside down in many cases. (http://www.hebrewbooks.org/15946)
* Classic Chabad for Day One – with English, this also has upside-down Hebrew pages. (http://www.hebrewbooks.org/15691)
* Selichot Avodat Yisrael, Sephard – this is a comprehensive set of selichot for each day. (http://www.daat.ac.il/ddaat/vl/tohen.asp?id=160)
* Selichot Saadia Gaon – Mizrahi tradition, the tradition of the middle-east. Nusach Edut haMizrach (http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/vl/slihoteman/slihoteman02.pdf)
* Selichot Teimani – according to the Yeminite tradition (http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/vl/slihoteman/slihoteman01.pdf)
* Selichot Kol Tuv Sefard – de acuerdo a la tradición de las comunidades sefarditas de Londres y Amsterdam, en hebreo y español. Compilado por el Rabino Juan Mejía, rabino Masortí. (http://koltuvsefarad.com/siddur/Selijot.pdf)
בעשרת יומי תשובה = בעשי’’ת a/k/a The Ten Days of Repentance (lit., “Return”)
Sources
Video: Sefardi Selihot in Israel - https://youtu.be/FJMgU7YdN7A
Video: Sefardi Selihot at כתל המערבי - https://youtu.be/cEUTmP_Lvzs
Video: Sefardi Selihot - https://youtu.be/YpPAd6O4Mgk
Video: Sefardi Selihot, Petah Tikva Anshe Castilla - https://youtu.be/ERbLFPg_9XI
As you watch these keep in mind the very early hour.
PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.
Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.
Comments on Selihot
