Guide to the Jewish Year

GUIDE TO THE JEWISH YEAR ELUL 1 Beginning on the first day of Elul (the second day of Rosh Hodesh) and for the entire month of Elul, it is customary to say לְדְוִד, יהוה אורי (page 203) in the afternoon at the end of Minha and in the morning after saying the Daily Psalm (some say it after Aleinu) ] תקפא: ב awn). 2 In addition, four shofar blasts are sounded at the end of weekday morning prayers, prior to (or following) recitation of i5 1 1 1 9 9 935 1255 53 20 91.730515 יהוה5 1 1 1 9 10 995 1242 61 45 42.329239 nh5 1 1 1 9 11 1235 1247 79 35 72.091156 .[רמא או"ח, תקפא: א] Pre-Rosh HaShana Customs 3 On the Motza’ei Shabbat prior to Rosh HaShana, the congregation gathers at midnight to say Selihot. This is often preceded by a sermon from the rabbi. If Rosh HaShana falls on Monday or Tuesday, the first recitation of Selihot is moved back to the preceding Motza’ei Shabbat ] .[רמ"א או"ח, תקפא: א 4 The congregation says Selihot each weekday thereafter through Erev Yom Kippur. Although the original custom was to say Selihot every night after midnight and before dawn, most congregations today say them prior to Shaharit; some say | them during the preceding evening ערוה"ש שם, ב-ד] [. | 5 The Shaliah Tzibbur chosen to lead the Selihot should preferably be distin- guished in Torah scholarship and personal virtue, over the age of thirty and married ] רמ"א או"ח, תקפא: א |. 6 One whois praying alone is permitted to say Selihot without a minyan, provided one omits the ייג מידות (“Thirteen Attributes of Mercy”) and the Aramaic pas- | sages [7 [תקפא: . However, one who is alone may read the י'ג מידות with taamei | hamikra או"ח תקסה: ה] yw].