Immersion in a mikvah before Rosh HaShanah

Hi,

Some have the practice of immersing in a mikvah on the day before Rosh HaShanah, for the purpose of purification.

(Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 581:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Visiting the cemetery during Elul

Hi,

There is a Jewish practice of attending cemeteries before Rosh haShanah, and reciting prayers there. Historically, this has led some Jews to actually pray to the dead for help, but this has been highly controversial and debated by Jewish authorities for many centuries.

The Mishneh Berurah writes, regarding this practice of praying in cemeteries: One should not put his hope in righteous people. Rather, one should ask Gd to have mercy, in the merit of the righteous people buried there. One should give charity before one recites these prayers.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 581:4; Mishneh Berurah 581:27)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Rosh HaShanah - Muted Celebration

Hi,

We launder clothing and take haircuts on the day before Rosh haShanah, to demonstrate our faith in receiving a verdict worth celebrating. However, it is traditional not to wear one's absolute finest clothing for Rosh haShanah, lest one appear (and feel) overconfident.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 581:4; Mishneh Berurah 581:25)


Have a great day,
Mordechai

Fasting on Erev Rosh haShanah

Hi,

Some Jews customarily fast in repentance on the day before Rosh haShanah.

This is not observed in the manner of a normal fast, though; many people fast until midday (12:52 PM this year, in Allentown) and then break the fast. Here are two reasons why:

(a) In the Middle Ages this day frequently fell out on one of the Ember Days, which were fasts within the church, and there was concern lest the Jews appear to be keeping the Christian fast, and

(b) We generally don't fast on the eve of holidays, lest we then have difficulty enjoying the meal that night, and thus ruin the holiday.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 581:2; Mishneh Berurah 581:16, Hagahot Maymoniyot Hilchot Shofar 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Reciting S'lichot alone

Hi,

We have mentioned the practice of reciting Selichot prayers in the days leading up to Rosh haShanah and Yom Kippur. One may recite these prayers in private, but there is an advantage to saying them with a Minyan (quorum). Prayer within a group is generally better than private prayer - one can then invoke the merit of the entire group, on one's own behalf.

One who is praying alone skips the portions of Selichot which list the 13 Divine attributes of mercy; these are meant to be invoked as a prayer only within a quorum. Traditionally, one who is praying alone also omits the Aramaic prayers which appear at the end of the S'lichot prayers.

(Mishneh Berurah 581:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Selichot

Hi,

The Ashkenazi custom is to begin reciting "Selichot" (prayers for forgiveness) on the Saturday night preceding Rosh haShanah, assuming that the calendar will thus allow for four nights of Selichot before Rosh haShanah. If it does not, then we move the start back one week. This year we start on Saturday night September 20th.

We always use a Saturday night as the starting day simply so that there will be a specific day for this purpose.

There are at least two reasons why we have a minimum of four days of S'lichot:
(a) Those who try to fast 10 days leading up to Yom Kippur always lose the two days of Rosh haShanah, one Shabbat and the day before Yom Kippur, and so they need to make up four days before Rosh haShanah - four days which they gain by fasting on these days of S'lichot.

(b) When there is a Beit haMikdash [Jerusalem Temple], we examine potential offerings for four days before using them. We also present ourselves as offerings to Gd on Rosh haShanah, and so we need four days of examination beforehand.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 581:1; Mishneh Berurah 581:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Elul - Psalm 27

Hi,

We customarily recite Psalm 27, “l’Dovid HaShem Ori,” at the end of Shacharit in the morning and at the end of Maariv in the evening, from the beginning of Elul through Sh’mini Atzeret.

There are many reasons to recite this psalm in particular, but the general reason is that this chapter of Tehillim discusses Divine acceptance of our repentance.

(Mishneh Berurah 581:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai