Selichot—The High Holiday Season Starter September 23, 2016
Saturday night, September 24, 2016, ushers in the start of this year’s Jewish High Holiday season with the Selichot service. “Selichot,” as translated from the Hebrew, means “excuse me, pardon me” God for the many sins I have committed this past year.
Selichot and the rest of the High Holiday season culminating in Yom Kippur, give Jews a key way to ask for forgiveness for disobeying those laws. Under Jewish tradition, God can only forgive sins done against Him. Those sins committed against one’s fellow man, require one to ask that person’s forgiveness. Throughout the Jewish year, in the daily liturgy, there are prayers asking for forgiveness. These include one of the 18 Benedictions (“Shmoneh Esray”) in the key Amidah prayer, that is said three times daily. However, this season of the High Holidays, known as the “Yamim Noraim” (the Days of Awe) remains the major penitential period on the Jewish calendar.
The Selichot service itself takes place for Ashkenazic Jews, those whose ancestors came from Germany and Eastern Europe, on the Saturday night preceding Rosh Ha Shanah. Sephardic Jews, those whose ancestors came from Spain, N. Africa, the Near and Middle East, start saying Selichot or penitential prayers on the second day of the Hebrew month of Elul. I will be discussing the Ashkenazic customs in this diary, with which I am familiar. The Selichot service must be held at least four days before Rosh Ha Shanah. However, if Rosh Ha Shanah falls on the Monday or Tuesday following that Saturday, there is no four- day interval. The Selichot service is then held one week earlier on Saturday night. Since the first day of Rosh Ha Shanah falls on Monday October 3, 2016, the observance of Selichot takes place this year the Saturday before, September 24, 2016. The Selichot service is traditionally held at midnight. The midnight timing of Selichot is derived from Psalm 119:62, where the Psalmist wrote, “At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto Thee.” Many Orthodox congregations adhere to the midnight Selichot time, while many Conservative and Reform temples will recite Selichot at around 9:00-11:00 PM. Selichot takes place after the Sabbath is over. It is often proceeded by lectures to the congregation dealing with High Holiday themes as well as with some light snacks. Many times, a new rabbi is installed on Selichot, a part of that individual’s and the congregation’s “new beginning.”
In Conservative and Reform congregations, choirs, with piano or organ accompaniment, are used. Many of the penitential prayers said on Selichot are repeated again, especially on Yom Kippur, and the melodies used are special ones heard only on the High Holidays. As a member of my temple’s choir for over 10 years, I can tell you how inspiring and stirring Selichot and all the other High Holiday services remain for me year after year.
The Selichot prayers contain several themes. One of the most powerful is the “Aneinu,” or “Answer us, O Lord, answer us” prayer. Another Selichot prayer the choir and congregation sing together three times emphasizes the Thirteen Attributes of God, (the “Shalosh Esrei Midot”). These attributes were first heard by Moses in the desert. At that time, God passed before Moses and proclaimed to him the aspects of His divine mercy. Moses could not see God, but heard the divine words that emphasize God’s forgiving powers. The Thirteen Attributes of God (Ex. 34:6-7) are usually divided this way: “1. The Lord, 2. The Lord, 3. God, 4. Compassionate and, 5. Gracious, 6. Slow to anger, 7. Abounding in kindness, 8. Faithfulness, 9. Extending kindness to the thousandth generation, 10. Forgiving iniquity, 11. Transgression, 12. And sin, and, 13. Granting pardon.
“The Lord, The Lord,” gets counted twice. According to rabbinical thought, the first “Lord” refers to God as showing mercy even before the person sins, knowing that sin will occur at some time. The second “The Lord” signifies God’s willingness to forgive after a transgression and to accept repentance. The term “God,” or “El” in Hebrew, was used to denote God’s mercy, compassion, and consolation rather than strict justice, according to the famous medieval French Jewish Biblical and Talmudical commentator Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Ben Yitzchak).
Later in the service, worshippers chant an alphabetical list of sins, the “vidui” or confession, to be repeated several times during Yom Kippur prayers, “We have sinned, we have betrayed, we have stolen….(“Ashamnu, Bagadnu, Gazalnu,” etc.).” The worshippers beat their left breasts over their hearts with their right hands to create a mood of penitence as they repeat the various sins. The congregation assumes responsibility for the deeds of every member by listing these sins.
Another prayer chanted on Selichot asks God “Rahamana,” to “have mercy on us and answer us speedily.” Toward the service’s end the “Aneinu,” “Answer us O Lord,” theme is repeated. Another “Answer Us Lord” prayer is additionally recited. In this prayer, later repeated during the Yom Kippur evening service, Biblical heroes whom God answered including Abraham, Isaac, Jonah, and Daniel are invoked to act as our witnesses before God. Again, we implore God to answer us as well. This prayer is one of the oldest. It dates back over 1,800 years to the time of the Mishnah, the first major commentary of Jewish law. Sometimes, the Shofar is blown to further the mood of repentance and prayer. For those of you attending Selichot and the coming High Holiday services, may you have a healthy, happy, and peaceful New Year. May you be reconciled with God and with mankind.