Chodesh Elul: Difference between revisions

# Preferably, Selichot should be said at the end of the night before Olot HaShachar. <Ref> Mishna Brurah’s introduction to 581, Maamer Mordechai (Rav Mordechai Eliyahu) 34:5 write that preferably, Selichot should be said at the end of the night before Olot HaShachar. </ref> However, if one delayed one can say it after Olot HaShachar. <Ref> Maamer Mordechai 34:5. </ref>However, it is permissible to say Selichot earlier in the night as long one one is sure not to start before Chatzot (halachic midnight). <Ref> Kaf HaChaim 581:1,2, and Maamer Mordechai (Rav Mordechai Eliyahu) 34:4 hold that one should only say Selichot after Chatzot and if one had a minhag to say it earlier one should change the minhag. Chazon Ovadyah (Yamim Noraim, pg 2-3) agrees that it forbidden to say Selichot before Chatzot, which he clearly spells out is 12 halachic hours after midday which is 6 halachic hours after sunrise. </ref>

# On Erev Rosh HaShana one should make an extra effort to get up early to say Selichot before Olot HaShachar. <Ref> Maamer Mordechai 34:5 </ref>

# The Shliach Tzibbur should wear a Talit during Selichot, however, he shouldn’t make a Bracha if he puts it on at night before Olot HaShachar and to remove himself from controversy he should borrow a Talit from a friend (and not use a public Talit) and have intent that one is not acquiring the Talit it but only using for respect of the congregation. <Ref> Mishna Brurah 581:6 writes that the Levush says that the Shliach Tzibbur should wear a Talit during Selichot but not make a Bracha since there’s a dispute if one can fulfill Tzitzit at night. However, the Taz argues that one shouldn’t enter himself into a dispute (whether to make a Bracha) and so one should rather borrow a Talit from a friend and have Kavana not to acquire it but to use it for respect. </ref>

# If one wear Tzitzit earlier than Olot HaShachar (for example, for Selichot) and then after Olot HaShachar (and preferably after MeSheyakir) puts on a Talit, one should only make one Bracha on Tzitzit and Talit even if one puts on Tzitzit a long time before the Talit. <Ref> Mishna Brurah 8:24 writes that for sure one should make the Bracha of Talit and cover the Tzitzit rather than make a Bracha on Tzitzit and then on Talit. Even if there will be a long time between putting on the Tzitzit and wearing the Talit, one should still say only one Bracha on the Talit because there are many concerns about making the Bracha on the Tzitzit (it may not be split on the sides a majority, it may not fit the proper Shuir, or one may have slept in the Tzitzit). [this is also brought in Yalkut Yosef (Tzitzit pg 294, Kitzur S”A 16:2).]  </ref>

# A bachur who doesn’t wear a Talit should be careful to make the Bracha on Tzitzit right after Olot HaShachar after feeling the Tzitzit. <Ref> Minchat Shlomo 4:1:3 writes that regarding Selichot a bachur who doesn’t wear a Talit should be careful to make the Bracha on Tzitzit right after Olot after feeling the Tzitzit. This is based on the Rama 18:3 who writes that if one put on a Talit Katan before Olot HaShachar, then, at Olot one should feel the strings of the Tzitzit and make a Bracha. </ref> However, if someone who slept in the Tzitzit all night, one can not make a Bracha on that pair of tzitzit in the morning (nor should he remove the Tzitzit so as to make a hefsek in order to require a Bracha).<ref>Mishna Brurah 8:42 </ref>