[379]
On the fifteenth of Elul 5657 (1897), on the first day of the week in which we read (in Parshas Ki Savo), "Look down from Your holy abode...and bless Your people, Israel," [380] the Tomchei Temimim Yeshivah was founded in Lubavitch, the town of our forebears, the saintly Rebbeim. [381]
The reader himself recites the blessings before and after the sixth aliyah, [which includes the passages of rebuke known as the tochachah,] without being called to the Torah. [382]
"Chai Elul [i.e., the eighteenth day of Elul [383]] is the pure and radiant day, the G-dly and truly lustrous day, on which our Father, our King, the blessed Creator of all worlds, lit up the world with the two great luminaries: our saintly master, the Baal Shem Tov - R. Yisrael the son of R. Eliezer, and our saintly master, the author of the Tanya and the Shulchan Aruch - R. Shneur Zalman the son of R. Baruch." [384]
"The eighteenth of Elul is the birthday of the Baal Shem Tov, of blessed memory. It was privately observed by our forebears, the Rebbeim, as a spiritual festival, in the course of which they would deliver a maamar of Chassidus to their sons alone. Moreover, we have a tradition handed down by my revered father - that on this day, Chai Elul, the Baal Shem Tov speaks his words of Torah in public, for his disciples and for their disciples, and for all those whose souls are bound to them."[385]
The Baal Shem Tov was born on the second day of the week, on the eighteenth of Elul, in the year 5458/1698. These letters when transposed comprise the word nachas ("tranquillity, fulfillment"),[386] for this is what he brought both to G-d and to the Jewish people.
On Chai Elul 5484 (1724)[387] his mentor, Achiyah HaShiloni, revealed himself to the Baal Shem Tov.[388]
On Chai Elul 5494 (1734)387 the Baal Shem Tov revealed himself [and was no longer a hidden tzaddik].[389]
The eighteenth of Elul is the birthday of the Alter Rebbe, of blessed memory.[390]
He was born on the fourth day of the week, on the eighteenth of Elul, in the year 5505/1745. These letters when rearranged form the initials of the phrase, karnei hod Torah ("the glorious rays of the Torah").[391]
The greeting used by the Rebbe Rashab and his son the Previous Rebbe on Chai Elul was "Good Yom-Tov."[392]
Chai Elul is the day that introduced - and that introduces - vitality into Elul.[393]
Chai Elul lends zest to one's spiritual labors as defined by the phrase, ani ledodi vedodi li.393
Chai Elul is the day on which one begins one's divine service for the coming year.[394]
"The month of Elul is the month of mercy in which the Thirteen Attributes of Divine Mercy shine forth.
"This is the month of compassion, in which the Gates of Mercy are opened to all those who desire to draw near to sanctity - to serve G-d through repentance, prayer and Torah study.
"This is the last month of the year that is ending, and passing from the present to the past. It is a month of spiritual stock-taking during which one contemplates how one has spent the past year, utterly regretting whatever has been undesirable, and resolving to be vigilant in the meticulous observance of the commandments, to be conscientious in one's Torah study and in one's prayers, and to habituate oneself to positive character traits.
"This is a month of preparation for the new year. May it bring us and all of Israel goodness and blessing, materially and spiritually."[395]
"Referring to one's divine service in the days that begin with Chai Elul, my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, explained[396] that these twelve days are days of self-appraisal for the preceding twelve months, each day corresponding to a month. The eighteenth of Elul corresponds to the month of Tishrei of the past year [and so on], until the eve of Rosh HaShanah, which corresponds to the current month of Elul, and which gives one his last opportunity to ready himself for the coming Rosh HaShanah - so that he can then receive a 'Kesivah VaChasimah Tovah' for his Torah study, his observance of the commandments and his prayer, together with a good and sweet year materially."
Ashrei yoshvei veisecha, kaddish, lecha Hashem hatzedakah, shomeia tefillah, selach lanu, eich niftach peh, ki al rachamecha horabim, E-l erech Apayim, ovad chassid, kerachem av al banim, s'lach na la'avon ha'am hazeh, hateh, elokai oznecha, ein mi yikra batzedek, E-l melech yosheiv, 13 middus harachamim, al tavo bamishpat, kerachim av al banim, slach na la'avon ha'am hazeh, hateh, tavo lifonecha shivas chinun, E-l melech yosheiv, 13 middos harachamim, keracheim, b'motzoei menuchah, E-l melech yosheiv, 13 middus harachamim, keracheim, al tizkor lanu avonos, zechor rachamecha Hashem v'chasadecha,* al no sashes Aleinu chatas, chatanu tzureinu, zechar lanu bris avos, zechar lanu bris Rishonim, shema koleinu[398] Elokeinu - tavo lifonecha tefilaseinu, ashamnu bagadnu,** sarnu mimitzvosecha, ashamnu mikol am, veadayin lo shavnu mitauseinu, l'eineinu asku amleinu
(We do not say veatah yigdal.)
(We do not say hirshanu upashanu.)
Moshiach tzidkecha, Daniel ish chamudos, Ezra hasofer, E-l rachum shimecha, aneinu Hashem aneinu, mi sheanah leAvraham, vayomer David el Gad, rachum vechanun chatasi lefanecha.
(One does not rest one's forehead on the forearm - Nefilas Apayim - at this point.)
Mechei um'sei, machnisei rachamim, maran d'bshmaya... kvar shavi, maran d'vshmaya... chavda, shomeir Yisrael, shomeir goy echad, shomeir goy kadosh, misratzeh brachamim, Avinu malkeinu avinu atah, avinu malkeinu ein lanu melech ela atah, avinu malkeinu racheim... avinu malkeinu chaneinu va'aneinu..., va'anachnu lo neida, kaddish shalem.
Ashrei yoshvei veisecha, kaddish, lecha Hashem hatzedakah, shomeia tefillah, selach lanu, ki al rachamecha horabim, E-l erech apayim, ovad chassid, kerachem av al banim, s'lach na la'avon ha'am hazeh, hateh, hateh elokai oznecha, avosiach kivisicha, yisroel nosha, E-l melech yosheiv, 13 middos harachamim, kerachim, al tizkor lanu avonos.
Conclude as on the first day.*
Ashrei yoshvei veisecha, kaddish, lecha Hashem hatzedakah, shomeia tefillah, selach lanu, ki al rachamecha horabim, E-l erech apayim, ovad chassid, kerachem av al banim, s'lach na la'avon ha'am hazeh, hateh elokai oznecha, ain kemidash basar midosecha, E-l melech yosheiv, 13 middos harachamim, kerachim, selach, hateh, ani yom ira, malchei rachamim mishorsei elyon, E-l melech yoshev, 13 middos harachamim, keracheim, al tizkor lanu avonos.
Conclude as on the first day.*
Ashrei yoshvei veisecha, kaddish, lecha Hashem hatzedakah, shomeia tefillah, selach lanu, ki al rachamecha horabim, E-l erech apayim, ovad chassid, kerachem av al banim, s'lach na la'avon ha'am hazeh, hateh elokai oznecha, ani karasicha, E-l melech yosheiv, 13 middos harachamim, kerachim, selach, hateh, ay kol niflosecha, chokeir hakal vesokeir, E-l melech yoshev, 13 middos harachamim, keracheim, al tizkor lanu avonos.
Conclude as on the first day.*
Ashrei yoshvei veisecha, kaddish, lecha Hashem hatzedakah, shomeia tefillah, selach lanu, ki al rachamecha horabim, E-l erech apayim, ovad chassid, kerachem av al banim, s'lach na la'avon ha'am hazeh, hateh elokai oznecha, Yisrael amcha techinah, E-l melech yosheiv, 13 middos harachamim, kerachim, selach, hateh, Elokim beyisrael, yashmieinu salachti, E-l melech yoshev, 13 middos harachamim, keracheim, al tizkor lanu avonos.
Conclude as on the first day.*
Ashrei yoshvei veisecha, kaddish, lecha Hashem hatzedakah, shomeia tefillah, selach lanu, ki al rachamecha horabim, E-l erech apayim, ovad chassid, kerachem av al banim, s'lach na la'avon ha'am hazeh, ekra b'shimcha, E-l melech yosheiv, 13 middos harachamim, kerachim, selach, hateh, ayeh kinascha ugvurascha, yoshev b'seiser elyon, E-l melech yoshev, 13 middos harachamim, keracheim, al tizkor lanu avonos.
Conclude as on the first day.*
Ashrei yoshvei veisecha, kaddish, lecha Hashem hatzedakah, shomeia tefillah, selach lanu, ki al rachamecha horabim, E-l erech apayim, ovad chassid, kerachem av al banim, s'lach na la'avon ha'am hazeh, hateh Elokai oznecha, besulas bas Yehudah, E-l melech yosheiv, 13 middos harachamim, kerachim, selach, hateh, efes hod kevudah, im avoneinu anu banu, E-l melech yoshev, 13 middos harachamim, keracheim, al tizkor lanu avonos.
Conclude as on the first day.*
Ashrei yoshvei veisecha, kaddish, lecha Hashem hatzedakah, shomeia tefillah, selach lanu, Hashem Elokai hatzevaos, ki al rachamecha horabim, E-l erech apayim, ovad chassid, kerachem av al banim, s'lach na la'avon ha'am hazeh, hateh Elokai oznecha, eichecha eftzeh peh, adon moed, E-l melech yosheiv, 13 middos harachamim, kerachim, selach, hateh, merubim tzorchei amcha, E-l melech yoshev, 13 middos harachamim, keracheim, ana orera ahavascha, E-l emunah, chayim aruchim, E-l melech yosheiv, 13 middos harachamim, keracheim, melech echad, adon bifkodecha, adon bishfatecha, E-l melech yosheiv, 13 middos harachamim, keracheim, 13 middos harachamim, E-l melech yosheiv, 13 middos harachaimim, keracheim, al tavo bemishpat, 13 middos harachamim, keracheim, al tizkor lanu avonos, zechor rachamecha Hashem vachasodecha, al no sasheis, chatanu tzureinu, zechor... avos, zechor ... Rishonim, shema koleinu, u'vechein yehi ratzon milfonecha, Elokeinu - tavo lefanecha tefilaseinu.
Conclude as on the first day.**
(N.B. This section, including its footnotes, was written by the Rebbe Shlita.)
I did not hear an explicit ruling [from the Previous Rebbe] as to the order in which the passages of Selichos are to be read on this day. (Nor did I hear an explicit ruling as to whether they should be recited early in the morning [as on the preceding days of Selichos] or as part of Tachanun in the course of Shacharis [as is customary on certain other public fasts]). The order, however, can be derived from that followed on the other public fasts and on the fasts of Behab. (The reason: Those people [e.g., those following the Chabad custom] who do not recite Selichos during the remaining Days of Penitence do recite them on the Fast of Gedaliah [not because it falls on one of those days but] because it is a public fast.) In certain particulars, the order can also be derived from that followed during the days preceding Rosh HaShanah.
The following points will be noted:
- On the public fasts and on the fasts of Behab (and likewise on the first day of Selichos before Rosh HaShanah, at Maariv on Yom Kippur and at Neilah), E-l melech is said three times.
- The verses that begin with the words keracheim, salachta, hateh, are recited on the public fasts and on the fasts of Behab (and likewise at Maariv on Yom Kippur and at Neilah) only after the first time that E-l melech is recited. The Selichos said on the days preceding Rosh HaShanah include additional readings: the passage that begins with keracheim is recited whenever E-l melech is recited.
- After the hymn known as a pizmon, E-l melech is said.
- From the passage beginning zechor rachamecha onwards, one does not interpose the hymns known as piyyutim. (As an exception to this rule, in the Selichos of erev Rosh HaShanah the passage opening with the words yehi ratzon is interpolated in order that it should immediately precede shema koleinu.)
- Excepting minor deviations, the order of readings that we observe during the days preceding Rosh HaShanah follows the liturgical rite known as Minhag Litta-Reissin-Zamit [lit., "the custom of Lithuania, White Russia and Zamit"]. Accordingly, the Selichos of the Fast of Gedaliah should likewise conform to this tradition.
In view of the above observations, the order of passages should be as follows:
Ashrei, chatzi kaddish, lecha Hashem hatzedakah, shomeia tefillah, selach lanu, az terem, ki al rachamecha horabim, E-l erech apayim, dirshu Hashem behimatzo, kerachem av, s'lach na, hateh Elokai, es Hashem behimatzo, E-l melech, dirshu Hashem veuzo, kerachim, selach, hateh, avlah nafshi, E-l melech, dirshu Hashem behimatzo, keracheim av, emnas meiaz, orech veamascha, tashuv terachmeinu, im efes, haris derech teshuvah, E-l melech, keracheim av, al tizkor, zechor rachamecha, al na tasheiv, chatanu tzureinu, zechor lanu bris avos, zechor lanu bris Rishonim, shema koleinu,19 Elokeinu velokai avoseinu tavo lifonecha tefilaseinu, ashamnu bagadner, sarnu mimitzvosecha, ashamnu mikal am, v'adayin lo shavnu mitauseinu, leineinu asku amaleinu.
(We do not say hirshanu upashanu.)
Mashiach tzidkecha, Daniel ish chamudos, Ezra hasofer, E-l rachum shimecha, aneinu Hashem aneinu, mi she'ana leAvraham, vayomer Dovid el Gad, rachum vechanun chatasi
(There is no Nefilas Apayim at this point.)
Mechei umsei, machnisei rachamim, maran d'bishmaya... kvar shavi, maran d'bishmaya... keavda, shomeir Yisrael, shomeir goy echad, shomeir goy kadosh, misratzeh berachamim, avinu malkeinu avinu ata..., va'anachnu lo neida, kaddish shalem.
The above order is valid when the Selichos of this day is recited [before Shacharis, and] not as a component of the regular morning service. However, there are those [and this is the universal Chabad practice] who are accustomed to recite Selichos after Shemoneh Esreh and Nefilas Apayim. (If the fast falls on a Monday or a Thursday, this means that Selichos is recited before the passage beginning shomeir yisrael.) Such people should omit the following readings:
- ashrei;[399]
- chatzi kaddish;
- lecha Hashem hatzedakah;
- shomeia tefillah;
- selach lanu;[400]
- E-l erech apayim;399 and
- ashamnu.[401] The long version of avinu malkeinu is then said,[402] followed (of course) by chatzi kaddish rather than kaddish shalem.[403]
 Notes: - (Back to text) [See also the list below (p. 112) of Distinctive Customs of Elul, Rosh HaShanah, the Ten Days of Penitence and Yom Kippur.]
- (Back to text) [Devarim 26:15.]
- (Back to text) HaYom Yom, p. 87; see HaTamim, Issue 1, p. 23; see also Kuntreis Etz HaChayim [p. 7ff.]; Likkutei Dibburim, Vol. IV, p. 1560ff. [i.e., the author's talk dated erev Rosh Chodesh Tammuz 5702, in Vol. V of the English translation]; Sefer HaSichos 5701, p. 106; Likkutei Sichos, Vol. II, p. 484.
- (Back to text) HaYom Yom, p. 88.
- (Back to text) The letters whose numerical value totals 18 are yud ches, which, when inverted, are pronounceable as the word chai ("alive").
- (Back to text) Sefer HaSichos 5703, p. 188. [The Baal Shem Tov was born in 1698, and the Alter Rebbe in 1745.]
- (Back to text) From a memorandum of the Previous Rebbe, published in Sefer HaMaamarim 5708, p. 292. See also the sichos of Chai Elul, 5703, published in Sefer HaSichos 5703 [and in Kuntreis Chai Elul 5703].
- (Back to text) Likkutei Dibburim, Vol. I, p. 62ff. [and in English translation: Vol. I, ch. 2b, sec. 1]; Sefer HaSichos 5703, p. 188.
- (Back to text) Likkutei Dibburim, Vol. I, p. 64 [and in English translation: Vol. I, ch. 2b, sec. 2, and footnotes there]; HaYom Yom, p. 88.
- (Back to text) "On the day on which I turned 26 years of age, on the eighteenth day of Elul in the year 5484 (1724), in the town of Okup, at about midnight, he revealed himself to me.[...] The first subject we studied was Parshas Bereishis, and when we completed the Torah up to 'before the eyes of all Israel' I was 36 years of age, and I became revealed." (Letter written by the Baal Shem Tov [in 1752] to his disciple, the author of Toldos Yaakov Yosef [i.e., R. Yaakov Yosef HaKohen of Polonnoye].)
On the relationship between Achiyah HaShiloni and the Baal Shem Tov, see Likkutei Sichos, Vol. II, p. 512.
- (Back to text) "On Chai Elul 5494, at the culmination of the ten years' study with Achiyah HaShiloni, out of deference to the directive and demand of his mentor, he became revealed as a Baal Shem Tov [lit., 'Master of the Good Name'] who worked wonders and expounded profound mysteries." (From a sichah of Chai Elul 5705; see also Kovetz HaTamim (Kehot, Kfar Chabad, 1971; Heb.), Issue 1ff.)
- (Back to text) See the Sichos of Chai Elul 5701 and 5705, published in Likkutei Dibburim, Vol. III, [pp. 779, 947, 955ff.; and in English translation: Vol. III, ch. 22, sec. 8, and ch. 25, sec. 1 and 9ff.]; cf. Beis Rebbe, Part I. [ch. 1].
- (Back to text) Sefer HaSichos 5703, p. 188.
- (Back to text) Beginning of sichos of Chai Elul, 5703; see also there, p. 186ff.
- (Back to text) From a sichah of Chai Elul, 5705 [which appears in English translation in Likkutei Dibburim, Vol. III, ch. 25, sec. 1]. [On the avodah of ani ledodi vedodi li, see the English translation of the maamar by the Alter Rebbe in Likkutei Torah, entitled Ani LeDodi VeDodi Li: Rashei Teivos Elul (Sichos In English, N.Y., 1990).]
- (Back to text) From a sichah of Pesach, 5703, published in Likkutei Dibburim, Vol. III, p. 870ff. [and in English translation: Vol. III, ch. 23, sec. 63]; see there at length.
Concerning the entire subject of Elul, see the anthology of letters of the Rebbe Shlita entitled Likkut Elul (Kehot, N.Y.; Heb.).
- (Back to text) From a letter by the Previous Rebbe, published in Kovetz Michtavim, the letters appended to Tehillim Ohel Yosef Yitzchak, Kehot, N.Y., p. 204.
- (Back to text) [Kuntreis Chai Elul 5703, p. 42.]
- (Back to text) [For the text of the Selichos according to Lubavitch custom, see Selichos - Minhag Chabad (Kehot, N.Y.]
- (Back to text) The first four verses of this passage are recited by the sheliach tzibbur and repeated by the congregation, verse by verse.
- (Back to text) This is omitted because it has already been recited in the course of the morning prayers.
- (Back to text) According to the Levush and Minhagim, these passages were placed here in order to correspond to the Pesukei DeZimrah - and this has already been recited.
- (Back to text) This is omitted because is has already been recited once, and the confession appears only once in any single prayer service (Pri Etz Chayim, Shaar HaSelichos, ch. 88). [See footnote 410, below.]
- (Back to text) This is the case throughout all the Ten Days of Penitence (Tur Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 602:1).
- (Back to text) It appears to me that when Selichos is incorporated in the morning service the piyyut beginning az terem should be omitted, because a prologue such as this is out of place in the middle of a prayer service, but I have not been able to bring myself to rule thus pending supporting evidence.
The same applies to vayomer Dovid el Gad... rachum vechanun..., which it appears to me should not be recited after the passage of Nefilas Apayim has already been said in the course of Shacharis.
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Chaf Menachem Av