And Every Sect Makes Its Own Day of Atonement
The work Ho'Ari Vegurov tells of the customs practiced
by this holy group in the holy city of Tzfas:
They were accustomed from Rosh Chodesh Elul to rise before
dawn to recite selichos. Sixteen yeshivos here in
Tzfas divided into four groups, each one enacting one day
like Yom Kippur -- that is, on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or
Thursday - - between Rosh Hashonoh and Yom Kippur. The order
of the prayers is as follow: as soon as they complete the
regular morning prayers according to the text established by
the Anshei Knesses Hagedoloh, they all gather in the Italian
Beit Knesses. One elderly, very venerable rosh
yeshiva, goes up and speaks, exhorting on the subject of
teshuva. Then they begin reciting the selichos
with tearful pleading and exceeding humility, and the whole
congregation joins in succession with broken heart and abject
tears.
When these prayers are finished, they begin to sing the
entire book of Tehillim in a pleasant, melodious tune,
being very precise in grammar and diction, with heart and
soul. Between each of the five Books of sefer
Tehillim, they sing a chant of the bakoshot.
The Rosh Yeshiva stands after each Book and says: "May it be
Your will before You, Hashem our G-d and the G-d of our
ancestors, that in the merit of this Book of Tehillim
which we have recited before You, and in the merit of the
holy Names which are combined from it, and in the merit of
the psalms, verses, words and cantillation notes, may You
protect us and all of Jewry, wherever they may be, and may
You save us from harsh decrees." And he similarly asks for
mercy for all of Israel. And those who stand by reply
`Amen' after him.
They conclude with the 13 Middos and Kaddish
and commence the next Book of Tehillim. Thus do
they complete all of the Five Books of Tehillim. It
would be advisable for us to similarly read the Tehillim
from a text with precision [from a parchment scroll] as
we do the readings from the twenty- four books [of nevi'im
ukesuvim]. Especially should the reader who leads the
congregation before the omud, read with deliberate
precision.
Then they all ask for heavenly protection for all ships at
sea and all those who ascend to Eretz Yisroel, whether by sea
or by land, that Hashem guide them and direct them to their
destinations peacefully, with beneficial winds, and protect
them from robbers and brigands, and bring them to the Holy
Land.
Afterwards, they pray for the welfare of all the benefactors
who send money to support the poor of Eretz Yisroel, who
fortify their hands in their Torah study and enable them to
settle the land. They pray that Hashem spare them from
pestilence, sword, famine and captivity and plunder, from all
diseases and harmful occurrences, that He grant them success
in all of their undertakings, and bless them with sons who
are immersed in Torah study and mitzva observance for its
pure sake.
They continue with a prayer: "Hashem, we beg of You to
strengthen them and fortify them, and fill their hearts with
compassion to be bountiful towards us lest we be struck from
life through decimating famine. May our sins not cause us to
leave this gracious, good and spacious Land for want of a
crust of bread and thus be forced to wrest ourselves from
Torah study and the service of Hashem."
He pleads: "Do it for the sake of the sanctity of Eretz
Yisroel so that it not remain in ruins, desolate from
settlers." They pray for all of Jewry wherever they be that
Hashem protect them and their sons and daughters and all they
possess, and spare them from harsh decrees, from libels,
banishment and religious coercion and so on, prayers and
pleading for mercy which this book be too small to
contain.
They then study excerpts on teshuva from the
Zohar and flog one another with [nominal] lashings
(malkos). They finally begin mincha,
accompanied by recital of many selichos, pleading and
viduyim until after the setting of the sun, by which
time they all retire to their own homes in peace.
(HoAri Vegurov)
The Study of Nach and Mishnayos in Elul-Tishrei
Rabbenu Chaim Falagi wrote: One should make an effort to read
the entire twenty-four books of Nevi'im- Kesuvim in
the period from Rosh Chodesh Elul till the morning of
Hoshanoh Rabba, by when he should complete the last part of
Divrei Hayomim, concluded with Kaddish -- even
if this be at the expense of his not reading eighteen
chapters of mishna daily, as he is required throughout
the year.
He should make the effort, at least in the months of Elul-
Tishrei, to complete the entire Six Orders of Mishna,
culminating the siyum on Shemini Atzeres with a
recital of Kaddish, even though he may be very
preoccupied with numerous other engagements.
With all this, he should push himself to study mishnayos
vetikunim at night and on Shabbos. Daily in the morning
and evening he should study the twenty-four Books.
Fortunate is the man who studies the tikkunim during
these days, each one respective to its day, without
discrepancies, for everything has its spiritual root and
reason and kavonoh. Therefore it is advisable that he
keep to the daily schedule and not skip ahead or fall behind.
This was the worthy custom of the crown of our heads, Morenu,
the marvelous Rov, holy bastion, the Pardes (R' Pinchos
Refoel de Sigura) zy'a, and even when he was greatly
preoccupied with communal matters, he would set them all
aside and study according to the obligation of that day.
(Moed Lechol Chai, simon 11, os 12)
One Does Not Impose a Cheirem between Rosh Hashonoh and
Yom Kippur
R' Yitzchok ben R' Chaim Falagi taught: On each of the
interim days between Rosh Hashonoh and Yom Kippur one must
increase the offering of prayers and pleading. And one does
not impose a cheirem, nor forswear a person before the
beis din, until after Yom Kippur (Shulchan Oruch
Orach Chaim simon 422, se'if 1, similarly in "Avoda
uMoreh Derech" 284).
Once, during the Aseres Yemei Teshuva, inquiry was made in
the beis knesses regarding a lost article involving a
cheirem. Morenu HaRav Y. Segal chastised that person
and said that one cannot interrogate under threat of
cheirem during these days, when a person's life hangs
in the balance.
I also recall that once such an inquiry upon threat of
cheirem was announced in the beis knesses
during these days over a matter of the abuse of a certain
Torah scholar. Even in this instance, the revered R' Eliyohu
(author of Tzror Hamor Dodi Li) rebuked him soundly
[for raising the issue at that time].
(From Maaseihem shel Tzadikim)
The Atmosphere of Aseres Yemei Teshuva in Persia
Concerning the special atmosphere that reigned in Yazd during
Aseres Yemei Teshuva, it is told:
These days were truly days of awe in Yazd. People refrained
from banter and joy, and every person felt a terrible awe
from the upcoming Judgment.
(MiYazd le'Eretz Hakodesh 134)
