אני לדודי ודודי לי I am to my Beloved [Hashem] and my beloved [Hashem]
is to me.
(Shir Hashirim 6:3).
דרשו ד’ בהמצאו קראהו בהיותו
קרוב Seek out Hashem when he is nearby, call out to him when he is
near
.(YeShaya 55:6)
1) In most congregations, the Ba’al Tefilah for Selichos wears a Tallis,
even if the Selichos is being said before daybreak (or at night after
Chatzos, Halachic midnight) which is before the proper time for Tzitzis
and Tallis. It is best for the Ba’al Tefilah to use the Shul’s Tallis or a
friend’s, but not his own, as to not get into the problem of perhaps needing to
make a Bracha (as some Poskim maintain that a Bracha is made even at
night on your own Tallis.) The reason it is so important for a
Tallis to be worn by Selichos, is as follows: The Gemara relates
( Rosh Hashana 17b) that Hashem Himself in all His glory wrapped Himself
in a Tallis like a Ba’al Tefilah and appeared to Moshe Rabeinu and showed him
the appropriate way for Klal Yisroel to pray (and earn the forgiveness
of Hashem). It was then that Hashem revealed to Moshe the "Yud Gimel
Middos Shel Rachamim" (Tefilah containing the 13 attributes of mercy
of Hashem), which we will say countless times between now and Yom
Kippur, and is perhaps the most exalted and powerful prayer known to mankind.
Hashem told Moshe that whenever Klal Yisroel sins, they should pray for
forgiveness using the expressions included in the 13 Middos Shel Rachamim, and
He will forgive them! (see the above Gemara and Rashi at
length for further details)
2) The following is a (loose)
translation of the 13 Middos Shel Rachamim taken from the Sefer HaToda’ah by
HaRav Eliyahu Ki Tov Zt"L based on the Gemara above. (There are many other interpretations by Rishonim , Acronim, and
Mekubalim,on many different levels, but the following is the simplest and most
concise way of understanding them.)
Hashem: "I am Hashem the merciful one before
man sins, even though I know he will eventually sin" Hashem: "I am the merciful one even after man sins
[and repents] " Kail: Kail is another
expression of Hashem's Midas HaRachamim (attribute of
mercy) Rachum: "I have mercy on poor
people" V'Chanun: "and I have compassion for
affluent people as well" Erech Apayim: Hashem
delays his anger and punishment and patiently awaits our Teshuva
(repentance) V'Rav Chesed: Hashem acts
with compassion even to those without much of their own merits V'Emes: Hashem rewards those who do His will Notzer Chesed L'Alafim: Hashem remembers the Chesed that
man does, for thousands of generations Nosei
Avon: Hashem carries mankind's sins (that were done intentionally) and
holds on to them. (Doesn't punish right away) V'Pesha: Hashem also carries mankind's defiant sins (that
were done in rebellion) V'ChaTa'ah: Hashem also
carries mankind's unintentional sins (that were done inadvertently) V'Nakeh Lo Yenakeh: Hashem wipes the slate (of
sins) clean for those who repent, but not for those who remain
unrepentant.
Our holy sages, the Chazal tell us
תנא דבי
אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן עולם הבא, שנאמר הליכות עולם
לו, אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות - one who
studies [at least two] Halachos daily is assured a portion in Olam Haba - the
world to come. (:מגילה כ"ח )
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and Answers,and other features. Halachos are for study purposes only, and
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Important Numbers
