Rosh HaShanah Shiur – Understanding the Yom Tov

We are proud to present this insightful and prepatory shiur to enhance your experience in the upcoming Rosh Hashana. This is a recent shiur given by Rabbi Chaimowitz on the subject of Tefilah ,Yom Tov, and Rosh Hashanah.

Did you ever wonder what makes our spiritual experience on Rosh Hashana different than our experience on any other Yom Tov? This shiur is a worthwhile investment to enhance your understanding of the Yom Tov and will also give you insight into the goal of all our Tefilos.

Included in the Shiur:

What is our Neshama?

How can we relate to Hashem on Yom HaDin?

Where does the feeling of fear on Rosh Hashana come from?

Does everyone feel this way or is it just my imagination?

Tefillah and Rosh HaShanah

by Rabbi Chaimowitz

Size: 8.4 MB  ; Duration: Approx. 40 min.

May you all be inscribed in the book of life and have a year of sweet brochos!

The Middle Path Team

Coming Soon: Audio Downloads for Elul and Rosh Hashana!

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Be on the lookout for upcoming Shiurim this month to prepare for Rosh Hashana.

Guaranteed to change your Rosh Hashana experience or your money back.

HALACHOS OF THE WEEK – Siman 581: Slichos and Erev Rosh Hashana

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Halachos of Slichos:

1) It is the custom to rise early to say slichos and supplicatory prayers from Rosh Chodesh Elul onward until Yom Kippur (Shulchan Aruch 1, Mishna Brura 6).

2) The custom of the Ashkenazic community, is to get up early to say slichos on the Sunday that is before Rosh Hashanah. (If Rosh Hashanah falls on Monday or on Tuesday of that week, they begin [saying slichos] from the Sunday of the week before) (Rama 1).

3) The reason why it became the custom to begin [to say slichos and blow the shofar] from Rosh Chodesh [Elul], is because it is a favorable time [for requesting forgiveness]. Similarly, the end of the night is a favorable time [for requesting forgiveness] (Mishna Brura in the introduction to the siman).

4) Even an individual may recite slichos (Shulchan Aruch 4).

5) If one says the slichos as an individual, he should skip saying the thirteen Divine Attributes (Mishna Brura Ibid).

6) If one says the slichos as an individual, he should not say those requests which are in the Aramaic language (Mishna Brura Ibid).

Minhag to Blow Shofar:

7) From Rosh Chodesh Elul it is the custom to blow the shofar every day after the Shacharis prayer (Rama 1, Mishna Brura 3).

8)  It is the custom to say daily after the end of the prayer service, morning and evening, "L’Dovid Hashem ori v’yishi" (Tehillim 27) (Mishna Brura 2).

Finding a Shliach Tzibur for Yomim Noraim:

9) [The community] should be meticulous to seek out both for the praying of the slichos and for the praying on the Days of Awe a person to lead the davening who is the most worthy and the most distinguished in Torah knowledge and good deeds that can be found (Rama 1).

10) It is appropriate that the leader of the prayers be thirty years of age, because that is [the time] when a Levite descendant is fit for service in the Beis Hamikdash, and prayer corresponds with the [sacrificial] service. In addition, when [one reaches] this age his heart is [more disposed to becoming] broken and subdued (Shulchan Aruch Ibid, Mishna Brura 12).

11) It is appropriate that the leader of the prayers be married, similar to the Kohen Gadol whom they would prepare another wife for him [in case his wife died], and also that he should have a wife to guard him from sin (Shulchan Aruch Ibid, Mishna Brura 13).

12) If two candidates are available, one who is a man of Torah, fearful of sin, who does not satisfy these details, and the other is a common person who is married and more than thirty years old, the man of Torah has precedence (Mishna Brura Ibid).

13) However, any Jew is eligible to serve as the prayer leader, just that [the main thing is] that he be acceptable to the congregation (Shulchan Aruch Ibid).

14) There are localities where it is the custom that the person who prays the slichos prayers [as prayer leader, be the one to] pray as prayer leader that entire day (Shulchan Aruch Ibid).

Laws of Erev Rosh Hashana:

15) It is the custom to fast on Erev Rosh Hashanah (Shulchan Aruch 2).

16) This [fast] does not need to be accepted beforehand, and need not be completed [meaning, that one may fast only until chatzos (midday)] (Mishna Brura 16).

17) On Erev Rosh Ha-Shanah, an increased number of slichos are said (Rama 1).

18) We do not fall on our faces in supplication on Erev Rosh Hashanah at the prayer service, although we do fall on our faces in supplication earlier during the saying of the slichos (Shulchan Aruch 3).

19) We do not blow the shofar on Erev Rosh Hashanah (Rama ibid).

20) There are localities where it is the custom to go to graves on Erev Rosh Hashanah and to say many supplicatory prayers there (Rama 4).

21) One should launder his clothing and cut his hair on Erev Rosh Hashanah in honor of the Yom Tov, to demonstrate that we have confidence in the lovingkindness of Hashem, may He be blessed, Who will decide our judgement positively (Shulchan Aruch 4, Mishna Brura 25).

22) It is customary to immerse oneself on Erev Rosh Hashanah (Rama 4).