Question:
What should I do if I struggle waking up for selichos and what is the halachos regarding to this area?
Answer:
With regarding to Individuals Who Have Trouble Waking Up for Selichos the following is discussed.
A Torah scholar (Talmid Chacham) who isn’t able to wake up for Selichos because he is learning in the early hours of the morning and going to Selichos would ruin his schedule, should try to go to Selichos during the Aseret Yemei Teshuva (Ten days of Repentance) and some days of Elul. Although the Chida 581:6 writes that Selichos takes precedence over Talmud Torah, that refers to someone who is awake already and would just be giving up a small amount of learning to recite Selichos. But if it will ruin his learning routine and cause him to be tired throughout the day, then we would prefer that he continue to learn properly
In the Sefer Seder Hayom page 57 warns that a person shouldn’t neglect to recite selichos with the argument that his time is better spent learning rather than praying. The Mateh Ephraim 581:11 also stresses a similar idea. The Rama in Darkei Moshe 581:2 quotes the Haghot Ashri saying that any talmid chacham should make sure to recite selichos.
If he is awake after Chatzot it’s preferable to say some paragraphs of Selichos and Tikkun Chatzot(which takes precedence over Selichos).
Teachers who teach in the morning and getting up early for Selichos would prevent them from doing their job well should only get up for Selichos some days in Elul and during the Aseret Yimei Teshuva. The same is true for hired workers and officials (who would have their work impacted negatively by rising early). Nonetheless, it’s preferable to at least say Selichos to oneself before Shacharit or Mincha.
One should make an effort to say Selichos with fervor and strength and not fall asleep during davening until the very end. This is especially the case for someone wearing Tefillin for whom it is forbidden to sleep. It’s better not to wake up early for Selichos if it will end up ruining the prayers and and cause one to fall asleep with Tefillin.
Selichos Without a Minyan
Since it is very difficuilt to stay up very late or arise very early for selichos either due to physical reasons or reason such as peoples business situation and one is in the situation of having to daven without a minyan the following is important to know. If one is praying without a minyan, he should not say the thirteen attributes as a prayer, but one can read the Yud Gimmel middot (13 attributes) with the cantillation as if he is simply reading the torah.
In sefer Iggerot Moshe YD 3:21 allows them to be recited without a minyan as long you use any melody other than the one used for prayer and doesn’t require that it be the same cantillation as the torah.
In such a scenario one can conclude with the word ונקה, even though that is technically in the middle of the actual pasuk in the Torah. Many Others argue that it should be omitted entirely.
The Rashba in his Teshuva 1:211 writes that the 13 middot of Rachamim cannot be said without a minyan since they are considered a devar shebekedusha. This is codified as halacha by the Shulchan Aruch in Orach Chaim in siman 565:5, the Mishna Brurah in siman 581:4, the sefer Kitzur Shulchan Aruch in siman 128:9 see for further detail regarding this.
On the other hand, see the Darkei Moshe in Orach Chaim in siman 565:4 where he cites the opinion of the Sefer Haminhagim that even an individual can recite them and that it is no issue. |