Elul & Selichot

Elul is the 6th month in the Hebrew calendar and the last month of the Jewish yearly cycle, occurring in August or September. The month of Elul precedes the month of Tishrei during which communities celebrate the High Holidays including Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Rosh Chodesh Elul (the beginning of the month of Elul) begins in the evening on Friday, August 26, 2022. Leil Selichot (in the Ashkenazi tradition) begins after nightfall on Saturday, September 17, 2022.

As Elul is the last month in the Jewish yearly cycle before Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish new year), it is viewed as a month of reflection on the previous year and looking forward to the next year. With this focus, Elul is regarded as a month of Teshuva (forgiveness) or returning to a clean state. In the biblical tradition, on Rosh Chodesh Elul, Moses began his ascension to Mount Sinai for the third time, coming down 40 days later on Yom Kippur with the second set of Tablets and G-d’s complete mercy and forgiveness. Because of this, Elul has become the time for Teshuva and introspection.

An acronym of Elul is Ani L’dodi, V’dodi Li (Song of Songs 6:3) with each starting letter of the words in the Hebrew phrase spelling E-L-U-L. Translated as “I am to my beloved, and my beloved is to me,” traditional commentary describes the relationship between Jews and G-d during this month as that between two beloveds, with a yearning to connect. It is said that the King is in the field during Elul; G-d makes Himself approachable to all His people in Elul.

Traditionally there are no Torah obligations or laws regarding Elul and practices for the month of Elul are customs that have been repeated for generations. The shofar is blown each day during weekday morning services from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Erev Rosh Hashanah; an invitation to "wake up" before the High Holidays, this shofar blast is seen by some as an opportunity to awaken our souls and inspire deeper connection with G-d.

During this season, a recitation of Tehillim (Psalms) 27 is added to morning and evening prayers. Some have a custom of continuing this addition until Yom Kippur, when it is said that forgiveness is given, while others have a custom of reciting until the seventh day of Sukkot, when the judgement is sealed. Another custom of Elul is reciting selichot (prayers for Divine forgiveness). The Sephardic tradition is to recite Selichot every day of Elul while the Ashkenazi tradition is to add these prayers starting the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah.

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