Selichot
Pre-holiday Jewish supplications
Selichot are Jewish penitential prayers recited during the weeks before the High Holy Days, emphasizing themes of repentance and divine mercy.
The term comes from a Hebrew word meaning forgiveness.
Services often take place late at night or in the early morning hours, with the prayers building spiritual intensity as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur approach: We attended the first Selichot service of the season. (Lowercase selichot refers to the same prayers.)
Humble, earnest requests
- machzorHigh Holy Day prayerbook
- siddurJewish daily worship text
- cantorLiturgical music leader
- chantingRhythmic repetitive vocalization
recitation · Hebrew · Aramaic · melody · congregation · minyan · Sephardic · petitionary
Releasing resentment toward offenders
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
- mercyCompassion toward offenders
- compassionConcern for others' distress
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
confession · humility · return · redemption · purification · soul-searching · sin · transgression
Ritual horn from ram
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- inscribedCarved writing into
- sealedClosed to prevent entry
Jewish house of worship
- congregationAssembled group of worshippers
- standingPosition, physical or social
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
- tallitFringed Jewish worship garment
communal · tradition · custom · Ashkenazim · Sephardim · rabbi · awakening · preparation
supplications
Humble, earnest requests
chanting · recitation · Hebrew · Aramaic · melody · congregation · minyan · Sephardic · petitionary
forgiveness
Releasing resentment toward offenders
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
- mercyCompassion toward offenders
- compassionConcern for others' distress
contrition · confession · humility · return · redemption · purification · soul-searching · sin · transgression · plea
shofar
Ritual horn from ram
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- inscribedCarved writing into
sealed · atonement · preparation · introspection · reconciliation
synagogue
Jewish house of worship
- congregationAssembled group of worshippers
- standingPosition, physical or social
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
tallit · communal · tradition · custom · Ashkenazim · Sephardim · rabbi · awakening · preparation · devotion
midnight
Twelve o'clock at night
- Jewish CalendarRosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach, Passover, Hanukkah
- Jewish ObservanceShabbat, Kiddush, Havdalah, morning prayers, evening prayers
- High HolidaysRosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, High Holy Days, shofar, machzor
- Jewish prayerKaddish, silent prayer, morning prayer, afternoon prayer, evening prayer
- Jewish prayersKaddish, shacharit, morning prayers, evening prayers, afternoon prayers
- Jewish worshipKaddish, Shabbat service, prayer service, morning prayers, evening prayers
SelichotPurim
Adar feast day
Sukkot · Passover · Shavuot · Rosh Hashanah · Yom Kippur
Selichotsin
Violation of divine law
transgression · divine wrath · excommunication · impenitence · hardened heart