Selichos
The sefarim write that the yamim noraim begin on the first night of selichos. Rebbe Uri of Strelisk zt’l said that the כתיבה וחתימה of Rosh Hashanah begins on the first night of selichos.
On Motzei Shabbos, we say the selichos of מנוחה במוצאי. Each line begins with a letter of the alef beis, in alphabetical order. The exceptions are the letters נ"ן ס"מ, which are written in the same phrase, two words, next to each other, שגבם נא, "Please elevate them..." instead of in two phrases.
Rebbe Pinchas of Koritz zt'l explains that we don't want to separate these letters because 'נ' 'ס' spell נס, and we want to imply that the days of selichos are mesugal for miracles. The final line of this piyut states ניסך תראם גדולות עושה, "Show them Your miracles..." During these days of selichos, we ask Hashem to show us His miracles and to grant us all our hearts' desires.
It is the custom of Belzer chassidim to say the entire Tehillim on the first day of Selichos, in beis medresh, עם ברוב (with a large minyan). Rebbe Yissachar Dov of Belz zy'a said that his avodas Hashem on the first day of selichos is greater than his avodah on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
The Tur (581) writes, "Most people fast on the first day of selichos."
Reb Yaakov Landau zt’l, rav of Bnei Brak, generally contained his emotions. On the first night of selichos, he was the chazan. When he began Ashrei, his voice didn't show any emotion, but when he came to תהילת ה', he cried copiously and continued to cry throughout the selichos. It was almost impossible to hear his voice through his sobs.
Once, before selichos, Rebbe Aharon of Belz zt’l told the chazan, "Hoych! Hoych! Daven loudly because this will rouse the community to say selichos with kavanah and hislahavus. Don't be afraid of becoming hoarse because others can take your place."
Someone asked Reb Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld zt'l, "I'm a melamed, and Shulchan Aruch (Yorah Deah 245:17) states that a melamed must sleep well. Perhaps I shouldn't go to selichos because that would cause me not to get enough sleep." Reb Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld replied, "I don't see any heter for you not to wake up for selichos."
Leket Yosher (Hilchos Taanis 12, p.114) writes, "Once I asked my rebbe, the Terumas HaDeshen, to permit me to eat during the days of selichos, so I would have the strength to learn as I do all year. He replied that the scholars of the past also knew that fasting causes people to become weak and makes it hard for them to learn Torah. Nevertheless, they instituted the custom of fasting during selichos. Therefore, I cannot permit you to eat."
Rebbe Dovid of Lelov zt'l once traveled by foot because he couldn't afford to hire a wagon. Someone stopped his horse and buggy next to Rebbe Dovid and offered him a ride. When they arrived at their destination, Rebbe Dovid thanked him and said, “I have a beis medresh in Lelov. Come there on the first night of selichos.” The man thought, “I did him a favor, and now he wants to take advantage of me and use me to complete his minyan for selichos. One thing is certain: I am not going to his beis medresh for selichos!” On the first night of selichos, Rebbe Dovid entered his beis medresh and looked around. The person who gave him the ride wasn’t there yet, so he returned to his room. A few times, he entered the beis medresh, looked around, and when he didn't see the person who had given him the ride, he returned to his study. At this time, the one who gave him the ride was in his home, in a village near Lelov. A thought entered his mind: “Rebbe Dovid is a holy man, after all. He asked me to come to his beis medresh for selichos. Why shouldn’t I go?” So, he drove to the Lelover Rebbe’s beis medresh. When the Rebbe came out this time, he saw the driver and immediately began the selichos. After selichos, he told him, “You did me a favor this year, and I wanted to give you a brachah. I asked you to come on the first day of selichos since it is a great eis ratzon in heaven for brachos to take effect. I give you a brachah that you and your descendants should enjoy immense wealth and long lives." This account was relayed to me by a great-grandson of the recipient of this brachah. He said, "I am a direct descendant of this individual, and I testify that the brachah has been fulfilled. Throughout the subsequent generations, our family has enjoyed prosperity and longevity."
In our generation, since we are weaker, most people don't fast. Nevertheless, we must remember that these are special days, and we should devote them to teshuvah and tefillah to arouse Hashem's compassion.
