Elul

After the breaking of the first Luchos, Moshe once again ascended to heaven on the first day of Elul. He remainder there for 40 days and forty nights, comprising the entire month of Elul and the first ten days of Tishri, praying the that the Jews be forgiven for the the sin of the Golden Calf. On Yom Kipor Hashem revealed to him that he had forgiven the Jewish Nation and Moshe descended with the Secound Luchos.

After the breaking of the first Luchos, Moshe once again ascended to heaven on the first day of Elul. He remainder there for 40 days and forty nights, comprising the entire month of Elul and the first ten days of Tishri, praying the that the Jews be forgiven for the the sin of the Golden Calf. On Yom Kipor Hashem revealed to him that he had forgiven the Jewish Nation and Moshe descended with the Secound Luchos.

Sefaradim recite Selichot during the entire month of Elul and up to Yom Kippor. There are those that begin on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul and there are those that start on the second day of Rosh Chodesh. It is customary by the Sephardim to recite the Selichot very early in the morning.

Sefaradim recite Selichot during the entire month of Elul and up to Yom Kippor. There are those that begin on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul and there are those that start on the second day of Rosh Chodesh. It is customary by the Sephardim to recite the Selichot very early in the morning.

Askinazim do not start reciting the Selichot until the week of Rosh Hashanah. On the Motzai Shabbos preceding Rosh Hashana, the first Selichot is recited in the middle of the night. From then until Yom Kippor the Slichot are recited in the morning before Shachiris. If Rosh Hashana falls out Monday or Tuesday then Slichot are started a week before.

Askinazim do not start reciting the Selichot until the week of Rosh Hashanah. On the Motzai Shabbos preceding Rosh Hashana, the first Selichot is recited in the middle of the night. From then until Yom Kippor the Slichot are recited in the morning before Shachiris. If Rosh Hashana falls out Monday or Tuesday then Slichot are started a week before.

Each morning during the month of Elul aside from Erev Rosh Hashana the Shofar is blown at the end of the Shachris services. There are those that begin blowing the Shofar on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul and others on the second.

Each morning during the month of Elul aside from Erev Rosh Hashana the Shofar is blown at the end of the Shachris services. There are those that begin blowing the Shofar on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul and others on the second.

There are even some communities that do an additional blowing of the Shofar each night after the Mariv prayers.  

There are even some communities that do an additional blowing of the Shofar each night after the Mariv prayers.  

After the blowing of the Shofar the 27 chapter of Tehilim, Lidovid Hashem Ori is recited. This chapter is again recited each night, by the Nusahch Ashkenaz after Mariv and by Nusahch Sefarad after Mincha. Most people recite Lidovid until Shimini Atzeres but there are those that stop at Yom Kipor.

After the blowing of the Shofar the 27 chapter of Tehilim, Lidovid Hashem Ori is recited. This chapter is again recited each night, by the Nusahch Ashkenaz after Mariv and by Nusahch Sefarad after Mincha. Most people recite Lidovid until Shimini Atzeres but there are those that stop at Yom Kipor.

Since Elul is a time for Teshuva many people spend extra time doing Tikkunim. There is a custom to divide up the Tikunay Zohar into the 40 days from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kipor. Many people are accustomed to recite extra Tehilim during the month of Elul, trying to finish the entire book of Tehilim at least twice. Tehilim has 150 chapters, so reciting the book twice adds up to 300 the numerical equivalence of the word 'forgive'. There is also a custom to check ones Teffilin and Mizzuzos during Elul and many frequent the Kevarim of the Tzadikim during this month.

Since Elul is a time for Teshuva many people spend extra time doing Tikkunim. There is a custom to divide up the Tikunay Zohar into the 40 days from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kipor. Many people are accustomed to recite extra Tehilim during the month of Elul, trying to finish the entire book of Tehilim at least twice. Tehilim has 150 chapters, so reciting the book twice adds up to 300 the numerical equivalence of the word 'forgive'. There is also a custom to check ones Teffilin and Mizzuzos during Elul and many frequent the Kevarim of the Tzadikim during this month.

On Erev Rosh Hashana the Shofar is not blown. This is to separate the supplementary Shofar blowing from the mandatory Shofar blowing. According to the Kabbalah it also confuse the Satan who perceives this as a sign that the Jews have stopped their Shofar blowing campaign. It is also for a similar reason that Birchas Hachodes is not recited for the month of Tishray.

On Erev Rosh Hashana the Shofar is not blown. This is to separate the supplementary Shofar blowing from the mandatory Shofar blowing. According to the Kabbalah it also confuse the Satan who perceives this as a sign that the Jews have stopped their Shofar blowing campaign. It is also for a similar reason that Birchas Hachodes is not recited for the month of Tishray.

There is a Segulah amongst the Chasidim to purchase a knife on Erev Rosh Hashana.

There is a Segulah amongst the Chasidim to purchase a knife on Erev Rosh Hashana.