[Avodah] Selichos - Especially before Midnight

[Richard Wolpoe]

Most sources in poskim eschew reciting Selichos before Midnight.  The usual
reasons given are "al pi kabbalah"

Permit me the axiom that Selichos is ideally said during the last ashmores
at nigth just before "Boker"
[iirc the Sha'arei Teshuva  - or is it Ba'eir Heiteiv - mentions that Tiqqun
hatzos takes precedence!]

Let's say I were a poseik and someone asked me :  "May we say Selichos
before hatzos Halayla?"

I would say bichidus NO and then find out what is the motive betzibbur:

Follow up question: "WHY do you need to say it at night?"

If that ansewer is: I need to sleep late, I would mull it over.
If the answer is: I have  MUCH more qavana at nigth I would consider the
factors below:

Does saying it at night with qavana superior to saying in the morning w/o
qavanah?

Here are several reasons to be meikel to allow it at night:.


   1. There is a virtually  uncontested Minhag to say Selichos on Kol
   Nidre nght,  Thus we have a precedent!   BUT I have bee ntold that YK is an
   exception! Well then why no Avinu malekinu on Shabbos!
   2. Furthermore why not EXTEND the exception  for YK throughout the
   Selichos season  - given that our Selichos are structured on the YK model to
   begin with?  Furthermore:  I would posit the following:

We do not Daven Msusaf early bichidus on RH,  But betzibbur we are not
concerned. I would posit that a Tzibbur is allowed to say Selichos at night
for similar reasons, that the power of Tzibbur is traonger thatn the power
of Din.  And even Qabblists say the following: You are supposed to go thru 4
levels  before Amidah vi the structure of Birchos Hashachar, Korbanonos,
Psukei Dezimar and Shema etc.  BUT when you are late you daven with the
tzibbur and throw away the structure. As one Qabblist explained in class -
that is the power of the Tzibbur.

But I do concede I do not know much Qabbalah so I cannot say that with
certainty.  And with all the years of trying to convince othre rabbis of
these arguments, they have by and large remained unpersuaded.


-- 
Kesiva vaChasima Tova
Best Wishes for 5768,
RabbiRichWolpoe at Gmail.com
Please Visit:
http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/
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