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Recently someone sent me the link to a video of Chazan Helfgot Selichos
this year at the Park East Synagogue. He thought that it was very
beautiful.<br><br>
My reactions to this are the following.<br><br>
1. These Selichos started at 10:30 PM, well before Chatzos. (See
<a href="http://www.parkeastsynagogue.org/news.php" eudora="autourl">
http://www.parkeastsynagogue.org/news.php</a>) Is one allowed to say
Selichos at this time? Aren't Selichos supposed to be said before
Shachris. Indeed, I have been told by a number of people that
Selichos were said in Europe early in the morning before Shachris, even
on Motzie Shabbos. <br><br>
Furthermore, <font size=3>a friend of mine recently told me that the
Kiryas Yoel Satmar Rebbe issued a strong statement against those who
wanted to say Selichos at 1 AM after Shabbos. He supposedly said that
this was never their minhag and that the old Satmar rebbe would have
never approved of such a thing.<br><br>
What is the source of the practice of saying Selichos on Motzie Shabbos
at 1 AM? Indeed, what is the source of the practice of saying Selichos on
other days in the evening. This is indeed done in some shuls.
<br><br>
2. From the video this event appears to me to be more like a
concert than davening. Note that the people shown are pretty much
passive throughout the whole thing. And the fact that it says at
<a href="http://www.parkeastsynagogue.org/news.php" eudora="autourl">
http://www.parkeastsynagogue.org/news.php<br><br>
</a>SELICHOT AND HIGH HOLY DAY TICKETS<br><br>
With the summer already here the High Holy days cannot be far away.
On Saturday night September 24, 2011 at 9PM Rabbi Arthur Schneier will
deliver his annual State of World Jewry address. At 10:30PM
Selichot services will be led by Chief Cantor Yitzchak Meir Helfgot,
Maestro Russell Ger and the Park East Synagogue Choir. Synagogue
members are entitled to tickets, while non-members can purchase Selichot
tickets for $50 (rear) or $100 (front) by calling the Synagogue
office. As in past years, we expect to sell out very quickly so do
not wait to make your reservation. Additional tickets for Rosh
Hashanah (September 28-30) and Yom Kippur (October 7-8) can be purchased
by members for $500. The Parallel Service for Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur will be held in the Brooks Ballroom and officiated by Rabbi
Eliyahu Stern and Cantor Laivi Freundlich. Tickets are on sale for
$150.<br><br>
seems to me to back up my observation that this is more of a concert than
davening. Is this the "appropriate" way to say
Selichos? YL<br><br>
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