Elul

Rulings are based on the Mishna Berura reflecting Ashkenazi practice.

Introduction

From Rosh Chodesh Elul, a forty day period commences which is considered an ‘eis ratzon’, an ‘opportune time’ to do teshuva – to repent and return to Hashem – and to daven to Him. The final day of this period is Yom Kippur. This period and its status as an ‘eis ratzon’ reflects the forty day period from when Moshe re-ascended Har Sinai on Rosh Chodesh Elul to Yom Kippur when he brought down the second set of Luchos.
The opportune nature of Elul is also hinted to by the verse in Shir Hashirim אני לדודי ודודי לי – ‘I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me’ – with the first letter of each words spelling out אלול, indicating that in Elul we feel a sense of closeness to Hashem, helping us to do Teshuva, and that Hashem is close to us and particularly willing to accept our Teshuva, out of love. (MB 581 Intro). Therefore, this period of time is to be used as a period of introspection and self-reflection, leading to us doing Teshuva.

Given the opportune nature of this time period, and to reflect the words of Chazal that when Moshe went up Har Sinai a second time, a shofar was blown to alert people to this event and that they should be careful not to stray after Avoda Zara (unlike those who did so at the Egel Hazahav, the golden calf), Ashkenazi practice is to start blowing the Shofar after Shacharis from Rosh Chodesh Elul (Rema 581:1, MB Intro, 3).
As the Rambam describes, the sound of the Shofar calls us to use this period as a time of repentance and returning to Hashem. He says: ‘The blowing of the Shofar… contains a hint as if saying “awaken sleepy ones from your sleep… examine your deeds, do Teshuva and remember your Creator. Those who forget that which is True… and stray all year after vanity and emptiness which is of no use or salvation, examine yourselves and improve your deeds, and each of you should abandon his negative path and bad thoughts”’. (Rambam Hilchos Teshuva 3:4)

The custom is to say the Perek in Tehillim ‘Ledavid Hashem Ori’ both in the morning and evening from Elul until Shmini Atzeres, as the Midrash says ‘Ori’ refers to Rosh Hashana, ‘Yishi’ to Yom Kippur and ‘ki yitzpeneni besuko’ to Sukkos. On a regular day it is said at Shacharis after the Shir Shel Yom, and on Rosh Chodesh it is said after Borchi Nafshi. At night it is said at the conclusion of davening (MB 581:2, Piskei Teshuvos 11).

Mishna Berura records the minhag to say 10 chapters of Tehillim each day in Elul, so that one finishes Tehillim twice in this month, followed by saying the entire Tehillim again (by saying more perakim per day) during the aseres yemei teshuva (MB 581:3).

Timing: Ashkenazi practice is to start saying Selichos on the Sunday at the start of the week of Rosh Hashana, unless Rosh Hashana falls on Monday or Tuesday, in which case we start saying Selichos the previous Sunday. This is to ensure we have at least four days of sayi ng Selichos. One reason for this is that korbanos are inspected for blemishes four days before being sacrificed and on Rosh Hashana we so to speak offer ourselves up to Hashem, so spend at least four days examining ourselves for spiritual blemishes and repenting for them (SA 581:1, MB6).
If not in a minyan: A person can say Selichos even if they are not davening with a minyan. However, they should skip over the 13 Middos (Hashem Hashem Kel Rahum etc) and sections written in Aramaic (such as ‘machi umasi… maran di viShmaya etc) (MB4)
Kaddish: Kaddish is said after Ashrei at the start of Selichos. If a minyan is not yet present then Selichos start without Kaddish, and once a minyan arrives, 3 pessukim should be said followed by Kaddish. If there was a minyan present at the start of Selichos then some people leave, Kaddish may still be recited after Selichos as it started with a minyan (MB4).
One who sitting Shiva does not come to shul for Selichos except on Erev Rosh Hashana (SA 581:1).

Chazzan: The Chazzan plays an important role in representing the community in their tefillos. There are a number of halachic considerations relevant to the appointment of a suitable chazzan for Selichos and Yamim Noraim – the shul’s Rav should be consulted for guidance about this and whether the Chazan for Selichos should daven the other tefilos of that day as well, and how to balance this with others who have precedence to daven such as an avel or someone with a yahrzeit (MB14).
Vayikra beshem Hashem: When leading up to the 13 Middos, when saying the phrase ‘Vayikra beshem Hashem’ one should pause a little between the word ‘beshem’ and ‘Hashem’ (MB581:4).
Selichos before midnight: Mishna Berura rules forcefully that one may not say any Selichos or the 13 Middos at night before Chatzos, halachic midnight, except on Yom Kippur. Some justify the practice of those who do so within two hours of Chatzos, but Rabbinic guidance should be sought before setting up and participating in such minyanim (MB 565:12, Piskei Teshuvos 581:2).
Birkas HaTorah: As the selichos contain pessukim, one should say Birkas Hatorah before selichos. In relation to saying Al Netilas Yadayim, one should wash negel vasser as usual on arising and either say the bracha immediately then, or after selichos make use of the bathroom (ensuring to touch a part of the body that is normally covered) then wash ones hands and say al netilas yadayim then (MB 6:11, MB 46:27).