Can a Sefardi Jew who davens in an Ashkenazi shul say Slichot (in private) during the month of Elul?
category: Prayer
Can a Sefardi Jew who davens in an Ashkenazi shul say Slichot (in private) during the month of Elul?
A Sefardi Jew who prays in an Ashkenazi congregation may say Slichot privately in the congregation during the whole month of Elul, but when reading the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, “HaShem HaShem … Rachum v’Chanun …” he should say it with teamei hamikra, the special notes for reading from the Torah. If he does not know how to, then he should skip the section “Vaya’avor …” until “v’nakeh.”
Also, Slichot which have the chorus “Ezkerah” that is said on Thursday of the 10 Days of Repentance, should only be said in a congregation which is also saying it. Furthermore, any person saying Slichot on his own should skip the requests made in Aramaic, although some halachik authorities permit saying them.
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