Page 14 - Chayei Adam LAYOUT sivan 5782

Chayei Adam - K’lal 138 - The Laws of Selichos and Erev Rosh Hashana

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damage. One must be extremely careful not to pray to the dead and make their
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requests of them as this is close to [violating] ‘seeking out the dead’. Rather, he
should pray to Hashem that He should fulfill his request in the merit of the
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deceased tzadikim. There, one should give a lot of tzedaka and say many
supplications, and stir himself to repent with a full heart, especially for sins
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between man and his friend. One shouldn’t wait until erev Yom Kippur to ask his
friend’s forgiveness but rather rush to do [this] mitzva earlier, and involve himself
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in Torah study and mitzvos all day long. It is proper to immerse in a mikva or
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river but he should wait until it is within one hour of midday, and he shouldn’t
take his mind off of teshuva the entire day.
]6[ The laws of these fasts of the first day of selichos and erev Rosh Hashana
are explained above in Hilchos Taanis (K’lal 132 siman 26-27). 52

םדו רשב

44. This refers to spiritual damage which Kippur alone will not atone for these sins.
is something we cannot comprehend or fully
understand. 48. In an effort to fully repent on the last
day of the year, a person should focus
45. Devarim 18:11. Some however take a completely on spiritual pursuits.
more lenient approach and permit one to
request the deceased to intercede on his 49. Rema. In order to remove the impurity
behalf. Praying to the dead however is clearly of an emission before the onset of Rosh
a violation of this. The Mishna Berura takes the Hashana. However, even those who are
more stringent approach, echoing the words particular to immerse following an emission
of the Chayei Adam. throughout the year, are careful to immerse
חכ
on erev Rosh Hashana regardless.
46. This is because the grave of a tzadik is
considered holy and pure and a prayer said in
such places is more readily accepted by 50. Although using a river as a mikva is
Hashem. (Be’er Heitiv) not always advisable where immersion is
required (such as for family purity, or to
47. If he has wronged somebody, he must immerse utensils), in order to remove tumas
In the absence of a
make amends and ask for forgiveness as his keri, it is sufficient. טכ
service of Hashem on Rosh Hashana and Yom mikva, one may immerse in an in-ground

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