Tens of thousands of worshippers filled the Western Wall Plaza in Jerusalem on Saturday night for the first Selichot service of the year, marking the start of the Hebrew month of Elul.
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, prayed for the unity of the Jewish people, for the safety of Israel Defense Forces soldiers and security personnel, and for the peace and security of the State of Israel, haredi news site Kikar Hashabbat reported.
While for Ashkenazi Jews the custom is to begin reciting Selichot penitential prayers on the Saturday night preceding Rosh Hashanah (this year, Sept. 5), Sephardic Jews traditionally start on the second day of Elul, the month of mercy and forgiveness, which began on Aug. 14.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said in a statement that it has completed preparations to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of worshippers expected to attend the Selichot services at the Western Wall Plaza through the eve of Yom Kippur, on Sept. 20.
Each evening, a central prayer service will be held with a cantor, sound amplification, and a live broadcast on its website and social media platforms for those unable to attend in person, according to the foundation.
Judaism’s second-holiest site will host 19 central Selichot services over the course of Elul and the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation is also hosting Selichot tours in sites throughout the capital, running hours into the night.
Selichot prayers, made up of biblical verses, liturgical passages and poems, convey remorse for sins and appeal to God for forgiveness.
