Audio by Ushy Fried

128:3 Men (known) for their (good) deeds usually check during this (Elul) month their tefillin and mezuzot. And all (other problems) which they found there while checking the rest of the mitzvot, should be fixed. אנשי מעשה נוהגין לבדוק בחודש הזה תפילין ומזוזות שלהן וכל אשר ימצא שם בדק בשאר מצות יתקנו
128:4 From the Shabbat that follows Tish'ah B'av and onwards, we say for the Haftorah for the seven Shabbatot the seven (Haftorot) of consolation. However, if the first day of Rosh Hodesh Elul falls on Shabbat, we put off,1 ''O you afflicted...'', and say instead the Haftorah,2 ''The heaven is My throne...'', since it also has some consolation regarding (the destruction of) Jerusalem. On shabbat Parashat ''Ki Teitzei'' we then say the Haftorah,3 ''Sing, O barren one,...'', and we add on to this also ''O you afflicted...'' because one follows the other.4 If one erred on shabbat Rosh Hodesh Elul and said ''O you afflicted...'', then if one remembers before saying the blessings after it, one says also ''The heaven is My throne...'' and then say the blessings after it. If one does not remember until after the (concluding) blessings, one says ''The heaven is My throne...'' without blessings. If (however) Rosh Hodesh Elul falls on Sunday, we put off the Haftorah, ''Tomorrow is the new moon...''5 because it does not contain any consolation for (the destruction of) Jerusalem. Instead, we say the Haftorah, ''O you afflicted...''.

1) The normal Haftorah Isaiah 54:11. 2) Isaiah 66:1 3) Isaiah 54:1 4) In the Book of Isaiah. 5) I Samuel 20:18, which is usually said when Rosh Hodesh falls on Sunday.

בשבת שלאחר תשעה באב ולהלן מפטירין בשבע שבתות שבעה דנחמתא ואם חל א' דראש חדש בשבת דוחין עניה סוערה ומפטירין השמים כסאי מפני שיש בה גם כן מנחמות ירושלים ובשבת פ' כי תצא שאז מפטירין רני עקרה משלימין עליה גם עניה סוערה שהיא סמוכה לה אם טעה בשבת ראש חדש אלול ואמר עניה סוערה אם נזכר קודם שבירך לאחריה יאמר גם השמים כסאי ויברך לאחריה ואם לא נזכר עד לאחר הברכות יאמר השמים כסאי בלא ברכות ואם חל ראש חודש אלול באחד בשבת דוחין הפטרת מחר חודש שאין בה מנחמות ירושלים ומפטירין עניה סוערה
128:5 From the Sunday before Rosh Hashana and up to it, One rises early1 to say Selichot (special prayers for forgiveness). However, if Rosh Hashana falls on Monday or Tuesday, we begin saying Selichot on the Sunday of the preceding week. When we rise (before dawn), it is necessary to wash one's hands2 and say the blessing for that washing,3 as well as the blessings for Torah study. After Selichot, one should wash one's hands a second time without a blessing.4

1) In most Ashkenazic communities, it is customary to say Selichot either shortly before or shortly after dawn, because the end of the night is seen as a time of favor (''et ratzon''). On the first night, however, Selichot are begun directly after midnight (that is, ''chatzot''). Many Sephardic communities begin reciting Selichot at the beginning of the month of Elul. 2) Three times alternatively on each hand. 3) ''al netilat yadayim''. There are two opinions as to why we have an obligation to wash our hands in the morning with a blessing: a) According to the Rosh, since, during the night, our hands have almost certainly touched parts of the body which are considered dirty, the Sages required us to wash before morning prayers. b) According to the Rashba, we are considered like a new creation in the morning, and therefore have to purify our hands before serving G-d, just like the Cohen in the Beit Hamikdash (''Temple'') had to wash his hands before beginning the morning sacrificial service (Mishna Berurah, O''H, 4:1). In general, the procedure in the morning is to wash one's hands immediately upon arising from bed (to remove the ''ruach ra'ah''), then one uses the bathroom, washes again, and then says the blessings for washing the hands (''al netilat yadayim'') and for going to the bathroom (''Asher Yatzar''), and then the rest of the morning service (Mishna Berurah 4:1- 4).} 4) There is an opinion that at dawn, the ''ruach ra'ah'' (spiritual impurity) returns to one's hands; therefore, we wash a second time, but without a blessing, because the Sages did not require a blessing just for the removal of the ''ruach ra'ah'' (Shulchan Aruch, O''H, 4:14).}

מיום הראשון בשבוע שקודם ראש השנה ואילך משכימין לסליחות ואם חל ראש השנה ביום שני או ביום שלישי מתחילין מיום הראשון בשבוע הקודמת וכשמשכימין צריכין ליטול ידיהם ולברך על נטילת ידים וברכת התורה ואחר הסליחות יטול ידיו שנית בלא ברכה

To subscribe click here. To unsubscribe click here
To learn about our program for Mishna Yomis click here