In recent years, “musical Selichos” have become more prevalent, with people reciting Selichos accompanied by musical instruments and singers.
Much ink has been spilled around this phenomenon.
But now, rabbonim have come out against the phenomenon. This includes the Ponovezh Rosh Yeshiva Rav Gershon Edelstein, who signed a letter on the subject.
The letter states, “We warn about those who break through the fence to change and turn the sacred Selichos into an evening of entertainment and hold ‘Selichos evenings’ with the participation of singers and orchestras, both in shuls and in the streets…
“We hereby call on both the organizers and the singers to cease their actions.”
The letter is signed by Rav Zvi Weber, Rav Yehuda Silman, Rav Sariel Rosenberg and Rav Yitzchak Mordechai HaCohen Rubin, who were joined, as mentioned, by the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Gershon Edelstein.
{Matzav.com Israel}
Sure. Let’s turn some more people away from HaShem and His Torah!! People who, obviously, do not respond to the usual way of Selichos but still yearn to come close to Avinu Shebashomayim need to have their needs met. Forcing people to bend themselves to a pre-set way of doing things will either comply and be hurt in the process or just turn away altogether.
That’s ridiculous.
The way you turn to Hashem is through teshuva. Teshuva is serious, not a concert. You shouldn’t be depressed, but repenting is not a concert or party.
Did you ever see a concert by a court case?
The judge would throw you out.
I’m glad you think you know better than people like R’Gershon
Dynamically, selichot involves a soul. Not an intonation.
Bringing jews together is easy. Have a kosher meal and let a rabbi talk. The people are drawn to his kindness.
Every excuse in the book brought us reform. Why start again?
chazal teach us how to turn too hashem
What about the Neo-Chasidus Tisha BeAv kumzitzes in the Five Towns? They okay??
Dvarim Pshutim.
Wait till they find out that in the Beis Hamikdash they had non stop music playing. And on shabbos and yom tov! Oy vey.
By “they” do you mean you think the rosh hayeshiva of Ponevezh doesn’t know that? Do you even realize what you are saying?
Slichos is a very serious time. It’s a time of personal inner reflection. It’s between man and his creator. On Rosh Hashanah EVERY human is judged. This is very serious. Nobody has a guarantee for life, NOBODY. To sing and dance away the evening is making a mockery of the seriousness of the situation. Sure, kumzitz & concerts are very useful tools, perhaps, in serving HKB”H, but everything has it’s proper time and location. The first night of slichos is NOT the proper time and venue.
What does that have to do with anything? Selichos is a serious time to reflect and mend your ways, it has nothing to do with the Beis Hamikdash.
About time!
I’ve been saying this for years.
When will the AMERICAN Rabbonim come out and be moche?
Hopefully never
That’s right.
If these things continue, who knows what could be next? They may even try such new-age ideas in the Bais Hamikdosh and play music during the actual avoda!! And we claim to want Moshiach when we would desecrate the Bais Hamikdosh with music?
What’s next for these people; they are going to go barefoot with turbins?!!
This week’s parsha talks about not serving Hashem with joy.
Selichos begins after Shabbos so we can take the joy of Shabbos with us and look forward to a favorable outcome.
Let’s have Hashem judge us by judging our fellow Jews with favor, including those who unite before selichos in listening to music.
I don’t think the issue is people having a kumtzitz before selichos to get them in the mood.
The problem is people who are playing music during selichos, and turning selichos into a concert.
Maybe in E.Y. it’s different but the people who go to these selichos would not be going to a regular one. So for them it’s this or nothing. Personally I can’t imagine saying selichos with guitars etc… but some people may need that type of inspiration and if they don’t get in in Yiddishe places they will look for it elsewhere.
Maybe in E.Y. it’s different but the people who go to these selichos would not be going to a regular one. So for them it’s this or nothing. Personally I can’t imagine saying selichos with guitars etc… but some people may need that type of inspiration and if they don’t get in in Yiddishe places they will look for it elsewhere.
This is a breach of mesorah this clown show started on the west side.
Their needs can be met on Sunday afternoon after football they can have their kumzits not during selichos.
It must stop
It should be devarim peshoitim to anyone brought up in our Yeshivas that this is a serious breach.
What about women who have to ask women poskim only how are their needs going to be met?
Why can’t they have a kumzits before slichos and say slichos like a mentsh like Jews have done for thousands of years
That’s one way of looking at it.
The other way of looking at it is that things should be done to engage people, but doing it using Selichos can lead to a problem.
2 different ways of looking at it – the first way that of a commenter on Matzav, the second way, that of the gedolei Yisroel who have lead our nation, understand the issues, care about every Yid, yet are charged with the proper transmission of Torah and taking all that and more into consideration, through the lenses of the Torah.
Hmmm, who should I go with?
How about also canceling all the festivities of ראש-השנה such as dressing nice suit & festive יום-טוב meals on ראש-השנה very day of Judgement?
Very telling that this directive wasn’t issued during era of the Saintly Rav חיים Kanievsky זצקללה”ה.
I stay away from entertainment venues all year to sit & learn, but this is the 1 nite I look forward the entire year, to utilize חזמות לשם שמים to get inspired for ימים נוראים
The suit and meals of Rosh Hashanah are mandated by the Tur and Shulchan Aruch …
If slichos is meant for teshuva then let people sing and kupsitz as they wish. Teshuva from ahava , which music inspires , is on a great level. How many who criticise this really even know the פירוש המילות of the slichos ? We need simcha and confidence , not depression. Rosh Hashana in 99% of shuls is loaded with piyutim that are sung. Then stop singing on Yom Kippur too.
There is a “time” for everything. Slichos is NOT the time for singing and dancing. If one is still alive at Sucos, that is a time of tremendous Simcha. And into simchas Torah.
Does your Shul have music and dancing on Rosh Hashanah?! Do you have a guitarist and a singer using a microphone on Rosh Hashanah?!
The Torah is not a hefker velt.
Mobile — Bimchilas Kevodchem , there are rabbonim who disagree. Your rav says no and another permits it. Respect others and maybe Moshiach gets closer.
bmchilas kvodchem, you can always find a rabbi who says what you want and if, with intellectual honesty, that is the one who you feel represents Torah true values, go for it. But, to dismiss something that Gedolei Yisrael said as out-of-touch is tremendous chutzpa and totally inaccurate and irresponsible.
The Sephardim do selichos for the whole month, and from those who I have spoken to, it seems like they actually find selichos very enjoyable. Maybe we should learn something from them…
It’s not a concert with AF or MBD music and live band etc, it’s more eitan Katz and Shlomo B style music which is slow music So I don’t see a problem
Oh, okay. Which posek school did you graduate from?
Its all good. Just wait until ‘Matzav’ posts the videos tomorrow.
With eye catching headlines….’must watch’
WHY WHY AND WHY
selichos is long and some emerge uninspired and not ready for rosh hashana
why cant we have music i’m not saying a fifteen piece band but what’s wrong with agatur and a inspirational singer .
THE neviem wold listen to music before getting a nevuah cues music brings us closer to hashem spiritually and physically and emotionally .
So have a kumzits before slichos not during
Some ppl are uninspired by Yom Kippur they can’t wait for it to be over so what would you like to do about it turn it into a day of entertainment like we don’t have enough of that during the year.
stop the madness
Since selichos as it is supposed to be, is too difficult as so many claim, those crowds would be better off altogether abolishing it! They instead ought to have a couple moments of communal silent contemplation.
My 19 YO is on his device almost constantly, if I ask to come with me to slichos he will laugh at me, maybe the kumzitz he will come and then also slichos.
what type of device….?