What is chabad selichot?

Chabad selichot (penitential prayers) refers to the specific liturgical tradition and custom practiced by Chabad Chassidim regarding the recitation of selichot — prayers of supplication and forgiveness recited in the period leading up to the High Holidays. Chabad follows the Sephardic/nusach Ari custom of beginning selichot on the first day of Elul and continuing through Yom Kippur, rather than beginning in the week before Rosh Hashanah as Ashkenazim do.

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Key Takeaways

• Chabad recites selichot beginning from Rosh Chodesh Elul, following the Sephardic-aligned nusach Ari (the prayer rite of the Arizal, as adopted by Chabad).
• This differs from the standard Ashkenazic custom, which begins selichot only on the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah (or earlier if Rosh Hashanah falls early in the week).
• Chabad selichot are recited during Ashmores HaBoker — the pre-dawn hours — in keeping with the tradition of rising early for supplication.
• The selichot liturgy centers on the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy (Yud Gimel Middos), which God revealed to Moses.
• Chabad has distinctive melodic traditions (niggunim) associated with selichot, particularly the famous "Selichot niggun" of the Alter Rebbe.

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What Are Selichot?

Selichot (סְלִיחוֹת) literally means "forgiveness" or "pardons." These are special prayers and liturgical poems (piyyutim) asking God for forgiveness, recited in the period before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur — the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe).

The central anchor of all selichot is the recitation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy (Yud Gimel Middos HaRachamim), as found in:

"וַיַּעֲבֹר יְהֹוָה עַל־פָּנָיו וַיִּקְרָא יְהֹוָה יְהֹוָה אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב־חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת. נֹצֵר חֶסֶד לָאֲלָפִים נֹשֵׂא עָוֺן וָפֶשַׁע וְחַטָּאָה וְנַקֵּה..." "And God passed before him and proclaimed: 'God, God, Almighty, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in kindness and truth. Keeping kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and Who cleanses...'" [Exodus 34:6–7]

The Talmud teaches that God Himself, as it were, showed Moses this formula, promising that whenever Israel recites these attributes with sincere repentance, they will be forgiven [Rosh Hashanah 17b].

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When Does Chabad Begin Selichot?

The Shulchan Arukh (the Sephardic baseline code) rules:

"נוהגים לקום באשמורת לומר סליחות ותחנונים מראש חדש אלול ואילך עד יום הכפורים" "The custom is to rise at the watch of the night (Ashmores HaBoker) to recite selichot and supplications from Rosh Chodesh Elul onward until Yom Kippur." [Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 581:1]

The Rema (Rabbi Moshe Isserles), representing the Ashkenazic custom, notes a different tradition — Ashkenazim begin blowing the shofar after Shacharit from Rosh Chodesh Elul, but only start selichot on the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah (or from the Sunday of the preceding week if Rosh Hashanah falls on Monday or Tuesday).

Chabad, while ethnically Ashkenazic in origin, follows the Nusach HaAri — the prayer rite established by Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Arizal) and codified for Chabad by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (the Alter Rebbe). This rite aligns with the Sephardic ruling of the Shulchan Arukh, beginning selichot on 1 Elul.

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The Structure of Chabad Selichot

Chabad selichot follow a specific order, including:

• Ashrei and introductory verses
• Thirteen Attributes of Mercy — repeated multiple times
• Vidui (viddui — confession), including Al Cheit and Ashamnu
• Various piyyutim (liturgical poems) specific to each day
• Tachanun-style supplications
• Closing prayers

The selichot for each day of Elul have their own unique piyyutim, and there are special, longer selichot for key days such as Erev Rosh Hashanah.

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The Chabad Selichot Niggun

One of the most distinctive aspects of Chabad selichot is the niggun (melody) associated with them. The Alter Rebbe composed or transmitted a haunting, soul-stirring melody specifically for selichot, which sets the emotional and spiritual tone for the entire season of teshuvah (repentance). In Chabad Chassidus, music is considered a vehicle for awakening the deepest parts of the soul.

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Spiritual Significance in Chabad Thought

The Alter Rebbe in Likkutei Torah and the Tanya emphasizes that the month of Elul is a time of special Divine accessibility — "המלך בשדה" (HaMelech BaSadeh) — "the King is in the field." God's presence is unusually close and welcoming during Elul, making selichot and teshuvah especially potent.

The 40-day period from 1 Elul through Yom Kippur mirrors the 40 days Moses spent on Sinai receiving the second tablets — the very context in which the Thirteen Attributes were revealed [Exodus 34:4–9] — making this the most auspicious time for forgiveness in the Jewish calendar.

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For personal guidance on halachic practice and specific customs, consult your local rabbi or posek.