Q&A: Emotion, Selichot, and What Lies Between… (The Whole World Entirely)
Emotion, Selichot, and What Lies Between… (The Whole World Entirely)
Question
I need advice.
Saying the selichot, made up of piyyutim in the style of "Like the rose of Sharon, bring her upon us, and before your Maker roll your plea" and so on and so on, feels to me dry and above all obviously incomprehensible. Even the commentary doesn’t connect me to it or awaken any special stirring or emotion in me (which, as is well known, is the main purpose of saying them). Usually the commentary is not connected to the text. Under the word "David" it may say "the Jewish people — who are called the House of David," and many more such examples. After decades of saying selichot at a breakneck reading pace and with no melody at all, is there any way to reconnect? And is giving up on saying them really such a terrible thing?
Answer
Giving it up is not so terrible, and in your situation it is even called for. There is no point in just mumbling when there is no halakhic obligation involved.
The hard way is to study the selichot beforehand and understand what they are about before praying, and then perhaps it will be possible to connect to them. The easy way is, for example, to come to the prayer service toward the end of the selichot and say something that speaks to you.