07 Sep Kashruth Question of the Week

What is preferable, to wake up early and recite Selichos before dawn, or to stay up late and recite Selichos after Chatzos (midnight)?

Rav Yitzchak Zylberstein (Chashukei Chemed, Yoma 22a) writes that the preferred time to recite Selichos is before dawn. This can be inferred from the words of the Rambam (Hilchos Teshuva 3:4) who writes that the custom is to awake at night and recite Selichos until the morning. Mishnah Berurah (581:1) as well writes that the end of the night is a time that especially appropriate for prayer. The She’arim Metzuyanim B’Halachah (Yoma 22a) points out that it is more difficult to wake up early to pray than it is to stay up late. Therefore, a prayer offered early in the morning has more value, since it is recited through greater sacrifice. Although in general it is preferable to wake up early to say Selichos, on the first night of Selichos, on Motzei Shabbos, it is preferable to recite Selichos after Chatzos. We attempt to combine the merit of Shabbos together with the first Selichos. Therefore, we try to connect them to Shabbos as early as possible (Chashukei Chemed, ibid.). Mishnah Berurah (581:6) writes that we always begin Selichos on a Motzei Shabbos so there should be a uniform starting date for Selichos.