Halacha According to the Sephardic Practice: The Month of Elul

Selichot

The time to recite Selichot

11. The Sephardic custom is to recite Selichot the entire month of Elul, starting from the day after Rosh Chodesh Elul.[1] The Ashkenazic custom is to recite Selichot starting from the week of or before Rosh Hashanah.[2]
12. Selichot is not recited on Rosh Chodesh since one is not permitted to recite vidduy on Rosh Chodesh.[3]
13. The best time to recite Selichot is in the morning before alot hashachar. Some people have the custom to recite Selichot at chatzot.[4]
14. Before chatzot, one may not recite Selichot and the Thirteen Attributes (the Yud-Gimmel Middot). One who is praying with a minyan that recites the entire Selichot before chatzot should leave, since the minyan is not acting in accordance with Halachah.[5]
15. Those residing in chutz laAretz should wait until it is chatzot in their time zones, regardless of whether those residing Eretz Yisrael may have already begun to recite Selichot. However, those who want to recite Selichot along with those in Eretz Yisrael (via technological means) may do so.[6]
16. While one may not recite the Thirteen Middot before chatzot, one may begin Ashrei and other parts of Selichot that precede the recitation of the Thirteen Middot before chatzot, and then continue with the rest of Selichot after chatzot.[7]
17. If one is awake at chatzot but does not have enough time to recite Selichot, he should at least try to recite Tikkun Chatzot.[8]
18. If one is unsure if he will finish Selichot with enough time for zman keriat Shema, zman tefillah, or tefillah betzibbur, then he should first pray Shacharit, and recite Selichot[9]
19. It is better to pray the Shemoneh Esrei at netz rather than pray Selichot.[10]
20. If one sees that by reciting the entire Selichot he will miss zman tefillah, he should skip some paragraphs from Selichot.[11] The paragraphs that may be skipped are:
    1. Skip אם אפס רובע הקן and then begin at זכרון לפניך בשחק.
    2. Skip בזכרי על משכבי and למתודה חטאתיו and אליך ה’ נשאתי עיני.
21. If one is reciting Selichot before Shacharit, one must recite birchot haTorah beforehand, since there are many pesukim recited during Selichot, and one may not recite divrei Torah before saying birchot haTorah.[12]
22. Those who are unable to recite Selichot after chatzot or before Shacharit may do so before Minchah. During such a recitation, the chazzan should preferably wear a tallit, especially if he is not wearing a suit jacket.[13]

Reciting Selichot along with a minyan through technological means

13. One may even recite the entire Selichot through technological means (such as a live hookup, the radio, or telephone.) However, if one merely listens to a recording of the Selichot, he may not recite it.[14]
14. It is better to recite Selichot along with a larger minyan through a live hookup than to recite it along with a smaller minyan. This is common in Eretz Yisrael, where there are large Selichot minyanim, and many people follow along with a screen projecting the Selichot In such a case, it is better to recite it along with the screen than to form a separate and smaller minyan.[15]

Selichot for people who learn or teach Torah

15. Even one who is learning or teaching Torah all day should set aside time to recite Selichot.[16] However, if one will miss tefillah with a minyan, or will not have enough strength to learn Torah the next day, he should either recite Selichot before Minchah, or he should recite Selichot on some days in Elul, such as on Mondays and Thursdays. If Mondays and Thursdays are too difficult, then one should at least try to recite Selichot when the Ashkenazim begin to recite them (from the week of or before Rosh Hashanah), and at the very least, during the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah.[17]

Reciting Selichot alone

19. When reciting Selichot without a minyan, one may recite the Thirteen Middot, provided that he recites them with the tune from the Torah reading.[18]
20. When reciting Selichot alone, one is not required to complete the pasuk for the Thirteen Middot (venakeh lo yenakeh).[19]
21. One who cannot recite Selichot with a minyan should refrain from saying the Aramaic parts.[20] They are as follows:
    1. רחמנא.
    2. דעני לעניי.
    3. מרנא דבשמיא.
    4. מחי ומסי.
22. If one is waiting for a minyan, he may begin reciting Selichot and skip both the Thirteen Middot and the Aramaic parts until a minyan arrives. Once a minyan is formed, he should recite Kaddish, and return to the parts that were skipped.[21]
23. If there were ten people present at the beginning of Selichot, but some left before the last Kaddish, and there is no longer a minimum of ten people praying, then Kaddish after Selichot may not be recited.[22]

Reciting the Thirteen Middot

21. The phrase Vayaavor Hashem al panav vayikra should be recited quietly along with the chazzan.[23]
22. When reciting the Thirteen Middot, it is customary to bow slightly when reciting vayaavor, and lift one’s heels (as done during Kedushah) each time when reciting the Name of Hashem (in Hashem Hashem Kel Rachum veChanun).[24]
23. Some people have the custom to count the Thirteen Middot with their fingers. However, since the poskim dispute over which of the words refer to which attribute, it is preferable not to count them out.[25]
24. Some Sephardim have the custom to blow the shofar during the recitation of the Thirteen Middot and the end of the last Kaddish, and in some communities, even more than one person blows the shofar.[26] The recitation of the Thirteen Middot is greater than the shofar blowing, so it is better that only one person should blow. If the shofar blowing will wake up those who are sleeping in the surrounding buildings, it is proper to refrain from doing so.[27] A minyan that is not willing to forego its custom of blowing the shofar, though, should only have one person blow it.[28]
25. If one hears a minyan reciting the Thirteen Middot, he should recite them along with the minyan, unless he is in the middle of praying and cannot interrupt.[29]

An avel or chatan reciting Selichot

26. An avel may leave his home to recite Selichot with a minyan if there is no minyan in his home. If there is a minyan in the avel’s home, he should not recite Tachanun, but may recite the rest of Selichot.[30]
27. If there is a chatan, or if one of the baalei brit is present in the minyan, Tachanun may nevertheless be recited during Selichot.[31

Reciting Selichot in an Ashkenaz minyan

28. A Sephardi praying with Ashkenazim should recite Selichot in accordance with the Sephardic customs.[32] However, if one recited Selichot with an Ashkenazic machzor, he does not have to repeat it with the Sephardic nusach.[33]

One who has already recited Selichot

29. One who has already recited Selichot is permitted to recite it again with another minyan[34] and can even serve as a chazzan.[35]
30. Some say that one who already recited Selichot should not recite the vidduy Instead, one should say a short version of the vidduy by saying, “Chatanu, Avinu, Pashanu.”[36]

Customs of Chodesh Elul

LeDavid

31. After Shacharit, starting from Rosh Chodesh Elul, it is praiseworthy to recite LeDavid Hashem Ori VeYish’i (Tehillim, ch. 27).[37]
32. If one is with a minyan that recites LeDavid only after Arvit, he may sit quietly without reciting it with the minyan. Similarly, if one’s minyan does not recite LeDavid after Shacharit, one should nevertheless do so quietly.[38]
33. It is praiseworthy to recite the day of creation on every day starting from the 25^th of Elul that corresponds to that day.[39]

Praying for people to do teshuvah

34. During Elul, and especially during the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah, when reciting the berachah of Hashivenu Avinu leToratecha, one should have in mind the request that Hashem help the unobservant Jews to repent. If one knows of someone specifically, he should have that person in mind, and may even recite names, especially of family members.[40]

Checking one’s mezuzot and tefillin

35. It is praiseworthy for one to have his tefillin and mezuzot checked by a qualified sofer during the month of Elul even though tefillin do not need to be checked without a reason, and mezuzot only need to be checked once every three and a half years.[41]

Giving a blessing when writing a letter

36. During the month of Elul, there is a custom to write at the beginning of a letter that the recipient should be written and signed in the Book of Life.[42]

Getting married

37. One is permitted to get married during the month of Elul, even with music, and there is no need to be stringent in this matter.[43]

It should be noted that in the following halachot of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, when the Yalkut Yosef is cited, it is referring to the 5775 edition of the Yamim Nora’im.

[1]. There are different customs brought in the Rishonim. Rambam, Teshuvah 3:4; Rosh, Rosh Hashanah 4, in the name of Rav Cohen Tzedek; Rav Hai Gaon; Rav Amram Gaon; Sefer HaManhig; and others only recited Selichot from after Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur. Rosh also cites the view of the Ritz Giat in Sefer HaManhig, Rosh Hashanah §25 and the Ran in Rosh Hashanah 16a, who write that in many places, the custom is to recite Selichot beginning from Rosh Chodesh Elul. This is also the view of Shulchan Aruch 581:1 and Arizal, Shaar HaKavanot, in the beginning to the introduction to Derush Rosh Hashanah (see Kaf HaChayim 581:16, which brings this view). See Kaf HaChayim 581:14 for various reasons why one should recite Selichot for a total of forty days. See also Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 1; Ohr LeTzion, vol. 4, 1:3, in the footnotes; and Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 1.

Mishnah Berurah 581:1; Kaf HaChayim 581:15; and Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 2, in the footnotes state that even Sephardim do not recite Selichot on Rosh Chodesh.

[2]. Rama 581:1. If Rosh Hashanah falls out on Thursday and on, then Ashkenazim begin reciting Selichot on the previous Sunday. If Rosh Hashanah falls out on any day before Thursday, then they begin reciting Selichot on the Sunday on the week before that. See also Torat HaMoadim, Yamim Nora’im, p. 4.

[3] Teshuvot HaRama MiPano 79; Kenesset HaGedolah 581; Magen Avraham 581:2; Terachem Tzion, p. 6.

[4]. Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 2, in the names of the Arizal and Ohr LeTzion, vol. 4, 1:1; Terachem Tzion, p. 19. See also Igrot Moshe, O.C. 2:105.

[5]. In regards to reciting Selichot before chatzot, the Arizal, as brought in Shaar HaKavanot, Derushei Tefillat Arvit, derush 1, says that Selichot should not be recited before chatzot. See also Magen Avraham 565:5 and Mishnah Berurah 565:12, which cite this ruling. This is also the ruling of Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 2; Yechaveh Daat 1:46; Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, pp. 3–5 & p. 18, 11; Torat HaMoadim, Yamim Nora’im, p. 5; and Ohr LeTzion, vol. 4, 1:1. See also Emek Yehoshua 2:43 and Halichot Shlomo, Rosh Hashanah, ch. 1, 12:4. This is unlike the opinion of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein in Igrot Moshe, O.C. 2:105, who rules that one may even recite Selichot before chatzot. However, Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 2 adds that one may listen to Selichot on the radio or by recording to learn the tunes and be familiarized with the words before chatzot, since one’s intention is to learn it, and not to recite it.

[6]. Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 8; see also Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, at end of the footnotes on p. 4. However, even via technological means, Selichot should preferably be recited after chatzot.

[7]. See Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 19, and Orchot Maran, Rosh Hashanah, p. 8, which state that this was the custom of Chacham Ovadia Yosef. See also Halichot Shlomo, Moadim, p. 3, which is unlike the view of Ashrei HaIsh, vol. 3, 3:17, which states that one may not even begin Ashrei before chatzot.

[8]. See Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 25 and Torat HaMoadim, Yamim Nora’im, p. 7, which explain that according to many poskim, the recitation of Tikkun Chatzot is even greater than reciting Selichot. See also Halachah Berurah, vol. 1, p. 6. Terachem Tzion, p. 25 says that Tikkun Chatzot is more important than reciting Selichot along with a minyan.

[9]. Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 9.

[10] Halichot Moed, p. 57.

[11]. Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 33, 6.

[12]. Shulchan Aruch 46:9; Kaf HaChayim 581:31, in the name of the Arizal. See also Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 5; Torat HaMoadim, Yamim Nora’im, p. 18; and Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 66. See also Ohr LeTzion, vol. 2, 4:4, in the footnotes. Terachem Tzion, p. 22, adds that if one came late, he must recite Birchot haTorah before reciting Selichot, but he can recite the rest of Birchot hashachar after Selichot.

[13]. Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, pages 6 & 24; Torat HaMoadim, Yamim Nora’im, p. 6; Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 50. See also Ohr LeTzion, vol. 4, 1:1, which states that one should only recite Selichot before Minchah if there is really no other time. See also Orchot Maran, Rosh Hashanah, p. 8, who reports that there was a time when Chacham Ovadia would recite Selichot at Minchah. He also suggested that this should be established for Avrechim who need their strength and find it difficult to pray Selichot early in the morning or late at night. This is also the custom in Yechaveh Daat, the Kollel of Chacham David Yosef.

[14]. Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 21; Torat HaMoadim, Yamim Nora’im, p. 17; Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 10, 9. This is unlike the Ohr LeTzion, vol. 4, 1:4. See also Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 17, which brings in the name of Chacham Ovadia Yosef that even if there is a few-second delay, one may still answer and take part in the Selichot. However, this ruling may not be applied to listening to the Megillah on Purim, in which one may not fulfill his obligation even through a live hookup. See also Halichot Moed, p. 54.

[15]. Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 18, 10.

[16]. See Shaarei Teshuvah 581:1 and the Birkei Yosef 581:6, which say that there were many great talmidei chachamim who interrupted their nightly learning to recite Selichot with a minyan, since Elul is a special time for prayer and teshuvah. See also Ishei Yisrael 45:4, footnote 14 and Tefillah KeHilchatah, ch. 23, footnote 6.

[17]. The Chida writes in Birkei Yosef 581:6 and in Moreh BaEtzba §245 that one should not miss minyan or even come to sleep wearing tefillin from staying up late the night before reciting Selichot. Therefore, Chacham Ovadia Yosef writes in his Yabia Omer, vol. 2, O.C. 28:8–9; ibid., vol. 4, Y.D. §19; Yechaveh Daat 3:44, 7:93; Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 8, and Yalkut Yosef on Yamim Nora’im, p. 19 that if one does not have enough strength, one should try to say Selichot on Mondays and Thursdays, and at the very least, Rabbi Ben Tzion Abba Shaul, as brought in Kuntres Halichot Olam, p. 3; Ner Tzion, p. 71; Ohr LeTzion, vol. 4, 1:3, says that one should say it on Fridays, when there isn’t as much bittul Torah, or begin to recite Selichot along with the Ashkenazim (from the week of or before Rosh Hashanah), or, as Chacham Ovadia Yosef states, from Aseret Yemei Teshuvah. It must be stressed, however, that Rabbi Shalom Messas writes in Shemesh U’Magen, vol. 3, O.C. §57 that when he was a young student, he would go every night to pray Selichot with a minyan, and the deep impression of those tefillot lasted him a lifetime, and inspired him yearly to truly feel the feelings of awe and repentance during the Yamim Nora’im. He adds that even though those Selichot did minimize his time for learning, it was a worthwhile investment because of the yirat Shamayim he gained from them. It seems that every person must employ his own judgment regarding how and when to recite Selichot. No person is the same, and not everyone will be so inspired. Most importantly, one must be honest with himself; if he knows that he will be too tired to learn Torah properly the next day, he may even recite Selichot in the afternoon. A similar experience is also brought in Shema Shlomo 4:7. See also Terachem Tzion, p. 15, who reports that he saw many great Chachamim in Yerushalayim, including Chacham Ezra Attia, Rabbi Yaakov Addess, Rabbi Tzadka Huzzein, Rabbi Ovadia Hedaya, Rabbi Salman Mutzafi, and others who would recite Selichot with a minyan everyday throughout Elul.

[18]. This is the view of the Shulchan Aruch 565:5, which states that one may not recite the Thirteen Middot unless they are recited with derech keriah be’alma, with the tune and cantillations of the Torah reading. See Palagi, Ruach Chayim 131:1; Ben Ish Chai, Ki Tisa 1:9; Rav Pe’alim 1:11; and Kaf HaChayim 131:23. See also Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 27; Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 33; and Torat HaMoadim, Yamim Nora’im, p. 8. This is unlike Ohr LeTzion, vol. 4, 1:2, which states that one should omit the Thirteen Middot entirely.

[19]. Rabbi Ben Tzion Abba Shaul in Ohr LeTzion, vol. 2, 89:1 holds regarding whether to recite Tachanun, that a person praying alone may recite the Thirteen Middot, but he must recite them with the Torah cantillations, and one must complete the pasuk, since one may only recite half a pasuk with a minyan. This is also the view of Igrot Moshe, Y.D. 3:21. However, the view of Chacham Ovadia Yosef in Yechaveh Daat 1:47; Yabia Omer, vol. 9, 108:69; Halichot Olam vol. 1, p. 241; and Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 30 is that one does not have to complete the pasuk, since it is clear that one is only reciting the Thirteen Middot as a supplication, which may be said even without a minyan, since he is also reciting the phrase with the cantillation melody. This is also the opinion of Rabbi Raphael Baruch Toledano in his Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, p. 122, Nefilat Apayim §21. See also Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 39 and Halachah Berurah, vol. 7, 131:9.

[20]. See Torah Lishmah §49; Yechaveh Daat 3:43; Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 11; Torat HaMoadim, Yamim Nora’im, p. 8; and Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 40, which rule unlike the view of Ohr LeTzion, vol. 4, 1:2. Ohr LeTzion states, though, that if one wants to say the Aramaic parts, he may do so if he translates them into Lashon HaKodesh. See also Nitei Gavriel, Rosh Hashanah 12:9 and Halichot Shlomo, Tefillah 17:2, which state that if the minyan is slightly ahead, one may still recite the Aramaic parts, and does not have to skip to follow with the minyan. A similar view is stated by Ben Ish Chai, Ki Tisa 1:4; Od Yosef Chai, Ki Tisa §8; and Torah Lishmah §96 in regards to the Thirteen Middot. See also Kaf HaChayim 131:24. However, Chacham Ovadia Yosef writes in Halichot Olam, vol. 1, p. 211 that one should finish the phrase with the taamei hamikra if the minyan has already finished reciting the Thirteen Middot. See also Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 66, 33. Halachah Berurah, vol. 7, 131:9, p. 8, adds that if at least six people are still reciting the Thirteen Middot, then one does not have to recite them with the taamei hamikra. Similarly, if one is in the middle of reciting Selichot and the minyan begins to recite the Thirteen Middot, he should stop what he is saying and recite them along with the minyan. See Shalmei Moed, p. 24 and Shevet HaLevi, vol. 7, 12:1; ibid., vol. 9, 24:2; and Ashrei HaIsh vol. 3, 13:17.

[21]. Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 31, 3; Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 41.

[22]. Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 65, 32; Shulchan Yosef, p. 68, 197.

[23]. See Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 32 and Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 45, citing Shaar HaKavanot. See also Rav Pe’alim, vol. 3, 3:3 and Od Yosef Chai, Ki Tisa 1:7, which state that those who rule that only the chazzan should recite this phrase are incorrect. See also Kaf HaChayim, Sofer, 131:20, which is unlike Kaf HaChayim, Palagi, 16:13.

[24]. See Birkei Yosef 131:6 and Ben Ish Chai, Ki Tisa 1:10. See also Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 32 and Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 44, which state that one does not have to do so. Orchot Maran, vol. 1, p. 360 states that Chacham Ovadia Yosef would do this when reciting the Thirteen Middot.

[25]. Ben Ish Chai, Ki Tisa 1:4 writes that one should count the Thirteen Middot with his fingers. However, Chacham Ovadia Yosef writes in Halichot Olam, vol. 1, p. 242; Maor Yisrael, vol. 1, Rosh Hashanah 18b, p. 185; and Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 33, 7 that one should not do so since it is unclear which words are counted as a separate middah. See also Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 45, 27; Halachah Berurah, vol. 7, 131:8; Rambam, Responsa, Pe’er HaDor, siman 90, in the footnotes; and Orchot Maran, vol. 1, p. 360.

[26]. See Kaf HaChayim 581:13. This was also the custom in Morocco, as brought in Netivot HaMaarav, Chodesh Elul §21; the custom in Tunisia, as brought in Brit Kehunah, Maarechet Samech §10 and Sefer Alei Hadas 8:3; and in Teiman, as per the Shulchan Aruch Mekutzar, vol. 3, 109:4.

[27]. Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 24, in the footnotes ; Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 46; ibid., Moadim, p. 16.

[28]. Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 46.

[29]. Halachah Berurah, vol. 7, p. 18, 14; Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah, vol. 2, §131, footnote 18, p. 410; ibid., Yamim Nora’im, p. 69, 36; Ohr LeTzion, vol. 2, 4:4, in the footnotes. See also Ashrei HaIsh, O.C., vol. 3, 13:13.

[30]. Chazon Ovadia, Avelut, vol. 2, p. 313 and Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 51, 34, which are unlike the view Moed LeChol Chai 11:25. See Kaf HaChayim 581:32. See also Ohr LeTzion 4:1:3 regarding a chatan.

[31]. Ohr LeTzion, vol. 4, p. 19, footnote 3; Shevet HaLevi, vol. 4, 54:5. See also Halichot Shlomo, p. 4 and Ashrei HaIsh, vol. 3, p. 81, which state that Tachanun is not said.

[32]. Shemesh U’Magen, vol. 4, 72:1; Terachem Tzion, p. 10. In such an instance, one should be careful not to say the Aramaic parts without a minyan, and the Thirteen Middot must be recited with taamei hamikra if they are not recited with a minyan. See also Moed LeChol Chai 11:19, which says that an Ashkenazi may pray with Sepharadim and change his nusach.

[33]. Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 23; Terachem Tzion, p. 12, footnote 5, in the name of Machazor Bet El, p. 43.

[34] See Kaf HaChayim 131:12 who says that when reciting it a second time one should have in mind that he is only doing so to be part of the tzibbur.

[35] Shevet HaLevi, vol. 5, 66:1.

[36] Halichot Moed, p. 50. See also Terachem Tzion, p. 173 who says that one can recite the vidduy again as long as he has intention that he is only doing so to be part of the tzibbur.

[37]. See Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 24, which cites Mateh Ephraim 581:6, which states that this is customarily recited from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Shemini Atzeret. See also the Chida in Avodat HaKodesh, in the last paragraph of Kuntres Sansan LeYair, and in Moreh BaEtzba 2:37, who writes that one should recite it after every tefillah. Some have the custom to recite it at Shacharit and Minchah (see Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Piskei Siddur, Hilchot Keriat Shema and Tefillah). Some recite it after Minchah (see Ishei Yisrael 45:3). Some have the custom to recite it after Shacharit and Arvit, as per the Mishnah Berurah 581:2. See Lebhar, Magen Avot, O.C., p. 284. See also Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 74 and Shevet HaLevi 10:87.

[38]. See Halichot Shlomo, Moadim, ch. 1, footnote 3 and Ishei Yisrael, ch. 45, footnote 6, which state that one should follow the minyan. See also Rivevot Ephraim 6:300, which says that one may recite LeDavid with the minyan since it is just a perek of Tehillim. I asked this question to Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, and he answered that one does not have to follow the minyan, and he may follow the Sepharadic custom to recite LeDavid after Shacharit. See also Piskei Teshuvot, footnote 77.

[39] Moed LeChol Chai 11:50; Melechet Shlomo, Selichot, p. 10.

[40]. Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 25, 21, in the name of Rabbi David Amar, Tefillah LeDavid, siman 212. See also Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 81.

[41]. Yechaveh Daat 1:49; Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 26; Torat HaMoadim, Yamim Nora’im, p. 2; Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 84; Ohr LeTzion, vol. 4, 1:6. See also Orchot Maran, vol. 1, p. 97, which states that Chacham Ovadia Yosef was not particularly stringent to check his tefillin and mezuzot every Elul. Orchot Maran, Rosh Hashanah, p. 3, adds that every few years when Chacham Ovadia would find a nice pair of tefillin that met his standards, he would purchase new ones.

[42]. Eliyah Rabbah, in the name of the Maharil. See Chazon Ovadia, Yamim Nora’im, p. 26 and Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 89.

[43]. Sdei Chemed, Chatan VeKallah §23. Yechaveh Daat 1:48 even permits one to get married during Aseret Yemei Teshuvah. See also Yalkut Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 87, which also adds that a boy in yeshivah should preferably get married before Elul, so as not to disturb the others, who are beginning the new year in yeshivah. However, he should not push off the wedding until after Elul for this reason.