Erev Rosh Hashana

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Customs of Erev Rosh Hashana

  1. Tachanun is not recited on Erev Rosh Hashana in Shacharit, even though during selichot of that morning we do recite the yud gimmel middot and the nefilat apayim. However, tachanun is recited the mincha before erev rosh hashana. [1]
  2. We do not blow the shofar on erev rosh hashana and if one needs to practice blowing for the holiday, he should do so in a private room. [2]
  3. There are five main customs observed on Erev Rosh Hashana: 1) Laundering one's clothing. 2) Cutting one's hair. 3) Dipping in the mikveh. 4) Visiting the cemetery. 5) Giving tzedaka. [3]
  4. Some have the custom of receiving lashes on Erev Rosh Hashana, while others do so on Erev Yom Kippur.[4]

Visiting the Cemetery

  1. Some have the custom to visit the grave-sites of righteous people on Erev Rosh Hashana. [5]

Fasting on Erev Rosh Hashana

  1. There is a custom to fast on Erev Rosh Hashana. [6]
  2. Some say that the minhag is that women do not fast on Erev Rosh Hashana. [7]
  3. One who is still fasting at mincha, should recite aneinu during mincha, [8] For the chazzan, if he doesn't plan on finishing the fast, he shouldn't recite aneinu in the chazarat hashatz at all. [9]
  4. One doesn't need to have to accept this fast upon himself during mincha the day before. [10]

Dipping in the Mikveh

  1. The custom is to dip in a mikveh on erev rosh hashana in honor of rosh hashana, however this isn't required according to the law and therefore a beracha isn't recited and the laws aren't as strict. [11] If one cannot make it to a mikveh, he should try to spill 9 kav (approximately 12 liters) of water even if in the shower. [12]
  2. A woman within her seven clean days from niddah shouldn't go to the mikveh on erev rosh hashana or erev yom kippur. [13]

Hatarat Nedarim

  1. The custom is to do hatarat nedarim on erev rosh hashana and erev yom kippur. [14]


Sources

  1. Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 21, Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim page 46, Shulchan Aruch 581:3, Kaf Hachayim 581:74
  2. Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 21
  3. Shulchan Aruch, Siman 581:4
  4. Kaf HaChaim 581:58
  5. Shulchan Aruch 581:4. Kitzur S"A 128:13 points out that we are obviously not praying to the dead person themselves as that would be avoda zara, but rather that Hashem perform kindness and listen to our prayers thanks to the merit of these great tzaddikim. Mishna Berura 581:27 as well as the Sefer Ikarim 4:35 write likewise.
  6. The Shulchan Aruch 581:2 writes that the custom is to fast on Erev Rosh Hashana. The Rama ibid. writes that there is no need to finish the fast. Rabbi Eli Mansour says that one shouldn't eat until Kiddush that night. see Yalkut Yosef Moadim pg. 20, Halichot Olam 2:pg. 233
  7. Mishna Berura 581:16 writes that women also fast, but Rabbi Yissachar Dov Krakowski says this isn't the custom.
  8. Mishna Berura 562:7 says this is true even if you do not plan on finishing the fast. For sephardim, the Kaf Hachayim 562:8 says if you do not plan on finishing the fast to recite aneinu during elokay nitzor.
  9. Beiur Halachah 562:1 "aval."
  10. Mishna Berura 581:16, Rabbi Yissachar Dov Krakowski. This is also the ruling of Rabbi Eli Mansour However, Revach.net quotes Rav Elyashiv as saying that if you don't fast every year, you should accept it during mincha the day before.
  11. Halichot Olam 2: page 225, Moed Likol Chai 12:11. see also Rama 581:4.
  12. Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 22, Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim page 51, 57.
  13. Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim page 59
  14. Kaf Hachayim 581:12, Yalkut Yosef Moadim page 22, Yabea Omer OC 2:30, Chazon Ovadia Yamim Noraim page 42