In my childhood, in the early morning hours during Elul, I would hear a man call from below the window of our house: “Slichot, slichot, rise to prayer.” All the men would rise and head to synagogue. From outside, we couldn’t make out the words of their prayers, but when they reached this song, it’s words rang throughout the neighborhood. It would go on like this for more than 40 days. It was a very moving time.
The song cuts to the heart. It reveals how much we depend on God, who helps us and cares for us, because we are sinful and fall far short of perfection.
The verses call upon us to praise God and His infinite abilities. In Hebrew, the first letters of each line follow the alphabet. We call out to God to remind Him that we are aware of His greatness and that He is above all.
Although He already knows all, we nevertheless must call out with our voices in seeking forgiveness and repenting of our sins.
Lord...
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