Kippur Eve
Minha for the Eve of Kippur
Minha on the Eve of Kippur is basically the same as on a regular weekday. After the Amidah, Viduy is said.
Avinu Malkenu and Kaddish Titkabal follow, and then Psalm 32.
The service concludes with the Mourners’ Kaddish and Alenu, as usual.
Kal Nidrey
Announcement of the mitzvit is made in Portuguese.
The hazzan sings the following passage once.
The following passage is sung three times; the first softly, then progressively louder.
The hazzan sings the Sheheheyanu blessing.
The following prayers are said by the hazzan.
On Shabbat the following is added.
Tha Amdah is said silently.
After the Amidah, if it is Shabbat the following is said.
Selihot
The Selihot begin with El Mekech and Vaya’avor. A special tune is used for the first and last occurences of Vaya’avor in the Selihot.
For this and all subsequent repetitions of Vaya’avor except the last one, the following tune is used.
The following passage is traditionally read rather then sung.
However, in recent years the following widespread Moroccan Jewish tune has been introduced, instead of the plain reading given above.
The last Vaya’avor is sung to the same tune as the first one.
Vidduy
Psalms
The first four psalms are now read. It is the S&P custom to pronounce the first word “Asharey” rather than “Ashrey”.
End of Arbit
At this point, in a beautiful custom that is unique to the S&P, the last Kaddish – normally said by mourners – is sung by choir and congregation.
The hazzan sings Barekhu to the High Holiday Kaddish tune.
The service ends with th singing of Yigdal to the High Holidays tune.
The hazzan repeats the last line of Yigdal as the ark is closed.
The poem by R. Ibn Gvirol “Keter Malchut” (“The Royal Crown”) is printed in the S&P prayer book following the evening service, but it has not been recited in synagogue for many years, and if there ever was a tune for it, the tune has been forgotten.
To download a ZIP file contaning all the recordings on this page, click here: Kippur_Eve.ZIP (125 MB)