Tishrei 6 is the yahrtzeit of Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson (1879-1964), mother of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
R. Aryeh Leib was a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and of R. DovBer of Mezeritch, known for his passionate service of G‑d. According to many sources, R. Aryeh Leib of Shpoli is identical with the righteous R. Leib Sarah’s.
The 10-day period beginning on Rosh Hashanah and ending on Yom Kippur is known as the "Ten Days of Repentance"; this is the period, say the sages, of which the prophet speaks when he proclaims (Isaiah 55:6) "Seek G-d when He is to be found; call on Him when He is near." Psalm 130, Avinu Malkeinu and other special inserts and additions are included in our daily prayers during these days.
The Baal Shem Tov instituted the custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms). Click below for today's three Psalms.
Chapter 103
Chapter 104
Chapter 105
Links: About the Ten Days of teshuvah; Voicemail; more on teshuvah
On such a holy, beautiful day, why do we recite a list of sins again and again?
Because one day of the year is not enough. We wish our souls to be united with her Beloved every day of the year.
So we read out loud through this list, and one by one, through G-d’s great kindness and love for us, the stains on the clothing of our souls fade away.
Then we rise higher, into a yet more intense light in which the stains can still be detected. And so we repeat the list again.
Until, by the end of Yom Kippur, we enter the new year in sparkling, fresh clothing for our souls. The essence-light of Yom Kippur may now shine within us for an entire year.