In Ashkenazi tradition, [Many communities have their own customs as to when exactly they start the Selichot] the Selichot are recited after midnight on a Saturday night before Rosh HaShana. All subsequent Selichot are held just before morning prayers.
The liturgy for the High Holiday Selichot is not found in most prayer books, but in special Selichot booklets, with a different selection for each day. An oft-repeated phrase is the “13 Attributes of Mercy,” which G-d revealed to Moses at Sinai as the key to forgiveness.
A Noahid is not obligated to say Selichot prayers. However, when he wants to pray a Noahide should not pray from the traditional Jewish liturgy text of the Selichot, unless a reliable person with a lot of knowledge goes through it first and picks out parts that are relevant for Noahides. Many parts in the Jewish Selichot prayers are not relevant for Noahides, and have kabblastic concepts that do no apply to Noahides, which can lead to misinterpretations when they are recited them.
In preparation for Rosh HaShanah, Noahides can read Psalms. (If you want you can use the reading schedule Elul-Tishrei for reading the Psalms)
The four days before Rosh HaShanah, the following four Tehillim – Psalms could be said to be additional: 32, 62, 75 and 51.
What one also could do is say the prayer of repentance found in the prayer book of Ask.Noach:
G-d, I have made mistakes, sinned and voluntarily transgressed Your precepts and commandments, and I have done what is evil in Your sight, specifically with the following sin(s) )… [softly name the specific mistakes or sins in question].
I am sincerely ashamed of my sins, I repent of them, and I want to be firm in my resolve not to do them again.
Please G-d, in Your infinite grace and mercy, forgive my sins and transgressions and give me atonement, as it is written: Let the wicked forsake his way and the man of iniquity his thoughts; and let him return to G-d, and He will have mercy on you, and on our G-d, for He forgives abundantly.” And it is written, “Would I really take pleasure in the death of the wicked? Speaks the Eternal, is it not that he who repents of his ways, that he shall live?”
Noahides can also read aloud the 13 Attributes of Mercy which G-d revealed to Moses as the key to forgiveness:
And the L‑rd passed before him and proclaimed: “L‑rd, L‑rd, benevolent G‑d, Who is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, preserving lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity, rebellion and sin, and He cleanses . . .” (Exodus 34:6-7)
By Angelique Sijbolts
With thanks to Dr. Michael Schulman
Sources: Article Chabad: What are Selichot, Prayer Book of Ask.Noach, True Mercy,
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