ELUL – PREPARING YOURSELF FOR RENEWAL

Many people make it a habit to engage in no Midrash teaches us that Moses ascended Mt. On the Day of Atonement in 1967, I put secular conversation from the beginning of the Sinai on the first of Elul in order to receive on my dark holiday suit and went to the New Moon of Elul until after Yom Kippur, for the second set of the Ten Commandments. Old City in Jerusalem. I stood, for some there is nothing in the world better for the Since Moses remained on the mountain for time, before the alcove of an Arab’s shop, not far from Damascus Gate, a purification of the soul than the curbing of idle forty days, the sages identified this whole shop of buttons and zippers and spools talk. Besides, it is also a great aid to devotion in period, from the first of Elul until Yom of thread in all colours, and snaps and prayer when alien thoughts do not confuse the Kippur, as a period of Penitential prayer and buckles. A glorious light and a great worshiper. (Kav ha-Yashar XII) repentance. (Pirkei de Rabbi Eliezer 46) many colours like a Holy Ark with its doors ajar. The word Elul has the 1. What are the elements in my life that I’m ready to leave behind this year? I told him in my heart numerical value of the that my father, too, had word binah, such a shop of threads understanding. Through and buttons. I understanding comes explained to him in my Teshuva, as it is written 2. What elements are missing from my life that I want to embrace this year? heart all about the tens (Isa. 6:10): “And of years and the understanding with their reasons and the circumstances because heart, return, and be of which I am now here healed.” (Siddur Rabbi 3. During this month of Elul, what steps do I need to take to prepare for the and my father’s shop in

Yaabetz ) High Holy days? ashes there, and he is buried here. Traditional Rabbinic By the time I had finished, it was the exegesis considers the Song of Songs to be an hour of ‘the locking of the Gates.” He too allegorical description of 4. Who am I going to need to speak with to ask forgiveness? pulled down the shutter God’s love for Israel. and locked the gate, The name of the month and I went back home Elul consists of the four with all the

Hebrew letters Alef, 5. What am I going to have to forgive myself for? worshippers. (Yehuda Lamed, Vav, and Lamed. Amichai) These four letters were At the cost of interpreted as referring to abandoning our inner the first letters of the essence, our pure souls, words in Song of Songs 6. How can I utilize the next five days to prepare myself as an individual? most of us have chosen 6:3: Ani Ledodi Vedodi to protect ourselves Li, “I am my beloved’s with walls and barriers. and my beloved is Often, these not only mine.” Therefore, Elul is keep dangers out, they 7. How can I utilize the next five days to prepare myself to be a spiritual the period of also keep joy out; they leader? reconciliation between keep our selves out. Teshuva is coming God and Israel. If Israel home to the truest self, will long to turn in a to, “I’m sorry I hurt complete Teshuva to you. I wasn’t myself.” God who is in heaven, 8. What do I need from the other people to accomplish these goals? It is an opportunity to then God’s longing will peel off the façade and go out to them, and uncover the games we Israel’s Teshuva will be play in an effort to hide accepted. (Mateh Moshe) our most pure and vulnerable. Essence. (Debbie Friedman) Once on the New Moon of Elul, the zaddik Rabbi Levi Elul is a time not only for Isaac of Berditchev was standing at his window. A introspection but of inspection. Elul calls us to forgive, to forgive others non-Jewish cobbler passed by and asked him, “And Your state of being should be whom we have wounded wittingly and u have you nothing to mend?” At once the zaddik sat checked out by professionals – wittingly by words, and by actions. She bids us speak words, which stick in our himself down on the ground and weeping bitterly cried, physician, mental-health specialists craw like leftover morning gruel clings to “Woe is me, and alas my soul, for the Day of Judgment – and by those important to you – spouse and friends. (Zalman the pot, and to ask forgiveness, and to is almost here, and I hav e still not mended Shalomi) grant forgiveness. (Vicki Hollander) myself!” (Zikhron la-Rishonim)