Tuesday, September 4, 2012
How do we get the most out of Elul
11:30 AM | 
Posted by
Rabbi Chaim Coffman |
It is just a few short weeks away, the ultimate judgment day, Rosh Hashanah. We have been hearing the shofar be blown every day for the last two weeks to "wake us up from our slumber" as the Rambam tells us. The question is are we ready for the day of judgement and are we getting the most out of the month of Elul?
We know that Rosh Hashanah comes before Yom Kippur, the day of the atonement, but the question is why? Isn't it better for us to have our spiritual state wiped clean before our future fate is determined?
Rosh Hashanah has to come first. Through the awesome spirit of strict judgment of that day, we are able to perceive that Hashem is truly the undisputed ruler of the entire universe. Only after we have achieved this level of recognition are we worthy of being purified on Yom Kippur.
Rosh Hashanah is the Yom Tov (festival) of kingship, recognizing that everything that happens in our lives is in His hands alone. When we think about the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, the odds that a person could receive a judgement involving much trial and suffering in the upcoming year are not remote. Yet we find that many people are relaxed before the day of judgment, assuming that if things went okay last year they will stay okay in the following year. This complacency comes from the fact that they do not grasp the full extent of the judgment. In addition, if we want the outcome of our judgment to be positive, we should first recognize that every aspect of our destiny is entirely in Hashem's hands.
Elul is a time of tremendous Divine favor and for this reason, the mazel of this month is a besulah (a virgin). Every bride looks forward to her married life as a fresh start, full of promise. We can live out the month of Elul with a similar sense of hope and anticipation.
The famed Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria) offers an allegorical explanation for the verse "and she cries for her father and mother for a month," referring to the eshes yefas to'ar, a captive woman that one marries after a war. The father represents Hashem, and the mother represents the Jewish people. During the year, we abandon our father and mother to pursue our heart's worldly desires. During Elul we have an entire month to focus on rebuilding these fundamental relationships and to regain our original level of closeness.
On Rosh Hashanah, Hashem judges us "as we are at that moment." Our judgement on that day will reflect any changes that we have brought about in ourselves during Elul, no matter how small they may be. Let us seize this precious opportunity to ensure that we will be inscribed immediately into the book of life, health and prosperity.
We know that Rosh Hashanah comes before Yom Kippur, the day of the atonement, but the question is why? Isn't it better for us to have our spiritual state wiped clean before our future fate is determined?
Rosh Hashanah has to come first. Through the awesome spirit of strict judgment of that day, we are able to perceive that Hashem is truly the undisputed ruler of the entire universe. Only after we have achieved this level of recognition are we worthy of being purified on Yom Kippur.
Rosh Hashanah is the Yom Tov (festival) of kingship, recognizing that everything that happens in our lives is in His hands alone. When we think about the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, the odds that a person could receive a judgement involving much trial and suffering in the upcoming year are not remote. Yet we find that many people are relaxed before the day of judgment, assuming that if things went okay last year they will stay okay in the following year. This complacency comes from the fact that they do not grasp the full extent of the judgment. In addition, if we want the outcome of our judgment to be positive, we should first recognize that every aspect of our destiny is entirely in Hashem's hands.
Elul is a time of tremendous Divine favor and for this reason, the mazel of this month is a besulah (a virgin). Every bride looks forward to her married life as a fresh start, full of promise. We can live out the month of Elul with a similar sense of hope and anticipation.
The famed Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria) offers an allegorical explanation for the verse "and she cries for her father and mother for a month," referring to the eshes yefas to'ar, a captive woman that one marries after a war. The father represents Hashem, and the mother represents the Jewish people. During the year, we abandon our father and mother to pursue our heart's worldly desires. During Elul we have an entire month to focus on rebuilding these fundamental relationships and to regain our original level of closeness.
On Rosh Hashanah, Hashem judges us "as we are at that moment." Our judgement on that day will reflect any changes that we have brought about in ourselves during Elul, no matter how small they may be. Let us seize this precious opportunity to ensure that we will be inscribed immediately into the book of life, health and prosperity.
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