* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
Are you overcome with hopelessness? Are you beginning to feel that we’re “losing it”?
Rosh Chodesh Elul begins tonight and continues until Wednesday night- and we’ve never needed it more.
1) Elul is a month for making amends, repentance, self-improvement, and new beginnings. Think of it as a gift—an appointed time for self-reflection and for working on positive changes before the start of the new year.
2) In Hebrew, the name of the month forms an acronym from the verse: “Ani L’dodi V’Dodi Li—I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine.” This is a hint that God is as close to us, during Elul, as a loved one.
Another beautiful expression associated with this month is: “The King is in the field.” It is as if the King of Kings Himself goes out to meet His people in the field this month; He is closer, more approachable, and more available.
3) On Rosh Chodesh, we add the prayer “Ya’ale V’Yavo” to the Amidah and to Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals). We also recite the Hallel that is a compilation of chapters from Psalms which are prayers for success and joy. If you look closely, you will find that almost every verse of Hallel speaks to our current situation.
4) Why is Elul considered such a special month? On Rosh Chodesh Elul, Moshe Rabbeinu ascended Mount Sinai for the second time (after he shattered the first set of Tablets following the the sin of the Golden Calf). Forty days later, on Yom Kippur, he descended from the mountain with a second set of Tablets of the Law. Since that time, these 40 days have been designated as days of closeness to God, forgiveness, repentance, and reconciliation, with the inherent message that you can always fix what has been broken.
5) We are only 30 days before Rosh Hashanah, and it’s already our custom to greet people with the blessing: “Ktiva V’chatima Tova”—"May you be inscribed and sealed (in the Book of Life) for a good year.”
So I bless you from the bottom of my heart: Chodesh Tov and Ktiva V’chatima Tova.
