The month of Elul is the time we get ready for the holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because it is a period endowed with Divine assistance for coming closer to the Almighty through Teshuva (repentance) and increased mitzvah performance.
The commentaries point out that the name Elul ,which in Hebrew is spelled אלול ,is an acronym for a number of different concepts. One is that אלול stands for the words in Deuteronomy 30:6:
וּמָל ה’ אֱ-לֹהֶיךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ וְאֶת־לְבַב זַרְעֶךָ לְאַהֲבָה אֶת־ה’ אֱ-לֹהֶיךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁךָ לְמַעַן חַיֶּיךָ׃
Then the LORD your God will open up ( lit. circumcise) your heart and the hearts of your offspring to love the LORD your God with all your heart and soul, in order that you may live.
The fact that Elul is alluded to in these words that talk about Hashem opening our hearts teaches us that this period is endowed with Siyata Dishmaya, Divine assistance for coming closer to the Almighty through Teshuva (repentance) and increased mitzvah performance.
In Deuteronomy 10:16 we find that we have to open our hearts:
וּמַלְתֶּם אֵת עׇרְלַת לְבַבְכֶם וְעׇרְפְּכֶם לֹא תַקְשׁוּ עוֹד׃
Cut away the thickening about your hearts and stiffen your necks no more.
How do we do this?
The Kitzur Sefer Chareidim, a work that enumerates the six-hundred and thirteen mitzvos of the Torah, writes that this verse is actually a positive commandment to accept the words of one who rebukes us to improve our ways in the service of Hashem. He writes that we should not only listen but actually love that person for it, as King Solomon wrote, “Rebuke the wise one and he will love you for it.”
This means that we need to open our hearts to messages of self improvement. These messages can come in a number of ways. They may come through the spoken word of a rabbi, teacher, parent, or friend. Sometimes they come from experiences that may be very unexpected. But they are all Divine assistance.
There was once a young Jewish man named David Brenner who was raised in Florida in a totally secularized home far away from any obviously Jewish community. After his freshman year in college, he decided to join some friends and bike around the world. In Turkey, he had to make a decision as to where to bike next – Russia, Africa or the Middle East. For some reason, he chose the Israel – Jordan route. When he reached the Kotel (the Western Wall) he was approached by a man who asked him if he was interested in attending a class about Judaism. David agreed. After all, biking around the world is all about experiences. David was intrigued, and a short while later joined a yeshiva.
He was progressing well in Torah observance and after a mere five months he decided to return to Florida at his parents request. David’s teachers at the yeshiva felt that he was not yet ready to return to the temptations of America, nor was he ready to deal with his parents. David did not heed their warnings, and returned to Florida, only to be greeted by his parents’ scorn and ridicule for the ridiculous religion he was now practicing.
David tried to continue being observant but eventually decided that observing Shabbos just wasn’t worth the headache his parents were giving him for it. So late Friday night he decided to relax his tormented brain and flicked on his favorite show, The David Letterman Show. The first guest on the show was a well-known journalist who had just returned from Israel. When asked by the host what was the most remarkable thing he noticed about Israeli life, he answered, “Friday night”. He explained that even though many Israelis are not Sabbath observant, Friday not always brings with it a palpable sense of tranquility. Everyone – even strangers – greet you with “Shabbat Shalom!”
The journalist looked at the show host and said, “Shabbat Shalom, Dave!” Letterman responded, “Shabbat Shalom!” David Brenner’s eyes bulged. Was this a message from Heaven?
Throughout the show, each new guest was welcomed with “Shabbat Shalom!” Each time David Brenner shrunk more and more into his chair.
The show ended with the camera zooming in on the announcer’s mouth, saying three powerful words – “Shabbat Shalom, Dave!” That was it. A few days later David returned to his yeshiva in Jerusalem.
They may take different forms but Hashem’s messages for us are always out there. The challenge is to open our hearts to receive them and internalize them.
When we do our part to open our hearts, Hashem will respond in kind and open our hearts to an even greater degree of internalizing His messages and growing closer to Him.
May Hashem bless us with success to utilize these precious days of Elul and merit a happy and healthy new year!
Shabbat Shalom – whatever your name may be! :)
Yitzchak