The month of Elul is an auspicious time for Teshuva, repentance. It is a time when we receive greater Divine assistance than the rest of the year to improve our ways and better ourselves. And it is the time when G-d readily accepts our Teshuva more than the rest of the year. With this we find favor in His eyes to bestow upon us with His kindness a year of life on Rosh Hashana, the Day of Judgement.

We find a number of allusions (called remazim in Hebrew) in the Torah to the Month of Elul. One is Deuteronomy 30:6. Notice how the first letters of four words spell Elul in Hebrew.

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 children to love the LORD your God with all your heart and soul, in order that you may live.

This alludes to Hashem opening our hearts to return to Him.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, of blessed memory, commented that this allusion carries a very important message. This verse talks about, “your heart and the hearts of your children.” It’s not enough that we ourselves return. We have to better ourselves in a way that brings our families along.

Another allusion comes from Shir HaShirim, the Song of Songs, 6:3. Again, notice how the first letters of four words spell Elul in Hebrew.

אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי לִי

I am to my beloved. And my beloved is to me.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein commented that this allusion also carries a very important message regarding Teshuva.

It is very important to bear in mind how our actions influence how we will be judged on Rosh Hashana. That can motivate us to repent because the more meritorious we are the better the chance for a positive outcome. But we must realize there is a more powerful motivator for ourselves and for others that we seek to inspire.

If we have wronged someone close to us, our love for them will motivate us to rectify and improve the relationship. Our love for the Almighty is the greatest motivator to mend our relationship with Him. Where does this love come from? It comes from the realization that everything we have comes from Him. In His kindness He showers us with blessings even when we aren’t worthy of them. He is there for us from the first day of our lives to the last. In the blessing of Modim in Shemoneh Esrei we thank G-d, “for your miracles that are with us every day“! That should instill within us tremendous feelings of gratitude to the Almighty and love for Him. And that is the greatest motivator for Teshuva. That is what lies in the words, “I am to my beloved.”

The result of that is, “And my beloved is to me.” G-d reciprocates that love. Rabbi Feinstein explains this in a beautiful way. There is a saying found in many Torah sources that אַהֲבָה מְקַלְקֶלֶת אֶת הַשּׁוּרָה, love disturbs the natural order. The natural order is to receive what we deserve. Once, “my beloved is to me” things can (so to speak) get out of order and G-d will shower us with blessings even beyond what we deserve for returning to Him!

May we utilize these precious days of Teshuva and merit a happy and healthy new year!

Ketiva v’chatima tova!
Shabbat Shalom!
Yitzchak