Why is Moshe not allowed to enter into Eretz Yisrael despite his 515 entreaties? What is the concept of him looking into the land? Why do we switch out of mourning on the 9th of Av and straight into joy and relationship? What is the parallel between the month of Tammuz that seems to extend until the 9th and 10th of Av, and Elul, which extends until the 10th of Tishrei - Yom Kippur? What are the concepts of four, five and six?
Find out in this week's parsha podcast.
Running Time: 15:01
Showing posts with label Elul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elul. Show all posts
Friday, August 8, 2014
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Thoughts on Elul
The month of Elul is one that doesn't get much airplay on the national Jewish consciousness networks. There aren't any significant events that happened in Elul, no holidays to celebrate, no tragedies to mourn. The month usually comes at the end of the summer, when the kids are still in camp, and the heat seems to continue unabated.
But in another time and place, the word 'Elul' could cause someone's heart to stir, because it meant that there was only one more month until the Days of Awe would be upon us. Somehow, it could be sensed that Elul was a time that meant that a certain seriousness was necessary. It was a time to focus again on our relationship with God, our relationship with others, and even ourselves. To take stock of where we'd been that year, to look to the future with resolve.
The month of Elul, however, is not just about the coming Holy days. It is also a culmination of the months that preceded it.
In previous articles, we noted that the Jewish calendar is composed of two sets of six months. There are six that are the winter months, months of quiet growth beneath the surface. These months will begin soon, with the month of Tishrei. Currently, we are in the month of Elul, which is the culmination of the six month series of the spring and summer, when the growth is more active and pronounced. The world takes on a bright and warm sheen, which reflects a corresponding time of open spiritual growth, as well.
The cycling of the summer is also more pronounced, as we go through the joys of Passover and redemption, as well as the recommitment to Torah we experience on Shavuos. It is then followed by the three weeks of mourning over the destruction of the Temple.
And here we are, after all these experiences, looking ahead to the New Year that awaits us, and another cycle of subtle growth through yet another winter.
Our sages point out that the name of the month of Elul (אלול) is an acronym for a number of different phrases from the Torah. One of them is the phrase from the Song of Songs (6:3) אני לדודי ודודי לי - I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is mine. This denotes the powerful bond between the Jewish people and God. On another level, the sages note that it also an acronym for the phrase in the book of Esther (9:22) איש לרעהו ומתנות לאביונים - [gifts were sent] from a man to his friend and gifts to the poor. In both of these phrases, if one takes the first letter of each word, it spells the word Elul (אלול).
It can be deduced that the sages are suggesting that Elul contains a special aspect of relationship between man and God, as well as between man and his fellow. On a deeper level, there is also an aspect of our relationship with ourselves, as we will see.
It is interesting to note that the month of Elul is the sixth in the series of spring and summer months. The corresponding month in the autumn and winter months is the month of Adar, when we celebrate the story of Purim, as told in the book of Esther. It was in that very story that we found the verse which speaks of the relationship between man and his fellow, which forms the acronym of the month of Elul.
As we explained earlier, the sixth month in a series is the culmination of all of the spiritual energy of the five previous months. It is for this reason that we find in the deeper sources, the sixth aspect is referred to as "כל" - All. (See R' Aryeh Kaplan, The Bahir, p. 101.) In a parallel way, the sixth day of the week, Friday, is also the culmination of the five days that preceded it. It is also the day about which our sages sages say (Avodah Zarah 2A), "מי שטרח בערב שבת יאכל בשבת" - whoever puts in effort on Friday will be able to eat on Shabbat. It is thus a day that completes our weekly efforts and prepares us for the day of rest.
As we mentioned, the five months that precede Elul are the active spring and summer months. During this time, we have been very involved in the cycle of our relationship with God. In Jewish life, our relationship with God is always intertwined with our relationships with the people who are most dear to us in our lives.
In the first month of this series, Nissan, we experienced the Exodus from Egypt as we sat with our families at the Seder, recounting how God redeemed us. We counted the days through the second month, Iyar, leading up to Shavuos. In the third month, Sivan, we sat with our friends and family through the night as we brought back to life the giving of the Torah on Shavuos. In the fourth month, Tamuz, we began the mourning for the destruction of the temple, which culminated in the fifth month, Av, when we sat on the floor, mourning as a community, and read from the book of Lamentations.
As we got up from our sorrow, we celebrated the holiday of Tu B'av, which expresses a renewal in relationships. This expressed the completion of this cycle of relationship.
As we come to Elul, the sixth in the series, we have the opportunity to take stock of all of our relationships. We look at the cycle of our relationship with God, as well as our relationships with our fellows. And on a deeper level, both of these are really outward manifestations of our relationships with ourselves. Our interactions with others, and the type of contact we have with God always reflect who we really are at our core.
Thus, Elul is a time to look at the cycle we have experienced in a more pronounced way than in the winter months. Here we can openly see who we are and start to think about who we want to be. We gaze backwards, even as we look forwards to the month of Tishrei that is soon approaching. It is in Tishrei that we will express our desire to be committed to our relationship with God. This higher relationship is reflected in our associations with the people in our lives, and our commitment to them, as well.
As we observe where we have been, and where we hope to head, we become more whole within ourselves. Paradoxically, as we focus more on our relationships with others, we become more content within our own beings. This is the ultimate preparation for the month of Tishrei. Elul is that opportunity. If we take it, and prepare properly on 'Friday,' we will have a most beautiful and meaningful experience for the High Holidays.
But in another time and place, the word 'Elul' could cause someone's heart to stir, because it meant that there was only one more month until the Days of Awe would be upon us. Somehow, it could be sensed that Elul was a time that meant that a certain seriousness was necessary. It was a time to focus again on our relationship with God, our relationship with others, and even ourselves. To take stock of where we'd been that year, to look to the future with resolve.
The month of Elul, however, is not just about the coming Holy days. It is also a culmination of the months that preceded it.
In previous articles, we noted that the Jewish calendar is composed of two sets of six months. There are six that are the winter months, months of quiet growth beneath the surface. These months will begin soon, with the month of Tishrei. Currently, we are in the month of Elul, which is the culmination of the six month series of the spring and summer, when the growth is more active and pronounced. The world takes on a bright and warm sheen, which reflects a corresponding time of open spiritual growth, as well.
The cycling of the summer is also more pronounced, as we go through the joys of Passover and redemption, as well as the recommitment to Torah we experience on Shavuos. It is then followed by the three weeks of mourning over the destruction of the Temple.
And here we are, after all these experiences, looking ahead to the New Year that awaits us, and another cycle of subtle growth through yet another winter.
Our sages point out that the name of the month of Elul (אלול) is an acronym for a number of different phrases from the Torah. One of them is the phrase from the Song of Songs (6:3) אני לדודי ודודי לי - I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is mine. This denotes the powerful bond between the Jewish people and God. On another level, the sages note that it also an acronym for the phrase in the book of Esther (9:22) איש לרעהו ומתנות לאביונים - [gifts were sent] from a man to his friend and gifts to the poor. In both of these phrases, if one takes the first letter of each word, it spells the word Elul (אלול).
It can be deduced that the sages are suggesting that Elul contains a special aspect of relationship between man and God, as well as between man and his fellow. On a deeper level, there is also an aspect of our relationship with ourselves, as we will see.
It is interesting to note that the month of Elul is the sixth in the series of spring and summer months. The corresponding month in the autumn and winter months is the month of Adar, when we celebrate the story of Purim, as told in the book of Esther. It was in that very story that we found the verse which speaks of the relationship between man and his fellow, which forms the acronym of the month of Elul.
As we explained earlier, the sixth month in a series is the culmination of all of the spiritual energy of the five previous months. It is for this reason that we find in the deeper sources, the sixth aspect is referred to as "כל" - All. (See R' Aryeh Kaplan, The Bahir, p. 101.) In a parallel way, the sixth day of the week, Friday, is also the culmination of the five days that preceded it. It is also the day about which our sages sages say (Avodah Zarah 2A), "מי שטרח בערב שבת יאכל בשבת" - whoever puts in effort on Friday will be able to eat on Shabbat. It is thus a day that completes our weekly efforts and prepares us for the day of rest.
As we mentioned, the five months that precede Elul are the active spring and summer months. During this time, we have been very involved in the cycle of our relationship with God. In Jewish life, our relationship with God is always intertwined with our relationships with the people who are most dear to us in our lives.
In the first month of this series, Nissan, we experienced the Exodus from Egypt as we sat with our families at the Seder, recounting how God redeemed us. We counted the days through the second month, Iyar, leading up to Shavuos. In the third month, Sivan, we sat with our friends and family through the night as we brought back to life the giving of the Torah on Shavuos. In the fourth month, Tamuz, we began the mourning for the destruction of the temple, which culminated in the fifth month, Av, when we sat on the floor, mourning as a community, and read from the book of Lamentations.
As we got up from our sorrow, we celebrated the holiday of Tu B'av, which expresses a renewal in relationships. This expressed the completion of this cycle of relationship.
As we come to Elul, the sixth in the series, we have the opportunity to take stock of all of our relationships. We look at the cycle of our relationship with God, as well as our relationships with our fellows. And on a deeper level, both of these are really outward manifestations of our relationships with ourselves. Our interactions with others, and the type of contact we have with God always reflect who we really are at our core.
Thus, Elul is a time to look at the cycle we have experienced in a more pronounced way than in the winter months. Here we can openly see who we are and start to think about who we want to be. We gaze backwards, even as we look forwards to the month of Tishrei that is soon approaching. It is in Tishrei that we will express our desire to be committed to our relationship with God. This higher relationship is reflected in our associations with the people in our lives, and our commitment to them, as well.
As we observe where we have been, and where we hope to head, we become more whole within ourselves. Paradoxically, as we focus more on our relationships with others, we become more content within our own beings. This is the ultimate preparation for the month of Tishrei. Elul is that opportunity. If we take it, and prepare properly on 'Friday,' we will have a most beautiful and meaningful experience for the High Holidays.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
22 Elul
The world was created on the 25th of Elul, and Rosh Hashana was Friday, the sixth day of creation, when Man was created. The second day of Rosh Hashana corresponds to the seventh day of Creation, Shabbos. It is interesting to note that these seven days of creation correspond to the lower seven sefiros. It would seem logical that the three days prior correspond to the three upper sefiros. Thus, the 22nd of Elul (today) would correspond to Keser, which is the hidden root of all of the sefiros, the 23rd would correspond to Chochmah, and the 24th would correspond to Binah.
The Torah begins with the word "Beraishis," which starts with the letter 'Beis.' The letter Beis corresponds to the concept of Chochmah, and thus it could be said that it refers to the 23rd of Elul. The Torah does not begin with Alef, to denote the fact that the aspect of Keser, which is the Alef, (אלף = פלא) is beyond our understanding, nothing that we can relate to. Thus, today, the 22nd of Elul, is the day of Keser, beyond understanding. This corresponds to the idea that the initial statement of Beraishis, which is a non-statement, is the concept of Keser. Whereas each of the following acts of creation are prefaced with the words, "And Hashem said..." the initial act of creation was not prefaced by a statement. "In the beginning Hashem created..." implies a statement, albeit a hidden one. Thus, implied in the concept of Beraishis contained in the first word of the Torah is the hidden statement of Keser, which corresponds to today, the 22nd of Elul. Interestingly, the concept of 'Briah' - creation, and the name 'Elokim' both correspond to the sefirah of Binah, which we said parallels the 24th of Elul. Thus, in the words בראשית ברא אלקים (In the beginning, Elokim created), we have a reference to the three days preceding creation on the 25th of Elul.
The Torah begins with the word "Beraishis," which starts with the letter 'Beis.' The letter Beis corresponds to the concept of Chochmah, and thus it could be said that it refers to the 23rd of Elul. The Torah does not begin with Alef, to denote the fact that the aspect of Keser, which is the Alef, (אלף = פלא) is beyond our understanding, nothing that we can relate to. Thus, today, the 22nd of Elul, is the day of Keser, beyond understanding. This corresponds to the idea that the initial statement of Beraishis, which is a non-statement, is the concept of Keser. Whereas each of the following acts of creation are prefaced with the words, "And Hashem said..." the initial act of creation was not prefaced by a statement. "In the beginning Hashem created..." implies a statement, albeit a hidden one. Thus, implied in the concept of Beraishis contained in the first word of the Torah is the hidden statement of Keser, which corresponds to today, the 22nd of Elul. Interestingly, the concept of 'Briah' - creation, and the name 'Elokim' both correspond to the sefirah of Binah, which we said parallels the 24th of Elul. Thus, in the words בראשית ברא אלקים (In the beginning, Elokim created), we have a reference to the three days preceding creation on the 25th of Elul.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Re'eh - Cessation at seven
Why are the festivals all connected to the number seven? What is their connection to the seven of Shabbos? What is the special idea of simcha, joy, in this context? What is the connection to Elul, the loving relationship of the Jewish people with Hashem and the lead up to this joy? How does one access this joy in his life, his service of Hashem and prayer?
Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.
Running time: 18:52
Find out in this week's Parsha Podcast.
Running time: 18:52
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Elul and Moshiach
Just a brief thought, following up on a previous post.
I believe that Elul is a tremendously significant month for the Geulah process. We see it as we look over recent history, from the beginning of World War II (17th of Elul), to the World Trade Center bombing (23 Elul). Most recently, a significant moment in the Global Financial crisis was on September 15th, 2008, which corresponded to the 15th of Elul. That was the day that Lehman Brothers filed for chapter 11. Wikipedia notes that "the filing marked the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history." It also says there that "the Dow Jones closed down just over 500 points on September 15, 2008, which was at the time the largest drop in a single day since the days following the attacks on September 11, 2001."
The fact that the last event took place on the fifteenth of the month is especially significant, as the fifteenth of the month always marks the full moon, which represents the forces of spirituality at their point of ascension. This means that the Jewish people as a whole are spiritually strong, as they are successfully completing their mission. When we do as we are supposed to, the sparks of Kedusha are released from the side of evil, and returned to the side of good.
Elul is the month when the Jewish people are doing teshuva, and there is a tremendous rededication to follow in the path of the Torah. The Yeshivos fill up across the globe, with a fire for Torah that is unparalleled throughout the year. Even in the United States, where many are still on summer vacation for the beginning of Elul, by mid-Elul there has been a return to the Torah schedule. This is clearly marked by the events mentioned being in the second half of Elul. As the Jewish people enters the second half of Elul, the spiritual forces gain ascendancy, removing the power from the side of evil, and thereby, from Esav and the Western world and all its idolatries.
With this in mind, the 15th of Elul this years falls out this Friday, September 4th, and Elul continues until Erev Rosh Hashana, which falls out on Friday, September 18th.
When I was in the United States recently, I was in Philadelphia, and I had the opportunity to daven in the Philadelphia Yeshiva and speak to its Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky. I asked him about the seventy year period that Rav Elya Svei spoke of in the name of Reb Elchanan Wasserman. He told me that Rav Elya had heard it directly from Rav Wasserman's mouth. Rav Kaminetsky told me, as his eyes crinkled into a smile, that he is also waiting. He also added that the seventy years corresponds to the seventy words in the chapter of Tehillim "למנצח... יענך ה' ביום צרה" which I was not aware of.
If we calculate seventy years from the beginning of World War II, we find ourselves on this coming Sunday, September 6th.
As I always say, I do not like to predict anything, because one looks foolish when nothing happens. But, these may be interesting dates to look out for, so keep your eyes and ears open.
May we merit a speedy and painless redemption, Amen.
I believe that Elul is a tremendously significant month for the Geulah process. We see it as we look over recent history, from the beginning of World War II (17th of Elul), to the World Trade Center bombing (23 Elul). Most recently, a significant moment in the Global Financial crisis was on September 15th, 2008, which corresponded to the 15th of Elul. That was the day that Lehman Brothers filed for chapter 11. Wikipedia notes that "the filing marked the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history." It also says there that "the Dow Jones closed down just over 500 points on September 15, 2008, which was at the time the largest drop in a single day since the days following the attacks on September 11, 2001."
The fact that the last event took place on the fifteenth of the month is especially significant, as the fifteenth of the month always marks the full moon, which represents the forces of spirituality at their point of ascension. This means that the Jewish people as a whole are spiritually strong, as they are successfully completing their mission. When we do as we are supposed to, the sparks of Kedusha are released from the side of evil, and returned to the side of good.
Elul is the month when the Jewish people are doing teshuva, and there is a tremendous rededication to follow in the path of the Torah. The Yeshivos fill up across the globe, with a fire for Torah that is unparalleled throughout the year. Even in the United States, where many are still on summer vacation for the beginning of Elul, by mid-Elul there has been a return to the Torah schedule. This is clearly marked by the events mentioned being in the second half of Elul. As the Jewish people enters the second half of Elul, the spiritual forces gain ascendancy, removing the power from the side of evil, and thereby, from Esav and the Western world and all its idolatries.
With this in mind, the 15th of Elul this years falls out this Friday, September 4th, and Elul continues until Erev Rosh Hashana, which falls out on Friday, September 18th.
When I was in the United States recently, I was in Philadelphia, and I had the opportunity to daven in the Philadelphia Yeshiva and speak to its Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky. I asked him about the seventy year period that Rav Elya Svei spoke of in the name of Reb Elchanan Wasserman. He told me that Rav Elya had heard it directly from Rav Wasserman's mouth. Rav Kaminetsky told me, as his eyes crinkled into a smile, that he is also waiting. He also added that the seventy years corresponds to the seventy words in the chapter of Tehillim "למנצח... יענך ה' ביום צרה" which I was not aware of.
If we calculate seventy years from the beginning of World War II, we find ourselves on this coming Sunday, September 6th.
As I always say, I do not like to predict anything, because one looks foolish when nothing happens. But, these may be interesting dates to look out for, so keep your eyes and ears open.
May we merit a speedy and painless redemption, Amen.
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