Elul Essay

The month of Elul:

The pasuk אני לדודי ודודי לי is often associated with the month of Elul which is hinted to in the first letters of each word. The Sfas Emes explains that the power of the time of Elul is really something that comes from below, from the power of Bnei Yisrael. (From the perspective of HaShem all time is equal). The power of this time came about originally after the destruction of the first luchos. Bnei Yisrael were so full of remorse over their sin at the Golden Calf, that immediately afterwards they repented and were ultimately forgiven and received the second luchos on Yom Kippur. This level that they attained was different to the previous level they were on, for even though the Torah of the first luchos had various advantages yet since it was not earned, but rather gifted to them, it did not last.
On the other hand, the month of Elul now became a time established as one that is always auspicious for teshuva. By Bnei Yisrael’s awakening in themselves a desire to become close to HaShem they changed the time to become one that has the power of teshuva in it.
Just as then there was first the awakening of teshuva from Bnei Yisrael and only afterwards the response from above, so too nowadays the month of Ell is the time of awakening from below – “I am to my beloved”, and the month of Tishrei is the continuation of the pasuk “my beloved is unto me”.
The Sfas Emes explains in the name of the Chidushei Harim that another reference to the month of Elul is in the pasuk of Mizmor Letoda (Tehillim 100) “הוא עשנו ולו (ולא) אנחנו” He made us and we are to Him. The word לו (to Him) is written לא (we are not). These two words לא & לו spell אלול.
The connection is that the amount of closeness that we are able to attain – to be uniquely HaShem’s – לו, is dependent on our level of nullification before hand, and making ourselves לא by negating our negative drives and nullifying our own desires during the month of Elul, we are proportionately able to attain closeness to HaShem. This is hinted to in the symbol of the month – Virgo, which symbolises being unsullied by any negative forces, and pure to receive the closeness of Rosh HaShana and the purification of Yom Kippur, bringing us to Sukkot and culminating in Simchat Torah.
Indeed the month of Elul is actually the end of the year, and the end (when performed properly) is better than the beginning טוב אחרית דבר מראשיתו, this is when we are able to become close to HaShem through our growth process.