Elul

Overview

Elul is the final month of the Jewish year, the season of repentance that leads into Rosh Hashanah and the Ten Days of Teshuvah. It corresponds to the forty days of favor during which Moshe ascended Sinai to receive the second luchos and Hashem's forgiveness. Its watchword is "Ani l'dodi v'dodi li" — I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine — expressing the mutual love between Israel and Hashem. The month's avodah is teshuvah aroused from below, self-nullification, accepting Hashem's kingship, and drawing near through the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy.

Themes

• Teshuvah aroused from below
• I am my Beloved's
• Bittul and drawing near
• The forty days of favor
• Accepting Hashem's kingship
• The Thirteen Attributes of Mercy

Must-read teachings

1. 1Mercy Measured for Human ReceptionDuring times of closeness for example during the month of Elul, or seudas shlishis, when the 13 sources of mercy are awakened This means the 13 attributes of mercy, for HaShem is full of mercy, however He desires that the mercy will be draw…תרל"א
2. 2Elul: mutual love through bittulFor the month of Elul the early ones hinted that its letters [Aleph-Lamed-Vav-Lamed] are the initials of "Ani l'dodi v'dodi li" — "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine" (Shir HaShirim 6:3). The classic allusion: the name Elul spells out…תרמ"ד
3. 3Elul's awakening from below and the covenant of the second luchosConcerning the month of Elul they hinted with the pasuk "Ani l'dodi v'dodi li (I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine)" (Shir HaShirim 6:3), whose initial letters spell "Elul." The Sefas Emes begins with the well-known allusion: the four …תרס"א
4. 4Elul: drawing near through earned closenessThe early authorities gave a hint in the verse "Ani LeDodi" (I am to my Beloved) — and a discerning person will understand more (v'dal). The Sefas Emes invokes the classic acronym: "Ani LeDodi VeDodi Li" (Shir HaShirim 6:3) whose initial le…תרמ"ז - תרמ"ח
5. 5The inner point and the Thirteen AttributesNow, the mazal of Elul is Besulah (Virgo, the Maiden). The Sefas Emes draws meaning from the zodiacal sign of the month of Elul — the "maiden." That is, there is an inner point (nekudah penimis) in the soul of Yisrael over which no foreign …תרמ"ז - תרמ"ח
6. 6Elul's avodah of self-nullification and closenessMy grandfather, of blessed memory, gave a hint regarding Elul from the "keri and kesiv" (the read-form and written-form) of "lo anachnu" / "lo anachnu" (Tehillim 100:3). The verse is written with "lo" spelled with an aleph ("not us") but re…תרמ"ב
7. 7Elul: cleaving to the SourceThe hint regarding Elul: "I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me" (Shir HaShirim 6:3). The initial letters of "Ani l'Dodi v'Dodi li" spell Elul. The Sefas Emes explores how this verse captures the avodah of the month. For behold, Bnei Y…תר"מ
8. 8Teshuvah of Elul as accepting Hashem's yokeIt is brought in the sefarim regarding the month of Elul: "Ani LeDodi VeDodi Li" — "I am for my Beloved and my Beloved is for me." The initials of this pasuk spell "Elul," marking it as the month of return and closeness between Bnei Yisrael…תרנ"ז