Elul

Mercy Measured for Human Reception· Essay 1

בעת רצון כגון באלול וס”ג בשבת שמתעוררין י”ג מקורות הרחמים. During times of closeness for example during the month of Elul, or seudas shlishis, when the 13 sources of mercy are awakened פי’ י”ג מידות כי הש”י מלא…

Elul: nullifying ego and elevating the animal soul· Essay 2

My grandfather, my teacher and master, of blessed memory, explained regarding the month of Elul, [based on] the kri and ksiv (the read and the written forms) of "lo va-lo anachnu" (His, and we are His / His, and not we) in Mizmor le-Sodah. …

Shabbos as Root of Desire· Essay 1

כי כשלת בעונך. זה נאמר לכל איש ישראל. ואף שחטא והרשיע הרבה צריך להאמין כי עיקר נקודה ישראלית שבו היא במקומה. וכמ”ש אין אדם חוטא עד שנכנס בו רוח שטות ונק’ מכשול. וז”ש עד ה’ אלקיך. חיות אלקי שיש בכל איש ישראל כמ”…

Elul: cleaving to the Source· Essay 1

The 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…

Elul: freeing oneself to accept Hashem's kingship· Essay 2

The month of Elul, which was established for teshuvah before Rosh Hashanah — which is the acceptance of His kingship, may He be blessed, as it says, "Recite before Me [verses of] Malchuyos." Elul was set as a time of teshuvah in preparation…

Elul: self-aroused teshuvah endures forever· Essay 1

The hint for Elul is, "I am for my Beloved, and my Beloved is for me." The initial letters of this verse spell "Elul," signaling that this month is about a person first turning to Hashem, after which Hashem turns back to him. For at this ti…

Elul's avodah of self-nullification and closeness· Essay 1

My 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…

The forty days of favor empower teshuvah· Essay 1

These days — the final forty days that were days of favor (ratzon) — themselves assist the hearts of Bnei Yisrael toward teshuvah. The Sefas Emes refers to the forty days from Rosh Chodesh Elul through Yom Kippur, when Moshe Rabbeinu ascend…

Elul: mutual love through bittul· Essay 1

For 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"ז – תרמ"חElul

תרמ”ז – תרמ”ח הקדמונים נתנו רמז בפסוק אני לדודי וד”ל. והענין הוא כי בלוחות הראשונות היו בכח אתערותא דלעילא. אבל האחרונות היו בכח התקרבות בנ”י. ולכן נשאר קיים לעולם. וגם הראשונות היו בקולי קולות ובאחרונות אמר הק…

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 b…