Elul: nullifying ego and elevating the animal soul

אא"ז מו"ר ז"ל פי' על חודש אלול שהם לו ולא אנחנו קרי וכתיב במזמור לתודה.

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.

In the verse "He made us, ve-lo anachnu" (Tehillim 100:3), the written word is "lo" with an aleph (meaning "not we") while it is read "lo" with a vav (meaning "and we are His"). The Chiddushei HaRim connects this to the month of Elul (whose name the kabbalists link to teshuvah).

ופי' הדבר הכל א' שכפי מה שלא אנחנו כן לו אנחנו.

And the explanation of the matter is that they are all one: that according to how much "we are not" [for ourselves], to that extent "we are His."

The two readings are really one teaching: the degree to which a person nullifies his own ego ("not we") is precisely the degree to which he belongs to Hashem ("we are His").

כי בגסות אין אני והוא יכולין לדור.

For with coarseness/arrogance (gasus), "I" and "He" cannot dwell [together].

Where there is ego and self-importance, there is no room for Hashem's presence — as Chazal say, the arrogant and the Shechinah cannot coexist.

צאן מרעיתו כי הוא ר"ה למעשר בהמה כו' ע"ש במ"א.

"The flock of His pasture" (Tehillim 100:3) — for it [the first of Elul] is the Rosh Hashanah for the tithing of animals (maaser behemah)… see elsewhere.

The continuation of the mizmor, "the flock of His pasture," connects to the law that the first of Elul is the New Year for tithing animals — a hint the Sefas Emes will now develop.

ובפשיטות ע"י הביטול שנעשין כל הדברים לא והבל וריק בעיני האדם.

And simply, through bittul (self-nullification), all things become "naught," vanity, and emptiness in the eyes of a person.

When a person practices bittul, the lures of this world lose their grip and appear to him as empty and worthless.

וכל הרצון והתשוקה להשי"ת.

And all his will and longing [turn] to Hashem.

Once the world's pull is diminished, the whole of one's desire is redirected toward Hashem.

ממילא כמים הפנים כו' ומתקרב עי"ז אליו ית'.

Consequently, "as water reflects face [to face]…" (Mishlei 27:19), and through this he draws near to Him.

Just as water mirrors a face, so when a person turns his heart entirely to Hashem, Hashem reciprocates and the person is drawn close.

וז"ש ר"ה למעשר בהמה.

And this is [the meaning of] "the Rosh Hashanah for the tithing of animals."

The Sefas Emes now applies the law of animal tithes inwardly.

שיש בכל נפש ישראל ג"כ נפש הבהמיות כמ"ש בספרים.

That within every Jewish soul there is also the "animal soul" (nefesh ha-behamis), as it is written in the sefarim.

Every Jew possesses a nefesh ha-behamis, the lower "animal" soul that drives physical desire, as explained in the holy works.

וצריך כל אדם להגבי' גם נפש זו להשי"ת.

And every person must elevate this soul too, to Hashem.

The avodah is not to suppress the animal soul but to raise even it up toward Hashem — its "tithing" in the month of Elul.

והוא ע"י ביטול ושעושה היפוך התאוה.

And this is accomplished through bittul, and by doing the opposite of [physical] desire.

One elevates the animal soul through self-nullification and by acting against its cravings.

עי"ז מגבי' גם זה.

Through this he elevates even this [animal soul].

By opposing its desires, a person lifts the animal soul itself into the service of Hashem.

כענין שכ' בשני יצריך כו'.

Like the matter that is written: "[Love Hashem] with both your inclinations (be-shnei yetzarecha)…" (Berachos 54a, on Devarim 6:5).

Chazal expound "with all your heart" (be-chol levavcha) to mean serving Hashem with both the good and the evil inclination — harnessing even the yetzer hara for avodah.

וזה ג"כ שופטים ושוטרים.

And this too is [the meaning of] "judges and officers" (Devarim 16:18).

The parsha of Shoftim, read in Elul, alludes to the same twofold avodah.

שופטים בבחי' השכל ויגיעה בתורה.

"Judges" correspond to the aspect of the intellect and toil in Torah.

The "judges" represent the work of the mind — discerning truth through diligent Torah study.

ושוטרים להכניע הגוף:

And "officers" [correspond] to subduing the body.

The "officers" represent the disciplining of the physical body and the animal soul, enforcing what the intellect has discerned.

Summary: The avodah of Elul is captured in the kri/ksiv of "ve-lo anachnu" — the more a person nullifies his ego ("we are not"), the more he belongs to Hashem ("we are His"), for arrogance leaves no room for the Shechinah. Through bittul, worldly things appear empty and one's entire longing turns to Hashem, who reciprocates and draws the person near. The first of Elul being the New Year for tithing animals teaches that one must also elevate his nefesh ha-behamis — by self-nullification and by acting against its cravings, serving Hashem "with both inclinations." This is "judges and officers": the intellect toiling in Torah, and the discipline that subdues the body.