The Month of Elul
Rabbi Aryeh Citron
Parshat Re’eh
Sponsored by Leon and Fortuna Kopel and family in honor and memory of Chana bas Rishe Rachel, Yahrtzeit - 24th of Av. May her neshama have an aliya.
The Month of Elul
The Torah portion of Re’eh is always read on the Shabbat that precedes the month of Elul or on Rosh Chodesh Elul itself. The month of Elul is the month during which we must take stock of our spiritual accomplishments of the previous year and plan to improve our spiritual condition in the coming year.
Elul acts as a bridge between the holidays of the spring and summer, Pesach and Shavuot, and the autumn holidays, the Days of Awe and Sukkot. The holidays of Pesach and Shavuot are days in which we experience G-d’s kind beneficence (almost) regardless of our spiritual readiness. In order to properly experience the latter days, on the other hand, one must prepare themselves with intense soul- searching and spiritual devotion. Elul similarly contains both the aspects of our search for G-dliness and G-d’s commensurate revelation to us.[1]
It is therefore fitting that this week’s Torah portion contains a brief review of the major holidays; Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot.[2]
It’s Never Too Early for Teshuvah
G-d in His kindness granted us this month which is propitious for Teshuva – repentance—to enable us to enter the new year in a state of purity.
The forty days from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kippur were the days that Moshe was on Mt. Sinai for the third time in order to receive the second set of Luchot (tablets).This was considered an et razon, a propitious time, during which G-d was favorably inclined towards the Jewish people.
It therefore remains an et ratzon for all times. This means both that G-d is favorably inclined towards us and that we are more naturally inclined to sincerely serving Him at this time.[3]
960 Hours
The number of hours from the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kippur is 960. This is the minimum amount of Lugin (liquid measurement that equals approximately one liter of water) that is necessary when making a kosher Mikvah. This is also the number that is needed, according to the Jerusalem Talmud, in order to nullify a complete creature (beryah).[4] Just as a ritually impure person emerges cleansed by immersing in a Mikvah, so too when a person “immerses himself” in the service of G-d unique to this propitious time, he will emerge as new being that is nullified to G-d.[5]
Thus we see that one should not postpone doing Teshuvah until late into this month. Every hour of this month is special and should be utilized fully.
When to Begin?
In fact, some begin their preparations for the new year as early as:
· Erev Rosh Chodesh Elul, a day that one can do the first level of Teshuvah and begin the higher level Teshuvah in Elul itself.
· Shabbat Mevorchim Elul. The Previous Rebbe remarked that on this day in the town of Lubavitch the “teshuvah wind” would already blow.[6]
· The Twentieth of Av. This day is 40 days before Rosh HaShana. Just as much of the future of a child is determined forty days before it is formed,[7] so too much of how we will be spiritually ready for Rosh HaShana is determined on the Twentieth of Av .[8]
· The Fifteenth of Av. This is 40 days before the 25th of Elul which was the first day of creation.[9]
· The Seventeenth of Tammuz. On this day Moses broke the Luchot (tablets). Thus began the repentance process which culminated in Moshe ascending the mountain on Rosh Chodesh Elul to receive the second set of Luchot. [10]
Calculating the 40 Days
There are various ways to explain which were the 40 days that Moses spent on the mountain for the last time. There are several opinions:[11]
· Moshe went up on the 29th of Av in the morning and came down on the morning of Yom Kippur. The forty days begins with the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul (the 30th of Av) and does not include Yom Kippur itself.[12]
· Moshe went up in the morning of the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul and came down on the morning of Yom Kippur. That year Elul had 30 days. The forty days includes neither the first day of Rosh Chodesh nor Yom Kippur.[13]
· Moshe ascended in the evening of the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul and came down towards the evening of Yom Kippur. On that year, Elul had 29 days. The 40 days includes both the first day of Rosh Chodesh and Yom Kippur.[14]
· Moshe ascended on the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul and came down on (the end of) Yom Kippur. Elul that year had 30 days. According to this opinion, Moshe was on the mountain for 40 days and 39 nights.[15]
The Very First Elul
According to Rabbi Eliezer, G-d began creating the world on the 25th of Elul.[16] His decision to do so was based on his knowledge of the pleasure he would get from the actions of His (future) creations.[17] In other words, G-d “advanced” us our lives based on our future “returns” to Him. Similarly, in every Elul, G-d is willing to grant us blessings of goodness and salvation even if we have not behaved in a manner that is fully deserving of these. We are, however, committed to serve him in the future. Based on His knowledge that when we receive these blessings we will fulfill our commitments, G-d grants us the blessings in advance.[18]
During the month of Elul, it is customary to:
· Blow the Shofar
o This commemorates Moshe’s ascent to the mountain which was accompanied by a Shofar blast.[19]
o Some have the custom to begin blowing on the first day of Rosh Chodesh while some begin on the second day of Rosh Chodesh.[20] This is due to the differing opinions as to when Moshe ascended the mountain (see above). The Chabad custom is that the shofar blower (Ba’al Toke’ah) begins practicing to blow on the first day whereas the public blowing does not begin until the second day.[21]
o In addition, the purpose of the Shofar blowing is to inspire the people to do Teshuva as the Days of Awe approach.[22]
o Sefardic custom is to blow the Shofar during Selichot which they begin on the second day of Elul.[23]
o Some have the custom of blowing just four notes; Tekiah, shevarim,teruah and tekiah. This is generally the Ashkenazi custom. The Chabad and Sefardic custom is to blow ten notes: the above-mentioned, plus tekiah, shvarim, tekiah, tekiah, teruah, and tekia.
· Recite Psalm 27 during the morning and afternoon prayers. This inspiring Psalm contains allusions to the days of Elul, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Sukot.
o It is recited in Shacharit after the song of the day.[24]
o It is also recited at the end of the day. Some recite it after mincha (Chabad custom), while some recite it after ma’ariv.[25]
· Say additional Psalms[26]
o Some say 10 extra psalms a day.[27]
o Chabad custom (based on a tradition of the Ba’al Shem Tov) is to add three Psalms a day. Additional Psalms are recited on Yom Kippur in order to complete the Book of Psalms.[28]
· Say Selichot
o Sefardim say Selichot during the entire month of Elul (with the exception of Rosh Chodesh and Shabbat).[29]
o Ashkenazim say Selichot for the week preceding Rosh HaShana. If Rosh HaShana falls on Wednesday or later in the week. If Rosh HaShana falls earlier in the week, Selichot are recited from the previous Motzai Shabbat.[30]
In Addition, Elul Is a Good Time for:
· Checking One’s Mezuzot and Tefillin
o Although by the letter of the law, tefillin (purchased from a G-d-fearing expert scribe) that are worn on a regular basis need not be checked at all, and mezuzot need only be checked every three and a half years, it is a pious custom for one to check their tefillin and mezuzot in this month.
o According to the Midrash, the battle of Sichon and Og took place in the month of Elul. They were the protectors of the Canaanites who were then native to Israel. Thus, they were like an evil Mezuzah protecting the entrance to the land Of Israel. Moshe and the Jewish people conquered them in the month of Elul and replaced them with two and a half tribes who represented a kosher Mezuzah to the land of Israel.[31]
o The month of Elul is like the doorway towards teshuvah and the gateway to the New Year. Thus, it is a propitious time to check one’s (Tefillin and) Mezuzot.
· Introspection of one’s deeds of the past year and resolution to strengthen the positive and correct the negative.
- Inspiring people to do Teshuva.
· Additional Torah study, especially in the inspiring aspects of the Torah such as Midrash, Kabbalah,[34] Chasidut, and Musar.
· Praying with extra devotion.
· Adding in charitable acts.
· Many of these positive actions are alluded to in various verses on the Tanach that allude to the month of Elul.[35]
Good Year Wishes
When writing letters during the month of Elul, it is customary to finish the letter by wishing one’s fellow that he be inscribed and sealed for a good year. [36] Some add this greeting already from the Fifteenth of Av.[37]
May You All Be Inscribed and Sealed for a Good Year
[1] As is known, one of the acronyms of the month of Elul is Ani LeDodi VeDodi Li – I am to my Beloved and my beloved is to me (Song of Songs 6, 3, see Shelah, beginning of his Masechta Rosh HaSahana). This symbolizes the way we must serve G-d in this month - by first approaching Him. Only afterwards does He inspire us with the High Holiday’s sense of reverence.
In terms of the holidays, Pesach and Shavuot are comparable to the “Vedodi Li” aspect of Elul, while Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret are similar to the aspect of “Ani LeDodi”.
[2] Sefer HaSichot 5751, pg. 179 See Deut. 15. 1 - 17
[3] Elef Lamateh on Mateh Efraim 581, 2
[4] Yerushalmy Terumot, 10, 5. See Tur Y.D. end of Siman 100 and Bach there
[5] Benei Yissachar, Mamarie Chodesh Elul, Mamar 1, 15
[6] Likutei Diburim, 1, 115b See also Likutei Sichot 19, 158 - 161
[7] Sotah 2a, Sanhedrin 22a
[8] For this reason, it is customary in the Kabbalistic Yeshivah of Bet El, which is in the old city of Jerusalem, to do the Hatarat Nedarim (annulment of the vows) on the Twentieth of Av (Divrei Shalom). Although this custom is not widespread, it indicates the significance this day (Hitva’aduyot 5745, pgs. 2758 – 2764).
[9] See Shelah, ibid, that some begin fasting in preparation for Rosh HaShana on this day. This day is also significant in that trees planted on or before this day are considered to have entered their second year of Orlah on the following Rosh HaShana (Y.D. 294, 4).
[10] Shelah ibid. In addition, I have heard that some Chassidim begin their preparations on the 12th of Tammuz.
[11] The difficulty that has led to the differing opinions in this matter is that it seems that Moshe ascended the mountain in the morning (Ex. 34, 2). In fact, Rashi (Ex. 19, 3) writes that Moshe would always ascend the mountain in the morning. In addition, the plain reading of the text is that Moshe was on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights. If Moshe went up on the first of Elul and came down during the day of Yom Kippur, he would have only been on the mountain for 38 days and 38 nights since Elul usually has only 29 days.
[12] Rav Eliyahu Mizrachi, on Rashi Ex. 33, 11
[13] Bach, O.C. 581
[14] Ibid See there as to how to understand the verse “and you shall go up in the morning” (Ex. 34, 2).
[15] Midrash Tanchuma Parshat Ki Tisa, Siman 31, quoted in Tos. D.H. Kedei, Bava Kamma 82a, Magen Avraham 581, 1. See Tosfot as to how to understand the various verses that mention 40 days and 40 nights.
[16] Rosh HaShana, 10b
[17] See Bereshit Rabba 1, 4, Vayikra Rabba 36, 4
[18] Benie Yissachar, Elul, Mamar 1, 4
[19] Tur ibid quoting Pirkie DeRabbi Elazar, 46
[20] Mateh Efrayim, 581, 7
[21] Thus, both opinions are fulfilled.
[22] Tur, ibid based on Amos 3, 6. “If the Shofar is blown in the city, will the people not tremble?”
[23] Yalkut Yosef, Hilchot Slichot, 14
[24] In some communities, Kaddish Yatom (mourner’s Kaddish), is recited after the Song of the Day and after Psalm 27 respectively. This is in order that it should not be thought that Psalm 27 is part of the Song of the Day. The Chabad custom is to recite one kaddish after both. The recital of “Hoshi’enu” after the song of the day before Psalm 27 is sufficient to clarify that this is not part of the song of the day.
[25] Mateh Efrayim, 581, 6, Elef HaMagen 10
[26] See Elef Lamateh, 581, 16 that one who says Tehillim consistently is protecting himself, his family and all of Israel from negative decrees. He brings upon them blessing of success, kindness and mercy. There is nothing that protects from negative forces like the holy recital of Tehillim. It should be recited slowly and with concentration.
[27] Mishna Berurah, 581, 3
[28] See HaYom Yom, Rosh Chodesh Elul: “When the Tzemach Tzedek was nine years old, the Alter Rebbe said to him: “I received from my Rebbe (the Maggid) who received from his Rebbe (the Baal Shem Tov) … that from the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kippur we are to say three chapters of Tehillim every day. Then, on Yom Kippur, thirty six (chapters): Nine before Kol Nidrei, nine before sleeping, nine after Musaf, and nine after Ne'ila. Whoever did not start on the second day of Rosh Chodesh is to start with the Tehillim of the particular day on which he realizes his omission, and complete the missing Tehillim later.”
[29] O.C. 581, 1
[30] Rama ibid
[31] Each tribe is associated with a certain spelling of G-d’s name, the numerical value of which is 26. 26 times two and a half equals 65 which is the Gematriah of מזוזה
[32] Elef Lamateh, ibid, 15
[33] Likutei Sichot 24, 38
[34] Some have a custom to recite Tikunei Zohar daily from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kippur
[35] See Sefer HaSichot 5749, pg. 198 and in many places
[36] Maharil, Hilchot Yamim Noraim, quoted in Mateh Efrayim, 581, 9
[37] Sha’ar Yissachar, Mamar Yom Tvar Magal, 2