The arrival of the month of Elul in the Jewish calendar is always tinged with both excitement and sadness. The summer is beginning to wind down, and even though we may still have a few weeks of summer weather, fall is on the horizon, and with it the return of a ‘regular’ routine for many of us. Kids go back to school, commuters go back to battling the usual traffic volumes, and sooner or later the evenings become cooler as well.
In the Jewish calendar, the arrival of the month of Elul is a signal to switch spiritual gears. It reminds us that Rosh Hashanah is on its way, followed closely by Yom Kippur – and thus, there’s no better time to begin the process of introspection, also known as ‘heshbon hanefesh’ – accounting of the soul. How was my last year? Did I reach the goals I set out for myself? Did I remember to be kinder, to act justly, to color my actions in this world with Jewish values?
Did I fail? (I know I failed – I am a flawed human being!) And more importantly, when I did fail, how did I respond? Did I seek to fix my own mistakes? Did I acknowledge my failures and look for ways not to repeat them? One of the fundamental ideas we begin to consider with the arrival of Elul is how we can strive to rise above our flawed human nature; to become a better version of ourselves. We begin this spiritual work ahead of time, and we continue throughout the festive season of High Holy Days, culminating in a day-long observance of Yom Kippur.
I always look forward to the High Holy Days with excitement. This year especially I look forward to seeing so many TE members together in one room, celebrating our ancient traditions with a brand new Machzor (prayerbook) for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. May our journey of introspection this year bring us new insights into our own lives. May our holy day celebration be filled with meaning and joy.
Shanah Tovah, a sweet, happy and joyous 5779 to you all!