Rabbi's Corner

We have entered the "Season of Repentance" in the Jewish calendar.  We are commanded by our Tradition to "do" t'shuvah (repentance/returning) in order to cause us to come back to our Tradition, to our people, and to HaShem.  We began this time period as we entered the month of Elul.  In Ashkenazic minhag (custom) it is during this month that we sound the shofar at the end of the Shacharit service each day except for Shabbat.  The blasts of the shofar are meant to awaken our souls, to spur us to action, to inspire us to became actively engaged to do t'shuvah.  But is it only the blasts of the shofar that lead us to take action?  Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev said "No!"  He taught that there exist two kinds of "awakenings:" an "Awakening from Above" and an "Awakening from Below."  What did he mean by this?

  Reb Levi Yitzchak taught that one must not rely only on the "Awakening from Above."  A person must benefit from the work of his own hands in order to become inspired to action.  It is only when he does this that he will merit feeling of the Ruach HaKodesh (the Spirit of Hashem) resting upon him.  What does this mean?  It is only when we take the first step, it is only when we inspire ourselves by actively engaging in a more spiritual lifestyle creating a greater connection to HaShem that we create an "Awakening from Below."  This, in turn, will create an "Awakening from Above" resulting in the fulfilling of HaShem's promise to us as imparted in the words of the prophet Zecharyah: "Return to Me and I will return to you!"  (Zecharyah 1:3)  We know that this is HaShem's desire for us by way of the name of the month in which we currently find ourselves.

The Hebrew letters which make up the name of this month leading up to Rosh Hashanah are Aleph, Lamed, Vav, Lamed which, when put together, are read as "Elul."  What is most interesting to note is that the word Elul is an acronym for the following words found in Shir HaShirim (the Song of Songs) written by Shlomo Hamelekh: "Ani L'dodi ve-dodi li!" --- "I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me!" (Shir HaShirim 6:3)  It is during this month of Elul that we, the People Israel, seek a special closeness with Hashem.  This is one of the reasons that the days of the month of Elul are known as "Yamei HaRatzon" (Days of Desire).  We desire to do t'shuvah at this time in order to be closer to Hashem.  And all it takes for Hashem to become closer to us, all it takes for Hashem to love us is for us to want to be closer to H-m.  When all is said and done, all you need is love!