B"H

Monday, Elul 4, 5780 / August 24 2020

We are now in the month of Elul, last month of the year, 5780. Rosh Hashana will begin Friday night September 18 through Sunday September 20. Rosh Hashana is the only Biblical holiday which is celebrated two days also in Israel. Being that the first Day Rosh Hashana this year is Shabbat, there won’t be any Shofar blowing on the first day Rosh Hashana.

Q.  What does the name of this month, Elul, stand for?

A.  Elul is an acronym for "Ani Ldodi Vdodi Li."  Translated, it means, "I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me."  This refers to our relationship with G-d during Elul.  During this month we make a greater effort to become closer to G-d, ("I am to my beloved") through repentance (Teshuva), prayer (Tefila) and charity (Tzedakah). At the same time, G-d is closer to us ("my beloved is to me") showing us His mercy and granting our wishes for the coming year.

Q.  What is the significance of Rosh Hashana?

A.  Rosh Hashana is called "Yom Hadin" - "Day of Judgment."  On Rosh Hashana G-d judges the universe. The "U’nsaneh Tokef" - one of the highly emotional and moving prayers of the High Holidays, details the judgment process that occurs in the heavenly spheres on these holy days.

Q.  Why, of all days of the year, was the first of Tishrei set as Rosh Hashana - as the Day of Judgment?

A.  According to the Talmudic sage Rabbi Eliezer, Rosh Hashana is celebrated on the sixth day of creation, which is the day when Adam and Eve were created. Because Adam and Eve were created on this day, G-d designated it as the Day of Judgment.

Q.  Why isn't Rosh Hashana on the first day of creation, when heaven and earth were created?

A.  G-d created the universe so that mankind would make it a better world and thus a dwelling place for G-d, through observing His commandments. Adam and Eve and their descendants were entrusted and empowered with the responsibility of spiritually elevating the universe. Thus, Rosh Hashana was established on the day when Adam and Eve were created.

Q.  The mitzvah associated with Rosh Hashana is to hear the sound of the Shofar.  What is the connection between Rosh Hashana – the day of Judgment - and the sounding of the Shofar?

A   Among the many reasons given, it also reminds us of the Giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, which was accompanied by "thunder, lightning and the sound of the Shofar" (Exodus 20:15).  Thus, the sound of the Shofar on Rosh Hashana, is a reminder to observe the Torah and mitzvot.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

& A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR

B"H

Tuesday, Elul 5, 5780 / August 25, 2020

The Hebrew names of the months have their roots in the Babylonian language. These names were adopted and brought back with them when they returned to Israel from their Babylonian exile. Yet, our sages found the four letters which make up the word, Elul, hinted in the Torah and scriptures.

As mentioned before, Elul is an acronym for the four words in Shir HaShirim (Song of Songs), "Ani L'dodi V'dodi Li" - "I am to my friend and my friend is to me." 

This refers to our special relationship and connection with G-d during this month of Elul. This is accomplished through Repentance (Teshuvah), prayer (Tefila) and Charity (Tzedakah), as we say in the High holiday prayers. Our sages tell us that these three special mitzvot can nullify an evil decree and secure a new year of blessings.

There are mitzvot we must perform daily and there are mitzvot that are applicable only under certain conditions and in special times. Yet, even the mitzvot that apply all year long may take on greater significance and meaning during certain times of the year.

For example, the mitzvah of remembering the Exodus applies each day, as the Torah states, "Remember the day of the Exodus all the days of your life."  Yet, on Passover,  it has greater significance and greater meaning.

The mitzvah of repentance, prayer and charity, apply each day of the year. Yet, they have special significance during the forty days from the beginning of Elul until Yom Kippur. These 40 days correspond to the 40 days that Moshe was on Mount Sinai, where he prayed and achieved G-d's forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf and received the Second set of Tablets. 

Rabbi Avraham of Slonim once gave a sermon about the significance of the month of Elul and the importance of Teshuvah-repentance. 

Someone said, "Rabbi, what good is repenting, which I try to do, yet, I don't feel any spiritual uplifting.  In fact, from time to time I fall back into my bad habits.  What purpose is there in my repenting?"

Rabbi Avraham replied, "When a person realizes that they are sinking in deep mud and must get out before sinking completely, they have to take big steps and try to get to safe ground. Although, each time he puts his foot back down, he again steps into the mud, yet, if he stops he will sink completely.  But, if he continues, even if he is still in the mud, every effort will bring him closer to getting out."

"The same is with Teshuvah. When you try to emerge from the spiritual mud, you may not see any improvement at first.  But as long as you keep on making an effort to emerge, you will eventually succeed. Giving up is not an option."

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL DAY

& A SHANA TOVA – A HAPPY, HEALTHY NEW YEAR

B"H

Thursday, Elul 7, 5780 / August 27, 2020

This week's Parsha is Ki Teitzei.  In this Parsha we find 74 of the 613 mitzvot.  The 613 mitzvot fall into two general categories; 1) Mitzvot between one person and another person; and 2) Mitzvot between us and G-d.  Most of the mitzvot in this Parsha concern behavior between people.

Parshat Ki Teitzei is always read in the month of Elul, whenwe prepare for the New Year. The Parsha teaches us that in order to ask G-d to be kind to us in the New Year, we must first be generous and kind toward our fellow human being.

The following mitzvah is in this Parsha: "You shall not see your brother's ox or sheep go astray and hide yourself from them.You shall bring them back to your brother.” This mitzvah is called, "Hashavat Aveidah"- "returning of a lost object."

This mitzvah can also be understood in a spiritual sense, to refer to "Teshuvah" (repentance).  This is especially significant in this month of Elul (the last month of the year). Elul is the month of "Teshuvah" in which we must "return" and restore our soul, which may at times go astray, to its original form of holiness and purity. 

Another mitzvah in the Parsha is, "You shall not see your brother's donkey or ox fallen down by the road, and hide yourself from them; you shall help him lift them up again."

The Torah also reminds us to be kind to animals. "You shall not plow with an ox and donkey together." The Iben Ezra explains the reason for this prohibition is out of pity for the donkey which is weaker than the ox and plowing together with the ox is beyond its strength.

The Chezkuni gives another reason: The ox chews it's cud while the donkey does not. If they will plow together, the donkey seeing that the ox is constantly chewing, will think that the ox is eating while it is not. Since this will cause it pain, the Torah prohibited it. We see how the Torah is concerned about the feelings of an animal.

Another mitzvah alluded to in the Parsha is the mitzvah to refrain from "Lashon Hara" - derogatory talk about others.  The Torah states, "When you go out in battle against your enemies, you shall keep away from every evil thing ["Vnishmarta Mikol Davar Ra"] (Deut. 23:10)."

In the Torah, there are no vowels. So words can be read in various ways. In this case, the Hebrew "Davar Ra" can also be read as "Dibur Ra," which means, you shall keep away from "speaking evil."

The Talmudic sage, Rabbi Alexandrai, would make the following announcement, "Who wants life?  Who wants life?" Everyone would gather and reply, "We want life. Give us life!" Rabbi Alexandrai would then recite the verse in Psalms 34: "Who is the man who desires life, who loves days of seeing good?  Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceitfully."

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL DAY & SHANA TOVA.