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First we had Elul where we started to introspect and see where we went wrong and how to improve. We had an intense period of slichot. We davened hard on Rosh Hashanah. And now we just left the period of Asseret Yemei Teshuva (the 10 days of Repentance), climaxing with Yom Kippur. Phew. We think it’s all over. And then we remember Hoshanah Raba is the day when our verdict is really sealed. How can this be… wasn’t Neilah at Yom Kippur our last chance to beg for a good year?

I’d like to offer a suggestion. After Yom Kippur, we feel relieved. We did all we could, davened all day and now it’s over and we trust Hashem, with His rachamim, has given us a favourable verdict. We can finally relax somewhat, after being on our best behaviour for the whole of Elul and especially the 10 days. Yet as soon as Yom Kippur departs, it’s time for us to put into practice our “resolutions” and our new self. If we just think it’s all over as soon as we’ve finished Maariv on motzei Yom Kippur we’ve missed the point. We won’t even get chance to implement our new self.

That’s why we have Hoshanah Raba… (more…)

My Rabbi always said that as soon as you give up on one thing you’ll give up on another until it’s all gone. Once your barrier is weakened it will keep on getting weaker. It reminds me of something Chazal tell us, that a repeated sin becomes permissible to that person. You do something once and you think it’s bad (I feel so bad!). You do it again and you justify yourself (I shouldn’t have done that BUT…). Once more and you actually deem it permissible, “well, actually…” A modern day example is removing one’s kippa to go into the secular world, whether in university or work. This is, in a lot of cases, followed by a complete rejection of mitzvot. There are of course many more subtle examples which on the outside wouldn’t appear detrimental to our spiritual health, such as a minor laxity in kashrut, but they do indeed gradually persuade us to be even more lenient.

I think this concept is integral for us to internalise as we go into the New Year. The above is nothing more than a tactic of the yetzer horah, the evil inclination inside us. Our yetzer horah is constantly aware of any laxity and rationalisations we make and as such makes it easier for us to justify to ourselves that we don’t have to perform a mitzvah. If only we could all have an awareness of this process happening we would be able to stop it instantly! How do we attain this awareness though?

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I miss seminary a lot. It’s not just the friendships. It’s not just the tiyulim around our beautiful country. It’s not just the tzadikkim/ot that taught us.  And it’s not just the enlightening shiurim I had. All these contributed to my growth and enjoyment.

But what I miss most is the environment. We were all going through the same process; living with strangers, trying to survive on sem food, adapting to the intense schedule and culture. We all celebrated Shabbat and chagim together, we all experienced the more solemn events together from Yom HaShoah to Yom HaZikaron, and we all experienced the magnitude of Eretz Yisrael and Am Yisrael on occasions like Yom Yerushalyim, Yom Haatzmaut and visits to Hevron and the like. But most of all, we all had one mission. We all wanted to grow in our Torah. All we did and went through was for the purpose of Torah. Every song we sung was to get close to Hashem, every pasuk we learnt was to learn His wisdom. 

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Suddenly the magnitude of Elul is here, and I find myself struggling to fit in all the learning and preparation that this introspective month demands. Furthermore, it’s in the middle of the summer and not so long after the “3 weeks.” What’s going on here, what’s the connection? Couldn’t we have a break just a little longer?

All year round the chagim (festivals) focus on the community. Pesach we left Egypt; Yom Haatzmaut we got Israel; Yom Yerushalyim we got Jerusalem; Shavuot we got the Torah; Tisha B’Av we lost our Temples; Sukkot we dwelled in Sukkahs in the desert; Chanukah, Purim and Yom HoShoah we survived after our enemies tried to destroy us, etc. But Elul, it seems, is entirely different. It’s a time for the individual. Each and everyone of us must reflect upon our year, make changes and draw closer to Hashem. This process climaxes on Yom Kippur when our sins are hopefully atoned. Why should Elul (and Yom Kippur) be any different from the above?

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(Adapted from “Shabbos in my Soul by R’Boruch Leff)
We all know the famous Midrash where Shabbos came before Hashem and complained that it doesn’t have a partner when every other day of the week does; Sunday has Monday, Tuesday has Wednesday, Thursday has Friday. But what about Shabbat? So Hashem answered that Shabbat has Am Yisrael, the Jewish people!

What exactly does this mean? The thing that gives any day value is the fact that there’s a tomorrow. I do something to bring along a result. I study to get a job. I get a job to pay bills. If there was no tomorrow, I wouldn’t do anything today. So each day has value, which is why Shabbat complained because then it would have no value because it doesn’t have a tomorrow, a pair. But Hashem answers that Shabbat’s partner is much more elevated. Shabbat is a completely spiritual day and it is designed to fulfil Am Yisrael’s need for spirituality.

In that case, then, let us use this Shabbat and indeed every Shabbat in its intended purpose; to reach spiritual heights when we might not have as much chance during the week when we are working towards physical stability. Our actions and speech should be elevated and we should only have in mind Hashem’s kedusha.

Shabbat shalom