Hodesh Tov. We are now starting the month of Elul, and as we mentioned yesterday, it is fitting to share some thoughts about it.
We will start off with a story, to help us appreciate the time we are in.
A story was brought down from the 1200s, in the times of the Rishonim. A Jewish man attended a traveling fair and purchased some lead, in order to fix his roof. When he got home, he decided not to fix his roof after all. A fellow Jew heard about it and decided to purchase the lead from this man. This second Jew started to prepare his roof, then discovered that the “lead” he had purchased was actually silver covered in lead. They could not find the original seller, because it was a traveling fair and it had gone on. But now the two Jews got into a little dispute. Who owned the silver?
The first man claimed it was a mistake. He had not realized it was silver, or he never would have sold it. Just like the rule “buyer beware,” seller beware. They both have responsibilities. A seller is not permitted to fool a buyer, and a buyer isn’t permitted to fool the seller by buying something if the seller doesn’t know the true worth.
They took their dispute to a great Rishon, Rav Eliezer, from the town of Mitz, who said that the first Jew never really owned it, because when he acquired it, he had no idea it was silver. The rabbis say that we see an important principle from this story: You only own something if you are aware of it.
We are now in the days of Elul. We must be aware of these days in order to really own them, so to say. We must realize how great these days really are. As the Ramban says, how do we know that these days are so special? Because everyone is aware of the symbols of the horoscope, even the secular world. The symbol of Elul is called “Virgo” which is a maiden woman, a symbol of love. The next month is “Libra”, and the symbol is a scale. Check your local newspaper horoscopes and you will see it- a scale! For this time of year! Isn’t that odd? Of course, we know why it is a scale- because we get judged on Rosh Hashanah. This is all built into creation- these are not just symbols. This is the nature of the world.
There is a special love in the month of Elul, between G-d and the Jewish people. We all know that
אני לדודי ודודי לי
I am to by beloved as my beloved is to me spells Elul. The Arizal (possibly the first one to say this), says that in the month of Elul, G-d becomes appeased with the Jewish people and we become beloved to each other. G-d gives us the opportunity to return in Teshuva. He is Karov L’korav- close to those that call out to Him, in this month.
And why is the symbol of this month a Betula? (a pure, sealed, young maiden who is dedicated to her husband to be)
The Sfat Emet says that this symbolism represents the Jewish people, who are like a maiden to G-d. He says that although we might have sinned, there is a very deep, inner, spot in the Jewish soul that has never been touched by any outsider. That is why it says, “We are a sealed garden.” Every Jewish person has an aspect to them that was never disconnected from G-d, that is protected by G-d, and it is the purest part of us. That’s how we are able to do Teshuva- because there’s a part of us that has never been disconnected. He says we can’t always locate that spot, but during the month of Elul we can reveal that part of us that has never been disconnected from G-d. That connection is what the Meshech Chochma defines as Bitachon. He says Bitachon is Devekut-a connection to G-d because you realize that G-d takes care of you all the time. He is on your mind, and you are on His mind. That connection is the אני לדודי ודודי לי
I am to by beloved as my beloved is to me .The more we ignite this feeling of “I am for my beloved.....in ourselves, the more G-d ignites His special forces for us- Dodi Li My beloved is for me .What does this mean?
The Sfat Emet says that after the sin of the golden calf, G-d said “I will do wonders. “which are the 13 attributes of mercy that Hashem revealed to Moshe Rabbenu. Those 13 attributes are dedicated exclusively to the Jewish people. It’s called the Berit Shelosh Esreh- the “Deal of Thirteen.”
We say these attributes many times on Yom Kippur. It is a deal between G-d and the Jewish people. We say them on Mondays and Thursdays too.
אֵל הוֹרֵתָנוּ לוֹמַר מִדּוֹת שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה, זְכֹר לָנוּ הַיּוֹם בְּרִית שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה,
G-d taught us to mention these 13attributes, remember for us this “Deal of 13”
It is a Berit- a covenant. That is the connection that’s is bonded and recreated during these days of Elul. The Sfat Emet quoted his grandfather, the Chiddushei HaRim, as saying, that is what “Magen Avraham” G-d protects Avraham means.
What does this mean? Avraham is long gone.
The answer is that every Jewish person has a little bit of Avraham Avinu inside him We have his DNA, which is recognizable in our makeup. But that could possibly get lost, or diluted, over the generations. It could be dissolved.
Therefore, Magen Avraham- G-d protects that little bit of Avraham inside of us. And we always have it inside of us.
Magen Avraham-G-d protects the Avraham inside of us, and that’s what comes out during the month of Elul. This is something to appreciate- these days when we can suddenly find a way to reconnect to Hashem. But it’s up to us to find it.
דרשו ה׳ בהמצאו
Search out for G-d where He can be found.
No one else can do it for you. It is inherently inside of you, as a Jewish person. There is a connection there, an ember that needs to be bellowed. We must bring it out until it becomes inflamed.
מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֗ים לֹ֤א יֽוּכְלוּ֙ לְכַבּ֣וֹת אֶת־הָֽאַהֲבָ֔ה
Torrential rainstorms cannot put out that love between G-d and the Jewish people.
Bezrat Hashem we will rekindle that special love and connection during these special days.