RE’EY ELUL 5782

Elul, the Powerful Month oday is Rosh Chodesh Elul, the day we usher in the last month of the Jewish year. It’s the month before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Why is that important? What makes this month of Elul so special?

Have you ever been to court before? Were you nervous? Of course you were! Who doesn’t get nervous before a judge whose decision can affect your life. Well, on Rosh Hashanah we appear before the Judge of all judges, the King of kings who will decide what happens to us in the coming year—who will live, who will die, who will be healthy and who will be ill, who will prosper and who will become poor. Shouldn’t we be a little nervous? Shouldn’t we be on our best behavior this month?

You all know about the Nobel Prize. Every year, 5 separate prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, and Peace are awarded to “those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind.” It’s always been a source of pride to me how many of the winners are Jews.

Let me tell you the story of how the prize was created. In 1888, the headline in the obituary section of a French newspaper read: “The Merchant of Death is Dead!” It eulogized Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor of dynamite. However, it wasn’t Alfred Nobel who died, but his brother Ludwig. The newspaper mistakenly thought Alfred had died, and the reporters published a scathing review of his life.

The paper characterized Alfred Nobel as someone who had grown rich by developing new ways to “mutilate and kill.” Nobel was deeply impacted by this premature obituary and became obsessed with how he would be remembered. He rewrote his will, bequeathing most of his incredible fortune to acknowledge and encourage those who benefit humankind—inspiring others to do the same.

The newspaper’s historic blunder gave Nobel the rare opportunity to read his own obituary, and it gave him a 2^nd chance.

This month of Elul is all about 2^nd chances. Jewish tradition teaches that Gd is spiritually closer to us during the month of Elul and more receptive to our prayers and attempts to draw closer to Him (Rashi Ex. 33:11). The great Chasidic master Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1813) uses the metaphor of a king whose usually sits in the palace. Anyone wishing to see the king must 1^st go to the palace, go through all the gates, and be meticulously prepped. Very few make to the king. But there are times (like his birthday) when the king leaves the palace and comes out to the field to make himself more accessible—so that even a simple peasant can approach him.

Elul is the time when the supreme King (Gd) is in the field. Why? The Sages (Rashi) tell us that the 1^st day of Elul was the day Gd told Moses to ascend Mount Sinai again to receive a 2^nd set of the 10 Commandments. Why?

Let’s backtrack a little. 6 weeks ago, was the fast of the 17^th day of the month of Tammuz. Among other bad things that happened on that day, that was the day Moses descended Mt. Sinai the 1^st time with the tablets containing the 10 Commandments, only to find the Jewish people worshipping the Golden Calf. It was a terrible moment in Jewish history. The Jewish people’s faith and relationship with Gd seemed beyond repair. In response, Moses broke the tablets and remained in the Jewish camp, praying on their behalf, desperately trying to obtain Gd’s forgiveness.

Moses prayed for 40 days, from the 17^th of Tammuz—when he 1^st saw the Jews sinning—until the beginning of this month of Elul. After 40 days of pleading for forgiveness, Gd told Moses to return to Mt. Sinai for He was ready to give the Jewish people a 2^nd chance and forgive them.

Elul is all about 2^nd chances. Moses remained on Mt. Sinai for 40 more days. He then returned to the Jewish camp with the 2^nd set of tablets of the 10 Commandments that signified—among other things—Gd’s forgiveness. Guess what day that was? The 10^th day of Tishrei—none other than Yom Kippur! Yom Kippur then became the Jewish Day of Atonement because it marked the reconciliation between Gd and the Jewish people. It forever signified that Hashem loves His people, and if they will only come back to Him—no matter how far they may have strayed—He will give them a 2^nd chance.

Gd presented a unique challenge to our ancestors during those 40 days between Rosh Chodesh Elul and Yom Kippur: fix your problems, deal with your issues, and renew your relationship with Me. Every year at this time, that same 40-day challenge presents itself again to us. Like Alfred Nobel, we too are given a 2^nd chance to confront our challenges, deal with our demons, and reconnect with Gd and each other 

My friends, throughout the year we routinely encounter obstacles and spiritual challenges, which disconnect us from our spiritual source—from Gd, Torah and even from the people we love. We all have dreams and goals we failed to achieve. In the past year we let ourselves down at times. But these 40 days come to us every year, presenting us with the opportunity to reconnect and draw closer to our unique potential as the new year approaches.

Let’s do this exercise: Close your eyes for a moment. Ask yourself: What part of your life needs a “2^nd chance”? Imagine for a moment how you can do a tikkun and correct what needs correction. Imagine how you can forgive others and yourself. Imagine what you can do to become the best version of yourself? Imagine yourself doing that. Now open your eyes. It’s Ellul, go out and do it! Amen!