Introduction
There are many verses in Tanakh where you can cherry pick phrases with the acronym אלול. These four are associated thematically with Elul and are used to set the tone for how we approach this period. (c.f Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 128:1)
(כב) ... לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת אוֹתָ֗ם יְמֵי֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֣ה וְשִׂמְחָ֔ה וּמִשְׁל֤וֹחַ מָנוֹת֙ אִ֣ישׁ לְרֵעֵ֔הוּ וּמַתָּנ֖וֹת לָֽאֶבְיוֹנִֽים׃
(22) ... that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.
(יג) וַאֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א צָדָ֔ה וְהָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אִנָּ֣ה לְיָד֑וֹ וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י לְךָ֙ מָק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָנ֖וּס שָֽׁמָּה׃ (ס)
(ו) וּמָ֨ל יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖ וְאֶת־לְבַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ לְמַ֥עַן חַיֶּֽיךָ׃
(ג) אֲנִ֤י לְדוֹדִי֙ וְדוֹדִ֣י לִ֔י הָרֹעֶ֖ה בַּשׁוֹשַׁנִּֽים׃ (ס)
Background Idea
There is a concept found broadly in Jewish thought and expressed in Kaballah as the complementary concepts of אתערותא דלעילא and אתערותא דלתתא the "awakening from above" and "awakening from below" i.e. us as humans making the first move and reaching out to God and God responding from above. In Chasidus, Elul represents the אתערותא דלתתא that is met by the intensity of Rosh Hashanna and Yom Kippur and the two together give way to the pure joy that is supposed to take place on Sukkot.
Discussion Ideas
- The various traditions of Elul are not mentioned in the Torah or Talmud. Does this make them less important? More important? Both? Neither? How?
- What do each of the verses have to do with preparing for Rosh Hashanna?
- One of the acronyms seems much more forced than the others. What is so important about that verse that it has to be included at all?