אני לדודי ,ודודי לי
אני לדודי ודודי לי (x2)
אני אני ,לדודי
אני לדודי ודודי לי (x2)
אלול אלול אלול
,הייליגע חודש אלול
אלול אלול אלול
המלך בשדה (x2)
Lyrics - Translation
I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine. x2
I - I am my beloved I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine. x2
Elul Elul Elul,
Holy month of Elul
Elul Elul Elul
The King is in the field.
פְּסָל לְךָ. אֵימָתַי יָרַד מֹשֶׁה מִן הָהָר? אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר שַׁלּוּם, מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים יוֹם עָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה אֵצֶל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. כֵּיצַד? בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי לְצֵאת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ' (שמות יט, א). בְּשִׁשָּׁה בַּחֹדֶשׁ נָתַן לָהֶם עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, וּכְתִיב בּוֹ: וּמֹשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים (שמות יט, ב). וְעָשָׂה שָׁם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה מִסִּיוָן וְשִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר מִתַּמּוּז, הֲרֵי אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם. יָרַד בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר בְּתַמּוּז, רָאָה אֶת הָעֵגֶל וְשִׁבֵּר אֶת הַלּוּחוֹת, וְרִדָּה אֶת הַסְּרוּחִין שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר וְתִשְׁעָה עָשָׂר. וְחָזַר וְעָלָה בְּעֶשְׂרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם אַתֶּם חֲטָאתֶם חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה וְעַתָּה אֶעֱלֶה אֶל ה' וְגוֹ'. וּכְתִיב: וַיָּשָׁב מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה' וַיֹּאמַר אָנָּא חָטָא הָעָם הַזֶּה חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה וְגוֹ', עָשָׂה שָׁם עֲשָׂרָה מִן תַּמּוּז וְכָל חֹדֶשׁ אָב, הֲרֵי אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם. עָלָה בְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ אֱלוּל כְּשֶׁאָמַר לוֹ פְּסָל לְךָ וֶהְיֵה נָכוֹן לַבֹּקֶר וְגוֹ', וַיִּפְסֹל וַיַּשְׁכֵּם מֹשֶׁה בַבֹּקֶר וַיַּעַל. עָשָׂה שָׁם אֱלוּל כֻּלּוֹ וַעֲשָׂרָה מִתִּשְׁרֵי וְיָרַד בֶּעָשׂוֹר. וְהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁרוּיִים בִּתְפִלָּה וְתַעֲנִית, וּבוֹ בַּיּוֹם נֶאֱמַר לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה: סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶךָ (במדבר יד, כ). וּקְבָעוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא סְלִיחָה וּמְחִילָה לְדוֹרוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר (ויקרא טז, ל). וּמִיָּד צִוָּה לוֹ לְמֹשֶׁה, וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ.
When did Moses descend from the mountain [with the first set of commandments]? R. Judah the son of Shalum said: Moses remained on the mountain with the Holy Blessed One, for one hundred and twenty days... He descended from the mountain on the seventeenth day of Tammuz, and on the eighteenth day and nineteenth day he saw the calf, broke the tablets, and halted their revelry. On the twentieth day he turned and ascended [a little] once again... He remained there the ten days of the month of Tammuz and the entire month of Av, totaling another forty days.
He went up on the first day of the month of Elul when G!d told him: Hew thee these two tablets … and be ready by the morning (ibid. 34:1–2). And he hewed … and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto Mount Sinai (ibid., v. 4). He stayed there throughout the month of Elul and until the tenth day of Tishri (another ten days). On the tenth day of Tishri he descended while the Israelites were praying and fasting. On that day He said to him: I have pardoned according to thy word (Num. 14:20). Then the Holy Blessed One, established that day as the day of forgiveness and pardon for the future generations (Yom Kippur), as it is said: For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you (Lev. 16:30). Thereupon God commanded Moses: Let them make Me a Sanctuary (Exod. 25:8).
ליקוטי תורה פרשה ראה לב א
אני לדודי ודודי לי. ר"ת אלול. והענין כי באלול מתחיל בחי' אני לדודי דהיינו בחי' אתערותא דלתתא עד ר"ה ויוה"כ שהם בחי' המשכת אלהותו ית' למטה בבחי' התגלות,
כמ"ש שמאלו תחת לראשי וימינו תחבקני שמר"ה עד יוה"כ הוא בחינת שמאלו בחי' יראה לפי שאז הוא זמן התגלות מלכותו ית'.
ולכן קוראין לו המלך כי מלכותך מלכות כל עולמים. פי' שאפילו בעולמות הנעלמים תפול עליהם אימת המלך ופחדו. ומזה נמשך גם למטה על כללות נשמות ישראל לקבל עול מלכות שמים עליהם ותהיה יראתו על פניהם כל השנה כי יראת יקוק ואהבתו אינו עשויה ונטוע בלב האדם מכח עצמו כ"א מכח ההארה הנמשך עליו מלמעלה בעת וזמן התגלותו דהיינו בר"ה בחי' יראה כו', וזהו בחי' ודודי לי רק שצריך תחלה לעורר את האוי"ר על ידי אתערותא דלתתא שהיא באלול.
והנה נודע שבאלול הוא זמן התגלות י"ג מדות הרחמים, ולהבין זה כי למה הם ימות החול ואינם יו"ט כמו שבתות ויום טוב שבהם התגלות אלהות בחי' הארת אלהותו ית' ובפרט בעת וזמן י"ג מדות שהם הארת העליונות מאד והם מתגלים ביוהכ"פ ובודאי יש הפרש גדול בין יוה"כ ובין אלול.
אך הנה יובן ע"פ משל למלך שקודם בואו לעיר יוצאין אנשי העיר לקראתו ומקבלין פניו בשדה ואז רשאין כל מי שרוצה לצאת להקביל פניו הוא מקבל את כולם בסבר פנים יפות ומראה פנים שוחקות לכולם. ובלכתו העירה הרי הם הולכים אחריו. ואח"כ בבואו להיכל מלכותו אין נכנסים כ"א ברשות ואף גם זאת המובחרים שבעם ויחידי סגולה.
וכך הענין עד"מ בחודש אלול יוצאין להקביל אור פניו ית' בשדה, כי הנה כתיב יאר יקוק פניו אליך שהוא ענין הארת י"ג מדות שיהי' פנים בפנים דהיינו שיאיר גילוי פנימיות רצונו ית' למקור נש"י ע"י שיהיה עיקר פנימיות רצונו אליו ית' לדבקה בו בלב ונפש מעומקא דליבא במסירת נפש כמ"ש במ"א.
Lekutei Torah Parshat Re'eh 32:1
It is written (Song of Songs 6:3), "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." The initial letters of the four Hebrew words that make up this phrase spell the word "Elul," (the Hebrew month immediately preceding Rosh Hashanah). This is an allusion to the arousal from below that occurs until Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This is drawing down G!dliness into this world (from above) in a revelation.
As it says "His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me (Song of Songs 2:6)." His left arm is under my head- This is the time period from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur. it is the quality of the left hand because is this is the time of the revelation of the divine regency.
Thus G!d is called "The King" (in the Amidah's kedushah during the ten days from RH to YK) because the divine royalty has dominion over all of the worlds. This means that even the hidden (supernal or interior) worlds fall into fear/awe and trembling of the king. This also channels holy fear/awe of the face of G!d upon the faces of the Oversouls of Israel (for those that receive upon themselves the yoke of kingship of heaven) and for the entire year. For awe and love of G!d are not planted in the human heart by themselves naturally, but only because of the power of a single ray that is drawn upon them from above at the time of the divine revelation which is Rosh Hashanah. This [day] is when G!d's dominion is revealed and thus the fear/awe. This is the quality of "And my beloved is mine." One needs to [first] arouse divine love and awe through arousal of below which is in Elul [before experiencing it above on Rosh Hashanah].
[If these days are so important], one should understand why [the days of Elul] are ordinary weekdays and not festivals. Sabbaths and festivals [are marked as sacred] because they are days when divinity is revealed; G!dliness radiates [downward]. In particular, the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Compassion reflects a very elevated level of divinity and, because this is the level revealed on Yom Kippur. Now, obviously, there is a great difference between Elul and Yom Kippur.
This concept can be illustrated by way of analogy: Before a king enters a city, its inhabitants go out to greet him and receive him in the field. At that time, anyone who so desires may approach and greet him. He receives them all pleasantly and shows a smiling countenance to all. As he proceeds to his city, they follow him. Afterwards, when he reaches his royal palace, one may only enter [his throne room] with permission — and this is granted only to the nation’s elite, to a select few.
Explanation of the analogy: In the month of Elul, we go out to receive the light of G!d's face in the field, so to speak, as it is written: “G!d will cause G!d's countenance to shine upon you.” This refers to the emanation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in a manner that allows them to be received “face to face”;
Benjamin Harshav. Language in Time of Revolution. p. 17-18.
The three basic deictics are: I, here, and now, relating the discourse to the speaker, and the place and time of speech...
In these terms, we can say that all the trends declared in one form or another: Not here, Not like now, Not as we are (though the interpretation of those negations varied widely). "Not here" was the response of the Zionists and the Territorialists as well as the instinctive response of millions who left the shtetl or turned to immigration. Even the Bundists, who ostensibly stood for "hereness" ("doikeyt") in the Diaspora, meant a decidedly different "here" from the old "here" of shtetl culture: an urban setting, an organized working class, an educational movement steeped in secular Yiddish culture.
"Not like now" was expressed in the struggle for political change—either in Socialism (turning to the future) or in Zionism (turning to the future as a revived past)
Questions for Journaling/Contemplation
What was one time you felt as if The Universe/G!d turned towards you Face to Face?
What did you take from that experience?
What is something you could do during the next 3 weeks to open to Hitorerut Dlatata (grace from above)?
(ג) אֲנִ֤י לְדוֹדִי֙ וְדוֹדִ֣י לִ֔י הָרֹעֶ֖ה בַּשׁוֹשַׁנִּֽים׃ (ס)
(3) I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine; he browses among the lilies.
(6) His left hand was under my head, his right arm embraced me.
(6) Y-H-V-H passed before him [lit: upon His face] and proclaimed: “Y-H-V-H! Y-H-V-H ! E-L, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, (7) extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet does not remit all punishment, but visits the iniquity of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations.”
§ The verse states: “And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed” (Exodus 34:6). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Were it not explicitly written in the verse, it would be impossible to say this, as it would be insulting to God’s honor. The verse teaches that the Holy Blessed One, wrapped Himself in a prayer shawl like a prayer leader and showed Moses the structure of the order of the prayer. He said to him: Whenever the Jewish people sin, let them act before Me in accordance with this order. Let the prayer leader wrap himself in a prayer shawl and publicly recite the thirteen attributes of mercy, and I will forgive them.
R' Eliyahu da Vidas, Reishit Hokhmah
Sha'ar Anavah 1
And I heard in the name of the Geonim that this is the meaning of that which they said in Mesechet Rosh Hashanah regarding "And The Lord passed before him and proclaimed" (Exodus 34:6). Rabbi Yochanan said: Were a verse not written, it would be impossible to say it. This teaches that the Holy One, Blessed is He, wrapped Himself like a prayer leader and demonstrated to Moses the order of prayer. He said to him: Any time that Israel sins, let them perform before Me this procedure and I shall forgive them. And the matter is difficult because we have seen many times in which we have proclaimed the 13 attributes and [our prayers] are not answered. Rather the Geonim say that the meaning of "let them perform before Me this procedure" is not merely the wrapping of a talit. Rather that they should perform the attributes which the Holy Blessed One taught to Moshe: that G!d is a merciful and compassionate G!d. That is, just as She is compassionate so too you should be compassionate, etc. And likewise for all 13 attributes.
Keter Shem Tov, siman 66.
A great and mighty king constructed many barriers and walls, one barrier within another, all surrounding himself in the form of a crafty maze. Between the walls he contrived deep moats, fierce beasts and many armed guards. Yet no expenditure was made on this maze, for it was all with the power of illusion.
The king then had those guards scatter gold coins at the gateway of every wall—increasing the amount with every entranceway closer towards the king. All this to test the enthusiasm and the longing of the citizens of the land, to see who would make the effort to come to see their king.
Indeed, many made the effort, but few came close. There were those who returned home as soon as they collected a few coins at the the first gate. Others were intimidated by the sight of ferocious beasts and armed soldiers and stayed away. Others swam the moat, fought off the beasts, were not intimidated by the soldiers—but satisfied themselves that they had come close to the king, seen much of his glory, and returned with gold to prove it.
But the king’s son was astonished by all he saw. The barriers only made the king’s son thirst more for his father. “How could it be,” he exclaimed, “that such a good and compassionate king should surround himself with such formidable barriers!”
In his great yearning, the prince pushed on past all obstacles and danger, leaping over walls and ignoring the treasures that awaited on the other side without once stopping. For he was obsessed only with one thing—to see his father, the king.
It was then, when the king saw the valiant efforts of his beloved son and how he risked his very life to break through all barriers with a burning desire to return to his father—it was then that he removed all illusions. The prince looked about and saw that there are no walls, no barriers, no moats, no beasts or soldiers, no veils. There is only the king.
So too, the great and awesome King of kings, the Holy One, may He be blessed! He hides himself behind many veils, barriers and iron walls. These are the barriers of scattered thoughts, of wasted time, of worldly distractions and furtive pleasures. The barriers that mount themselves immediately when one decides to rise higher, that push back at any effort to come to see the true King.
As the Zohar states, the Hidden Good is surrounded by darkness. For there is no day that does not contain goodness, a goodness that can be found hidden in the secrets of the Torah, waiting for those who search hard for it. It is only that many obstacles are laid to protect that goodness, so that only those who treasure the hidden good can reach it.
Those who think for themselves realize that all the barriers, the iron walls, the veils and coverings—these are nothing more than He Himself, may He be blessed. Like a tortoise who hides within its own shell, so G‑d Hides himself behind His own world. The obstacles—they too are the King’s holy hand. For there is no place void of Him.
In truth, from His vantage point, He is not hiding at all.
And when you know that G‑d is everywhere and that there is nothing else but Him, then you can bear everything.
(4) One thing I ask of G!d, only that do I seek: to live in the house of G!d all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of G!d, to frequent Her temple.