As days are waning
The new year starts as days are waning.
I'm never ready when the first leaves turn.
Every Jewish day begins with evening:
darkness before light, since the beginning.
I'm never ready when the first leaves turn.
Roll the scroll toward the end of our story:
darkness before light since the beginning.
Am I ready to turn and face what's coming?
Roll the scroll toward the end of our story --
can I open my hands and let go of the summer?
Am I ready to turn and face what's coming?
You know what they say about endings.
I open my hands and let go of the summer,
paint every cracked and broken place with gold.
You know what they say about endings:
turn the page, start a chapter, begin again.
Paint every cracked and broken place with gold!
Every Jewish day begins with evening:
turn the page, start a chapter, begin again.
The new year starts as days are waning.
poem by Rabbi Rachel Barenblat, 2018
(ו) וּמָ֨ל יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖ וְאֶת־לְבַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ לְמַ֥עַן חַיֶּֽיךָ׃
Nachal Eshkol on Song of Songs 6:3:1
Homiletical commentary of Chida (Hayyim Joseph David Azulay) on the Five Megilot, Composed: Warsaw (c.1768 - c.1792 CE)
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אני לדודי ודודי לי "Ani L'Dodi Ve'Dodi Li" - the first letter of each word (Roshei Teivot) forms the acronym E.L.U.L. - because in the month of ELUL, G-d reconciles with Israel, and becomes a Beloved to them, to draw them near in teshuva (repentance). [G!d] is close to those who call upon G!d this month |
ואיכא אסמכתא מקרא אני לדודי ודודי לי ר"ת אלול וס"ת עולה מ' כנגד ארבעים יום מר"ח אלול עד יוה"כ כי באלו ארבעים יום התשובה מקובלת להיות לבו קרוב אל דודו בתשובה ואז דודו קרוב לו לקבל תשובתו מאהבה ועוד סמך מקרא ומל ד' אלקיך את לבבך ואת לבב זרעך ר"ת אלול:
(1) There is a hint in the verse “I am for my Beloved and my Beloved is for me” (Ani L’Dodi v’Dodi Li - Shir Hashirim) that the first letters spell Elul and the last letters have a numerical value of 40. This alludes to the forty days from the beginning of Elul until Yom Kippur for during these forty days repentance is [more readily] accepted so a person should bring their heart near to their Beloved [G-d] with repentance, and then the Beloved will be close to them to accept the repentance with love.
(ד) אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁתְּקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה גְּזֵרַת הַכָּתוּב רֶמֶז יֵשׁ בּוֹ כְּלוֹמַר עוּרוּ יְשֵׁנִים מִשְּׁנַתְכֶם וְנִרְדָּמִים הָקִיצוּ מִתַּרְדֵּמַתְכֶם וְחַפְּשׂוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂיכֶם וְחִזְרוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה וְזִכְרוּ בּוֹרַאֲכֶם. אֵלּוּ הַשּׁוֹכְחִים אֶת הָאֱמֶת בְּהַבְלֵי הַזְּמַן וְשׁוֹגִים כָּל שְׁנָתָם בְּהֶבֶל וָרִיק אֲשֶׁר לֹא יוֹעִיל וְלֹא יַצִּיל, הַבִּיטוּ לְנַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם וְהֵיטִיבוּ דַּרְכֵיכֶם וּמַעַלְלֵיכֶם וְיַעֲזֹב כָּל אֶחָד מִכֶּם דַּרְכּוֹ הָרָעָה וּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר לֹא טוֹבָה.
(4) Even though the blowing of the shofar on Rosh HaShanah is a Biblical decree, it hints at something, i.e., “Wake up, sleepers, from your sleep! And slumberers, arise from your slumber! Search your ways and return in teshuvah and remember your Creator! Those who forget the Truth amidst the futility of the moment and are infatuated all their years with vanity and nothingness that will not help and will not save, examine your souls and improve your ways and your motivations! Let each of you abandon his wicked ways, and his thoughts which are no good."
KABBALISTIC INSIGHT: TWO APPROACHES TO ELUL
LOVE AND FEAR , Personal vs. Divine Inspiration
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.
- What is the role of love in your spiritual life?
- Teshuvah is, put simply, the hard holy work of making repentance/repair/return in relationships. How might love and teshuvah operate in tandem for you in this season of spiritual preparation?
If you've looked up at the night sky recently, perhaps you've noticed that the moon is waxing. We're moving deeper into the month of Elul: the month that leads us to the Days of Awe, the last month of the old year.
There are two teachings about Elul that I want to juxtapose:
One tradition teaches that this month, "the King is in the fields."
Imagine God as a King: a sovereign, transcendent, far away, perhaps sequestered in a palace behind walls and gates and courtiers and protocols. This month, the King is in the fields: away from all of those protocols and requirements, directly available to us.
Another tradition teaches that the name of this month, אלול / Elul, can be read as an acronym for אני לדודי ודודי לי / ani l'dodi v'dodi li, "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine," from Song of Songs. The Beloved, here, is God.
This month, we can especially experience God as Beloved, as partner, as intimate and trusted friend and companion, walking with us hand in hand.
If you are so inclined, take a journey with me.
Imagine yourself walking in the fields. Feel the swish of the grasses against your ankles, hear the contented buzzing of bees going from wildflower to wildflower and crickets singing their late-summer song, smell the scent of newly-mown hay.
Imagine that you're not alone.
Maybe walking beside you is the King, sovereign of all worlds, bending an ear to hear what's on your mind and heart.
Maybe walking beside you is the Beloved, the friend to Whom you belong most intimately, listening.
What do you most need to say as you walk in the fields this morning, as we approach Shabbat, as we move deeper into Elul, as the Days of Awe draw near?
Rather than your garments,
And turn back to the LORD your God.
For He is gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger, abounding in kindness,
And renouncing punishment.
Forgiving iniquity
And remitting transgression;
Who has not maintained His wrath forever
Against the remnant of His own people,
Because He loves graciousness!
He will cover up our iniquities,
You will hurl all our sins
Into the depths of the sea.
create in me a steadfast spirit. Do not cast me out of Your presence,
or take Your holy spirit away from me. Let me again rejoice in Your help;
let a vigorous spirit sustain me. I will teach transgressors Your ways,
that sinners may return to You.
Rabbi Tanḥuma, Rabbi Ḥunya, and Rabbi Abbahu [said] in the name of Reish Lakish: It is written: “Desist, and know that I am God…” (Psalms 46:11) – the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: Desist from your evil actions and know that I am God. Rabbi Levi said: Were Israel to repent even one day, they would be redeemed immediately and the son of David would come immediately. What is the reason? “For He is our God, and we are the people of His flock and the sheep under His hand; today, if you heed His voice” (Psalms 95:7). Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Levi say: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: Desist from your wicked actions and repent in the blink of an eye, “and know that I am God.”
“My sister [aḥoti]” – as they were stitched [nitaḥu] to Me in Egypt with the blood of the paschal offering and the blood of circumcision. That is what is written: “I passed you and saw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you, in your blood you shall live” (Ezekiel 16:6) – this is the blood of the paschal offering. “I said to you, in your blood you shall live” – this is the blood of circumcision (Ezekiel 16:6).
“My love [rayati]” – as they fell in love [sheriu] with Me at the sea and said: “This is my God and I will exalt Him” (Exodus 15:2), “the Lord will reign for ever and ever” (Exodus 15:18). “My dove” – at Mara, as from there they were commanded and became distinctive through all the mitzvot, acts of charity, and good deeds, like the dove that is distinctive. That is what is written: “There He instituted for it statutes and ordinances” (Exodus 15:25). “My faultless [tamati]” – My wholehearted ones [tamuti], as they were wholehearted with Me at Sinai, and said: “Everything that the Lord said, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7).
Rabbi Yannai said: My twin [teomati], as it were; I am not greater than it and it is not greater that I am. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: My twin [teomati], just as with twins, if one has a headache his counterpart feels it. So too, as it were, the Holy One blessed be He says: “I am with him in times of trouble” (Psalms 91:15).
“For my head is filled with dew” – on the basis of: “The earth quaked, the heavens dripped” (Psalms 68:9). “My locks, drops of night” – on the basis of what is stated: “The clouds dripped water” (Judges 5:4).
Rabbi Meir said: “Place me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm” – like Yehoyakhin. As Rabbi Meir said: The Holy One blessed be He took an oath that He would sever the kingdom of the House of David from him. That is what is written: “As I live, the utterance of the Lord, for if Konya son of Yehoyakim, king of Judah, would be a signet ring upon My right hand, then from there I would sever you [etkenka]” (Jeremiah 22:24). Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: From there I would sever the kingdom of the House of David. Alternatively, it is not written here anatekkha, but rather, “etkenka”; I will rectify you [atakenkha] with repentance. From the place of your severance, there will be your rectification.
Rabbi Ze’eira said: I heard the voice of Rabbi Yitzḥak as he was sitting and expounding this matter, but I do not know what it was. Rabbi Aḥa Arikha said to him: They say that this is it: It is written: “Write this man childless, a man who will not succeed in his days” (Jeremiah 22:30). In his days he will not be successful, but in the days of his son he will be successful, as it is written: “On that day, the utterance of the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubavel son of She’altiel, My servant, the utterance of the Lord, and I will place you like a signet…” (Hagai 2:23).
Rabbi Aḥa bar Rabbi Avun bar Binyamin said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa son of Rav Pappi: Great is the power of repentance, as it nullifies the decree and nullifies the oath. Nullifies the decree, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Write this man childless, [a man who will not succeed in his days, sitting upon the throne of David and ruling any more in Judah]” (Jeremiah 22:30), and it is written: “On that day, the utterance of the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubavel son of She’altiel, My servant, the utterance of the Lord, and I will place you like a signet; for I have chosen you, the utterance of the Lord of hosts]” (Hagai 2:23). Nullifies the oath, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “As I live, the utterance of the Lord, for if Konya son of Yehoyakim, king of Judah, would be a signet ring upon My right hand, [then from there I would sever you]” (Jeremiah 22:24). And it is written: “The sons of Yekhonya: Asir, She’altiel his son…” (I Chronicles 3:17).
Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Yirmeya said: Asir, because he was incarcerated in prison; She’altiel, because the kingdom of the House of David was replanted [hushtela] from him. Alternatively, Asir, as the Holy One blessed be He prohibited [asar] Himself by means of an oath; She’altiel, because He requested [shaal] from the supernal court and they dissolved His vow.