Today is Rosh Chodesh, the start of the month of Elul leading up to Rosh HaShanah. Traditionally this is a time of serious introspection. We ask: what have I done right this year, and what have I done wrong? Where do I need to make amends? Is there a need for teshuvah, a change of direction? We ask these questions both individually and collectively: what have we done, what teshuvah do we need to do, as families, as communities, and as societies?
We can be distracted from these important questions by our daily activities and interests. But with so much tragic news coming at us, fleeting and frivolous concerns fall away and we face the deep issues. What really matters? What is the purpose of this great gift of life and human intelligence and creativity? Why are we here? How can we help turn our society in the direction of health, compassion and love?
The letters of the word Elul can be read as an acronym for a line from Shir HaShirim, the Song of Songs: I am my beloved and my beloved is mine. This teaches us to prepare for Rosh HaShanah by deepening our love relationships with one another and with our Creator, the mysterious, unfathomable source that brought us forth from the dust of the cosmos and endowed us with consciousness. With so many troubles around the world weighing on our hearts and occupying our minds, it’s easy to let sorrow and anger diminish our capacity for love, to become embittered. But to have a sweet new year we need to see beyond the troubles and cultivate gratitude for the abundant blessings in our lives.
In the month of Elul we also give tzedakah, generous donations to relieve suffering and injustice. This year you might consider these worthy organizations working for peace in the Middle East: Standing Together, Combatants for Peace, and The New Israel Fund.
I wish you all Chodesh Tov, a good new month, as we move toward the High Holy Day journey.
L’shalom,
Rabbi Naomi
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