Preparation of Love
This Shabbos is Rosh Chodesh Elul. It is the last day of the month of Av and Sunday will be the first day of Elul.
Elul is the month of preparation for Rosh Hashanah and the New Year.
In preparation for Rosh Hashanah, I would like to explore ideas connected to the High Holiday season. I’d like to journey beyond the apples and honey, beyond the fasting of Yom Kippur and the flag waving on Simchas Torah.
Let’s start this week with Rosh Hashanah.
What is it really that we are doing on Rosh Hashanah? After we’ve eaten the apples and honey, heard the sound of the Shofar, spent a couple of hours in services, what is the real essence of the day?
Is the eating of the apples, hearing the shofar, etc. the key to inspiring G-d to inscribing us into the good book? Is that what amuses G-d?
In fact our Sages say that it’s the essential recommitting of ourselves to Hashem that makes the whole thing work.
Let’s think about it in terms of a relationship. Like anything else that is alive relationships have their ups and downs. The relationships that endure are the ones that both parties never give up.
Think about that time when a particular relationship you are or were in was on the down. After much effort the relationship is moved to stable and then to positive territory.
Once you enter into positive territory you are much more likely to overlook, forgive and on occasion even appreciate the negativity that crept into the relationships.
(Why might you appreciate it? Because the negativity and tension causes each party to look deeper into themselves and the relationship. It’s a growth moment and a growth opportunity.)
Rosh Hashanah is the annual time that we recommit to the relationship. It doesn’t mean that because we show up on Rosh Hashanah we’re not going to have any rough patches this year. How foolish would it be for us to show up on Rosh Hashanah and say; “this year, I’m not going to do anything wrong, G-d!”
What we show up on Rosh Hashanah and say is; “G-d, I want to be in a relationship with You. I know that I’m not always perfect, but those are my limitations. My relationship with you is so important that even though I’ve messed up here and there, I’m standing here again on Rosh Hashanah.”
In the words of our Sages; we say the verses of kingship (in the Rosh Hashanah amida) so that G-d will be King over us again.
When we offer these words of the prayers we are offering our recommitment to Hashem.
When He sees that He is ready to engage with us in a new relationship or better said a renewed relationship for the New Year.
Elul is a time for us to prepare for this great day by engaging in a bit more thought, study and prayer to help us connect to the essence of this relationship. In doing so, when we show up on Rosh Hashanah we’ll be more present with a full soul.
Have a great month, a gut Chodesh!
