Elul: The Month of Repentance

Elul is the final month of the year and the sixth month of "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you" (Exodus 12). The zodiac sign for Elul is Virgo, as written in Jeremiah 31:20: "Return, O virgin of Israel, return to these your cities" and indeed, Elul is the month of repentance, where prayers and pleas are increased.

The people of Israel have the merit that Hashem gave us the opportunity for complete repentance. When a Jew returns to Him with genuine sincerity and love, Hashem responds with love and accepts the repentance. This is illustrated by the verse in Song of Songs: "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine," whose initials form Elul and whose words end in the letter 'yud' corresponding to the forty days Moses spent on the mountain, a time intended for repentance.

When a person draws near to Hashem through the fulfillment of His mitzvot and reflects on past deeds, returning in repentance "I am my beloved's," then Hashem draws closer "and my beloved is mine," showing favor to the individual, forgiving sins, and fulfilling requests. Repentance is always good, but the days of Elul are days of favor, stretching into forty days until Yom Kippur. As Rabbi S.R. Hirsch writes: "A seal of renewal is impressed upon these forty days, as the creation of a child takes forty days, so these days are open for repentance."

For all who know and feel the need to be reborn spiritually and morally, if they strive for it with all their heart and might, they are assured that heaven will grant them the renewed life they seek." Moses spent forty days on the mountain and on the tenth of Tishrei brought down the second tablets, given by Hashem willingly and joyfully and these forty days have been set as a time for repentance for generations to atone for sin.

The verse "And Hashem your G-d will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants" has the initials of Elul, symbolizing how the month of Elul helps from heaven in the process of repentance. To avert the harsh decree, one must indeed follow the words "Repentance, prayer, and charity remove the evil decree." Charity is learned from the Book of Esther: "and sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor" which also has the initials of Elul.

The name Elul also signifies introspection and search in translation, as "And they went to spy out the land" translates to "And they spied out the land," indicating that one should search and evaluate their actions. Certainly, dedicating forty days to repentance and renewal is no easy task.

The first blast of the shofar we hear at the beginning of Elul reminds us of Mount Sinai, as it is said: "When Moses ascended the mountain on the first day of Elul to receive the second tablets, a shofar was blown in the camp to announce to all Israel that Moses had ascended, so they would not err in idolatry again. Thus, the custom in Israel is to blow the shofar at the start of Elul to commemorate Moses' ascent, announcing that the Israelites returned from the sin of the calf and were willingly given the second tablets at the end of forty days. This memory arouses one to repentance as it is said: "Can a shofar be blown in a city, and the people not tremble?" (Amos 3). Some have the custom to awaken the people, announcing from Rosh Chodesh Elul after the Mincha prayer "Return you wayward children."

Yemenite Jews have the custom of blowing the shofar from the start of Elul during the night to arouse the population, encouraging them to say selichot and, with repentance and tears, ask Hashem to forgive and inscribe them for good, as it is said: "Awaken, you sleepers, from your slumber, and arise from your deep sleep and examine your actions and return in repentance" (by Maimonides).

Various events occurred in the month of Elul—on the seventeenth of Elul, the spies died as a punishment for their evil speech. Our rabbis said: Rabbi Elazar ben Parta commented: "Come and see how severe the punishment for evil speech is, from where do we learn this? From the spies, and if speaking ill of trees and stones received such, how much more so when one speaks ill of his fellow! On the twenty-fifth of Elul, the world was created. On the twenty-seventh of Elul, the wall of Jerusalem was completed by Nehemiah, as it is said (Nehemiah 6): "And the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul." May you have a sweet New Year, inscribed and sealed for good!