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| As the concluding month of the Hebrew year, Chodesh Elul is a time of intense spiritual preparation for the year to come. It is auspicious for stock taking and Cheshbon HaNefesh. We reflect on what we have accomplished thus far and also what needs to be corrected in the future. By reviewing our conduct and resolving to do better, we ensure a new year of growth and spiritual achievement. The Previous Rebbe compared this to a storekeeper taking inventory of his products from time to time. On Rosh Chodesh Elul, Moshe Rebbanu, zichrono l’brocha, ascended Har Sinai (for the third and final time); he returned on the 10th of Tishrei - Yom Kippur- with the second set of Luchos signifying that B’nei Yisroel had been forgiven for the Chait Ha’egel. During this forty day period, the Yud Gimmel Middos Harachamim (13 Attributes of Mercy) were revealed to the world for the first time. Each year, they are revealed again in Chodesh Elul. Because of this revelation, Chazal tell us that Elul is an opportune time for us to increase in our avodah to Hashem and move closer to Him. Ani L’Dodi V’Dodi Li The name “Elul” is an acronym of the posuk from Shir HaShirim “Ani L’Dodi V’Dodi Li” - that I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me, describing the intense love which exists between Hashem and the Jewish people. It demonstrates that, in Elul, we are the ones to initiate our relationship with Hashem. This is in contrast to the month of Nissan(characterized by the avodah “Dodi Li V’Ani Lo”) when Hashem initiates the relationship. “Ani L’Dodi” suggests an expression of love by the Jewish people to which Hashem responds. King is in the Field The Alter Rebbe, in his Likkutie Torah, describes the bonding between Hashem and the Jewish people during the month of Elul with the following parable: “Before a king enters his city, his subjects go out to greet him and receive him in the field. At that time, anyone who so desires is granted permission (and can) approach the king and greet him. He receives them all pleasantly and shows his smiling face to all.” At first glance this parable seems to contradict the direction suggested in “Ani L’Dodi” by implying that it is Hashem who initiates the relationship by “going into the field”. The Alter Rebbe answers that “the king in the field” is an allusion to the revelation of the 13 Attributes of Mercy which generates the potential for the service of the Jewish people in Elul. Without Hashem’s Mercy, the “people of the field” would be unable to turn to the “King” in the way of “Ani L’Dodi” The potential comes from Hashem, but the action comes from us. The King goes into the field, but we still have to go over and greet him. This parable is used further to understand the difference between the revelation of the 13 Attributes of Mercy during the month of Elul and their revelation on Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur, Hashem has already been crowned as King (on Rosh Hashana) and is back in His “palace”, so to speak. Hashem reveals Himself from the royal throne on Yom Kippur with all His majesty and might. By contrast, in Elul, the King is in the field. Hashem reveals Himself to us on a level which we can comprehend in the framework of our own mundane reality. All of our daily actions can become mitzvos in Elul. Hashem descends to this level not only to make Himself accessible to us but also because there is an intrinsic virtue of the field. Virtue of the Field A field is a place that grain grows. Growing grain, harvesting it, and converting it into food is hard work. The effort involved symbolizes the full scope of our activities within the physical world. The value that Hashem places on this effort is seen in the posuk “Six days you should work… and the seventh day you should rest…”. Hashem commands us to toil with our hands, to be involved with the physical world. When we think about this we are inclined to wonder why G-d designed a world in which man is to concern himself primarily with material activities. Why is this? The Alter Rebbe explains in Tanya that Hashem desires a dwelling place in the “lower worlds” - in our dense, temporal world. Because of this desire, our service to Hashem centers on details of the mundane world. Our purpose is to infuse this world with G-dliness to “know Him in all your ways” - to recognize Hashem in all areas of our life. This concept has great significance to women who are exempt from time bound mitzvos,such as davening with a minyon, in order to attend to needs of the family. The Rebbe said once that “another person’s gashmius is your ruchnius” - that taking care of someone else’s physical needs - husbands, children, Shabbos guests, etc.... -is the central spiritual task of women. Kohanim in the Bais HaMikdosh spent the majority of their days cooking, preparing sacrifices, cleaning the utensils, tidying up, etc.… much the same things that every woman does daily in her own home. Each women is a Kohen Gadol in her Mikdosh Me’at. (Feeding our husbands and children and doing laundry can be and ARE spiritual deeds.) The Gemara relates that the first question a neshama is asked when ascending to sh’mayim is “Did you deal honestly in business?” Even before answering about learning and davening, the soul is asked to give an account of his worldly pursuits. In light of all this, we can appreciate the significance of the King being in the field - that Hashem’s presence is found not only in the sublime spiritual realms, the “royal palace”, but even in the field, the dense material world. Torah Study brings the King’s Presence The parable of the king in the field expresses the importance of our spiritual service in the framework of everyday life, but it also sheds light on the relationship between the king and his subjects. Throughout the year, we emphasis the importance of carrying out our service of Hashem “in the field” with the intent that it should lead to Hashem’s revelation. In Elul, the culmination of our years service, our efforts are rewarded by the perceptual revelation of the King. Since the revelation of the King’s Presence is dependent on the Torah study of the “people of the field”, we can understand the importance of increasing our studies in Elul. We need not forgo our ordinary activities to devote ourselves entirely to Torah study, but we must set aside some additional time in order to “greet the King”. By intensifying our relationship with Hashem during Elul, we ensure that ourselves, our families, and all of Klal Yisroel, be inscribed for a ksiva v’chesima tova, and are granted abundant blessings in the coming year. May these blessings include the most fundamental and necessary blessing - the coming of the Redemption - and may this take place in the immediate future. Wishing everyone a good and sweet year with all blessings of good! Ksiva V'Chesima Tova. Yitzchok and Chayah Mushka
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