4 Weeks of Elul - 5764
Week Two: Relationships
Each year during the month of Elul, as I prepare for the High
Holy Days I reread several books. Although professionally, I may have been
working on the High Holy Days long before Elul, during this month is the time
for Cheshbon Hanefesh, the accounting of the soul. Certain aspects of these
books do help me professionally, but I turn to them during the month of Elul to
help me personally. The prophet Hosea states "Return O Israel, to the Eternal
your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity. Take words with you and return
to the Eternal and say: Forgive all iniquity and accept the good." The first
"words" we must take in our "return" are with our relationship to others. Before
we can approach God to ask forgiveness, we must set things right with each
other. The Torah teaches us that we are all created in the divine image. We must
approach each other with the divine task of repairing the world and repairing
the world begins with repairing our relationships with each other.
Rabbi Hayim of Zanz tells this story: A man had been wandering about in a forest
for several days, not knowing which was the right way out. Suddenly he saw a man
approaching him. His heart was filled with joy. "Now I shall certainly find out
which is the right way," he thought to himself. When they neared one another, he
asked the man, "Brother, tell me which is the right way. I have been wandering
about in this forest for several days." Said the other to him, "Brother, I do
not know the way out either. For I too have been wandering about here for many
days. But this I can tell you: do not take the way I have been taking, for that
will lead you astray. And now let us look for a new way out together."
During the month of Elul we work together to find new ways to approach our
relationships.
The shofar is sounded throughout the entire month of Elul. Maimonides writes of
the shofar call: "Awake, O sleepers from your sleep, and slumberers arouse
yourselves from your slumber." According to Rabbi Jonathan Sacks this is what
prayer during the Yamim Noraim, the Days of Awe, is about. It is a "call" to
awaken to a wider vision of our lives and to the spiritual and moral challenge
of Jewish existence. If prayer is an "awakening" then our preparations for
prayer must include teshuvah (repentance) and selichot (forgiveness) in our
relationships.
I have included the Rabbi's questions to help us think about the relationships
in our lives.
- Have I truly attempted to see the holiness that is in others?
- Have I done all that I could to maintain friendships that have, for one
reason or another, fallen by the wayside?
- Have I neglected my family while concentrating on my work?
- Have I asked those whom I have wronged to forgive me?
- Will I be able to forgive those who come to me to ask my forgiveness?
- Have I taken part in any activities or transactions that were against my
religious, moral or ethical principles?
- Have I taken time to let the most important people in my life know how much I
care about them?
May these questions help you find the path to forgiveness of yourself and
others.
As always, the Rabbi and I welcome your comments and suggestions
for additional questions and formats that we can use. Note that all of these
materials will also be available in hard copy at the Temple Office and on the
Congregation Albert web site. If you know of anyone else who might want to
receive these mailings – whether or not they are members of the congregation,
contact our list administrator, contact our list administrator,
.
L'shana Tova,
Cantor Barbara R. Finn
Email:
Cantor_at_ca
It is customary to listen to the sound of the Shofar during the
month of Elul. We recently came across this website and thought you might like
to have it for your own preparation for the Yamim Noraim:
http://www.ujc.org/flashplayer.html?id=143
