Elul – Living with the Times

The Torah portion of Re’eh customarily falls near Rosh Chodesh Elul, about one month before Rosh Hashanah. This entire period is dedicated to spiritual preparation for the Days of Awe. In accordance with Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi’s dictum that we should “live with the times” (i.e., connect with, learn from, and apply the weekly Torah reading to our lives), we would expect the weekly Torah portions read immediately preceding and throughout the month of Elul, beginning with Re’eh, to contain explicit or implicit allusions to the approaching Days of Awe and the process of spiritual introspection undertaken at this time. It is no surprise to learn that this is indeed the case, as the first verse in each of these portions makes clear.
The previous portion, Eikev, begins this trend by alluding to the upcoming days of repentance in its first verse: “And it shall come to pass (eikev) if you listen to these judgments and keep and do them” (Deuteronomy 7:12). The word “eikev” contains the Hebrew root for the words “heel” and “footsteps.” The heel, at the end of the body, represents the upcoming end of the year. Additionally, if we listen carefully and are in tune with the change of the seasons and the inner dimensions of the Jewish calendar, we can already faintly hear in the distance the “footsteps” of a New Year.
The portion of Re’eh begins: “See – I put before you this day a blessing and a curse. A blessing if you listen to the commandments of your God, which I command you this day; and a curse if you do not listen to the commandments of your God” (Deuteronomy 11:26). In this passage, the Torah instructs people to keep their eyes wide open, to clearly examine the choices life presents them with, and to accept responsibility for the consequences of their chosen paths. As we begin the month of Elul and start preparing for the Days of Awe, we must be fully aware of what is at stake, especially how our own actions and behaviors play a role in our immediate and future reality.
The next portion, Shoftim, begins with the following words: “Judges and officers you shall appoint in all your gates” (Deuteronomy 16:18). Although this injunction clearly applies to society at large, Chassidic thought relates it to the private realm as well. At this time of year, when introspection is emphasized, the Torah reminds us to appoint internal ‘judges’ in order to begin evaluating our own thoughts, speech and actions, and to appoint internal officers to enforce discipline and undertake pragmatic change when necessary. From this perspective, the “judges” are the soul forces within us that recognize the ultimate truth and provide us with a workable plan to change ourselves for the better, while the “officers” administer these judgments and spur us on to action, providing us with the fortitude necessary to truly improve our lives and relationships for the better.
In order to bring about such internal change we need to be ready to go to “war,” so to speak, to confront those internal stumbling blocks preventing us from advancing spiritually. Fundamental change does not come easily and only great determination will enable us to attain our personal goals. Therefore, the next portion Ki Teitzei begins with the following injunction: “When you go forth in war against your enemy and God, your God, delivers them into your hands….” (Deuteronomy 21:10). Here again, Chassidic thought transfers the emphasis of this commandment from the sociopolitical realm to the private one, emphasizing that on an individual level the enemy is the “evil inclination” and those of our character traits in need of rectification. And, furthermore, according to the end of the verse, when we make a real effort to confront our enemy, the evil inclination, then God will come to our aid.
Ki Teitzei continues this thread by discussing how a soldier should treat a beautiful woman, captured in the course of a war, whom he is strongly attracted to. In this vein, the Torah describes a series of steps to deal with such a situation, thereby providing instruction for one to successfully control their physical desire, position of power and privilege in a holy way; likewise, the Torah also details the possible consequences if one does not handle such a precarious situation with sacred intention and integrity. Thinking about this scenario on a personal and psychological level, as we have done for all the previous teachings in this series of Torah portions, when we break the spell of complacency and confront our inner shortcomings there is always the possibility of success or failure. War is war, not fun and games. We must be conscious and careful when subduing our internal enemies and be prepared to deal with the issues that arise in a sincere and realistic manner. When we do so in the name of true rectification, Divine assistance will surely be forthcoming.
Even though the teshuvah process we are describing requires serious spiritual work, Chassidut makes a point to remind us not to lose sight of the fundamental sense of joy that should pervade all Divine service. Furthermore, it reminds us not to become so involved in the immediate struggle that we lose sight of where we are heading. The next portion, Ki Tavo, reminds us of our ultimate goal by beginning with the following descriptive passage: “And it will be (vehayah), when you come into the Land which God, your God, gives you for an inheritance” (Deuteronomy 26:1). Our Sages have noted that when a Torah portion begins with the word “vehayah,” this signifies great joy. The Jewish people’s greatest joy is entering and settling into the Promised Land. On a personal level, ‘entering the Land’ represents the great joy experienced in attaining one’s goals, especially when they are pure and holy. Similarly, Chassidut teaches that, like the Holy Land in space, we need to approach Rosh Hashanah and the Ten Days of Repentance, the Holy Land in time, with joy as well as holy fear and awe.
Finally, on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, we always read the portion of Nitzavim which begins with the stirring words, “And you are standing today, all of you, before God” (Deuteronomy 29:9). The Zohar states that this verse is actually referring to Rosh Hashanah. We can only stand before God on Rosh Hashanah with an undivided heart and a clear conscience if we maximize the opportunities for inner evaluation provided by Elul. The series of Torah portions leading up to the Days of Awe that we have just reviewed carefully instruct us in how to maximize these days and perform the essential spiritual work that must be undertaken. If we truly listen and internalize their messages, we will fulfill the dictum of “living with the times” in its highest form.