בס''ד

Rosh Chodesh Elul is Here. What a Special Month!
The summer vacation is almost over. Yeshivot and schools are getting ready to welcome their students back. On the Jewish calendar, today and tomorrow are Rosh Chodesh Elul, a month of introspection leading up to the New Year. Elul is such a special month.

The four Hebrew letters of the word Elul (aleph-lamed-vav-lamed) are the first letters of the four words Ani l'dodi v'dodi lee -- "I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me" (Song of Songs 6:3). These words sum up the relationship between G-d and His people.

Sephardim start saying the prayer Selichot early every morning. Ashkenazim start saying Selichot the Moetzi Shabbat before Rosh Hashana.

Starting on Rosh Chodesh Elul until Simchas Torah, we say L’David, Tehillim 27 with its moving paragraph that was said by Dovid HaMelech [ King David] “One thing that I asked of Hashem, that shall I seek – that I dwell in the House of Hashem all the days of my life, to behold the sweetness of Hashem and to contemplate in His Sanctuary.”

The Shofar is sounded everyday except Shabbat after Shacharit [morning prayers].

For my family, Elul brings us two birthdays. My son Eli-Chaim on the 4th and my granddaughter Chen on the 16th. I have yartzheit for my dear father Eliezer David HaKohen a”h on the 28th.

During the month of Elul, we are busy shopping, cooking, baking and preparing ourselves for Rosh Hashana. Elul, the month before Rosh Hashana, is the time for reflection. What kind of person have I been this year and what kind of person do I want to be?

To all my loyal readers I hope that you have enjoyed my blogs. On September 7th will be one year since that first blog. I want to thank-you for taking the time to read my blog and for your comments. I wish you and yours a year of good health, happiness and prosperity. May all your prayers be answered!

A couple of years ago I wrote a poem about Rosh Chodesh Elul that appeared in the Hamodia.

The Message

Rosh Chodesh Elul has arrived.
The month we start to awaken.
Every morning the Shofar blows
a long toooooo……….

So many different shofars.
Short, curly, long and curvy,
each with it’s own beautiful sound.

What is the Shofar saying?
What is the message?
Awake, retrospect,
time to do Teshuva.

Shana Tova to everyone.
K’tiva V’Chatima Tova

Feel free to pass my blog around.

Chodesh Tov to everyone!

Miriam