As the last month of the Jewish
year, Elul is traditionaly a time of introspection and stocktaking -- a time to
review one's deeds and spiritual progress over the past year and prepare for
the upcoming "Days of Awe" of Rosh HaShanah and Yom
Kippur.
As the month of Divine Mercy and
Forgiveness (see "Today in Jewish History" for Elul
1) it is a most opportune time for teshuvah ("return" to G-d), prayer, charity, and increased Ahavat Yisrael (love for a fellow Jew) in the quest for
self-improvement and coming closer to G-d. Chassidic master Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi likens the month of Elul to a time
when "the king is in the field" and, in contrast to when he is in the
royal palace, "everyone who so desires is permitted to meet him, and he
receives them all with a cheerful countenance and shows a smiling face to them
all."
Specific Elul customs include the
daily sounding of the shofar (ram's horn) as a call to repentance. The Baal
Shem Tov instituted the custom of reciting three additional chapters
of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom
Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire
book of Psalms).
Elul is also the time to have one's tefillin and mezuzot checked by an accredited scribe to
ensure that they are in good condition and fit for use.
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