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from the Book of Kavanot by Michael Kagan
The month of Elul month can be contrasted with the month between Purim and Pesach. During the latter we are occupied with hard, physical labo in preparation for Pesach. The former is spent on introspective, quiet, inner work. The latter revolves around the question, "How can I be free? What will it take to leave my Egypt?" The former conjures up the question, "Now that I've left Egypt, now that I'm freer, how am I living my life?" The echoes of the cry of Eicha (lit. How - the first word of the Book of Lamentations that is read on Tisha B'Av) are heard.
- The word Eiha (How) is similar to the word Ayeka (Where?) used as the rhetorical question God asks Adam and Eve in the Garden (Where are you hiding?) but can be understood as the more existential question concerning our True Being. This is the question for Elul and the Days of Awe.
- Teshuva means literally 'return'. It is the leitmotif for this time of the year. (The English translation is usually given as penitence.) Teshuva also means 'answer'. If Teshuva means answer then what's the question? Ayeka - Where are you?
- Rosh Hashannah - the festival of the New Year has many names: the Head of the Year (lit.), the Beginning of Change (lit.), the Day of Judgement (Din), the Day of the Shofar (Teruah), the Day of Remembering (Zikaron), the Day of the King (Meleh), the Birthday of Humankind.
- Rosh Hashannah is the only festival that occurs at the beginning of the month (Tishre), on the New Moon, when the moon is at its smallest. The Moon symbolizes the female energy and the quality of lovingkindness (Hesed). On Rosh Hashannah this aspect of the Divine flow is at a minimum. On the contrary the day is the Day of Judgement (Din) in all its awesomeness. The King descends and judges. There is no escape. We pray that the full force of this judgement will be softened but in truth we quake at the coming of the King. And what is there to judge?
Imagine you are a football player fully trained in the sport with all the skills to perfectly fulfill your task in the position allotted you. And the game commences and you fail to perform according to your designated role, you fail to support the team. What will happen to you? What would you expect to happen to you? You will be taken off and replaced. Simple as that. If you're not pulling your weight the team cannot carry you.
In life, each one of us are a unique beings, totally unique. There has never been another you; there is no other you; there never will be another you. Even identical twins are each unique in their thoughts, dreams and abilities. And with this uniqueness comes unique responsibilities in how you can contribute to the healing (Tikkun) of the World - like a thread in a tapestry. So when you are not fulfilling your unique role you're actually wasting precious resources. And so, in the full strictness of the Law, you should be taken out and replaced. However the Moon is not totally absent; a thin sliver is showing. There is compassion, there is a delay in the sentence, there is another chance, there is time for change. Life is not a game of football!
- When a judge judges he must do so without emotion and without prejudice, arriving at a decision based solely on the facts. Guilty or innocent. But when it comes to the sentence that is the time for compassion to be aroused, for extenuating circumstances to be taken into account, for the one who stands before the judge to plead. This is the opportunity from Rosh Hashannah to Yom Kippur.
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