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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- The High Holidays
- The Month of Elul
The Ashkenazic custom is to sound the shofar at the conclusion of the morning services during the month of Elul. Sephardim already begin the recitation of early morning selichot - penitential prayers - with the arrival of Elul. These customs are meant to remind us of the importance of preparation in spiritual matters and Jewish life. Just as one has to prepare one’s body for strenuous physical stress and activity - one cannot arise one morning and say to one’s self that today I am going to run a marathon race without having previously trained for that ordeal - so too is it in the spiritual world. Effective and meaningful prayer on the High Holy Days requires training and preparation. It is too great and dangerous a leap from the everyday mundane and often tawdry world to the exalted spiritual realm of the High Holy Day season if there is inadequate training and preparation for the event. Elul provides us with that month of training and preparation. It, with its special customs and rituals, is meant to help us to get into shape, so to speak, for the challenge of the Days of Judgment and Awe that follow it. Forfeiting Elul’s blessings and opportunities diminishes our abilities to truly exploit the opportunities that the succeeding High Holy Days can afford us. Elul is our personal trainer that helps prepare us adequately for the forthcoming challenges of the season and of life. It should therefore never to be treated lightly.
The turn of the seasons also reminds of us of the fragility of life itself. Israel is blessed with almost all evergreen trees in the country. But there are enough falling leaves around to remind us that "man is merely a tree of the field." The Torah serves us as being a "tree of life." If we are successful in keeping our leaf, so to speak, connected to this tree of eternal life then we are also eternally ever green. The Jewish view of life is that it is eternal in one form or another and this concept of eternity, of influencing our future generations that are yet unborn, should govern our lives and daily behavior. Elul comes to remind us of this truth. It raises and rouses us and forces us to see life in its long run and true perspective. The shofar sound and the selichot will long survive us but hearing them and following them in our lives is a guarantee of our soul’s eternity and Godliness. In the American West there is a tree called the "quaking Aspen." Its leaves constantly tremble even in the stillest of air. I recently saw these trees and was most moved by them. It reminded me of the month of Elul and its meanings and lessons. As long as nature still trembles before its Creator so should we.
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Shoftim TESHUVA IN COURT OF LAW?
Parshat Shoftim-Chodesh Elul
Why does parshat Shoftim always come out during Elul? This innovative and central explanation is an eye-opener regarding many aspects of Judaism.
The Month of Elul TESHUVA IS THE ANSWER
The month of Elul serves as a vital time for self-reflection and personal accountability to prepare for true repentance.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
P'ninat Mishpat Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Chemdat Yamim The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
Re'e NEVER EXTREME EXCEPT ISRAEL
Parshat Re'eh
Judaism is against extremism, so how can we understand the seemingly extreme statements found in our sages in favor of living in the Land of Israel and against living in Chutz laAretz? The article deals with the seeming contradiction between the strength of Free-Will and the strength of being influenced by our surroundings.
Ekev DANCE FOR ISRAEL- FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Parshat Eikev
Description: The 7 Haftarot we read after Tisha B'Av ("Shiva D'Nichemta") surely get us excited that they're coming TRUE, and awaken us to yearn, dance & join the return to Zion! The short article also deals with the problems and solutions facing the American Jewish community as discussed at a recent panel, as well as the question why Jews come from America to Israel to help when we face problems, but Israelis don't come to aid Jews in America when they face anti-Semitism.
