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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- The High Holidays
- The Month of Elul
One of the great aspects of Elul is that it dwells upon the future. Months that contain within them days of commemorations and holidays always possess a necessary emphasis on past events, on history and great events that have previously occurred. Elul possesses no such commemorative days. It therefore looks forward to creating a better future for ourselves and our families and communities. It emphasizes that the misdeeds and sad events of the past should be considered as having ended and disappeared and now we can only look forward to better times and more positive behavior in the new year that now appears over our horizon. The emphasis on introspection that I previously described as being part of the Elul package - and introspection always concentrates on dealing with past events and behavior - is tempered and balanced by Elul’s demand to look forward and deal with the future in a hopeful and positive fashion. The ability to balance the past and the future in our lives is always a difficult task. Dwelling on the past often induces unrealistic and distorted nostalgia which again always cripples our ability to deal with our current lives and our future. Once again dealing only with the future and ignoring the events and lessons of the past can only lead to great frustrations and disappointments when our rosy predictions and seeming certainties turn out to be wrong, useless and even dangerous. Elul sets the right tone in emphasizing our future and looking ahead while still demanding that a measure of introspection will allow one to learn from the past year gone by and create better emotional and psychological frame of mind and soul in approaching the future and the new year.
Elul is marked by the sounding of the shofar in the morning synagogue prayer services and by the recitation of selichot in the Sephardic and Near Eastern Jewish communities. These customs are meant to internalize within us the opportunities that the month of Elul offers us for our spiritual restoration and growth enhancement. There are no easy or even proven methods to help this process along within ourselves. Every individual must find his or her way alone. Judaism generally is not a one size fits all faith when it comes to spiritual growth. While we are all bound to perform the commandments of the Torah in their entirety no explicit guide to finding spirituality in one’s life is granted to us. Elul is therefore a time to search deep into one’s own self for the personal road that we all seek to find to become closer to the Creator and to leave a legacy of decency and Jewish commitment to those that will follow us. Elul is truly a special month for all of us.
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)
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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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)
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)
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.
P'ninat Mishpat 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: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
