Elul Day 1

Dear Elul Writers,

In twenty-nine days a new year will be upon us. Whether we spend time reflecting or not, whether we reach out to make repairs in our relationships or not, whether we dare to imagine a version of ourselves that is more whole and more holy or not, Rosh Hashanah will arrive because that’s what dates on calendars do. The fact that we know this to be true, and still we are here together, says a great deal about the power and meaning of the month of Elul. If time is moving a little bit too fast, if the world is spinning in a way that feels unwieldy and altogether turbulent, this month gives us an opportunity to gain some sense of control. 

This is the beauty of Elul (and the real purpose of this project); each year we have the chance to slow down and reflect, to apply the brakes as we careen towards the new year. We pull down the sun visor and get a glimpse of ourselves as best we can (granted, the vanity mirror is small and the road is quite bumpy). Along the way, I will share teachings and Torah that I’ve encountered and recount personal stories and classic parables. I will do my best not to be too didactic. I won’t try to be a guru, it’s hard enough being myself.

Whether this is your first time joining on this Elul journey or you’ve been along for the better part of a decade, I am grateful to have you here. My Elul practice is enriched by the experience of writing to you and by the blessing of hearing back from you (do feel free to say hello). I hope that the days ahead are full of insight and self-discovery; that we can see ourselves in a way that is both honest and loving. I pray that the year ahead is in some way transformed, because we, ourselves, are transformed. If I’m getting a bit carried away, forgive me; today is Rosh Chodesh Elul and I feel like it’s in the spirit of the day to get carried away.

Prompt

In a playful midrash in Bereishit Rabbah the sages ask how it was that Abraham learned Torah if he lived in a time before the Torah was given. One of the answers given is a simple statement attributed to R’ Levi:

from his own self he learned Torah/ meiatzmo lamad Torah / מֵעַצְמוֹ לָמַד תּוֹרָה

I offer this teaching on the first night of Elul as a reminder that the self-exploration that we undertake this month is not navel-gazing. Rather, there is deep Torah and wisdom that we can mine from within ourselves. Today, I invite you to consider what you hope to learn from your ‘self’ this month. Begin with what you already know about yourself. Now, how might you grow better acquainted? In a time where so much feels uncertain, how might looking inward bring you clarity? Wishing us all a little bit of slowing down, a little more control, and a sense of reprieve in the month ahead.

Chodesh tov,

Jordan