Elul 1 - Circling Around

The Hebrew month of Elul is the last month of the Jewish year. As such, it is considered a month of spiritual preparation for the High Holy Days. Special meditations are added to the daily service for some, known as Selichot, or penitentiary prayers. (*The Saturday before Rosh Hashanah is also known as Selichot, and it is used as a night of contemplation and study.) For several years, a group of Reform rabbis has collaborated on a series of Elul Reflections, shared with our congregations in a daily email, and accompanied by a daily Tweet. We are happy to share them with you.
This year’s Elul thoughts include contributions from Rabbi Sari Laufer of Rodef Sholom in New York, NY; Rabbi Brad Levenberg of Temple Sinai in Atlanta, GA; Rabbi Alan Litwak of Temple Sinai in North Miami Beach, FL; Rabbi Rick Kellner of Congregation Beth Tikvah in Columbus, OH; Rabbi Michael Sommer of Har-Shalom in Highland Park, IL; Rabbi Dan Treiser of Temple B'nai Israel in Clearwater, FL; and Rabbi David N. Young of Congregation B’nai Tzedek in Fountain Valley, CA. You can follow any of us on Facebook or Twitter.
If you have missed any of these daily emails or want to go back and remember something from earlier in Elul, feel free to read them all at http://tinyurl.com/elul75. 

Elul 1/August 16
Circling Around
Elul is the name of the last month of the Hebrew Calendar year.  The word Elul has no meaning in Hebrew other than being a proper noun, but the root aleph-lamed-lamed in Aramaic means, "circle” or seek out.”  As the last month of the year, it makes sense that it might be related to the word "circle,” pointing to the cyclical nature of the year.

There are many traditions associated with the month of Elul.  We blow the shofar every morning.  We recite s’lichot (forgiveness prayers), especially in the last week.  We send cards and letters to our loved ones, asking forgiveness for any offenses we may have committed throughout the year.  We spend much of our time focused on preparing for the upcoming High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.  It is this preparation that might elude to the other Aramaic meaning of Elul.  We are seeking, within ourselves, a way to improve ourselves in the coming year.

As we "circle” around to the end of 5775, may we find all that we "seek” within ourselves.