On Fridays, we give you a double portion of our Elul Thoughts so that we can all take a rest from our electronics on Shabbat. Enjoy!
Rabbi David N. Young
A relatively well-known folktale from Poland tells of a poor man who goes to complain to the rabbi about how crowded his tiny house is with him, his wife, and their children. The rabbis tells him to bring in the chickens, then the goats, then the cow. As the house gets more and more crowded, the man cannot figure out what to do, so he goes to the rabbi one last time, who tells him to take all the animals out of the house. Finally the man is relieved at the relative peace and quiet, and all the newfound space, and he is thrilled to be in his (now spacious) home with his wife and children.
Whether it is guests, family, pets, or items, we all have a lot of junk in our lives. We have to find a lot of space for a lot of things, and we often feel crowded in our own homes. While I do not recommend bringing farm animals into the house, Elul is a great time of year to do some physical cleansing in addition to the spiritual cleansing we do this month.
As the weekend approaches, take some time to make space for your family in the physical sense. Put on some grubby clothes, crank up your favorite work music, gather the family together, and prepare your shared space for the new year. You’ll be glad you did it, and the relaxing you will be able to do in a clean home may be just what you need to put your mind in order, too.
Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker
#TimeWithFamily
A Chasidic Tale: As Rosh Hashanah was approaching, Satan gathered his assistants together to talk about the most effective method of destroying the meaning of people’s lives. You know, just your regular business meeting.
One said, “Tell them there is no God.” Another suggested, “Tell them there is no judgment for sin and they need not worry.” A third proposed, “Tell them their sins are so great they will never be forgiven.”
“No,” Satan replied, “none of these things will matter to them. I think we should simply tell them, ‘There is plenty of time.’”
When I first heard the end of the story, I was confused. What’s so bad about having a lot of time. But then I thought about it more and I got it. Just like in Harry Chapin’s great song, “Cats in the Cradle,” there always seems to be more time. “We’ll get together then” is the refrain, until we realize that time has passed us by. This is especially true regarding our family. On the one hand, our relationships with our family are the most important relationship we have, and yet we also take them for granted far too often.
During this month Elul, shine a light on Satan’s deception and don’t assume we have all the time in the world. It’s not enough to reflect. Make calls, make plans, prioritize time with family. Live a better life by spending time with the most important people in your life.
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