They always said that there is never a dull moment in Israel, but lately it is no longer possible to follow the storm waves.
It seems that life has become a never-ending boxing ring, and every day a new affair erupts into the headlines, bringing with it arguments, polemics, and demonstrations.
Indeed, these are important issues for our future, but amidst all the waves of the storm, we lose the ability to look inward, into ourselves. All attention is directed outward – to public issues and to what others have said and written and done or not done.
And what about us? How is each of us's private life going?
Elul in the world
In forty days, on Yom Kippur, we will stop the polemics and arguments for a moment. The media will be silent. The sounds of the clashes will not emanate from the shelters. Every person in Israel will gather within himself, stand before his Creator, and think about his life. In his heart will pass reflections on the inner essence of life, and how to bring about real change in the flow of everyday life.
But one day is not enough.
A speeding train does not stop in an instant. Yom Kippur is a culmination of a profound process that begins now, at the beginning of the month of Elul. The brakes should be applied now, not five minutes before 'Kol Nidrei.'.
The former Lubavitcher Rebbe describes in one of his talks the atmosphere that prevailed in the town with the arrival of the days of Elul: "On Shabbat, when Elul is blessed, even though it was still a beautiful summer day, the atmosphere had already changed. The smell of Elul was already beginning to be felt. A spirit of repentance began to blow. Every Jew became more thoughtful, more preoccupied with his thoughts, and began to detach himself from mundane matters.".
He further describes the feelings during the days of Elul themselves: "When you lie in bed at six in the morning, you hear that the first minyan in the synagogue has already finished his prayer. The shofar is blown. The sound of the shofar awakens: Elul in the world! You hurry to get dressed, and there is a feeling of unease: Why were we late getting up! You reflect on our Moses who was on the mountain during these days. These are days of will in which you can act completely differently. You have to be human! Don't waste time!".
Shifting the center of gravity
The entire month of Elul is a time of soul-searching. Attention should shift to ourselves. With all due respect to the nation-state law, and the 'religion', and the 'New Fund', and the 'exclusion of women', and the incendiary kites, and Syria, and Iran, and the hole in the ozone layer – there are other issues that are just as important.
What does our life look like? How much do we invest in learning, in spiritual ascension? To what extent do we deal with our instincts? And what about the education of our children? And the investment in the family?
In the end, this is real life. They may not make headlines and earn hours of airtime, but they are where personal happiness and a sense of satisfaction lie.
The blowing of the shofar of the month of Elul is a wake-up call. To stop, to calm down, to lift our heads above the surging current. To shift the center of gravity to ourselves.
This is the time to think about the purpose of life. About strengthening the connection with the Torah and its commandments. With the Creator. And this is also what will bring us a happy and sweet new year.
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