Unlocking The Key To Elul

Beth Aaron Congregation in Kew Gardens, under the auspices of Rabbi Moshe Walkin, has been gearing up for the Yamim Noraim with powerful lectures and unity amongst congregants. The programming began when two young members wanted to help inspire the masses and coordinated with the Chazaq Organization to run a series of classes. Rabbi Ilan Meirov, Chazaq Director, delivered a lecture this past Wednesday evening, entitled Powerful Inspiration. The program was exactly that, similar to the previous week’s lecture given by his brother, Rabbi Yaniv Meirov, CEO of Chazaq.

Rabbi Moshe Walkin assumed the leadership role of the shul from his father Rav Shmuel, who was once credited with helped thousands flee Nazi Germany to China during the Holocaust. Rav Moshe’s father, born in Pinsk in 1907, was vice president of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada, and was an internationally respected Talmudic expert on divorce in Orthodox Judaism. During the war he led the Jewish community of Shanghai where he arranged the documents for thousands to flee and eventually build lives in Australia, South Africa, Europe and the Far East.

Due to the gravity of what is at stake for the Jewish people during the month of Elul, Rabbi Ilan Meirov offered the audience a mission for the month. We do not know the cheshbon shamayim, the calculation of the heavens, during this time, but we must always find a way to remain focused.

For many the concept of staying engrossed on topic is quite burdensome. Rabbi Meirov questioned the sage, Rav David Yosef on how he can put out an in depth halacha Sefer on a yearly basis considering all the responsibilities that the rav has for his yeshivah and on behalf of the klal. Rav Yosef responded with a solitary word, “Seder.” One must have a schedule for their daily routine. This should include making a set time for learning to ensure that one completes this obligation each day. The mitzvah of kovea itim l’Torah can be accomplished by created an organized method to your day that does not allow for distractions.

It may sound funny to hear Hashem Almighty tell us to shape and get focused, but in reality, this is the key to Elul and it is the most opportune time to work on ourselves. One may use this month to work on their attendance at prayer services, or to better control their anger or patience. Finding an area of concentration allows one to enter the time of Rosh Hashanah with proper teshuva.

Rabbi Meirov then gave those in attendance practical tips. Generally, we do not pay attention to our misdeeds, but we should do a cheshbon hanefesh, an account of one’s day. At a bare minimum, one should undertake this tally during the month of Elul until Yom Kippur. You will then be able to notice and review your patterns and ascertain areas where you are motivated and successful. You will also uncover zones that can use improvement.

When one looks at their life, they may desire to improve on their interpersonal relationships. Making strides at shalom bayit or raising your children might be one aspect of accomplishing this feat.

On another note, each of us should realize that we are comprised of both a body and soul. In Hebrew a person is defined as adam. This word is quite like Adamah, translated as ground. This would make sense as we all originated from the ground. We should remember that this refers to our bodies as our souls come down from the heavens. One may question, why is the word for a person not something of a spiritual origin? Some may think that to be from the ground infers that we are humble and if we say that we came from the sky, then we are being haughty by saying that we came from greatness. If we look at this notion deeper, we may understand that something planted in the ground requires water, sun, plowing, care, and most importantly, time to survive. If we use other liquids, the seeds will fail to grow. Now, if we take on the task to grow a plant on our own, we will feel accomplished with the results of beautiful flowers or vegetables. It is humanity that is most similar to the earth of the ground. We are each a bundle of potential that with the right amount watering and of exposure to proper acquaintances will yield wonderful results.

Rabbi Meirov suggested that we can achieve proper exposure by filtering our phones and electronic devices and ensuring that we all have correct exposure to the outside elements.

A final tip for Elul was given. There are three main parts to our being: intellect, emotion, and action. If we are put in a compromising situation, our emotions might be triggered, but with the right structure we can control ourselves with our minds, and not allowing our emotions to maintain as strong of a grip. Ultimately, we will succeed not by allowing out hearts to guide us, but with our intellect and thinking before reacting.

By Shabsie Saphirstein