Elul
| Elul | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Native name | אֱלוּל(Hebrew) |
| Calendar | Hebrew calendar |
| Month number | 6 |
| Number of days | 29 |
| Season | Summer (Northern Hemisphere) |
| Gregorian equivalent | August–September |
| Repentance in JudaismTeshuva "Return" |
|---|
|
Repentance, atonement and higher ascent inJudaism |
|
|
| In theHebrew Bible |
| Aspects |
| In theJewish calendar |
| In contemporary Judaism |
Elul(Hebrew:אֱלוּל,StandardʾElūl,TiberianʾĔlūl) is the twelfthmonthof the civil year and the sixth month of thereligious yearin theHebrew calendar.It is a month of 29 days. Elul usually occurs in August–September on theGregorian calendar.[1]
Etymology
[edit]The name of the month Elul, like the names of the rest of the Hebrew calendar months, was brought from theBabylonian captivity,and originated from the Akkadian word for "harvest". A similar month name was also used inAkkadian,in the formElūlu.The month is known asAraḫ Ulūlu"harvest month" in theBabylonian calendar.The only difference is that in the Babylonian calendar, Ulūlu can serve as aleap month,while in theJewish calendar,onlyAdarcan serve as a leap month.[2]
Eylül is also the name for September inTurkish;this is derived fromArabic:أيلولʾAylūl,used inIraqand theLevant(seeArabic names of Gregorian months), fromClassical Syriac:ܐܝܼܠܘܼܠ,romanized:Īlūl,also tracing its origin from the Akkadian wordElūlu.In Hebrew, a popularbackronymfor Elul is from a verse in theSong of Songs:Ani LeDodi VeDodi Li(Chapter 6, verse 3A).[3]
Customs
[edit]In Jewish tradition, the month of Elul is a time ofrepentancein preparation for theHigh Holy DaysofRosh HashanahandYom Kippur.The word "Elul" is similar to the root of the verb "search" inAramaic.Jewish sources from the 14th century and on write that the Hebrew word "Elul" can be understood to be anbacronymfor the phrase "Ani L'dodi V'dodi Li" – "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine", referring to one's relationship with God.[4]Elul is seen as a time to search one's heart and draw close to God in preparation for the coming Day of Judgement,Rosh Hashanah,and Day of Atonement,Yom Kippur.[5]RabbiShneur Zalman of Liadicompared, by way of analogy, the month of Elul to a king visiting his peasants in the field before returning to his palace.
During the month of Elul, there are a number of specialritualsleading up to the High Holy Days. It iscustomaryto blow theshofarevery morning (except onShabbat) fromRosh HodeshElul (the first day of the month) until the day before Rosh Hashanah. The blasts are meant to awaken one's spirits and inspire believers to begin the soul searching which will prepare them for the High Holy Days. As part of this preparation, Elul is the time to begin the sometimes-difficult process of granting and asking forforgiveness.[5]It is also customary to recite aPsalm27every day from Rosh Hodesh Elul throughHoshanah RabbahonSukkot(in Tishrei).
Aside from the blowing of the shofar, the other significant ritual practice during Elul is to reciteselichot(special penitentialprayers) either every morning beforesunrisebeginning on the Sunday immediately before Rosh Hashanah, or, if starting Sunday would not afford four days ofselichot,then the Sunday one week prior (Ashkenazitradition) or every morning during the entire month of Elul (Sepharditradition). Ashkenazi Jews begin the recitation of selichot with a special service on Saturday night between solar mid-night (not 12:00) and morning light on the first day of Selichot.
Many Jews also visit thegravesof loved ones throughout the month in order to remember and honor those people in our past who inspire us to live more fully in the future.
Another social custom is to begin or end all letters written during the month of Elul with wishes that the recipient have a good year. The standard blessing is "K'tiva VaHatima Tova"(" a good writing and sealing [of judgement] "), meaning that the person should be written and sealed in theBook of Lifefor a good year. Tradition teaches that on Rosh Hashanah, each person is written down for a good or a poor year, based on their actions in the previous one, and their sincere efforts at atoning for mistakes or harm. On Yom Kippur, that fate is "sealed."
In Jewish history
[edit]- 1 Elul(1313 BCE) –MosesascendsMount Sinaifor 3rd set of 40 days
- 1 Elul(520 BCE) – The ProphetHaggaicommands that the rebuilding of theSecond Templecontinue
- 2 Elul(1555) –Shulchan Aruchpublished
- 3 Elul(1935) – Death ofAbraham Isaac Kook
- 5 Elul–Ezekielthe prophet has a prophecy of the destruction ofSolomon's Temple
- 10 Elul(2105 BCE) –Noahdispatches raven
- 12 Elul(1294) – Birth ofNachmanides
- 12 Elul(1945) – RabbiShlomo Zev Zweigenhaftpublicly performs the firstshechitahon German soil since it was outlawed by theNazisin 1933.[6][7]
- 13 Elul(1909) – Death ofYosef Hayyim
- 14 Elul(1983) – Birth ofShlomo Rafuel Ben Moshe Dovid
- 15 Elul(1964) – birth ofWatson de Emmanuel, OBE
- 17 Elul(2105 BCE) –Noahdispatches dove
- 18 Elul(1609) – Death ofJudah Loew ben Bezalel
- 18 Elul(1698) – Birth ofBaal Shem Tov
- 18 Elul(1745) – Birth of rabbiShneur Zalman of Liadi
- 23 Elul(2105 BCE) – Dove brings olive Leaf toNoah
- 23 Elul(1942) – Death of the Grand Rabbi ofAleksander,Yitzchak Menachem Danziger, inTreblinka
- 23 Elul(1978) –Vladimir HorowitzGolden Jubilee Concert was broadcast live byNBCfromAvery Fisher HallofNew York Philharmonicconducted byZubin Mehta
- 23 Elul(2001) –September 11 attacks
- 24 Elul(1933) – Death ofIsrael Meir Kagan
- 25 Elul(3761 BCE) – The 1st day of the world according to theGenesis creation narrative
- 25 Elul(335 BCE) –JerusalemWalls Rebuilt
- 25 Elul(2nd century CE) – Death ofEleazar ben Simeon,son ofSimeon bar Yochai
- 27 Elul(1855 CE) – Death ofSholom Rokeach
- 28 Elul(1983 CE) – Death of RabbiYoel Halpern
- 29 Elul(1789 CE) – Birth ofMenachem Mendel Schneersohn
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Rosh Chodesh Elul"ראש חודש אלול.Retrieved1 September2019.
- ^It has been argued that one ofJeroboam's sins was that he added an extra Elul to the calendar, causing the holiday ofSukkotto fall out in the eighth month instead of the seventh month. SeeKlein, Reuven Chaim (2018)."The Leap-Month Fabricated by Jeroboam"(PDF).Jewish Bible Quarterly.46(1): 13–18.doi:10.17613/M6P843V9D.
- ^"Welcome to Elul: Relationship is the key".My Jewish Learning.2013-08-07.Retrieved2022-08-30.
- ^"Shir Hashirim - Song of Songs - Chapter 6".Chabad.org.Retrieved1 September2019.
- ^abSuissa, David (21 August 2013)."Love in the time of Elul".Jewish Journal.Retrieved1 September2019.
- ^Hapardes Rabbinical Monthly Journal Volume 19 Issue 7 October 1945 Page 7(retrieved July 19, 2020)
- ^"Hamodia,Inyan Magazine (Vol. XV, Issue 706), April 25 2012 Kinyan L'Shabbos Page 16 ".
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External links
[edit]- Dates of Elul
- Resources on the Month of ElulArchived2020-04-17 at theWayback Machine
- The month of Elul
- An in-depth discussion of the tradition of hearing shofar on Elul, plus meditations on the sound of shofar for each day of the month, can be found atThe Shofar of Elul
- Jewels of Elul:A reading for each day of Elul from a diverse background of Jewish sources.