18 Aug A WORTHY ELUL PURSUIT

As precious days of
Elul are already slipping
away, we really want to
utilize this special time
in the best way that we
can. I would like to
offer my dear readers
a great suggestion of a
worthwhile pursuit for this propitious
time. As we ask Hashem for another year
of life, we want to make sure that we are
living up to His expectations from us.
The posuk teaches us, “Am zu yatzarti Li,
t’hilasi yisapeiru – This nation I created
for Me, to relate My praise.” A primary
purpose of our lives is to thank Hashem
properly and frequently for the gifts that
He gives us. This is why our national
name is Yehudim, people who give thanks.
In truth, the word and idea of Yehudim
means more than simply giving thanks.
Rather, by definition, it means thanking
Hashem for the extras that He gives us.
The original Yehudah was the name given
by Leah to her fourth child since she
realized that she got something extra. She
knew through prophecy that there would
be twelve shvatim, tribes. Because there
were four Imahos, Matriarchs, each of the
four would be given three children. But,

when she had her fourth, she realized that
she got more than her share, and she said,
“Hapa’am odeh es Hashem – This time I
will give special thanks to Hashem,” so
she named him Yehudah.
As Yehudim, we are expected to express
gratitude to Hashem for the extras that
we have. If you have a car, that’s an
extra. Many people cannot afford both a
car and car insurance. And so, they must
commute by bus, train, bicycle, and their
feet. If you have two cars, you don’t have
to constantly juggle and negotiate with
your spouse who is getting the car and
when they will be back. So, you really
have extra. If you’re married, then you’re
way ahead of the myriads of lonely people
who come home to an empty house. If
you’re happily married, you really have
extra to be thankful for. The same is
true about health, about wealth, about
children, and the list goes on and on.
In the first Hallelukah after Ashrei, we
say, “[Hal’li nafshi es Hashem,] Ahal’lah
Hashem b’chai’yai; azam’rah Leilokai
b’odi. This literally means, “I will praise
Hashem with my life; I will sing to Him
while I yet have breath within me.” But
another way to render the words, “Leilokai
b’odi,” is “I will sing to Hashem with

what I have more of.” This is also the way
Tosefos interprets the blessing of Borei
Nefashos that we say after eating most
foods. We say, “Borei n’fashos rabos
v’chesronan al kol mah she’barasa, etc.”
Tosefos interprets this to mean, “Hashem
creates many souls and fulfils for them
their basic deficiencies (and then we
thank Hashem) for all that You created.”
In other words, for all the extras.
This exercise of thanks is very fitting for
Elul.
In the first Selichos we say on Motzoi
Shabbos before Rosh HaShanah, we repeat
multiple times the refrain, “Lishmoah el
harina v’el hatefilah,” that Hashem should
hear the song and the petition.” This
means that before we ask Hashem for our
needs for the coming year, we should first
sing and thank Him for all that He gave us
during this past year.
The habit of thanking Hashem makes us
deserving of life. As Dovid HaMelech
says, “Mah betza b’dami, b’rid’ti el
shachas – What profit is there in my life if
I go down to the grave? Hayod’cha afar,
ha’yagid amitecha – Will the earth thank
You? Will it relate Your truths? Shema
Hashem v’chaneini – Listen, Hashem,
and confer Your favor upon me. Hashem
he’yei ozer li – Hashem, be a helper to
me… L’ma’an y’zamercha chavod –
In order that I swing Your glory. V’lo
yidom – I won’t be silent. Hashem
Elokai, l’olam odeka – Hashem my G-d,
I will always thank you.”
In the same vein, we beseech Hashem
in Modim d’Rabanon, “Kein t’chayeinu
uskai’meinu – So too, grant us life and
establish us… Al she’anachnu modim
lach – Because we thank You.” The
same idea is expressed in Hallel when
we say, “Lo hameisim y’ha’lelu Ka –
The dead won’t sing to You. Va’anachnu
nevoreich Kah – But we will bless You
Hashem. Mei’atah v’ad olam, Halelukah
– From now and forever we will sing to
You, Halelukah.”
We can deduce the supreme importance
of thanking Hashem for this is the first
thing we do every day of our lives.
As soon as we open our eyes, we say
the heartfelt appreciation, “Modeh
ani lefonecha, Melech chai v‘kayam,
shehechezarta bi nishmosi b’chemla,
rabbah Emunosecha – I give thanks
before You, King, who is living and
ever-present, for returning to me my
life with compassion, great is Your
trustworthiness.”
Although we would have liked to say
Hashem’s Name in this daily praise,
the Rabbis deliberately formulated it
without G-d’s Name so that we should
be able to say Modeh while our hands are
still tamei, and we can’t say Hashem’s

Name in this state. I believe the Rabbis
chose to leave out Hashem’s Name for
two reasons. First so that we should be
able to say ‘thank You’ the very second
that we open our eyes. But, perhaps they
had another reason. They wanted us to
say thanks while we are still tamei to
acknowledge that Hashem is so good to
us even when we are tamei, when we are
not so deserving.
So, let’s use some of our precious Elul
time to reflect back on the past year
and thank Hashem for all the gifts that
He bestowed upon us. As the Chovos
Halevavos recommends, “Devarim

sherotzeh lhasmid bah al tiftach bah-
things that you want to continue-don’t

take them for granted!” For then, Hashem
says, “I see that you appreciate it. It’s a
pleasure doing business with you.”
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In the merit of appreciating and expressing
Hashem’s kindness to us, may He bless us
with long life, good health, and everything
wonderful.