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    HAYOM – TODAY!

    While it still be hot outdoors, and the
    sun is shining brightly, summer is slowly
    coming to an end. The back-to-school
    sales are being advertised, and the shelves
    are already stocked with knapsacks and
    notebooks, pens and pencils, reminding us
    that the end of August is approaching, with
    September not far behind.
    As Jews, we have another reminder. Elul.
    This Shabbos is Shabbos Mevorchim Elul.
    Elul’s is HaShem’s gift of time to us as a
    preparation for Rosh HaShana. A time to
    take a good look at ourselves and ask how
    can I improve. What can I do to prepare
    for the awesome days when we stand in
    judgment for our past deeds and plead for
    a new year
    Elul is a time to turn to HaShem with
    tefilla. The root of the word tefilla is pileil.
    To judge, to contemplate. Before davening,
    and especially during the month of Elul,
    to take some time out for introspection

    and self-reflection. Time to ask ourselves,
    where am I going in life, what’s it all about.
    Tefilla also means to connect. Davening
    is a time to strengthen our connection to
    HaShem, to ask not only for ourselves but
    for others. For family, friends, Am Yisroel
    and Eretz Yisroel. No request is too small,
    no wish is too large. Daven for ordinary
    things, daven for the miracles we all need.
    It is said about Elul, Hamelech b’sodeh,
    the King is in the field. HaShem leaves
    His palace to be closer to His people, to
    listen to their needs. So take advantage and
    daven, and then daven some more. As the
    Navi Yeshayahu says, “Dirshu HaShem
    b’heematzo, Seek out HaShem when He
    can be found, kra’auhu b’heyos karov, call
    upon Him when He is near.” (Yeshayahu
    55:6) Not only is HaShem waiting for us to
    turn to Him during Elul, but it is said that
    the neshamos of our ancestors, our bubbas
    and zeides are pleading our case before
    HaShem’s throne.
    Tik’u bachodesh shofar. As a wake-up call
    to prepare us for Rosh HaShana, we sound

    the shofar during the month of Elul. As a
    child, I knew that Elul had arrived when I
    heard the soul-stirring sounds of the shofar
    that my father zt”l blew each morning. I
    went off to school with Elul on my mind.
    Elul is a time for change and new
    beginnings. One is never too old, and

    it is never too late. One of my sons-in-
    law, Ellie, who is a physician, related the

    following story to me. An older colleague
    of his in the hospital recently approached
    him with a request. “I’m already getting
    on in years, I haven’t put on tefillin since
    my Bar Mitzva. I don’t even know where
    my tefillin are. Now that I’m getting older,
    I’m thinking of my life, of my destiny, and
    building a connection to G-d. I want to start
    putting on tefillin again, but don’t know
    where or how to begin.” Ellie purchased a
    pair of tefillin, showed him how to put them
    on, and taught him the proper brachos to be
    recited when doing so. Like the doctor who
    made change in his life, Elul has the power
    to transform each and every one of us.
    This Shabbos, we read Parshas Re’eh.
    Re’eh is always read either on Shabbos
    Mevorchim Elul (like this year) or on
    Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Elul. This is no
    coincidence, as the spirit of Elul is very
    much present in the parsha. In fact, in the
    opening pasuk, Moshe tells Klal Yisroel,
    “Re’eh anochi nosein lifneichem hayom
    bracha u’klala, See, I present before you
    today a blessing and a curse.” (Devarim
    11:26). The choice is in our hands. It’s
    Chodesh Elul. Make the right choice.
    Re’eh is part of Moshe’s final message to
    Bnei Yisroel. By using the term “hayom
    – today”, Moshe is emphasizing that this
    message is only not for his generation,
    but for all time. Moshe is telling us, look,
    observe the world around us. Re’eh, to
    see with our own eyes the blessings that
    come with a Torah-imbued life. A life of
    ethics, morals, and family values.
    The Slonimer Rebbe teaches that Parshas
    Re’eh being read Elul time comes with
    a message of “seeing”. That during the
    month of Elul, HaShem gives us “super
    vision”, making it easier for us to see
    the correct life path to follow, to merit
    teshuva, to be judged favorably on Rosh
    HaShana for a year of health, prosperity,
    nachas, mazal and bracha.
    Rav Chanina teaches that hakol b’yedei
    Shomayim, Everything is in the hands

    of the Above, chutz m’yiras Shomayim,
    except for a fear and reverence of Heaven.
    It’s all in HaShem’s hands, if a soul will
    be male or female, healthy or sickly, tall
    or short, beautiful or plain, rich or poor.
    Characteristics and life circumstances are
    from Above. But yiras Shomayim, one’s
    respect and reverence for Heaven, how we
    react and what we do with our lives, the
    path we choose, that is all up to us. Yiras
    Shomayim – what is important to us. Who
    we look up to, what are our priorities, that’s
    in our hands.
    Re’eh – See. Moshe is telling us, look at me,
    I had my share of difficulties. I stuttered,
    I grew up in the house of Pharoah. I had
    to escape to Midyan. I faced a nation that
    many-a-time stood up against me. Yet,
    I became Moshe Rabbeinu. Moshe the
    leader, the teacher. Moshe who took the
    nation out of Egypt. Moshe who led the
    people through the desert. Moshe who was
    able to speak to HaShem and deliver the
    Torah.
    We can ask, how are we to become a
    Moshe. After all, the Torah tells us, Lo kom
    k’Moshe od, there was only one Moshe.
    The answer is, we don’t have to. We only
    have to live up to our potential. To make
    the most of our lives.
    No two of us are created exactly the same.
    Each of us has our own talents, our own
    capabilities and even our own limitations.
    But each of us has our unique mission on
    this world, and it is up to us to use the tools
    given to us by HaShem to accomplish what
    we were put on this world to achieve.
    Hayom – Today. Moshe’s mission given
    with love to his people. Given with love
    for future generations. Hayom – for today
    and every day. Hayom – to choose a life of
    bracha, bringing blessings to ourselves and
    the world around us.